THE DANBURY EXPEDITION April 23d-28th, 1777

On the approach of spring in the year 1777, the Commander-in-chief of the British forces in the United North American States became desirous to commence the coming campaign by some enterprise that would distress the future operations of his adversaries, while it might add to the reputation he had already established. For these purposes the expedition up the North River, in the month of March, under Colonel Bird was undertaken. But the public stores deposited at Peekskill proved much smaller in quantity, and less in value than had been anticipated. General Howe's attention after this was directed toward Danbury, which for the five or six months then past, had become the principal depot of Continental pro-visions, for the Northern army. This place, although not more than twenty-three miles from the Sound, was generally supposed to afford ample security to the extensive magazine's there collected; in consequence of the roughness of the inter-vening country, the frequent passage of troops through the town, and the zeal for independence of the inhabitants. The royal commander however was ambitious of giving confirma-tion to a truth generally recognized by war; that military de-posits in an unfortified town, are never safe in the neighbor-hood of an enterprising enemy. The command of movement against Danbury was con-ferred upon Governor Tryon of New York, who had accepted the rank of Major-General of Provincials and was panting for military renown. This zealous guardian of colonial roy-alty is said to have devised the plan of the enterprise; of a temperament sanguine to the verge of assurance, he not only contemplated the destruction of the American magazines, as