Gilbert, Abram
John M. McDonald interview — 1846
Abram Gilbert describes the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut, which took place on April 27, 1777. Gilbert describes the mortal wounding of American General David Wooster and the death of Colonel Abraham Gould, and notes that Benedict Arnold was the last man to retreat at the end of the battle.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
28 472 [margin: PAPERS] 130 Sept. 3 Mr. Morris Ketchum, on the authority of Major Chapman, says that every facility was afforded Andre to escape at Tappan by the American officers, but he would not avail himself of the advantage. (?) All the population of Connecticut were or had been soldiers in Connecticut.
[margin: orig. p. 134.] Abram Gilbert, Esqr. ["Wooster"], I have always heard was on horseback when killed, sitting under the shade of a large chestnut tree. (?) He was first taken to a neighboring house, and then to Danbury. It was in the afternoon when the British attacked Arnold at Ridgefield. The barricade (carts, waggons, earth &c) extended from Stebbins house to a high ledge of rocks where my house now stands. The top of the house has since been blown away and made into a stone wall. (?) Beyond and north the rocks was an old orchard, under cover of which the British advanced and out flanked Arnold whose horse was shot about eight or ten rods from my house – that is, where the rocks were. He walked calmly off afterwards. Colonel Gould was killed about sixty rods east of Stebbins' house on a gentle
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31 473 131. [margin: PAPERS] height beyond and close to a ledge of rocks. Mr. Edwards was wounded when about 20 rods east of Stebbins' house. There was no house then where mine now is. The British completely outflanked and encircled Arnold's left wing, crowded them closely together and compelled them to retreat in confusion. Arnold was the last man to go.
Jeremiah Keeler, of Lewisboro: Was 16 in May 1775, and was at (?) when the British entered. Retreated that night to (?) in the western part of it, and the next morning came into Ridgefield. Struck parallel. There are two roads about eighty yards east and west from Ridgefield Street parallel with it, and the American flank was extended as far as these roads. The American flank about parallel with the main body, and we retreated about the same time that Arnold's force fled. This was about 1 or 2 A. M. The British encamped about half a mile from the [Congregational?] Meeting house and crossed the ford at Pepler Plains (?). Genl King (a lieutenant?) commanded the party that escorted Andre from Salem, but was superseded by a captain who follows. He lent Andre various articles of clothing, and he would have been to hung in [margin: See orig. p. 134.]