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 47
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At the meeting of the October Assembly steps were taken to raise and equip four thousand two hundred and forty-eight men and officers to serve in the Continental army while the war lasted. Each town in the State was ordered to furnish its proportion of troops. By an order of Congress a convention of the northern States and New Jersey was held at Hartford in November to consult as to the best method to fill up and sustain the northern quotas; at which time a committee was appointed "to agree upon some way for supplying the French army and navy in this country with necessary provisions." Count Rochambeau and the cavalry corps of the Duke of Lauzun were given quarters for the winter in Windham and adjacent towns. A committee was also appointed to provide provisions, accommodations and barracks for them at the expense of the State.
Although the British had met with success in their southern cam- paign, they had greatly weakened their army at the north. For this reason General Washington, deeming it a fitting opportunity to make an effort to recover New York, set out September 19th for Hartford, to confer with Governor Trumbull and his Council of War, and with Count Rochambeau to form some plan of carrying out this design. On the 21st Washington held a conference at Wethersfield with Governor Trumbull, Count Rochambeau and other prominent men, when, after due deliberation, it was agreed to raise troops for another campaign.
* Wheeler's Journal.
+ Moore's Diary Revolution.
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On the 22d Count Rochambeau set out with his officers for Newport. On the 26th Washington returned by way of Fishkill, and reached West Point the following Monday. He was received with a military salute of thirteen guns and a hearty welcome.
On his way to West Point Washington learned of the treason of Benedict Arnold and the capture of Major Andre. Every effort was made to save this young English officer by Washington and many of his friends, in offering to " exchange him for Arnold "; but the British, who had paid Arnold a large sum of money to betray Washington and his army at West Point and on the Hudson, did not feel that they could honorably make the exchange, and in consequence Andre was hanged as a spy on the 2d of October.
It was agreed by Congress to reorganize the army, and " to furnish fifty regiments of foot, four of artillery, two corps of rangers, one regi- ment of artificers & four legionary corps to consist of two-third horse & one-third foot," thus raising an army of thirty-six thousand men. Six regiments were ordered by Congress to be raised in Connecticut for this army.
Every effort was put forth to raise and equip the Connecticut regi- ments. The women of Fairfield and vicinity held frequent societies, and clothing of all kinds was made for those who enlisted. Thousands of dollars worth of clothing was in this way contributed throughout the country towards the support of the army.
The army sustained a great loss at this time by the sudden illness of General Putnam, who was seized with an attack of paralysis in December while on his way to Morristown, which made him an invalid during the remainder of his life.
1781. In January General Washington found it a severe strain to hold in check the murmurings of our poorly clothed and fed army. Open revolt took place among some of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey regi- ments. Their term of enlistment having expired. they demanded that they should be paid and released from further service. Their desperate condition for want of clothing and food led them to break into open mutiny. Congress acted without hesitation in exerting every effort to clothe and pay the men and to make such favorable terms as to give them satisfaction. General Putnam's men also threatened to disperse, but he aroused their patriotism and led them to hope for better things. And through the prudence of Washington and his chief officers quiet
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and confidence were restored. At this critical time, although Governor Trumbull had nobly responded in raising the sum allotted to Connecticut towards the nine hundred thousand dollars to be raised, he found him- self unable to furnish all that was required, and after holding a con- ference with Washington it was agreed to send Colonel John Laurens to France with the hope of negotiating a loan.
On the 20th of May Jonathan Lewis and over twenty-five citizens of Fairfield petitioned the General Assembly that the salt meadows lying between Hoit's Island, the Sea-Pine Creek and Sasco Hill be drained, the bridge at Pine Creek repaired, and the ditches and drains cleaned and sewered, on account of the encroachment of the water tearing away the beach.
March 1, 1781. Made memorable in the annals of America by the final ratification in Congress of the articles of confederation and per- petual union between the States. "This great event was announced to the public at 12 o'clock, under the discharge of the artillery on the land & tlie cannon of the shipping on the Delaware. The bells were rung & every manifestation of joy shown on this occasion. The 'Ariel ' -- frigate-commanded by gallant Paul Jones, fired a feu-de-joie, & was beautifully decorated with a variety of streamers in the day, and orna- mented with a brilliant appearance of light in the night."
" At two o'clock in the afternoon his Excellency, the president of the Congress, received the congratulations of the legislative & executive bodies of Pennsylvania, the civil & military officers, & many of the prin- cipal citizens, who partook of the collation provided on this happy oc- casion. The evening was ushered in by an elegant exhibition of fire- works."*
Meanwhile active preparations were transpiring to carry out Wash- ington's plan to retake New York.
Colonel Beebe of Litchfield was given command of the seaboard of Connecticut. General Green had been appointed by Congress to take command of the Southern army. He reorganized his division with a view of driving the British from the south. He formed a junction with General Morgan and his force of 1,000 men, and on the 17th of January defeated the British under Tarleton at Cowpens.
The Southerners, enraged at the cruelties practiced by the British during the siege of Savannah, Charleston and Camden, prepared to enter
* Moore's Diary Revolution.
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into the war with more patriotic enthusiasm than before. Their im- petuous attack and defeat of the British at King's Mountain on October 7, 1780, where the British believed their fortifications to be impregnable, was one of the most brilliant battles of the Revolution. This defeat so exasperated General Cornwallis that he set out in rapid pursuit of Gene- rals Green and Morgan; but favored by wind and rain, the American forces, marching at the rate of thirty miles a day, succeeded in reaching Guilford Court-house on the 14th in safety. The next morning, the 15th, the furious battle of Guilford Court-house took place, and again the British were victorious, although they lost heavily. Cornwallis now set out for the north, and reached Wilmington in April.
As soon as General Green had rested his weary, half fed and half clothed army he set out for Camden, where, although the Americans had been defeated, he did not give up his resolution to drive the British from the south. He led his forces to Charleston, where, with his brave officers, after several brilliant achievements during his march, he routed the British at Eutaw Springs. Other successes followed, and the Americans were once more practically in possession of the Southern States.
Leaving the defence of South Carolina with Lord Rawdon's division of his army, Cornwallis set out for Virginia, where, with Arnold the traitor and Tarleton, after devastating and plundering the country dur- ing the summer months, he collected his forces, and by orders from Governor Clinton retired to Yorktown, which place he began to fortify, so as, if possible, to make it impregnable.
General Lafayette had been sent to check these devastations in Vir- ginia, but with little success, as his forces were not of sufficient strength for the purpose. He, however, succeeded in keeping his army of about 1,200 men together by supplying them with clothing and other neces- saries at his own expense.
While these events were transpiring in Virginia, Washington had been preparing his army at the north to carry out the arrangements made at Wethersfield for the reduction of New York by a concerted action of the allied land and naval forces. Early in July Count Rochambeau set out with his forces from Newport and reached New Castle, Westchester County, July 4th. The Duke of Lauzun also marched from his winter quarters in Connecticut with his French legion to join the main army. By July 6th the allied forces stretched from Phillipsburg, near Dobbs 27
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Ferry, to the Bronx River. The Connecticut regiments at Phillipsburg were under the command of General Parsons. Many of the Connecticut troops were with Lafayette and the Counts Rochambeau and Lauzun, of which Fairfield had contributed her proportion.
Governor Clinton had meanwhile received intercepted letters, which revealed Washington's plan for the capture of New York. He imme- diately began to strengthen his garrison to make every possible defence by land and by water. He called upon Cornwallis to send to his aid half of the troops under his command. He concentrated the British army at King's Bridge; but aware of the strength of the allied forces, he did not think it prudent to make an attack until he should be reinforced by Cornwallis. He resolved, however, to harass the Americans in every way that might lead Washington to send relief to his northern posts.
He sent a detachment of troops towards Tarrytown to capture the stores, ammunition and cannon held in that place. General Robert Howe was sent with a body of troops to intercept this movement, and suc- ceeded not only in saving the stores and ordnance, but in putting to flight the enemy's shipping. In Washington's dispatch of the 14th of July he " praises the gallant behaviour & spirited action of Colonel Shel- don and Captain Hurlburt of the Second Regiment of dragoons, and Lieutenant Shaylor of the Fourth Regiment of Connecticut, as deserv- ing the utmost distinguished applause."
While Governor Clinton's orders were thus being carried out, Wash- ington, while keeping up an appearance of design upon New York, had secretly given orders for the allied land and naval forces to concentrate upon Chesapeake Bay, so as to make a combined attack by land and water upon Yorktown, now strongly fortified by Cornwallis.
Leaving a sufficient force under General Heath for the protection of the High Lands, Washington left his headquarters at Peekskill, broke up his camp at Phillipsburg, and on the 19th of August crossed King's Ferry and commenced his march to Virginia. He was quickly followed by the Counts Rochambeau and Lauzun with their forces from White Plains.
As soon as Governor Clinton discovered this design of Washington's he decided to oppose it by sending Benedict Arnold, the traitor, with a fleet to attack Fort Griswold at New London, then commanded by Colonel Ledyard. A furious battle was fought and the British were victorious. A scene of horror took place, such as caused one of the
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British officers to demand a halt of hostilities. Colonel Ledyard was murdered while presenting his sword of surrender to the English officer, Major Bromfield, who plunged it into his heart.
Washington bravely continued his march towards Yorktown with all possible speed, to join General Lafayette's division, and the forces of the French fleet under the Counts De Grasse and Du Barras, which had entered Chesapeake Bay August 31st. The American troops reached Williamsburg September 25th, and warmly welcomed their French allies under Lafayette, securing to them every comfort and privilege, even sleeping on the ground themselves by giving them the use of their tents.
By September 30th Cornwallis saw the allied armies taking position around Yorktown, the French being on the right and the Americans on the left.
The following account, given at the time, furnishes an interesting history of the final triumph of the Americans in this memorable siege :
"September 22, 1781. The American army & their allies near Williamsburg in Vir- ginia. They expect, September 28th, to march to a position near York, to commence a siege. They make a brilliant appearance as to numbers & are 15,000 strong, not including the Virginia militia.
" The whole army marched on Friday, September 28th, from Williamsburg to within one mile of the enemy's works at York, & formed the first line of circumvolation without loss. On the 29th a few skirmishes took place, with but little loss on either side. In the night the British evacuated Pigeon Quarters & their other redoubts overlooking the town, which the Americans took possession of under a heavy cannonade from Yorktown on Sunday morning at sunrise. The enemy next fled from a stockade, when the French grenadiers had advanced within fifteen yards of it, retreating under cover of their shipping, losing ten men taken prisoners. Cornwallis was strongly fortified, having possession of Gloucester, garrisoned by about 1,000 men. The English were hemmed in with 15.000 men, & the Duke de Lauzun with his legion & 2,000 marines from the fleet to prevent any escape that way. One ship of 44 guns, two frigates & a twenty-gun packet lie at Burwell's Landing in James River; one of fifty, one of forty, two frigates & a store-ship in the mouth of that river; 5 ships of the line off Cape Henry ; thirty-two ships of the line & several frigates are drawn up across the mouth of York River. 3 ships of considerable force in the river below the town, which were to proceed onward with the first fair wind. "The easy capture of the outposts greatly accelerated the final operations of our
army. Lieutenant-Colonel John Conolly was taken near Yorktown by two militiamen. & was paroled to Hanover in Virginia. Washington now pursued vigorous operations against the enemy. On the 14th of October with the American & allied forces the French & American batteries were played successfully for the following three days until the English redoubts were taken; when Cornwallis called for a cessation of hostilities.
The 18th was made a day of respite preparing for the surrender and the assembling of the troops in dress-uniforms, in which, to the credit of the patriotic and industrious Daughters of Liberty, they presented a praiseworthy appearance the next day .*
* Record of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution.
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"October 19th. General Cornwallis, with about 5,000 British troops, surrender as prisoners of war to General George Washington, commander-in-chief of all the allied forces of France & America! Laus Deo!
" The Viscount de Noailles, Lieutenant-Colonel Laurens, aide-de-camps to General Washington, & Colonel Dundas & Major Ross, aide-de-camps to Lord Cornwallis, were appointed to adjust the etiquette of the capitulation.
"About one o'clock the articles of capitulation were signed & interchanged; & about 2 o'clock P. M. the British garrison of York, led by General O'Hara (Lord Cornwallis being indisposed), were conducted by General Lincoln, through the combined army, drawn up in two lines in a field, where, having grounded their arms & stripped off their accoutrements, they were reconducted through the lines & committed to the care of a guard.
" At the same time & in the same manner, the garrison of Gloucester was sur- rendered to the command of the Duke de Lauzun.
"Previous to this a detachment of French & American troops took possession of the British horn-works & planted on the epaulment the standard of the two nations. The brilliant appearance of the allied armies, the joy which diffused itself from rank to rank strongly contrasted with the mortification, the despondence & unsoldierly behavior of the British troops, forming one of the most pleasing prospects a patriot can behold or even his fancy depict."*
The New Jersey " Gazette " of November 4, 1781, gives the follow- ing account of the surrender: "The allied army was drawn up in two straight lines, facing each other, leaving a space for the British column to pass through. The commander-in-chief with his suite on the right of the American line; the Count Rochambeau opposite on the left of the French. Lord Cornwallis pleading indisposition, the British were led by General O'Hara, conducted by General Lincoln. Their colors cased & they not allowed to beat a French or American march, as Lincoln had been commanded not to do at the surrender of Charleston.
" The British officers behaved like boys who had been whipped at school; some bit their lips, some pouted, others cried, their round, broad- brimmed hats were well adapted to the occasion, hiding those faces they were ashamed to show. The foreign regiments made a much more mili- tary appearance, & the conduct of the officers far more becoming men of fortitude."t
The New York "Packet " of November 15th gives General Corn- wallis' report of the siege of Yorktown. In this report he states that he never regarded Yorktown a favorable place, and nothing but the hope of relief promised him by Sir Henry Clinton would have induced him to attempt its defence; besides, the superiority of General Washington's
* Moore's Hist. Revolution-from Pennsylvania Packet.
+ Moore's Hist. Revolution, 1034-1038.
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forces would never have led him to attack the American troops in the open field. He did not feel at liberty to give up his post while hourly expecting assistance both by land and by sea. On the morning of the 16th he thought best to surrender, and arranged in the night to send off as many of his troops as he could spare. Sixteen large boats were made ready to receive his troops, and at ten o'clock at night, leaving bag and baggage, and by letter requesting General Washington to capitulate and to care for the sick and wounded, his men set out to cross the river. Some of his troops succeeded in landing at Gloucester, but a violent storm of wind and rain set in, driving all the boats, some of which had troops on board, down the river. In consequence, the troops had to return, and again join his main army in the forenoon. The galling fire of the Americans and the expenditure of shell made further loss of life cruel. He therefore requested a capitulation.
On the day of the surrender Governor Clinton set out from New York for the relief of Cornwallis with twenty-five ships of the line and seven thousand of his choicest men. 'He had barely reached the coast of Virginia when, off the Capes, to his utter astonishment and dismay, he learned he had delayed too long, and that Cornwallis had surrendered to General Washington. He, therefore, returned with his fleet to New York.
The surrender of Cornwallis was most humiliating. It is related that afterwards, " when standing before Washington with his hat off, the lat- ter remarked: 'My Lord, you had better be covered.' ' It matters not. sir,' replied Cornwallis, raising his hand to his brow: ' it matters not what becomes of this head now.' "
The news of this great triumph spread speedily throughout the coun- try. Bells were rung, bonfires were kindled, and expressions of joy were heard in every town and hamlet. Men and women wept, while others stood speechless with joy and gratitude. "The aged doorkeeper in Congress died from excessive joy."
This speedy and long hoped for over-ruling of Providence in the memorable siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Lord Cornwallis gave to the struggle for our national independence the hour of complete triumph. More than seven thousand British troops surrendered as pris- oners of war, exclusive of fifteen hundred seamen, more than two thou- sand of whom were either wounded or sick. The frigate " Guadaloupe." twenty-four transports, one hundred and sixty pieces of cannon and eight
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mortars fell into the hands of the Americans. The French, who had so nobly assisted in this triumph, were most heartily and gratefully thanked by Washington and his entire army.
During this engagement it was reported of the Connecticut forces " that their conduct was highly meritorious." Of thirty-six companies commanded by Lafayette ten had been detached from the Connecticut line. In October they held the post of honor, and helped "to carry the redoubts " on the night of the 14th .*
On the 20th of October, 1781, General Washington sent out a pro- clamation of pardon to all criminals of the army, and ordered that the 2Ist be made a day of prayer and thanksgiving, in the following words:
" Divine service shall be performed to-morrow in the different bri- gades & divisions. The Commander-in-Chief recommends that all the troops that are not upon duty do assist in it, with a serious deportment, & that sensibility of heart which the recollection of the surprising & par- ticular interposition of Providence in our favor claims."
On the 3d of November, 1782, provisional articles of peace were signed at Versailles between the English plenipotentiaries and the French and Spanish, and on the same day between Great Britain and the United States of America at Paris, but it was not until January 20, 1783, that the final treaty of peace was concluded by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and Henry Laurens, when the independence of the United States was acknowledged, their boundaries adjusted and a share of the fisheries secured to them.
On the 19th of April, 1783, General Washington issued the joyous proclamation of peace between the two countries; and in December fol- lowing, after issuing his farewell address, he disbanded his army.
The British evacuated New York November 25, 1783, since cele- brated in New York as Evacuation Day. As they left, Washington and his officers and army, with Governor Clinton, entered the city. The British flag, which had floated over Fort George for seven years, was replaced by the Stars and Stripes of the United States.
ORDER OF CINCINNATI.
Before parting with his officers Washington united with them in forming the famous Society of the "Order of Cincinnati," so named in remembrance of the celebrated Roman warrior Cincinnatus, who conquered the invaders of his country and then retired to private life. A mutual agreement was entered into, with a view of promoting the highest rights
* Record of Connecticut Men of the War of the Revolution, pp. 305, 306.
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of freedom and to cherish mutual assistance, union and honor between the States; "to render permanent, cordial affections, & the spirit of brotherly kindness among the officers, & to extend acts of beneficence towards those officers & their families who may unfor- tunately be under the necessity of receiving it. The general society for the sake of fre- quent communications shall be divided into State societies, & then again into such dis- tricts as the State societies shall direct. The Society shall have an order by which its members shall be known & distinguished, which shall be a medal of gold of proper sier to receive the proposed emblems, and to be suspended by a deep blue ribbon two inches wide, edged with white, descriptive of the union of America and France." This order was to be perpetuated in the line of the eklest male descendants of the original members, or, failing such descendants, by the admission of such collateral relations as might be deemed worthy. There was also a provision for admitting as honorary members persons who had not belonged to the army .*
Among those who were admitted to this honorable Society were Captain Theophilus Monson of Fairfield, Lieutenant Daniel Bradley of Greenfield, Lieutenant William Pike of Fairfield, Major Albert Chapman of Green's Farms. The Rev. Timothy Dwight of Greenfield was made an honorary member July 7, 1795.1
The heroic sons of Connecticut returned to their homes after the toil and hardships of many battles lost and won. Connecticut had bravely borne her share of the struggle. Guided in all her efforts for liberty by Governor Jonathan Trumbull and his patriotic Assembly and Council of War, " she had furnished more men in the army than any other State in the Union. No less than thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-nine men from our patriotic State were sent into the army."+
Fairfield largely contributed her share of officers and soldiers, as well as to the maintenance of the army. Her patriotism increased as time passed. But she was not as generous in her offers of peace to those of her inhabitants who had gone over to the enemy as General Washington had been to the Tory offenders of the army. The following town record will testify that their treachery to the cause of freedom was not easily overlooked.
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