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. These additional troops made the pursuing party six hundred strong. Wooster now took command of the American forces, and the three generals after a short con-sultation, marched against the enemy through a heavy rain. At half-past eleven o'clock at night they reached Bethel, a village three or four miles from Danbury. The men, many of whom had marched thirty miles without food, were by this time very much fatigued, while their arms had become useless from the wet. Here the pursuers determined to halt for rest and refreshment. Being uncertain which way the enemy would return to their shipping, the Americans soon after daylight on the ensuing morning, took post upon a crossroad in two divisions, so that in necessity, they might support each other. One of these detachments under Arnold and Silliman was stationed near the highway leading from Danbury to Norwalk, and the other under the Major-General, not far from the Fairfield road. Here they waited until about half past nine o'clock. Information was then received that the British army had left Danbury an hour previously, retreating in a westerly direc- tion toward the State of New York. It was now supposed