Smith, Mary Lockwood, b.c.1765
John M. McDonald interview — 1849-11-12
Mary Lockwood Smith (b.c.1765) was the daughter of Daniel Lockwood, who lived in Stamford, Connecticut, near Fort Nonsense. She gives a description of this fort, which was built on the orders of American General David Waterbury. She notes that her father was able to reclaim a mare that was stolen by Refugee cavalry after a period of five or six years when he encountered it at Horseneck in Greenwich, Connecticut. Mrs. Smith then recounts how an American force crossed the Long Island Sound from Connecticut to Long Island in November 1779 to capture Judge Thomas Jones, a Loyalist who was later exchanged for Connecticut Militia General Gold Selleck Silliman. She concludes by suggesting that John Macdonald visit Huldah Mead Sarles of Pound Ridge.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 0939 -
Novr. 12th Mrs. Mary Smith, of Middle Patent, born a Lockwood, in Stamford, Conn. aged 84 upwards: My fathers name was Daniel Lockwood who lived about half a mile south of Fort Nonsense, built by General Waterbury sometime in the middle of
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Fort Nonsense.
the war. Fort Nonsense had no other name that I ever heard of. It was about one and a half miles north of Palmer’s Hill and two and a half miles north east of Stamford village, and about half a mile east of Mahanns river being situated on high ground with redoubts (bastions?) at the corners. It was built four square of fascines filled in with earth, and contained barracks which extended from angle to angle and other buildings. This fort contained an acre of land, and had accommodations for the troops. It was a great relief to the inhabitants. It was a good deal laughed at. A song was written about it of which the following is a verse:
‘They ran all round Fort Nonsense, Crying, No bread, no rum! They swear they won’t protect us, And, therefore, we’ll go home. And if they catch us stealing – They’ll get clear if they can, By saying their fathers are Deacons, Or very creditable men.’
These verses were written on the occasion of a meeting among the soldiers for want of provisions. About the time the cowboys first commenced
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their operations, they stole a horse of my father’s which they sold at the time they left Morrisania. She was a very fleet mare. Five or six years afterwards he found her at Horse neck when he claimed he got her again. Capt. Ebenezer Jones, who took off Judge Jones, married a sister of mine. General Washington wanted to take Judge Jones to exchange for some American General then a prisoner (Genl Silliman?) They started from Stamford on a bright moonlight night in three whaleboats and about fifteen or twenty men. After reaching Long Island, they travelled only by night carrying the boats. They were three nights going across and reached Judge Jones about 9 o’clock in the evening. He was just going to bed, being up stairs, and was dressed in silk breeches. They asked for Judge Jones. He enquired who they were, and were answered Captain Jones and some friends. When he came down they told him he was a prisoner, and took him to one of the boats which was launched. When he first
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came down they said they wanted to speak to him privately, and he then accompanied them out of doors, when they disclosed their errand. They returned by water going round the east end of Long Island and took Jones to Hartford. They were promised the plunder of Jones’s house before they went and accordingly they carried off a good many valuables among the rest the wedding dress of Judge Jones’s daughter who was about to be married. Also they got a good deal of ready money. Long Ridge is in Stamford nearly all of it, but the east part of it is in Poundridge. Mrs. Huldah Sarles daughter of Caleb Mead of Horseneck, and widow of James Sarles lives near Long Ridge in Poundridge, about five miles from here, and is about 86 years old and is well preserved in mind and body. She must be well acquainted with all that took place in Horseneck during the Revolutionary war.