Historic Pelham Blog Archive
August 29, 2006

350TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION BOOK:  "THOMAS PELL AND THE LEGEND OF THE PELL TREATY OAK" -- $11.95 (PROCEEDS AFTER PRINTING COSTS WILL GO TO BARTOW-PELL MANSION MUSEUM).  CLICK HERE TO BROWSE BEFORE YOU BUY! LEARN MORE.

A recent posting to the Historic Pelham Blog provided a brief account of the capture of a British ship in waters off the shore of Pelham during the Revolutionary War. See Friday, July 14, 2006: Capture of the British Ship Schuldham in Pelham Waters During the Revolutionary War. Another account of that event appears in a book published in 1887. Below is a transcription of the pertinent entry, followed by a full citation to the source.

"A NAVAL PRIZE.

The same year [1776] saw another brilliant exploit, planned and executed by common boatmen, carried out triumphantly. At that time British gunboats were stationed along the Sound as guard ships. The officers and crew treated the villagers with exasperating harshness and received the natural return. Hatred and indignation incited the outraged people to attempt the capture of their oppressors. A plan was arranged by Connecticut whaleboatmen and successfully executed. Across Pelhm Neck they carried their boat and took possession of a market sloop that traded to New York and suppled the guardship with provisions. The Connecticut men, ten or twelve in number, well armed, concealed themselves in the hold while their leader remained on deck and obliged the owner to lay his craft alongside the British vessel, as usual when furnishing supplies. In the dusk of the early morning the two vessels touched. Up rushed the boatmen, and in a twinkling the crew, only half awake, were prisoners and forced to help navigate the prize into New London."

Source: Mullaly, John, New Parks Beyond the Harlem with Thirty Illustrations and Map Descriptions of Scenery Nearly 4,000 Acres of Free Playground for the People, p. 88 (NY, NY: Record & Guide 1887).

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posted by Blake A. Bell @ 4:40 AM Comment

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