About the time of Tryon's assault upon Ridgefield village, the Americans who held possession of the parallel road on the east were briskly attacked by a British detachment to which they offered a steady resistance until the fall of Lieutenant Colonel Gould of the militia and of their commanders. They then fell into confusion and abandoned their position. After General Wooster's disaster, the actual command of the American forces was assumed by Arnold, General Silli-man with great propriety and forbearance, deferring his com-mandatory rights to the popular wishes, which were in favor of an older and more experienced soldier. At first Arnold attempted to rally his followers for an-other combat at Ridgefield. Finding this impracticable, he fell back toward the Sound with all the men he could mus-ter. Both he and General Silliman immediately caused it to be given out as their orders, that the militia and volunteers should assemble early the next morning at Saugatuck bridge, where another attempt to stop the enemy would be made. The action at Ridgefield lasted for about an hour and was succeeded by some desultory skirmishes. When these had all terminated the day was on the wane. The British commander finding that his soldiers were almost overcome from want of rest and from their late hard service; determined until the morrow to proceed no farther. During the after-noon he sent out several small parties, which destroyed some Continental stores in the vicinity.

THE DANBURY EXPEDITION 113

When night came, the King's forces, having first taken the precaution to form themselves into a square, bivouacked upon Ressiguie's Ridge. This was a smooth upland field, by the roadside, half a mile south of Ridgefield village and on the easterly side of the highway leading to Norwalk. In want of food and of covering for the night, the invaders did not hesitate to appropriate these necessaries wherever they could be found, and the inhabitants of the village in conse-quence, lost part of their provisions and cattle and some of their clothing.