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 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. T…

A large corps of guides, natives of the western parts of Connecticut, well acquainted with the country about to be passed over, also accompanied the expedition; together with a subaltern's command, carefully selected from the Seventeenth regiment of light dragoons and superbly mounted. In numerical strength, the invaders amounted to consider-ably upward of two thousand men. Besides these, the expe…

On Friday the 25th, the British vessels appeared off Nor-walk Islands, standing in for Cedar Point. Near this last place, situate on the easterly side of Saugatuck river, they anchored about four o'clock in the afternoon, soon after which the troops commenced landing. The debarkation was effected for the most part under cover of a thick fog. It was completed soon after nine o'clock. The enemy's fo…

The Royal forces now continued their march northerly for about a mile and gained a road called the ''Cross Highway." This they followed easterly in the direction of Greenfield, pass-ing Haukanum, where now are seen the magnificent mansion and park of Morris Ketchum, Esquire, with parties upon their flanks, keeping the utmost silence and moving with military circumspection.--From time to time, duri…

As the British forces were passing the bor-ders of Greenfield and Weston, they were reconnoitred by Doctor Hurlbut, a young physician, of the vicinity, who, mounted upon a fleet horse, felt assured of his ability to make a good retreat on any exigency. Advancing near a dragoon, he amused himself and attracted the attention of the red coat, whom he menaced, by shaking at him one of the horse-whips …

The British commander took great pains throughout this day's march to maintain order among his followers and to conciliate the people of the country. He frequently alighted and partook of milk and other refresh-ments. Plunderers were punished upon the spot. At Wes-ton, where the invaders halted for a short time, a lady was robbed by a soldier of a new dress. However, being a woman of spirit, it wa…

At Reading-on-the-ridge, where the British forces arrived in the forenoon, they halted and took breakfast. Small par-ties of the American militia, meanwhile hovered about watch-ing every opportunity for attack.-- While Brigadier Agnew, who had entered a farm-house at this place, was engaged in his morning's repast, an enterprising volunteer named William Hawley, ventured suddenly into the hostile …

But on the same day, a British fleet composed of men-of-war and transports, ascended the Hudson and sev-eral vessels anchored off the Eastern shore, making a show of landing a body of soldiers somewhere near Dobbs Ferry. Under these circumstances, General McDougall who com-manded at Peekskill, became alarmed for the safety of his post, and made a requisition upon Huntington, for the regulars under…

Intel-ligence however soon came that the British forces, in full march for Danbury, had already reached the borders of the adjacent town of Reading. All thereafter was confusion, and the men for the most part returned home for the protec-tion of their families. On Tryon's approach, Colonel Huntington who occupied the town with a force now reduced to about fifty Continental troops and one hundred m…

Three whites and a black man took post in a large mansion belonging to Major Starr, from which they fired upon the horsemen, but the house was surrounded and set on fire a moment afterward. The inmates were cut down and thrown into the flames as they attempted to escape. A young English officer who accompanied the mounted volunteers, when they were fired upon, related at the time that he sprang fr…

As an apology for these severities, the British officers alleged that they wished to put a stop to the militia practice of firing from houses. They gave out that therefore, they made it an invariable rule to give no quarter to those who fired from such cover, and that in addition they always burnt the buildings themselves. Mr. Silas Hamilton, an aged farmer residing a short distance north of the t…

They overtook the fugitive several times; but whenever they approached within striking distance, the flying extremity of the cloth was in the way, disconcerting both horse and rider, and the resolute farmer at length escaped. Being now in full possession of the village, the British com-manders prepared for the defence of their position. They placed out-guards at the principal approaches, and plant…

The light caused by this extensive con-flagration, during the deep darkness of a rainy night, alarmed the inhabitants of distant towns, and gave them the earliest intelligence of the sack of Danbury. At Fredericksburg in the State of New York, twelve miles off, there was also a great quantity of Continental stores, and the well-affected people of the place beheld in the lurid horizon, the devastat…

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 n…

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 eith…

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 Fairf…

In the meanwhile General Wooster who had been joined by a few additional volunteers and by one hun-dred and forty Continental recruits from Massachusetts under Lieutenant Colonel Smith, hastened forward in pursuit of the foe at the head of a force which had now attained a numer-ical strength of about three hundred and fifty. It was be-tween eleven o'clock and midday, when he overtook the enemy bet…

was shot but he instantly mounted another, belonging to one of his aides and rode along the highway, sword in hand, followed with alacrity by those to whom he had appealed. The veteran leader was now in the sixty-eighth year of his age. As he approached the end of his career, it seemed as though his life had coursed through time in a circle, and that having completed one revolution, he had now ent…

The ground along the roadside where he fell was long des-ignated by two magnificent chestnut trees which grew in con-tiguity, and seemed sentinels stationed to watch the identity of the place until a grateful country should erect some per- manent memorial. But these monarchs of the field have long since disappeared from their post, and consigned it to tradition. More than eighty years have now gon…

Until the erection of this tardy memorial the veteran who had served his country in three wars, and fell with her standard in his hand, had not a soli-tary stone or inscription, to preserve his name or commemo- rate his virtues; and slept in Danbury in a grave, which time had rendered as uncertain almost as it was unhonored. The death shot of Wooster is said to have proceeded from an American loya…

While Wooster was yet engaged in operating against the British rear guard, Arnold with his usual rapidity of move-ment had made a forced march across the country. Between eleven and twelve he took possession of Ridgefield, with a detachment which some reinforcements had now augmented to upwards of five hundred muskets. The delay occasioned to the enemy by the repeated attacks made upon them gave A…

He thereupon reconnoitred carefully a second time and at length about two o'clock in the afternoon, proceeded to the attack at the head of his whole force. He moved forward with great caution, secured on the flanks, by guards of nearly two hundred men each; having three or four pieces of cannon in his front, and advancing with music and all the military pomp and circumstance that were at his comma…

Spurring to the spot where the British had been striving to effect a lodgment, Arnold was leading forward some volunteers to drive his assailants from the ledge, where they had just established themselves, when the latter fired simultaneously at the dis-tance of about thirty yards. The volley mortally wounded the horse of the American general and threw the greater part of his men into confusion. T…

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 actua…

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 wh…

Previously to their march, they fired several houses situated upon the most elevated ground about the village, for the purpose, as was supposed, of giving the fleet a signal of their locality. No material oppo-sition was made for several hours and they approached Wil-ton without molestation. About a quarter of a mile north from where the Congregational church has since been erected, they wheeled t…

These they proceeded to destroy with all possible dispatch, as they were now annoyed, and fired upon by small parties of the pursuing militia which con-tinued to harass them in flank or rear, during the residue of the retreat. At Lambert House, nine miles from Ridgefield, they took the road to Saugatuck. While traversing the eastern part of Wilton, as they were engaged in destroying some provision…

The matrons who remained at home, con-consulted policy and humanity alike. They placed before these visitors the best food at their command. Some of the housewives baked all day long, supplying with bread first the British soldiers and then the American. At a large farm house in Wilton, a party of the royal officers invaded with suc-cess, the milk room, where they robbed the pans of their cream, p…

They were for the most part militia men belonging to Fairfield County but among them were some troops of a superior description, and upon which the American com-manders placed a strong and well founded reliance. These last forces consisted of a small detachment from Lamb's Artillery, with three field-pieces, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Oswald; part of the artillery company belonging to…

At length one of the guides offered to conduct the royal troops further up the river, to a place where they might cross in safety. Upon this they wheeled about toward the north, and marching along the Saugatuck nearly a mile, at length reached a ford, where they passed over to the other side; and then continued their retreat with rapidity along the eastern bank of the stream. General Silliman who …

In a few minutes he restored order and led them across. Tryon had halted, and now sent forward a detach-ment apparently, with the intention of occupying the bridge. Having taken possession of Couch-Hill, and other neighbor-ing heights he commenced at the same time a violent cannon-ade upon Silliman and his followers, which prevented them from fording the Saugatuck. Arnold was moving on with his us…

Such however was the rapidity with which the King's troops retreated from the Saug-atuck, that toward five o'clock in the afternoon and before the Americans could overtake them, they reached the high grounds, which they had occupied on their first landing. The van of the royal forces commenced an immediate re-embarkation. The centre and rear faced about and formed upon Compo Hill. The American art…

During the afternoon of the 27th there appeared upon the scene of action Colonel John Lamb of the artillery and Colonel Hugh Hughes Deputy-quarter-master-general. These were two Continental officers, who had seen service. Having heard of the invasion, they had hastened forward on horse- back from a distant part of Connecticut, to join the American forces. On their way they were overtaken by others…

The Colonel of artillery then rode to a body of about two hundred volunteers who had recently arrived, and declaring who he was, proposed to lead them on. The volunteers put themselves at once under Lamb's com-mand. When they approached Compo-Hill, placing him- self at their head, he led them forward in advance of the two columns then forming, and gaining a position about half way up the hill near…

McDougall from Peekskill, at the head of twelve hundred men, and a field piece, had already reached the borders of the State and was pressing rapidly forward toward the scene of conflict, from which he was distant but a few miles. Small bands of volunteers were constantly coming in, and the Americans were not only augmenting in number, and increas-ing in confidence, but were commanded by one of th…

They, too, were in the act of following him across the fence, when he was struck by a grape shot. Dangerously wounded in the body, he fell on the northwesterly side of the enclos-ure. The volunteers who had hitherto pressed forward with intrepidity, now paused in discouragement, from the mis-hap of their commanding officer, but again took post behind the wall and renewed their fire. Arnold's colum…

He was in the front rank of Erskine's column as it moved forward. Of an impetuous constitution, he addressed, as they came to the edge of the hill, some British and American volunteers from New York, who eager for distinction, were pressing onward in the fore- most ranks. Calling upon them to follow him, he rushed forward upon Lamb's volunteers sword in hand, with loud shouts, at the head of about…

Silliman's followers, who had witnessed the defeat of the volunteers and the repulse of Arnold's column, finding themselves upon the point of being assailed at the same time, and on either flank, by the two British detachments, became infected with the prevailing panic, fell into confusion and were driven from the field. Taking a hasty advantage of this lull in the tempest, the British commander p…

The precise amount has never been ascertained, but from the best authority, it con-sisted, among a variety of other things, of the following ar-ticles, viz.: from two to four thousand barrels of pork and beef; more than a thousand barrels of flour; two thousand bushels of grain; three hundred puncheons of rum; fifty pipes of wine; one hundred and fifty hogsheads of sugar and mo-lasses; ordinance a…

Among those who fell in the final struggle, was an old man belonging to Litchfield named Paul Peck, long renowned throughout his native state, as the most expert hunter and the best marksman of his times. When news came that the British troops were in possession of Danbury, he immediately prepared for service a large and favorite gun, that carried balls an unusual distance. At the advanced age of …

When soon afterward the volunteers were charged and driven from the wall, Archelaus Buel, his nearest comrade, called upon Peck to escape. But waiting, as was supposed, for another shot, the intrepid old man was surrounded by the enemy, and the exasperated soldiers refusing quarter, contended fiercely with each other who should give him the greatest number of mortal wounds. Another of the most dis…

Awakened at mid-night by the summons to repair to the rendezvous of the mil-itia, he armed himself, and his mother furnishing his knap-sack, with provisions and a blanket, hastened his departure and dismissed him with the charge to 'conduct like a good soldier.'" Wolcott took part in the skirmish at Wilton, and fought on the same day under Lamb, along with the Litchfield volun-teers at Compo where…

Appeals to the heart from leaders of such distinction, themselves press-ing forward to the field, were irresistible. Leaving ploughs and workshops, these men of Connecticut ran to their arms, and some on foot and some on horseback, followed the two generals to the war. Throughout the 27th and 28th days of April, great enthus-iasm prevailed among the inhabitants of the country, and the male populat…

quently came out of their dwelling and stopped the march of the young soldiers, like Spartan mothers, addressing them to this effect: "What is the matter? Why are you running away from the enemy? Are you frightened? Come! be brave boys and do something for the good cause. Turn back and strike a blow for Congress." Mortified and excited by the taunts and entreaties of the housewives, many of the vo…

Lieutenant Colonel Eleazer Oswald of New Haven, who served with great zeal during the last day of the incursion, had acted as Arnold's secretary throughout the Canada cam-paign. After the latter had been wounded and carried from the field, in the attempt upon Quebec, Oswald with great gallantry led the remains of the forlorn hope. He was after-wards transferred to the artillery service, and as Lam…

At the cele-brated battle of Jemappes, where Dumouriez attacked and defeated the Austrians who under Clairfayt were entrenched on the heights around the city of Mons, Oswald commanded a battery of four twenty-four pounders, and in the open field cannonaded three redoubts for the space of five successive hours. His contribution toward this victory gained him a high rank for skill and courage in the…

His advice is said to have found favor with the public authorities, and to have been a chief cause of their subsequent successes. In the year 1795, this abled and intrepid man died at New York of the yellow fever and was buried in St. Paul's church-yard. Arnold's characteristics as a commander never appeared more striking than during the concluding operations of the expedition. Spurring from one c…

After the action was over he spoke of the Continental troops and most of the volunteers in laudatory terms, but said of the militia that he hoped never again to see them in the field. When, however, the first feelings of disappointment had subsided, he admitted the injustice of his censure. He well knew that the best trained soldiers the world has seen, have sometimes suffered defeat from panic, a…

"I feel sensibly how reasonable would be your request under ordinary circumstances, but prudence commands me upon the present occasion to retire instantly. If General Tryon had marched from Danbury two hours sooner he would have met with no opposition. Had he remained six hours later, his forces would never have regained their ship-ping." During the advance upon Danbury, and the retreat that ensu…

The promptness with which the people of Connecticut stood to their arms during Tryon's incursion of the year 1777 must in after ages stand out in bold relief, from the history of that well-ordered and wise Commonwealth, who in arming her children for the battle of life, has always clothed them with morality as with a coat of mail and placed in each right hand the sword of intelligence. No instance…

They had confidence it is true in Arnold and in general were willing to follow a leader of his renown. No considerations but these gave any unity to the operations of the various militia and independent volunteer companies of which the pursuing forces were almost wholly composed. It must not be forgotten, moreover, that the antagonist forces were of the most select description, and that the expe-d…