Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-24
CHASE OF THE MEADOW HEN.
rrr. story Of the Revolution:

CHASE OF THE MEADOW HEN.
A True story of the Revolution.
Following is true story of the reyolu- |
tionary war. The hero of the affair, Cap |
tain D. COTE Phipps, was New Haven
man and grandfather of Mr.. D. COTE
Phipps, president of the West Haven
Water company:
In the month of February, 1777, the
brigantine stMeadow Hen" of New Haven,
Captain D. COTE Phipps master and
owner, was at anchor in the open road
stead off the Island of st. Eustatia loading
sugar, molasses and rum from another YES
sci. The transferring of the cargo to the
Meadow Hen had been attended with
serious difficulties, owing to the heavy
swell and insecure anchorage at that port,
and all hands were very glad when the
time came to weigh anchor for the home
ward passage. While coming down the
stone steps, sixty feet high, leading from
the upper to the lower town, Captain
Phipps remarked to friend that he was
very happy to leave such a disagreeable
port, and the friend replied that George
the Third would have him before he saw
Montauk.
The trade winds being well to the east
ward, after making sail Captain P. hauled
close on the wind with the intention of
passing through the Sail Rock passage, but
after making the Island of st. Thomas he
saw about p. m. large vessel, apparent
| ly cruiser, leaving the harbor and NOV
ing slowly out with a light land breeze.
The tMeadow Hen" was square stern
brigantine with quarter galleries and pos
sessed good sailing qualities, especially
with free wind, and Captain P, imme-
an English cruiser, put his helm up and
squared away for the Mona passage.
The strange sail gave chase, setting his
studding sails slow and aloft, but at day
light the next morning the port of Guani-
| co bearing due north she was not in sight,
and the Meadow Hen that day passed
through the Mona Passage, not, however,
| without using her guns successfully against
some piratical boats off Cabo Rojo, for the
passage at that time was infested with
| pirates. After passing the Island of Dess-
echo nothing unusual occurred until reach
ing the southern edge of the gulf stream,
ruary Captain P discovered on his lee
quarter four large men-of-war bound to
the southwark and westward-one OF
which separated from the others, and
hauled on the wind in pursuit of the
Meadow Hen, and then commenced stern
chase, which proved a long one, and re-
markable for the changes of the wind, fol-
persistency in the chase, for determination
on the part of the pursued and the pur-
suer, and the advantages always in favor
of the slowest sailer.
Let us look at the log-book of the New
Haven vessel on the Goth of February,
1777, at 10 M, latitude 3733., wind W
N. w. and light. British frigate
gaining. There was no idling or
the keck of theMeadow Hen
The men were sent aloft and the large
foresail was wet, and every device known
to seamen was resorted to with view tt
increase the speed of the vessel-the small
boat was sent ahead to tow, sweeps were
rugged from port holes, and at p. m. thu
wind freshened and gave the almost ex
hausted sailors chance to rest. At this
time, it is quantity recorded, the Brito1
luffed up and fred shot, which fell
short, night came on, and the wind CAM
out the N. W. and the Meadow Hen il
the darkness of the night wore shil
and stood to the southwark and westward
But it blew so heavy she was compelled tt
heave to. On the morning of the 21s
Captain P. found himself little more tt
the westward, and the enemy was again OF
his lee quarter. The wind hauling to tn
. southwark the Briton with all his studdin,
sails set was gaining rapidly on the New
Haven vessel, and got sufficiently near t.
send ball from his bow gun, whicl
knocked away the port quarter gallery. Ii
return a we'll directed shot from six
FOUNDER on board the Meadow Hen car
the frigate and the sail dropped in tn
water, and the wind again hauling to tn
westward, the Meadow Hen ranged out o
gun shot, A meridian observation at moo
placed the vessel in lat. 39.41 and long b,
D. R. 1910. During the afternoon tn
wind was light and the crew work
ing diligently with . the sweeps
With no wind through the nigh
the opportunity of escaping in the dark
ness was again a disappointment, and O.
the morning of the 22nd with fres
Z breeze from the westward Captain P. CAV
: orders to knock away the bulkwarks, ga
, ley, and everything that would in th
slightest degree impede the sailing of tn
r vessel-everything was not harmoniou
J on board the brigantine the officer
l heard frequent mutterings of discomfort
and when the situation of the brigantin
is now considered it is not surprising
With her lee scuppers under water, unde
a heavy press Of canvas, the wind just fol
: ward of the beam, and the water washin
| across her unprotected deck, the Meade
, Hen was flying up the coast, the BIRTHS
, frigate in hot pursuit, and occasionally
!, cloud of smoke could be seen curling u
from the bow Of the frigate and she
! would warn Captain P. of his danger
l GUS position. The record says til
ship rolling and pitching heavil
at 3 p. m. carried away the main topmas
q and the two men who went aloft to clea
the wreck refused to do duty when the
came down and called upon the rest
8 the crew to insist upon heaving to. Tt
: mutiny was promptly quelled with gu1
ner's handspike in the hands of the cal
tain. The wind increasing, the foreto
. gallant sail was furled, then the topsai
reefed and at dark on the night of tt
the helm dashed alec. 1t was a cherries
condition of things and wet clothes. Wit
:. the usual food under such circumstance
; biscuit and raw salt pork was not ca
at night to make things mol
agreeable ball came in the ster
and embedded itself in the hog
heads of sugar. The proximity {
: the frigate was now serious cause {
, alarm, and one chance only was left. A
though blowing heavy gale of wind frol
| Iue uOrtuWdru anu very COlu, SAptAl
Phipps at midnight made sail again, stee
8 ing to the westward, but the sea was to
9 heavy and the wind so violent as to carr
> away his foretopmast and jibboom, and th
Meadow Hen, stripped of her wings, ws
: made prize of next day by the Wallace,
/ twenty gun ship, and Captain PhipI
} realized the truth of his friends remaI
, on the stone steps at st. Eustatia, an
: George the Third had Captain Phipps an
his Meadow Hen before he sighted MOI
i tauk.
Portrait of the Late Thomas r.. Trow
bridge.
Thomas R. Trowbridge has placed on tt