BURNING
OF THE HAY AT CORAM
By
Thomas R. Bayles
Painting of
hay burning, by Alvin Smith. Longwood Public Library,
Thomas R. Bayles Collection.
One of the most daring exploits of the
Revolution in Brookhaven Town was planned and carried Out
by Major Benjamin Tallmadge in November 1780. This was
the burning of the 300 ton stack of hay at Coram, which
had been collected by the British, and the capture of Fort St. George at Smith Point
Mastic, which had been constructed by the British. It had
strongly barricaded houses at two angles, and the third
angle was a fort 96 feet square.
Evidently General George Washington
considered the burning of the hay at Coram to have been
more important than the capture of the fort at Mastic.
Back at Fairfield, Tallmadge wrote to
Washington, telling him of the luscious plum, and knowing
his cavalry-conscious commander, clinched the matter by
mention of a British forage collection point at Coram. It
lay only a little off the route to Smith's Point. In a
few days he had his answer.
"Head-Quarters
November 11, th, 1780
Sir: - I have received your letter of the 7th instant.
The destruction of the forage collected for the use of
the British army at Coram upon Long Island is of much
consequence that I should advise the attempt to be made.
I have written to Col. Sheldon to furnish you a
detachment of dismounted dragoons, and will commit the
execution to you. If the party at Smith's house can be
attempted without frustrating the other design, or
running to great a hazard, I have no objection. But you
must remember that this is only a secondary object, and
in all cases, you will take the most prudent means to
secure a retreat. Confiding entirely in your prudence as
well as enterprise, and wishing you success.
I am yours and c.,
G. Washington"
Major Tallmadge left Fairfield, Conn., at
4 o'clock in the afternoon on Nov. 21, with 80 men in 8
open whale boats. They rowed across the sound and landed
at Mt. Sinai Harbor, near Cedar Beach, about 9 o'clock
that night. A hard rainstorm came on so they had to take
shelter under their boats and stay until the next night,
when they marched across the island to Mastic. They
arrived within two miles of the fort by 3 o'clock in the
morning and divided the troops into three companies so as
to make attacks on the fort from three directions.
Major Tallmadge led the main company and
they were not discovered by the enemy until they were
within 20 yards of the fort. They rushed in with their
bayonets and captured the fort without firing a single
shot. At the same time, the other two companies mounted
the fort and a chorus of "Washington" and
"Glory" went up. Just then the British opened
fire from one of the barricaded houses nearby where their
men were hidden. A sharp gun battle took place for a
short time and Tallmadge's men drove the British from the
house.
Tallmadge picked 12 men for the Coram
raid, among them, Brewster and Jackson. They were mounted
on horses captured at the fort, and rode off ahead of the
prisoner caravan. They turned away from the River road at
Millville (Yaphank), and riding through the oak forest
that covered the middle of the island, they soon reached
Coram, where they quickly put to rout the small forage
guard. The 300 tons of hay made a fine blaze and soon
they were on their way to Old Man's (Mt. Sinai) Harbor
where they joined up with the main detachment and
prisoners. As the November darkness approached they were
soon afloat in their boats, passing through an opening at
the east end of Old Man's Harbor, which has long since
filled in, and began their long row across the Sound in
the darkness to Fairfield, arriving there about 11, p.m.
In a little over 30 hours the expedition had covered
about 40 miles on land and 20 on water.
Washington was so pleased with the
results of the expedition that he sent the following
letter of commendation to major Talmadge.
"Morristown,
November 28, 1780
Dear Sir:,
Both your letters of the 25th came to my hand this day. I
received with much pleasure the report of your successful
enterprise upon Fort St. George and the vessel with
stores in the Harbour, and was particularly well pleased
with the destruction of the Hay which must I should
conceive, be severely felt by the Enemy at this time.
I beg of you to
accept my thanks for your judicious planning and spirited
execution of this business and that you will offer them
to officers and men who shared the honors of the
Enterprise with you. - The gallant behavior of Mr.
Muirson gives him a fair claim to an appointment in the
2nd Regim't. of Dragoons or any other of the state to
which he belongs, where there is a vacancy and I have no
doubt of his meeting with it accordingly if you will make
known his merit with these sentiments in his favor.
You have my free
consent to reward your gallant party, with the little
booty they were able to bring from the Enemy's works.
With much esteem and regard I am
Your Most Obedient Servant
G. Washington
The British account gives the following
in the Pennsylvania Packet, December 12th:
"A party of
rebels, about eighty in number, headed, it is said, by a
rebel, Major Talmadge, assisted by a certain Heatheast,
Muirson, Benjah Strong, Thomas Jackson and Caleb
Brewster, officers belonging to said party, all formerly
of Long Island, came across in eight whale-boats, etc.,
just after daylight arrived at Smith's Point, St.
George's Manor, south side Long Island, where they
surprised a respectable body of refugees belonging to
Rhode Island and the vicinity , who were establishing a
post in order to get a subsistence for themselves and
families, etc."
Although the attack on Fort St. George is very
interesting and much emphasized in the history of
Brookhaven Town, it should be noted and realized that the
destruction of the large forage of hay at Coram was the
primary object of the expedition.
Maj. Tallmadge retired from the army with the rank of
Colonel. He married on March 16, 1784, Mary Floyd,
daughter of William Floyd, Signer of the Declaration. He
died March 7, 1835 at Litchfield, Conn., where he is
buried.
Click here to
see Caleb Brewster's letter to Major Tallmadge.
Click here to see
a copy of the bill for hay purchased by the British.
Click here to
see a copy of items taken by the British from the Stills.
Click here to see
Major Tallmadge's report of the raid.