The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-02
BULL OF SAYBROOK.
How He Repealed a British Naval In
vasion in 1874.

How He Repealed a British Naval In
vasion in 1874
From paper read at recent D. A.
r. meeting by Miss Julia Swift of
Windham, upon 1.-THE Administration
of Sir Edmund Andres, Governor of
New England" The New London Day
takes the following interesting para
graph:
On the 18th of March, 1864, the Duke
king of England, vast tract of terri
tory lying to the north of New England
as it was then defined, including "all
that island or islands commonly call
ed by the general name or names of
Meitoway, or Long Island, situated and
being toward the west of Cape Cod, and
the narrow Nighgansetts, abutting up
on the mainland between the two riv-
ers there called or known by the sew
eral names of Connecticut and Hud-
sons river, and all the lands from the
west side of Connecticut river to the
east side of Delaware bay"
The Duke of York lost no time in
taking possession of his new estate but
it was not until ten years later, appar-
emily not quite satisfied with the ten
ure by which he held his property in
America, on the Goth of June, 1874, he
procured new patent, granting the
same territory named in the old one.
He then appointed Major, afterward
Sir Edward, Andross governor of New
York and all the territory in those
parts. Andross sailed for New Eng
land, armed with authority as he
thought to commit whatever arbitrary
thing he might think proper to do. He
totally disregarded the boundaries of
Connecticut as laid down ten years be-
fore by the kings commissioners, and
made claim to all that part of Connec-
ticut that lay west of Connecticut riv-
er, threatening to invade the colony,
unless his outrageous demands were
acceded to. The establishment and in
dignat ton of the colonists knew no
bounds and the resolve of the governor
and council of Connecticut was to re-
sist as they had done in their encount-
er with King Philip and also with the
Dutch.
1t was soon known that Andross
was to land at Saybrook and after talk
ing possession there would proceed to
Hartford, New Haven and other places,
suppressing the government of the
people and establishing his own upon
a firm footing. When it was known in
Hartford that Andross was approach
ing the coast detachments of militia
We're ordered to Saybrook and New
London.
Captain John Bull was appointed to
the command of the garrison at Say
brook and when the inhabitants saw
with alarm the approach of an armed
fleet making all sail for the fort they
rallied as one man to it's defense re-
solved to meet the emergency manful-
ly and to treat the invaders as enc
mics
Early on the morning of the 18th of
July Major Andross asked permission
to land, that he might have an inter-
view with the principal men and Off
GERS This was granted him, but Cap
tain Bull, blunt and straightforward as
he was by nature, told him that he
was commissioned by the general as
sembly to make a treaty with him and
gave him the terms.
The object of Andross in going ashore
was to intimidate the people by read
ing the kings new patent to the Duke
of York and the dukes commission to
himself under that grant He with
much haughtiness rejected the propos-
al of the general assembly and COM
manded his clerk to read aloud the two
papers that gave him his pretended au-
thority. Captain Bull, setting at def
ance both king and duke commanded
the clerk to forbear. The clerk attempt
ed again to read when the doughty
captain cried ''Forbear!" in a tone that
even Andross himself did not think it
safe to oppose.
Apparently struck with the GOODNESS
and intrepidity of the captain, he ask
ed, what is your name?" my name
is Bull, SIR was the prompt reply
Bull responded Andross, sit is a
pity that your horns are not tipped
with silver With this doubtful COM
pliment Major Andross took a, hasty
leave and in few hours his troops
were out of sight.