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their return. Early on the next morning, (which proved rainy,) the whole were in motion; two hundred men remained with Gen. Wooster, and about four hundred were detached under Gen. Arnold and Gen. Silliman, on the road leading to Norwalk. 9 o'clock, A. M., intelligence was received, that the enemy had taken the road leading to Norwalk, of which Gen. Wooster was

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tion was taken in Capt. Brooks' family to avoid taking it, yet it did take place, and every body at that day was so ignorant of the disorder, it was impossible to keep it from spreading; consequently, that very winter and the spring follow. ing, there were about six hundred persons, who went through with it, and not more than four or six deaths took place. As the war progressed Stratford became pretty notorious for what was called illicit trade in boats with the British, who had possession of Long Island, and which made it very convenient for those engaged in it, to export small articles, such as hams, cheese, butter, eggs, and small stock of all kinds. Some of these boats were captured by the guard, which was constantly kept up, and immediately libelled, judged, and divided among themselves, and the men set at liberty. One of these boats, however, was not so fortunate, being hailed by the sentinel, as she was rowing out of the harbor, (laden as above) and not paying any regard to the challenge, was fired upon by the sentinel, by which two men were killed dead, on which the boat surrendered; this happened at a place called Newfield, then a part of Stratford, but now is the city of Bridgeport; there were also two whale boats belonging to a company of four or six persons, in Stratford, which frequently were absent a week or more at a time, and it was strongly suspected they were carrying on an illicit trade to Long Island, neither of these boats, however, were ever captured, yet soon after their return from a cruise, there was no difficulty in procuring goods of any kind from the owners. And it turned out after the war was ended, that these very men who owned these boats were absolutely employed by Gen. Washington as spies, to obtain such information in New York of the movements of the British as they best could, and forward to head quarters, on their return. I was well acquainted with every one of the men who preformed this service, namely, Capt. John Barlow, who was a natural born citizen of Stratford, Isaac Whippo, George Smith, Sylvanus Dickeson, and one or two others, whom I do not recollect; these last mentioned were refugees from Long Island, whigs; they are, however, all dead; but the two last named, Smith and Dickeson, did each of them live to obtain a pension from government, on producing their commissions for this service rendered in the secret capacity of spies. This was one of Washington's ways of procuring information from the enemy; they had free access to the city, bought goods, and returned, which served them free from all suspicion while there.

A singular circumstance took place in Stratford, which was I believe, in '79 or '80. Salt had become so scarce and hard to obtain, that the civil authority of Stratford concerted a plan to obtain a vessel load of salt out of New York, under color of a flag, (which was nothing more or less, than a fair trade with the enemy.) This plan was executed by a man by the name of Vandyke, who at that time resided in Stratford, who was not only a good royalist, but an Episcopal clergyman, and was well acquainted in New York; he had liberty

advised, and pursued them. He came up with them about 11 o'clock, when a smart skirmishing ensued, in which Gen. Wooster, who behaved with great intrepidity, unfortunately received a wound by a musket ball, through his groin, which, it is feared, will prove mortal. Gen. Arnold, by a forced march across the country, reached Ridgefield by 11 o'clock, and having posted his

to procure a load of salt out of New York, which he did; about 1500 or 2000 bushels; it was brought to Stratford, sold, and distributed amongst the farmers, for which he received ($5) five round dollars per bushel. Some of the hot headed whigs highly disapproved of the measure, but they were those of the poorer class, and who did not make much use of the article. Capt. Brooks (however true it may be) was said to be the principal contriver of this supply of salt, making a necessity of the case, it at any rate met with the approbation of the whigs, and soon passed off as a dream.

Stratford suffered during the war in the loss of several of their valuable men in battle. At the burning of Fairfield, a Lieut. Blackman was slain; and at the battle of Ridgefield, on the return of the British from the burning of Danbury, a Lieut. Middlebrooks was killed; Lieut. William Thompson was slain; Col. John Benjamin, was shot with three buck shot lodged in his neck, which he survived, and lived many years after; Lieut. Deforest was shot in the leg, and Capt. Ebenezer Coe, who commanded the same company, was shot in the head, which deprived him of part of one ear, and his right eye, he however recovered and lived many years after the war ended.-I once asked him how it was, that so many officers were killed and wounded-he said it was because the privates run off just before they were flanked by the British. Arnold commanded our troops on this occasion; he had his horse shot from under him.

I have endeavored to put together from recollection these scattered ideas; if they should prove in any way to your undertaking for good, you are welcome to make such use of them as you please; making all reasonable allowances for being written by one who now is almost 78 years of age.

I am, sir, yours,

JOHN BROOKS.

In consequence of the reduced situation of the inhabitants of Danbury, the selectmen of said town, in May, 1777, applied to the Legislature for aid-In which memorial they stated that the British troops united with the tories in their hostile incursion, under the pretence of destroying the public stores depos. ited at Danbury, had wantonly burned about twenty dwelling houses, and many stores and barnes of great value; and on their retreat collected and drove off all the cattle horses, and sheep, they were able to find, which had reduced many of their inhabitants from competence, to poverty and want; that nothing was left them but distress; that it was quite impossible for the town to afford relief to all the sufferers; and that they particularly believed that had not the public stores been deposited in Danbury, the attention of the enemy would not have been drawn to that place, or their vengeance fallen upon its citizens. And therefore that the Assembly would aid those in immediate want, who could not subsist without-and appoint a committee in behalf of all the sufferers, to estimate losses, and report to said Assembly, and in some sort bind up their wounds.

small party-(being joined by about one hundred men,) of five hundred men, waited the approach of the enemy, who were soon discovered advancing in a column, with three field pieces in front, and three in rear, and large flank guards, of near two hundred men in each. At noon, they began discharging their artillery, and were soon within musket shot, when a smart action ensued

Immediately after the aforesaid Petition Gov. Trumbull issued the following PROCLAMATION:

May, 1777. Among the various calamities which at present attend this, and the United States of America, and the impending judgments which threaten us for our multiplied sins and transgressions against the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe; none afford a more melancholy prospect, and discover a greater obduracy and insensibility than when the enemy enter our borders and are spreading terror and devastation in their way among numerous helpless and defenceless families, whom the enemy through either the remains of pity, or in their precipitate marches have left not altogether stript and plundered; that our own people of the militia, and others raised among us of the continental army should be so abandoned to all the feelings of humanity as to rob and plunder the remains of what the enemy have left to the poor and distressed inhabitants; and some have been even so daring as after the enemy are gone off, to set fire to houses and buildings, under the pretence of their belonging to some inimical inhabitants of this State. These representations have been made to the General Assembly of this State, by the most pathetic memorial of numbers, who have in this way been the unhappy sufferers in the last excursion of the enemy to Danbury; whereupon, and in pursuance of a resolve of the General Assembly of this State, at their present session-I do issue forth this Proclamation, exhorting and demanding of all and every person or persons, either militia or others, who have been guilty of plundering the property and effects of any of the inhabitants of this State, in the late alarm at Danbury, or who have been aiding or assisting therein, immediately, and without delay to return or cause to be returned to some one of the authority, or selectinen of the town, where such offending person belongs, all such goods or effects as they have taken or found, either in the house or houses, highway or fields of any person or per. sons whatsoever, or pay the value of such as may be consumed or destroyed, and give to such authority or selectmen, a true account as near as possible of the articles; and also of the town, society, and place where the same was taken or found, at least within; and thereupon, on his or their so truly and faithfully forwarding and delivering up all the goods or effects plundered, taken or found as aforesaid, or paying for the same, shall be discharged from all and every prosecution and penalty, by reason of any such breach of the laws of this State on account of such misdemeanors as aforesaid-But on hearing or having notice of this Proclamation, any person or persons who shall have plundered, taken or found the goods, property, or effects of any inhabitant of this State as aforesaid, and shall neglect to surrender or deliver up to one of the authority or selectmen as aforesaid, such goods, property or effects so taken or found as aforesaid, or give notice thereof, and of the articles and effects so found or taken within the time limited by this Proclamation, such person or persons so offending as aforesaid, shall suffer the full pains and penalties of the laws of this

between the whole, which continued about an hour; in which, our men behaved with great spirit, but being overpowered by numbers, were obliged to give way, though not until a small breast work was raised and thrown across the way, at which Gen. Arnold had taken post with about two hundred men. The rest of our small body were posted on the flank, and acted with

State against theft and larceny-and the civil authority and selectmen of each and every town within this State, from which any of the militia or others marched to the relief of the town of Danbury, or any other towns in the enemy's route on their late incursion, are hereby authorized and directed to make the strictest enquiry into all and every plunder, goods and effects found or taken on occasion of the alarm aforesaid, by any and every person, in such their respsective towns; and in order to make full discovery of such goods and effects, they or the major part of them are further authorized, empowered and directed to call before them every suspected person or persons, as also any others who may be supposed to have any knowledge thereof, and him or them examined upon oath touching the premises, and upon their finding just ground to suspect any person or persons to be guilty of any such plundering, and taking the goods, property or effects of any inhabitant of this State as aforesaid, or concealing the same, and who shall not deliver up the same or give notice thereof as aforesaid, but shall still detain, or secrete, or conceal the same after the time limited as aforesaid, and the authority aforesaid, shall make a memorandum in writing, of the evidence they shall find, and such person or persons shall be liable on conviction, before any conrt proper to try the same, to suffer all the pains, penalties and forfeitures to be inflicted on those guilty of theft or con. cealing of stolen goods, as by law liable to. And it shall be the duty of the grand jurymen of such town, on notice of such enquiry, to call upon the authority of said town as aforesaid, and on finding proper evidence to satisfy his con. science, to make due presentment thereof according to law. And whenever it shall be found on enquiry that any person or persons belonging to the contin. ental army, have been guilty of plundering as aforesaid, or any other plundering or burning of houses, or buildings of any person or persons belonging to this State, by whatever name they may be called, whether friendly or inimical, whig or tory, they shall make further enquiry to find out and know to what State, battalion and company such offender belongs, and the same with their names, send to the Governor of this State, to be by him transmitted to some general officer proper to take notice of the same, that justice may be done against such high handed offender; that all may be made to know that the persons and properties of all the inhabitants of this State, whatever their char. acter or denominations may be, all shall be protected against such daring vio. lations thereof, that every one in this time of calamity remain secure in his per. son, property and possessions against every unjust invader thereof.

The following letter is from a gentleman of strict integrity, in the town of Westport, and in the neighborhood of Compo Hill and Cedar Point. WESTPORT, July 12th, 1841. Dear Sir-I received your line a few days since, and in answer to which I remark, I had not forgotten your request, but was writing to H., an o'd gen.

great spirit. The General had his horse shot under him, when the enemy were within ten yards of him, but luckily received no hurt recovering himself, he drew a pistol and shot the soldier, who was advancing with his fixed bayonet. He then ordered his troops to retreat, through a shower of small and grape shot. In this action, the enemy suffered very considerably, leaving

tleman who was absent, who I presume would give a more detailed account of the proceedings of the revolution than any other person about here, but I have not seen him: I therefore give you so far as I have been able to get the facts wanted. The British landed on the East side of Saugatuck river at Cedar Point, so called, at the lower end of Compo, and marched up and formed on Compo hill, about one mile from Cedar Point; they then marched up Compo street, at the head of the street, at the country road, they were fired upon by a company of Americans, and the Americans filed after the first fire; they killed a number of the British, and the enemy continued their route about a mile North of the country road, to Cross Highway, as it is called, and then they filed off eastward, on said highway until they came to the road that leads from Fairfield to Danbury, about five miles North of the court house, in Fairfield, and about a mile North of Greenfield meeting house; they then took the road passing through Weston by the church, and through Reading on the Ridge, so called, by the church, (which they injured very much) to Danbury, and they returned by the way of Ridgefield and Wilten, Our people had proposed to give them battle on the West side of Saugatuck river, on Old Hill, so called, which posi. tion commanded the bridge across the river, and the only place it was sup. posed they would attempt to come. Our people had quite a force there with a number of field picces, with (Arnold) at their head. The British ascertained the position of our troops, when they were within about a mile of them, and Instead of persisting in gaining the bridge to cross the river, which position our people had the complete command of. They filed off to the North, up the river about one mile, piloted it is said by a man by the name of John French, a tory; when they forded the river and passed down on the East side, and got two field pieces on Couch Hill opposite. When our people came, they fired upon them to prevent their crossing over on the bridge, but they did pass and pressed hard upon them down Compo street, and pursued them until they got under the cover of the shipping; it was thought they would have captured them had they not crossed the river above them. There were two families that were tories, viz. one by the name of Lockwood and one by the name of Cable; it is said, that Jabez Lockwood, one of the family, piloted them to Danbury; and it is also said that Jabez Cable was pilot of the fleet to Cedar Point. There were in 1781, a party of two companies of refugees, in number about two hundred, came over and landed at Cedar Point; they divided into two divisions, one went on the North and the other the South side of Compo hill; they had some fight. ing with the coast guard, but they were so far superior to the guard, they gave way; they burnt the guard house. There were a number killed on both sides, and some taken prisoners; they plundered a number of cattle, sheep, hogs, and fowls, &c. &c.; they took every thing they could lay their hands on; but the

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