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An uncle of Roswell Palmer's named Eliakim Palmer, a man named Thomas
Hitchcock, and John Searles were prisoners on board the Scorpion, a
British 74, anchored off the Battery, New York. They were about to be
transferred to the Old Jersey, when Hitchcock went into the chains and
dropped his hat into the water. On his return he begged for a boat to
recover it, and being earnestly seconded by Lieutenant Palmer, the
officer of the deck finally consented, ordering a guard to accompany
the "damned rebels." They were a long time in getting the boat
off. The hat, in the mean time, floated away from the ship. They rowed
very awkardly, of course got jeered at uproariously for "Yankee land
lubbers," and were presently ordered to return. Being then nearly out
of musket range, Lieutenant Palmer suddenly seized and disarmed the
astonished guard, while his comrades were not slow in manifesting
their latent adroitness in the use of the oar, to the no less
astonishment of their deriders. In a moment the Bay was alive with
excitement; many shots, big and little, were fired at the audacious
fugitives from all the fleet; boats put off in hot pursuit; but the
Stonington boys reached the Jersey shore in safety, and escaped with
their prisoner to Washington's headquarters, where the tact and
bravery they had displayed received the approval of the great
commander.
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