His brief memoirs, including his account of the famous Christmas crossing of the Delaware during the American Revolution, were penned on both inside covers of the Bible he left to his grandson, Capt. Daniel Ruggles. It contained family records.
Zenas introduces himself as “a Poor boy without money or friends to get me forward in the sea fareing line” who, at age 20, first went to sea on a whaling expedition to the Westin Islands. He was on a similar trip when the Revolutionary War began.
Revolutionary War Battle of Bunker Hill
“We heard of it at sea, returnd home then (en)listed and joined the Army at Roxbury Janawary (sic) the first 1776,” Zenas writes of the Bunker Hill battle, reporting that when the British left Boston his company marched to New York, where they had several small engagements before retreating to New Jersey.
Zenas continues: “They divided their Army in 3 divisions, viz. Moristown, Prince town and Trinton.”
Crossing the Delaware First Hand Account
Next, Zenas Phinney recounts a Revolutionary War episode that has caught the imagination of beginning history students for two centuries.
“On the 25 of December at night we crost the Delaware back and went against Trinton in a thick snow storm…at 8 in the morning gave them battle, took 918 prisoners, about 1000 small arms, sum (sic) brass cannon. Left the dead on the field of Battle. Returned to camp on the second day of Janawary.”
After the Battle of Trenton, Zenas was discharged, set out for home, became sick and was one month enroute. “No Mortal can have an idea what I underwent. Glory be to God for returning me in safety,” he writes.
The Revolutionary War Continues
Zenas summarizes many events having an impact on his life. Some were in connection with the war, but others were not. He introduces his list by saying “My misfortunes at sea from the beginning of 1777 to the end of 1788.“
- I was 3 times taken by the English in the War
- I was 2 times shiprackt at sea, taken (off?) our vessel--soon sank
- I was 1 time Drove a shore by the English--Lost our vessel near Cape Henry
- I was 1 time put ashore in Spain sick among the Spanyards
- I was 1 time sent to New York Prison Ship treated as a Rebbel
- I traveld 3 times from the Southern States with my Deck for Cape Cod
There are indications that after the war Phinney worked “as mate and prise master” on privateering ships. He describes one stormy trip from North Carolina to Boston in December of 1788 and there his account ends.
Zenas Phinney died in 1848 at age 95, outliving most of his children.
Source:
The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. CX (April, 1956: Boston)
Rosemary E. Bachelor - Rosemary Bachelor, a prize-winning journalist, has had a career as an editor, feature writer, magazine publisher and author. Her latest ...
