MAJOR
TALLMADGE'S REPORT OF THE RAID TO GENERAL WASHINGTON
"On the
16th of November, in obedience to your Excellency's
orders, a detachment of Colonel Sheldon's dismounted
dragoons, under the command of Captain Edgar, were
ordered to march the next day to Fairfield, to which
place I directed a number of boats to repair. The troops
arrived in the vicinity of Fairfield, on the evening of
the 18th, at which place, by reason of a very severe
storm, we were detained till the 21st inst., on the
evening of which, at four o'clock, I embarked the troops
in eight boats, the whole number including the crews,
amounted to about eighty men. With a favorable wind we
landed safely on Long Island, at a place called the Old
Man's, about eight o'clock in the evening. After leaving
about twenty men with the boats in charge of Captain
Smith, we began our march to put your Excellency's orders
into execution, but a very severe storm coming on,
however it might have favored an attack on the fort,
obliged me to postpone it, as I was well aware that
attention must be paid as well to a favorable time for
crossing the Sound (which at this place more than twenty
fathoms wide) as to attack the fort. I accordingly
concealed the troops till the evening of the 22nd, when,
at seven o'clock, we began our march across Long Island,
and at three o'clock the next morning were within two
miles of fort St. George at South Haven. By the most
accurate information I found that the forts and other
works had been entirely completed but a few days before,
and that the garrison con-sisted of fifty men. It may be
necessary here to observe that the works of Fort St.
George consisted of two large, strong houses, and a fort
about ninety feet square, connected together by a very
strong stockade or line of sharpened pickets twelve feet
long, the whole forming a triangle, the fort and houses
standing in the angles. The fort consisted of a high wall
and a deep ditch, encircled with a strong abatis, leaving
but one gate, a sally-port which led directly into the
grand parade within the pickets. This fort had embrasures
for six guns, though but two were mounted; the houses
were strongly barricaded. From this description I found
it necessary, small as my detachment was, to make three
different attacks at the same time. I accordingly
detached Lieutenant Jackson with sixteen men with orders
to advance as near the for as he could undiscovered, and
there to halt till the alarm was given by the advance of
the detachment under the imme-diate command. The van of
the detachment which carried axes to beat down the
obstructions, were led by Lieutenant Brewster* directly
against the new house, while the remainder, with Captain
Edgar and myself at their head, followed close after.
Another small division was directed to file off and
surround the other house; Mr. Simons bringing up the
rear, with directions to halt where the breach might be
made to prevent the garrison from escaping. Thus
prepared, the troops were put in motion precisely at four
o'clock and contrary to my expectations the pioneers
advanced with-in twenty yards of the works before they
were discovered. The sentinel firing, the different
detachments immediately rushed on and passing all
obstructions, met at the same instant in the centre of
the fort, where tile watchword was given from all
quarters at the same time. The guard in the fort was
secured; but the two houses contained the main body of
the garrison, which began to fire from the windows. I
immediately ordered the troops to enter the houses, the
door of which, though strongly bolted and barred, was
soon burst open, and in less than ten minutes the whole
gar-rison were our prisoners. Being informed that a
vessel lay within view of the fort, loaded with stores,
rum, wine, sugar, glass, etc. I detached a party who
boarded and took her. Thus master of the whole, my first
object was to demolish as much as possible their works,
etc. We accordingly set fire to the small garrison
buildings, stockade and abatis, consuming at the same
time the public stores that could be collected, including
a considerable quantity of ammunition and arms, which the
troops, so much fatigued and having so long a march to
make back could not carry. We remained at the fort from
four to eight o'clock in the morning, when, having
destroyed as much of it as possible we began our march
back. The vessel being aground we burnt.
"I feel
particularly happy that I can inform your Excellency that
we had not a man killed in the enterprise and but one
wounded; him we brought off. The enemy's loss was seven
(7) killed and wounded, most of the latter mortally. The
surprise was so complete that before they could rally
they were our prisoners.
"On our
return I mounted ten men on the horses taken at the fort,
and while Captain Edgar marched the detachment and
prisoners across the island, I filed off with Lieutenant
Brewster, to Coram, and set fire to the whole magazine of
the King's forage at that place, supposed to contain more
than three hundred tons, and joined the detachment again
in less than two (2) hours. By this time the militia
began to muster, but prudently avoided coming near us.
Some guns were fired but no damage received. By four
o'clock in the afternoon of the same day we reached our
boats, and having embarked the troops and prisoners,
arrived safe at this place at eleven o'clock on the
evening of the 23rd. Thus in about twenty-one (21) hours
we performed a march of near forty miles, took Fort St.
George, etc., etc. and in less than six hours more were
landed at this place.
"I should
be remiss in my duty should I omit to observe that the
officers and soldiers under my command behaved with the
greatest fortitude and spirit, both upon their long and
fatiguing march and in the moment of action. Mr. Muirson,
a volunteer upon the occasion, deserves commendation. He
advanced with a party of Lieutenant Jackson's detachment
over the abatis and wall into the fort. In time, every
order that was given was executed with alacrity and
precision."