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1850. October 21st Silas Davis, of Indian Harbour, about one mile south of Horseneck Church: “I am 78 years old. I think it was in 1778 – though it might been in 1779 or 1780 – that four armed British vessels from Lloyd’s Neck, chased two American privateers belonging to New Haven from somewhere in the Sound into Indian Harbour. One of these American privateers was a large sloop and the other a small schooner of 40 or 50 tons burthen. They ran for safety into a small bight called “The Chimney Corner” – just large enough to admit two small vessels. This small bay was surrounded on all sides except the east by very high rocks which effectually secured the craft that lay there from the fire of an enemy. After reconnoitering the place the enemy’s vessels stood out again into the sound, and during the night sent to Lloyd’s Neck for a reinforcement. It was during the afternoon, and towards night

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that the American privateers had been chased into the Harbour. Next morning the British advanced with nine vessels, several of which were row galleys, for the purpose of capturing the Privateers. They commenced a furious cannonade in the direction of “Chimney Corner,” but finding they could not injure

the American privateers in the position in which they then were, some of the British vessels took a station further east, where, by firing over a low

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neck of land they were enabled to rake the Americans in Chimney Corner, who were scarcely able to bring a single gun to bear upon their assailants. It was now about 9 oclock, a.m. In addition to the crews about sixty militia under Captain Isaac Howe had assembled to aid the privateers. Captain Isaac Howe and his men were lying concealed in the woods and bushes, behind a high ledge of rocks a little south of Chimney Corner. Several of the British vessels now entered the Harbour near Chimney Corner, and after firing first with ball and then with grapeshot, and tearing up trees and bushes they supposed that their adversaries had been driven from the woods. Circumstances seemed to justify this conclusion. The privateers at first had fired such guns as they could bring to bear, but these had for sometime been silent. Among the neighbouring inhabitants who had come down to assist in the defence, was Captain John Grigg, an old Scottish shipmaster who had married and

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settled in the vicinity. He urged the privateers men strongly to take their cannon ashore and put them in a position which he pointed out where they could be used with effect against the enemy. Grigg’s conduct was so decisive and his reasons appeared so good that the commanders of the privateers not only consented, but insisted upon his taking command of their guns. He accordingly proceeded to place them in battery upon some high rocks covered with bushes. It was while this removal was going on and while all firing on the part of the privateers men had became necessarily suspended that they enemy seemed to have concluded that there would be little, if any, further defence, and that they approached Chimney Corner firing first balls and then grapeshot as above mentioned. One of the assailing vessels, her deck crowded with men, now approached the shore, directly in front of the rocks and bushes where Captain Howe lay concealed, evidently for the purpose of landing and cutting out the privateers. Captain Howe’s

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intention was to let the Refugees land, and when they had moved in the direction of the Privateers to cut off their retreat. They had just commenced landing (or were about to do so) and were in the very act of making their vessel fast to the shore, when, directly contrary to the Captains orders, a foolish boy belonging to Howe’s party discharged his musket at the invaders, and betrayed the ambuscade. The few who had landed instantly sprang on board again and pushed off, but the moment Howe saw their intention he ordered his men to rise and fire. The enemy had hardly time to let go their fastenings and get on board when a general discharge of musketry was commenced by the party in ambush. So continued and destructive was the fire that the Refugees were all driven below, and both vessel and crew would have been captured if the Americans had been provided with boats or any means of boarding. Fortunately for the British party the tide was (ebbing) running out of

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the bay and some boats from the other vessels came to assist in towing them out of danger. They were within reach of musket shot still when Grigg succeeded in planting the privateer guns so as to bear upon the attacking vessels and commenced a brisk cannonade during which the sloop or schooner escaped from Chimney Corner and ran up the bay out of reach of the enemy’s shot. [This probably happened in the afternoon when the tide had begun to flow up. J. M. M.] The cannonade was kept up on both sides till about 3 oclock, P.M. when the British, despairing of success, unwillingly withdrew. Three or four of the Privateers men were wounded, one of whom died. By two o’clock P.M. 200 or 300 militia and volunteers had assembled. I don’t know what the enemy’s loss was, but it was supposed to be large, nor do I know the names of the Refugee vessels or of their commanders although I once did. It was but a day

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or two after this that the two American Privateers having repaired some damage made their escape from Indian Harbour and went down the Sound. During the cold winter cattle were driven from below here below upon the ice. When the American guard at Byram Bridge was attacked the men who escaped used to retreat along here between the Post road and the Sound. ‘Tis but a short distance across the fields from here to Byram.