Mead, Deborah Close, 1758-1853
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-11-06
Deborah Close Mead (1758-1853) was the widow of Zaccheus Mead. She believes that Colonel Hezekiah Holdridge (misspelled here as Holdredge) commanded the American force at Horseneck in Greenwich, Connecticut, when it was attacked by a British force under General William Tryon in 1779. She describes the British advance and the attempts of American troops to escape capture, including a combat between an American soldier and a British dragoon. Mrs. Mead concludes by noting that the British captured a great deal of livestock during this raid, as well as during other raids including the 1780 expedition during which Loyalist Captain Solomon Fowler was killed.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
629 29 [margin: PAGES] [margin: 150] Novr. 6th. Widow Zaccheus Mead, the grand mother of the present Zaccheus Mead with whom she lives upon her late husband's farm, born Close: "I believe it was Colonel Holdredge who commanded the Americans at Horse neck when General Tryon attacked us in 1779. I was then a young girl, and lived in Horseneck village near the Church. The principal British force advanced by the road, but they sent forward large flank parties through the fields which moved faster than the main body, and in consequence the American force came near being surrounded before they retreated. Part of the Americans retreating south or south east of the church through the fields were overtaken by some British dragoons. The Americans all got off but one man who might have been a Canadian. This man ran for safety under an apple tree which had very long projecting branches. He was pursued by a dragoon who followed him round [page break] 30 630 [margin: PAGES] [margin: 151] and round the tree but could not reach him with his sword although he constantly struck at him. At length the American fired at the dragoon and killed him—the ball passing through his mouth and head. The fortunate soldier then mounted the Dragoons horse and rode off with him. When he had gained a place of safety the excitement had been so great that he laughed and cried alternately for more than half an hour. This adventure happened in the horselot. At this time, and when Captain Fowler was killed, and also at other times, the British drove off large numbers of cattle and hogs.