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LANDS GIVEN THE SUFFERERS FOR losses SUSTAINED DURING THE WAR.

Upon a memorial in 1791, of the inhabitants of the towns of Fairfield and Norwalk, in Fairfield county, the great losses occasioned by the devastations of the British during the war, were shewn to the General Assembly; on which they prayed for remuneration from the State. A committee was appointed by the Legislature, in May, 1791, to ascertain from documents in the public offices, the losses, not only of the memorialists, but of others who had been sufferers under similar circumstances, that had been estimated in conformity to previous acts of the Assembly, such as had been occasioned by incursions of the enemy during the war. The Assembly, therefore, in May, 1792, by a resolution, released and quit-claimed, to the sufferers, named on the State record, or to their legal representatives, if deceased, and to their heirs and assigns forever, 500,000 acres of land, owned by Connecticut, situated west of Pennsylvania, bounded north on lake Erie, beginning at the west line of said lands, and ex tending eastward to a line running northerly and southerly parallel to the east line of said tract of land owned by this State, and extending the whole width of said lands, and easterly so far as to comprise said quantity of 500,000 acres, (exclusive of former grants to sufferers, if any) to be divided among said suffer. ers and their legal representatives, in proportion to the several sums annexed to their names on record, (which land is located in Huron county, in the State of Ohio.)

The following sums were allowed to the sufferers in the several towns here. after named, viz. :-Sufferers in Greenwich, £12,291:14:04; sufferers in Nor. walk, £26,066: 0:1; sufferers in Fairfield, £23,893: 12: 8.

Additional losses sustained by several inhabitants of Fairfield, in the enemy's expedition to Danbury, viz. :-£1,436: 10:11; in Danbury, £8,303: 17:10; in New Haven and East Haven, £16,912: 16:6; in New London, £42,062:13:7; in Ridgefield, £1,730: 1:10.

The sums advanced to Ridgefield by grants of the Assembly, were deducted, and the net balances allowed.

To sufferers in Groton, £7,719:12:2.

Whole amount of losses allowed to the sufferers by the grant of said lands, being £251,606: 8:81.

GALLANT CONDUCT OF CAPT. HILLYER.

In 1779, one Bearmore, a famous cow boy chief or tory, was eminently successful in plundering and committing depredations on his countrymen about tho lines, and as a spy for the British troops in that vicinity.

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Captain Andrew Hillyer, (late Col. Hillyer, of Granby, Conn.) was then sta tioned at Horse Neck, with his troop of light horse, and was ordered to up" Bearmore's quarters, and if possible make him prisoner. Accordingly Capt. Hillyer mustered his troop in the evening, and marched in the night, with all caution to Bearmore's rendezvous; but he in some way was alarmed, and leaped from his bed, through a window, naked, escaped in the darkness of the night, leaving his clothes, sword, and some plunder, in the hands of the continentals. The troop then being in the vicinity of the enemy, it became necessary they should make a hasty march for their own quarters, which they did, keeping out scouts in all directions, to avoid surprise. About day break, the troop overtook

a company of infantry, numbering about 50 men, commanded by Capt. White, who had been out through the night on some special service. At this moment, two scouts that had covered the rear of the light horse, came dashing in among them, one of which, was covered with blood, his hand hanging by the skin, having been lopped off at the wrist by a British dragoon; and reported that a squadron of British cavalry were close upon them. Capt. White exclaimed, I am lost, my infantry cannot escape. Capt. Hillyer said no, that must not be; follow my directions, we will make a stand, and fare alike; divide your men and throw them over the stone wall on each side of the road, in a quartering direction, that the fire of one party may not injure the other; be deliberate, and when you have the word "charge," do what you can.

The light horse were formed across the road, out of the fire of the infantry, and displayed as large a front as their numbers would warrant. The arrange. ment was barely completed, when the British cavalry in large force, was discov. ered sweeping along with great speed, apparently intending to ride down the small troop of continentals, who, with swords loosened, and pistols cocked, were drawn up to receive them.

When the British had reached the mark, about four rods from the light horse, and against the spot where the infantry were posted, and who had not been discovered, Capt. Hillyer gave the signal" charge them, my lads." The troopers discharged their pistols, drew their swords, and spurred against the enemy; at the same time, the infantry rose from behind the wall and poured in such a deadly and well directed fire, that a considerable number of the enemy were killed, while the ranks of the light horse were much embarrassed by the rush of horses, without riders, among them. The British were completely surprised, and immediately faced about and retired beyond the reach of the infantry, when they again formed, and advanced to the attack, but before they were within reach of shot, the infantry could not be restrained, and commenced firing. The British then wheeled, and retreated in good order; the light horse highly excited, urged their commander to allow them to follow and cut the red coats in pieces.

The Americans kept their ground until the British had crossed Byram river. Capt. White then made for the woods. The light horse, after securing what was valuable on the field, and the horses that had lost their riders, with all speed made their own head quarters. The plunder taken from Bearmore and the British on that occasion, was sold for more than $20,000 continental money. Capt. Hillyer was presented with a beautiful Yager's Rifle, as testimony of his gallant conduct.

Bearmore soon after received his deserts; while robbing a dwelling house, in Bloomsbury, New Jersey, he attempted to take a string of gold beads from the neck of a lady, (Mrs. Eunice Die,) who had at her side, a pair of long, sharp pointed scissors, which she plunged into his body, and killed him instantly.

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36

Articles of war

Armorers

Arms prohibited by the King
Arms, &c., furnished by Connecticut,
165, 173, 174, 187, 188, 190, 211,
213, 217, 222, 223, 228, 229, 237,
239, 240, 242, 249, 258, 263, 291,
292, 293, 294, 299, 302, 329, 342,
345, 348, 352, 358, 359, 369, 409

Arnold, Moses
Arnold, James
Arnold, Gen. 91, 115-117, 121, 123,

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129

Beers, Isaac

469, 611

223, 276

Beers, Elias

611

Beever, Col. Samuel

509

131, 166, 511

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274

Belding, Thomas

149, 159, 163, 184

80

Baylor, George

49

Beach, Joseph

524

303

278, 279

124

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294, 314, 427

Child, Elisha

228 Cooper, Thomas, commissary

412
14, 483

Church, Dr. (a tory)

Clarendon, ship

Clark, Gershom

Clark, Jabez

Clark, Alexander

Clay, Capt.

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Church, James 277, 331, 387, 448, 473. Cornwall, town of

Cleft, Maj. Waterman

80

5

477 Council of Safety of New York
351, 376 Counties in Connecticut in 1775
399 Coventry, town of 14 23, 75, 78, 277,
305, 317, 398, 405, 417, 439, 441,

230

450

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Coe, Ebenezer

288

Cockran, Capt.

467, 479, 505, 533

Courts
Crane, Elihu

202

432

Coit, Capt.

46, 88

Crane, Lydia

217

Coit, Capt. Oliver

406, 407

Crane, galley

368, 369, 372, 399

Coit, Col.

Coit, Capt. William 371, 376, 377, 388,
391, 394, 424, 433, 437, 447, 457,

Colchester 14, 23, 78, 279, 304, 354,

Crown Point

23

Currency

260, 269, 469

.464, 492, 578, 579
385, 387

Curtis, Matthew

399

Cyrus, ship

[blocks in formation]

363, 386, 486

Daggett, Napthali

612

Colebrook, town of

9, 340, 456

Daggett, Henry

469

Coleman, Noah

452

Dana, Anderson, Esq.

154

Collins, John's deposition

610

Dana, Capt.

46

Colony of Conn., dismemberment of 17
her influence in

1775, &c.

15

Cotton, Capt. John 392, 414, 472, 479.

Colt, Peter
Columbus, ship

514, 522
515, 523, 524, 526

Danbury, 14, 113, 117, 118, 134, 135,

261, 278, 281, 282, 285, 295, 317,
410, 433, 438, 440, 459, 463, 524,
587, 601, 602, 614, 615, 626, 627
Danielson, William
Danielson, Col.

512

Darling, Thomas

393

Commissary General in partnership
with the State
Commissaries 169, 183, 212, 213, 241,
245, 258, 294, 326, 329. 342, 397,
400, 402, 449, 450
Commissary of prisoners 239, 274, 302

Darlington, William's deposition
Day, James,
Day, Isaac, surgeon's mate
Dayton, Nathan
Davenport, James
Davenport, John

145, 445, 498
240, 256, 428

223, 266

363, 428

159

135

457

509, 514, 520

305

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