USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Greenwich > Ye historie of ye town of Greenwich, county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, with genealogical notes on the Adams. > Part 12
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At the commencement of the Revolutionary War, King George sent him a commission as captain, which he declined. He was commissioned major when he entered the American Army; three weeks afterward was promoted to lieutenant- colonel, and three years before the war closed, was commis- sioned brigadier-general. His major's commission was at one time found by the British and tories among his papers, when they surrounded and plundered his house during the war, and by them carried off as evidence against him, should
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General John Mead
he by any chance of war fall into their hands. For three years during the war he had command of the American lines at Horseneck, and for a long distance each way. He saw much active service, served on the Brooklyn front with his regiment a few days before and during the Battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776, and in the retreat from New York had command of the last detachment of our troops that left the city. The day on which the troops evacuated New York was a remarkably hot one, and our men suffered intensely from that and fatigue during the retreat. At night, as soon as a place of safety had been reached, every one sought rest. The officers found accommodations on the floor of the hotel and elsewhere, till every place was occupied. Lieutenant-Colonel Mead came in last, carefully sought a place, and laid down, thoughtlessly appropriating an officer's feet for a pillow. The officer awoke, and in a rough tone demanded who was lying on his feet. Lieutenant-Colonel Mead politely apologized, but the officer recognizing his voice, cried out, "For God's sake, Colonel, is that you? I never expected to see you again alive after the dreadful heat and struggle of this day; make a pillow of my feet and wel- come, if you can find any rest here." On September 15, 1776, he was posted on Harlem (Washington) Heights, and remained there until the Battle of White Plains, October 28, 1776, in which he was engaged and suffered considerable loss. He was afterwards posted at Horseneck and remained there during the greater part of the war, and took part in many other engagements.
General Mead was married in 1752, to Mary Brush, daughter of Benjamin Brush. By this marriage he had nine children. His wife died in 1785, aged fifty-five. He mar- ried second, Mehitable, widow of Jonathan Peck and daugh- ter of Mr. Blackman, of North Greenwich, Connecticut, and had one daughter, Mehitable. He died December 3, 1790.
Colonel Thomas Hobby was a descendant of John Hobby (Huby, Hubbe, Hubby, or Hoby), who settled in Green- wich, Old Town (now Sound Beach), sometime prior to 1659.
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
He was born on the sixth day of January, 1722, and at an early age enlisted in the militia where he received his military training.
At the commencement of the French and Indian War, during the August Session of the General Assembly, 1755, he was commissioned captain of the 8th Company, 3rd Regi- ment, raised in the Colony of Connecticut to go in the expedition against Crown Point. The official records show, however, that he served during the campaign of 1755, in which the French and Indians were repulsed at the Battle of Lake George, as captain in the 4th Regiment, 8th Company. He continued in the service as captain in the campaigns of 1758, 1759, 1760, 1761, and 1762.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, he entered the service as major in the 5th Regiment, Continental Line. The regiment under the command of Colonel Wooster marched to New York and was there detailed for duty in the Northern Department, and took part in the Battle of Saint John's, Quebec, on the sixth day of September, 1775, at which Major Hobby was slightly wounded. He re-entered the service in 1776 and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in Wadsworth Brigade, Bradley's Battalion, which was stationed during the greater part of the summer and early fall of 1776 at Bergen Heights and Paulus Hook (now Jersey City). In October of the same year it was ordered up the river to the vicinity of Fort Lee, then under General Greene's command. In November most of the battalion was sent across the river to assist in the defence of Fort Washington, which on the sixteenth day of November, 1776, was captured with its entire garrison and Colonel Hobby was taken prisoner. He was afterwards paroled, returned to Greenwich, lived on Putnam Avenue and continued his activity in local affairs until the time of his death, which occurred on the thirtieth day of July, 1798. His will, dated the twenty-ninth day of October, 1783, was probated at Stamford on the first day of September, 1798, and names as executors Dr. William Bush and Israel Knapp. Children
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Captain Abraham Mead
mentioned, Thomas, Jabez M., Hezekiah, Mary, and Sarah.
Captain Abraham Mead was the eleventh son, each of whom had a sister, of Deacon Ebenezer Mead, and was born on the fourteenth day of December, 1742. At an early age he was apprenticed to a Dutchman, who was a potter, to learn the potter's trade. This pottery was situated on the westerly side of the Indian Harbor about where the Held House now stands. He was an ingenious boy, determined to learn the trade, so he watched his master when he thought himself alone, saw the salt thrown into the kiln just before the baking of the clay was completed and the finished arti- cles taken therefrom perfectly glazed, and kept his discover- ies to himself. One day the potter, after extinguishing the fires, with his boat and men set sail for New Jersey to obtain a load of clay, leaving the boy in charge. The latter spent his time in experimenting, and when they rounded the point on their return, they discovered the pottery in full blast. It is said that the potter prefaced his exclamation, "He's got it, he's got it," meaning the boy knew the busi- ness, with some strong language. The potter, however, did not intend to lose so valuable a man, and after the ex- piration of the term of his apprenticeship took him in as a partner, and later on Captain Abraham Mead succeeded the Dutchman in his business.
He received his early military training in the militia, and at the May Session of the Legislature, 1774, he was commis- sioned captain of the middle company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
Immediately after the Lexington Alarm, April, 1775, troops were raised for the defence of New York, and Captain Abraham Mead of Horseneck, 9th Regiment, with part of his company, was ordered to march to New York to assist in the defence of that important point. The returns show the time of service to have been eleven days.
In the reorganization of the troops for the year 1776, he was detailed to command the 4th Company of the Ist
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
Battalion, Wadsworth Brigade, raised to re-enforce General Washington in New York; served on the Brooklyn front a few days before and during the Battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776; was in the Retreat from New York and was among the four thousand men under General Putnam, who were left as a rear-guard, while the main army under General Washington took a position on Harlem Heights. When Clinton landed in New York, September 15, 1777, General Washington sent hurried orders to General Putnam to evacuate the city and join him. Lossing states that General Putnam was ignorant of the routes leading from the city and that Aaron Burr, one of his aids, led the division through the woods west of Broadway (Bloomingdale Road) to Harlem .
Heights.
After landing, Howe, Clinton, Tryon, and others went to the house of Robert Murray, on Murray Hill, for a short rest and refreshment, as they supposed they had General Putnam hemmed in. The hostess, an unsuspected whig, and a woman of great charm, entertained the officers so graciously, serving them cake and wine, that she detained them for more than two hours, long enough for the greater part of the forces to escape. They were discovered, however, and a detach- ment of light infantry was sent in pursuit, which overtook the rear of the American forces in a path extending from the Bloomingdale Road to Harlem Lane, and a warm skirmish took place at the intersection of One Hundredth Street and Eighth Avenue, and Captain Mead and his company came very near being cut off from the main division and captured. He was then posted on Harlem (Washington) Heights until the Battle of White Plains, October 28, 1776, in which he and his company were engaged and suffered some loss. After this battle he assumed command of his own company in the 9th Regiment and remained on duty guarding the Westches- ter border until January, 1777.
He was appointed a member of the Committee of Safety on the eighth day of December, 1777, and served until the end of the war. It was while acting in this capacity that a
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
RESIDENCE OF OLIVER D. MEAD, FIELD POINT PARK. BUILT IN 1792 BY CAPTAIN ABRAHAM MEAD, AN OFFICER IN THE
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IKL
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Captain Abraham Mead
price was put on his head, and he was in danger not only from recognized foes, but also from false friends, who might betray him for the reward. One dark night he went from his home on Held's Point to confer with General John Mead, who was then stationed at Fort Nonsense, which was a short distance above the bridge at Dumpling Pond (now North Mianus). It was unsafe to go by the road, so he took the path along the East Brother Brook. The conference over, he started back, and something strongly impelled him to go home by a different route, so he boldly chose the road. After the close of the war two men, whom he knew, came to him and told him that on that night they were watching for him on the path, and intended to capture him and deliver him up to the British. He, however, had evaded their evil designs by taking another route home.
On another occasion the commander of the post here learning that a further attempt would be made to take his life, detailed four soldiers of the Continental Army to serve as his guard; but while on their way to his house on Held's Point, they fell into the ambush designed for Captain Abraham Mead and were all killed, and were buried on the point, which place is still marked by a stone.
After the Revolutionary War, he resumed the business of a potter, and made a boat load of pottery and sold it, and used the proceeds to pay off the note on the Second Congrega- tional Church, of which he was a deacon and treasurer for many years. He was chosen town treasurer at the annual town meeting held on the seventeenth day of December, 1787, and held the office for ten consecutive years. 1
An incident is related of how a resident of Round Hill and his accomplice attempted on a dark night to drive off some cattle at Quaker Ridge. There had been quite a num- ber of depredations in that vicinity and Calvin Mead, Levi Mead, and Job Lyon were on the watch. It had been pre- arranged that in case of an alarm Calvin, who was allowed to
I The author is indebted to Julia E. Bell for the loan.of her manuscript from which the greater part of the foregoing article is compiled.
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
sleep during the first part of the watch, was to reserve his fire until the last. They did not have to watch long before Levi and Job heard some one getting the cattle and pigs to- gether and gave the alarm. They had a young horse which was shy of strangers and it took the miscreants some time to catch him. At last all the stock had been collected and arranged to the satisfaction of the cowboys, and the drove was started down the road toward King Street, but coming to a low place in the fence opposite to where the patriots were hidden the pigs, which were in the lead, owing to a puff of wind blowing toward them from the hiding-place, scented the watchers and stampeded. One of the cowboys immediately suspected that he and his accomplice were . being watched, so he stooped over and started to run. Calvin was afraid that the men would escape, so he immed- iately took aim and fired. The flash from his gun so blinded the others that they were not sure of their aim and the mis- creants escaped. A few days afterwards a colored man in the vicinity was seen wearing a well-known coat with a bullet hole in it and when questioned about it told who gave it to him. The cowboy evidently was afraid to wear the tell-tale coat around the town. In relating the incident in after years, Calvin said he had as straight an aim on the man as he ever had on any gray squirrel in his life and never could understand how it was that he missed him.
The same man and his accomplices, a short while after the above incident and during the absence of Captain Isaac Howe, who was obliged to seek a place of safety at North Castle, owing to the attempts made to take his life, he having been shot at before while returning to his home at Pecksland on horseback, made a raid on his house with the intent to burn it. He was met at the door by Mrs. Howe, and she said to him, "I know you, I know who all of you are, and if you attempt to burn this house, I will tell every one in town who did it and the people will take the matter in hand and get after you and your accomplices." Fearing the conse- quences they were deterred from carrying their evil designs
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Incidents of the Revolution
into execution. Some time after the close of the war, the leader of this band obtained a pension for military services rendered before he became a cowboy.
Another class, not so violent in their individual conduct, but equally inimical in other respects, was composed of those who, under guise of permits from the English, resided here without molestation from the enemy, and in return for this privilege, gave them sufficient and well-timed information of the doings of the Americans. There was quite a large num- ber of this class scattered in different parts of the country; and we cannot but deplore the situation of our forefathers, thus situated with spies and tories in their midst and the enemy close at hand.
During the war a paper was published in the City of New York by one Rivington, called the Rivington Press. This paper was professedly and to all outward appearances devoted to the British cause. It was, however, afterwards known to have aided the Americans much, and it is said that it was under the control of General Washington himself. The hostile appearance of the sheet deceived the Americans as well as their enemies. About half a dozen Greenwich men resolved that the publication of the Press should be stopped, and they stole into the city, destroyed the printing- press, and bagged the type, which they brought off with them from the very midst of a watchful enemy. Captain Andrew Mead and Peter Mead were the principal men of the expedition. It is said that they only of the company were able to carry the bags of type from the printing-office to the street, and throw them across the backs of their horses. After the type was brought to Greenwich it was totally de- stroyed, except enough to print the names of the members of the company, which the veterans kept for a long time in memory of their exploit.
During the period that New York was occupied by the British, their vessels had almost complete command of the waters of Long Island Sound. There were, however, many daring men engaged in a sort of privateering against them,
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
and among these were Captain Andrew Mead and Elnathan Close, with quite a large company of men. They went upon their expeditions in whale-boats, which might easily be hid- den in the smaller bays along the coast and glide through shallow water in escaping, or attacking the enemy.
In one of their expeditions, they proceeded by night to Ferry Point and seized upon a small store vessel 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 sloops of war and anchored off Chimney Corner a short distance from the shore ; but the people of Greenwich collected for the defence of the prize, and fired upon the sloop from behind a knoll with a six- . pounder, which was the only large gun in the town. The first shot struck upon the vessel's deck and wounded a dog, as was supposed from his sudden yelping. Other shots were fired and replied to by the enemy's guns, but finding it impos- sible to retake the vessel, or harm the people upon the shore, the British relinquished their efforts and sailed away. Cap- tain Andrew Mead was wounded on this occasion in both arms. As they were boarding the vessel at Ferry Point, he being the first to leap on her deck, received two shots, one in each arm, from the marines on guard, who, as the approach had been so still, then perceived the attack for the first time. Although Captain Mead was wounded, Elnathan Close and his crew, who boarded the vessel from the opposite side, quickly overpowered the marines on the deck and the force below surrendered 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 alterna- tive 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,
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Incidents of the Revolution
remained on board and was taken prisoner. Many supposed 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 appeared to have been to his interest to so do. He was one of those who drove off the cattle of Captain Abraham Mead from Field Point, and after the war was over had the boldness to solicit aid of the same family in procuring a pension. Al- though this was refused, he did, finally, obtain one through the influence of others.
The winter of 1779-1780 was one of the severest on record during the war. The Sound was completely frozen over and a great amount of snow fell. During the month of January, 1780, some dozen or twenty head of cattle, the most of which belonged to Jared Mead of Greenwich, were driven off in haste by the cowboys towards New York. After much solicitation on the part of the owners, Captain Andrew Mead, Richard Mead, and Humphrey Denton consented to make the daring attempt to cross the enemy's lines and retake the cattle. There had been recently a rain-storm, which had frozen as it fell, rendering the roads extremely slippery and making a hard, sharp crust upon the snow. The pursuers, however, went upon the sound with their horses and kept on the ice as far as Mamaroneck, New York, and then taking the road could track the cattle by the blood which had trickled from the prods of the bayonets given them to force them along. At Mount Vernon, New York, they retook the cattle and were returning when they found that they were being pursued by a body of troops under the command of a lieutenant. Their horses were tired by their long and 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 fled separately in different directions. The enemy selected Richard Mead, pursued and took him prisoner. He was taken to New York and thrown into the famous Sugar House, where he remained for a period of six weeks until exchanged.
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
Richard Mead was the son of Dr. Amos Mead, and when he was about to take to himself a colonial dame, in 1798, to share his lot, his father built a house and gave it to him as a wedding gift. It was called Dearfield, the "dear" being spelled with an "a," and its fame spread far and wide as being a delightful and magnificent home, which it really was, and one of the sights of those times, as well as it is of these. The immense button-ball tree, which stood directly in front of the house, was a landmark. There were three standing during the Revolutionary War, the other two nearer to where the Presbyterian Church now stands. The old home- stead, the residence of the late Thomas A. Mead, Colonel, 9th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, is on Putnam Avenue. . It was visited by General Lafayette in 1824.
The attack made upon Greenwich by Governor Tryon and the escape of General Putnam down the "rocky steep" are the most important incidents in the history of the Revo- lutionary War. It is an exceedingly difficult task for a historian collecting data at this late day, much of which must necessarily be traditional, or legendary, to present the facts and circumstances as they originally existed from what meagre official information there is in existence. General Putnam, according to his own account, spent but little time in the village while the enemy was here. His official report from Barber's Historical Collections of Connecticut, is as follows :
CAMP AT READING.
March 2, 1779.
A detachment from the enemy at King's bridge, consist- ing of the 17th, 44th, and 57th British Regiments, one of the Hessians, and two of new levies, marched from their lines for Horseneck on the evening of the 25th ult., with an intention of surprising the troops at that place and destroying the salt works.
A captain and thirty men were sent from our advanced lines from Horseneck, who discovered the enemy at New Rochelle, in advance. They retired before them undis- covered, as far as Rye Neck, where, it growing light, the
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE COLONEL THOMAS A. MEAD, BOROUGH OF GREENWICH. BUILT IN 1798 BY RICHARD MEAD, A REVOLU- TIONARY SOLDIER. VISITED BY GENERAL LAFAYETTE IN 1824.
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Tryon's Raid
enemy observed and attacked them. They defended them- selves as well as possible, and made their way good to Saw- pits, where they took advantage of a commanding piece of ground and made some little stand, but the superior force of the enemy obliged them to retire over Byram bridge, which they took up, and by that means had an opportunity of reaching Horseneck in safety.
As I was there myself to see the situation of the guards, I had the troops formed on a hill by the meeting-house, ready to receive the enemy as they advanced. They came on briskly, and I soon discovered that their design was to turn our flanks and possess themselves of a defile in our rear, which would effectually prevent our retreat. I therefore ordered parties out on both flanks, with directions to give me information of their approach, that we might retire in season. In the meantime a column advanced up the main road, where the remainder of the troops (amounting to about sixty) were posted. We discharged some old field pieces which were there, a few times, and gave them a small fire of musketry, but without any considerable effect. The superior force of the enemy soon obliged our small detach- ment to abandon the place.
I therefore directed the troops to retire and form on a hill a little distance from Horseneck, while I proceeded to Stam- ford and collected a body of militia and a few Continental troops, which were there, with which I returned immediately, and found that the enemy (after plundering the inhabitants of the principal part of their effects, and destroying a few salt works, a small sloop and store), were on their return. The officer commanding the Continental troops stationed at Horseneck mistook my orders and went much farther than I intended, so that he could not come up with them to any advantage. I, however, ordered the few troops that came from Stamford to pursue them, thinking they might have an opportunity to pick up some stragglers. In this I was not mistaken, as your Excellency will see by the enclosed list of prisoners. Besides these, eight or nine more were taken and sent off, so I cannot tell to which particular regiments they belonged; one ammunition and one baggage wagon were taken. In the former there were about two hundred rounds of canister, grape and round shot, suited to three- pounders, some slow matches, and about two hundred tubes; the latter was filled with plunder, which I had the satis- faction of restoring to the inhabitants from whom it was
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
taken. As I have not yet got a return, I cannot tell exactly the number we lost, though I don't think more than ten soldiers, and about that number of inhabitants, but a few of which were in arms.
List of prisoners taken at Horseneck, the 26th ult .- 17th Regiment, 15 privates; 44th do., 5 privates; 57th do., 3 privates; Loyal American Regiment, 5; Emmerick Corps, 8; First Battalion of Artillery, I; Pioneers, I .- Total, 38.
N. B .- Seven deserters from Emmerick's Corps.
The following is also from Barber's Historical Collections of Connecticut, being extracts from two letters from Fairfield County, dated the first day of March, 1779, four days after the occurrence:
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