Mullinex, Jesse
John M. McDonald interview — 1846-11-11
Jesse Mullineux (1764-1853), whose name is usually spelled Mullinex, resided on City Island in present-day Bronx County during the Revolutionary War. He describes the unsuccessful attempt of American whaleboats to capture two ships in the Long Island Sound near City Island, as well as an incident when British troops landed on City Island and took cattle. He also recounts an encounter between Loyalist Shubael Merritt and an American soldier named Ackley, as well as the manner of Merritt’s killing in New Rochelle. Mullinex also describes how a party of Americans led by Fade Donaldson were in a sleigh while being pursued by a party of Refugees when they stopped to face their pursuers. During the second portion of the interview, Mullinex recounts a fight that took place on City Island between American whaleboat men and British sailors from a guard ship. Later, an understanding developed between the Americans and the British regarding the occupation of City Island. He concludes by referencing the capture of the British ship Shuldham.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 379 -
(Widow *Hugette* 10th St. between Broadway and 3rd Avenue on the south side adjacent to a small yellow wooden house.)
November 11 Jesse Mullinex: “Towards the end of the war (I think) two wood sloops – one of them being owned by Israel Baxter came out of Cow Harbor going to New York when three whaleboats secreted at City Island, getting between them and the land, attempted to cut them off, though they hugged the shore. The inhabitants of Long Island turned out and fired upon the whale boat men who were close in shore and exposed to a crossfire, and thus had three or four of their men wounded who were taken to Harts Island. The sloops got off. In the summer of 1776, I think, (or perhaps in September) two British vessels came from the Eastward and landed about fifty men at City Island which they surrounded, and shot five
- Hufeland Index Page 380 -
or six steers and took them off, but took none of the inhabitants prisoners. The cattle belonged partly to the inhabitants and partly were owned on Long Island, and were at pasture on City Island. Col. Drake immediately came down with his regiment and took the cattle, for safety, all off. Shube Merrittt took one Ackley, (?) I think, prisoner, and said: “I never take prisoners but what I sacrifice; but I give the Devil some!” and snapped his pistol at him (Oakley Ackley) three times, and then said: “If you ever take me serve me in the same way.” He was taken and so served at a house now standing at New Rochelle dock. Fade Donaldson and five or six in a sleigh were pursued by a party of DeLancey’s horse. Fade and his men jumped off whenever the horseman came near and faced them. A heavy man and horse could not get around them. Was the deep snow in 1779 or 1780?
- Hufeland Index Page 381 -
Three or four months after Thomas’s visit, [X] five whaleboats from Norwalk and Stamford were prevented from returning home by an Easterly storm and came to City Island at night for shelter where they paroled all the inhabitants, but behaved very civilly in other respects. They went round to all the houses, &c., and put us under parole of honor not to molest them in any way. We were not consequently prisoners (only not to molest trouble them). Next morning some men of the Guard -ship’s boats came on shore for water, and some of the whaleboat men conversed with them without being discovered. One of the neighbors (not wishing the British sailors, to be taken, and afraid to speak out in presence of the whaleboat men who would not allow them to talk with
[X] Thomas, I think, came in August, and the whaleboat men in November or December when the Easterly storms are common.
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the sailors alone) told the crew that it looked like a storm and that they had better not to come on shore again. It cleared up, however, and they came again for water and were taken – an officer and three men, and marched across the island. The whaleboat men rolled the barrels down to the water to deceive the guardship who supposed them her crew, until a boy went in a boat on aboard and told what had happened. The British ship then fired heavy grapeshot and balls and injured some of the houses, but the whaleboat men got off safely. They landed and left their boats on the northwest end of the island, and the guard ship lay on the southeast end. Sometime after this, the whaleboat men sent word to the guard ship that they would enjoy the island at night, and the British might in the daytime if they would not molest them, and this was afterwards
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the tacit understanding between them, and we were not much molested by either side during the war after this arrangement. [X1] (The British afterwards withdrew from City Island at night and the Americans at daylight in the morning after this time.) The Sholdrum [X2], Captain Roney, lay in East Chester Bay, and the whale boat men went under a good breeze, and were hailed: “Keep off!” &c &c but boarded immediately. [X3]
[X1] The whaleboat men came constantly on shore at City Island for milk, butter, eggs and refreshments after this arrangement, generally at night, and we were no longer molested by either side. Previously, the Skinners plundered us calling us tories, and the Refugees suspected us, because the whaleboat men were often on the island and threatened (the Refugees) to take our cattle. [X2] (or Shuldham – which?) [X3] This has a reference to the capture of the guard ship Shuldham or Sholdrum, by Lockwood and party. – see other accounts of this elsewhere.