Connecticut Historical Collections

" Heavens, Vhat a inatclilcys group ol' beauties rare Southward t'^iands! where crowu'd with yon tall oak, Round-hill thlciicliiig land and sea o'erlooks; Or, smoothly sloping, Grover's beauteous ri.-^e. Spreads its green sides, and lilts its single tree, Glad Miaik lor seamen; or, with ruder lace, Orehards, and fields, and groves, and houses rare, And scatter'd eedars, l\Iill-hill meets the eye: Or where, beyond, witii every beauty chul. More distant heights in vernal pride asceiid. On either side, a long, eontinued range, In all the eharnis ol' rural nature drt-ss'd Slopes gently to the main. Ere 'I'njun sunk To infamy unCathoin'd, thro' yoii groves Once glisien'd Norwalk's white-aseending spires, . ^v- -, And soon, it' Heaven peiniit, shall shine again. ■-, ■ ';-■ ' Here, sky-encircled, Stratford's churches beam; j- ' ■ V."<.'' ■^'^^ Stratfield's turrets greet the roving eye. J- "> In clear, full view, with every varied charm Thai forms the finish'd landsca|)e, blending soft In matcliless union, Fairfield and Green's Farms Give lustre to the day. Here, ciown'd with pines And skirting u'roves, with creek-; and iiaven-, lair Embellisli'd, led with many a beauteous stieain, Prince of the waves, and ocean's I'avorile child. Far westward fading in ccjulusioii blue, And eastward stretch'd beyond the human ken, And mingled with the sky; there Loiiga's Sound Gli.fiuus expands." The following is from the 3d volume of the INIassachusetts Historical Collections; it is entitled "A letter from the Rev. Andrew Eliot, to Rev. John Eliot, of Boston ; concerning the burning of Fairfield, in July, 1779." Fairfield, July 15, 177'J. Dear Brother, — I sit down to write you some account of the sad and awful scenes which have been exhibited in this once'pleasant and delightl'ul town, now, alas! a heap of ruins, a sad spectacle of desolation and wo. It was in the beginning of wheat harvest, a season of extraordinary labor and fes- tivity; a season which promised the greatest plenty that has been known lur many years, if within the memory of man. Never did our fields bear so ponderous a load, never were our pro.-5pects, with regard to sustenance, so blight. The Britisli Heel and army, with the American refugees that had possessed and plundered New Haven, set sail from thai distressed place on the Oih instant. FAIRFIELD. 359 About four o'clock the next morning, the approach of the fleet was announceil by the firing of a gun tiom a small fort we have on Grover's hill, contiguous to the Sound. They seeincLt liuwever to be passing by. And about seven o'clock we, with pleasure, beheld them all to the westward of us, steering, as we thought to ISew York. A very thick log came on, which entirely deprived us of the sight of them till between the hours of nine and ten, when the inist clearing awav, we beheld the whole fleet under our western shore, and some of them close in wuli Kensie's Point. They presently came to anchor, and lay till about four in the afiernoon, when they began to land their Jroops a little to the east of Kensie's Point, at a place called the Pines. From thence the iroops marched along the beach until they came lo a lane opposite the center of the town, through which tliey proceeded, and in about an hour paraded in their divis- ions on the green, between the meeting house and court house. From thence they detached their guards, and dividing into small parties, proceeded lo their infernal business. Their commanding otilcers were Sir George GCllier by sea. Generals Tryon and Garth by land. The approach of the fleet was so sudden, that but few men could be collected, though the alarm guns were lired immediately on the di.ssipa- tion of the fog. There was no thought of opposing their landing, as our Ibrce was nothing to their| Our little party, however, posted themselves j,o as to annoy them to the best advlritage, expecting they would land at the Point. When our people found them lamlVfig on the lett and marching in the rear to take possession of the town, they iminedniiely retreated to the court house; and as the enemy advanced from the beach lane, tliey\'ive them such a warm recepiioii with a field piece, which threw both round and grape shot, and with their musketry, as quite disconcerted them for some time. The column, however, quickly recovered its solidity, and advancing rapidly, forced our small body to retreat lo the heights, back of the town, where they ■were joined by numbers coming in from ihe coumry. The enemy were likewise gall- ed very much, as they turned Ifom the beach to the lane, by the cannon which played Ifoin Grover's hill. The town was almost cleared of inhabitants. A few vvomen, some of whom were of the most respectable families and chaiacters, tnriied with a view of saving their property. They imagined their .sex and character would avail to such a purpose. They put some conlidence in the generosity of an enemy, who were once famed for generosity and politeness; and thought thai kind treatni'ent and submissive behavior Would secure Iheiii against harsh tiealment and rough usage. Alas! they were mis- erably mistaken, and bilterly repented their confidence and presumption. The Hessians were first let loose for rapine and plunder. They entered houses, attacked the peisoHs of whig and tory indisciiminately ; breaking open desks, trunks, closets, and taking away every thing of value. They robbed women of their buckles, rings, bonnets, aprons, and liandkeichicls. Thev abused them wiih the loulcit and most jirolane language, threatened then lives without ihe least legard lo the most earnest ciies ami eniiealies. Looking glasses, china, and all kinds of lurnilure were soon dashed to pieces. Another party ih.ii came on were the American refugees, ^vho, in revenge for their cunfiscaied estates, carried on the same direful business. They were not, however, so abusive to the women as the tormer, but ap[)eared very furious against the town and country. The llritons, by what 1 could learn, were the least inveterate : some of the orticers seemed to pity the mislbrtunes of ihe country, but in excuse said, that they liad no other way to gain their aulhority over us. Individuals among the Brilish troops, were, however exceedingly abusive, especially to women. Some were foiced to submit to the most indelicate and rough treatment, in delense of their virtue, and now bear the bruises of horrid conflict. About an hour befoie sunset, the conflagration began at I he house of Mr. Isaac Jen- nings, which was consumed, with the neighboring buildings. In the evening, the house of Elijah Abel, Esq. sherilf of the county, was consumed with a few others. In the night several buildings in the main street. Gen. Tryon was in various parts of ihe town plot; with the good women begging and entreating him to spaie their houses. Mr. Sayre, the Church of England missionary, a gentleman firmly and zeal- ously engaged in the British interest, and who has suffered considerably in their cause, joined with them in these entreaties ; he begged the general to spare the town, but was denied. He then begged that some few houses might be spared as a shelter for those who could provide habitations no where else; this was denied also. At length Mr. Tryon consented to save the buildings of Mr. Burr and the writer of lliis epistle. Both had been plundered ere this. He said, likewise, that the hon.ses for public wor- ship should be spared. He was far from being in a good temper, during the whole affiin. General Garth, at the other end of the town, treated the inliabitanis with as much humanity, as his errand would admit. At sunrise some considerable part of the town was standing: but in about two hours the flames became general. The burning parlies carried on their business with w 360 *• A I K F I E L I) . horrible alacrity, headed by one or iwo persohs who were born and bred in the neigh- boring towns. All the town, from the bridge by Colonel Gold's to the Mill river, a few houses excepted, was a heap of ruin. About eight o'clock, the enemy sounded a retreat. We had some satisfaction, amidst our sorrow and distress, to see that tbe meeting house and a few other buildings remained. But the rearguard, consisting of a banditti, the vilest that was ever let loose among men, set fire to every thing which General Tryon had left, the large and ele- gant meeting house, the minister's houses, Mr. Burr's, and several other houses which had received protection. They toie the proteciiou to pieces, damned Tryon, abused the women most shamefully, and then ran otl in a nmsi disgraceful manner. Hap- pily, our people came in and extinguished the llamcs in several houses ; so that we are not entirely destitute. The rear guard, which behaved in so scandalous a manner, were chiefly German troops, called Yaugers. They carry a small rifle gun, and fight ii*-a skulking manner, like our Indians. They may be pro|ierly called sous of plunder and devaslaiioD. Our people on the heights, back of the town, were joined by numbers, but not equal to the numbers of the enemy. They were skirnii.shiiig all the evening, part ol the night, and the next morning. The enemy were several tunes disconcerted and driven from their outposts. Had they continued longer in town, it must have been fatal to them ; for the militia were collecting from all pans. Our fort yet stands. The enemy sent a row galley to .^^ilence it, and there was con- stant firing between them all night. One or two attempts were inade to take it by 5arties of troops, but it was most bravely and obsiiriaiely defended by Lieut. Isaac arvisof this town, who had but twenty three men besides himself The militia followed these bloody incendiaries to ihe place of embarkation, and galled them considerably. The emhaikalion look place about twelve o'clock, and they set sail for Long Island about two or three in the afternoon. Many were killed on both sides. The iiuiuber cannot be ascertained. They car- ried olf some prisoners, but no person of di^lincIlon.