Morning journal and courier., 1891-06-12

man about twenty-three years of age, had
with two or three of his neighbors, Joined
the party which opened fire on regulars
just after they left West Haven green, and
had retreated up the hill through the
bushes toward his home.
Just before reaching the house they
came into the road and hearing the hurried
canter of a horse coming up the hill
they lodged over the fence into the bushes
British officer on horseback coming, dressed
in red coat with waving feathers in his
hat. The officer stopped on the summit
and stood up in his saddle and looked to-
ward the valley below, as if to get an idea
of its surrounding. Then getting off his
horse, and with the reins in hand he step
ped toward the party in ambush when
johnson fred, and the officer fell dead,
the horse started on run down the hill.
johnson and his companions at once
came from ambush and found Campbell
speeches.. They carried him to the house
and laid him on bed, and that night they
carried his remains into the field north Of
the road and buried them. His clothing,
sword and sash, tradition says, was for
many years kept by the johnson family,
and it is said there is still extant his hand
kerchief stained with blood.
have been told that the news of Camp
bells death or capture was conveyed to the
guards by the return of his horse without
its rider to Allingtown, just as tho column
proceeded on their march along the mead
ows, east of the road which leads through
Edgwood to Hotchkisstown to tho ford
(the elbow.) On the open meadows the
| column was less exposed to the constant
| fire from the patriots, who were stationed
l in the woods that frinRed the west mead
| ows and all fighting at random.
Following is copy of a letter received
by me from Mr.. James G. Clark regarding
the shooting of Adjutant Campbell. Ac-
companying the letter was the autograph
Of johnson, who shot Campbell, written
eighty-two years of age:
| TCopy Of letter.
New HAVEN June 10, 1870.
Dear sr-Mrs. Eaton, in reply to my inquiry
hearing anything as to his clothing. He was a
fine looking man as he came riding up the hill
with his feathers in his hat.*
She states that he had got off his horse and
had gone to the fence and was in the act of get
ting as if in P pursuit Of her faheE whep the
Campbell was dead when laid upon the bed in
| her grandfather's house.
She thinks the shot was fired in self defense as
Campbell seemed to be pursuing them-Says her
father was several weeks in the Army watching
at Old Field Point for the approach of the Brit
Mrs Eaton seems positive her nephew Mr. Levi
johnson is mstakensd as to Campbell being shot
in the house might have been in his pocket 1t
had some spots Of blood on it. She does not
been given by her Uncle Joseph Williams John
son to Hannah or Patty Allng and = SO, the Net
knowledge as to his sash and sword
Mr. johnson lived and died with this daughter
Her faculties were good and she was the most
likely to have the most correct knowledge Of
this matter.
should feel inclined to give it the preference
to the Is statement as given by Mr. Levi Johnson.
She says Mr.. John johnson, her father, was a
very timfd. conseientious man and would never
cad over having caused Campbelrs death.
Trusting that this may assist you in your I'M
dertaklng
am with respect Yours, &C.,
have been told by the late Mr.. Ray
mond, who was a stationer on Center
street, that when boy he had seen posts
and rail fences on the west meadows that
had been split down with the axes of the
advance guard of the British and which
then bore the marks of the invaders axes.
The main body of the invaders seem to
have crossed the meadows and torded the
river, marching across the fiat lands to
Hotchkisstown road to Ditch Corner. A
company of them was made up principally
Of the guards and Hessians and was sent
by General Garth under guidance of
Chandler, to destroy the powder mill near
West rock, but they were driven back and
fourteen of the guards were captured and
one Hessian, known by mis- green coat
[See foot MOTEL The captives were marched
engagement at Ditch Corner and the whole
squad lodged in the school house near the
White Haven meeting house on the green.
They were again marched off, few min
utes before the town was occupied, to
North Haven, and detained as prisoners of
war. In support of the company sent to
destroy the powder mill seems to
have been considerable body of the enc
my with the four field pieces landed at
Savin Rock and which following the road
kept up constant fire on the retreating
patriots below. When Captain Bradley
saw the enemy had abandoned crossing at
West bridge, he, taking his guns, marched
across the field on the east side of West
river and occupied the bluff protected by
earth works aud here he mounted At
waters gun taken from the vessel on the
wharf, which for time held the bridge,
but had to be abandoned owing to the enc
my's coming up across the fields in his
rear from the south, they having just ford
ed the river, the divided division making
a junction on the Derby road, now Whal-
ley avenue.
At about the site of the jail the enemy
formed again, little expecting reception
of leaden hail given them by the patriots
who were under the gallant Captain Gill
bert and stationed in the houses at the
Ditch Corner. Here the enemy were
driven back with fearful loss by the foe
from the patriots who were not dislodged
until the enemy's artillery charged with
grape shot was brought to bear and the
Ill &c @bo
Then also by maneuver of company of
the guards who had been thrown out I'M
der the command of Captain Parker (who
tbs said was son of the Earl of Meccle-
feld), diminishing fparty came up in
the patriots rear and completely cut off
their retreat, hemming them in when
surrender was demanded by Captain Par
ker.
The New Haven JOURNAL AND COURIER
has the following from Captain Gilbert's
descendants
On the morning of July 9Th, 1779, Cap
tain John Gilbert was at work in the hay
field on his farm, four miles north from
the New Haven Green in the now town of
Hamden, and received news that the Brit
ish had landed on the West and East Haven
shores. He being at the time captain of
the up town militia company, dropped his
scythe, mounted his horse, and leaving be-
ulnu nl1u seven OrpnAu cIl1lureu \GQe
mother having died six months previously,
the youngest being but one year and half
old, he rallied as many of his company as
was possible and hastened to the town and
met the British troops in Broadway, and
was in the thickest of the fight there, in
which five of his comrades were slain, viz,
his brother Michael Gilbert, Samuel Wood
in, Silas Woodin, Joseph Dorman and Asa
Todd.
He himself was wounded and when Or
dered by the British officer, Captain Parker
of the Guards, to surrender with the bal
ance of his company, Captain Gilbert
asked, "Will you promise to spare our
damned REBEL" and ordered soldier to
shoot him. Then Captain Gilbert replied
"Weu never surrender" and shot Parker
and SO seriously wounding him that he
fell from his horse which, tits said, was |
the one his brother officer, Adjutant Camp |
bell of the Guards, had ridden on his re-
connoisance to the Allingtown hills and
which had returned to his company with |
the silent message of their lost companion. |
immediately on the fall of Cantain