USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Woodbury > History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1854 > Part 21
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One would have thought that it would be impossible to aronse and lead to the field of battle, at a moment's warning all the able-bodied men in the militia of a town, in this manner, but the interests at stake
1 State Archives, Rev. War, vol. 10. p. 347.
·
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were great, and the most prominent and popular men in the commu- nity were in the movement "heart and hand." The officers addressed the soldiers in the most patriotic and urgent language, and even the pulpit lent its. powerful aid to the cause by prayers to the Almighty, by encouraging the soldiers, and by volunteering to go with them as chaplains, on their expeditions against the common cnemy. In ac- cordance with this spirit, Rev. Mr. Wildman, of Southbury society, went as chaplain upon one of the calls made upon the soldiery of the town. As a specimen of the appeals made to the militia and enlisted soldiers by the regimental officers, the following order is given, which was sent particularly to the enlisted troops that had not yet mustered into service:
" To Capt
4th July, 1776.
"You are hereby ordered to march off immediately. Spare no pains, nor loose one Moments time, as our army is in the Greatest distress. For God's sake push off every man you have inlisted immediately, beg of the people to go on to carry off Soldiers. Forward them with all your Might. Send Expresses off to your other Officers immediately. Beg of the Militia, as many as can find it in their Hearts to go on for the help of the Lord against our Inveterate ene- mies. Unless our Army have help immediately we are gone. Now is the Crisis ! Press Horses if you want, & go off immediately.
T. F-, Colo "
From the commencement of the war to the time of the action at White Plains, in which about a hundred and fifty were killed and wounded in the short space of an hour, the soldiers from Woodbury had been remarkably fortunate. Searcely one had been killed or wounded, though many had been sick of smallpox, at Ticonderoga the year before, insomuch that it became a common remark that the " balls would not hit the Woodbary boys." In consequence of this feeling of security, enlistments went on briskly, and to this feeling, in part, is to be attributed the large number of soldiers who volunteered to go into service. But at this action quite a number of the soldiers were killed, several others severely wounded, and the spell was broken. They could rely no longer upon the preservation of " blind chance," but must put their trust in the protection of an overruling Power.
At the capture of Fort Washington by the British, a large number of soldiers were taken prisoners, carried to New York, and confined in the sugar-house, where great eruelties and sufferings were inflicted upon them. The larger part, being deprived of food and drink, and crowded together in dense masses, literally died of starvation. In an
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extract from a letter of a distinguished person in New York, from Connecticut, dated 26th December, 1776, it is stated that
" The distress of the prisoners cannot be communicated by words. Twenty or thirty die every day-they lie in heaps unburied ! What numbers of my countrymen have died by cold and hunger, perished for the want of the neces- saries of life ! I have seen it!
" This, sir, is the boasted British elemeney-I had nigh perished-New Eng- land people can have no idea of such barbarous policy ; nothing can stop such treatment but retaliation. It is due to the Manes of our murdered countrymen, to protect the survivors, rather than experience their barbarity and insults. May I fall by the swords of the Hessians."1
Woodbury had some representatives in this scene of misery, but it is not now known that any of them died there. With the large num- ber of men it had in service, it could not fail to be represented on every field of battle, during the eventful struggle in which our inde- pendence was gained, and the mother country humbled in the dust.
At the October session of the General Assembly, 1776, it was rep- resented by letters from Col. Ethan Allen, that himself, together with about eighteen other natives of Connecticut, among whom was Zech- ariah Brinsmade, of Woodbury, had been taken prisoners while in the service of the United States, 'by a party of British troops, near Montreal, in the province of Quebec, September 25th, 1775; that they had suffered great hardships during their captivity ; and that they were then confined in a suffering condition, incarcerated in a common goal, in Halifax, "in one room, among felons, thieves and negroes." The Assembly voted £120 lawful money, to be sent by Levi Allen, who was about to go to see his brother Ethan, that thus the prisoners might receive their wages, and be relieved from their pressing necessities. The governor was requested to write a letter to General Washington, the Continental Congress, or the commander in Boston, or all of them, to solicit their seasonable interposition to effeet an exchange of prisoners.2
At an adjourned session of the General Assembly, held December, 1776, considering the organization not adequate to the defence re- quired, the militia was reorganized into six brigades, and all male persons between the ages of sixteen and sixty years, not included in the trainband, with certain exceptions, and exempted from ordinary training, should constitute an alarm list, fully equip themselves, and hold themselves ready to march at a moment's warning, in case of
1 Ilinman's Revolution, p. 121.
2 State Records, (Hinman) p. 242.
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" an alarm." It was, however, provided that all persons above sixty years of age should not be compelled to march out of this State. In accordance with this enactment " alarm companies" were formed throughout the ancient territory, and had abundant occasion to " see service" before the termination of the war.
1777. The campaign this year opened on the part of the British, by an invasion of Connecticut ; an event which our people had so long feared. Troops were called for to defend the coasts, and Col. Moseley's regiment marched to Fairfield. After a time, as it did not appear that the enemy would make this the point of attack, this regiment was dismissed, as appears by the following :
" Fairfield March 23rd : 1777
" Brigade orders --
" Pursuant to Orders Received from the Governour the Genl. Dismisses Colo, Moseley & the Troops under his Command that were ordered in here, as their Service is called for in another place : and Returns the Officers & Soldiers his thanks for the readiness with which they have marclied
" G Selleck Silliman Brig": Gena."
On the 26th of April, 1777, there was a sudden call for troops to go to Danbury, as the British troops had arrived there and were burning the houses and destroying the property of the inhabitants. The alarm lists and militia of Woodbury were immediately put in motion, and as fast as a considerable number convened at their posts, they marched to the scene of conflict. A considerable number arri- ved in time to take part in the action of next day, in which Maj. Gen. Wooster was mortally wounded. Several of the Woodbury soldiers were wounded. IIon. William Edmond, afterwards a judge of the superior court, was wounded in the right thigh, from which he experienced much pain and uneasiness for many years after. Thomas Torrance was also severely wounded, and brought home on a litter. Others were more or less wounded, and some taken prison- ers and carried to New York. Among the latter were Simeon and Timothy Minor.
May 8, 1777, one-fourth of the militia of the 13th and other regi- ments, were detached, and ordered to Horseneck. About one hun- dred and fifty men from Woodbury went on this service.
At the battle of Bennington, Aug. 16, 1777, under the gallant Gen. Stark, Col. Seth Warner, of Woodbury, with a part of his reg- iment, in which was many soldiers who had joined the continental army from this town, did good service. Yet the larger part of the troops, that had been raised in Connecticut during this year. and 14
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who were early in the field, were assigned for the defense of the im- portant military posts about the Highlands, on the Hudson River. This great thoroughfare of communication between the northern, southern and middle states, was maintained throughout the war, mostly by Connecticut forces.1
Early in March, 1777, on Gen. Washington's requisition, there had been a draft on the militia to march to Peekskill, N. Y., to rein- force the army on that station under Gen. Putnam. Two thousand men were sent on under Gen. Wadsworth, in ten regiments. The quota of the 13th regiment, under Col. Moseley, consisting of two and a half companies, containing 240 men, was discharged on the 18th of August, for reasons stated in the following :
" Head Quarters Peekes Kill august 15th 1777.
" The General considering the busy Season with farmers The Importance of the Fruits of the Earth being Gathered-That the militia many of them came out in the alarm leaving their affairs in an ill Setuation to tarry long-and the dangers that seemed then inmedeately threatening, removed further off-upon their own Earnest Importunety urging these matters-has seen fit to release Col Mosely & the Regiment of militia under his Command and they are hereby discharged from any further Service at this Time to return to their respective homes-with the Generals Thanks for their alacrity in Turning out on the alarm, and the good Services they have rendered to the publick-Trusting that they, one-third of them at least, will hold themselves in readiness to mareh on the Shortest notiee on any future occasion -- & Special Care is to be taken that the Camp utensils and all aeeoutrements & amunition, drawn from the Stores here be returned before the Militia go away
" J Root D Adjut: General."
On the 12th of September, the Governor and Council of War re- solved, that each town in the state should procure immediately, one shirt or more, either linen or flannel ; one hunting shirt or frock ; one pair of linen overalls ; one or two pairs of stockings, and a pair of good shoes, for each non-commissioned officer and soldier in the con- tinental army, belonging to such town. If any wished to send such articles directly to their relatives or friends in the army, they were permitted to do so by preparing their packages, properly marked and directed, and have the same accounted for as a part of the town's quota, provided no more was sent in each bundle than the quantity prescribed for a single person. Under this resolve the people of Woodbury sent, among other [articles, 159 pairs of shoes and 165 pairs of stockings, showing the number of men in the army from
1 Hinman, p. 143.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
this town at that time. The same rule was in force the next year, and about the same quantity of articles were sent as in the preceding year.
In September, 1777, after the action between Generals Washing- ton and Howe at Chadsford, most of the regular army being called to reinforee Gen. Washington, there was another draft on the militia, which called for one-half of their number. Not far from 300 men marched from Woodbury on this occasion. Gen. Silliman's order of detachment to Col. Moseley, together with a copy of Gen. Putnam's letter, follows :
"Fairfield Septemr 15, 1777 11 oClock P. M.
" Sir
" I have this Moment by Express reed; a Letter from Gent Putnam in the following Words viz.
" Peekskill 1-Ith Sepr 1777 10 oClock P. M.
" Dear Sir. A large Body of the Enemy have crossed the North River at Fort " Lee with a Number of Fjeld Peices .-- have advanced above Hackinsack, " whether to attack this Post or penetrate into Jersies is uncertain ; & this Mo- " ment arrived an Express from Congress informing that a severe Action has " been between Gent Washington and How at Chadsford in which the former " has been obliged to leave the Ground with the Loss of a number of Field " Peices 7 or S and has retired behind Chester ; and Congress has ordered 1500 " Men to be sent from this Post immediately to reinforce Genl Washington, " which obliges me to require you to send as many of the Militia and other
" Troops as you possibly ean without Loss of Time to the Succour of this Post " to be dranghted untill the first of January next. Gen! MeDougal with four " Regiments crossed the River yesterday to pursue the Enemy at Hackinsack. " Genl Parsons is below the White Plains.
" P. S. Let the Men be furnished with Ammunition as far as they can S
from Your very Hume Sert Israel Putnam"
" I hope & trust that on this alarming Occasion every Officer & Soldier will be fully convinced of the absolute Necessity there is at this Time of turning ont freely ; I have therefore to desire & direct you forthwith to detach the One-half of every Company in your Regiment & a proper Number of Captains & Subal- tern Officers to command them & to see that they are directly furnished with good Arms Blankets & Knapsacks & Twenty-four Rounds of Cartriges each, and that they be in Readiness to march to Peekskill at an Hour's Warning where they are to continue in Service untill the first of January next unless sooner dismissed. Your Major is directed to march with them, & You Yourself are to march & command them and also the One-half of Coll I. Platt Cook's Regiment with his Lieut Colonel who are under the like Orders and are to be under Your Command. Lexpect an Express on Wensday from the Governour when You will be ordered to march.
"(. Selleck Silliman Brigr: Gen1,
" P. S. 20s pr man I shall advance to Your Soldiers as soon as You send me An Account of how many are draughted."
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
Major Thomas Bull was also ordered to join the troops at Fishkill, with his company of "Light Horse." So that at this call a large number of soldiers from this town responded, and marched to head- quarters.
During this year, as we have seen, enlistments for three years or for the duration of the war, were called for, and a quota for each town established. The towns, as an encouragement to enlistment, were to take care of the families of such soldiers as had them. It is not possible now to state the exact number that enlisted into the ser- vice for three years. The return made by the town authorities to the General Assembly, of the number of families provided for by them, is still extant, and shows a list of one hundred and twenty-four. This does not show the entire number that enlisted, but only those who had families to be supported. A considerable proportion of the soldiers were unmarried men, between the ages of sixteen and twenty- one. The number stated, therefore, probably includes little more than half the actual number enlisted.
In all the alarms of the several years of the war, when the largest part of the militia turned out, Woodbury had from two to three hun- dred men. There were eight companies in the town, and from twenty-five to thirty men in a company always turned ont at each call, and sometimes a greater number. Thus in the "Danbury Alarm," forty-two went from Capt. Leavenworth's company, and twenty-six to Peekskill where they were ordered October, 1777, to save that post.
Towards the close of this year, the soldiers suffered greatly for the want of proper food, in sufficient quantities to sustain life. They were driven to great straits, and the purchasing commissaries were most urgent in their calls upon the people to furnish supplies for the army. An idea of the distress of the times in this respect, may be obtained from the following address to the people of Woodbury, by the commissary general of purchases :
" To the Inhabitants of the Town of Woodbury
"Gentleman from a Variety of causes, the Public Magazines of Provision for the Armies of the United States -- are almost exhausted, and their is the greatest Reason to fear the Army will be obliged to be fed on lean Beef, or at least on fresh meet intirely, either of which wou'd be injurious to their health & might perhaps totally destroy them.
" You are therefore earnestly requested to part with so much of your salted meet as you can spare, & you shall Receive a Generous price for it -- I flatter myself every Friend of the United States will exert themselves in this important occation-and that those who have lean Cattle, will fatten them as speedily as
i
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
possibel -- as the Enemy are now makeing their last Efforts ; & it is the Oppin- ion of those, best able to Judge, that their Vengence will be levelled at this State in particular .-- & unless we can feed the Continental army we cant expect their assistance.
" Jereh Wadsworth C. G. P."
In the memorable and glorious achievement of the victory of Sara- toga, Connecticut had her full share of men on the ground, and to fill the required number, Woodbury, with the other western towns, stood a heavy draft. Her soldiers, on this occasion as ever, fully sus- tained the high character they had previously earned for skill and bravery. At the battle of White Plains, the preceding year, the troops from Woodbury had suffered much in killed and wounded, being exposed in the " fore front" of the battle. Nathaniel Church was wounded by a grape shot, and disabled for life. Daniel Downs was killed by a cannon ball, and his brains were spattered upon Amos Johnson, who stood next to him. Simeon Rood was shot through the thigh. Isaac Thomas was wounded by a cannon ball, brought to Woodbury by his father, and died Dee. 9, 1776. Capt. Nathan Stod- dard was killed by a cannon ball, Nov. 15, 1777, at Mud Fort, on the Delaware. Hle raised himself up from the trench to see how the battle progressed, and the ball struck his head, entting it entirely from his body. The late Lieutenant John Strong, a very worthy man, was standing near him at the time, and, in his life-time, frequently related. that for a moment after the occurrence, the body of Capt. Stoddard stood erect, as in life, without a head, before falling.
As the militia rallied on the several calls and detachments, at a minute, or an hour's warning, in whatever clothes they happened to have on, with whatever weapon of war that came first to hand, or had descended to them from their fathers, they often presented a very grotesque appearance. A venerable octogenarian has given to the authors of a recent work,' a description of a body of soldiers, gath- ered as these were, in a neighboring state, during this period, and whose appearance was no doubt a fac simile of our own. "To a man," he says, " they wore small-clothes, coming down and fastening just below the knee, and long stockings with cowhide shoes, orna- mented by large buckles, while not a pair of boots graced the com- pany. The coats and waistcoats were loose and of huge dimensions, with colors as various as the barks of the oak, sumach and other trees of our hills and swamps could make them, and their shirts were
1 History of New Ipswich, N. H.
1
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
all made of flax, and like every other part of the dress were home- spun. On their heads was worn a large round top and broad brim- med hat. Their arms were as various as their costume ; here and there an old soldier carried a heavy queen's arm, with which he had done service at the conquest of Canada twenty years previous, while by his side walked a stripling boy, with a Spanish fuzee not half its weiglit or calibre, which his grandfather may have taken at Havana, while not a few had old French pieces, that dated back to the reduc- tion of Louisburg. Instead of the cartridge-box, a large powder- horn was slung under the arm, and occasionally a bayonet might be seen bristling in the ranks. Some of the swords of the officers had been made by our province blacksmiths, perhaps from some. farming utensil ; they looked serviceable, but heavy and uncouth. Such was the appearance of the continentals, to whom a well-appointed army was soon to lay down their arms."!
1778. Although so large a number had inlisted in 1777 into the continental army, it became necessary to draft thirteen men from each company in town, "into the continental army, to fill it up." This would make a sum total from the eight companies of the town, of one hundred and four. This was done by order of the General Assembly, which enacted, that if the quota in any town for the bat- talions then raising in the state, should not be filled by voluntary enlistment by the 20th of February, that the deficiency should be raised by peremptory detachment, to serve till January 1, 1779.
On account of the prevalence of the small pox at the various mili- tary posts, and the fear occasioned by it, the battalions of " three years' men" during the preceding year, had filled up slowly, as we have seen, and it became necessary to resort to a draft to fill up the defi- ciency, and even those who had enlisted, repaired slowly to their posts. It took all the vigilance and perseverance of the officers to effect this with sufficient promptness for the public service, as will be seen by Gen. Silliman's letter, which follows :
" Fairfield, April 30th, 177S.
" Sir,
" I have this Moment received a Letter from his Excellency the Govornor, and I give You a Coppy of Two Paragraphs in it which are in the words fol- lowing vizt.
" This is therefore to Command You in the most positive Terms, to see that " all the Recruits as well draughted as inlisted within Your Brigade for the " Continental Army be marched to New Haven on or before Tuesday the 4th Day
1 Burgoyne's army.
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" of May next. The Necessity of the Men Joining the Army is very great and " will not admit the least Excuse for Neglect or Delay in the Execution of this " Order. I am Sir Your Humle Servt
Jonth Trumbull.
" You will therefore immediately on the receipt of this loose not a moment but mount Your Horse and Collect every Man in Your Regiment that is in- listed or draughted for the Continental Army & see them every Soul marched to New Haven by Tuesday next and You may not fail on any account whatever & make report to me on Tuesday Evening that I may know what answer to give to his Excellency.
" G. Selleck Silliman, Brig.r Gen11."
It was not strange under the painful circumstances and sad re- verses of the close of 1777, when the troops under Washington had worn out their shoes and clothing, and could be tracked in their marches by the blood of their feet, that new reernits were obtained with difficulty. It was emphatically the midnight of the revolution. The hearts of men, in some instances, "failed them for fear." It was at this time that the members of Congress found it necessary to frame a league by which their power might be increased, and their determinations enforced. For this purpose " articles of confedera- tion" were framed, and accepted by each State. The war was now vigorously prosecuted in all directions, aided by the French. In all the engagements of this year, Woodbury had soldiers, and the blood of its sons moistened all the battle fields. There was so large a num- ber of "three years' men" in the continental army, that they were more or less scattered among the various divisions sent to all parts of the United States. Probably no town was more widely represented on the various revolutionary battle-grounds than our own.
1779. The principal operations during this year were carried on in the South, but the various garrisons were kept up with such forces as were judged necessary. In February, there was an "alarm" for . the defence of Norwalk, in which the whole militia, under Col. Mose- ley, and the regiment of " light horse," under Major Thomas Bull, were ordered to that place by Gen. Silliman, as will appear by his order which follows :
" New Haven Feby 26th 1779 6 Clock P. M.
" Gent Mr. Titus Mead, a man to be depended on, is this moment ariv'd Express from Col. Mead, with a Message by word of mouth only, from Col. Mead; for their circumstances were Such that Col. Mead could not write. He Says that when he left Horse Neck (which was early this Morning) a Body of about 600 Men, and a Body of Horse, had pushed up the road into Horse Neck, and were on this Side of Knap's Tavern ; and it was reported that a Body of two or three Thousand more were not far behind. You are therefore directed
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to Muster & march your Regiments, forthwith to Norwalk to oppose the Ene - my, & where you will receive further Orders. loose not a Moment neither by Night nor day.
G. Selleck Silliman, Brigr Genl of Foot and Col. Ct of Horse. -
"To Col. Moseley & Majr Bull, Woodbury.
The militia turned out pursuant to the call, but there was no gen- eral action at that time. In May, a detachment of one hundred was ordered out of the thirteenth regiment, and in the action which fol- lowed, several of them fell, and a number more were wounded. The original order of Col. Whiting on this occasion follows :
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