USA > Connecticut > The history of Connecticut, from the first settlement to the present time > Part 25
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367
1776.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.'
Washington, having succeeded in getting the baggage of the army over the Delaware at Tren- ton, returned to Princeton, and ordered General Lee to join him, but to leave the troops which had been stationed to guard the Highlands of the Hudson. Unsupported by the government and people of New-Jersey, he sent to Philadelphia for re-enforce- ments : but, being pursued by General Howe with a vastly superior force of about 10,000, he was un- able to make any stand. At the same time, the British commander having issued an offer of free pardon, in the king's name, to all who would sub- mit and promise not to take up arms, the people held back, and seemed almost ready to accept the terms. After expecting General Lee for some time in vain, he learned that he had been made a prisoner at Basking Ridge, on the 13th of De. cember, on leaving a house which he had visited alone, with most unaccountable imprudence, three miles distant from his troops. Congress, appre- hending the capture of Philadelphia, removed to Baltimore, after placing almost supreme power in the hands of Washington.
. In this state of things, New. England was making great exertions to send re-enforcements. Massa- chusetts ordered out 6000 militia to rendezvous at Danbury, Connecticut, under General Lincoln. Orders had been sent to General Heath to march to New-Jersey, when Washington received a letter from Governor Trumbull, saying that a large ene- my's fleet had appeared off New.London, and threatened to land. He immediately ordered Ma- jor-general Spencer to hasten to Connecticut, and take command of the troops there, to co-operate
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368
SUFFERINGS OF THE ARMY. [1776.
with General Arnold, whom he also ordered thith- er on his way from Ticonderoga. These orders, however, were soon countermanded, as Philadelphia was in extreme danger of being taken. Washing- ton thought the fleet might perhaps soon return to New- York, and proceed up Hudson River to assist Burgoyne; and he authorized General Gates and Governor Clinton to call on Governor Trumbull and the surrounding colonies for any number of militia they might find necessary. The British, however, landed in Delaware Bay, and forced their way towards Philadelphia. In the mean time, the Marquis Lafayette had arrived from France, of. fered his services in the American army, received a commission of major-general, and engaged at once in active service under General Washington. It was now thought to be of great importance to harass the enemy about New-York so much as to prevent them from sending more troops to Penn- sylvania. General Putnam, therefore, concerted a plan with Governor Trumbull for attacking them in four points at once ; and a body of Connecticut troops were to be furnished to cross to Long Isl- and. Just then, however, Washington perempto- rily ordered Putnam to send him a detachment, which left him too feeble to undertake the enter- prise. The enemy took the forts in the Highlands after much bloodshed, and they were afterward re- covered, for Burgoyne's defeat and capture render- ed them of little use to the British.
After the enemy had got possession of Philadel- phia, and Washington had done his utmost to cut off their supplies, the cold and extreme want com- pelled the American army to take up their winter-
369
1776.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
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quarters at Valley Forge, on the river Schuylkill. General Putnam came down from the Highlands to harass the enemy, and spent most of December near the Sound. While he was there, an attempt was made, and in part successfully, against Long Island. Colonel Meigs was to sail from Sawpits and land near Huntington : but was prevented by bad weather. General Parsons sailed from Nor- walk with troops, a part of whom were under Col- onel Webb, and designed to land at Hempstead, and attack a British regiment near Jamaica. This division was driven on shore by an English sloop- of war, and all were made prisoners. General Parsons went to Newport, while General Clinton and Earl Percy took possession of Rhode Island, on the 8th of December, with 6000 troops. By the greatest skill and activity, Washington prevented the enemy from passing the Delaware till late in December, although greatly disappointed by the want of support from the neighbouring states ; and, on the night of the 25th, he crossed to Trenton, through floating ice, and took Colonel Rahl's Hes- sian regiment by surprise, which greatly alarmed the British, and highly encouraged all the friends of the country.
On the 2d of January he was closely pressed by an enemy's force in sight of Trenton, unable to re- cross the Delaware, and with the prospect of a bloody battle in the morning, for which he was ill prepared, as well as to endure the season, if success- ful. By a masterly movement, which has been justly admired, he withdrew his forces silently in the night, marching some miles towards New-York, as far as Princeton. There he met and beat three
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370
LONG ENLISTMENTS. [1776.
English regiments, and finally took his troops safe- ly to the high grounds in the north of New-Jersey ; and took up his winter-quarters at Morristown. Re-enforcements were soon sent from New-Eng- land ; and Congress now determined to raise a per- manent army, by enlisting 88 battalions to serve till the close of the war. Washington and many other intelligent men had often urged such a meas- ure ; and, if it had been adopted early, many dis- asters would doubtless have been prevented. It had now been fully proved that militia were but lit- tle to be relied on, from their want of experience, discipline, mutual confidence, and anxiety about their homes.
For the details of the preceding operations, and others relating to the war, the reader may refer to the History of the United States, as the limits and plan of this work preclude us from taking a full view of many important occurrences.
371
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
1777.]
CHAPTER XLIII. 1777-1778.
Danbury burned .-- Congress endeavour to restore the Value of Continental Money .- They apply to Foreign Powers for aid, without success .- General Burgoyne invades New- York from Canada .- He is Defeated at Saratoga. and Captured, with his Army .- Treaty with France in February, 1778 .- Exertions made by England to reconcile America .- The French Cabi- net betray a selfish Spirit .- Blockade of the British in New- port .- The Americans retire .- Massacre at Wyoming .- Final Settlement of the disputed Jurisdiction.
IN order to harass and alarm the coast of Con- necticut, as well as to destroy the military stores deposited at Danbury, General Tryon left New- York late in April with a considerable force, and landed at Compo Creek. His appearance was too sudden to allow time for collecting troops to oppose him ; and, as he marched on without delay, he was able to accomplish his object. Colonel Huntington was on the spot, but with very few men, and re- tired to wait for more. On the 26th of April Gen- eral Tryon entered Danbury, and burned 800 bar- rels of pork and beef, 800 of flour, 200 bushels of grain, and 1700 tents. Had he been satisfied with this, he would have been justified by the laws of war: but, with the vindictive feelings which actu- ated the British ministry, and in consistency with their threats to the Americans, and their orders to their officers, he proceeded to the destruction of pri- vate dwellings, which, when unnecessary and un- provoked, is considered entirely unauthorized in
372
DEATH OF GENERAL WOOSTER. [1777.
war, and worthy only of savages. He set fire to 18 dwelling houses, and thus distressed many un- offending families, whose sufferings could not tend to shorten the war, and therefore were unnecessa- ry. Such measures produce evil effects, by imbit- tering the feelings of hostile parties, and leading to recrimination. We shall see how little the British ultimately gained by this wanton step.
General Tryon commenced his retreat immedi- ately ; while Generals Wooster, Silliman, and Ar- nold were still engaged in collecting troops. It was 11 o'clock on the 27th before any of them were in a condition to attack the enemy ; and then Gen- eral Wooster, with only 100 men, fell upon them with spirit, although at an advanced age : but he unfortunately received a mortal wound; and his soldiers, unable long to stand their ground, were forced to retreat. Arnold, with 500 men, awaited the enemy at Ridgeway, and engaged them for an hour : but he was unable to hold the place, and they drove him out, and spent the night there. Ar. nold renewed the attack in the morning, and kept up constant skirmishes until 5 P.M., when they re-embarked and returned to New-York, with the loss of 170 men.
General David Wooster was born at Stratford in 1711, graduated at Yale College in 1738, and served as a lieutenant and captain in a vessel built to guard the Connecticut coast in the Spanish war in 1739. In 1745 he took command of a company in Colonel Burr's regiment in the expedition against Louisburg, whence he was sent to France with prisoners. Crossing to England, he was appointed a captain in Sir William Pepperell's regiment. In
373
1777.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
the war of 1755, he was appointed a colonel and a commander of a brigade. In 1774, though a Brit- ish officer on half pay, he took a decided part in favour of his country against the oppressive meas- ures of Britain ; and, immediately after the battle of Lexington in 1775, received the command of the army which the General Assembly of Connecticut ordered to be raised. Congress appointed him a brigadier-general in the Continental army the same season. His services during the war, and the cir- cumstances of his retirement, have been noticed in some of the preceding chapters.
Early in 1777, the bills issued by government had depreciated so much that the country was in great distress. Congress then made Continental money (as they were called) a legal tender. If a creditor refused to receive payment in that money at its original value, he could not recover his debt. Congress also adopted the unwise meas- ure of fixing the prices of articles necessary for the army, and authorized officers to compel people to sell what they had more than was necessary for their families, when needed by the troops. They even declared those enemies of the country who should refuse to receive Continental money at par.
In retaliation for ravages committed by the ene- my. Meigs's expedition was planned and executed. Information having been obtained that the English had collected a quantity of provisions at Sag Har. bour on Long Island, 234 men left New-Haven, under Lieutenant-colonel Meigs, on the 21st of May, 1777, in thirteen whale-boats, to destroy them. 'They were detained at Guilford by bad weather until the 23d; and at one o'clock, 170 of them II
374 GENERAL BURGOYNE AT SARATOGA. [1777. steered for the other side of the Sound, under con- voy of two armed sloops, reaching Southold at six. There were no British troops to oppose them, all except a few having marched for New-York, and those being at Sag Harbour, fifteen miles distant.
The boats were carried over land to the bay, and 130 men proceeded in them, and landed four miles from Sag Harbour. With fixed bayonets, they forced their way to the shipping, which they burned, though under the fire of a schooner of twelve guns and fifty men, at 150 yards distance, for three quarters of an hour. They destroyed twelve brigs and a sloop, one with twelve guns, one hundred and twenty tons of hay, and a quantity of other articles, besides killing six of the enemy and taking 90 prisoners.
Colonel Meigs returned to Guilford in twenty- four hours, without the loss or injury of a man. He received a letter of approbation from Wash- ington, and a sword from Congress, for his "pru- dence, activity, enterprise, and valour."
Congress employed commissioners to apply for aid in the war to France, Spain, Prussia, and Tuscany, but without success, except that a few privateers were sent out from France, which took a number of English prizes. The British troops in America were divided in the campaign of that year : for, while a part of them were on the Dela- ware and at Philadelphia, General Burgoyne came down from Canada by Lake Champlain, and drove the Americans from Crown Point and Ticonderoga, and succeeded in reaching Saratoga, on the western bank of the Hudson, before he met any considerable opposing force.
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375
1777.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
. After Crown Point had been evacuated by the Americans, it was greatly desired by many that Ticonderoga might hold out ; and it probably would not have been surrendered if the advice of Colonel John Trumbull, of Connecticut, had been followed. While the cannoniers were practising with their guns one day, he ordered that one should be point- ed at the top of Butter Hill, or Mount Defiance, which rises far above from the opposite side of the outlet of Lake George ; and the ball struck among the trees on the summit. This proved the fact, which had never been believed, that it was within cannon-shot. He then urged that the spot might be occupied ; and, if it had been, the English could never have planted their guns upon it.
General Schuyler was blamed for giving up the fortresses, and lost the confidence of New-England to such a degree that Congress removed him from the command, and put General Gates in his place, authorizing him and Governor Clinton to demand as many troops from the Eastern states as he pleased. Washington wrote, on the 14th of Au- gust, to the New-York Committee of Vigilance : " I have great reliance on those states ; they are capable of powerful efforts ;" and his expectations were not disappointed. They sent large re-en- forcements to the dispirited army; and Gates soon marched it from the islands in the Hudson, at the mouth of the Mohawk, to which it had retreated, up to Stillwater, where he took a position on Beh- mis's Heights.
The condition and prospects of the country were at that crisis most sad and foreboding. A strong party of Hessians, with some British troops and
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376
BURGOYNE SURRENDERS. - [1777.
royalists, were valiantly met, defeated, and cap- tured, in an attempt to seize the great depôt of military stores at Bennington, now in Vermont, by some militia hastily collected from the adjacent country, under General Stark and Colonel Warner. This was the first step towards the favourable change which soon took place, and had a power- ful effect upon the country.
Governor Clinton, hoping to make sure of the important pass of the Highlands, resumed the command of Fort Montgomery ; and the strictest caution was observed to prevent any communica- tion between the enemy at New-York and General Burgoyne. A man named Edward Palmer was arrested in attempting to pass through the Ameri- can army under very suspicious circumstances. The British demanded him of General Putnam, who wrote this laconic note in return on the 7th of August : " Edward Palmer has been taken as a spy, condemned as a spy, and will be executed as a spy. P.S .- He has been executed accordingly.". About the middle of the month Washington ordered Putnam to send to General Gates Morgan's rifle corps, which consisted of 500 men, to relieve the . apprehensions felt by the militia of meeting Bur. goyne's Indians, by fighting them, as he remarked, " in their own way." They went up the Hudson in sloops from Peekskill. Colonel Courtlandt's and Colonel Livingston's regiments were also despatch- ed to re-enforce the northern army.
Burgoyne soon after surrendered to General Gates; and, from that moment, the Americans were excited with new hope and new resolution, while the event caused a strong impression abroad,
1778.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT. 377
The King of France, in December, openly espoused the cause of our country, by acknowledging its in- dependence; and, on the 6th of February, 1778, a. commercial treaty and one of alliance were formed between the two countries. This was a blessing of great value, and was so regarded by many, with gratitude to God, although there was room to sus- pect that the French king had not been influenced in the measure by mere kindness to the Americans, or a regard for justice. A letter of his own, since published, expressly avows that his object was to weaken England by preventing her reunion with her colonies. In the treaty, Congress agreed to give to France any of the West India Islands which the Americans might conquer in the war.
But to return to our hasty view of the progress of the war. Connecticut, in common with the other colonies, at the opening of the year 1778, had another season of painful struggle in prospect, as this treaty had not yet been made. Parliament, in spite of the results of the previous campaign, re- solved to make a new exertion to overcome the Americans ; and, after making great preparations, received large sums of money from men of wealth, while some of the cities raised a regiment of sol- diers each to increase the army. At the same time, the ministry were engaged in forming another plan of reconciliation. This proved to be more liberal than any preceding one, and, indeed, yielded almost every point which had caused difficulty : but it was not soon enough adopted by Parliament even to be fairly tried. Ten days before it re- ceived their approbation, the treaty between the colonies and France was concluded ; and then, of I12
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378
THREATS OF ENGLAND.
[1778.
course, if not before, independence was considered as finally settled. The King of France sent in- formation of the treaty to the King of England, through the ministers, intimating that he was ready to aid the Americans if the war should con- tinue.
The British government showed an urgent desire to become reconciled with the Americans when they began to see France inclined to join them ; and the plan of reconciliation was sent in haste across the Atlantic before it had been adopted. Washington laid it before Congress, by whom it was published, with an address to the people, warning them against confiding in fair promises made at a time when the colonics had a powerful friend ready to assist them, and which would prob- ably be broken as soon as circumstances should appear more favourable to England.
Commissioners were appointed, who came and offered even, in fact, to acknowledge the independ- ence of the colonies : but Congress refused to open any conference until the British forces should be withdrawn ; and France was spoken of in the doc. ument in terms of reproach, which, as an ally, the country ought not to permit. Several attempts were made, in a most cautious and secret manner, by strangers in Paris, to influence Dr. Franklin to yield some advantage in favour of England : but he was too sagacious as well as too patriotic to be taken off his guard. The war, therefore, was to go on ; and, while England sent out a powerful land and naval force, the commissioners gave no. tice that she considered the country as " mortgaged to France," and was resolved, for self-preserva-
379
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
1778.]
tion, to render America of as little use as possible to her enemy. This intimated that the govern- ment intended to give the war a desolating charac- ter, and, of course, excited dreadful anticipations of the campaign. The commissioners offered pardon to all who should desert in forty days; and this led Congress to propose that British agents should be seized who made such proposals.
The commissioners returned to England : but first, having received information that a French fleet was coming to blockade the English in the Chesapeake, they gave the commander notice, who therefore evacuated Philadelphia on the 18th of June, and marched to New-York. On his way he was attacked by the Americans at Monmouth, New-Jersey, and both sides claimed the advan- tage, after a severe engagement. The French fleet, consisting of 12 ships of the line and 8 frig. ates, arrived on the coast on the 6th of July, bring- ing out Monsieur Gerard, the first minister ever appointed to the United States. Dr. Franklin was appointed minister to France on the 14th of Sep. tember, 1778, and went, at the age of 71.
And now the French government intimated a strong wish to recover Canada ; and it was pro- posed by Gerard that several bodies of troops should cross the frontiers, capture the country, and form two new states for the Union. It was inti- mated that France might hold it as security for money advanced. Congress considered the plan favourably : but Washington decidedly, though with respect and moderation, opposed it ; and it was finally abandoned, on the ground that the country was not able to ensure the performance of the part expected of her.
980
CONDITION OF WYOMING.
[1778.
The French, under the Count de Grasse, pro- ceeded to Newport, Rhode Island, and blockaded the harbour and coast ; while General Sullivan, having called upon the militia of that state and the neighbouring ones, marched down upon the island, and pressed the enemy closely on the land side. But, a severe storm having caused the fleet some damage, the count insisted on going to Boston, while the Americans were compelled to retreat, and were pursued for some time by the enemy.
Reports of the cruel treatment received by pris- oners in the hands of the enemy had often dis- tressed their friends ; and, although Washington had remonstrated, and threatened retaliation, fears were still entertained that there was yet much suf- fering in the British prisons. This apprehension was too strongly confirmed by Robert Sheffield, of Stonington, who effected his escape from a prison- ship at New-York. He made known the painful facts, that 350 men were confined between decks, in extreme want of air, room, and all the comforts of life, and in a state of misery and disease. He added, that three other ships in Wallabout Cove ' (where the Navy Yard now is) were likewise · crowded with American and French prisoners.
This year a dreadful blow fell on the devoted settlements of Wyoming. At the commencement of the war in 1775, the feelings of former rancour were added to those which excited the whole coun- try. A considerable number of the people and claimants took part with the enemy ; and, ere long, the savages were brought into the contest which ensued.
The inhabitants were then about 5000, including
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381
1778.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT. .
those of both the companies, and had eight town- ships, each five miles square, viz., Lackawana, Exeter, Kingston, Wilkesbarre, Plymouth, Nanti- coke, Huntington, and Salem. The two upper townships were but thinly populated. Congress, being informed that much blood was likely to be shed, endeavoured to prevent it : but 700 Pennsyl- vanians were soon on the march, under Colonel Plunkett, to drive their rivals from the valley. They were ambushed on the western bank of the river, in a strong and wild position, and again met on the eastern side with such vigour that they re- treated ; and this was the last attempt made by Pennsylvania to settle the question by force of arms. How lamentable was it that William Penn's example was not imitated from the beginning !
A number of the loyalists of Wyoming soon dropped off and joined the bands of John Johnson and Colonel John Butler, and took part in the bloody scenes which they enacted among the frontier villages of New-York and Pennsylvania. Eleven hundred men, however, were formed into a regiment of militia, and three hundred of them soon enlisted for the Continental army, and formed three companies. The fruitfulness of the soil enabled the people even during the war to raise large sup- plies of provisions ; and, in the spring of 1778, 3000 bushels of grain were furnished to the army.
There were little forts at different points, which were guarded: but, even in 1777, during the oper- ations against Fort Stanwix, no attack was made. In the following January twenty-seven persons were arrested on suspicion of corresponding with the en- emy, and nine of them were retained in custody,
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382
THE MASSACRE AT WYOMING. [1778.
and sent to Hartford, Connecticut, where they were confined : but most of this whole number found their way into the British ranks after their release. Some distant Indian tribes sent friendly messages to the people : but it was found that they wished to lull them into security, and then destroy them.
The upper settlements were abandoned ; and in the spring, several robberies were committed by small parties of Indians and Tories, while in June the murder of defenceless families was commenced, and among those who fell were a mother and her six children. About the same time Colonel John Butler set out from Canada, with 300 English and Tories, and 500 Indians; and from Tioga Point floated down the Susquehanna on rafts to the Three Islands. There landing, they marched through the woods twenty miles, and entered the valley of Wyoming from the north, by a gap in the mount- ains. Exeter Fort was given up to them by the Tory garrison, and Fort Lackawana was taken by force. The inhabitants fled to the other forts ; and Colonel Zabulon Butler, with 400 militia, marched against the enemy, with the 300 Continentals under Captain Hewett. They met them, in front of Fort Wintermoot, on the 3d of July, and soon found the Indians giving way before the militia. But, while the latter were advancing, they heard the whoop of a party of savages in their rear, and soon took to flight, pursued and slaughtered with tomahawks. Of the whole number only about sixty escaped, by running to the mountains or swimming across the river.
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