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Henry Onderdonk in his Revolutionary Incidents of Suffolk County publishes on p. 66 the letters that passed between Parsons and Hewlett, as follows:
August 22d, 1777. Brig. Gen. Parsons, the Commanding officer of the troops of the United American Army, now investing the enemy’s Post at Setauket, to prevent the effusion of human blood, requires the immediate surrender of the Post; the officers and soldiers, and those who are under their protection, shall be entitled to their baggage, and treated with that humanity which prisoners are entitled to. Your answer is desired in 10 minutes. I am fully sensible of your condition, and as my whole strength and artillery will soon be here, if your refusal should oblige to the effusion of blood you must charge it to your own obstinacy.
The flag brought this reply: “Col. Hewlett’s compliments to Gen. Parsons, and requests half an hour to consult his officers on the subject of his summons.”
Then Parsons sent another flag: “Gen. Parsons’ compliments to Col. Hewlett, and grants 10 minutes only for consideration—longer time will not be granted.”
And back came this: “Col. Hewitt presents his compliments to Gen. Parsons, and is determined to defend the fort while he has a man left.”
The final message in this battle of words reads: “Gen. Parsons’ compliments to Col. Hewlett, and should have been happy to have done himself the pleasure of paying him a longer visit, but the extreme heat of the weather prevents him.”
In Vol. I, page 182 of Thomas Jones’ “History of New York during the Revolutionary War,” a paragraph will be found covering this exploit. It reads:
“In July (should read about August 22d) 1777, General Parsons, with 1000 men (should read about 500) and several pieces of cannon, passed from Fairfield in Connecticut to Long Island, and laid siege to a small fort at Brookhaven, in Suffolk County, garrisoned by about 300 men of DeLancey’s brigade, under the command of Richard Hewlett, Esq., of Hempstead in Queens County, Lieutenant Colonel of the 3d Battalion of that Brigade; a bold, spirited, resolute, intrepid man. He had served as an officer in the New York provincials to the preceding war, with honour, credit, and applause. Parsons took possession of some high ground at no great distance from the fort, and having mounted his cannon, he sent a summons to the garrison requiring its immediate surrender, in which case he promised honourable terms, but in case of refusal a storm should be the consequence, in which if attended with success, no quarter was to be expected. To this summons Hewlett replied, that though his garrison was not large, he had men enough to man all his works; that he had provisions and stores enough to stand a longer siege than the enemy could possibly carry on by regular approaches, with any possibility of success, before relief could be had; as to the threats of a storm, he minded them not, his garrison consisted of loyal subjects who were determined to spend the last drop of their blood in the cause of their Sovereign rather than submit to a rebel banditti commanded by a shoemaker. This answer irritated the General. He began his cannonade. It was as warmly returned by the fort ... the rebel General, after sustaining a considerable loss, drew off, embarked, and returned to Connecticut. Hewlett’s garrison was so small, and the rebels so numerous, that a pursuit would have been a piece of madness. It was therefore declined. In this expedition the rebels lost about thirty men, the garrison one.”