Putnam patriot., 1921-12-16
connss,ieu, in War aud Peace
CONTINUED from Last Week.

The British soon advanced TO Dan
bury As they were passing the house
Of Major Starr four young men fred
upon the infantry. The British shot
them down, threw their bodies into
the house, and set il on FIRE. In their
anger the soldiers next rushed in all
directions robbing the people and
burning their homes. Wherever they
learned that a Tory lived they marked
his house with white cross and II
was spared In short time most Of
the other houses and stores were in
ashes.
when the British withdrew from
the burned town the Connecticut mil
itia commanded by General David
Wooster appeared and pursusd them
To Ridgeheld There they met another
body Of American soldiers who had
come from Hudson. In the battle that
followed Wooster fell mortally wound
ed. The next day The British succeed
ed in getting back to their vessels
and returned 70 New York.
During the winter Of If78-79
/ Putnam and his men suffered great
hardships in their camp at Redding
but they did not hesitate to meet a
British force much larger than their
own at Horse Neck. 1t was here that
Putnam gained fame BY riding down
flight Of stone steps where no Bri-
fish soldier dared to follow
Then he pursued the British and
took so of them prisoners. After this
the horrors of British invasion we're
felt all along the southern coast Of the
state. New Haven was visited by Gov
ernor Tryon and three thousand sol
diers The inhabitants were robbed,
twenty were killed. and nine
teen wounded. Many Others were
taken prisoners. Among them was the
venerable Or. Daggett, ex-President
of Yale College He WAS robbed and
beaten and then driven at the point
of the bayonet until his strength was
exhausted.
Fairfield was plundercd and most
of the town burned. Except a few
homes of Tories the entire village of
Norwalk was left in ashes. New Lon
don was burned by British soldiers led
By an American who had turned trail
tor to his country
Fort Griswold at Groton was cap
tured by the British after a fierce
struggle. As the British entered the
fort, their officer asked Colonel Led
yard, who commands this fort2" Il
did Sir; but you do now was the
reply of Colonel Ledyard as he handed
his sword to his eaptor The brutal
officer took the sword that had been
offered as sign of submission and
plunged il thru the heart Of the gal
liant Ledyard
During the last two years Of the
war while barbarities Rere taking
place along the eoast. Connecticut was
hanored as the meeting place Of Wash
ington and the French generals who
planned the final campaign of the
great struggle In 1850 Washington,
Lafayette, and Governor .Trumbull
came TO Hartford to meet Rocham-
beau who had Just arrived from
France. The nead year Washington
and Rochambeau met at Nethersiieid
and there planned the campaign
against CORVALLIS Mhieh ended the
Revolution a, Yorktown. In all the
long struggle Connecticut men had
acted noble part and the little state
had furnished more men m proportion
To her population than any other oil
the thirteen states.
When news came that Fort sumter
had been fred upon and that CIVIL
Var WAS at hand the son, Of tounec-
tieui Like their fathers in tae keNeiu-
ton rallied % Tie defense OF theW
country Gheirefs was. Ire 0nien'
1t mus, and shall. oe preserved
President Lincoln called Tor a2.uoo
volunteers Var meetings were aeid
IN almost every town and eity aud
large numbers ot men volunteered.
kram farm. workshop office ard
school came q response taat mors ts'.h
filled toHueeucut.s quota. " ,-n tears
i'm their eyes br4Fs women encouraged
fathers husbands. brothers ana sons
20 80 90 war Within month tatee
g.