- Hufeland Index Page 724 -

October 19th Lydia Vail of Somers. (?) “When the house of my grandfather Richardson Davenport was attacked in May 1781, I was a girl ten or eleven years old or thereabouts. I was at Davenport’s house a few minutes after the Refugees left. Part of them approached in front of the building and part by the road from the Croton, which road then passed by the rear of the house, that is, on the north and north west of it. Greene, Flagg, and a young Lieutenant whose name I don’t remember occupied a large bedroom in the north west corner of the second story which communicated directly with the ground by an outer door at the rear or north end of the house. In consequence of being built upon ground which rises in the rear Davenport house was then two stories

- Hufeland Index Page 725 -

high in front, and but one in the rear. This is partly the case at present. My grandfather was in the adjoining apartments and overheard all the conversation of the three officers. The rashness and folly of the young Lieutenant was the cause of the disaster, as my grandfather to his family always said – at least so far as relates to the bloodshed. This was their account which I heard at the time and often afterwards. When the Refugees came up they fired a volley to signalize their friends in the orchard near Pine’s Bridge, and approached the house without making further use of their arms calling upon the inmates to surrender. The young lieutenant always slept with a pair of loaded pistols upon a stand at the head of his bed, and when he heard

- Hufeland Index Page 726 -

the noise he sprang up, raised the window sash at west side of the room and discharged both pistols at the enemy who instantly cried out: ‘Kill! Kill! – no quarter!’ Flagg then exclaimed aloud to the lieutenant calling him by name: ‘…….You’ve undone us!’ These were the last words he was ever heard to utter. Greene half dressed but sword in hand said: ‘We must sell our lives as dearly as we can,’ and approaching the head of the stairs called aloud to the soldiers below: ‘Stand to your arms, men! – courage! – They are are only a pack of cow-boys! Fire away!’ &c. Flagg approached the window from which the lieutenant had fired and a volley was discharged at him. He fell, pierced with five or six balls. When I entered the house just after the Refugees had left the young lieutenant was lying

- Hufeland Index Page 727 -

dead at the door. He was the first one they killed on breaking in. Flagg though desperately wounded was yet alive and they despatched him. Four or five were lying dead in the house, and four or five were dead where the tents stood east of the house, besides many wounded. Great part – at least one half of the Rhode Island regiment were ut off at this time. Besides the officers I have mentioned, there quartered at this time at my grandfathers, whose house was Colonel Greene’s HeadQuarters, Doctor Cushman (a Continental surgeon) and also a Captain and a lieutenant whose names I don’t recollect. The Refugees retired by the south road or path to the Crompond road taking Greene with them on horseback. Near where this path or farm road comes out into the high way,

- Hufeland Index Page 728 -

Greene, faint with loss of blood, fell off. Finding that he was dying they placed him in a spot surrounded by whortleberry bushes, and putting something under his head for support, left him in that state to finish his days alone. Here he bled to death, and was soon after found with no clothing on but his shirt and drawers. These whortleberry bushes were by or near to the public highway (that is, the Crompond and Pines Bridge road). They soon after took the bodies of the dead officers and buried them with the honors of war in Crompond church yard, depositing the remains of Greene and Flagg, and, I believe, those of the rash young lieutenant in one common grave. The widow of Colonel Greene was present at this ceremony which was conducted with great pomp, a large

- Hufeland Index Page 729 -

number of the military as well as of citizens moving in procession, while the bands played in most solemn airs for the dead march, &c. Ensign Greene commanding the guard at Pines Bridge was a nephew of the Colonel. After all the circumstances of the surprise of Davenport’s house came to be known and understood, Colonel DeLancey and the Refugees were not blamed. The impetuosity and indiscretion of a single individual caused probably all the bloodshed at my grandfather’s. The young lieutenant atoned for his error by fighting bravely to the last.”