Romer, John
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-11-12
John Romer (1764-1855) discusses several officers who served in the Westchester County militia. He notes that the Hammond family came to New York from Bermuda, and comments on the route taken by British Major John André on the day of his capture. Romer then recounts the burning of the home of his father-in-law, Cornelius Van Tassel, during a British raid on the night of November 17, 1777, and the rescue of Leah Van Tassel by a soldier. He explains the circumstances regarding the death of Katrina Buckhout, who was accidentally killed by a Hessian Jager under the command of Andreas Emmerich. Romer concludes by mentioning a warning given by the captors of Major André to his mother, Frena Haerlager Romer, when they stopped at the family’s house after the capture.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 275 -
1845
November 12th. Capt. John Romer: “Cornelius Van Tassel, my father -in-law, was a lieutenant in the militia regularly commissioned by Governor Clinton – Gilbert Dean, Sybert Acker, Joseph Requa, and William Dutcher were captains elected by volunteers for particular expeditions on account of their popularity, enterprize and courage and generally had at command a certain set who was ready to follow them in any daring enterprise. The Hammond family were from the Island of Bermuda – Col. Hammond’s father being from that place. André, as I have always understood came down to the Post road for some distance above the Dutch Church. My wife, Leah Van Tassel, was the only child of Cornelius Van Tassel
- Hufeland Index Page 276 -
1845
and she was the infant taken out of the house in a blanket by a soldier and laid carefully in the snow by a soldier when Van Tassel’s house was burnt. The mother distracted was seeking her babe in the flames when the soldier told where the child was. Leah never had a sister and but one brother who on the night of the attack fled for safety half naked to the roof of Van Tassel’s house and held on by the chimney from which when the fire began to reach him he jumped to the ground. He escaped that night but caught a cold of which he never recovered and died of consumption.
<left margin> Buckhout </left margin>
Katrina Buckhout, a young girl, was killed in by a Yager rifleman belonging to a party under Emmerick who were patrolling on the west side of Saw Mill river
- Hufeland Index Page 277 -
1845
She imprudently appeared at the house door with a man’s hat on her when two hostile parties were near each other and was killed by mistake for an enemy. The Yager fired without orders and Emmerick made apology, being much mortified at the occurrence. The house where this occurred was near to and a little above the Saw Mill River Church. When the seven with André stopped on their return at our house someone cautioned my Father mother not to blow out against the English as the person outside was a British officer [X] She was a very strong Whig.”
[X] “Take care what you say there is a British outside.”