USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Greenwich > A history of the town of Greenwich, Fairfield County, Conn., with many important statistics > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15
In one of their expeditions, they proceeded by night to Ferry Point and seized upon a
177
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
small store vessel of the enemy, and brought her off with them. She was anchored in a small inlet known as Chimney Corner. The prize was so valuable a one, that the enemy pursued them with one of their war vessels. The enemy anchored off Chimney Corner, at a short distance from the shore. But the peo- ple collected for the defense of the prize, and fired upon them from behind a knoll with a six-pounder, which was the only large gun in the town. Their first shot struck upon the deck of the pursuers, and wounded a dog, as was supposed from his sudden and vehement yelping. Other shots were fired, and replied to by the enemy's guns. But finding it im- possible to retake the vessel or damage the people upon the shore, the British relinquished their efforts and made sail. Mr. Andrew Mead was wounded on this occasion in both arms. As they were boarding the vessel at Ferry Point, he first leaped upon her deck and received two shots, one in either arm, from the two marines on guard, who, so still had been the approach, then perceived the attack for the first time. This had been made, however, by two divisions of the force on the opposite sides of the vessel. Captains Mead
178
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
and Close simultaneously mounted the sides of the vessel, and while Mead was wounded, Close and his division soon had possession of the decks, and the force below quickly sur- rendered with but little resistance.
Soon after this, the same body of men, under Elnathan Close, went down into Cow Bay and there seized upon a vessel, and had brought their prize off Hempstead, when the wind died away and the tide drifted her fast toward the Long Island shore, which was in the full possession of the British. Boats were sent from the shore for the rescue. No alternative remained but to relinquish the prize and seek personal safety. This was accomplished by all the Americans except one, Smith Mead, who, either from chance or choice, remained on board and was taken prisoner. Many sup- posed this to have been willingly done on the part of the prisoner, as he was soon after found fighting upon the other side. He fought on either side, whenever and wherever' it appears to have been to his interest to do so. He was one of those who drove off the cattle of Abra- ham Mead from Field Point, and after the war was over had the boldness to solicit the aid of the same family in procuring a pension. Al-
179
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
though this was refused, he did, finally, obtain one through others.
SKIRMISH BEYOND KING STREET.
One great disadvantage which the people were subjected to during the whole war, was the absolute want of bayonets. Few compa- nies could be found wholly armed with these valuable weapons. But Lieut. Mosher was the commander of a small company of men, who were amply provided with them. This company may have been larger, but consisted of but eighteen soldiers at the time here men- tioned. Seven of them were from the farm of Gen. Pierre Van Cortland of Cortlandtown, about half-a-dozen of them from Greenwich, and the remainder from the vicinity of the town of Harrison. On the 4th of December 1781 (Heath's Mem. p. 324), Captain Richard Sackett of the same company was taken pris- oner, having unwisely separated himself from his company. The light horse of the enemy, under Col. Holmes (a Tory) and Capt. Kipp, attacked the company. The latter retreated to the vicinity of a tavern recently kept by William Merritt, in King street, where they
180
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
formed, to withstand the charge of the troop of horse. Without shelter of any kind, and upon an open plain, these eighteen men suc- cessfully stood charge after charge from the troop. Lieut. Mosher ordered his men not to fire a shot, but sternly to await the onset. At the first charge, Col. Holmes, finding himself repulsed, ordered Mosher to surrender or he would cut them all to pieces. The only reply vouchsafed by Mosher was, "Cut and be damned;" and with silence he withstood the first and second charges. But after the third charge he ordered his men to fire on the retir- ing troops, which they did with terrible execu- tion. One man was killed, and eight dangerous- ly wounded, Capt. Kipp, mortally. The horses of Col. Holmes and Capt. Kipp, were also killed under them. Mosher's men taking advantage of the discomfiture of their assailants escaped to a neighboring piece of woods, not having a man even wounded. It is said to have been the most astonishing feat, on the part of both the officers and men, that was enacted during the whole war. Gen. Washington often spoke of this affair; and it was reported all over Europe, to show the utility of the bayonet, and that a small body of infantry thus armed
181
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
may successfully resist a strong body of cav- alry. Several of the enemy were severely wounded, before they were fired upon.
THE ENEMY'S EXCURSION TO NORTH STAMFORD.
At one time during the war, the nearest American outpost to New York in this quar- ter, was at Byram. And the enemy being bent upon a depredatory expedition to North Stamford and Long Ridge, came suddenly in the night and cut every one of the guard to pieces. The next guard in their way was posted at the site of a house now occupied by Mr. Hancock at the right angular turn of the road leading to Pecksland. Here they also cut the guard to pieces, after having surroun- ded the house, This whole expedition seems to have been marked by bloody and horrible deeds; and it is said that Tarleton himself commanded the force. The whole populace around collected and followed the enemy, to attack and worry them on their retreat. An ambuscade was formed at a defile in Round Hill near the residence of Roswell Mills, Esq., where the road passes through steep rocks overgrown with thick laurel. At other places
9
182
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
on their return the British and Tories were sorely pressed, but here a deadly fire poured in upon them killing and wounding great num- bers. On that day in the retreat, one of their regiments lost their standard, to their great mortification and disgrace.
ANDREW MEAD, HUMPHREY DENTON, AND RICHARD MEAD.
These men, more, perhaps, than any others, deserve the highest praise for their brave and daring acts. It was not so much their prov- ince to counsel and advise as to act. " Old men for counsel and young men for action." Such men as Dr. Amos Mead, John Mackay, and Abraham Mead, were of great service to the inhabitants as counselors. They were past the meridian of life. And one of them, Dr. Amos Mead, had gained much experience by active service in the French war. But was any daring deed to be accomplished, where hardy, brave, and reliable men were necessary, the three former were always selected. After all control of the town was lost by the Am- . ericans, by the destructive expedition of Gov. Tryon, it was not safe for a patriot to remain
-
183
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
publicly in the limits for an hour. Yet these three hung about the place, ready to assist the defenseless population against the brutalities of the Tories. Each possessed of his arms, a faithful dog, and a fleet horse, they spent their time about the village, hidden in the by and secret places. The winter of 1780, was one of the severest on record. The Sound was frozen across, and a great amount of snow ac- cumulated. Yet these men scarcely knew a night, during the early part of that winter, in which they did not sleep with their horses and dogs among the snow. During that winter, some dozen or twenty head of cattle, the most of which belonged to Mr. Jerad Mead, were taken off in haste by the Tories, and driven towards New York. After much earnest solicitation on the part of the owner, the trio consented to make the most daring attempt of crossing the enemy's lines to retake them. There had been recently a storm of rain, which had frozen as it fell and rendered the roads ex- tremely slippery, and made a hard sharp crust upon the snow. The pursuers, therefore, went upon the sound with their horses, and kept the ice as far as Mamaroneck, and then taking the road could track the cattle by the blood which
184
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
had trickled from the wounds of the bayonets which had forced them along. At Mount Vernon they retook the cattle, and were re- turning when they found they were pursued by a body of the enemy under a lieutenant. Their horses were tired by their swift ride, and they soon knew that their only safety was in separation ; and in that case even, one must be inevitably taken. Accordingly, they left the cattle and plunged separately in different directions. The enemy selected Richard Mead, pursued and took him prisoner. This was about the middle of January, 1780. He was taken to New York and thrown into the famous Sugar House, where he remained for a period of six weeks until exchanged.
These three men were held in high estima- tion by the people. Their known patriotism and courage, which could ever be relied on, caused the other citizens, long after the Revo- lutionary war, to remember their acts with the greatest gratitude.
Other facts might be recited and incidents given. Many, beside Richard Mead, found their way as prisoners to the Jersey Prison Ship, the Provost, and the Sugar House; but we should swell the bounds of this volume to
185
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
a greater extent than we intended, should we make further narrations.
MILL AND DOCKS AT MIANUS.
Greenwich October 5th 1787.
Whereas application hath been made to the Se- lectmen of said Greenwich by William, John, Samuel and Daniel Titus owners of the mills lately carried off by a freshet from Myanos River in said Greenwich, to call a town meeting that the inhabi- tants may take into their consideration the propo- sals made by the said Tituses, provided the town give them liberty and a grant to build mills on that part of Myanos river where Purdy began a dam across near Capt. Nathaniel Peck's in said Green- wich, which proposals are as followeth ;
1st. The said mills to be built on said Purdy's old dam under the same restrictions as to grinding for the public as the mills above were.
2ond. To lay out public landings each side of the river below the new built dam as far as may be deemed necessary for the use of the public and to erect and keep in repair a sufficient dock on each side of the river, which shall be done by them their heirs and assigns as long as they or any of them oc- cupy said mills.
3d. The Flood-gate shall be so constructed as to open something in the form of a field gate for the
186
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
convenience of vessels and a crane shall be erected for the purpose of hoisting boats and swinging them over the dam by the said Tituses their heirs, and as in the second article.
4th. They will also erect a good and sufficient horsebridge across said river and keep it in repair on or near said dam and likewise a good scow will be kept in the mill-pond for the use of the public at all times, they giving one day's notice previous to the wanting of it. Wherefore and with the advice of the civil authority of said Town, notice is hereby given and the inhabitants of the town of Green- wich are hereby warned to attend a town meeting at the meeting-house in the West Society in said Greenwich on Monday the fifteenth instant October at two o'clock in the afternoon for the purpose of considering and discussing and granting or voting any thing relative thereto, that they shall judge ex- pedient, and the said John, Samuel and Daniel, with the assistance of Col. Thomas Hobby, Jonah Ferris, Nathaniel Mead, Jonathan Coe and Abra- ham Hays are hereby empowered to notify all the inhabitants by reading to the legal voters in the hearing of their families. ,
At the meeting,-
The foregoing petition was read and discussed and the meeting voted to grant the prayer of the petitioners with these alterations and restrictions-
187
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
That instead of a horse and foot bridge mentioned in the petition, the petitioners are to erect and main- tain a sufficient cart bridge across said river which together with the mills and other articles enumerated in their propositions are to be completed within four years from the date of this grant, and that Messrs. John Mackay, Jabez Fitch and Seth Palmer (the present selectmen) with Messrs. Samuel Peck, Sam- uel Lockwood jr. Nehemiah Mead, Abraham Mead, and William Bush be a committee to covenant with the petitioners in behalf of the town for the purpose of conveying the right of this town to the premises unto the petitioners and to ascertain the dimen- sions of the landing places proposed in said petition and that said committee go out at the expense of the petitioners, and that what said committee or the major part of them shall covenant and contract in behalf of this town shall stand good and firm as if the same were done at this meeting, and that should the petitioners fail in their engagements with said committee, the privileges hereby granted to them will revert to the town.
Protest.
The following persons protest against the proceed- ings of this meeting with respect to said town grant- ing away the privileges of Myanos river to the
188
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
Messrs. Titus to set a mill on agreeable to their re- quest by petition.
Dated this October 15th 1787.
MESSENGER PALMER, DANIEL REYNOLDS, SETH PALMER, PETER GAUFF, JOHN W. PALMER,
STEPHEN MARSHALL, DENHAM PALMER, JEREMIAH RUNDLE, STEPHEN PALMER, JOHN PALMER.
On the 12th of November, 1787, a meeting was held to elect delegates to a convention to be holden at Hartford on the first Thursday of the following January, to ratify or disapprove of the Constitution recommended by the Federal convention. The election was by bal- lot, and the result of the election was the ap- pointment of
Dr. Amos Mead, Col. Jabez Fitch
as such delegates. It was voted by the inhab- itants of the town, to "approve the doings
189
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
of the Federal convention lately held at Phil- adelphia, and thereupon direct their delegates to use their influence in the convention to be holden at Hartford on the first Thursday of January next, to establish and ratify the Con- stitution recommended by the said Federal convention."
In 1793, the town by a strong vote indicated its opposition to the proposition of the legis- lature to sell the western lands to create a fund for the support and benefit of the clergy. The prompt rebuke which this and other towns gave to this legislature, saved us from a sort of established religion, and gave us our present school-fund. The resolution of the town against the proposal of the legislature was passed with- out an opposing vote.
In 1802, a proposition to build a town-house was voted down.
In 1803, Elkanah Mead and Jabez Fitch were sent as agents to the Assembly at New Haven, to oppose the proposed Turnpike road. Their opposition had little or no effect.
About this time the town was paying from twenty to twenty-five dollars yearly, for the use of the meeting-house where they held their meetings.
9*
190
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
THE WAR OF 1812.
It is believed that Greenwich, on her own land at least, lost no killed, wounded or mis- sing during this war. Still many of the good people of the town became too much alarmed on certain occasions, to furnish much evidence of their personal daring and valor. This war was declared in June, 1812. In the spring of the following year, Commodore Hardy, with a British fleet appeared off the eastern end of Long Island, and for a length of time had almost complete control of the waters of the Sound. Many vessels were burned or sunk by the enemy. And they pushed through the Sound almost or quite to Throgg's Neck. During the season, an eastern sloop was chased by one of the enemy's vessels, and run ashore on Hog Island; although there was a great sufficiency of time for the crew to have run her safely into Rocky Neck harbor, where she could have been protected by the force upon our shores. The British, having taken pos- session of the sloop set her on fire, with her sails all set in the same position in which she had been run ashore.
At this time the people were greatly alarmed,
.
191
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
lest the enemy should attempt to land. The Pot-pie company of Horseneck was posted upon Field Point; the Coscob company of militia on Capt. Noah Mead's Point, and a company from North Stamford guarded Green- wich Point.
During one of the nights when these points were so guarded, Capt. Elijah Reynolds un- dertook to bring his vessel round from Bush's harbor into the Myanos river. Being seen and well known from Field Point, he was permit- ted to pass out. But the sentry at the mouth of the Myanos, having hailed him to no pur- pose, and supposing it might be an enemy, fired upon him. However, lying close to his deck, he passed on, appearing to take no notice of his challengers. One of the sentries, Mr. Peter Horton, now supposed it to be a real live British vessel, and throwing down his gun, and calling upon his locomotive powers, cried, " Now legs ! if you ever did your duty, do it now !" It is gravely said by those who heard and saw him, that he tore down three rows of standing corn, in making his exit from the place of danger.
Mr. Bush Mead, one of the Horseneck com pany, having been sent from Field Point afte,
192
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
some straw, found on being hailed by the sentry when returning, that he had after all, so little discipline in the war, that he had for- gotten the pass-word, and finally stammered out in reply, "Straw ! straw for the beds !" in a doleful tone.
Mr. Selah Mead, was one of the sentries upon Field Point, and seeing but little excite- ment arising from the approach of the enemy, put into execution a practical joke of his own. Having stripped himself of his clothing, he dropped without noise into the water, and swam silently around the Point, where he found another sentry sleeping, whom he suddenly clasped around the waist, and shook him to wakefulness. The other awoke the neighbor- hood with his cries, supposing he was in the power of a real, live, naked mermaid.
For some time this blockade of the Sound continued impervious for all vessels. The sloop Orion, Capt. Daniel Merritt, however, watching her opportunity, when the whole British fleet lay east of Greenwich point, slip- ped out and sailed safely to New York.
After this time, the enemy's ships withdrew to the eastern part of the Sound, and our land-forces were withdrawn from the Points.
193
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
In case of alarm the bells were to be rung. And one fine morning soon after, the greatest consternation was created by the fierce ring- ing of the alarm-bells. Men hurried to and fro, and the news spread like wildfire, that the British had landed during the night upon Greenwich Point. The militia collected hastily together, and the people, especially in the eastern part of the town were in a terrible flurry. Some of the Mianus people hastily collected their furniture together, ready to be transported and concealed in the Cat rocks. Col. Ebenezer Mead having collected his forces from this part of the town, hastened to the scene of action, with all of his officers who were willing to serve in that ever-to-be-re- membered conflict. Arriving at the meeting- house in Old Greenwich, about two miles from the position known to be occupied by the sup- posed enemy, they came to a dead halt. None were willing to proceed farther. The whole company would not proceed in a body, neither would any of the officers or men advance singly to reconnoiter. At last the officers were relieved from this emergency by the arrival of Mr. Whitman Mead, who volunteered to ap- proach the point of danger. And mounted
19ł
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
upon a fleet horse, bearing a white handker- chief spread upon a cane, he set off to recon- noiter. He found the supposed enemy to be a fleet of American gun-boats under Commodore Lewis, who had been in search of one of the enemy's privateers during the previous night, and had landed upon the Point for breakfast. Mr. Mead so liked the joke that he stayed with the Commodore much longer than he should have done, and breakfasted with him.
Meantime, our forces were in a great agony of suspense, supposing their scout had been taken prisoner, and their flag of truce violated. Finally, they found a seaman belonging to the fleet, and took him prisoner. They of course took him to be an enemy's spy, and he endured a rigid examination, but was unable to per- suade his captors of his true character until the return of the flag of truce, whose bearer explained all to the officers of our force. And they, feeling that they had earned glory enough for one day, disbanded and returned home.
However, lest some enemy of the country might consider this a vulnerable point of attack, we will assure our readers, that this town furnished many brave soldiers for the war of 1812, and is now nobly able to under-
195
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
take her own defense against any ordinary force which might be brought to bear against us. The trouble in the case above related was the uncertainty, and not the certainty, of the approach of enemies.
The war was ended by the treaty of Ghent, signed on the 24th of December, 1814, and which was ratified by President Madison on . the 17th of the following February.
CONSTITUTION OF 1818.
At a special meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Greenwich, legally warned and holden on the 25th day of March 1818, for the purpose of taking into consideration and expressing their opinion on the subject of a formation of a written constitution of civil government for the state of Connecticut, and to appoint surveyors of highways, when the meeting voted as follows ;
That Isaac How be moderator.
Resolved, that in all well regulated communities of mankind it is essential to the public welfare that there be a social compact originating in and ema- nating directly from the people defining the powers granted to their rulers and those retained, that it is also the duty of the people from time to time to amend or frame anew, the charter of their rights,
196
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
as experience may suggest, or change of circum- stances may render necessary.
Resolved, that whereas the people of this state have, from immemorial, yielded an implied consent to the present form of government, we feel no dis- position to deny its legitimacy, or to impair its obli- gations, by denying the validity of acts and laws made under it, but deeming it materially imperfect in many important particulars, therefore we are in- duced to declare our opinion that a written consti- tution of civil government, made and approved by the people will have a tendency to improve the in- ternal peace and happiness of the state and promote the general welfare.
Resolved, that it be respectfully recommended to the good people of this state to express their feelings freely and publicly on this important subject.
Resolved, that the town clerk be directed to fur- nish an attested copy of the proceedings of this town meeting to the Representatives from this town to the next General Assembly and to the editors of newspapers published at Hartford and Bridgeport.
On the 4th of July of the same year,
Clark Sanford, Esq.,
,
Enos Lockwood, Esq.,
were elected as delegates to the constitutional convention which was holden at Hartford on the fourth Wednesday of August.
197
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
On the first Monday of October following the constitution was ratified in town-meeting, by a vote of ninety yeas and thirty-seven nays.
On the fifth day of May A. D. 1829, a special town-meeting was held to take into considera- tion measures to prevent the slaughter of sheep by dogs. During the year, thirty-two of the inhabitants reported that one hundred and ninety-seven sheep, and one hundred and six- teen lambs had been killed by dogs. The loss was estimated at eight hundred and seventy- six dollars. Besides these, many had been killed which were not reported.
In 1832, it was " voted that we will receive proposals from the building committee of the Episcopal Society relative to building a town- house."
" Voted that we will build a town-house, on condition we can agree upon a proper place for locating it, and upon proper terms."
In 1834 and 1835, the town-meetings were held at the Methodist Episcopal Church at Mianus.
On the fifth of October, 1835, it was " voted that the town of Greenwich build a town- house to hold their public meetings in ; that it be for that express purpose, and no other."
198
HISTORY OF GREENWICH.
" Voted that said house be built on or near the ground where Seymour's blacksmith shop formerly stood in Horseneck." Silas Davis, Thomas A. Mead, William Timpany, were ap- pointed a committee to "oversee and contract for the same, and to consult the selectmen as to size and shape."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.