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 38
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Intelligence having reached the Assembly of the designs of the British to penetrate into New Jersey and Pennsylvania, all able-bodied men on the west side of the Connecticut River were called upon " to spring forward for the service & defence of their country," form them- selves into companies, choose their own officers, and march to Washing- ton's headquarters at Peekskill, their officers to be commissioned on the road by some of the field officers. They were granted a bounty of twenty shillings each from their captains to assist them on their march. "And may the God of armies inspire good people with zeal & resolution on this most interesting & hopeful occasion."t
Thaddeus Burr was appointed one of a committee to carry out this sign and " to rouse & animate the people to rise & exert themselves h the greatest expedition." All friends of the country were called tip. 1 " to lend every aid in their power to promote this great & good design." Men and youths who had not entered the army, or who had left it, independent of the train-bands, were now required to bear arnis from the age of sixteen to sixty; those exempt from ordinary training were to constitute an alarm list.# Only ministers, members of the General Assembly and of the Council of War, the president. tutors and students of Yale College, negroes. Indians and mulattoes were exempt. Men over fifty, millers and ferrymen were not required to march out of the State. The selectmen of each town were required to furnish a cor- rect list of the male population for the alarm list and deliver them to the commanding officer of the regiment to which they belonged; to be formed into companies to consist of about sixty-four privates, with one captain, one lieutenant and one ensign.$
One company of volunteers was stationed in each of the Sound towns. Fairfield was ordered to raise twenty men, commanded by a lieutenant and one sergeant. Lieutenant George Burr was placed in command of this contingent.||
* Rec. State Conn., I, 107. + Col. Rec. Conn., I, 108.
# Col. Rec. Conn., I, 109. $ Col. Rec. Conn., I, 92.
I Col. Rec. Conn., I, 119.
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Troops were also ordered to be raised, and a committee appointed for the defence of the State, and to assist the other New England State committees in driving the British from Rhode Island, and to open free communication with the army stationed in and about New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. The selectmen of each town were ordered to care for sick and infirm soldiers from any State passing through Con- necticut.
Reports of the inhuman manner in which the American troops were treated " who had unhappily fallen into the hands of the enemy in the last campaign, having suffered extreme hardships, distress & hunger cold & nakedness, & many thereby reduced to sickness; & the sick crowded in heaps, neglected & left to die for want of medicine or any reasonable care," it was resolved to investigate the facts of their condi- tion and report to the Governor, "that such steps might be taken to prevent the like injustice & cruelty in future." The commissary ap- pointed to care for prisoners was also required to make a report of the condition of prisoners brought into Connecticut .*
Captain Samuel Squire was ordered to apply to the treasurer for means to pay off the troops of General Wooster and Colonels Ward and Water- bury, which had been billeted on the inhabitants of Norwalk, Stamford and Greenwich, while on their march to New York in 1775 and 1776.+
General Wooster was appointed first major-general of the whole State militia, and Gold Sellick Silliman brigadier-general of the Fourth Bri- gade of the State militia. Abijah Sterling was commissioned captain of a train-band in Stratfield, in the Fourth Regiment.#
In order to meet the demands upon the State treasury a tax of four pence on the pound was levied on the taxable estates of the inhabitants of the list of 1775 with the additions to be collected and paid into the treasury on or before the roth day of May, 1777. §
The Assembly granted an appeal from Ezra Hawley and others of Stratford from their exposed condition for a guard of twenty-five men at New Field Harbor (Bridgeport), to be under the command of Lieu- tenant Aaron Hawley and two sergeants, with an order to receive from the foundry at Simsbury two cannon, four-pounders, to be mounted on proper carriages, with a sufficient quantity of shot and powder. Il
* Col. Rec. Conn., I, 121. + Col. Rec. Conn., I, 132.
# Rec. State Conn., I, 134, 136. | Rec. State Conn., I, 142.
§ Rec. State Conn., I, 139.
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1777. The Governor and Council of Safety met at Middletown, De- cember Sth. On January 10th Lieutenant Samuel Bartram of Black Rock, of the brig " Defence," was from infirmity dismissed from his office, and Lieutenant Samuel Smedley promoted to the office of first lieutenant. Captain Harding was ordered to sail on a cruise for three months, and in case he was not able to sail Lieutenant Smedley was to act in his place, and to join, if deemed advisable, with other privateers in an expedition against the vessels and wood-cutters at Shelter Island. Orders were also given for a distribution of the last prize taken by the brig " Defence.">
Letters were received from General Washington, dated January 10th, and from President Hancock, urging the utmost dispatch in filling up quotas to lie at the eastward of New York, to divert an expected attack upon Philadelphia.
On January 25th a distribution was ordered to be made from the sale of the prize ship " Sally " and schooners " Hancock " and " Eliza- beth," and after deducting to the commander-in-chief one-twentieth part of the net proceeds of cach, one-third of the remainder was ordered to be distributed to the agents of the crews of the "Defence " and the schooner " Spy."+
Lieutenant Isaac Burr represented to the Governor " that twenty new men were not enough for the service at Fairfield, & that the cannon, being double fortified 12-pounders, were too heavy to be managed by them." Five men more were at once added to the battery for one year. +
On the 28th of January the Rev. John Sayer, rector of the Church of England at Fairfield, having been sent to the Governor and Council. " as a person inimical and dangerous to the interests of the United States." it was resolved "to send Mr. Sayer to the Society of New Britain in Farmington, to be under the care of Col. Isaac Lee, from the limits of which place he was not to depart until further orders from the Governor & Council of Safety.">
On February 3d Thaddeus Burr, Esq .. was by letter requested to obtain ten tons of good, well-dressed flax for the State. Many persons outside the State applied for flax and rye, and were allowed to purchase hundreds of tons of flax in Fairfield County.
Lieutenant Samuel Smedley was promoted captain of the brig " De-
* Rec. State Conn., I, 156.
+ Rec. State Conn , I, 161.
# Rec. State Conn., I, 162.
§ Rec. State Conn., I, 164.
22
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fence " for a further cruise in place of Captain Harding, who from ill- health was retired from service .*
Orders were sent to Captain Squire and Mr. Thaddeus Burr to stop sending clothing to New York now needed in the State.
Smallpox having become prevalent in the army, by advice from Washington all troops raised for further service were by the Governor and Council ordered to be inoculated before joining the army, and each town was instructed to provide suitable hospitals for that purpose, at- tended by good physicians and good nurses, and great care taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
Lieutenant John Mills of Fairfield was appointed first lieutenant March Ist in Colonel Swift's regiment. At the same time he was al- lowed £16 16s. for money advanced by him for the defence of the harbor at Black Rock. He was soon after promoted captain of Colonel Swift's battalion.+
The military guard stationed at Fairfield was placed under the com- mand of Brigadier-General Silliman, and the selectmen of the town were given liberty to draw on the powder mill at New Haven for cannon and musket powder which they might necessarily require for the defence of the town.#
On March IIth the Governor, etc., ordered that a company of mat- trosses consisting of thirty-two men should be raised and stationed at Fairfield and parts adjacent, under Captain John Grinnell and other officers appointed by General Silliman.§
On the 15th of March six warriors from the Six Nations presented themselves to the Governor, etc., who were travelling through the State to obtain knowledge of the true condition of the country in the present war, so as to make a report to their several tribes. They were received with courtesy. The forenoon was occupied in delivering a speech to them, and they were presented " with a gun, a gun-lock and belt strings, etc., in token of friendship," the gun and lock being manufactured in Connecticut, " & given as a specimen of American workmanship."|
* Rec. State Conn., I, 168.
+ Rec. State Conn., I, 189.
# Rec. State Conn., I, 190.
§ Mattross, almost an obsolete word. A soldier in a train-band next to the gunner, to assist them in loading, firing, and sponging the guns. They carried fire-locks and marched with the store-wagons as guards and assistants. Sometimes sailors and marines who sleep in hanging-mats or hammocks were called mattrosses.
| Rec. State Conn., I, 192.
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On the 15th of March " A letter from a great house in France to his Honor the Governor, offering supplies, was communicated to the Governor & Council, & they appeared greatly pleased."*
In March. 1776, Silas Dean of Wethersfield and Arthur Lee had been sent by the Continental Congress to France, Prussia and Spain to make overtures for assistance in prosecuting the war in America. Soon after Dr. Benjamin Franklin was elected a commissioner of the Con- tinental Congress to conclude a treaty of friendship with the French Court. He sailed for France October 27th, reached Nantes December 13, 1776, and proceeded at once to Paris, "where he engrossed the whole attention of the public. People of all ranks paid court to him. His affability and complacent behaviour gained him the esteem of the greatest people in the kingdom."+
While France sympathized with America, it was not deemed expe- dient to lend any open assistance to Dean, Franklin and Lee, but she was only too pleased to render such secret assistance as she could against England. It was no wonder, therefore, that Governor Trumbull and his Council of War and Safety should be greatly pleased to hear of the success of Franklin and his associates, and to receive soon after " more than twenty thousand stands of arms & 1,000 barrels of powder."
The enthusiasm and sympathy of many of the French people for the American cause was great. The Marquis de La Fayette, then but twenty years of age, upon hearing of the Declaration of Independence became so deeply interested in the just cause of the United States that. against all public and private advice and hindrance, he secretly purchased a vessel and escaped from France with De Kalb and other friends, reach- ing Charleston in safety, and soon after joined General Washington.
On March 17th, by requisition of Washington, detachments from several Connecticut regiments were drafted and sent to Peekskill.
Vigorous steps were set on foot to fill the battalions for immediate service. As an inducement for men to enlist, the selectinen of each town were directed to oversee the needs of the families of volunteers, that they. as well as the poor, should be supplied with necessaries at the expense of the State.+
Letters from General Silliman, March 19th, were read of the alarm-
* Rec. State Conn., I, 193.
t Moore's Diary Revolution, 457. Penn. Journal, June 25, 1777.
# Rec. State Conn., I, 194.
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ing state of affairs at Fairfield from the enemy's ships on the Sound. At the same time General Silliman was instructed to purchase thirty tons of flax for the use of the colony .*
Two thousand men were ordered to march to Peekskill.
By demand of Captain Isaac Mills, Captain Samuel Squire was or- dered to furnish provisions for two armed vessels to cruise the Sound. One six-pound and one three-pound cannon were sent to the defence of Fairfield, and one six-pound and one three-pound cannon was sent to Lieutenant Aaron Hawley for the defence of Stratfield harbor. t
Joseph Hoit, Jr., and Benjamin Hoit, confined as Tories in the jail at Fairfield, were ordered to be released upon paying costs to Mr. Thad- deus Burr as sheriff.
General Silliman received orders, April 12th, from Governor Trum- bull, etc., to keep the utmost watchfulness over the enemy, " supposed to be collecting in New York, in order to push up the North River to destroy our magazines at Danbury & other places in those parts; & to raise his brigade for defence if he judged it needful, & to give notice to the Governor & Council of every alarming appearance of danger in his department." +
The quota not having been filled promised to the Continental Con- gress, Governor Trumbull issued a proclamation to the officers and in- habitants of each town in the State, to rally and to use every influ- ence and exertion to fill the Connecticut quota from each respective town, " which could not be neglected without the most imminent hazard, ruin & destruction of the State & Continent, which if not immediately filled, constant rotation of the Militia & Husbandmen must be called off, which would afford the dismal certain prospect of being devoured by a Famine." Every volunteer detached from the militia was offered a bounty of three pounds provided he enlisted until the following January. §
The overseers of the furnace at Salisbury, after supplying the order for cannon and shot to the army to the northward, were instructed to send the remainder to Hartford, New Haven and Fairfield, as the Gov- ernor should direct. Great care was taken to preserve the furnaces at Salisbury, and committees were appointed to inspect arms and ammuni- tion against fraud and imposition.
Captain James Smedley, of the brig "Defence," having taken two
* Rec. State Conn., I, 195.
# Col. Rec. Conn., I, 207.
+ Rec. State Conn., I, 200. § Col. Rec. Conn., I, 207.
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prize vessels and sent them into Boston and Dartmouth, Mr. Eliot, the Connecticut agent at Boston, on the 22d of April was instructed to at- tend to the care, value and distribution of said prizes. On the 25th letters to the Governor and Council were received, informing them that Captain Smedley had taken another prize vessel, "called the 'Grog.'" and taken it into Plymouth. Captain Smedley was reappointed " cap- tain of the brig . Defence,' and his commission sent to him."*
Pressing letters for troops to be sent to the northward were received from General Gates, representing the danger he was in from the enemy. and urging the Governor and Council to write to the States of Massa- chusetts and New Hampshire for new reinforcements.
On the 25th of April twenty-six sail of British ships appeared off Norwalk Islands, standing in for Cedar Point, where they anchored at four o'clock P. M., & soon began landing their troops. By ten o'clock they had landed two brigades of about 2000 men, & marched immediately for Danbury, where they arrived the next day at two o'clock P. M. Upon their approach a small band of Continental troops, unable to cope with so superior a force, securing a part of their stores & provisions, evacuated the town. The British upon their arrival began burning & destroying stores, houses, provisions. &c. Intelligence of their arrival spread quickly through the country. Early the next morning Brigadier- General Silliman, with about 500 militia, all that could be collected, pursued them. At Redding he was joined by Major-General Wooster & Brigadier-General Arnold. A heavy rain retarded the march of the provincials, so that they did not reach Bethel, a village two miles from Danbury, until eleven o'clock at night, much fatigued. & with their arms wet & useless. It was thought prudent to refresh the men & prepare for an attack of the enemy on their return. Early the next morning, while it was still raining, they were in motion. Two hundred men remained with General Wooster & about 400 were detached under General Arnold & General Silliman on the road leading to Norwalk. About 9 o'clock the next morning they learned that the British had taken the road leading to Norwalk. General Wooster pursued them, & came up with them about II o'clock. A smart skirmish ensued. Gen. Wooster, who fought with great bravery, was wounded in the groin, & it was feared mortally. By a forced march across the country Gen. Arnold reached Ridgefield about eleven o'clock with his small party of 400, & 100 more men who had joined them in their march, awaited the British, who were soon seen approaching with three field pieces in front & three in the rear, and with flank guards of about 200 men each. Upon discovering the Americans they began discharging their artillery, & were soon within musket shot, when the Americans, with great spirit & bravery, attacked them & held their own for about an hour, having raised a small breast-work across the way. behind which General Arnold with 200 men had taken post, with the rest being posted on his flanks, "who acted with great spirit." General Arnold's horse was shot under him. but he remained unhurt. He had only time to collect himself when he shot a British sol- dier advancing about two yards off with fixed bayonet. He then ordered a retreat amid a shower of grape shot.
In this action the British lost considerably, leaving about 30 dead & wounded on the ground, besides a number unknown buried. On the American side Lieut .- Col. Abraham
* Rec. State Conn., 1, 212, 213
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Gold was killed, one subaltern & several privates killed & wounded. It was found im- possible to rally our troops, & Gen. Arnold ordered a stand to be made at Sangatuck bridge, where the British were expected to pass.
At 9 o'clock on the morning of the 28th, about 500 men collected at the Saugatuck bridge, including part of Col. Lamb's battalion of artillery, with 3 field pieces, under com- mand of Lieut .- Col. Oswold; a field piece, with part of the artillery company from Fair- field, sixty Continental troops, & 3 companies of volunteers from New Haven, with whom Gens. Arnold & Silliman took post about 2 miles above the bridge. Soon after the British appeared in sight. Their rear was attacked by Col. Huntington, commanding a party of about 500 men, who sent to Gen. Arnold for instructions & for some officers to assist him. Gen. Silliman was ordered to his assistance. The enemy finding our troops advantageously posted, made halt, & after some little time wheeled to the left, & forded Saugatuck river three miles above the bridge. Gen. Arnold observing this motion, ordered the whole to march directly to the Bridge, in order to attack them in the flank, General Silliman at the same time attacking them in the rear. The British by running full speed had passed the bridge on the Fairfield side with their main body before our troops could cross it. General Silliman finding it impossible to overtake them on their route, proceeded to the bridge, where the whole were formed. They marched in two columns, with two field pieces on the right, the other on the left of the enemy, when a smart skirmishing & firing of field pieces ensued, which continued about 3 hours. The enemy having gained the high hills at Compo, several attempts were made to dislodge them, but without effect. Having landed a number of fresh troops to cover their embarkation, which they effected a little before sunset, they weighed anchor immediately, & stood across the Sound for Huntington on Long Island. Our loss cannot exactly be ascertained, no return being made; it is judged about sixty killed & wounded. Among the killed are one Lieutenant-Colonel, one captain, four subalterns, & Dr. David Atwater of New Haven, whose death is greatly lamented by his acquaintances. Among the number wounded are Col. John Lamb (of the artillery), Arnold, Bradley, & Timothy Gorham, volunteers from New Haven, though not mortally. The enemy's loss is judged to be more than double our number, & about 20 prisoners. They behaved on this occasion with their usual barbarity, wantonly & cruelly murdering the wounded prisoners who fell into their hands; & plundering the inhabitants, burning & destroying everything in their way."* Lieutenant Middlebrook was killed dur- ing the return of the British forces from Danbury.
" Major General David Wooster died May 3rd of the wounds he received in the battle of Danbury, Conn. He was a native of Stratford, where he was born March 2nd, 171I. He graduated at Yale College in 1738. He became a lieutenant in the Spanish war, & was promoted to become a captain of the armed vessel built by the General Assembly to guard the Connecticut coast. He was afterwards a captain in Col. Burr's regiment in 1745, in the expedition against Louisburg, & after its reduction he was sent to France with, a part of the prisoners taken there. He afterwards went to England, where he was honored with a captaincy in Sir William Pepperell's regiment. After peace was declared he received his half pay. Upon the renewal of the war with France in 1755 he was appointed colonel & commander of a brigade. Although employed on half pay from Great Britain, upon the opening of the Revolution in 1774 his love of country led him to espouse the American cause. Immediately after the Battle of I.exington the General Assembly of Connecticut appointed him chief in command of the forces being raised; & the same summer he was commissioned brigadier-general in the Continental service. After receiving his commission
* Connecticut Journal, April 30, 1777, and Pennsylvania Journal, May 14, 1777.
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he was sent in 1775 to assist in guarding New York against an expected landing of British troops. He was afterwards sent with his troops into Canada, & assisted in the reduction of St. Johns, Montreal, &c. After the death of General Montgomery he was appointed to the chief command of that province. Upon his return to Connecticut, he was appointed first major-general of the Connecticut militia. He had spent an active winter at the head of a body of men raised to protect the State in 1777, & had only just returned when, on Saturday, the 26th of April, he received intelligence of the landing of the British forces at Compo. He set out for Fairfield without delay, leaving orders for his troops to be mnus- tered & sent forward immediately. Upon his arrival at Fairfield he learned that General Silliman had marched with his forces in pursuit of the British; & following him with all expedition, overtook him at Redding, where he had command of the forces which had been raised, & rested the same evening at Bethel, where it was decided to divide the troops, a part of which was sent off under the command of Generals Arnold & Silliman & the remainder were retained by General Wooster, which he led on in pursuit of the British to Ridgefield, overtaking them about 4 o'clock on the Sabbath. Although he had but about two hundred men under him, he resolved to attack the enemy at once, & led his forces on himself with unflinching courage; but his militia were mostly inexperienced men, & the enemy having control of several field pieces, although his men fought bravely, doing con- siderable execution, they were forced to give way. While rallying his forces to renew the attack a musket ball from about fifty rods distant struck him obliquely in the back & broke his backkbone." An effort was made to find the ball, but without any success. He was attended by Dr. Turner and carefully conveyed back to Danbury, where he had every care and attention. It was soon discovered that the lower part of his body was paralyzed. Finally, alive to his condition, he met his death bravely, having lived and died one of the bravest and most honored of Connecticut's sons. Finding it impossible to convey his re- mains back to New Haven to be interred there, he was buried at Danbury .*
The remains of Colonel Abraham Gold were conveyed to his home in Fairfield by his officers and men. His untimely death was deplored by the town and State. Descended from a long line of illustrious men, who had been among the chief statesmen and military leaders of Con- necticut, he fell lamented as the scion of a brave race and honored as a wise statesman and a gallant Christian soldier. He died in the forty- fourth year of his age, and was buried in Burial Hill Cemetery at Fair- field. Over his grave is a handsome stone, erected by his son, Jason Gold, in honor of his distinguished father. His silver-mounted sword has been kept in the family of his grandson, Abraham Gold Jennings of Brooklyn, L. I., while his sash and military coat are to be seen in the Trumbull Gallery of New Haven.t
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