Miller, David
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-10-23
David Miller was listed as being 60 years old in the 1850 United States census. He tells a story that he heard from a man called “Dutch Henry,” who claimed to have served in a Hessian regiment at the Battle of White Plains. According to Dutch Henry, the soldiers were unwilling to ford the swollen and obstructed Bronx River during their attack on Chatterton Hill, and as a result artificers had to build a bridge. While this was taking place, American artillery opened fire, causing a great deal of damage in the ranks. Ultimately, according to Dutch Henry, the bridge was completed and the river was crossed.
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Transcription
163 222 [margin: 1845] 87. October 23d. David Miller of White Plains, undertaker: “Dutch Henry who lived with Capt. Bostwick many years used to say that he was a soldier in one of the Hessian regiments which fought on Chatterton Hill, October 28th. 1776, and that the detachment he belonged to crossed the Bronx somewhere near the widow Fishers — Daniel Horton’s old place. The river was high and much obstructed by trunks of trees which had fallen in and the remains of old Beaver dams. The soldiers were unwilling to ford it and the artificers and men immediately commenced cutting down of the adjacent trees for the purpose of constructing a bridge which being observed by the Americans they brought some pieces of cannon to an advantageous spot, a
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164 223 [margin: 1845] 88. large rock, directly in front and close to them. The American field pieces were pointed with such precision and fired so rapidly that many of the Hessians and others were killed upon and near the bridge and fell into the river, and great confusion for a while prevailed, but the bridge was at last completed and the detachment passed over!”