First-Hand Diary Account of Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776
Lieutenant-General Archibald Robertson From Image
of a Miniature Portrait on Ivory by John Smart. Source:
Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution: Archibald
Robertson His Diaries and Sketches in America, 1762-1780,
p. Frontispiece (Reprint Edition 1971 by The New York
Public Library and Arno Press Inc.).
Robertson was in active service in the King's Army for 27 years from 1759 to 1786. He joined the service in 1759 as a "practitioner engineer and ensign" in the Royal Engineers. After peace was declared between Britain and America in 1783, he left the army, married and settled as a "country gentleman" as an estate called "Lawers" in Perthshire, where he died in 1813.
In 1776, at the time of the Battle of Pelham, Robertson's rank was: "engineer extraordinary and captain-lieutenant," a rank he achieved on February 2, 1775.
The diary excerpt transcribed below from a portion of Robertson's diary begins on October 12, 1776 as the British and German troops leave New York for a landing on Throggs Neck adjacent to Pell's Point (today's Rodman's Neck). The account describes events on Throggs Neck as Americans held off the British and German troops, preventing them from crossing Westchester Creek and marching across the mainland to attack George Washington's Continental Army. The account includes the movement of the British and German troops via barges from Throggs Neck to Pell's Point on October 18. There follows a fascinating and detailed account of the events during the Battle of Pelham including estimates of British casualties, movements of various units and descriptions of what Robertson saw during the Battle. The excerpt ends with accounts of the three days following the battle as the British and German troops camped along today's Colonial Avenue between the Hutchinson River and the New Rochelle border.
"1776 . . . [October] 12th This morning before day break our Troops from New York Island embark'd on board flat Boats and other Craft in the East River opposite the South End of Blackwell's Island and lay at an Anchor till daybreak went. We went with a very strong tide and thick fog thro'' Hell gates towards the Sound (An Artillery Boat with Guns and men overset some D. [distance?], a very horrid place to pass) we continued to row Eastward and Landed on Frog's Neck in West Chester about 10 o'clock without any Opposition (One Frigate covered the Landing). We march'd immediately forward for about 3 miles untill we came to a small Bridge and Mill dam over West Chester Creek where a small party of Rebels appeared to oppose us and we halted. The 2d Embarkation from Long Island landed the Guns were taken forward to the Bridge, 16 pieces, but we were ordered to encamp. The Rebels came in greater Numbers opposite to us. All our Force consisted of 11,000 Men. Popping Shots across the Water.
13th perceived two Breast Works thrown up by the Rebels across the Road leading to the Bridge with a piece of Cannon on the left of the 2d line.
14th They continued to Extend these Works, also began a new line about 1 mile to their left opposite to a place where the Creek and Marsh were, sometimes fordable. They fired several Cannon Shot and wounded some of our men. [Page 102 / Page 103]
15th 100 men employ'd raising two mock Batterys of 4 and 3 guns opposite the Bridge and Mill dam, and a Line opposite theirs on our Right at Wilson's house of 140 Yds in length where I employ'd another 100 men.
16th A Line was run between the two mock Batterys at the Bridge and I made two mock Batterys of 3 guns each on our line to the Right.
17th The Grenadiers and Light Infantry and Reserve were under Arms, the two former march'd at 1 o'clock the latter at 3 in the morning but the Weather so bad they could not proceed, but ordered to be ready next day same hour.
18th at Day Break the Grenadiers and Light Infantry moved to Stevens's point where they embark'd in the Flat Boats. The rest of the Army and Cannon went to Hunt's Point. About 8 o'clock the Flat Boats came up and Landed under Cover of the Guns on Rodman's Neck opposite hunt's Point without any Opposition. I was ordered to join the Light Infantry and Grenadiers under Lieutenant General Clinton. After moving on about a mile towards East Chester I was ordered by the General to the top of a Rising ground in front with the Advance Guard of the Light Infantry to reconnoitre, but we were immediately fired upon from behind Trees and heaps of Stones where the Rebels lay concealed, and from which they were very soon forced to retire. On the Batns [Batteries or Battalions?] coming up we had 10 men Killed and Wounded. Here we halted untill General Howe came up. The Rebels appeared drawn up in our Front behind all the Fences and high stone walls. The Grenadiers were ordered to march in a Column on our Right. About 10 we advanced a little and halted till 12 when the 1st Battalion Light Infantry [Page 103 / Page 104] advanced on our left Flank. Here they received a very smart fire from the Rebels from behind Trees and Walls, but they soon forced them to retire. (We lost here about 12 Men Killed and Wounded and 3 Officers Wounded.) Our Grenadiers kept advancing on our Right the Hessian Grenadiers in the Centre, and after some Cannonading the Rebels entirely quited the heights. Few of them were left on the field, but a good many were taken off wounded. We took our Position on the heights of Pelham's Manner our left to East Chester Creek and Right to New Rochelle, our Front extending about 2 miles facing North or NNE.
[October] 19th Provisions ordered forwards, Tents Pitched. Said [that] General Lee commanded the Rebel Army and that they were 20,000 Strong.
20th remaind.
21st Tents struck at 7 this morning. At 12 the Army marchd by the Right towards New Rochelle and Advanced about two miles in the Country towards the White Plains. Met with no Opposition. Left a Brigade of British and one of Hessians on our old Ground to keep up the Communications. This day the two Brigades left on Frogs Neck came over, all but one Regiment. This Night Rogers' Rangers on our Right at Mamaroneck had a little skirmish with some of the Rebels."
Source: Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution: Archibald Robertson His Diaries and Sketches in America, 1762-1780, pp. 102-04 (Reprint Edition 1971 by The New York Public Library and Arno Press Inc.).
* * * * *
I have written extensively about the Battle of Pelham fought on October 18, 1776. See, for example, the following 34 articles:
Bell, Blake A., The Battle of Pelham: October 18, 1776, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIII, No. 41, Oct. 15, 2004, p. 10, col. 1.
Bell, Blake, History of the Village of Pelham: Revolutionary War, HistoricPelham.com Archive (visited May 9, 2014).
Mon., Feb. 28, 2005: Glover's Rock on Orchard Beach Road Does Not Mark the Site of the Battle of Pelham.
Mon., Apr. 18, 2005: Restored Battle of Pelham Memorial Plaque Is Unveiled at Glover Field.
Fri., May 27, 2005: 1776, A New Book By Pulitzer Prize Winner David McCullough, Touches on the Battle of Pelham.
Thu., Jul. 14, 2005: Pelham's 1926 Pageant Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Pelham.
Wed., Oct. 26, 2005: Remnants of the Battlefield on Which the Battle of Pelham Was Fought on October 18, 1776. Fri., May 19, 2006: Possible Remains of a Soldier Killed in the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776 Found in 1921.
Fri., Aug. 11, 2006: Article by William Abbatt on the Battle of Pelham Published in 1910.
Thu., Sep. 21, 2006: A Paper Addressing the Battle of Pelham, Among Other Things, Presented in 1903.
Mon., Oct. 30, 2006: Brief Biographical Data About Sir Thomas Musgrave, British Lieutenant Colonel Wounded at the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Wed., Nov. 1, 2006: Two British Military Unit Histories that Note Participation in the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Tue., Jan. 16, 2007: Brief Biography of British Officer Who Served During the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Fri., Feb. 09, 2007: Extract of October 23, 1776 Letter Describing British Troops in Eastchester After the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Mon., Feb. 12, 2007: Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site Opens New Exhibition: "Overlooked Hero: John Glover and the American Revolution."
Thu., Jan. 18, 2007: Three More British Military Unit Histories that Note Participation in the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Mon., Jul. 16, 2007: Mention of the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776 in Revolutionary War Diary of David How.
Tue., Jul. 17, 2007: Mention of the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776 in Writings of Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Aide-de-Camp to British General Clinton.
Wed., Jul. 18, 2007: Another British Military Unit History that Notes Participation in the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Tue., Aug. 7, 2007: An Account of the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776 Contained in the McDonald Papers Published in 1926.
Wed., Aug. 8, 2007: A Description of an Eyewitness Account of the Interior of St. Paul's Church in Eastchester During the Revolutionary War.
Thu., Sep. 6, 2007: Information About St. Paul's Church, the Battle of Pelham and Other Revolutionary War Events Near Pelham Contained in an Account Published in 1940.
Mon., Oct. 8, 2007: American Troops Who Guarded Pelham's Shores in October 1776.
Fri., Oct. 12, 2007: Images of The Lord Howe Chestnut that Once Stood in the Manor of Pelham.
Fri., Oct. 27, 2006: Orders Issued by British Major General The Honourable William Howe While Encamped in Pelham After the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Thu., Jan. 22, 2009: Another Brief Biography of Sir Thomas Musgrave, a British Officer Wounded at the Battle of Pelham on October 18 1776.
Wed., Feb. 17, 2010: British Report on Killed, Wounded and Missing Soldiers During the Period the Battle of Pelham Was Fought on October 18, 1776.
Fri., Apr. 23, 2010: Charles Blaskowitz, Surveyor Who Created Important Map Reflecting the Battle of Pelham.
Thu., Feb. 06, 2014: A Description of the Revolutionary War Battle of Pelham Published in 1926 for the Sesquicentennial Celebration.
Mon., May 19, 2014: Biography of British Officer Who Fought in the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Wed., Jun. 04, 2014: An Account of the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776 Presented and Published in 1894.
Fri., Jun. 27, 2014: Newly-Published Account Concludes Colonel William Shepard Was Wounded During the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Mon., Jun. 30, 2014: A British Lieutenant in the Twelfth Foot Who Fought at the Battle of Pelham on October 18, 1776.
Fri., Sep. 19, 2014: Abel Deveau, An American Skirmisher on Rodman's Neck as British and Germans Landed Before the Battle of Pelham.
Wed., Sep. 17, 2014: References to the Battle of Pelham in 18th Century Diary of Ezra Stiles, President of Yale College.
Labels: 1776, Archibald Robertson, Battle of Pelham, Battle of Pell's Point, Battle of Westchester Creek, Pell's Point, Throggs Neck, Westchester Creek
posted by Blake A. Bell @ 4:35 AM
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