USA > Connecticut > The history of Connecticut, from the first settlement to the present time > Part 26
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Most of the numerous families below, on hearing of this sad defeat, fled into the forest, while &
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'1778.] .HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
i smaller number sought refuge in Fort Wyoming. They were, however, soon compelled to surrender, which they did with an agreement to restore the estates of the Tories, and allow them to remain in peace, while the fort should be destroyed, but they should be protected from the Indians. But the poor people were attacked and butchered with the most shocking cruelty when the enemy had them in their power ; and the Royalists were even more barbarous and unrelenting than the savages. Not only did those who had been neighbours lift the sword against each other, but kindred, and even brothers, are said to have lost all feeling, except the most rancorous hatred, on that bloody day.
Colonel Zabulon Butler and some of the other survivors met a body of Continental troops on their way to help them ; and, after remaining at Strouds- burgh three or four weeks, they returned to Wyo- ming, and found the enemy had retired. A new fort was built; and an incursion was made into the Indian country when Colonel Hartley's regi- ment had reached the valley.
General Sullivan received the command the next year, when frequent predatory attempts were made by the savages, and all such as fell into the hands of the Americans were put to death. Only one more serious attempt was made against Wyoming during the war, and then 250 Tories and Indians fled at the first shot.
The prospects of security led many settlers to that charming valley. Congress appointed a com- mission, who met in New-Jersey, and decided that the disputed country belonged to Pennsylvania ; and the settlers submitted, claiming, however, that the
384 LAST SURVIVOR OF THE MASSACRE. [1778.
decision determined only the jurisdiction. But old enmities soon began to disturb the public peace ; and a company of Continental troops, who were sent to protect it, increased the irritation. During the subsequent years dissension continued. The Pennsylvanian fort was besieged: but a re-en- forcement arrived, some blood was shed, and all attempts at negotiation failed. Colonel Timothy Pickering was sent to effect a reconciliation, but he was kept for some time as a prisoner. At length, in 1786, the final settlement of the whole question was made, by giving the disputed territory to Pennsylvania, and to Connecticut a tract of val- uable land in Ohio, which was called New-Connec- ticut, and now, more commonly, the Connecticut Reserve.
. The last survivor of those who escaped the mas- sacre of Wyoming was Mrs. Esther Skinner, who died at Torringford, Connecticut, in 1831, in the hundredth year of her age. She lost two sons in the battle, escaping with six other children in a very surprising manner. Her son-in-law was the only man who escaped death out of twenty men who betook themselves to the river when pursued, and hung by the branches of trees until the Indians found and tomahawked them one by one. Through many hardships she travelled back to Connecticut, where she spent the remainder of her life.
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
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CHAPTER XLIV. 1779-1781.
War in Georgia .-- Norfolk taken .- Sullivan's Expedition .- Mu- tiny at Reading, Connecticut .- British attempt to reach Stam- ford .- New-Haven taken by General Tryon .- Fairfield and Norwalk burned .- Stony Point taken .- Arnold's Treachery. -Execution of André .- Sufferings of the Army in Pennsylva- nia .- Preparations to Besiege New-York in 1780 .- The Seat of War changed to Virginia .- Capture of New-London .- Massacre at Groton Fort .- English Depredations .- A Con- gregation captured on the Sabbath .- Severe Treatment of Prisoners .- Siege and Capture of Yorktown .- Negotiations for Peace .- Close of the War .- The Army at Newburg in- cited to Revolt .- Washington persuades them to be Dis- missed in Peace .- He resigns his Commission.
LATE in the year 1778, Lieutenant-colonel Camp- bell sailed from New-York with 2500 men, landed in Georgia, and took Savannah with little opposition. The American troops retreated to South Carolina : but General Sullivan soon besieged Savannah, aid- ed by a French fleet under Count D'Estaing, with 6000 men. Count Pulaski and about 1000 men having lost their lives in an assault, the fleet sailed for France, and the troops retired, while Norfolk, in Virginia, was plundered 'by the British. Fort St. Vincent, on the Wabash, was captured by Col- onel Clarke, which secured a large extent of the western frontier : but General Sullivan was de- spatched with 4000 men against the Indians in the western part of New-York, whom he defeated at Seneca Lake, destroying their town and driving them away.
. In 1779, Congress being exceedingly pressed for KK
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MUTINY AT READING.
[1779.
means to furnish the army with the necessaries of life, called on the states to raise 15 millions, with the intention of asking six millions annually for 18 - years. The call, however, was ineffectual. Re- sort was then had to the old expedient, and bills of credit were issued in great numbers, until the whole amount was 160 millions. Congress then de- clared that the issues should not in any case swell the amount over two millions : but necessity com- pelled them afterward to increase to three millions.
During the winter, General Putnam was sta- tioned at Reading, with a force prepared to co- operate with the troops at West Point in case of need. He had two Connecticut brigades, General Poor's New-Hampshire brigade, Colonel Hazen's corps of infantry, and Sheldon's cavalry. In con- sequence of the severe sufferings which they had to endure from the want of necessaries, the Con- necticut troops had agreed to mutiny, march to Hartford, and demand relief of the General Assem- bly, who were then in session. The second bri- gade had actually paraded under arms preparatory to their march, before General Putnam was ap- prized of their design. He immediately mounted his horse and galloped to the spot. The sergeants, who then had the command, made the soldiers present arms and the musicians beat their drums, while he rode along the line, and thus addressed them :
" My brave lads, whither are you going? Do you intend to desert your officers, and to invite the enemy to follow you into the country? Whose cause have you been fighting and suffering so long in : is it not your own ? Have you no property,
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no parents, wives, or children ? You have be- haved like men so far : all the world is full of your praises ; and posterity will stand astonished at your deeds-but not if you spoil all at last. Don't you consider how much the country is dis- tressed by the war, and that your officers have not been better paid than yourselves ? But we all ex- pect better times, and that the country will do us ample justice. Let us stand by one another, then, and fight it out like brave soldiers. Think what a shame it would be for Connecticut men to run away from their officers."
The troops listened to the general in order and silence ; and when, at his command, the brigade- major gave the word, they shouldered their arms, marched to their respective parades, and cheer- fully lodged their muskets, won back to their duty by their brave, patriotic, and popular general. Only one man proved refractory, and he was put under guard ; and, in attempting to escape at night, was shot dead by a sentry.
While the army was at Reading, Mr. Jones, a Royalist belonging to Ridgefield, was hung as a spy, and a youth was shot for desertion.
On the 25th of February, six regiments were sent by General Tryon to surprise the American troops at Horseneck, and destroy the salt-works. They were discovered at New Rochelle by a cap- tain and 30 men, who fired upon them, but re- treated, taking up Byram bridge. On reaching Horseneck, they found General Putnam waiting for them, with some old iron cannon and about 60 soldiers, with which he received them in a spirited manner. Finding, however, that they were en-
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3SS CAPTURE OF GENERAL SIILLIMAN. [1779.
deavouring to outflank him, to get into the deep ravine behind his position, he ordered a retreat to a hill beyond, while he set off for Stamford for more troops. He delayed so long that several of the enemy's dragoons were almost upon him when he reached the brow of the hill. Having his cel- ebrated well-trained horse, and being a man of ex- traordinary boldness, he drove down a steep and broken descent at a rapid pace, where his pursuers were afraid to follow ; and, while they took a more circuitous route, he reached the valley before them, and, hastening on, eluded their pursuit. The ene- my destroyed one of the salt-works, and returned with the loss of 39 prisoners and two wagons, hav- ing killed about 20 of the Americans.
Connecticut this year appointed Major-general Silliman superintendent of the coast of Fairfield ; and in May, a party of nine refugees crossed from Lloyd's Neck on Long Island, and, proceeding cau- tiously to his house, roused him and family at mid- night by an attempt to force the door. He at- tempted to fire upon them : but his musket missed ; and they soon broke through a window, made him prisoner, and hurried to their boat with his eldest son. They were confined at New-York, and af- terward at Flatbush. This was a serious public loss, because he could not be restored to liberty un- til exchanged for an officer of the enemy of equal rank. Such a one was not then a prisoner with the Americans. Captain Hawley, of Bridgeport (then called Newfield), having intelligence that the Hon. Thomas Jones, a justice of the Supreme court of New-York, resided in an exposed situation at Smithtown, on Long Island, he proceeded, with
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about 25 men, across the Sound, and arrived at his dwelling in the evening unobserved, the music of a ball preventing their approach from being heard. Opening the door, they met Judge Jones in the en- try, and brought him off, with a Mr. Hewlet. They were two days in returning to their boat; and, on reaching Connecticut, the judge was courteously entertained by Mrs. Silliman, and soon sent to Mid- dletown for safety.
On the 5th of July, 1779, 48 of the enemy's vessels appeared off New-Haven, commanded by Sir George Collier. They consisted of the Camil- la and Scorpion men-of-war, and a number of trans- ports and tenders, with 3000 troops under Major- general Tryon. About 1500 landed at West Ha- ven Point at sunrise. Twenty-five of the inhabi- tants attacked and drove back two companies who had advanced to Milford Hill : but General Garth, with the rest, afterward found no obstacle till they reached West River, where the bridge had been destroyed, and a few guns planted behind a breast- work. They then turned off to the left, and march- ed round nine miles by the Derby road, galled by a party of about 150 Americans. Adjutant Camp- bell fell on Milford Hill, where his grave is still to be seen.
Another body of the British, in the mean time, had landed at the South End, and, marching up, attacked the fort, where they met such opposition as nineteen men could make. Their vessels also came and fired on the fort, which was not aban- doned by its feeble garrison while there was any hope of success. The town was soon in possession of the enemy, who, in spite of a proclamation pub- KK 2
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lished by the commanders, burned the stores on the wharf and eight houses, shamefully pillaged others of all the valuable articles they were able to remove, and destroyed or injured much furniture, besides murdering several persons in cold blood, and com- mitting other acts of barbarity. Captain Gilbert, of Hampden, was wounded, and offered to surren- der : but Captain Parker ordered him to be shot. He immediately shot Captain Parker, and then fell. Mr. Beers was shot, and mortally wounded, by a soidier in the ranks, at his own door ; the Rev. Dr. Daggett, president of Yale College, was stabbed, beaten, and insulted while a prisoner, having been taken in arms near West Bridge ; Mr. English, a helpless old man, was put to death in his house ; and an insane man was beaten, had his tongue cut out, and was finally killed.
The enemy were guided by William Chandler, whose family joined them, and returned with them. He interceded for President Daggett, having been his pupil, and probably saved his life. That patri- otic man, having been asked whether he would ever take up arms again if released, replied, " I rather believe I shall, if I have an opportunity."
The enemy hastily embarked the next morning and returned to New-York.
About the same time, the fort at Stony Point, at the entrance of the Highlands of the Hudson, was taken by storm by General Wayne : yet no re- taliation was made by the humane captors for the atrocities committed by the enemy.
The enemy's squadron appeared at Kensie's Point, off Fairfield, on the 7th of July, where they landed the following morning. A small number of
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
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militia assembled and opposed them as well as they were able, killing, wounding, and capturing a few, and checking them a while with a fieldpiece at the courthouse, but were unable to prevent them from marching into the town. It was soon in their possession, and they paraded on the green be- tween the courthouse and meetinghouse. Most of the inhabitants had fled on the first alarm : a few only remained, with the hope of prevailing on the commanders to spare their dwellings and barns, which were filled with a plentiful harvest.
Mrs. Burr, the wife of the sheriff, a lady of most exalted character and dignified manners, made such a request of General Tryon : to which he returned only a brutal answer. Detachments were sent in all directions, first the Hessians, who plundered what they pleased. Some refugees, who were exasperated by the confiscation of their property, here, as in many other cases in the war, were very active in the work of destruction. Some of the British officers expressed commiseration for the people : but General Tryon, although constantly petitioned by females for the protection of their dwellings, was deaf to mercy, and the Hessians were very profane and abusive. General Garth was more humanc. Mr. Jennings's house was burned soon after sunset, several others in the night; and the next morning the whole town was destroyed, with the exception of a few houses from Colonel Gold's to Mill River. Some of these had finally been promised protection, as that of Mr. Burr and the meeting-house : but they were burned by some of the rear-guard or stragglers. Eighty-five dwellings in all were destroyed, two churches, the
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ARNOLD'S TREACHERY.
[1780.
courthouse, fifty-five barns, fifteen stores, fifteen shops, 500 barrels of rice, and other property to a large amount.
In the mean time, a body of militia held the neighbouring hills, and kept up skirmishes with the enemy's outposts. A row-galley fired on the fort all night : but it was defended with much gal- lantry by Lieutenant Jarvis, with only twenty-three men. About eight in the morning the enemy march- ed, and were galled by the militia on their retreat. About 3 P.M. they set sail for Long Island, with a few prisoners.
After the destruction of Fairfield by the British, they returned from Huntington Bay, in Long Island, on the 11th of July, and landed on the east side of the river, near Norwalk, between eight and nine o'clock in the evening. Many of the inhabitants fled to Belden's Hill, about five miles distant, and in the morning occupied Grummons's Hill. Cap- tain Stephen Betts, at the head of fifty Continental troops and a few militia, attempted to check them in their approach, but was at length obliged to re- treat, after losing four men. About sunrise the conflagration of buildings began, and all the stores and dwellings except six were destroyed, together with the two churches and the salt-works. The enemy evacuated the place at noon, taking the whale-boats with them. General Tryon acknowl- edged the loss of twenty killed, ninety-six wounded, and thirty-two missing.
The story of Arnold's treachery is well known to every reader of the history of the Revolution. In consequence of his extravagance in spending money while he was in Philadelphia, he had suf-
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
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fered censure ; and this had so irritated his un- principled and violent feelings, that he gave up all his attachment for his country. After labouring and risking his life in defence in so many engage- ments with the enemy, he determined to sell to them, for a sum of money, the important fortresses of the Highlands, of which he held the command. By a private means he made known his feelings to the British commander in New- York, who imme- diately sent Major André up the Hudson, in the sloop-of-war Vulture, to make the bargain. He landed unobserved in the night, and had a secret interview with Arnold in a solitary spot on the shore. He was taken on his way back to New- York by land, in the neutral ground, by three men whom he mistook for loyalists ; and, being suspect- ed, and unable to bribe them, he was made prison- er. He sent word to Arnold that Anderson was captured. That name he had assumed, and was known only to Arnold, who immediately took alarm for himself, and fled to the Vulture, in which he was carried to New- York. He landed at Old Slip; and, meeting a party of British in Hanover Square, he was introduced to them, but they immediately turned their backs upon him : so natural is it to regard such treachery with ab- horrence. He received £10,000 sterling, and a commission of brigadier-general in the British army; and, impelled by desperation, engaged in war against his countrymen with the barbarity of a savage.
Arnold's estate was confiscated ; and the Court of Probate of New-Haven appointed Isaac Jones and Michael Todd commissioners to examine claims
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MORE TROOPS RAISED.
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against it, and Pierpont Edwards to receive pay- ments due.
In the mean time, Major Andre was tried and condemned as a spy ; and, although great exertions were made to persuade Washington to pardon him, he was hung at Tarrytown, lamented even by those who thought the sentence just : for he was a young man of amiable character, and had friends and re- lations in England who were tenderly attached to him.
The winter of 1780 was one of great suffering to our troops. Those of the Pennsylvania line were reduced to such distress by starvation at Morristown, as well as those of New-Jersey, that they refused to obey their officers, chose new ones, and determined to go to Philadelphia, to demand relief of Congress. Three months' pay was raised for them, though with great difficulty, and they re- turned to order. Two men, who had been sent by Sir Henry Clinton to draw them over to the Eng- lish party, were taken prisoners by them, given up to the government, and executed as spies.
The states were this year required to bring in the old bills of credit at the rate of forty for one. They were cancelled, and new ones issued, not ex- ceeding one twentieth of their amount. These were to be redeemed in six years at five per cent., and rested on the credit of the particular states, guarantied by the United States. The bills, how. ever, were not brought in, and the sufferings of the army continued. At length, the old bills became so entirely discredited that they lost all value, and remained worthless in the hands of their holders.
In the following spring 6000 troops were order-
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
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ed from the northern states to besiege New-York, and the few who came, being joined by the French army, took position about the city. On account of want of strength, however, and a re-enforcement of 3000 Germans which arrived at New-York, they were obliged to abandon the enterprise, and little was done in that part of the country the whole sea- son. Virginia, however, and, still more, the Caro- linas, suffered from a bloody civil war ; for there the loyalists, or Tories, as they were called, were numerous, and the people of the same districts, towns, neighbourhoods, and families were often armed and exasperated against each other, and de- vastated the country by their violence and blood- shed, instigated and assisted by the British troops under Lord Rawdon, Stewart, Tarleton, Cornwal- lis, and the traitor Arnold. The patriotic Ameri- cans, under Lafayette, Greene, Lee, Marion, Sum- ter, and others, having opposed their enemies with various success, were at length gratified by the re- treat of Cornwallis, with his ten thousand troops, to the mouth of York River, where they began to for- tify themselves. Sir Henry Clinton had intercept- ed a letter from Washington to Congress, from which he learned that New- York was to be attack- ed with a powerful force, and ordered Cornwallis to take position somewhere on the coast, to be ready to come to his assistance in the fleet. Wash- ington, in the mean time, having learned that a French fleet, with 3000 troops, was coming to the Chesapeake, he determined to direct his principal attempts against the enemy in the south. The troops about New-York were therefore ordered to march : but manœuvred in such a way that the
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CAPTURE OF NEW-LONDON.
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English thought they were going to take Staten Island, and did not discover that they had marched for Philadelphia until it was too late to follow them. Sir Henry Clinton then determined to distress some parts of the country within his reach, and sent Ar- nold against New-London with 24 ships. What a sad comment on his character is his acceptance of such an office, and how much more detestable did he appear in the wanton barbarity which he dis- played in its execution !
From the eastern side of New-London harbour, in Groton, rises a high and steep hill, crowned by Fort Griswold, in the place of which was then a small work, of little strength, but commanding the fort and town of New-London, which lay in full view below. The alarm caused by the approach of the British ships from Long Island brought to- gether many volunteers from the neighbouring towns, in arms for resistance. Fort Trumbull be- ing untenable, on the enemy's approach, those who had entered it crossed the harbour to Groton. About four miles up the river Thames is a little solitary burying-ground, near the margin of the water. It contains the ashes of a number of the brave men who formed the garrison of Groton fort on that melancholy occasion, under Colonel Led- yard.
Arnold, on reaching the mouth of the harbour on the 9th of September, landed 800 men, in three parties, in Groton, under Colonel Eyre, to attack the fort on three sides at once, while he proceeded against the town with the remaining troops. On the land side the fort was almost unfit for re- sistance. The garrison, amounting to 180 men,
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behaved with the greatest bravery, but were over- powered by superior numbers, after the loss of Colonel Eyre and the officer next him in rank. When the garrison had ceased to resist, the Brit- ish officer at the head of the invaders inquired, " Who commands this fort ?" " I did," replied Colonel Ledyard, " but you do now ;" at the same time presenting him his sword. Instead of treat- ing him with humanity, he seized the weapon, plunged it into his bosom, and killed him. The soldiers, following this savage example, fell on the surviving prisoners, and slaughtered sixty or sev- enty of them. Not content with this, they placed the wounded men in a heap upon a cart, and rolled it down the steep hill on which the fort was built. It moved down with great force until it struck a tree, which stopped its career with a violent shock. Thus several of them were killed, and others se- verely bruised.
The conquerors then spread a train of gunpowder from the gate of the fort to the magazine, and re- tired, after touching it with fire. The train, how- ever, was by some means interrupted ; and this is reported to have been effected by a wounded sol: dier, who lay unobserved in the barracks, and, creeping out as fast as his exhausted strength would permit, lay across the train and soaked it with his blood.
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In the mean time, Arnold, having landed on the western side of the harbour about nine o'clock, with 800 men, proceeded from Brown's farm, near the present lighthouse, opposed by a few Americans, and soon had possession of New-London. The stores on the beach were set on fire, and the houses L L
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A CONGREGATION CAPTURED. [1781.
on Mill Cove: but, being fired upon by parties of our men, they at length began to retire, setting fire as they retreated to the buildings in their way. At four P.M. they began a precipitate retreat, and re- turned to their ships with the loss of five killed and about twenty wounded. A Hessian officer was made prisoner. The Americans lost four killed and ten or twelve wounded.
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