Year: 1875

Ndtudulel DaSgeC was Professor OF
Divinity in Yale College, and for a
time its President. Previous to the
breaking out of hostilities, being an
ardent patriot, he constantly instructed
the students IN their duty to the Colon
les and the right to resist with arms
the tyrannical demand of Great Brit
ain, and many of them became dis
tinguished afterwards in the patriot
army. But, with the Inauguration of
open war, the college was broken up
and the students took refuge in the
interior. But in 1879, New England
being for the most part free of British
troops, the students returned and the
college was once more in a prosperous
condition but this tranquil state of
things was broken up by the rumor
that Gen. Tryon was preparing to make
descent upon New Haven. It was
not a strategic point and there were no
fort and no troops there. It was to
be simply raid for plunder and to
spread terror among the inhabitants.
This report, of course, threw the town
into the widest alarm, and meeting
was called to deliberate on what was
to be done. Various courses of acti on
were proposed, but DR.. Dagget insisted
that there was but one-the citizens
mast fight, and defend their fresides
and their homes.


Not long after, swift riders came
galIoping into the town with the start
ling news that Taylor had landed
about five miles from West Haven with
twenty-five hundred British troops.
of course, no force could be raised to
resist such body of troops, and the
college was hurriedly broken up and a
general hegira from the town began.
10 give the people as much time as
possible to get away with their goods,
volunteer company Of hundred
men was formed to beat back the ad-
vance guard and retard the movement
OF the main body as long possible,
Selling such arms as they could lay
hands on, they paraded on the green i n
front Of the college and received the ben
ediction Of DrDagget. Soon with fife and
drum, they marched out and took the
road along which they knew the enemy
was advancing. The good docter saw
them depart, and then turned to look
at the throngs of old men, women and
children, as, pale and affrighted. they
streamed into the open country. His
grand, heroic heart sweiled with indig-
nation at the sight. Flee he would
not, and, as he had exhorted the young
men to strike for their homes, he de-
termined to show them by his example
that he meant what he said when he
declared that resistance to oppression
was obedience to God. Moving rapid
ly to his stable, he saddled his black
mare, took down an old-fashioned
fowllngpiece, mounted and rode off.
AS he came galloping up to the vol
unteers his well-known form was in
stantly recognized, and, supposing he
had come to join them, they gave a
loud cheer. But the good divine was
IN too dead earnest to heed it, and,
sweeping past them, mounted a hill
and, halting in grove, proceeded to
reconnCiter the enemy. In the mean
time, the little band swept round south
OF the hill, and, moving rapidly forward,
soon came in sight of the advance guard
OF the British. This they assaulted so
furiously that they broke and fed,


The former with loud cheers, followed
after them, when suddenly they came
face to face the main body, advancing
with solid front, their scarlet uniforms
filling the ROAD and fields. Seeing the
utter hopelessness of resistance they
suddenly broke and fed without wait
ing for orders DR.. Daggct saw them
running like flock of sheep, but the
panic did not affect him. By mounting
his horse he could easily have escaped,
but he did not come there to run, but
to retard the enemy as long as possible,
that the women and children and infrm
could be cot off. So, soon as the ad-
hin -