Brown, David
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-11-20
David Brown (1762-1850) opens his interview by recounting a skirmish on King Street along the border of New York and Connecticut between an American force commanded by a Captain Smith and a force of Loyalist troops. During the fight, Loyalist Shubael Merritt (whose name is given as Steve Merritt) shot Smith’s thumb off. Smith swore revenge, and got it when he and a party of whaleboat men found and killed Merritt in New Rochelle. Brown then notes the bad feelings held by Loyalist Gilbert Totten toward American Colonel Christopher Greene, and recounts Totten’s participation in Greene’s death at the Battle of Pines Bridge. He also comments on the death of Jotham Purdy, a Loyalist officer who was killed in Rye in 1777, and describes the grief of Purdy’s wife. Brown concludes by noting that an American foraging party gave his father a certificate for the grain that they took from his property, but as the “continental rates became of no value,” he received no compensation.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 299 -
1845
November 20th. David Brown of Harrison: “Captain Smith from Stamford, or near there was surprised during the war, at a house situated in the fields, a little off the road and near where Roger Purdy lived by a party of Refugees among whom was the notorious Steve Merritt. The Refugee commander called upon Smith whose party was small to surrender, offering quarter &c. with which summons Captain Smith complied ordering his men to lay down their arms, but at the moment of surrender, one of his men not hearing his officers command or disregarding it fired and killed or wounded one of the Refugees. Shube instantly singling out Smith (although he was in no way to blame) fired and shot his thumb off. Smith then told Shube he would someday be revenged, and accordingly after peace was pro-
- Hufeland Index Page 300 -
1845
-claimed he accompanied a party of whale boatmen who obtained intelligence of the celebrated plunder being in New Rochelle and surrounded the house where he was. Shube ran up stairs and would not surrender until quarter had been promised. He then came down but Smith said: “We will give you quarters but they must be such quarters as you gave me in North Street- March off to yonder shed and I will fire. If I miss you may go clear, but if I hit take the consequences.” Shube went a short [distance] and turned round to look when several fired at the same moment and the robber fell dead. – Bad as Shube was, yet good faith was outraged in his death, and at the time there was ever a feeling in his favour. It was considered by many at the
- Hufeland Index Page 301 -
1845
time that Colonel Greene provoked and determined his fate. Some of his own men had, shortly before, made prisoner of Totten whom Greene put under a guard of negroes, refused to parole, and treated him in other respects, uncourteously. When Totten came to be exchanged he told Greene he would repay him on the first opportunity the treatment he had received. Accordingly when the attack was made upon Greene’s quarters it was led by Totten who engaged at the door in single combat with the Colonel, was struck down by him and saved by a Refugee soldier. Totten the moment he saw his antagonist sprang forward with his sword and called upon him to submit instantly, but Greene answered the summons with a full and rapid stroke of his broad sword which, had it not been parried by another person, would have been
- Hufeland Index Page 302 -
1845
fatal. Totten rose up, and he and several others then attacked poor Greene and wounded him in seven or eight places. After surrendering he asked for his parole, but Totten refused saying: ‘You would not give me my parole when I was your prisoner – Remember what I then told you – You must go with us to Morrisania. Jotham Purdy’s party at the time he was killed lost several horses. His wife came down frantic with grief the next day and threw herself upon the body. I never saw a woman in so much distress. An American foraging party came to my father’s once and took all the grain he had raised that season, except barely sufficient for the family’s use. The party gave certificates for what they took but continental rates became of no value, and compensation was never obtained.