Odell, Jackson
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-10-03
Jackson Odell (1792-1849) was the son of John Odell, one of the Westchester Guides. He recalls hearing his father state that George McChain was killed in a skirmish with DeLancey’s Refugees because he had burned buildings belonging to Loyalists, and had attempted to burn the home of Colonel James DeLancey. Odell also notes that his father twice captured Loyalist Captain Benjamin Ogden. He also describes Captain Joshua Barnes, a Loyalist officer who was present at the Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, and recalls a few skirmishes that took place in present-day Yonkers. Odell then discussing the location of the right wing of the American army on October 27, 1776, when it was spotted by British forces as it was moving northward to White Plains. He places it “near the Tuckeyhoe Church,” present-day Saint John’s Episcopal Church on Underhill Street in Yonkers. He concludes by noting that British General Sir John Vaughan encamped on Odell’s Hill in 1776.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 196 -
1845
October 3rd. Jackson Odell: “I heard my father often say that George McChain was killed in consequence of being concerned in burning the houses and barns of some Royalists and of having attempted the destruction of Colonel DeLancey’s house by firing some tow. My Father assisted in capturing Captain Ogden twice. He was with the party that took him at Vermille’s at Kingsbridge and with Cushing’s party. He was riding by Ogden’s
- Hufeland Index Page 197 -
1845
side down Van Tassell’s slope when Ogden said to him: “If I had the command of our horse now I should charge you here. The time was then after sunrise. Captain Joshua Barnes lived at Hunt’s corner before the war. He was said to have been born on the Richard Hatfield (?) place, was a very active officer, and distinguished himself at the reduction of Fort Montgomery where he was one of those that led the storming party. I have understood that there was an American party overtaken and cut to pieces at Lent’s Hill on the Tuckeyhoe road by the Refugees, and that at another time an American party was surprised near the break of day at William Underhills, a
- Hufeland Index Page 198 -
1845
mile south of Lent’s Hill and most of them killed or captured. Van Nostrand was with the party at Lent’s Hill (?) One of these, probably the latter I conjecture to have been Colonel Hatfield’s affair of December 16th 1781. My father said that Barton, Lawrence Smith and Vincent were foolish boys who were so rash as to attack a company of Refugee horse, and lost their lives in consequence. The spot where the right wing of the American Army came in sight of the British columns marching westerly, when the former was retreating to White Plains, the 27th of October 1776, with their baggage &c, on the Tuckeyhoe road, must have been near the Tuckeyhoe Church, and nearly opposite Ward’s house. Perhaps a little above
- Hufeland Index Page 199 -
1845
or below, there being a cross road within a mile of Ward’s house, both north and south (?) It was in 1776 and General Vaughan encamped at Odell’s Hill.