Footnotes to Long Island History
British Trapped at Manor
January 3, 1952
by
Thomas R. Bayles
At the
time of the Revolution the Smiths Point inlet from the ocean to the bay was an
important waterway for small boats from the eastern part of the Island, and
wood, farm products, game and other goods for shipment to the New York market
were brought out on the small boats and transferred to larger ones outside the
mouth of the inlet. Supplies from outside were brought in the same way.
This
was known to the British then in possession of New York City, and they sent 500
men to take possession of the old Smith homestead at the Manor of St. George.
Their orders were to fortify it, stock it with food and supplies including ammunition
and make it a base of supplies for the British forces, operating on Eastern Long
Island. This order was executed ad the landing force took over the Smith estate
at night. Stockades were erected and plans made to defend it in case the
American forces decided to make any attack.
The
Manor house then was owned by General John Smith a descendent of Col. William
Smith. The British forces began to cut wood from his farm to ship to New York,
and this displeased Gen. Smith but he kept quiet and communicated with General
Washington, and suggested to him a plan of sending a force of American Soldiers
from Connecticut to capture the British fort.
Gen.
Smith carried out the plans by preparing a banquet for the British forces, all of
whom were invited. This was on the night of November 22, 1780 and plenty of
good wine that had been stored away in cellars of the old manor house for many
years was brought out to top off the banquet table.
In the
meantime a force of American soldiers consisting of 80 dismounted dragoons in
10 small boats came across the sound and landed at Mt. Sinai harbor, where a
beacon fire had been burning to guide them. A guide met them as the landed on
that stormy night on November 21 and piloted them to a spot where they spent
the night and the next day.
The
following night, a trusty servant of Gen. Smith's arrives with the message to
come across to Mastic that night, and the men under Benjamin Tallmadge marched
across the Island, and like the silent Indian, felt every inch of the ground
until they were within gunshot of the fort. Then a mighty shout,
"Washington and glory", went up together with hail of lead from three
sides that greeted the British who thought Washington and his whole army had
arrived.
The
dead and wounded soldiers made the scene a discouraging one to the British
forces who laid down their guns and surrendered about 300 men. Then Major
Tallmadge with a small force of men went to the manor house captured the rest
of the British officers.
When
daylight came and the British saw the small force of Americans that had
captured them and their fort with its supplies of guns and ammunition they were
much humiliated.
Major
Tallmadge marched his prisoners back to Mt. Sinai and returned back that night
to Connecticut without the loss of a single man.