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.
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 526 -
Septr. 29th. Frederick Rich, of Mile Square. “Emmerick’s corps consisted, I think, of a company of horse commanded by Captain Benjamin Ogden, a company
- Hufeland Index Page 527 -
of riflemen under Captain Althouse, 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 Crawfords 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 a while at Garrineau’s and left a large quantity of stores at his house. Garrineau afterwards went above with Washington, and remained up the country during all 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
- Hufeland Index Page 528 -
flags on the eminences. Bring an idle boy I used to be present at the parades and reviews in our neighborhood, and considered the British as much iner troops than the Hessians. At least they were better and more showily dressed, and made a much finer appearance.