The flames spreading on every side, many contiguous houses occupied by the inhabitants, shared unintentionally a similar fate. In this scene of excitement and tumult while upward of forty buildings were in full blaze, including a Congregational church and nineteen dwelling houses, the drums of the invaders beat to arms, and the troops having formed in marching order, commenced, between eight and nine o'clock, a rapid retreat. The camp-followers, as the army moved along, were, as usual, busily employed in collecting and driving off such horses and cattle as they could find. On the first landing of the enemy, General Silliman, then casually in the neighborhood of Saugatuck, sent expresses in different directions to assemble the militia at Fair-field, for the protection of the Continental property there deposited. On the ensuing morning when it had become

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evident that Danbury was the mark at which the invad-ers were aiming, he hastened forward in pursuit of them at the head of about four hundred men, all the forces he had been able to rally. In the afternoon he was overtaken by Brigadier General Arnold, at that time in the state, engaged in superintending the recruiting service, and who in obedi-ence to his instincts, had hurried onward for the purpose of playing his part upon the stage of strife. At Reading they were joined by some additional troops, and toward evening by Major-General Wooster, Commander-in-chief of the Con-necticut militia. This officer on hearing at New Haven of the enemy's landing, had posted toward the scene of action leaving orders for the militia to be mustered and sent for- ward as soon as possible. When Arnold and Wooster came up with Silliman, the former were either accompanied or followed at short distances by small bands of volunteers, consisting mostly of young men filled with enthusiasm and ready for action.