Chichester, Henry
John M. McDonald interview — 1846-09-09
Henry Chichester (c.1762-1849) served as an American whaleboat man during the Revolutionary War. He first describes an engagement between the whaleboat men and Loyalists commanded by Nathan Frink at Myer’s Neck (now Davenport Neck) in New Rochelle. He then recounts the British raid against Middlesex Parish Church (now the First Congregational Church of Darien) and the subsequent capture of the Reverend Moses Mather and men from his congregation on July 22, 1781. Chichester also notes that he participated in the capture of Loyalist Judge Thomas Jones on Long Island on November 6, 1779. On the second page of the interview, Chichester references a fight between American Captain Caleb Brewster and Loyalist Captain Joseph Hoyt. He then describes an incident where the whaleboat men landed on City Island and captured a British guard ship posted between that island and Hart Island, and notes the armament of the whaleboat men.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 461 -
Septr. 9th Capt. Henry Chichester was a whaleboat Captain along with Samuel Lockwood, Ebenezer Jones, Isaac Jones, Valentine Ryder, &c. – Foragers – 200 foot – 40 horse – Donaldson would go – One man escaped named Lockwood, brother of Samuel – We landed on Myers Neck about 35 in number – Captain Frink commanded the horse, about forty – We stood and formed a hollow square – Frink ordered us to surrender and promised quarter – Ebenezer Jones then ordered them to go, “or I will order my men to fire!” Four boats – one commanded by David Hawley of Bridgeport, one by Isaac Jones – one by Ebenezer Jones and one by Samuel Lockwood – 25 marines killed and wounded – I was in the second boat – We followed them to Long Island – took several. &c. When [[X] the Middlesex Congn.] was taken [Davenport] had 250 militia – A ten gun ship fired on us – went for *I/L* with 25 whaleboatmen on horseback – I was with them. – Mr. Mather, a staunch whig. – When Judge Jones was taken we had to travel 30 miles across to Stoney brook harbor. – We had not boats for all, and Jones was sent over while some of us waited till next night. – British heard of this. – A party of Light Dragoons surprised us, as we were about to embark – Six of us taken – British came on so that our folks pushed off.
[X] Middlesex Congregation?
- Hufeland Index Page 462 -
Capt. Chichester continued. See pa. 115 of original.
Captain Caleb Brewster fought with Captain Joseph Hoyt, a Refugee from Stamford. – Stephen, Jesse, Gould, and Isaac Hoyt were brothers. I was with two or three whaleboats that went to City Island in the night, and took possession of four houses then there – Hauled up and concealed our boats – A guard ship lay between Harts and City Islands – We expected to take the Captain and officers – We kept close and watched the inhabitants, putting them under guard. – A midshipman and four sailors next morning came ashore without arms for water. – We took them and their boat – shoved the boat easy and not discovered – We were dressed like the sailors. Notwithstanding our precautions, the Refugees made signals, and the ship fired, but we kept in range of the houses and ships – We took boat and prisoners to Stamford. – Whaleboats commissioned by Gov. of Connecticut. – Our whaleboats never plundered. – Col. Upham was from Massachusetts or Rhode Island. – Whaleboatmen always wore cutlasses and carried muskets and sometimes pistols. – Samuel Lockwood and Ebenezer Jones were brothers-in-law. Ryder and Brewster were opposed to Hoyt, &c. – Both boats brought into Norwalk. I am a native of Huntingdon in Long Island.