Belcher, Lydia Reynolds
John M. McDonald interview — 1846-10-17
Lydia Reynolds Belcher was the daughter of Horton Reynolds and widow of Dr. Elisha Belcher. Her father’s home on North Street in Greenwich, Connecticut, was serving as the headquarters of American Colonel Levi Wells when it was attacked by Refugee cavalry commanded by Major Thomas Huggeford. Although the Refugees set fire to the Reynolds house, the blaze was extinguished by Lydia and others. Horton Reynolds received word of the impending attack from John Bearmore, but did not heed the warning. Huggeford later expressed regret for setting the house afire. Mrs. Belcher also notes that Loyalist Captain Nathan Frink came to the area near the Reynolds residence, and references the killing of Obadiah Mead by Refugee cavalry at Quaker Ridge.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 434 -
October 17. Mrs. Elisha Belcher, widow of Dr. Belcher: “Colonel Wells had his headquarters at the house of my father, Horton Reynolds, of North Street in Connecticut, about two and a half miles from Horseneck Meeting house when he was captured by Major Huggeford. Huggeford ordered the house (our house) to be set on fire, but it was extinguished by me and others. Huggeford asked when he decamped: “Was the house fired?” and was answered: “Yes, well fired!” Refugees did not stay on the whole more than twenty minutes at our house. Joshua Reynolds lives there (in that house) now. Major Peters, of Wells’s, was at our house and taken prisoner at the same time, and troops were quartered in two or three of the neighboring houses. A young man named Barmore
- Hufeland Index Page 435 -
gave us warning who knew of the Refugees approach. He came to our house on the night of the attack, and told me to request my father to leave immediately which I did, and waked my father up, but the American force was so strong that he thought all safe. Barmore came a second time, and I, at his request, asked my father a second time (to leave) but he would not go. In a few minutes afterwards the Refugees fired in at the windows. ‘Twas said that Wells would have been more on the alert, but he had that day received news of the death of his wife. Huggeford was much ashamed at having ordered our house to be fired, and afterwards apologized saying that he was acting under express orders to do so. He told Dr. Belcher he was afraid to see me. Two of Wells’s men escaped by concealing themselves under a bed,
- Hufeland Index Page 436 -
and assisted me in extinguishing the fire. Part of Colonel Wells troops were quartered at Joseph Hobby’s, our next neighbor, and probably at other houses. Two men hid under the bed and escaped. It was said that Captain Frink came sometimes to Hobby’s or Deacon Randall’s close by us. Major Peters was taken prisoner. He quartered at our house. John Barmore gave us information of the Refugees coming three different times that night. The first time two hours before they came, and the last but a few minutes before they arrived and fired into the windows. A young man named Mead of Q[uaker] Ridge, was killed by a scouting party. He ran to make his escape when the Refugees appeared and they fired and killed him. He was the only child of his parents, and his death was much lamented.