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October 26th. Zaccheus Mead, of Horseneck: When Delancey in 1780 made an excursion to Horseneck with his cavalry they advanced from Sherwood’s Bridge and retreated across Byram. They came suddenly upon a sentinel posted near the guard house and south of Sherwood’s bridge road who fired and ran. Captain

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Zaccheus Mead cont’d

Fowler with one or two of his men then rode opposite the guard house and called upon them to surrender. They answered by a general discharge. Fowler was not killed outright, but lived a short time and bled to death, when they took off his cravat. It was supposed an artery was cut. The dragoons set fire to the house, and the guard attempted to escape running northerly, but they were overtaken in the fields by the horse, and all who had been in the guard house were killed. The guard house stood north of the Sherwood Bridge road where a white house is now situated, and Fowler was taken into and died at the adjacent house next to the guard house. Easterly towards Horseneck where he died. [This house is now standing, and can’t be more than 200 feet from where the guard house stood.] His body was taken down by a flag a day or two afterwards. The guard house was burnt, and a house near the church belonging to two brothers named Smith. This house is said to have been

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Zaccheus Mead cont’d.

burnt at the instigation of Lockwood, one of Delancey’s (Fowlers?) men who was from Horseneck and had had a quarrel with the Smith’s. An infirm woman in the second story was burnt to death. Two barns were burnt at the same time which caught fire from the two houses. Five of the guard were killed and a number wounded – two mortally. – Delancey took some of the troops prisoners and a number of the inhabitants were taken off. The Refugees broke the windows of the houses of obnoxious persons when they retreated. [The cannon and the main body of the Americans must have been posted in the church. (?)] I was with Putnam on the morning of Tryon’s attack in 1779. Col. Holdridge with a regiment of Eastern troops was in command at Horseneck. He sent a patrol down the day before under a captain with three horsemen. When the captain discovered Tryon’s party he was in East

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Zaccheus Mead cont’d.

Chester. He then sent one of his horse express to Colonel Holdridge. Finding them still advancing when he retired to Maroneck, he sent the second and the third at Rye. But the inhabitants knew nothing of Tryon’s advance till daylight. Then they collected as fast as they could. For this neglect in not communicating the intelligence of the British advance Holdridge was censured. Putnam took post with Col. Holdridge’s men and the neighbouring militia on the second eminence as you enter the village from the New York drawing up the troops across the road with the two cannon in the road and a little south west of the church (towards New York) which stands on the second eminence. When the British arrived at the first eminence they halted a moment and then advanced slowly, having previously sent out strong flanking parties to get in rear of the Americans on both sides. The centre then advanced slow and

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Zaccheus Mead cont’d.

the flanks fast (in order to surround the Americans). The field pieces were fired twice loaded with grape &c, and then abandoned. Putnam finding the British were getting around him and about to seize the roads &c, ordered a retreat, directing Colonel Holdridge to take possession of a neighboring hill, but he retreated five or six miles to Stanwich. Putnam pursued by Emmerick rode down the hill where the road suddenly turns off east, striking the stepping stones three fourths of the way down. Some of the dragoons were looking on above in amazement. Putnam turned around, took his hat and huzzaed. Most of the dragoons did not see him when he turned to descend the hill, but pursued on the road leading north to Stanwich where I came near being taken by them. Putnam then went to Stamford and the British to the landings where they destroyed some slopes and the salt work. &c. They destroyed the gun carriages

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Zac. Mead cont’d.

spiked them and broke off the trunnions, took cattle, &c. A Canadian Frenchman belonging to Holdridge’s was pursued in the fields, south of the village, towards the sound by a British dragoon from their right flank. The Frenchman tried to escape by running, but finding his retreat cut off turned round as the dragoon had his sword raised to cut him down, and shot him, through the mouth and chin, dead. Brown Ballot [X] lived in Greenwich before the war, and was an Irishman. Captain Lockwood was concerned with [Fade Donaldson] in taking and hanging him without trial which was much disapproved of by the inhabitants at the time. The Refugees would have hanged Lockwood as well as Donaldson, if they could have taken him. Samuel Reynolds from Coscob with a party in whaleboats took Shube Merritt. Shube had fired at Reynolds

[X] Brom. Barrett?

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(Zaccheus Mead – continued.)

when a prisoner, and Reynolds vowed revenge. With a party who were, personally, enemies of Shube, they went several times, just at the close of the war, in search of him, and discovered him at last at Maroneck from their boats by their glasses. They tracked him to New Rochelle &c. &c. He was shot several times by the party after Reynolds had killed him. Captain Lockwood was a native of Greenwich, and an active and good officer. When Colonel Wells was surprised in North Street (Connecticut) the Refugees made a circuit and came down upon him from above.

Zaccheus Mead (and Mr. Knapp of Coscob): Continuation. When the British advanced against Putnam in 1779, he said to the troops who

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Zac. Mead & Mr. Knapp.

were preparing to repel a charge: “Steady, boys! We’ll beat ‘em! Don’t you see they are half drunk?” Thomas Merritt, then of Emmerick’s, afterwards a sheriff in Canada, was here on a visit about thirteen years ago and examined the precipice. He saw Putnam descend, and considered it a daring exploit. He and some of his men snapped their pistols and carbines at Putnam, but the priming had become damp in fording Byram which was deep, the planks having been taken up.

[Mr Knapp: “Putnam was at Tracy House, talking with a lady who advised him to take care of himself, but he refused, saying there was no danger. She then pointed out a party of dragoons (on the British right flank) advancing rapidly towards him that he had not seen. He instantly bade her good morning; and putting spurs to his

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Mr Knapp contd.

horse rode at full speed to near where the Putnam Post road suddenly turns off to the east, and then leaving the road continued his flight in a South easterly direction, striking the stepping stones about three fourths of the way down. Having arrived safely below the hill, he leaped his horse across the fence and galloped some distance across the fields leaving his pursuers far behind. He was a good horseman, and upon this occasion mounted upon an uncommonly fine fresh horse, while the steeds of the pursuing dragoons were jaded by their long march.”]