to evacuate the town, having previously secured a part of the stores, provisions, &c. The enemy, on their arrival, began burning and destroying the stores, houses, provisions, &c. On the appearance of the enemy, the country was alarmed; and early the next morning, Brig. Gen. Silliman, with about five hundred militia, (all that were collected,) pursued the enemy. At Red

In 1776, the red ground of the American flag was altered to thirteen blue and white stripes, as an emblem of the thirteen colonies united in a war for their liberty.

At the battle of Germantown, while Maj. Burnet was attending to a cannon, in turning round, a musket ball from the enemy cut off his cue, which fell upon the ground by his side without injuring him.

The following story shews the faithlessness and treachery of Indians.

A sargeant with twelve men, who, travelling through the woods in New Hampshire, on his way to the American army, his route being far from any settlement, the sargeant being familiar with the Indian character-carly in the afternoon in a copse of woods, a number of Indians rushed out before them, apparently pleased to meet the sargeant and his men, and claimed to be their best friends, declared they had taken up the hatchet for the Americans, and would scalp the villainous English as they would so many wild cats-greeted the sargeant and his men by the appellation of brother, with a hearty shake of the hand, and soon left them. The sargeant after marching his men a short distance, halted them, and informed them they should all die before the next morning; that the friendship of the Indians was a fiction, and they would see them again before morning. When night came, they encamped near a stream of water, which was a protection on one side; they then fell a tree about the size of a man's body, kindled a large fire, then cut the tree into thirteen piecas about the length of their bodies, and rolled each nicely in their blankets, placed their hats on the ends of the logs and placed them before the fire, at such distance as each log should be taken for a man wrapped in his blanket. They then placed themselves behind the limbs of the fallen tree; when it became dark, they with loaded guns, with a bright fire, and with a constant watch, kept perfect silence. As the fire began to get low, a tall Indian was discovered, moving cautiously and skulking Indian like, about the premises; full of sus. picion he crept forward, counted his thirteen men quietly sleeping as he supposed by the fire; he silently retired; another slyly crept up and counted the men and retired; when the party of sixteen Indians came up, gazed at the logs until they were satisfied the thirteen men were in a sound sleep, they took good aim at the logs, discharged their guns, gave the horrid war whoop and stepped forward to murder and scalp the sargeant and his men; the sargeant and his men took deliberato aim in the brush, and not an Indian was left to tell the result of their expedition.

1777. Solomon Leet, of Guilford, on the 15th of January, 1778, stated in his petition to the General Assembly, holden at Hartford, in said January, that on the 17th day of June, 1777, the enemy landed at Sachem's Head, in Guilford,

ding, he was joined by Maj. Gen. Wooster, and Brig. Gen. Arnold. The heavy rain all the afternoon, retarded the march of our troops so much, that they did not reach Bethel-a village two miles from Danbury-till 11 o'clock at night, much fatigued, and their arms rendered useless by being wet. It was thought prudent to refresh the men, and wait the attack of the enemy on

and set fire to his house, and two barns, which were consumed, with all his household furniture, and many other articles of value which he had caused to be appraised, with an inventory; and asked the Assembly for relief, which was granted.

A Letter from John Brooks, to the Author of this Work.

1841. My young friend and neighbor called on me in your behalf, to give some account of the occurrences which took place in Stratford, in the time of the revolutionary war. When that commenced I was but eleven years of age; my recollection of things which took place in Stratford, during that period, may not be very correct, as I have only to depend on memory. Capt. John Brooks, who was my father, and one who took a very active part in the cause throughout the war, and of whom I shall have occasion to speak hereafter, was chased in from sea by the ship Asia, (after the battle of Lexington) which was the first British armed ship that arrived on our part of the coast, and soon after made her appearance in Long Island Sound, and anchored off Stratford. This caused great alarm amongst all classes of the citizens, who did not know how to act, whether for or against their king; but in a short time many of the most wealthy inhabitants became strong royalists, and some received commissions to raise forces and join the British. This was particularly the case with a very likely young man by the name of Chapman, who was sent off with others under a flag of truce by the civil authorities to ascertain from the commander of the ship what was his request or design. At this time Chapman received a lieutenant's commission to raise forces under the king, who did absolutely succeed in enticing away several of the young men from Stratford, all of whom took ap arms against their country. The ship remained some days at anchor, in which time there was a communication kept up between her commander and the inhab. itants, who found a ready market for what they had to spare. By this time people had got pretty well settled down in their principles; those who became tories, were so out of honest principle, thinking it a heinous crime to rebel against their lawful sovereign; the contest soon became warm, and Captain Brooks who took up strongly in the cause, soon became a conspicuous char. acter, and was burthened with several appointments, both by town and State; in particular, he was Barrack master, (as it was then called) for all the troops passing and repassing through the town, in consequence of which the small pox broke out in his family. This was in January, 1777, and was occasioned by the entertainment of some prisoners on their way home, who were taken at the surrender of fort Washington, and were landed at Stratford Point, by a flag of truce out of New York, which was then in possession of the British. These prisoners had been long confined, in different prisons, when an exchange took place; they had been much exposed to small pox; and although every precau

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. At 9 o'clock, A. M., intelligence was received, that the enemy had taken the road leading to Norwalk, of which Gen. Wooster was

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 à 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 selectmen 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 persons 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