Rich, Frederick, 1769-1859
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-09-29
Mile Square was a mile-square section of present-day Yonkers that was not part of Philipsburg Manor. The Rich family owned a large amount of land near the present intersection of Mile Square and Bronx River roads. Frederick Rich (1769-1859) begins his interview by discussing the composition of Emmerich’s Chasseurs, a Loyalist unit. He notes that British Colonel Banastre Tarleton used the Crawford house in Mile Square as a headquarters. Rich also describes the activities of a Frenchman named Garrineau, who had a store in the vicinity of Mile Square and met George Washington. He also describing methods used by the French army in 1781 to deceive the British into thinking that they were preparing to attack New York City. Rich concludes the interview by stating his opinion regarding the appearance of the British and Hessian troops who paraded in the area.
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Transcription
47. his cattle and horses. &c.
Miss Williams, Madame Philips's sister, lived with Mrs Babcock his the war and died at her house. She was a very elegant and accomplished woman, as were also Madames Philips and Babcock. The two former were English.
Miss Fowler was very handsome, but Roww-looked like a Hessian. &c. Mrs. Vredenburg's son shewed me a very long heavy sabre which he said was the sword carried by Brom. Dyckman at the time he received his mortal wound.
Sept. 29th. Frederick Rich, of Mile Square. "Emmerich's corps consisted, I think, of a company of horse commanded by Captain Benjamin Ogden, a company
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48 of rifle men under Captain Althome, and a company or two of musketeers. Barnes may have commanded one of these last, but I think not. Colonel Tarleton kept his headquarters at Crawford's house at Mile Square, on which is called the Crawford Road.
Garrineau was a Frenchman who kept a large store on the west side of the Bronx. Genl Washington when he went up from New York in 1776, stopped awhile at Garrineau's, and left a large quantity of stores at. his house. Garrineau afterwards went above with Washington, and remained in the country during the war. In 1781, the French, in order to deceive the English pretended they were prepared to attack New York. They commenced constructing a military road towards Kingsbridge and a survey of the whole route, putting up high poles with
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49. flags on the eminences.
Being an idle boy I used to be present at the parades and reviews in our neighborhood, and considered the British as much finer troops than the Hessians. At least they were better and more shewily draped & made a much finer appearance.
Oct. 1st. Augustus Cregier: "Joshua Barnes was one of Emmerich's men, one of his captains, and they all wore a red uniform. Emmerich had a company of horse and two or three Companies of foot. Tarleton's Head quarters were at my fathers for about three weeks after which he went to Crawford's at Mile Square. He was a handsome military man looking man. He took up all our house, but two rooms. Our house belonged to Van Courtland and was situated between Courtland's house and the mills, and east of the house.