GRACE FOUNDATION OF TAYLORS ISLAND, MD
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      • Becky Phipps Cannon >
        • 1912 Balt. Sun Article - Cannon Blown Apart
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  • Battle of the Ice Mound
    • Oral History of Battle of Ice Mound (as memorialized in 1931)
    • Audio Description of Battle
    • Bicentennial celebration of the battle >
      • Recognition for a well planned event
      • USPS recognition of Battle of Ice Mound Bicentennial
    • Floeberg 1936
    • British on Punch Island Creek
    • BRITISH ON SLAUGHTER CREEK
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      • MD HISTORICAL TRUST INFO
      • The Story of the Bell
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      • MD HISTORIC TRUST INFO
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      • Interior photos
      • MD HISTORICAL TRUST INFO
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  • Notable Islanders
    • Early Islanders
    • Samuel M Travers
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      • Family Burial Ground of Elijah Tall
    • THOMAS BROOME TRAVERS >
      • Thomas Broome Travers (genealogy)
    • Revolution
    • T. Reynolds Carpenter
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    • School used as museum
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  • Slaughter Creek & The Bridge
    • Old Store at bridge
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    • Ferry to Meekins Neck
  • Island Folklore
    • The Tea Set
    • The Story of Polly
    • Taylors Island During Prohibition
    • Clara Bow
    • The Tale of the Swan Decoy
  • Lists of Business Persons & Farmers
    • 1887
    • 1894-95 >
      • Wm. D. Travers
    • 1908-09
    • 1915-17
  • Taylors Island Ship Building
    • Travis Spicer & Sons Shipbuilders
    • Historic Ships of Taylors Island >
      • Moses Henry Geoghegan
  • Slaughter Creek Marina
    • Coast Guard Station Photo
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    • James Island photos
    • James Island sketches
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    • James Island Articles
    • James Island School
    • Sika Deer of James Island
    • James Island Restoration
  • Remembrances from bygone days
    • History by Laura Robinson Navy -1977
    • Old mode of transportation
  • Grace Foundation History
    • Senator George L. Radcliffe
    • The Promise
    • 1st Meeting of Grace Foundation May 13, 1951
  • Membership Information
    • 2023 Membership Letter
    • 2023 Membership Roster
    • Membership Application
    • 2022 Membership Letter
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    • 2020 Membership Roster
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    • 2015 Membership Letter
  • Champion Trees of Taylors Island
    • Bicentennial Tree
    • Persimmon Tree
    • Post Oak
    • Trees harvested to be used as roads
  • Taylors Island Volunteer Fire Company
    • TIVFC articles
    • TIVFC Photos over the years
    • Tragic Fire
  • Transpeninsular Line
    • 1971 Article on Transpeninsular Line
  • Home
  • About Taylors Island
    • History of Taylors Island
    • Directions and Driving Tour
    • Old Post Office
    • Tour Pamphlet
    • Self-Guiding Nature Trail
    • Map showing Taylors Island from 1670
    • 1877 Map of Taylors Island
    • Historic Structures >
      • Becky Phipps Cannon >
        • 1912 Balt. Sun Article - Cannon Blown Apart
        • Cannon re-dedication 1999
        • Cannon - MD Historical Trust Info
      • Historic Old School House >
        • Historic Schoolhouse (MD Historical Trust Info)
      • Ridgeton Hall >
        • Ridgeton Hall - Maryland Historical Trust Info >
          • Judge Levi Travers
      • General Store >
        • General Store (MD Historic Trust Info)
        • Christmas Eve General Store Tradition
      • Mulberry Grove >
        • The History of Mulberry Grove >
          • Article About Mulberry Grove
          • Silk Worms of Mulberry Grove
          • Mulberry Grove - MD Historic Trust Info
      • Spicer Bungalow
      • Kirwan Farm >
        • Maryland Historical Trust Info - Kirwin Farm
      • "The LeCompte" a/k/a "Cator" house >
        • Cator-LeCompte House (MD Historic Trust Info)
      • Other Structures (inventoried by the Maryland Historical Trust)
      • Old Windmill >
        • Windmill locations 1877
      • The Canning House >
        • Tomato Picking Time
    • 1920's - photos
    • Visit by sitting U.S. President
    • Geological Survey
    • Radio Program Transcript - 1969
  • Battle of the Ice Mound
    • Oral History of Battle of Ice Mound (as memorialized in 1931)
    • Audio Description of Battle
    • Bicentennial celebration of the battle >
      • Recognition for a well planned event
      • USPS recognition of Battle of Ice Mound Bicentennial
    • Floeberg 1936
    • British on Punch Island Creek
    • BRITISH ON SLAUGHTER CREEK
  • Churches
    • Grace Episcopal Church >
      • Interior of Grace Church
      • MD HISTORICAL TRUST INFO
      • The Story of the Bell
    • Chapel of Ease >
      • Interior Chapel
      • Interior Chapel from balcony
      • Historical Marker
      • MD HISTORIC TRUST INFO
    • Bethlehem "Brick" Church >
      • Interior photos
      • MD HISTORICAL TRUST INFO
      • Ministers of Bethlehem Church 1820--1900
      • Church Minutes (selected minutes 1860, 1873 & 1876)
    • Chaplain Memorial >
      • Interior Photos Chaplain Memorial Church
      • MD HISTORICAL TRUST INFO
    • Lane Methodist Episcopal Church >
      • Lane Church Images
      • MD HISTORIC TRUST INFO
    • Video Tour of Churches
    • History of Island Methodism
  • Cemeteries
    • Grace Foundation Graveyard Policy
    • Bethlehem Church Cemetery Records
    • Grace Episcopal Church Burial Records
    • Lane Cemetery
    • Robson Cemetery >
      • Robson Cemetery Grave Photos
    • Hoopers Point Cemetery
  • Notable Islanders
    • Early Islanders
    • Samuel M Travers
    • HON. LEVI D. TRAVERS
    • Dr. Washington A Smith
    • J. Hooper Bosley
    • Tall Family >
      • Family Burial Ground of Elijah Tall
    • THOMAS BROOME TRAVERS >
      • Thomas Broome Travers (genealogy)
    • Revolution
    • T. Reynolds Carpenter
  • Schools & Students
    • School used as museum
    • Schoolhouse MD Historical Trust Info
  • African American Schoolhouse
    • African American School - MD Historic Trust Info
  • Slaughter Creek & The Bridge
    • Old Store at bridge
    • Bridge to Meekins Neck
    • Ferry to Meekins Neck
  • Island Folklore
    • The Tea Set
    • The Story of Polly
    • Taylors Island During Prohibition
    • Clara Bow
    • The Tale of the Swan Decoy
  • Lists of Business Persons & Farmers
    • 1887
    • 1894-95 >
      • Wm. D. Travers
    • 1908-09
    • 1915-17
  • Taylors Island Ship Building
    • Travis Spicer & Sons Shipbuilders
    • Historic Ships of Taylors Island >
      • Moses Henry Geoghegan
  • Slaughter Creek Marina
    • Coast Guard Station Photo
  • James Island
    • James Island photos
    • James Island sketches
    • James Island Videos
    • Aerial Photos of James Island
    • James Island Articles
    • James Island School
    • Sika Deer of James Island
    • James Island Restoration
  • Remembrances from bygone days
    • History by Laura Robinson Navy -1977
    • Old mode of transportation
  • Grace Foundation History
    • Senator George L. Radcliffe
    • The Promise
    • 1st Meeting of Grace Foundation May 13, 1951
  • Membership Information
    • 2023 Membership Letter
    • 2023 Membership Roster
    • Membership Application
    • 2022 Membership Letter
    • 2020 Membership Letter
    • 2020 Membership Roster
    • 2019 Membership Letter
    • 2015 Membership Letter
  • Champion Trees of Taylors Island
    • Bicentennial Tree
    • Persimmon Tree
    • Post Oak
    • Trees harvested to be used as roads
  • Taylors Island Volunteer Fire Company
    • TIVFC articles
    • TIVFC Photos over the years
    • Tragic Fire
  • Transpeninsular Line
    • 1971 Article on Transpeninsular Line
GRACE FOUNDATION OF TAYLORS ISLAND, MD
Pat Neild had in his possession a handwritten copy of the following account of the Battle of the Ice Mound, which was apparently passed from generation to generation. 

I dedicate this little booklet to Mr. James Keene Spicer of Taylor's Island, Md.
-  Sarah Robinson (1931)

Becky Phipps old cannon captured at Taylor's Island in 1814.

In the winter of 1814 a British tender commanded by Lieut Phipps entered the Little Choptank river and proceeded up the same landing at several farms and taking supplies. On the south side of Tabaccostick they set fire to a vessel and were attacked and driven off by the men of the village.
They then attempted to return to their base in the Patuxent river. When they reached the mouth of the Little Choptank they found considerable drift ice and decided not to venture across the bay that night.  They anchored in a hollow on Abbott's bar, off the east side of James Island. In the morning they found themselves surrounded by ice.
The citizens of James Island, seeing their plight, notified Capt. Stewart who commanded a company of volunteers comprised of men from Tobaccostick, Taylor's Island and James Island.  In those days small companies were formed in each community under a leader. Capt. Stewart and his men went out on the ice and began firing. The British, in order to test the marksmanship of the Americans, put a cap over the muzzle of a gun and held it up through the hatch way of the boat.  It was riddled instantly by the gun fire of Capt. Stewart and his men.  The British, seeing their good marksmanship and being confronted with a superior force, became frightened and a man ran out on deck with the intention to fire the cannon now in question. Before he could do so Capt. Stewart's men fired at him and hit him in the arm.  He quickly disappeared within the hold of the boat and stuck up a white flag, (a handkerchief on a bayonet) as a sign of surrender. When Capt. Stewart and his men went aboard to take charge of the tender, Lieut. Phipps asked, "Do you take us prisoners of war or truce?" A member of the Company William Geoghegan, with his characteristic Irish brogue answered, "prisoners of war, Sir." The prisoners were Lieut. Phipps, a crew of seventeen men, and a colored cook named Becky. The crew included the following: one midshipman, thirteen seamen, and three mariners.
The prisoners were taken to Tobaccostick and kept in a barn belonging to a Mr. Phillips. As prisoners of war at that time were exchanged, they were marched under guard to Cambridge and from there to Easton. The old negro woman, Becky, was a slave so she was sent back to St. Mary's County where she had been taken by the British crew.
The tender was dismantled and the spoils were taken to the wharf of Mr. Jeremiah Spicer, on James Island and sold at public auction. These spoils included the famous "Becky Phipps," a cannon weighing about 1100 pounds, which had been jokingly named for the colored woman and the British commander.  This cannon was sold to Mr. Jeremiah Spicer who also bought an old gun which is now hanging in Mr. James Spicer's hall at his home on Taylor's Island.
The cannon stayed for many years on the banks of Oyster Creek which was formerly called "Long Cove" and was fired only on special occasions. About the time of Cleveland's election "Becky Phipps" was carried down to "Ferry Point" and used in celebrations. It was fired at all elections and at Wilson's election in 1912 the old cannon was overloaded and burst. Part of it has never been found, but over three fourths of the original was recovered and now at Taylor's Island.
In 1816 congress recognized the bravery of Capt. Stewart and his volunteers and passed an act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to pay unto Joseph Stewart and his associates $1800. Owing to the fact that a number of the volunteers deserted their comrades at the shore but put in their names for a share in the reward, it became necessary for Congress to pass another act in 1817. This act authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to pay unto Joseph Stewart and his associates $1800, naming each participant, and also property to the captors.  It is said that each participant received $55.00.
The Daughters of the American Revolution have become interested in reclaiming and preserving the old cannon, "Becky Phipps". They have had it mounted at Taylor's Island on a concrete platform surrounded by four concrete posts bearing the following inscription: The Becky Phipps. This cannon was taken from a British tender in 1814 "editors note: it was actually taken in 1815".  Lieut. Phipps and crew of 17 men and one colored woman were taken prisoners at James Point, by Capt. Jos. Stewart's company of militia, composed of men from Taylor's Island and Tobaccostick.
The following is a list of Capt. Jos. Stewart's company of Militia:
William Geoghegan (of Madison)
Jeremiah Travers
William Dove
Thomas Woalen
Samuel Edmondson
 Harvy Carder
 Roger Tregne
 Thomas Arnold
Samuel Creighton
Jeremiah Creightgon
 Benjamin Keene
Thomas LeCompte
Jamie LeCompte
Fountain LeCompte
Elijah Tall
Charles Woodland
William Barnes
William Robinson
Joseph Simmons
Daniel Wilson,
Jeremiah Spicer
Travers Spicer
Moses Navy
John Bell
Moses Geoghegan
Mathias Travers
Henry K. Travers
Hicks North
Thomas Tolly
Joseph Cator
John Willoughby
James Hooper
Hugh Roberts
John Tolly
Moses Simmons
Robert Travers
John Simmons
Edward Simmons
 William Powers
William Geoghegan (of James Island).

The facts in the above are attested by letters from: 
Mr. James Keene Spicer, Taylors Island, MD
 Mr. Duncan Noble, Taylors Island, MD
 and by interviews with: 
Mr. James S. Shepherd, Attorney at Law, Cambridge, MD, and 
Mr. Thomas W Simmons, Attorney at Law, Cambridge MD.
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