Schofield, Mr.
John M. McDonald interview — 1844
Mr. Schofield’s identity is not definitively known, but he may be Nelson Schofield or Scofield. He recounts the Battle of Heathcote Hill, which took place in Mamaroneck on October 22, 1776.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
Saml. Oakley contd. [margin: + Jotham.] seldom paid. This, I think, is what I have generally heard on the subject. The first name of Purdy, who was killed at Maroneck, I don't know.
Mr. Schofield. Mr! Schofield "Colonel Rogers, with his regiment of about four hundred men, came to Mamaroneck one morning, soon after the British landed at Pelham, and encamped on the level ground, on the top of Heathcote Hill, just back of J. P. Delancey's house, where he formerly had a garden. They had no tents, and bivouacked around fires of rails. The road towards White Plains was well guarded, as if they should be attacked. They supposed that the enemy would advance by that road. They [page break] Mr. Schofield cont'd were attacked the same night, but the Americans approached by the Quaker Meeting house road and then crossed the fields to the road that comes into the Turnpike a little west of Delanceys. This road was then a lane leading into the fields for the accommodation of the farmers and not communicating with the Quaker Meeting or any other road but the Post road. Rogers had posted a picket guard west of the camp where there is now a tree with a large top. This guard, commanded by Capt. Eagles, was surrounded and taken. Rogers was quartered at a School house situated on the said cross road and came near being taken. He escaped to the camp ground which where he kept his ground, but the troops were for a while in great confusion. His men were Americans but not in uniform, and this created con -fusion in the American ranks where some also wore plain clothes. Part of their prisoners escaped from the Americans [page break] Mr. Schofield contd. who retreated soon after they took the their picket guard. The wounded British and Americans remained all night and most of the next day on the ground and were at last removed in ox-carts to New Rochelle church where nearly all of them died. Rogers' party would, probably, have all been taken if the Americans had known their numbers. Rogers was blamed for the position he took and for being surprised. He had orders to take post a little in advance of New Rochelle village, but finding no good ground for encampment, and hearing that a quantity of stores for the American army was at Maroneck he advanced to that place. There was a great quantity of rum, flour, pork, &c, in the houses and barns on the landing which he destroyed or had removed. Rogers was at the time an old and rough looking man. The turnpike road and bridge over Maroneck river is south of where the road into bridge formerly were. There [page break] Mr. Schofield contd. was much talk at the time of bringing Rogers to court martial, and it was said that nothing but the destruction and capture of the stores at Maroneck saved him.
Roads. The road that runs south west to the Coutants from the New Rochelle and White Plains road begins one mile and an half from New Rochelle village. The road which that runs north east to Quaker Meeting house commences about two and an half (2 1/2) [margin: miles] from New Rochelle village; and the road that passed by Curtis's south west to the Post road, begins about three miles from New Rochelle village.