Home / Macdonald, John. Interview with Mead, Amah Hobby, c.1764-1852; (1844-10-31). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 1248. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026. / Passage

Interview with Mead, Amah Hobby

Macdonald, John. Interview with Mead, Amah Hobby, c.1764-1852; (1844-10-31). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 1248. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026. 308 words

Nehemiah Brown, cont. who was conducted to camp. The Refugees took the Frenchmen's horses and left the waggon. The waggon was taken into camp by the American party.

Madam Mead. Octr. 31st Madam (the Widow of Andrew) MEAD, of Horseneck: My husband, Andrew Mead, was a whale boat man. Connecticut? The [Country] Conn. was infested by plunderers, and Congress authorized and recommended retaliation by whale boats which attacked the enemy's vessels in the Sound. Captain Lockwood and my husband commanded the party of whale boat men that took the Shuldham in East Chester Bay. Andrew Mead and Lock wood, when they approached and were hailed, answered: "We want to come under your lee for protection." Andrew [margin: + It was Lockwood who answered. He commanded. J.M.]

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Madam Mead, cont. Mead was the first to spring on board. The British vessel was surrounded by a netting eight or ten feet high which he cut. The sentry fired at and wounded him. He (Mead) then having cut through fired at the sentinel and missed him. He then boarded, followed at first, by only three or four. Having fired their guns and pistols, Mead ran to the windlass and called upon the men to arm with the spears (boarding pikes) on board. An officer with some of the marines appeared who cried out, "Kill him! kill him!" Mead when he first came on board had directed his men to close the hatches to prevent the marines from coming up, and he now rushed to the cabin door to get possession and close it when he met the Captain coming on deck with a pistol in each hand both of which he fired at him (Mead) and wounded him in each shoulder. Mead, at the same time, wounding the Captain severely with his pike (?) in the breast and side.