Lyon, Abraham, 1764-1849
John M. McDonald interview — 1844-10-22
The family of Abraham Lyon (1764-1849) lived near Byram Bridge in Greenwich, Connecticut during the Revolutionary War. Lyon recalls the February 1779 raid on Horseneck in Greenwich by British forces under General William Tryon, and notes that the planks on Byram Bridge were taken up to try to slow the British advance from Westchester County. Lyon notes the rumor that American General Israel Putnam was able to escape capture because British ammunition was dampened after fording the Byram River, and describes an encounter he personally had with a British dragoon. He also mentions a few notable soldiers from the Greenwich area.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 041 -
Abraham Lyon
October 22nd Abraham Lyon, of Byram Bridge, Connecticut: “The American picket guard was kept at my father’s house where I live by Byram Bridge. Another was on the hill above on the south west of the road. When Tryon advanced to Horseneck the planks were taken up, but the British crossed
- Hufeland Index Page 042 -
Abraham Lyon cont’d.
easily notwithstanding – that is, on the timber, and by fording. It was said that Putnam owed his safety to the Refugee horse having forded the river which was deep, and dampened the priming of their pistols so that they missed fire. The picket guard at Sherwood’s Bridge was kept in Mr. Sherwood’s old house now standing here. The house where Shube Merritt and Thomas &c. were born and lived stands on the south west side of King Street Their father was a farmer. Tim Knapp and Brown Ballott [X]were both from Greenwich. Fade Donaldson hung Ballot (Barrett?) at Horseneck, I believe. When Tryon crossed the Byram, a British dragoon rode up to our door with a drawn sword in his hand, and said to me: “Where’s your dammed rebel guard?” I pointed to the hill – being a boy and much frightened. The road that runs north and a little east from Sherwood’s Bridge (or Glenville) leads to Round Hill which is distant about five or six miles.
[X] This name is very plainly written Brown Ballott in the original (See page 34) but the writer must have meant Brom Barrett. J.E.