The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
A FIGHTING MAN OF YALE.
HONOR TO BE DONE TO THE MEM
orr or DR.. DzGGETT.
Patristie stssa made by Wales FiRhttns Pres-
tdent Against Rriiish Invndcrs DuFtnG tho
RevoIuusn-The Monument by which the
= n,.A NJ. a.. ma rn,-nUwnr1ta Noow


RevoIuusn-The Monument by which the
Deed 1s 10 ne CcrEsrnerated soop.
NEW HAVEN, March 5.-The proposal made
some four years ago to commemorate the re-
pulse Of the British invaders Of New Haven In
1870. and especially the part taken in defence
Of the town and the college by the Rev. Eaph-
tall DagRett, ex-Prcsident OF Yale, seems about
to be realized. At q recent meeting of the New
Haven Chapter Of tho Sons of the Revolution
the plans of its committee and q committee
from tho HISTORICAL society were submitted;
and tho work Of collecting subscriptions has
begun. Tho monument, designs fos which have
been made by Patrick Kelly Of New York, will
be q representation in bronze Of the defence OF
West Bridge, and will DO erccted:almost on the
site, at the junction OF Columbus. Davenport
and Congress avenues, where the stand was
made. Besides the bronze figures Of two Con-
tincntal soldiers, from seven to nine feet high,
the pedestal will contain Il tablet commcmora.
tive of tho valiant part played in the defence
by DR.. Daggett, who for eleven years was Prcsi-
dent pro tenn. Of Yale Collcge.and for a longer
period held the only college professorship, that
Of divinity.
President Daggett has for a hundred years
maintained o position in the affection and re.
specs OF Yale men as her lighting President
and tho decition Of the historical society to
commemorate III uuukhI1 bbhha hBdihob u
invading British win be gladly received by Yale
mon. His act has been always regarded as
typical Of the attitude of the college during the
Revolution. Yale from the first took q bold
stand on tho colonial side; nor was her patriot
ism Of an inactive ordor. Tho years between
the signing of the Declaration Of Independence
and the conclusion Of the peace were years Of
severe trial for the college. 1t had had a pretty
tough time during the stormy Presidency of
President Clap. and even DR.. Daggett, however
effective q theoloqiari and musketser he may
have been, proved u failure In the Presidents
chair. The advent of Ezra Stiles to the Presi-
dency was almost coincident with the outbreak
of hostilities. Tho enrolment of the college
was conspicuously thinned by the war, o large
number Of students joining the patriot army;
but the authorities were frequently unable to
take care of the few that were left. The stu
dents were periodically dismissed on account
of short commons. and for months at q time no
exercises were held. The patriotism of Yale
men, however, was intense. President Stiles.
in his lectures and talks with thesstudents. was
emphatic in his allegiance to the Colonial cause;
and Prof. Daggett's exhortations from the COL
lese pulpit were fiery in their condemnation of
King George and his troops. The college.
among the royalists, was.held to be:a hotbed OF
revolution. and was referred to by one of its
alumni. Judge Thomas lonesome of the few
graduates of Yale who espoused the British sido
as a nursery Of sedition, of faction and re-
publicanism."
1t was, therefore, natul al that Sir Henry Gin
ton should decide to strike a.blow at New Ha-
ven and Yale, and he began to arrange his plans
in the spring Of 1879. 1t had long been be-
lieved that this incursion was purely preda-
tory; but official correspondence recently I'M
earthed shows that the Commander in. Chief
had a strategic purpose. He evidently hoped
in this way to divert Gen. Washington's otten.
ton from the Hudson and to cntice him to the
protection Of the Connecticut towns. His sec
ondary purpose was unquestionably to punish
Yale and New Haven for their patriotic mani
festations. New Haven had made itself OBJ
noxiogs not only through the eloqucnce of Prcsi-
the large amount OF supplies and munitions. of
wal, it furnished to the Continentals. Il was with
learned, on the morningsof July 4, 1879. that a
large British fleet had been sighted off West
New Haven. Tho next morning President
Stiles assembled the tower Of the old chapel and
anchored Oh the harbor and that the soldiers
the college records and papers, and his own
were sounded in the town. the militia was sum:
ready to receive the British.
The fleet, numbering some forty sail and
carving about 5000 troops, anchored Off West
Haven. and n detachment, under Gen. Garth.
landing at Savin Rock. began the march to the
town. All their movements were carefully OBJ;
tower and reported by him to the townsmen as
ssmbled on the Green and the College Square.
nearly ali the available men being in the Con.
a saraa , m a5my; N. Nearly p1t b eiySry a student 9ts sh noa,
mand Of James Hilhouse, himself one of the
most widely known and respected graduates of
Yale. Another student band was led by Aaron
It was with difficulty that enough muskets were
secured to arm the students and the townsmen.
but: insgtleie1tly armed as they, were. they
Bridge, the most convenient entrance TO the
t0T x1 ,6 ct s ThiSh the ses ses%y tb had M @imf RI,ao, thew
were somewhat surprised to zee ahorseman dash
by. and they had barely time to recognize their
black mare was a familiar OBJECT 10 the stu.
dents, but they had never before seen her
ppssSisd into ionf sh foR sHEvio e,s Of w al pr RP; dpfs ap fbs
enemy. The professor of divinity was not a
man to act upon impulse, and II was evident
view and hat the unwonted role he was play
students gave him a loud cheer as he rode past,
End fight them single handed. He soon spled a
hind which he halted his horse, and there he SO.
crsted himself. waiting the approach of the foe.
The student volunteers, under James Hill.
house. had a brief en~gagement with the enemy,
but were, of course, inadequate to cope with
the superior force. After chasing tho redcoats
through several fields and being chased In turn,
they beat a retreat over the bridge. which was
immediately destroyed. thus cutting off tho
IDENTIFY forgot that they were cutting of Il Q re-
treat Of Prof. Daggett as well. But that theo-
logian did not mind. He was perfectly willing
to remain on the same side with the English
through. To turn back was the last idea in
his mind. Meanwhile the British were adyanc-
ing toward the bridgc c.
Suddenly there came "Bang!' Tho advance
OF the vanguard, anxious to reach the bridge
before the patriots completed its destruction.
was suddenly checked. There was no evident
source from which the shot, which had been
nred with deadly effect, could have come. The
soldiers had kept a constant eye upon the Amer
leans. but they had been engaged for some time
in destroying the bridge: Then came Bang!
Bang!', again. Another British grenadier sue
cumbed to the mysterious marksman, who had
now become q cause'of serious worriment to the
troops. u was perceived tina the shots came
from q different quarter than that in which the
patriots had taken their station. Indeed, after
the second shot, the British detected a puff of
smoke from a clump of bushes near by. Two
men were ordered TO inycsti !ate the mystery.