Feeks, Joseph
John M. McDonald interview — 1848-11-01
Although 78-year-old Joseph Feeks indicates that he remembers the Battle of White Plains, his interview does not touch on that subject. The first portion of his interview covers the capture of Loyalist Colonel James DeLancey’s horses by Wright Carpenter, Thomas Ferris, and Benjamin Green. Feeks states that Tim Knapp, who was executed by DeLancey for the theft, was not present, but may have provided information regarding the horses. He also describes how Thomas Ferris captured a horse near Oyster Bay, and had it towed by a whaleboat across the Long Island Sound. Feeks notes that black rate was enforced at Middle Patent in North Castle, and that his father suffered from its enforcement. He concludes by recounting the death of James Miller, an American who was killed during a skirmish in North Castle.
Original findings from this interview
Manuscript page facsimiles
High-resolution images served from the Westchester County Historical Society's IIIF endpoint. Click any page to view full size.
Transcription
November 1st Joseph Feeks of Middle Patent. "I am 78 years old and remember the battle of White Plains
Tom Ferris, Wright Carpenter and Ben Bow. Green went down for DeLancey's horses. They were at pasture in a meadow surrounded by briers, witch hazel &. They waited all day long till the sun was about one or two hours high. The horse and mare were both imported and fine blooded horses. A shower at length came up, and the boy that watched them went to a house for shelter, and the horse and mare came up to them as straight as if led. Ferris and Carpenter mounted the horse and Green the mare. They went prepared with bridles, and rode full speed for Williams' bridge. Here, as they began to descend a hill they descried a party of DeLancey's Dragoons
who had halted and dismounted during the shower. They then cried out: "Here, they are, boys! — Come on! — Now we'll have 'em!" The dragoons look down to the river in the bushes, &c. Soon after they met two more of the same party who had lagged behind. They then cried out: "Clear the way! — They'll gain the race!" The dragoons opened right and left and let them pass, but immediately perceived the ruse and pursued. One or two miles from Williams Bridge is a hollow near V. Briggs's. Ferris said: "Now, boys, I'm to leave you — the horse never'll carry two." He then jumped off right among the briers and hauled them about him. It was a bright moon shining night, almost as light as day. A few moments after he had concealed himself his pursuers
passed at full speed. Ferris then proceeded home on foot, and found the horse and mare both at Carpenters who then lived opposite the blacksmiths shop/ by Samuel Smith's Tavern. Tim Knapp was not along with the three that took off those horses although he might have given information about them. I have heard Ferris say he, (Tim Knapp) was innocent and hanged without Judge or Jury.
Ferris went over to Long Island near Oyster Bay, and captured a horse named Bashaw. Ferris covered his nose with a silk handkerchief to keep him from squealing, mounted, and ran him about fifteen miles to a spot where whale boats lay which had engaged to meet him. He then plunged Bashaw into the water and the boats towed him across the Sound near Norwalk.
In going across they landed on one of the islands, and led him across it. This horse (Bashaw) became blind in consequence of plunging into the water in a heated state.*
Black rate was enforced in Middle Patent. Dr Isaac Smith's once took the bedding from my father's house for this rate. This was James Smith's father.
When James Miller was killed I saw two of the Dragoons in red (regulars I suppose) who came down
* The owner of Bashaw after the war, recovered his value from the captors. His groom afterwards said that he was taken off within ten minutes after being fed and secured for the night. It was from somewhere about Oyster Bay that he was taken.