[marg: 1845] [marg: 155.]

Huested or the firelock.

November 14th. Gilbert Close of North Greenwich: "I knew Major Huggeford well. He told me when he was taken at Morris's house at Ford-ham his guard was surprised and the house surrendered. He then retreated up stairs where there was a great quantity of salt &c. in barrels, some of which he rolled down upon his pursuers. This stop-ped any further attempt to get into the upper storey, and he then barricaded the doors with the barrels and fired out of the window. The Americans then set the house on fire and Huggeford effected his escape by jumping out of the window but was taken prisoner.--

When the American party retired they

mounted him on horseback behind Richard Mead of Horse neck, but after riding a short distance in that way he threw Mead off, then jumped off himself & escaped through the fields with which he was much better acquainted than those who pursued.

The Refugees soon rallied and pursued the retreating party and Richard Mead who had stopped at one of the Halsteds in Rye to take tea (or breakfast?) was taken prisoner. He was intimate with the Halsted family and some tory informed where he was.

The refugees however were much disappointed in his Capture for they supposed him to be Andrew Mead of Horse neck, a man extremely obnoxious to them.

My father during the war moved by Salem, near Cross River to which place also the family of the father of David Williams, one of