Connecticut as a colony and as a state; or, One of the original thirteen; . r William Howes official report,printed in the London Gazette of June 7th, 1777, the vil-lage was unavoidably burnt. After which, having reacheda state of sobriety which admitted of marching, the Britishmade a much more hasty retreat than they probably intendedto make. Instead of retracing their steps through Bethel,Redding, and Fairfield, they adopted a more westerly course,apparently in the hope of eluding their pursuers. Anticipating this movement, Generals Wooster, Arnold,and Silliman divided their forces, detailin
Connecticut as a colony and as a state; or, One of the original thirteen; . r William Howes official report,printed in the London Gazette of June 7th, 1777, the vil-lage was unavoidably burnt. After which, having reacheda state of sobriety which admitted of marching, the Britishmade a much more hasty retreat than they probably intendedto make. Instead of retracing their steps through Bethel,Redding, and Fairfield, they adopted a more westerly course,apparently in the hope of eluding their pursuers. Anticipating this movement, Generals Wooster, Arnold,and Silliman divided their forces, detailing about two hun-dred men to march to Danbury under Wooster, and harassand detain the enemy from the rear; while Arnold and Silli-man, with the remaining five hundred men, proceeded by aforced march to Ridgefield, occupying a position suitable foropposing the enemy on the front and on both flanks. By thedestruction of a bridge on their march from Danbury, theBritish were somewhat delayed; so that Wooster, possiblyreinforced by the continentals and militia from Danbury, 98. CONNECTICUT IN THE REVOLUTION gained on them, and approaching through a wooded coun-try, took them completely by surprise at breakfast, capturingforty men. Retreating with his prisoners as suddenly as hehad come, he hung upon the rear of the enemy as they hast-ily resumed their march, and at about eleven oclock madeanother bold attack with his handful of men, about two milesnorth from Ridgefield. While cheering his men, with theshout Come on boys! he fell, fatally wounded, and wascarried from the field. Thus bravely fell another Connecti-cut hero, a man of sixty-seven, in whom dwelt that love ofcountry which forgets age and all other personal considera-tions. The British reached Ridgefield at about noon, and begana fire of artillery upon Arnolds and Sillimans forces as soonas these forces were discernible. As the British approachedwithin musket range a fierce fight began, and it is said tohave been fully an ho
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