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 45
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It is related of "Captain Caleb Brewster of Black Rock, who with 3 whale-boats about midway of the Sound against Fairfield met 3 of the enemy's boats, when an en- gagement commenced. The boat that opposed Brewster had a small piece & was to leeward; there was a fresh gale, & Brewster reserving his fire till within 8 or 10 rods of Hoyt poured in a broadside & then another, & boarded; there was a large Irishman in the enemy's boat, who walked several times fore & aft brandishing his broadsword, till Hassel- ton, a mighty fellow from the State of Massachusetts, snatched it from him & cut his throat from ear to ear; he died immediately. Capt. Brewster being wounded was several times struck on the back with the steel rammer of a gun by Hoyt. On board of Hoyt's boat all but one were killed or wounded. In Brewster's boat 4 were wounded-one (Judson Sturges) mortally. Another of our boats had a swivel which killed 2 men at one shot in another of the enemy's boats, & they immediately surrendered; the enemy's third boat escaped."*
It has also been related of Captain Brewster, that before sailing on a privateering cruise his wife had presented him with twelve new linen shirts. His ship or boat was taken by the enemy. Brewster darted down into the cabin, lashed his new shirts to his back, returned to the deck, and jumping overboard swam to the shore.
"Capt. Brewster was also at the capture of Thomas, who commanded a privateer of the enemy mounting 14 guns, & manned with 35 men. Our vessel had about 70 men. The enemy hailed & ordered them to bring to. 'Aye, aye, presently.' 'Bring to, I say.' 'Aye, aye.' And running their bowsprit across them about midships, the sailing master, Hezekiah Gold, exclaimed : 'Strike, strike - - -, or I'll sink you.' Of the enemy 9 were killed & 5 wounded, not one of ours was hurt; they were taken off Stratford- point & carried into Black Rock; they had taken 2 row-boats bearing the Continental flag that morning & had the men in their hold."t
A County Convention, which had been agreed upon, was held at Redding on the Ioth of August, 1779.
The committee from Fairfield consisted of Thaddeus Burr, Esq., Messrs. Peter Perry, Ebenezer Silliman, Samuel Odell, Nathan Seely, Thomas Nash, Joseph Wakeman, James Bennet, David Wakeman, Heze- kiah Bradley, Albert Sherwood, Daniel Duncan, Benjamin Dean, Eph. Lyon, Nathan Wheeler, Jr., David Silliman, L. Nathan Williams.
The General Assembly met at Hartford, October 14th. Captain
* Wheeler Journal, Related by Captain Brewster. Caleb Brewster was a descendant of Rodger Ludlow and Elder Brewster. A descendant of the latter, Rev. Nathaniel Brewster, married Lud_ low's daughter Sarah and settled at Brookhaven, L. I., in 1665 .- See Vol. I, Hist. Fairfield, 319.
+ William Wheeler's Journal .- Related to him "by John Skinner, a soldier who was present."
1779]
399
THE WAR OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Samuel Squire and Captain Samuel Wakeman represented Fairfield. One of the first acts passed was that owing to the burning of the jail at Fairfield all criminals from the town should be sent to the county jails of New Haven or Litchfield .*
Intelligence from General Washington of the hourly expected arrival of the Count D'Estaing with an armament from France, and the im- portance of raising troops to cooperate with his forces against the enemy for the speedy reduction of New York and on the coast of the United States, the Assembly voted to immediately raise, arm and equip four thousand militia, including the two regiments already raised in May. The newly-raised men were to be formed into six regiments or battalions. They were drafted from the Second, Sixth and Fourth Brigades to form one brigade, to be placed under the command of Brigadier-General An- drew Ward, and to serve the United States under the command of General Washington.t For the sustenance of these troops and those under the Count D'Estaing, by request of General Washington, it was voted to raise fourteen thousand bushels of rye or meslin, 3.500 of which was to be supplied by Fairfield County and 475 of which was to be from the town of Fairfield. +
A tax of six shillings on the pound was levied on the polls and tax- able estates in the State for 1778.x
Mr. Thaddeus Burr presented a memorial from the inhabitants of Fairfield for some compensation for their great loss by the burning of the town. A committee was appointed "to make an estimate of the losses of every individual in Fairfield . to abate the taxes either in whole or in part." |
At a meeting of the Governor and Council of Safety at Lebanon. November 23d, a letter was read from General Washington of the de- feat of the Count D'Estaing and General Lincoln's forces at Savannah, October 9th, that the Count was slightly wounded in the arm and legs and that Count Pulaski had been killed: in consequence of which the order for raising four thousand militia was countermanded.
While Fairfield and the neighboring towns were suffering from the devastation of the British, on the 15th of July General Washington re- solved to recover the fortifications of Stony Point and Verplanck at
* Rec. State Conn. I, 404. + Rec. State Conn. I. 406.
$ Rec. State Conn., 2, 413.
+ Rec. State Conn., 2, 409. | Rec. State Conn., 2, 423. Appendix No. 2.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
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King's Ferry on the Hudson, which had been taken by the British June Ist. This was accomplished under the command of General Wayne on the night of the 15th of July. By this victory the regular communica- tions between the east and west were recovered. The British loss was 63 killed and 543 taken prisoners, while that of the United States forces were 15 killed and 83 wounded. Wayne destroyed this fort before the British could have time to attack him and retreated, for which gallant action Congress awarded him a gold medal.
In August General Sullivan with 5,000 men devastated and destroyed the Indian villages of the Iroquois from the Susquehanna to the Genesee, " thus inflicting a merciless attack upon them for their butcheries at Wyoming, where no mercy had been shown by the hatchet & none by the fire-brand."
Another expedition was sent by the British against Virginia under General Mathews, who with 2,500 men took possession of Portsmouth and Norfolk, where he destroyed naval ships, other vessels and private property valued at two million dollars, " carrying off a large quantity of tobacco."
Meanwhile Spain had joined the alliance against England, hoping to regain Gibraltar. Her ships united with those of France swept the British seas, inflicting great loss and damage.
During these exciting events a spirit of revenge for the burning of Fairfield inflamed the breasts of the inhabitants, and many daring deeds against the enemy were undertaken.
The trials through which our brave grandsires and their heroic wives and children passed only nerved them to greater strength of will and purpose in the maintenance of the cause of liberty. Like the Phoenix of old, which, rising out of the ashes of the dead bird, soared away to lay the old nest upon the altar of the sun, and then returned to build itself a new nest, so the brave sons of Fairfield, having laid their dear old home nests upon the altar of fire, returned to build new homes, around the hearths of which their children and children's children should relate the trials and the courage of their brave sires.
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CHAPTER XV
1780-1790
END OF REVOLUTION. FREEDOM OF UNITED STATES
1780-Severity of winter .- General Assembly Officers .- Embargo on Provisions .- Recruits and bounty .- Hartford sends money to Fairfield sufferers .- Order to exchange prisoners,-Fourth Regiment officers .- Payment of Bills of Credit .- New issue of Bills of Credit .- Taxes - Order to borrow money on State credit .- Effort to sustain State credit .- Tax to rebuild Fair- field Court-house .- Legal rights granted to holder of French estates in America .- Bills of Congress and Connecticut made legal tender .- Jonathan Buckley's petition for release as British prisoner granted .- Value of estates at Fairfield .- Order to exchange General Silliman and other prisoners .- Mrs. Silliman's account of the exchange .- Ammunition sent to Fairfield. -Exchange of grain, etc., with Boston for building materials -Depreciation of currency .- Efforts to relieve the depression .- Tax at Fairfield .- Account of currency by W. Wheeler .- Causes of depreciation .- Efforts of the British to sustain a spirit of cheerfulness .- Its failure. -Patriotism of American women .- Congress calls upon Connecticut for supplies .- Large bounties offered for recruits .- Supplies of food, etc., from Fairfield -Indians of Golden IJill. -The visit of Major Talmage to Fairfield and his victory at Fort George, L. I .- Capt. Caleb Brewster's brave deeds .- Victories of Paul Jones .- Money and articles sent from Hartford to Fairfield sufferers .- Companies sent from Fairfield to assist Greenwich .- Destruction and plunder of privateers -Burning of mills at Mill Plain .- Troops raised for Continental army. -General Washington's visit to Wethersfield with French Counts to carry on war .- Treason of Benedict Arnold .- Capture of Major Andre .- Patriotism and industry of Fairfield women .- 1781 .- Washington's efforts to clothe and provide for army .- Death of Gen. Israel Putnam .- Agent sent from Connecticut to borrow money from France .- March Ist. Final ratification of articles of confederation between States .- Great rejoicing .- Fairfield officers .- Resolve to regain the South .- Battle of Cowpens, King's Mountain, Guilford Court-house, and Eutaw Springs .- Brilliant victories of General Green .- Plundering of Cornwallis and Arnold in Vir- ginia .- General Lafayette's forces in Virginia .- Washington's plan for taking New York .- Ilis resolve to march to Virginia .- The French fleet in Chesapeake Bay .- Clinton's attack on Tarrytown -Benedict Arnold's attack on New London .- Washington reaches Yorktown .- Position of the French army and fleet .- Position of the American army .- Bravery of Connecti- cut troops .- Duke of Lauzun prevents Cornwallis' escape .- Storming of Yorktown .- Surrender of Cornwallis .- Accounts of the surrender .- Great rejoicing throughout the country .- General Clinton's tardy effort too late .- Washington's proclamation of pardon to criminals .- Washing- ton appoints day of thanksgiving and prayer for victory -Signing articles of peace at Versailles and l'aris .- Boundaries of the United States established .- Fisheries secured .- Washington's proclamation of peace .- Disbands his army .- Fairfield officers belonging to the Order of Cin- cinnati .- British evacuate New York .- Bravery of Fairfield troops and energetic loyalty towards independence .- Fairfield town meeting .- Tories not allowed to return .- Rebuilding of Congregational and Episcopal churches, private residences, Academy, and jail .- Equal rights granted to all classes of Christians .- Sale of Connecticut land west of Pennsylvania granted to the support of churches and schools .- First newspaper of Fairfield .- Newfield's
26
402
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1780
(Bridgeport) rapid growth .- Fairfield a centre of legal and intellectual culture .- Gentlemen of note.
1780. The winter of 1780 was one of great severity. "The severe cold quieted in some measure our fears from an attack; & made the enemy in New York tremble in their turn for fear our men should march on the ice & attack them; & affording us a long season of sleighing. Thus graciously did a kind Providence favour & defend us from an un- relenting foe, till they were tired out."*
The General Court assembled by a special order from Governor Trumbull January 6th. Captains Samuel Squire and Samuel Wakeman were present as deputies from Fairfield.
An embargo was laid upon all provisions and cattle driven or taken out of the State, except for the use of American vessels and for the army.
An act was passed for the gradual abolition of slavery in Connecticut in January of this year, 1780.
" Be it enacted by the Governor, Council & Representatives in the General Court assembled & by the Authorities of the same, that no Negro, Indian or Mulatto child, under seven years old, or who shall from the passing of this act be born within this State, who is or might, unless by operation of this act, be repealed, a servant for life, shall by any inhabitants of this State be held in slavitude longer than until when he or she shall attain the age of twenty-eight years. But shall at that age be forever discharged from such servitude; & the owner of such negro or mulatto who shall be discharged by this act shall no longer be held, or subject for his or her maintenance or support any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.
" That no inhabitant of the State who is or claims to be the proprietor or owner of such Indian, negro or mulatto, shall sell, give or dispose of such servant whatsoever for any term after this act, until he or she shall arrive at the age of 28. Alid every sale & disposition contrary to this act shall be null & void. And every person making such sale & disposition shall incur a penalty of 500 pounds lawful money in silver coin, Past in the upper house.
" GEORGE WYLLYS, Sec."
A further act was passed that no Indian, negro or mulatto now living in the State should be sold beyond the limit of the State, under a penalty of 200 pounds lawful money in solid coin .- State Archives-Revolutionary War-Slaves, Vol. XXXVII, 1789.
September 29, 1788. At the annual meeting of the Quakers of Western Connecticut a memorial was presented by them to the General Court of Connecticut against allowing vessels from the ports of Connecticut to engage in slave trade. On the 9th of September of the same year the Quakers of Connecticut made the same petition.
Conn. State Archives, Vol. XXXVII., Slaves. 7
* William Wheeler's Journal.
403
END OF REVOLUTION. FREEDOM OF UNITED STATES
1780]
Eighteen hundred able-bodied volunteers were, by requisition of Con- gress, ordered to be raised for the army. In addition to the bounty of- fered by Congress, the State offered to each recruit a bounty of three hundred dollars, and the sum of forty shillings wages and pay during the time they should remain in service .*
The State treasurer was authorized to deliver the sum of sixty thou- sand pounds in Continental bills to an appointed agent, to be dispatched to the army to induce the soldiers of the Connecticut line to re-enlist, and to pay each recruit three hundred dollars in addition to the bounty offered by Congress. The depreciation of Continental money at this time was great, which accounts for the large bounties offered.
Four companies were ordered to be drafted out of General Silliman's brigade of fifty men each for the defence of Greenwich. t
The money contributed in Hartford County for the sufferers by the plunder and burning of Fairfield was ordered to be paid by the State treasurer into the hands of Jonathan Sturges, to be disposed of for their benefit.+
It was also voted " that as by divers memorials to the Assembly it had been proposed and agreed to by the Commander-in-Chief and the British Commissary General of Prisoners in New York for an exchange of prisoners, by which General Silliman was to be exchanged for Judge Jones of New York and Brigadier-Major William Silliman for Mr. Willets, captured with Judge Jones, and one John Picket, confined in the Hartford Jail. " This order to be carried out as speedily as convenient." ¿
During the sitting of the Assembly Daniel Bennett was commissioned captain, David Silliman lieutenant, and Daniel Hill ensign of the twelfth company in the alarm list, in the Fourth Regiment.
In order to maintain the credit of the State in the depleted condition of its bills of credit, it was voted, "that the notes issued in November. 1776, & the bills of credit loaned to the Assembly in 1777 & 1778, should be paid for together with interest, to the respective lenders, in gold or silver, or in State bills of credit, according to their full value."
Forty thousand pounds in State bills of credit were ordered to be forthwith issued, "computing every six shillings of such bills to be equal to one Spanish milled dollar or other coin in like proportion," to be
* Rec. State Conn., 2, 452. + Rec. State Conn., 2, 456. § Rec. State Conn., 2. 466.
# Rec. State Conn., 2, 465. | Rec. State Conn., 2, 473.
404
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1780
redeemed by the first day of March, 1784, with interest of five pounds per centum per annum from March, 1780." A tax of sixpence on the pound was levied on all polls and taxable estates in the colony, to be paid on the taxable list of 1782, by January 1, 1784.
Another tax of twelve shillings on the pound was levied, payable in Continental money June Ist, to be collected on the tax list of 1778; and still another tax of twelve shillings on the pound of Continental money, payable November Ist, on the list of 1779. A provision was made that any person paying the last three taxes "should have liberty to discharge the same upon paying one-thirtieth part of this sum, either in State bills of credit or in coin according to its computed value."
It was also resolved to borrow one million pounds, " on the faith & credit of the State," or Continental bills, and that any person who should deposit in the hands of the State treasurer, for the use of the State, any sum in bills of the United States, not less than one hundred and eighty pounds at its nominal value, should receive from the State one-thirtieth part of the same so deposited, in silver or gold, computing Spanish milled dollars or other coin, as aforesaid, within six years after such sum should be deposited; and receive annually an interest of six pounds per centum per annum either in gold or silver coin, computed as aforesaid, or in bills of credit of the State not bearing an interest of less than four pounds per centum per annum as aforesaid, and redeemable within seven years after the same shall be emitted by the Assembly; and such loans to the State should be exempted from taxation.
A stringent law was also passed to maintain the value of the public money against persons attempting to depreciate its value. An act was also passed instructing a committee appointed to sign the issue of State bills, " & to prepare a suitable number of bank notes of various denomina- tions from nine pence to forty shillings, properly indented & delivered to the State Treasurer, to be signed by him, to be delivered to such persons as shall deposit or loan bills of the common currency." The treasurer was required to record all sums loaned to the State by each individual, and not to dispose of them except as he should be specially directed by the Assembly. Suitable deductions as usual were made for persons incapable of paying these taxes in whole or in part .*
A tax of one shilling on the pound was voted, March 2, 1780, on all * Rec. State Conn., 2, 477-481.
1780]
405
END OF REVOLUTION. FREEDOM OF UNITED STATES
the polls and ratable real estate of the inhabitants of the town of Fair- field, to pay the expenses of building a new court-house, and other neces- sary debts.
A more beautiful court-house was erected than the former one had been. The high bench of the Judge, the seats of the advocates and jurors and the witness-boxes were all ornamented with fine carved work. such as we see nowadays only upon old pieces of furniture and in the few dwellings of our oldest inhabitants.
The act of Congress passed January 14, 1780, giving the subjects of his most Christian Majesty the King of France the privilege of disposing and settling their estates under the 13th article of the treaty with France was confirmed by this Assembly, giving them liberty to dispose of their estates within the limits of the State of Connecticut; and that the estates of such of them as were deceased, " shall descend to, & become the es- tates of their heirs & legal representatives, according to the laws, usages & customs of the Kingdom of France, without being obliged to obtain letters of naturalization.'
Another act was passed repealing the law for supporting the credit and currency of the bills of credit emitted by Congress and the Connecti- cut State bills of credit; and it was further enacted: " that all bills here- after emitted by Congress or by the General Assembly of Connecticut shall be a legal tender as money in all payments within this State accord- ing to their current value, to which all courts within this State are to conform themselves-provided, nevertheless, that bills of credit here- tofore emitted by the United States shall remain a legal tender at the nominal value, to answer for debts due from the inhabitants of this State to their creditors of other States, until such time as the State or States to which such creditors belong shall make similar laws to promote equal justice." Printed copies of these acts were ordered to be distributed in each town in the State.t
A memorial from Jonathan Bulkley of Fairfield was presented to the Assembly, stating " that he had been made a prisoner in July by the British troops, & been lately held a prisoner upon parole of honor, pray- ing for relief. &c." The Assembly " resolved that said Jonathan Bulkley be, & he is hereby permitted to return home, there to remain under the care & direction of the civil authorities & selectmen of the town of Fairfield : Provided that the liberty hereby granted shall not be construed
* Rec. State Conn., 2, 4SI.
+ Rec. State Conn., 2, 482.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1780
to affect the obligations he is under by virtue of his parole to the enemy given while in their power."*
The polls and taxable estates of Fairfield, taken in October of 1779, were valued at £46,324 18s. 3d.
At a meeting of the Governor and Council of Safety, holden at Hart- ford, February 12th, it was agreed that the prisoners of war proposed to be exchanged for General Silliman and for his son, Major William Silliman, "who is come out on parole," and others, should be effected through Captain Samuel Torrence and Ebenezer Talman of Woodbury, who were to bring out the State prisoners from New York in exchange for British prisoners; General Washington was notified of this resolu- tion, and that Judge Jones would be sent forward as soon as he had so far recovered from his lameness as to be able to bear the journey. t
The following account is given in Mrs. Silliman's diary to her son Benjamin of General Silliman's return to Fairfield :
"The British stood out a long time, but at last consented if in addition to Judge Jones they might have one Washburn, a noted bad character, a Tory, that we had taken during the war, if he might be put with Jones, it might make weight. This was finally agreed on, & Judge Jones was sent for from Middletown, & a vessel hired by us to take him in, & the same to bring your father if they would let him come. We agreed if they ob- tained him, two flags should be hoisted when they returned, that we might certainly know whether he was coming. The vessel sailed with Judge Jones about eight o'clock in the morning from our harbour. They had a fine wind, & I saw them go with great rapidity; & we hoped that in two or three days we should receive him, who had been so long separated from us. But about one o'clock we saw the same vessel returning; & to our surprise saw two flags; this we could not understand, as we knew they had not had time to go to New York. The fact was, the same day we were sending the Judge off, they at New York were sending off your father, & the vessels met. Their flag of truce hailed ours, & asked if they had Judge Jones on board? 'Yes. Well, we have Gen. Silliman too,' was the answer; & they soon boarded each other. . When ours came in call of our fort & battery at Black Rock, one called to know if they had Gen. Silliman on board, he then leaped on deck, & waved his hat, at which there was so loud a shout we heard them plainly at the house; then all the cannon was fired off; & the same took place when he landed at the wharf. It was very pleasing to us at the house, as well as to your father, to see such testimonials of joy at his return; many of the people waited on him to his own house. After this a subaltern officer was at our house every night for a long time, & we had frequent alarms, & I was ever afterwards afraid of having the past disagreeable scene acted over again. The guard was ordered by the Governor. After this I don't remember that he ever went out on any campaign, but had the care as before, of all the coast in Fairfield County."
By order of the Governor and Council six barrels of musket-powder * Rec. State Conn., 2, 492. + Rec. State Conn., 2, 503.
1780]
END OF REVOLUTION.
FREEDOM OF UNITED STATES
407
belonging to the State were ordered to be delivered to the selectmen of Fairfield. On March 26th the Governor and Council gave permission to Captain Stephen Thorp in behalf of the townsmen of Fairfield and Norwalk, to carry grain, flour and provisions to the eastward in exchange for boards, glass, etc., to enable them to build houses .*
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