USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > The history of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, from the settlement of the town in 1639 to 1818, Vol. II > Part 34
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General Gage in a haughty spirit of defiance denied the right of the colonies to question the acts of the British Parliament, or any usurpa- tion of his control under its authority. Owing to the beleaguered con- dition of Boston by the armed force which had so suddenly surrounded that city, he hinted that he had reason to begin his warfare on seaports " who are at the mercy of the fleet." In fact, he declared himself " to be the defender of all his Majesty's oppressed subjects in America."+
The General Assembly held its usual session May IIth. Mr. Jonathan Sturges and Captain Samuel Squire represented Fairfield. Ebenezer Silliman was appointed for the last time Judge of the Probate Court of Fairfield.
An order was given for issuing fifty thousand pounds of bills of credit on the colony, equal to lawful money, dated June 1, 1775, and made pay- able June, 1778, to redeem which a tax of seven pence was levied on all polls and taxable estates in the colony on the list of October, 1776, with the additions to be paid into the treasury June, 1778.
The embargo laid upon several articles in April was extended until * Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 14, p. 435. + Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XIV, pp. 440-444.
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August. A large order was made for all sorts of army implements- tents, drums, fifes and necessary apparatus. Each of the six regiments under orders were given six standards, to be distinguished by their color : the Ist regiment yellow, 2d green, 3d scarlet, 4th crimson, 5th white, and the 6th azure.
A premium of five shillings was offered for every stand of arms, and one shilling and sixpence for every good gun-lock manufactured in the colony before October 20th. Committees were appointed to carry out these orders. A premium of ten pounds was also offered for every fifty pounds of saltpetre, and five pounds for every hundred pounds of sul- phur manufactured in the colony within one year .*
In passing laws for calling out troops to defend the country a most touching summary of what our ancestors had done for the colonies from the beginning was set forth by the Assembly, showing :
" How wisely they had governed the colonies : how parliament had recently usurped their chartered rights, by which the port of Boston had been closed ; the charter of Massa- chusetts subverted & destroyed; the Roman Catholic religion established in the country; their fisheries proscribed to a limited degree ; all petitions of redress scoffed at & treated with contempt by his Majesty's ministers of State; the refusal to surrender our just rights, liberties & immunities have been styled Rebellion ; & fleets & army sent into the neighbor- ing Colony to force them into submission ; & by acts of vengeance from the British troops, a standing army forced upon them; the peaceable inhabitants of Boston had been driven from their houses; that they had imbued their hands with the blood of our countrymen, which acts & relations tended to force & to terrify all the colonies into submission to Parliamentary taxation, by which: 'Our liberties, our lives & property will become pre- carious & dependent upon the will of men over whom we can have no check or control '- 'religion, property, personal safety, learning, arts, public & private virtue, social happiness, & every blessing attendant on liberty will fall victim to the principles & measures advanced & pursued against us; whilst shameless vice, infidelity, irreligion, abject dependence, ignorance, superstition, meanness, servility & the whole train of despotism present them- selves to our view in melancholy prospect.' That the Colony of Connecticut having always & freely yielded to the British Parliament the regulation of our external commerce for British interests & benefit-excluding every idea of taxation for raising a revenue without our consent ; that the colonies claimed only a right to regulate our internal police & government : & are most desirous of peace & deprecate the horrors of war ; yet, while they see military preparations against them at hand, & the hopes of peace & harmony placed at a greater distance, being fully determined never to make a voluntary sacrifice of their rights, not knowing how soon parliament & ministerial vengeance may be directed against them immediately, as it is now against the Province of Massachusetts Bay, who are suffering in the common cause of British America, trusting in the justice of their canse & the righteous providence of Almighty God for the restoration of quiet & peace; or for success in their efforts for their defence, have thought it their duty to raise troops for the defence of their Colony." +
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XV, pp. 14, 15.
+ Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 18.
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The Assembly then proceeded to make regulations for the govern- ment of the officers and troops, which included fifty-three Articles of War. " These articles were substantially the same as those adopted by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress April 15, 1775."*
Having learned that a design had been formed by the British min- istry to make an invasion from Quebec upon the northern colonies, by which the inhabitants residing in the vicinity of Ticonderoga would be exposed to various incursions, the Assembly, "impelled by a just regard for their own preservation," resolved to take possession of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, in which forts it was known that there was a large supply of cannon and military stores.t
This undertaking was successfully carried out. Ticonderoga was taken May 10th by Colonel Ethan Allen, Captain Seth Warner and Cap- tain Baker, assisted by Benedict Arnold, with sixteen men from Connecti- cut, forty or fifty from Berkshire County, Mass., and about one hundred from Bennington, Vermont, without the loss of a man. Forty-seven British privates with their officers and families, were taken prisoners and sent to Hartford. Captain Seth Warner, assisted by Captain Baker, followed up this victory by taking Crown Point. By these victories a large quantity of cannon, small-arms and ball were taken, which proved of inestimable value, particularly during the siege of Boston.
It was resolved by the Assembly that as the officers and soldiers taken at Ticonderoga and Crown Point had been sent into Connecticut as prisoners of war, " the dictates of humanity required that they & their families should be provided for & supported while they remained in the Colony." A committee was appointed to take care of them and see " that they were treated with humanity, kindness & respect, according to their rank & station "; and to encourage them " to secure profitable labor from any one who would employ them, until the Continental Con- gress should dispose of them.
Thaddeus Burr, with Charles Church Chandler & Gurdon Saltonstall, were employed as News Carriers by stage to & from Fairfield to Wood- stock; & from New London to New Haven on the Fairfield stage; & that they forward with all convenient dispatch each way all proper news, as well as 'all extraordinary intelligence.'"*
A Council of War was appointed to assist Governor Trumbull when
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XV, pp. 22-31. + Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XV, p. 32. # Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XV, p. 32.
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the Assembly was not in session in directing the marches and stations of the army and for the special defence of the colony. All commissions for officers, chaplains and surgeons were ordered dated May 1, 1775. It was voted to borrow five hundred pounds of powder from the adjacent towns to be sent to Ticonderoga and Crown Point with the utmost expe- dition, under the care of Colonel James Easton. Two hundred pounds was also granted Colonel Easton to defray the expenses of conveying the powder to Ticonderoga and to pay other necessary expenses .*
Gold Sellick Silliman was appointed colonel of the Fourth Regiment of militia, in place of Colonel John Read resigned. John Sherwood was made captain, Samuel Seeley lieutenant, and Najah Bennett ensign of the twelfth company in the Fourth Regiment. Thaddeus Bennet was made captain, Edward Burroughs lieutenant and Abijah Sterling ensign of the third company of the Fourth Regiment.+
Messrs. Thaddeus Burr, Nathaniel Wales and Pierpont Edwards were appointed commissioners to attend the Provincial Congress of New Jersey and of New York, "to procure intelligence of the measures that might be adopted by them respecting the common cause of the British Colonies; to communicate to them the measures which had been taken by Con- necticut, & to cultivate the friendship & harmony subsisting between those Provinces & this Colony." Messrs. Wales and Burr appeared be- fore the New York Congress May 24th. Pierpont Edwards proceeded to Trenton May 29th.+
" A letter dated May I from General Gage had fallen into the hands of the patriots of New York, from which it was discovered that a plot had been set on foot to seize the members of the Continental Congress & to take them as prisoners to England. In con- sequence every patriot was ready to defend the members of the approaching Congress. About 8000 troops assembled in Philadelphia fully armed & equipped for any emergency. On the 5 of May Benjamin Franklin arrived at Philadelphia from London. On the 6 the Connecticut delegates, the Honorables Eliphalet Dyer. Roger Sherman Esqr. & Silas Deane Esqr., having set out for the Congress, passed through Fairfield, & were met a few miles out of New York by a great number of the principal gentlemen of that city in carriages & on horseback. & escorted by them into the city. & by near a thousand men under arms. The roads were lined with a great number of people. Their arrival was announced by the ringing of bells & other demonstrations of joy. They had double sen- tries placed at the doors of their lodging houses." $
"On May 8th the eastern delegates were joined by those of New York & King's County & set out with them for Philadelphia, attended by a great train to the North
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XV, pp. 40-48. + Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, pp. 42, 45, 48.
# Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 83.
§ Rivington's Gazette. Frank Moore's Diary of American Revolution.
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River Ferry, where two or three sloops & a number of other vessels were provided for them. About five hundred gentlemen & two hundred militia under arms crossed the Ferry with them." They reached Philadelphia " May 24, & were met six miles outside the city by the officers of all the military companies in the city, & many gentlemen on horseback, in all about five hundred. When within two miles of the city they were joined by a company of riflemen & infantry with a band of music, who conducted them through the principal streets of the city to their lodgings amid the acclamations of near fifteen thousand people." *
The second Continental Congress assembled May 10th, at Philadel- phia. Unwilling to enter into war, and hoping that a peaceable settle- ment might yet be made with Great Britain, the first action of this Con- gress was " That while raising the sword in one hand, to extend the olive branch with the other "; to address a loyal and earnest appeal to the King, as well as to Parliament, assuring both that if their wrongs were redressed " they were willing to forget the sufferings & oppression to which they had been subjected."
Having done all that men of high-minded, conscientious and patriotic lovers of right and of independence and sound judgment could offer, they proceeded to place the country in an attitude of defence; to organ- ize an army and to appoint military officers.
On the 15th of June Colonel George Washington was appointed by the united voice of the Congress " Commander-in-chief of the army al- ready raised & to be raised for the defence of the American liberties." Artemus Ward of Massachusetts Bay, Charles Lee of Virginia, Philip Schuyler of Albany, New York, and Israel Putnam of Connecticut were appointed major-generals, and ten brigadier-generals, among whom were Gates, Green, Montgomery and Sullivan.
Three million pounds in bills of credit were ordered to be issued.
While this important congress was in session Governor Trumbull and his committee of war and of safety met at Lebanon, June 7th, and gave orders for supplies and fifty pounds of powder to be sent forward to the Connecticut troops at the camp near Boston under Brigadier-Generals Spencer and Putnam.+
A gun-lock invented by Uri Hanks of Mansfield was accepted, and an order for fifty was given, to be quickly made.#
News of the battle of Breeds and Bunker Hill reached the Governor
* Frank Moore's Diary of American Revolution, p. 36. Holt's Journal, Pennsylvania Journal, and Virginia Gazette.
+ Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 84. # Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 87.
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on the evening of June 18th, who, with his war committee, ordered tents and clothing already purchased to be forwarded immediately, and that the poor tent-makers from Boston be employed to make enough for General Putnam's regiment. The powder also sent from New York and lodged at Stamford was ordered to be dispatched to Boston .*
The Battle of Breeds Hill and of Bunker Hill was largely sustained by the Connecticut forces stationed on Prospect Hill under Generals Put- nam and Spencer. They had been warned by sentries stationed on Winter Hill of the advance of the British. General Putnam without a moment's delay set out to reinforce the colonial forces on Bunker Hill, who fought with fierce courage until their ammunition gave out. So terrible was this battle that General Howe remarked: "I never saw or heard of such a carnage in so short a time." +
Meanwhile the Province of New York had requested Governor Trum- bull to send a sufficient force to hold Crown Point and Ticonderoga until they could raise forces for that purpose.
A London writer remarked: "Though the American soldiery may not be so well disciplined as the King's troops, yet it must be considered there is a very considerable difference between a man who is fighting for his natural liberty & the man who fights because he is paid. The former defends himself in a just cause, the latter is the mere dupe of power. The former is animated by the zeal of his attachment to the public weal, the latter has no attachments at all, except to his pay for slaughter & blood-shed."#
The battle of Bunker Hill served to convince General Gage and his officers that while the colonial forces were without the discipline or equip- ment of a long standing army, they were as brave as young eagles de- fending their homes, their country and their liberty.
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 87.
+ When the British landed on the morning of June 17th, they saw the New England flag floating over their entrenchments raised during the night, which consisted of a white field with a green pine-tree in the centre, denoting the sturdy character of the New England people. When General Putnam marched from Prospect Hill to meet the advancing columns of the British he raised the crimson flag of the Connecticut Fourth Regiment. "Shortly before this he had been presented with a crimson flag bearing the motto on one side : 'An Appeal to Heaven,' and on the reverse side : 'Qui Transtulit Sustinet' (He who transplanted will sustain us)." This ban- ner was used by the Connecticut forces after the Battle of Lexington when driving the British out of Boston. "In Trumbull's celebrated picture of the Battle of Bunker Hill, it appears that Put- nam had placed upon the old red flag, in place of the British Union, the first flag of the Massachu- setts cruisers, a white field with a pine tree in the centre."-Our Flag, by A. N. Whitmarsh, M. A.
# Moore's Diary of the American Revolution.
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Governor Trumbull and his committee of war remained at Lebanon awaiting further news from Boston. On June 20th they ordered " General Wooster to send two of his companies to New London, and march with his remaining seven companies & all of Col. Waterbury's regiment to within five miles of New York (they expecting the arrival of British troops) & be under the direction of the General & Provincial Congress."
General Washington and General Lee set out on June 23d from Phila- delphia to take command of the American army at Massachusetts Bay. "They were accompanied into New York by nine companies of foot & a great number of gentlemen." All along their journey they were met with acclamations of hearty welcome by the people. They were enter- tained at the hospitable mansion of the Hon. Thaddeus Burr while pass- ing through Fairfield. The Rev. Dr. Ripley of Green's Farms joined Washington and escorted him as far as Stratford.
The next day, June 24th, General Tryon arrived in New York from London, and was warmly welcomed by the Tories of that city.
On the same day General Wooster, with his seven companies and Colonel Waterbury's entire regiment, in all about eighteen hundred men, reached their post near New York. In these companies were Captains David Dimon and John Sherwood, Lieutenant Samuel Seeley, besides some of the troops raised in Stratfield, Greenfield, Norfield, Green's Farms and Reading. From every parish of Fairfield, men and boys of over fourteen, eagerly filled the ranks of each company under commis- sioned and non-commissioned officers. Coast guards along Long Island Sound from the Pequonnock River to the western limits of the Sauga- tuck paced their nightly round of duty, watching for the enemy, forag- ing for live stock, provision or grain. Yet while thus guarding their coast, the eyes of all Fairfield were turned towards Boston in the terrible ordeal which their relatives and friends in that city had and were still passing through, and receiving in heartfelt delight those who had escaped to them for refuge. Grain of all kinds was prepared by the mills on Mill River, the Saugatuck and Aspetuck for the use of the army. The Pen- field Mills not only ground grain, but baked large supplies of bread, which was forwarded to our troops, as well as to the other troops and the inhabitants of Boston. The blacksmiths repaired gun-locks, and with the jewelers and private families moulded shot and balls, of which there was a great scarcity. The spirit of independence pervaded the
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life of the patriotic women of Fairfield, for around the besieged city of Boston many of their sons were fighting the enemy of their peace with unrelenting bravery. The spirit of devotion to the cause in which their husbands and sons had engaged had kindled each true woman's heart with a lofty purpose to render every possible assistance to further the cause of independence. Early and late their carding and spinning-wheel furnished long hanks of dyed blue, red and gray yarn, linen, homespun cloth, blankets, tow-cloth, nankeen, knitted stockings and mittens for their soldier lads. From Black Rock harbor, Stratfield, Mill River and Saugatuck issued privateers and boats to seize the enemy's vessels on the Sound, and to capture their foraging boatmen. Tory sympathizers with the British were closely watched, and threats of no mild character used towards them. So great had been the drain of troops from the town for Boston and New York that there was left but a poor defence in case of attack.
On the Ist of July the General Assembly met at Hartford. Two more regiments, consisting of fourteen hundred men of ten companies cach. exclusive of commissioned officers, were ordered to be enlisted and equipped for the defence of the colony .*
Dr. Francis Forgue of Fairfield was commissioned surgeon of the new Seventh Regiment, and Ebenezer Beardslee and Isaac Swift sur- geon's-mates :+
It was resolved that " two vessels should be fitted out & armed with a proper number of cannon, swivel-guns & small arms, & furnished with necessary warlike stores, well officered and manned, for the defence of the sea-coast."#
On the 6th of July the Continental Congress issued an able manifesto, giving reasons for taking up arms. A line of posts for the furtherance of communications and intelligence was given to the superintendence of Benjamin Franklin, which line of mile-stones are still to be seen on the old post road through Fairfield. The danger of sending provisions and ammunition by water made this provision necessary.s
The Congress also decided to make an attack upon Canada. They were aware that large stores of ammunition had been collected at Quebec. of which the colonies were in great need, and it was hoped the Canadians
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 93.
+ Col. Rec. Conn .. Vol. 15, p. 94.
+ Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 99.
§ Quackenbos, Hist. U. S. A .. p. 215. Appendix-Post Roads.
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would join the colonies in resisting British aggression. An army was, therefore, ordered to be prepared and placed under the command of General Montgomery. None of the troops to be raised were to be dis- tinguished as the troops of any one particular colony, but as the forces of " The United Colonies of North America," to be paid and supported accordingly. Georgia, which had not at first joined the union of the other colonies, decided on the 15th of July to do so, and sent five dele- gates to Congress, one of whom was Lyman Hall, who had removed from Stratfield in 1752 to South Carolina, and afterwards to the parish of St. Johns, belonging to the colony of Georgia. Thus were all the colonies united in one common cause.
Forty half barrels of powder were ordered by the direction of Con- gress to be forwarded out of the stores of New Haven and Fairfield. Governor Trumbull and his war council also readily responded to the demands of Congress, and ordered fifteen thousand pounds in bills of credit to be loaned and delivered to Walter Livingston at the request of General Schuyler .* Fifty thousand more bills of credit were ordered to be printed, dated July, 1775, and payable December, 1779, to redeem which a tax of seven pence on the pound was levied on all polls and tax- able estates in the colony. +
Provisions were for a short time allowed to be purchased in the counties of Litchfield and Fairfield and sent to General Schuyler, but the drain became so great that an embargo was laid soon after upon grain and provisions for the relief of the towns. Every available piece of lead was secured for making bullets and shot. By order of General Waslı- ington, Governor Trumbull was requested to furnish all the tow-cloth to be had, " to make shirts or short coats for a uniform dress for the army, &c., & to send a sample made up with a cape, ruffles, &c." Accordingly, " the commissaries in the colony received orders to purchase all the tow-cloth they can procure."
While Fairfield was liberally furnishing her share of provisions, stores and clothing, and forwarding them for the troops gathered around Bos- ton, and to Albany for the invasion of Canada, an event of a far happier character had been arranged to take place at the home of the Hon. Thaddeus Burr. Miss Dorothy Quincy, a daughter of Edmund Quincy, Esq., of Boston, during the siege of that city, had been sent to the pro-
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XV, pp. 100, IOI. t Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. IOI. # Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 15, p. 115.
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tection of Mr. Burr. The Hon. John Hancock, although president of the Continental Congress, found time to turn from his duties and to repair to Mr. Burr's mansion to claim his promised bride. In the even- ing of the 24th of August Mr. Hancock and Miss Dorothy Quincy, in the presence of a large assembly of their friends and relatives, were mar- ried by the Rev. Andrew Elliot .*
Connecticut having sent into the field more men and money than her just proportion to the other colonies, made a demand in September on the Continental Congress for the sums of fifteen thousand pounds lawful money, and fifty thousand in bills of credit loaned to General Schuyler by order of Congress. They sent agents to Philadelphia to collect it, which money was paid into the treasury at Hartford in October and November in Continental money.+
Meanwhile General Washington, from the time of his arrival in Bos- ton, had found a large body of patriotic but undisciplined troops, which he set about drilling and equipping for active service. He found that willing hearts made obedient soldiers, and in a short time his heart was cheered by a well-disciplined army. On September 14th he sent a peremptory order that all the remainder of the last raised troops in Connecticut be forthwith sent to his camp near Boston. Although Gov- ernor Trumbull and his council thought it imprudent to draw off so many men at this time, who were engaged in throwing up works and defences on the Sound coast, the troops were given orders to march without delay to General Washington's camp. Fifty other men were enlisted and equipped to take their places and to continue fortifying the coast against the attacks of the enemy, who were hovering about and had given much trouble by " furiously bombarding Stonington."+
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