History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I, Part 8

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: N. Y. : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 966

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 8
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 8

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In 1644, liberty was granted to begin an artillery company, which was completely organized in March. 1645, when it was accepted into service. Richard Malbon was the first captain. Since that day these two arms of the service have been maintained in the county. Guil- ford, also, very early, had a company to man " the great guns." About this time the available force of the towns in the county was less than 200 men. In 1653, when there was prospect of war with the Dutch, two pieces of artillery were placed on the New Haven green and two more were mounted at the harbor so as to command the inlet. Later

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

the former guns were placed on a frigate, which was to cruise along the coast from Stamford to the Connecticut river. This was the county's first naval service.

The first attempt at the organization of the cavalry service was made in 1653, when it was ordered by the jurisdiction that sixteen horses should be provided for the five towns in the colony.

The first actual service of any troops from the county was in King Philip's war, commencing in the fall of 1675, and ending with the defeat of that noted chieftain, August 12th, 1676. Major Robert Treat. of Milford, was in command of the Connecticut forces, which rendez- voused at New London. In the movement against the Indians, Gov- ernor Winslow, of Plymouth colony, was at the head, with Treat second in command of the limited forces.

In the fight at Narragansett Fort, Connecticut had 300 men in the engagement, 80 of whom were killed or wounded. The loss included four of the five captains, commanding the colony troops. The meri- torious conduct of Major Treat in this campaign no doubt secured for him his election as governor, some years later.

In 1680 New Haven county reported 623 trained soldiers. Seven- teen years later a company was equipped and placed under command of Captain Ebenezer Johnson, of Derby, in response to a call of Gov- ernor Fletcher, of New York, where an attack by the French was feared. The organization of " train bands " was continued, with the increase of population, a troop of horses being authorized for New Haven in 1702. In 1739 the aggregate number of trained men in the county was 2,302, comprising several regiments. The county fur- nished men in the French and Indian wars-1755 to 1760-her quota always being promptly supplied. In 1774 the first company in the county, independent of the colonial militia, wasformed. It was called the "Second Company, Governor's Guard." the first having been formed at Hartford some three years earlier. The New Haven com- pany soon became very efficient and was an important factor in the early history of the revolution.

The action of the British parliament, in passing the stamp act in 1765, greatly excited the people of the county. This feeling was aggravated, no doubt, by the action of one of her citizens, Jared Inger- soll. a worthy and honorable man, who accepted the office of " stamp distributor " for the colony. A meeting was held at New Haven. Sep- tember 17th, 1765, when Mr. Ingersoll was requested to resign his office. But he declined to do so, until he had first learned what were the wishes of the general assembly on this matter. To properly ascer- tain thent, he at once left for Hartford, on this mission, but in passing through Wethersfield he was subjected to so many indignities that he very prudently resigned, no doubt preventing personal violence which was threatened. From this time on sentiment against British

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

oppression was steadily cultivated and at the outbreak of the war the preponderance of feeling was against the royalist cause.

At this time there was living at New Haven an apothecary who became an important figure in the struggle for American independ- ence which followed, and had he been less avaricious and more honor- able he would to-day be revered as a distinguished patriot instead of being execrated as a base traitor. Benedict Arnold, this important personage in American history, was born at Norwich, January 3d, 1740. Coming to New Haven soon after he had attained his age, he married Margaret Mansfield at her father's house, on Crown street. As early as 1765 he had a drug and general trader's store at New Haven, first on George street and later on Water street. The sign which indicated his place of business is still preserved, and may be seen in the rooms of the New Haven Colony Historical Society. He was shrewd and energetic and reached out in trade in various lines, being part owner, also, of three small vessels-" The Fortune," " Three Brothers," and "Charming Sally," which were in the West Indies trade. The scope of his business may be seen from the following advertisement, which he inserted in the Connecticut Gasette:

" Benedict Arnold wants to buy a number of large, genteel, fat horses, pork, oats and hay. And has to sell choice cotton and salt, by quantity or retail; and other goods as usual.

New Haven, January 24, 1766."

About this time Arnold got into trouble with one of the crew of the vessel in which he himself had sailed as a supercargo. He was accused by Peter Boole, the seaman, of bringing in contraband goods, whereupon he chastised the sailor and secured a retraction by force, with a promise that the seaman was at once to leave town. As he did not do this, Arnold made up a party and, in his own words: "Took him to the Whipping Post, where he received near forty lashes with a small cord and was conducted out of town; since which, on his return, the affair was submitted to Colonel David Wooster and Mr. Enos Allen (gentlemen of reputed good judgment and understanding) who were of opinion that the fellow was not whipped too much and gave him 50s. damages only."

This action on the part of Arnold was censured by many, so that he was impelled to write a letter to the public, January 29th, 1766, in which he endeavored to justify his conduct, and from which the above extract has been taken. It reveals the unscrupulous, bold and audacious nature of the man. However, by reason of his energy he was, in the course of the next ten years recognized as one of the lead- ing men of the town of New Haven, and was placed in command of the Governor's Guard. No doubt, he was, at the outbreak of the war an impulsive, enthusiastic patriot, but would not brook any restraint.

The battle of Lexington was fought Wednesday, April 19th, 1775. The news of it reached New Haven Friday noon, April 21st, and cre-

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY,

ated intense excitement. Captain Benedict Arnold immediately called out his company, the Governor's Guard, and proposed that they should at once start for Lexington to join the American forces as volunteers. About forty of the men consented to march with him. He requested the town authorities to furnish them the desired ammunition. but they refused to do so. The next morning he paraded his men before the council chamber and forming them in front of the building demanded the ammunition or the keys of the powder house, or he would order the company to break it open and help themselves. This threat was heeded and the required ammunition was supplied, after Colonel David Wooster, of the colony militia, had vainly endeavored to restrain the impetuosity of the young man, advising him to wait for orders from the proper authority before starting for the scene of conflict. Arnold answered the veteran of three score and four years: " None but Almighty God shall prevent my marching." "

The company marched immediately and, stopping at Wethersfield the second night, received many attentions from the inhabitants of that place. The guards reached the headquarters of the Massachu- setts forces, at Cambridge, April 29th, and took up their quarters in the deserted mansion of Lieutenant Governor Oliver, who had been obliged to flee on account of bis attachment to the cause of the British. The Guards were uniformed and equipped like the British Life Guard and the company had the most soldierly appearance of all the Amer- ican forces. On one occasion the men were complimented by a British officer, who said "they were not excelled by any of his Majesty's troops." After remaining at Cambridge about three weeks most of the Guards returned to New Haven, but Captain Arnold having been sent by General Washington with a force of 1,000 men to penetrate into Canada, about a dozen of the New Haven men accompanied him and shared with him the privations and perils of that hazardous and fruitless campaign. In the repulse at Quebec Arnold was with Montgomery and had his leg shattered. Two years later, in April, 1777, he aided in driving the British from Danbury, so much harras. sing the retreating forces of Governor Tryon that the British lost 170 men killed and wounded. The same year Arnold was made a major general and, at the battle of Saratoga, performed splendid and success- ful service. In the fall of 1780, Arnold turned traitor to his country, and the following year added to his baseness by leading a British expedition against New London, September 6th, which he captured and burned, at a loss of half a million dollars, and stormed Forts Trumbull and Griswold. The Americans lost in all 85 men, killed in the assault. As all this was done in his native county, the memory of Arnold is very properly execrated by all loyal sons of Connecticut. When the people of New Haven heard of his treason they held a public demonstration, in October, 1780, in which they expressed their

* History of City of New Haven, p. 42.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

disapproval, by caricaturing Arnold in many base ways, hanging him in effigy and consigning him to the lowest depths of infamy." Naturally, in view of these ceremonies, New Haven was very appre- hensive that his revenge would fall upon it and that his expedition would be directed against this county rather than against other points in the colony. He never returned to New Haven.+

Another character of the county, in that revolutionary period, but who was thie very opposite of Arnold, was the first major general of the Connecticut troops, David Wooster. He was born at Stratford, March 2d, 1710, soon after the removal of his parents to that town from the old town of Derby. In 1738 he graduated from Yale and the following year entered the provincial army. In 1745 he was a captain under Colonel Burr at the capture of Louisburg. Subsequently, in the French war, he was commissioned colonel and later brigadier of the colonial militia. After the war he located at New Haven, where he and one of his classmates, Aaron Day, engaged in merchandising, in which avocation he was when the revolution began. In the spring of 1775, he was commissioned major general and commander-in-chief of the six regiments of Connecticut, raised for the patriot cause. In June, 1775, Colonel Wooster marched with his New Haven regiment for New York, and afterward led it to Lake Champlain and Canada, where, after General Montgomery's death, he was chief in command. Returning to Connecticut in the summer of 1776, he was commissioned the first major general of the militia of the colony, and devoted him- self to the protection of the coast, which was threatened by the British in the winter of 1776-7. In the latter part of April, 1777, he received word that the British had landed in Fairfield, the object of the invasion being the destruction of the military stores at Danbury. In the engagements which followed, in that locality, he was wounded fatally at Ridgefield, April 27th, 1777, and died at Danbury May 2d. He was buried at the latter place and in 1854 his grave was marked by a fine monument, erected by the Masonic fraternity, of which he was an exemplary member.

In these battles a number of New Haven troops were engaged and another merchant of that town, David Atwater, Jr., was killed when the British embarked at Compo Hill, April 28th, 1777.

While the county was active in furnishing men and means to carry on the war against the British foe, in other parts, the defenceless con- dition of its shores occasioned no little anxiety. In 1775 a number of cannons were loaned the town of New Haven by patriotic citizens of New York, a powder mili was built at Westville and other prepara-

* See Conn. Journal, Oct. 19, 1780.

+ Major General Arnold visited his home at New Haven in May, 1778, when his bravery was properly recognized by a triumphal greeting. After his treachery his property here was disposed of by two commissioners appointed for that pur- pose by the County Court.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

tions were made to meet the exigencies occasioned by a state of war. On the 14th of November, 1775, a beacon was erected on Indian hill in East Haven and a system of alarms was established, whereby the news of an attack could be conveyed to the towns of the interior. Cannons were also placed in position along the Milford and Guilford coast and a watch was kept over all places where a landing might be effected. As long as the British were in possession of New York and Long Island, their predatory excursions were frequent and but little feeling of safety could be entertained.

In the spring of 1777, the British collected a large quantity of stores at Sag Harbor, on Long Island, and May 21st, 1777, an expedition of 200 men under Lieutenant Colonel Meigs, left Sachem's Head, in Guilford, to destroy them. This plan was well carried out, the expedition having accomplished its object within 24 hours without loss of life to the Americans but inflicting much damage to the enemy. Vast quantities of hay and a number of vessels were burned, five of the enemy were killed and 90 taken prisoners. It was doubtful, though, whether this was a wise movement, as the enemy soon retaliated. In less than a month the British landed at Leete's Island, in Guilford, where they burned some buildings and in the skirmish which followed two Americans were killed and three wounded. Later the British also invaded the east part of Guilford (now Madison), but were repulsed after a brief skirmish *

All through 1777-8, it was feared that the British would land at New Haven and pillage or destroy the town. Great precautions were taken to prevent such an occurrence, and the town rested reasonably secure until the summer of 1779, when, unexpectedly, the British appeared, invaded the town and pillaged it, these acts forming the most stirring events, on the soil of the county, in the history of the revolution. A brief account of them only can here find place.+

About one o'clock on the morning of July 5th, 1779, a British fleet, consisting of the men of war "Camilla " and "Scorpion," with tenders. transports, etc., 48 vessels in all, commanded by Commodore Sir George Collier, appeared off New Haven harbor. On board were about 3,000 soldiers, under the command of Major General Tryon and Brigadier General Garth. The purpose of the expedition was soon apparent, as narrated by President Stiles :

"Alarm guns were fired and Lieut. Col. Sabin ordered to beat to arms. With a telescope on the top of the tower of the college steeple. we plainly saw the boats putting off from the shipping for shore a little after sunrise. All then knew our fate. Perhaps one-third of the adult male inhabitants flew to arms and went out to meet them. A quarter moved out of town, doing nothing; the rest remained unmoved,

* See History of Guilford.

t Compiled from Connecticut Journal, President Stiles' Diary, Barber's Collec- tions, Howe's Narratives, Atwater's New Haven History, etc., etc.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

partly Tories, partly timid Whigs. Sundry of the Tories armed and went forth to fight the foe. About ninety or one hundred men finally stayed in town.

" At five in the morning General Garth's division landed at West Haven and marched to the meeting-house, one mile, and formed upon the Green, where they halted two hours. About nine or ten, General Tryon landed his division at Five-Mile Point. Both divisions were engaged in their respective operations: Tryon approaching the town on the east side of the harbor and Garth on the west. Colonel Sabin with two pieces of artillery went to West Bridge. Captain James Hillhouse, with twenty or thirty brave young men, together with many others, crossed West Bridge, went over Milford Hill, and thence with- in a quarter of a mile of the Green where the enemy were paraded. Upon their beginning the march, Captain James Hillhouse fired upon the advance-guard so as to drive them in to the main body. But coming in force, the enemy perceived others besides Hillhouse's party had by this time passed the bridge and reached the hill, perhaps to the number of 150 men. These kept up a galling fire, especially on their outguards or skirmishers, extending perhaps to about forty rods each side of the column; and yet the column marched vigorously, but in a huddled confusion-about thirty companies, in three divisions.

"On Milford Hill their Adjutant, Colonel Campbell, was slain. Sundry more were wounded. Rev. Dr. Napthali Daggett (ex-President of Yale College) was captured. Our artillery at the bridge (Alling- town), was well served by Captain Phineas Bradley, and prevented the enemy passing the causeway and so into town that way. So they turned off and continued their route round to Derby Bridge (now Westville Bridge). As they came along our people divided: some crossed the bridge; others kept to the enemy's left, and under com- mand of Col. Aaron Burr (afterwards Vice-President U. S.), harassed the enemy's march. When it was seen that they were aiming for the bridge (Westville), Captains Hillhouse and Bradley, with the artillery, crossed the fields to meet them. The main body crossed the bridge, the rest fording the river. Then, on the enemy rising the hill on this side and taking the road to town, we gave them a hearty fire and took a number of prisoners: also, on the other side we took a number.

" The northern militia and those from Derby by this time pressed in and passed on all sides, and some behaved with amazing intrepidity. One captain drew up and threw his whole company (the Derby com- pany, probably) directly before the enemy's column, and gave and received their fire. We fought upon a retreat into the town. Just at the nortliwest Ditch Corner entrance to town the battle became very severe and bloody for a short time, when a number were killed on both sides. [This was just beyond Broadway, where the fire alarm tower now stands, on Goffe street.] The enemy, however, passed on

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

in force and entered town a little past noon. From that time the town was given up to ravage and plunder, from which only a few houses were protected.

" While these things were transacting on this side of the harbor General Tryon was pursuing his desolation on the East Haven side. Upon landing he set fire to Mr. Morris's elegant seat. He was molested by the fort on Black Rock, three miles from town, under the command of Lieut. Bishop, and by a field-piece under the command of the gallant Lieut. Pierpont. [This was where Fort Hale was later built.] The fort was at length evacuated and the enemy reached Beacon Hill in the afternoon. The militia collected from every part, and at Ditch Corner there was incessant firing all the afternoon."

These were of the nature of skirmishes with the outposts. The last stand the patriots made was at the corner of Chapel and York streets, when, after the British had brought on a cannon and fired down the street, the small band of resisting patriots dispersed. General Garth now marched his men unmolested to the green where he awaited the appearance of General Tryon. In the meantime the advance of the latter up the east side of the harbor had been several hours delayed by the small garrison at the earth work at Black Rock -where its force of 19 men and three pieces of artillery had success- fully held the enemy back " as long as reason or valor dictated, and then the men made good their retreat." About the middle of the afternoon General Tryon crossed the river to counsel with General Garth in regard to future movements. The latter's men having now possession of the town had freely helped themselves to every species of property and finding large quantities of liquor in the cellars and stores of the traders were becoming very drunk and unmanageable. General Garth feared that it would be unsafe to remain, but General Tryon ordered that the troops should not embark until the next day. The stubborn resistance to the advance of General Garth had almost persuaded that general to burn the town, but from that purpose he was turned by several circumstances. The means of retreat were too uncertain, and the primary intent of the expedition was not rapine and pillage. The real purpose appears to have been to overawe the inhabitants by the exhibition of superior force and thus command allegiance to the King.# This object would have been entirely defeated by such extreme measures. There is also a tradition that soon after resting on the green General Garth ascended the belfry of the state house to take an observation of the place, which impressed him so favorably that he exclaimed: " It is too beautiful to burn." and that he then resolved to spare it, after having destroyed the public stores. This purpose was carried out in the main, although in the

* Address to the Inhabitants of Connecticut, by Commodore Collier and General William Tryon, on board of the "Camilla," on Long Island sound, July 4th, 1779.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

retreat some private dwellings were also burned. " In New Haven and East Haven together eight dwellings, six stores, five barns and eight vessels were burned." " The public buildings, as those of Yale College, the State House, the places of public worship were injured little if at all.""

But owing to the drunken condition of the British soldiery a num- ber of houses were plundered and many pathetie ineidents of brutality are recorded, especially " towards feeble old men and helpless females," which were not justifiable acts of war. The revelry of the British soldiers continued until next morning and probably hastened their departure. About sunrise the march to their vessels in the harbor began and some of the soldiers were still so drunken that they had to be pushed forward at the point of the bayonet, or be urged on by the officer's swords. Not a shot was fired by the patriots to check their retreat out of the town, but in East Haven where most of the enemy embarked, having crossed on the ferry (at Tomlinson's bridge) the militia annoyed them until they had set sail on Tuesday evening, July 6th. On the morning of the Sth the fleet anchored off the village of Fairfield.

" At the departure of the British, thousands of the country people flocked into New Haven. Some of them, in the confusion, were base enough to add to the general loss by robbing the citizens of what was left. The soldiers already had taken, with a few exceptions, all the money, jewelry, clothing, and provisions which they could find, besides destroying a great amount of household furniture and other things. Many of the families lost everything their houses contained. Most of the tories, who were protected by the British, were obliged to leave New Haven with them, so even they lost much of their property."+

Among the Tory families which left with the British was that of Joshua Chandler, whose son, William, piloted General Garth's division from West Haven. Another son, Thomas, piloted General Tryon to Beacon hill. In all, about forty inhabitants were carried away.

The loss of the British in killed, wounded and missing was 74 men. Among their killed was Adjutant Campbell, a young man of noble qualities, who was greatly beloved by his command. He was with General Garth's division and had breakfasted at the village tavern, at West Haven, before beginning the advance on New Haven. At West Haven lived, as the pastor of the Congregational church, the Reverend Mr. Williston, an outspoken patriot. When the British appeared some Tory neighbors directed them to the house of the minister. While attempting to escape to the woods, near his place. be broke his leg jumping over the fence around the lot. Some urged that he be killed, but when the affair came to the ears of Campbell he ordered that Mr. Williston be carried into the house and directed

* Pres. Stiles. + Beckford.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

his own surgeon to set the fractured limb, and set a guard so that no one would molest the minister. Campbell was a true soldier, humane and just, even in the heat of a conflict.

When the British began their march up Milford hill, north of West Haven village, a sharp skirmish took place, but Campbell, tall and erect of person, elegant and conspicuous in appearance, continued riding in the advance of the column. A young man named Johnson, who was among the skirmishers, hidden behind a stone wall, singled him out for his aim, raised his musket and shot him through the breast. He was carried into a house by the roadside, where he soon after died, attended by his servant, who afterward carried his effects into the town and sold them. It is said that when the people of the neighborhood returned, after the troops had passed, they found his body stripped of his clothing; but they gave him a decent burial near the house in which he lay. His grave was unmarked until October, 1831, when J. W. Barber, with his own hands set up a stone at the spot, near the present village of Allington, marked CAMPBELL, 1779.

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History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I, Part 8

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.) Publication date: 1892 Publisher: N. Y. : W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 966

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: N. Y. : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 966