Shaw, John
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-10-19
John Shaw was the son of American militiaman John Shaw, a native of Scotland who was killed during a British raid against Crompond in 1779. The younger Shaw believes that his father was mistaken by the British for a Captain Delavan, likely Samuel Delavan. He concludes his interview by noting the location of an encampment of an American army under George Washington north of the present City of Peekskill.
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 542 -
October 19th John Shaw, of Peekskill. “My father, John Shaw was a Scotchman, a farmer residing at South Salem, near the Bedford line. He was a private in Samuel Delavan’s Company of horse. He was surprised while on duty at Crompond, near the Meetinghouse, I think, in the spring or summer of 1779, and killed at the stable whither he had gone for his horse. The British mistook him for Captain Delavan. He was on foot when attacked and defended himself, killing or wounding three of the enemy, as Miss Frost who saw the affair informed me. Mr. Jeremiah Keeler knows all about it and will tell you. My father, I have heard, was a good swordsman. Genl. Washington and the American army lay awhile on the long hill (Travers’s) leading from the north of the village to the road,” &c.