The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-20

The following historical address was delivered by W. H. Burr of Greens Farms at the unveiling of the statue of the Minute Man at Compo Beach, June IT. MT. Burrs effusion was most impressive:
 Neither colonial history, nor the en- actnents of the General Court, after kingly protection was renounced, re- whose borders we are commemorating g an event in which Connecticut men from Massachusetts to the sea. fought l in defense of home and country.
 The omission of our name from the early rolls may account for the dtfi- culty some of our journals experience in definitely locating us. Many points on the north shore of Long Island Sound have been described by the press as Westport, Compo and Cedar Point. Though new in name our claim to ancient heritage is valid. Two of the most respectable early Grants parted with their choicest lands and best citizens that we might have a place in the federation of towns in this Commonwealth. A goodly river di- vided Old Fairfield from Norwalk. but we captured the river giving us the finest stream in Fairfield County.
 Our greetings this day will not be as explosive as destructive as were
 
 1777 to their visitors We do cordially welcome you to oI town and bid you enjoy Q shore belon ging to the people, of matchless beauty, and rich in its historical setting.
 What occurred here a century and a third ago swept wonder hilltop from the common place, and gave to the circling shore and sparkling river special importance. The marshalled hosts of today may cause the armies of the past to look insignificant, but the display of heroism that charac- terized the small band of patriots in their persistent efforts to capture, or destroy the invaders, is unsurpassed in valor, and is worthy of a conspic- uous page in our country's history.
 The tangible results of the prompt rising, and the vigor with which the State was defended on those April days in 1777 prevented further incur sions of like character into the in- terior of the State. and the proximity of such an alert and irrepressible foe, kept a large force to garrison New York and so materially depleted Howe's army in the field
 The spring of 1777 had opened bright ly for the royal arms. the expeditions into New Jersey and up the Hudson had been successful, and consequently Sir William Howe was determined to take possession of Western Connecti- cut and capture the stores at Danbury. We find their coming recorded thus, "On Friday, April 25th. 1777. a mild sunny afternoon, twenty-six sail of the enemy's fleet anchored at the mouth of the Saugatuck river in the town of Fairfield, little before sunset 2,000 well armed troops were landed on the long beach at the foot of the beautiful hill of Compo."
 This was a notable as well as mo- ble band of men who came to ''exer- else the arts of war; in obedience to the command of their king General Tyron commanded the expedition. and his troops in discipline, service, and courage represented the flower of the English army They were resplendent in their brilliant uniforms, and mounted on handsome charges made a most inn posing appearance. They were not Hessians but gentlemen.
 This is Bunker Hill day, 134 years ago today two of the regiments, the Kings Own Regiment and the Welch Fusiliers, who later fought here led the charge on Bunker Hill and left over a hundred dead on that memorable field
 Few of our soldiers were available for defense, as they were sharing the fortunes of war with Washington in New Jersey, or defending the forts on the Hudson, fact known to Tryon. | He anticipated little difficulty in hold | ing the country and winning it back to the crown.
 At the head of Compo street a few patriots opened fire on the advancing | column and a number of red-coats fell | TryOn entered Danbury, Saturday aft l ernoon, compelling the little band of militia which was garrisOning the | town. to withdraw. He established | his headquarters and those of General l Agnew and Erskine in favorable To- calities, and quartered troops in the 1 remaining houses preparatory to @ l continued occupancy. Tryon with his | marching thousands ing groups of militia in the advance 1 and he undoubtedly felt the royal army | was secure from molestation. but that | night he was warned by Ioyalists that 1 the country was rising and that gen | erals, heroes of many battles were ap- preaching with patriots who were gathering from the hil1sides far and l near. Tryon needed no other impetus to hasten his departure. Long before | dawn his bugles sounded, his men were aroused and put in marching | order, thousands of barrels of provis- | ions were destroyed, and fire brands 1 were applied to every house in the will | 1age except those of the Tories
 Such briefly was the advance to l and occupancy of Danbury by his | Majesty's troops. Let us observe how the coming of these battalions affected | the Americans. Tryon's forces were landed Friday evening, and not un- known to the patriots Before the dawn of the new day messengers swift | as the rider of Lexington, or those who summoned Clan Alpine to the fight, were speeding far over the hills and village calling on all to resist the foe. The names of the men who bore on the warning may never be known, but history tells us that Gen eral Silliman. who was at his resi-