USA > New York > Queens County > Documents and letters intended to illustrate the revolutionary incidents of Queens county; with connecting narratives, explantory notes, and additions > Part 13
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268. May 22,'82, Riv. The grenadiers, 17th dragoons, and other corps on Long Island, were reviewed by Sir G. Carlton.
269. May 18, '82, Riv. All persons having demands against Lieutenant Colin Campbell, 74th regiment light infantry, at Jamaica, will lodge their claims with Capt. Colquhoun, 74th grenadiers.
270. May 25, '82, Riv. Alex. Macauley & Co. intend removing from Jamaica.
271. April 5, '82, Riv. Malcolm Morrison, at Jamaica, failed : also Rochford, inn-keeper.
272. June 12, '82. $10 reward. Run away, a negro boy Frank, took a pale blue broadcloth coat and jacket and a new castor hat. It is imagined he intends going on board some privateer. DOUWE DITMARS.
273. July 20, '82. To be sold by auction, at Jamaica, July 27, sundry damaged provisions, consisting of pork, peas and butter.
274. Aug. 21, '82. Piano, mahogany chairs, phaeton, &c., at vendue, at Capt. Wm. Wade's, Jamaica, opposite Betts' tavern, he intending for Ireland per first fleet.
275. Oct. 3, '82. New flying machine, on steel springs, Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday, from Brooklyn, at 8 o'clock,
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to Jamaica, and return same evening. Breakfasting at Brook- lyn Hall, stage mornings.
276. Oct. 19, '82. To be run for, around Beaver Pond, a purse of £50: the best two in three one-mile heats, free for any horse except Mercury, Slow and Easy and Goldfinder. One guinea entrance, to be paid at the sign of the "King's Arms," Jamaica.
277. March 17, '83. For sale, a lot of ground in Jamaica, near the Presbyterian church, owing to the present times out of fence. It lies 50 feet along Church Lane, 40 feet front and rear. The owner going to England.
278. March 17, '83. At public auction, the whole stock of Hart & Chaloner, (failed,) at their store, Jamaica. Dry goods, china and earthen ware, and some groceries.
279. March 31, '83. The partnership of Cunningham, Scott, & Co., of Jamaica, is dissolved : remaining stock to be sold very reasonable.
280. April 12, '83. Riv. To be sold by auction, upwards of 200 excellent dragoon horses, in high condition, belonging to cavalry officers: at Brooklyn, April 14, 40 horses ; Jamaica, April 15, 40 horses ; at the wind-mill, on Hempstead Plains, April 16, 40 horses ; at Huntington, April 14, 15 and 16, 80 horses ; at Richmond, April 16, 40 horses.
281. The widow Mills, upper end of Springfield, had a vendue, and was supposed to have money in her possession. As some robbers broke in her front door, the widow, though she could scarcely move before, was nimble enough to escape by a back passage unobserved, and rallied her neighbors, who at a cautious distance fired into the house at the robbers, who scampered out pell-mell, and not one was seized. One of the robbers (who was a neighbor) asked a lad in bed if he knew him. The affrighted little fellow luckily replied in the nega- tive, and so saved his life.
As the inmates of the house told the robbers (to get rid of them) that Capt. N. Ludlam had their money, the Capt. felt apprehensive of a like visit, and obtained an order from the commandant at Jamaica to set a patrol from his house (now
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JAMAICA.
D. I. Ditmis's) to Box's tavern, and thence to Amberman's gate, Rockaway road. The alarm signal was one discharge, a pause, then two in quick succession. One man was shot by this patrol.
'Squire B. Everitt, (now H. Story's,) treasurer of the Pres- byterian church, heard a knocking at his door, which he open- ed, when he was knocked down and severely beaten, to make him disclose his money. He said he had but little ; and this, crawling to his chest, he gave the robbers.
282. One Sunday night, the latter part of the war, the house of Wm. Ludlam, Bog Lots, was robbed of linen, cloth- ing, &c. A sum of money hid behind the chimney escaped notice. The robbers surrounded the house and broke in a panel of the door with a stone. The old man sprung up, but they sent him to bed again, laid their muskets across the bed, and bid all lay quiet.
John Williamson was robbed of £300, hid under the hearth- stone, which he disclosed after the torture of hot coals.
The next night, (say April, 1783,) the same gang, in the absence of their leader, Huddleston, having found the house door too strong, broke into the kitchen of Wm. Creed,* (since T. Van Wicklen's,) where a Highlander slept as a safeguard. Him they bid lay still, as they did not intend to harm him. They then passed into the room where Mr. Creed lay sick with rheumatism. They discovered him by the flash of his carbine, which they grappled, and hauled him out of bed and abused him. Thereupon the Highlander came to the rescue with his broadsword, and cut open the skull of the sentry. Another grasped his sword and had his fingers cut off as it was drawn through. During the scuffle, Creed's son came down stairs, and was engaged in the melee. The robbers were finally beaten off. when the Highlander proposed they should go out and see if any wounded or dead lay around the house. They discovered one, Humans, by the well, with his entrails protrud- ing. He had on W. Ludlam's Sunday shoes, with silver buckles, which implicated him in that robbery. Finding his end near, he made a full confession of this and previous crimes to his commanding officer. A secret cave in the woods back
8*
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of Jamaica was searched, and all who had been robbed came forward and picked out their lost property. McDraw, the guard, received a liberal contribution from the spectators, who assembled at Creed's next morning.
* W. Creed was a whig, and suffered accordingly. A neighbor led some soldiers to his house, who took his three cows. His wife begged them to leave them, as they afforded the only sustenance she and her children could get. The reply was, " Why, madam, they belong to the Crown," and off they went. At another time a number of light-horse were turned into his oats to graze, just as it was in head. He had a great quantity of wood cut off for fuel and building huts. He had a great many horses stabled in his barn, and a neighbor, a loyalist, kept carting away the manure for years. His daughter, however, watched from a window, and kept account of the number of loads. At the peace Creed sent in his bill, and the whole amount was paid.
283. To be let, a large and commodious dwelling, at Ja- maica, in which Michael Price (who intends for England) now keeps a store. The first stand for business, except New- York, within the British lines. April 28, 1783.
284. April 28, '83. To be sold or let, the house and gar- den lately occupied by Widow Harris, Jamaica, on the road leading to Flushing, and opposite the English church, [rear of Dr. Shelton's.]
285. June 28, '83. To be run for, Wednesday next, around Beaver Pond, a purse of 100 guineas, by the noted mare Calf Skin and the noted horse Leotley, from Boston.
286. Several horses of the 17th light dragoons to be sold at Jamaica, July 19, 1783.
287. Aug. 8, '83. For sale, the noted "White Store " of Alex. Haire, at Little Plains, one of the best situations for busi- ness on the island. JOHN REMSEN.
288. Riv., Sept. 13, '83. Those loyalists who enrolled themselves in Capt. John Polhemus's company, for Annapolis Royal, are informed the ship is ready to receive them. Those who neglect complying with this notice will be precluded a passage at the expense of government.
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NORTH HEMPSTEAD.
289. Gaine, Feb. 15, '77. A few evenings ago four boats full of men came over from Rye to the opposite shore on Long Island, and carried off a sloop laden with poultry and other things for New-York market. The fog was so thick that the guard, which is constantly kept on shore, did not perceive them. One man was taken in the sloop.
290. March 24, '77, Gaine. Last week a rebel privateer came out of Byram river, and took a boat coming to town with wood and some other small matters, from Long Island.
291. Fishkill, May 22, '77. We are informed 200 wagons have lately been sent from Long Island to the enemy's head quarters, at Brunswick, to remove baggage,
292. It was not unusual for families within the British lines to be exchanged for those without, but as it gave op- portunity for conveying intelligence to the enemy, it proba- bly was exercised with great caution .- Ed.
Head Quarters, Peekskill, April 16, '77. Permission is hereby granted Peter Corney to obtain an exchange of his fur- niture and effects for those of Mr. B. Birdsall, of Oyster Bay ; and Mr. Proctor's, for those of Zebulon Seaman, of Long Island.
ALEX. MCDOUGAL, B. General.
I certify, that the families of B. Birdsall and Zebulon Sea- man, with their furniture. effects and provisions, may be per- mitted to pass to Peekskill, in exchange for Peter Corney and W. Proctor, with their families, furniture, effects and provis- ions. ROB'T PIGOTT, M. G.
New- York, April 16, '77,
We, the subscribers, do certify that Peter Corney has shown us the above permission, and has offered to procure a flag of truce and escort us and our families to Peekskill, with our apparel, furniture, effects and provisions, and there deliver us to our husbands ; but as we find it inconvenient to remove, not being able to support the expense, and are here in a state
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of security, unmolested by the King's troops, we must decline the offer. FREELOVE BIRDSALL.
BENJ. SEAMAN,
CLEMENT C. CLARKE, S
Test.
Oyster Bay, April 21, '77.
JEAN SEAMAN.
MICAH WILLIAMS, Test. JACOB JACKSON, S
Hempstead, April 21, '77.
Fairfield, July 3, '77. Capt. Thorpe says, "I sailed from Guilford last Sabbath day, with a flag of truce to transport Mrs. Hannah and Miss Ruth, wife and daughter of Nicholas Brown, to [North] Hempstead, on Long Island, and arrived there on Monday ; and was informed by an officer and justice of the peace that they had strict orders not to permit any flag to be received any where on the Island, and advised me to proceed to the sloop Scorpion, Capt. Brown, who said I must immedi- ately return back and carry the women with me ; and added, if any more came he should treat them as spies."
Scorpion,* of New City Island.
No flags of truce are in future to pass between Connecti- cut and Long Island, without the special license of the Gene- ral commanding his Majesty's forces, nor any correspondence by letter or otherwise permitted. Flags of truce are in future to be consigned to New-York only.
By order of Viscount Howe, PHILIP BROWN.
* The Scorpion and her tender lay at Plum Beach in 1780, and were frozen in. The Chaplain had services on board every Sunday, which the inhabitants from the Necks were invited to attend. In 1781 she was used as a prison ship at the Wallabout .-- Ed.
Sept., 1777. The Governor of Connecticut permits Mrs. Ketcham's family and furniture to be exchanged for the wife, family and household furniture of W. Ritchie, at Cow Neck- Gen. Silliman to send a flag for that purpose, at their mutual expense .- Hinman's Conn.
293. Aug. 6, '77, Gaine. Last Wednesday morning, two wood boats from Long Island, were taken by a rebel privateer
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NORTH HEMPSTEAD.
in the Sound, near Hempstead Harbor, and carried into Nor- walk.
293a. Aug. 4, '77, Gaine. 40s. reward. Taken out of the pasture of Timothy Smith, Hempstead Harbor, a bay mare, snip nose, something erooked, or turns to one nostril, a natural trotter. and can pace a slow travel, and canter.
294. Sept. 12, '77, Holt. Two armed whale boats from Middletown, took two sloops, one at anchor in Cow Bay, of 50 tons ; another, a small craft lying in the Sound-brought safe into Connecticut river.
295. Oct. 20, '77, Gaine. A whale boat with 10 men, from Byram River, took a wood boat (Oet. 5) from Hempstead Har- bor out into the Sound, and returned for two others that lay there ready loaded, but a few militia getting together, obliged them to row off with speed.
296. April 16, '78, Holt. Last Saturday night, 15 men of Col. Meig's regiment, under Lt. Lay, erossed from Horse Neck to Long Island, and cut two sloops out of Hempstead Harbor, bound to New-York. One was deeply laden with wood, the other with vegetables, which they brought safe to Horse Neck and unloaded. They also took 4 prisoners.
[Thomas Dodge was once a passenger and sat in the cabin when a boat was taken. Hearing a noise, he tried to get on deck, but found he was fastened down. He then sang out, " what are you about up there ? open the door and let me come up, or else come down yourselves, and let's drink for bet- ter acquaintance." The captors came down, and were treated with a bottle of spirits from Dodge's provision basket. They had a jolly time of it, and on Dodge's arrival at Horse Neck he found many old friends, and was allowed to return on parole, which exempted him from the fatigues of militia duty, (which consisted in frequent trainings and patrolling the coast at night, ) till he was exchanged .- Ed.]
297. May 25, '78, Gaine. On Saturday evening, 16th, with up-sun, a boat from Connecticut, with a 4 pounder, came to Sands's Point, and stripped a boat that lay there of all her sails and rigging, and went off unmolested.
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298. Aug. 24, '78, Gaine. For sale, the sloop Christian, a wide flat vessel, built on Long Island, for the wood and hay business, 50 tons, mounts 5 swivels.
299. Sept. 7, '78, Gaine. Stolen or strayed from the pas- ture of Joseph Greswold, north side of Hempstead Plains, a dun-colored gelding. A suitable reward will be paid by Mr. Nicolls.
300. May 10, '79, Gaine. John Houlroyd begs leave to in- form his friends and the public in general, that he lives at the Three Tons, north side of Hempstead Plains, about one mile from Herricks, where gentlemen, travellers and others, may expect the best entertainment for man and horse.
July 19. Gentlemen who choose to divert themselves in the plovering season, will meet with genteel treatment, and the best wines.
301. May 31, 79, Gaine. A party of rebels from Connecti- cut came to the house of Mr. Samuel Herrold, of Hempstead Harbor, last Tuesday night, and robbed his shop of goods to the amount of about £60, and then took to their whale boats and rowed across the sound.
302. July 7, '79, Gaine. Five guineas reward. Ran away from James Smith, Herricks, 2 negro men, Cæsar and Jack, supposed to be with the army or on board some ship.
303. June 30, '79, Riv. Last Thursday night, about 30 rebels came over from Connecticut to Cow Neck in three whale boats, and plundered the house of Stephen Thorne of many valuable articles, and at the same time part of them surrounded the house of Edward Thorne; his son, which they also rifled. For- tunately both these gentlemen were abroad that night, which prevented their being carried into captivity. In the house of E'd Thorne they found Capt. Lewis McDonald,* a gentleman banished from Bedford, West Chester county, by the rebel le- gislature. [He had once been a committee-man.] Him they rob- bed of such effects as their demagogues had permitted him to bring with him, broke open his chest, from which they extract- ed about £70 in gold and silver and York currency of the old emission, depriving him of the most valuable part of his cloth-
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NORTH HEMPSTEAD.
ing, but disdained to accept of £400 in Congress dollars, of which they found him possessed.
* July 19, '80, Riv. Two half joes reward. Stolen from the pasture of Stephen Cornell, Hempstead, 14th inst., an iron grey horse.
LEWIS McDONALD.
304. July 31, '79, Riv. About Tuesday last, Wm. Sutton, Esq., formerly of Maroneck, was carried off from Cow Neck by a party of rebels from the Main. The guards and refugees in the vicinity immediately assembled to rescue him, fired on the whale boats in which he was prisoner, and certainly did execu- tion, as several of the rebels were seen to drop.
305. Aug. 25, '79, Rir. On Monday morning last, between 12 and 2, a party of rebels under A. Cornell, plundered the houses of Col. and Judge Ludlow, at Hempstead Plains. They landed, it is supposed, upwards of 50 men from seven whale- boats, at the west side of Cow Neck, [at Mitchell's Landing, ] and proceeded with 30 of their gang on this piratical business. As Col. Ludlow was at Lloyd's Neck, and the Judge had the precaution to sleep from home, [or as some say, to escape through the scuttle to the roof and hide behind a chimney,] they failed in one part of their errand. In the other they but too well succeeded, and by dint of expedition, got off with their booty. [They seized and rode the horses of A. O., and to avoid observation, left the road, threw down fences, and went across lots. The design in carrying off the Col. and Judge was to exchange them for Whig prisoners of equal rank .- Ed.]
306. Oct. 2, '79, Rir. The,sloop Sally, Sept. 28, laden with provisions for His Majesty's sloop Swift, between City Island and Oyster Bay, was chased on shore by two whale boats, but the armed Brigantine Edward, Capt. J. Peebles, mas- ter, stationed in Hempstead Bay,* retook the Sally and her pro- visions, with a new 7 oared boat having a swivel and 11 mus- kets, killed 3 men and took several prisoners. [Capt. Peebles was himself subsequently taken by surprise, and was succeeded by the Ranger, which lay till the peace at the Deep Hole out- side the beach .- E'd.] * In June '79, she lay in the East River.
307. Nov. 6, 1779. Riv. New Market Races, Hempstead Plains, on Wednesday. A purse of 20 guineas: the best of
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three two-mile circular heats. Free for any horse except Dul- cimore.
Also a bet of 100 guineas, one two-mile heat, Cyrus and Doctor.
A match between the noted horse Dulcimore and the roan gelding Kettlebander, for 400 guineas, two miles.
God save the King.
308. May 5, '80. NEW MARKET RACES. Will be run for, June 4, the Hunters' subscription purse, and sweepstakes of 10 guineas each. June 5, the ladies and gentlemen's subscrip- tion purse and sweepstakes of 10 guineas each. June 6, a whip to be run for, presented by the sportsmen of the army and navy, and the name of the winning horse to be engraved on it.
No horse that has not been a fortnight in training on Hemp- stead Course to run.
309. May 27, '80. SIR-You are hereby ordered to pas- ture four horses for the Quarter Master General's depart- ment till further orders. JOHN WOOLLEY, Capt.
RICHARD THORNE .*
* Major Thorne was robbed four times during the war. Once his back was cruelly cut down with a knife and his wife put under guard, to extort a confession where his money was hid. Another time, his wife contrived to keep a bag of money concealed in the folds of her gown. At one time all their clothing and many moveables were carried off. A clock, screwed to the wall, was left only because the robbers had not patience to unscrew it. The Major had two sloops (one the Bachelor) taken from his dock. To escape further depredations from whale boats, he removed to Success .- (See 118.)-ED.
310. Aug. 2, '80. Rir. Last Saturday night a party of rebels from the Main (one was Ob. Wall) landed on Long Island, robbed the house of John Holroyd, Hempstead Plains, [since S. Armstrong's, ] of effects to the value of several hundred pounds. They afterwards stopped Mrs. Tredwell, spouse of Dr. T., on her return from the city, [in a chaise with her son Adam,] and robbed her of effects to the value of £30. At the same time [it was dusk] they seized a market wagon [of Henry Post and Richard Titus, storekeepers,] in which was mer-
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NORTH HEMPSTEAD.
chandise valued at upwards of £80. In that carriage they conveyed all their booty to Hempstead Harbor, [Littleworth.] where they embarked in two whale boats. The militia were alarmed, and twenty of them, well accoutred, pursued the plunderers with all possible speed, but arrived at the place of embarkation too late, [but heard the oars. To prevent detec- tion. the persons robbed were all confined up stairs, till the guard judged his confederates were beyond the reach of pursuit, when he mounted Mrs. T.'s horse and galloped after .- It was not unusual for whale boatmen to waylay travellers from New-York by secreting themselves in some house near the road.]-ED.
311. Sept. 18, '80. Gaine. Two guineas reward. Stolen out of Judge Ludlow's stable, at Hempstead, on the night of August 7, a sorrel horse, &c.
CARY LUDLOW, Esq., Jamaica.
312. Jan. 25, '81. Last week two vessels loaded with wood, were taken off [N.] Hempstead by two whale boats ; one was armed with two four-pounders, six swivels, a cohorn, &c., had six hands, who engaged the boats, and did not surrender till the captain was badly wounded in his head. Two men were wounded on board the boats. The prizes are got into port.
313. May 16, '81. Several whale boats from Horse Neck, intending a descent on Long Island. were intercepted, and 39 prisoners taken.
314. July 4, 'S1, Rir. On Saturday night last 40 rebels landed at the bottom of Cow Neck, 20 of whom marched four miles, to the house of Justice Kissam, and took off Major Kis- sam. of the Queens county militia, his younger brother, Benj. T. Kissam, and Thomas Pearsall, a refugee. Mr. Fitch. their commander, behaved with great civility to Mrs. Kissam, not suffering his men to go into the room where Mrs. Townsend, an old lady, mother to Justice Kissam, was in bed. The plunder they carried off was but trifling. They also took one Alexander Haines, [a guard ?] whom they found sleeping under a tree near where they landed. Justice K. and his second son were absent from home. The rebels made partie- ular inquiry after them.
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315. About 12 o'clock Saturday night the door of Hendrick Onderdonk, at Hempstead Harbor, (now Dan'l Bogart's, ) was forced open with a bayonet. Andrew, his son, hearing the noise, met the robbers at the door, received a cut in his fore- head, when he extricated himself and made his way through the east door, crossed the creek and ran to John Rogers', blacksmith, and gave the alarm. Meantime the robbers found a gold watch and other articles. A mug of gold pieces in a cupboard escaped their search. Some of the most costly goods had been taken from the store and purposely distributed about the house. The robbers went up stairs, Mrs. O. resolutely following and telling them not to go in such a room, as her daughters were there. They hastily picked up some rolls of fine goods and velvet, put them under their arms and hur- ried down stairs, Mrs. O. following at their heels, pulling away a piece now and then, till they got out of the house .- There was a number of active young men in the harbor, and the sol- diers had no mind to wait and have a brush with them. They pretended to be whale boatmen, were disguised, and had their faces painted. The robbers were soon discovered, for an un- lucky soldier billeted at Searing Town wore a stolen shoe that Jack Golder (who was making shoes at the same house) recognized as one he had made at H. O.'s with locust pegs, when his maple fell short. An investigation took place, and the stolen property was found in the possession of Col. Lud- low's men, billeted at Herricks .- ED.
316. Poughkeepsie, Nor. 30, 1781.
SIR-The bearer, Mr. Cornell, informs me we have friends on Long Island, who have expressed a desire of advancing a sum of money for the use of the State, if they could be assur- ed it would be acceptable. I may venture to assure you it will be rendering your country an essential service ; and that the most effectual measures are adopted by the State to secure such as shall in this way become creditors of the public.
I am, with great esteem, Your most obedient servant,
GEO. CLINTON.
COL. JOHN SANDS, Cow Neck, L. I.
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NORTH HEMPSTEAD.
State of New- York, ss. I hereby pledge the faith of said State for the re-payment of the sum of one thousand pounds, current money of said State, in specie, with interest, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, to John Sands, Esq., or order, within one year after the conclusion of the present war with Great Britain.
Given at Poughkeepsie, this 1st day of June, 1782. Witness, GEO. TRIMBLE. GEO. CLINTON.
[Of the above sum, Maj. R. Thorne furnished £200; John Thorne, £200; John Sands, £400; and Daniel Whitehead Kissam, £200.]
Maj. Hendrick Wyckoff, of New Lots, carried over large sums. The plan he usually adopted, says Gen. Johnson, was this. He crossed the Sound from Connecticut, secreted him- self at Cow Neck, (usually at Peter Onderdonk's,) then went by night to the west end of Long Island. He had blank notes, signed by Gov. Clinton. These he filled up to certain indi- viduals for such sums as he received. When he had a load (for he had to carry specie) he returned stealthily to Mr. O.'s, and so re-crossed the Sound. These notes were paid after the peace. B. Sands also crossed the Sound in a row boat with gold in a belt around his body. A guard received him on the Main and conveyed the money to Clinton .*- ED.
* James Jay was taken and put in Provost, April 17, '82. He had papers from Gov. Clinton, authorizing him to borrow money from New- York city, or Long Island. Maj. Brush also borrowed in Suffolk .- ED.
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