Battle of Ice Mound-- Part 5

The tender had come to within 400 yards off shore before being frozen in.

Maryland militia had, meanwhile, been gathered by Private Joseph Fookes Stewart (1777-1839.  They were apart of Captain Thomas Woolford's Company of the 48th Maryland Regiment.  They heard that the tender was stuck between ice from the shore and a cake of ice that had drifted in from the bay and just 400 yards from the shore.  Also, there was "a mound of ice, which had formed at about 150 yards from the tender."

Sounded like an excellent time to strike, and they did.

The tender was commanded by Lt. Matthew Phibbs, RN.  Also on the tender was a midshipman, 3 Royal Marines and 13 sailors, including a black man named Abraham Travers and a black woman cook named Becca.

--Brock-Perry

"Polly and the Setting Goose"

A story I found in the Battle of Ice Mound Facebook page.

The British raised many places in Dorchester County, Maryland, during the war.

There is a traditional story of a woman named "Polly."  Reportedly she would hide the family valuables under a setting goose.  Every farm family knows you don't intentionally disturb a setting goose who will ferociously defend her nest and egg.

One item Polly hid was a silver teapot.  It still survives and can be seen at the home of one of her descendants.

This was researched by Ralph E. Eshelman at the Ridgeton House.

--Brock-Perry