Brown, Nehemiah
John M. McDonald interview — 1844-10-28
This interview with Nehemiah Brown of King Street in Rye near Port Chester is spilt into two parts, and covers Hufeland Index pages 49-50 and 64-71. The interviewee is likely Nehemiah Brown (1766-1847), not Judge Nehemiah Brown (1774-1855). He recounts the skirmish of October 3, 1779, when Lieutenant Erasmus Gill of the 4th Continental Light Dragoons (Moylan’s Horse) was captured by British cavalry during a skirmish in Eastchester, as well as another incident where Gill engaged in combat with Loyalist Major Mansfield Bearmore. Brown also references James Dole of the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons (Sheldon’s Horse), the death of Loyalist Captain Ebenezer Theall at a skirmish in Greenwich, the encampment of a company of Sheldon’s Horse at his father’s property, and the friendship of two of his uncles with American Colonel Anthony Walton White. He then describes the capture of Loyalist Colonel James DeLancey in 1777, an action of American Colonel Christopher Greene at the Battle of Pines Bridge, the killing of Mary Sniffen (spelled here as Kniffen) in Rye and the capture of American Colonel Levi Wells in Greenwich, Connecticut on December 9, 1780. Brown also recounts the capture of the British ship Shuldham off City Island in Eastchester Bay. He then gives a detailed explanation of an incident that took place in July 1781 when a party of Loyalists led by Shubael Merritt attacked a group of three men from the French army who had stopped for dinner at the home of Andrew Lyon near Port Chester. One of the French men was robbed and killed, another was taken prisoner, and the third was harbored by Samuel Brown until a group of American soldiers came on the scene.
Original findings from this interview
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
Nehemiah Brown. cont'd.
Oct. 28th Nehemiah Brown, of King Street, near Portchester:
"Lieut. Brown had some disagreement with Colonel Sheldon, and left the regiment before the close of the war.
When Lieut. Gill, of Moylan's, was taken in East Chester (or New Rochelle) his horse was stunned by a shot and fell. Gill got up, crept up on the top of a rock, and seeing no escape said, "I surrender myself a prisoner!" His horse after laying on the ground a few moments apparently dead, suddenly rose and ran forward and joined his comrades. The British Commander (Beckwith?) said to Gill, "You must be either a fool or a madman!" Gill asked, "What do you mean?" "You could have had no hope of success against such odds. Why did you not surrender when we called upon you?" Gill replied, "I am never in the habit of surrendering till I am beaten". The British commander had previously offered quarters and called upon
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Gill to surrender. Gill formed a plan to decoy Bearmore up the country into an ambuscade. Selecting the three best horses in the regiment, and mounted himself upon a superb charger belonging to Col. White he approached Bearmore's corps and endea- =voured to provoke him to a pursuit. He insulted Bearmore by asking whose men they were, and when answered "a detach- =ment of His Majesty's Light Horse," replied, "That's a lie! You are only a set of plundering cow thieves!" He then asked Bearmore the number of his followers and offered battle with an equal number, or that Bearmore should select [three] of his men to engage him and his companions or finally that Bearmore should meet him in single combat accompanying his challenge with reflections upon Bearmore's courage which stung him to the quick. — [marg: * In the original (pa 38) there was not (till I put it there myself) any reference as to the continuation of this subject — and this accounts for the gap in this page. On page 46 of original (and 63 of this copy) the matter is continued. — J.E.] [Continued on page 63.]
Nehemiah Brown, of King Street, Portchester: [Continued from page 49.]
Bearmore, unable to endure his (Gill's) taunts suddenly spurred his horse and galloped out into the road to meet him. Gill leaped his horse over a fence to meet him half way and their swords actually crossed when several of Bearmore's men spurred on to their commander, and Gill, finding himself likely to have several antagonists withdrew. Bearmore was too much upon his guard to be drawn within the American lines.
Dole, first a Sergeant and then a lieutenant of Sheldon's, was Sheriff after the war of a County at or near Albany. [Rensselaer Co]
Captain Ebenezer Theall, of DeLancey's, was returning from an excursion when a little west of Round hill, he was ambushed by a party who fired and
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killed him. His party left his body, retired a little on the road they were advancing and then retreated in another direction. Theall's body was afterwards brought to Rye and interred. He left a daughter who now lives at Horseneck and the widow of Jabez Hobby.
In the winter of 1777 and 1778 a Company of Sheldon's was quartered at my fathers (Samuel Brown).
I had two uncles, Roger Brown and Nehemiah Brown who lived near Round Hill. Colonel White was intimate with both, and it was probably at one of their houses that he was when nearly surprised by Tarleton in 1779.
[marg: Stevenson?] Lieut. Frederick Stephenson, of Stephenson's Rangers, commanded the party that took DeLancey in 1777, below West Farms. DeLancey was ensconced under a bed where Stephenson discovered him, and said: "Come out, Jimmy!" [marg: x Written Jimmy in original.]
Nehemiah Brown continued:
DeLancey was so overcome with vexation, confusion and shame at his situation that he did not know Stephenson for some time, although well acquainted with him. Stephenson said: "You must go with me, Jimmy!" — DeLancey asked: "How? — On foot?" — Stephenson replied: "No, Colonel. You always keep a good horse. You shall ride your own steed, and I will mount behind you." In that way, DeLancey, riding his favorite horse and Stephenson behind, he was taken off to Connecticut.
When Colonel Greene was attacked at Croton, he said to the soldiers in the house as the Refugees advanced: "Fire away, boys! They are only a party of Cow-boys!"
Miss Mary Kniffen, [marg: * This name is sometimes written "Griffen" and "Sniffen" J.E. /] who lost her life in 1777, was my cousin, and lived at Sniffen's hill. [marg: † Sometimes written — Griffen's Hill.] She was going to New-York with a party of five or six who were
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[marg: x See origl. p. 47. (Pocantico?)] driving cattle below and had not gone as far as the bridge at Rye Neck over Stoney Brook (Tocotsenockx) (by the mill on that brook) when they were fired upon by a party under one Maynard, and she was killed. She was taken into Mr. Bloomer's house, now standing on the north of the road near the entrance of the lane leading to Deall's Mills where she breathed her last in a few moments. It was said she was going down to be married to Jacob Tier, a very respectable butcher. Her death was always considered an accident by all except her relatives. Maynard's party said they did not know there was a woman with the party).
Huggeford took Colonel Wells by making a circuit and coming upon him from an unexpected quarter. One of Huggeford's [men] had the adroitness to creep up so close to a sentinel that, when the sentinel was relieved, he heard the countersign. With that knowledge
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they passed and took the new sentinel and surprised Wells. On retreating to Morrisania Wells said: "We have a scout out, and the great probability is we shall meet them." [marg: * Wells requested to be sent to the rear, fearing that he may be killed, accidentally, by his own men. — see other accounts of this affair. / J.E.] Huggeford supposing he meant that he didn't wish to fall by his own men answered: "You will have the same chance of life or death that we'll have."
In the capture of the British vessel [marg: † The Shuldham guard ship.] in East Chester Bay, Andrew Mead was the first who entered, sword in hand. He was met by an officer coming out of the cabin with a pistol in each hand who fired. Both balls took effect, one on each side, and he was lame, in consequence, for life. He was constable at Horseneck for many years afterwards.
In July, 1781, a Sutler, attached to the French army, and two other Frenchmen, [marg: ‡ Another account says 3 men.] were at Andrew Lyons, near Portchester, where Mr. Bush now lives, eating dinner. They had come from White Plains with a team or waggon and horses to buy cider. Shube
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(Neb?) Merritt with Neh. Merritt and Tim Saxton heard of it and came to attack them. These Refugees looked in at the window (windows and doors being open), and the Frenchmen ran. Tim. Saxton pursuing, rested his gun upon the bars of the fence and shot the sutter dead.
Shube Merritt, being active, sprang over the fence and stripped the Frenchman of a belt he wore about his waist which contained two or three hundred "French guineas". These the robbers divided — Shube retaining the largest portion.
Another Frenchman was (previously?) overtaken, and surrendered himself (to Shube Merritt?) a prisoner.
[marg: x Neh? see origl. p. 48.49.] The third ran north, towards Samuel Brown's (the next house) for his life, pursued by Neb. Merritt with his loaded gun. The Frenchman, hard pressed by Neb. Merritt, took up a large stone and faced him. He pointed his gun. The Frenchman hurled the stone, and running round Samuel Brown's house, jumped
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in at the window and got under a table followed by Neb. who could not find him. Neb. then left the room in search of him, and Mrs. Brown concealed him first in a closet or pantry, but he was so incautious as to (look) stick his head out the moment Neb. left the room. Mrs. Brown then concealed him in the cellar. Neb. insisted Mr. Brown should tell him where the Frenchman was. Brown did not know that the Frenchman was in the house — not having yet seen him, and denied him to Neb. declaring he was not in the house. Neb. at length went away.
Sometime afterwards, a detachment of Continentals with an officer, being informed &c. came to Brown's and inquired for the Frenchman in the cellar. Brown at first denied him, because several neighbors, loyalists, were present. He managed to acquaint the officer [with] of this who ordered the tories off and then he brought out the Frenchman