Tompkins, Nehemiah
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-08-24
Dr. Nehemiah U. Tompkins was the son of James Tompkins (1752-1833) and Elizabeth Underhill (1760-1848), who was the daughter of William Underhill (1727-c.1784) and Mary Dean. Dr. Tompkins notes that William Underhill and his relatives were Loyalists, and that his grandfather and father helped guide the British army during the Battle of White Plains. James Tompkins told his son that the fight for Chatterton Hill during the Battle of White Plains was decided by a cavalry charge. Dr. Tompkins describes the site of the French artillery park during the Franco-American encampment in the summer of 1781. His interview concludes with the story of how James Tompkins was placed under confinement by the French army after he tried to prevent them from using his horses, but was let go by General Rochambeau.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 480 -
Augt. 24th. (Tuesday). Dr. Nehemiah U. Tompkins, of No. 161 Bowery: “My grandfather Underhill, and all his family and connections were Royalists. He and my father were guides to the British army October 27th & 28th 1776. My father said that the British Light horse decided the battle of Chatterton Hill by a charge. In 1781, some of the French lay at Chatterton hill but the main body encamped on my uncle Isaac Tompkins’s farm. The French park of cannon were on a smooth piece of ground west of my uncle’s old house and towards Col. Odell’s. The French soldiers made use of my fathers horses which so provoked him that he
- Hufeland Index Page 481 -
seized and shook one of them who screamed for assistance. His comrades came to his aid and my father threw them about and knocked some of them down. More came, and the French soldiers, now very much excited raised the cry of “Refugee!” “Refugee!” My father then pulled a stake out of the fence and defended himself for sometime, keeping them at bay, and knocked several of them down. He was at last overpowered, and taken by the enraged soldier before Rochambeau. The French soldiers wanted to kill him, but Rochambeau pleased with his hardihood, after a short confinement discharged him, first however making him promise never again to attack the French army!”