Lyon, Samuel
John M. McDonald interview — 1848-12-05
Samuel Lyon (c.1760-1849) discusses the British officers and units that participated in the burning of Bedford on July 11, 1779. He notes that both John Graves Simcoe and Banastre Tarleton were present when the British army encamped at Griffen’s Hill, but he does not believe that Simcoe commanded the party that burned Bedford. Lyon notes that part of Tarleton’s British Legion was present at the burning of Bedford, and that Major Mansfield Bearmore commanded a guard when the British were encamped at Griffen’s Hill. Lyon also notes that he saw Cale Green successfully drive a flock of 150 geese south to Morrisania in present-day Bronx County, and believes that Major Charles Cochrane of the British Legion might have been present when Bedford was burned. Lyon also recalls Francis Nash and Brom Barrett as well as an incident when Samuel Lyon and Colonel Thomas Thomas captured a British sloop in the Long Island Sound. He concludes by mentioning an incident when Loyalist Jabez Husted drove cattle from Horseneck in Greenwich, Connecticut, down to Rye and Mamaroneck.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 883 -
<left margin> James Nash, son of Francis lives at Byram near the old place. <left margin>
Decr. 5th Samuel Lyon, of Rye, aged nearly 89: “Simcoe and Tarleton were both up when the British army lay at Griffen’s [X] hill in 1779. I don’t think Simcoe commanded the party that burnt Bedford. Part of Tarleton’s legion was at the burning of Bedford. Bearmore commanded the outguard when the British were at Griffen’s hill having under him about twenty horse. He applied to Colonel Tarleton for an addition to his force but Tarleton refused. I saw Cale Green once driving a flock of about 150 geese with which he went down safely to Morrisania.
[X] Griffen’s?
- Hufeland Index Page 884 -
Tarleton’s Major, Cochrane [X], might have gone to Bedford when it was burnt. Francis Nash was an Englishman and a hatter. He married a sister of Tommy Clapp which made him so rich. He was a very strong whig. His son James lives at the old place. Samuel Lyon concerned with Colonel Thomas in capturing a sloop in the Sound, &c. was brother of Ben Lyon of White Plains. He was a sea captain or had been and traded to the West Indies. I don’t know whether Brom. Barrett was an Irishman. Jabez Huested and some others once (I think in 1777) stole a drove of forty or fifty Continental cattle in the vicinity of Horseneck and drove them through Rye and Maroneck (Mamaroneck?) below?
[X] See origl. p.106