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Miller, Hannah Mabie, c.1759-1849

John M. McDonald interview — 1845-11-19

From the Westchester County Historical Society catalog:
Hannah Mabie Miller (1759-1849) resided with her aunt, whom she refers to as the widow Brewer, in North White Plains during the Revolutionary War. She witnessed the Battle of White Plains, and describes the manner in which her house and the North Castle Church were used as hospitals after the battle. She recollects an encounter with Loyalist Captain Gilbert Totten, and notes activity near her residence in connection with the Battle of Youngs’ House. The remainder of the interview contains descriptions of several officers and the locations of some of their headquarters, including Loyalists Mansfield Bearmore and Isaac Hatfield and Americans Nicholas Fish, Horatio Gates, Charles Lee, Alexander McDougall, and Philip Van Cortlandt.

Manuscript page facsimiles

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Transcription

294 7 159 [margin: 1845] November 19th Hannah Miller of Greenburg: "I was born a Mabie at the house in White Plains where John Fisher now lives, and am eighty six years old. During the Rebellion, I lived with my aunt the widow Brewer who resided in the house, where John Wolf of afterwards lived and which is now occupied by Caprons, being on the road to Robins's Mills and about three quarters of a mile or a mile from Abraham Miller's corner where the road branches off. I saw the battle on Chatterton's Hill from the high grounds of North Castle, and our house was immediately afterwards filled with the wounded, among whom was Captain Scott of Virginia. He was dangerously wounded and died next morning. I saw not many years ago an account in the newspapers (I believe) of this same Captain Scott in which it

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8 295 160 [margin: 1845] was mentioned that after the battle of White Plains he was taken to the house of a widow where he died. Colonel Shepherd about this time was wounded in the neck and recovered. General (Colonel?) Nixon and Greaton had their Head Quarters at my aunt Brewers (in 1778, probably). The military and surgeons at the battle of White Plains came in without ceremony and took possession of some of our rooms bringing some bedding and an immense quantity of lint with them. The wounded were soon after taken to North Castle Church. This church was Episcopalian and stood two miles or more north of Mile square. It was converted into an hospital, and used as such during most part of the war. They formerly passed this Church, often times in going to Bedford though that route was some what longer. (They must have been what Mrs. Sally Holmes called the

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296 11 161 [margin: 1845] West or north road in contradistinction to the Post road) Captain Gilbert Totten was a small but handsome and remarkably well made man. I saw him after he had wounded Colonel William Green of (Somers?) Somers, Surrogate Coffin's father in law, and taken him prisoner. They passed our house, and I begged Totten to stop and let me dress his wound, as from seeing wounded men treated by the army surgeons I had a little knowledge of the healing art, but that officer refused saying it was a mere scratch and he must go on to Morrisania. Green's wound was in the head. During a considerable part of the war the advanced post of the American army was kept at my aunt Brewers. When Colonel Thompson was defeated at Youngs house, his advance guard was there and had to retreat through the snow and join their detachment by making a

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12 297 162 [margin: 1845] circuit, the direct roads being occupied by the enemy. After the British retreated the wounded were found around the house crying out for water, and such as could crawl a short distance drinking the snow-water which had been melted by the conflagration. Bearmore had the reputation of being severe and harassing, and even the American guides sometimes plagued us very much. Colonel Isaac Hatfield was from Crompond, and of good repute. Colonel Van Cortlandt and Major Fish quartered at Mrs. Brewers. The Generals Lee and Gates and McDougall at different [times] had their HeadQuarters at aunt Annetjie Millers. Andre's captors had splendid dinners given them by General Washington and his officers at or near White Plains. Masin and his men also after their celebrated defence were treated with

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298 15 163 [margin: 1845] [margin: ?] dinners at White Plains &c. Isaac Oakley, brother in law of Cornelius who owned the public house opposite to the Court House (Willis's) was an American officer. General McDougall had in the army a son named Stephen. I remember two lines of a song written during the war, in which he and some other officers were lampooned: "And as to Steve McDougall, he's a noisy, saucy clown, And of the greatest black-guards that walks about the town."