Post, Frederick
John M. McDonald interview — 1846-10-24
Frederick Post (1762-1850) begins this interview with a description of the location of the encampments of the British army in Yonkers. Throughout the interview, he comments on the Native American soldiers of the Stockbridge tribe who fought at the Battle of Van Cortlandt’s Woods. He describes a number of incidents involving Hessian officers in Yonkers, including his family’s encounters and the killing of Captain Carl von Rau by a force of Americans led by John Pray. Post himself had his ears boxed by a Hessian officer. He also describes the Van Cortlandt family and the location of General Richard Montgomery’s farm in present-day Bronx County. Post recounts the departure of Frederick Philipse, Lord of Philipsburg Manor, from Philipse Manor Hall, and comments that he was “a very good landlord.” He also describes a cave known as the “Rock House,” explains how David Post thwarted an attempt to rob his family’s house, and mentions that the Post farm was occupied by American troops during the campaign against Fort Independence in 1777. Post concludes by discussing the skirmish that took place in Yonkers on September 16, 1778, and recalls his family’s encounter with Andreas Emmerich as Emmerich’s Chasseurs passed their home.
Manuscript page facsimiles
High-resolution images served from the Westchester County Historical Society's IIIF endpoint. Click any page to view full size.
Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 420 -
October 24 Frederick Post, of Yonkers: The British army encamped three summers successively about the middle of the war at Mile Square, from Yonkers to Valentine’s Hill and so to East Chester. St. [X] Indians cut off at Devoes. – Many of them were found dead afterwards in the woods.
[X] Stockbridge Indians
- Hufeland Index Page 421 -
Emmerick severe, cross, &c. – caned my father for claiming a cow his men had taken: “To you call my mens Cow Tieves?” Emmerick caned my brother also for claiming stolen property, and sent him out of camp. Emmerick’s headquarters were at Vermille’s under the hill. Three white men killed with the Stockbridge Indians then near Brown’s (formerly Deveau’s) house. Captain Rouw killed by the water guards under Pray from over the river. Rouw was killed about a quarter of a mile east of the Methodist Meetinghouse at Yonkers on Hog Hill. Rouw belonged to Colonel Wormb’s Yagers. Cattle all fat – plenty of grass. Col. Wormb’s men took our cows. Father reclaimed and got them again, but one was killed. Father was glad to get what remained Wormb’s Major (Pruschenck?) was cross. He once boxed my ears and those of a boy with me because we came
- Hufeland Index Page 422 -
into the room where he was quartered with our hats on. (F. Van Courtland’s house – The room looked rough. – They slept on the floor.) Jacobus Van Courtland lived in the big house before the war, and moved to New York, where he soon after died, and Fredk. Van Courtland then moved in and lived there, leaving his house on the hill (afterwards H. White’s house) into which Colonel Wormb then moved his Headquarters. Augustus Van Courtland afterwards moved in and lived there, the place being entailed. I never heard Courtland’s called the Manor house. Most of the Indians were killed near Tippett’s brook, west of Deveaus houses. General Montgomery’s farm was the next place north of Tetards. Tetards old vaults are called Tetards huts. Fort Independence was on Montgomery’s farm.
- Hufeland Index Page 423 -
It was the winter of ’76 and ’77, I think, that Colonel Philipse went off. Abraham Vincent was sent below by Madam Philipse &c. Eastern troops (Meigs’s?) came down in the night. The Post house was robbed by men disguised with blackened faces. About to burn the old man – that is, Jacob Post. David Post went out and made a noise on the hill throwing down fences, and calling out: “Here they are, boys!” &c. The robbers then ran. “Colonel Philipse, after he went below, staid awhile at Van Courtland’s house. He might have remained at the Mansion house unmolested. A very good landlord. A cave called the Rock House formed by a high projecting rock with another one leaning against it so as to form a habitation. Very secluded. Can be seen yet where
- Hufeland Index Page 424 -
they made their fires. Several deserters lived there some time. My Lord Underhill lives about half a mile from Williams’s Bridge. Lorillards afterwards owned the place. When General Heath attacked Fort Independence, the American troops lay about our farm. A captain and his company staid all one night in this house (the Post house) when the rain came on. Emmerick took some of Gist’s men prisoners and burnt ^the huts at Mrs. Babcocks. (Captain Smith, I believe, belonged to Gists.) He (Emmerick?) carried his rifle over his shoulder and often went on foot. One night we looked out of the window and door as he was passing ahead of his party, and he ordered us instantly to shut the doors. He didn’t want us to see where his men were going.