Connecticut Historical Collections

Although in this expedition it must be confessed, to tlie credit of the Brilons, that they iiave not donii all the mischief in their power, yet, the brutal ravishment of women, the wanton and malicious destruc- tion of property, the burning of the stores upon the wharf, and eight bouses in East Haven ; the beating, stabbing, and insulting of the Rev. Dr. Daggett, after be was made a prisoner, the mortally wounding of ]Mr. 13eeis, senior, in his own door, and otherwise abusing him ; the murdering the very agefl and helpless Air. English in his own house, and the l)eating and finally cutting out tlie tongue of and then killing a distracttil iiiuu, are suUieient jiroofs that they were rcal/i/ Britons. They were conducietl to the town by William Chandler, son of Joshua Chandler, late ol' this town, who with his family went off with the enemy in their retreat. The enemy carried ofl' between thirty and foity of the iidiabitants of the town, among whom was John \Vhiting, Esq. judge of probate, and clerk of the county court. Names of the j)crsons kilted and wounded by the British li\<upi at Xciv Ilavcn, July ^th and (iih, 177t». Killed. — John Hotclikiss, Caleb Hotclikiss, jnur. Ezckiel Tlotchkiss, Capt. Jolm Gilbert, Michael Gilbert, John Kennedy, Jusepli iJorniaii, Asa Tudil, Samuel Woodiii, Silas Woodin, Benj. English, Isaac Paidis, Jfdiitluui Thonison, Aaron Russell, a lacJ, Jacob 'JMiorp, and Pomp, a ncpcro, all of New tiav. n, Ehlat! Parker, Wallin<!;(brd, Bradley, Dei by, Timolhy Ludington, Guilford, John Baldwin, Gideon Good- rich, Braufortl. and one pcrsim whose name is unknown. Wounded — Rev. Ov. Da'i,!;rlt, Nathan Beers, since dead of his wounds, David Austin, junr. Elizur Goodi icii, junr. Jo-^eph Basselt, Capi. Caleb I\Iix, Thomas I\Ii.\, I.,r.^el Woodin, and taken, John Austin, Abraham Pinio, Nathan Dninmei, Jeremiah Austin, Edmund ^miih, and Elisha Tuitle, (since dead of his wounds, \vhose tongue wa? cut out by llie enemv.) all of New Haven. Atwuier, and a negro, of Wal- lingiord, and Bsnjamin Howd of Branfurd. N E W II A ^^ P. N . 171 The folio WW g is the proclamation alluded to in the foregoing account. By Commodore Sir George Col/ici-, coinmander-in-cliief ol' his ma- jesty's ships and vessels in Norlli America, and Major Gen. flilliaiu Tri/on, commanding his majesty's land forces on a separate expe- dition. Atldrcxs In the inhabilaiits of Connrctuid. The ungenerous and wanton iosiirruction nyainsi tlie sovereignly of Great Eriliiin, into wliich this colony has been iloludecl, Ijy ilie ariifices oldesij^ning men, lor ptivaie purposes, might well jusiily in yuii, every tear which conscious guill could loini, re- specting the inieiilions of the pie.-ent arni'auieni. Your towns, your |)r(i|k'iiy, yourscK't-s Ik- \uiliin the giaspol'ihe powei' \\tio.'<e for- bearance you have ungeneidU^ly cDiisirucd into tear; lait whose lenity has pei^isii.'d in its mild and nuhle eilinis, c\'en though hiauded with the most luiworihy inipulaiion. The existence of a >ii]-f • hahiiaiion on your dofeii;ieless eoa-i, on-ht lobe a suf e.t of constant repniuf to your jngiauiude. Can the strength of your whole province cope with the force whieii might at any lime be poured ihr. ngii every disliiei in your country 1 You are conscious it cannot. ^Vhy tiien will you jjcrsist in a ruinous and ill judged resistance ! We hoped that you would recover from the phienzy which Iras distracted this unhappy Country ; and we believe the day to be near come, u hen the greater part of this continent will begin to blush at llieir delusion. You who lie so much in our power, afford that most striking monument of our mercy, and there- lore ought to set the llrst example of returning lo allegiance. Reflect on what gratitude lequires of you ; if that is insulficient to move you, attend to your own interest: we oiler you a refuse against ihe distress, which you universally acknowledge, broods with increasing and intolerable weight o\'er all your country. Leaving you to et)n.->ult with each other upon this invitation; wo do now declare that whosoever shall be Ibuud, and remain in peace, at his usual jilace of re^nience, shall be shielded from any insult, either lo his jierson, or his [imju'iiy, excepting such as bear oflices, either civil or military, under vour present usuiped government, of whom it will be furlher reijuiied, that they shall give proofs of their penitence and voluntary submission ; and they shall then partake of the like immunity. Those whose folly and obstinacy may slight this laV(Hable warning, must tal;e notice, that they are not to e.xpect a'cuntinuanee of that lenity which their mveteiacy would now rendei blamable. Given on board his Majesty's ship Camilla on the Sound, July -J, 177;). Gi;oi;i.r; Coi.i.iKn, Wm. Tryon". The following is from the London (ia^cllc, of Ijct. G, \"'.l Whit, hall, fict (1 1770. Copy of a hlttf from Mnjor den. Tnion t.> (!, n Sir IL i m/ Clinlon, dated Ac!- York, July -JO, 177!>. Having on the 3d iiuNint, joined the troops assembled on board the transports at Wliiteslone, Sir George Collier got the lleet under way the same eveninjj ; but the winds being light, we did not reach the harbor of New" Haven until the fifth, in ihe morning. The first division consisting of the flank companies of the Guaids, the Fuzilif rs, 51th regiment, and a detachment of the Yagers, with 4 field pieces, under the con, - mand of Brig. Gen. Garth, landed about .'J o'clock, (A. M.) a mile south of W. st Haven, and began their march, making a circuit of upwaids of seven miles, to head a creek on the west side ol the town. The second division could not move until the return of the boat.s, but-befoie noon I disembarked with the 2'id, Ihe Hessian, J,andgrave, King's American Regiments, and 2 pieces of cannon, on the eastern sitle of the harbor, and instantly began the march of three miles, to the ferry from New Haven, east, towards lliantoid We took a field pieee, which 'annoyed us on our landing, aiul possessed (uirselves of the Rock Battery, of three guns, commanding the channel of the harbor, abandoned by the rebels on our approach. The anni.-d vcs.>els then entcied and drew near the town. Gen. Garth got into the town, but not without opposition, loss, and fatigue, and re- ported to meat half past one, that he should begin ihe conllagraiion, which he thought It merited, as soon as he had secured the bridge bL-tween us,\iver Neck Creek. The collection of ihe enemy in I'uree, mi advaniageous ground, and with heavier cannon than his own, diverted the General from that passag^e, and the boats that were to take olfthe trooji:, being not up, [ went over to him, and the result of our conference was a resolution, tliat, with the fust division, he should cover the north part of the 172 N i: w 11 \ V r. n. towa that nii^ht, while with the sectimi, I sliuuld keep the heights above the Rock Fort. In ttie morning llie fiist division einbarkotl, ul the souilicasi j)ail of llio town, and crossing the ferry, joined us un hJa-^t JJaven Mile, excelling llie Dltli, whicli were .'^ent on board thejr transports. In tlie progress of the preceding day, IVoni West Haven, lliey M'cre nndera continual fire; bni by the judicious conduet of the LJcneral, and llie alertness of llie Iruops, the rebels were every wheie repulsed. The next morning, as there was not a shot fired to molest the retreat, Gen. (Jaith changed his design, and destroyed only the public stores, some ve.ssels and ordnance, excepting six field pieces, and an armed privateer, whicli were biought olf. The troops re-embarked at Rock Fort,* in tho afternoon, with little molestation; and the fleet leaving the harbor that evening, anchored the morning of the 8ih oft' the village of Fairfield. **♦»♦♦*♦*»*♦ ♦ ♦ * The general eflect of the printed address from SirGeorge Collier and myself, to the inhabitants, recommended by your Exeellencv, cannot be discovered (ill there are some further operations and descents upon their coasts, Many copies of it were left behind at New Haven, and at Fairfield. ♦ + ♦ ♦ ♦ I have the honor herewiih to transmit to your Excellency a general return of tho killed, wounded, and missing, on this expedition. At \ciu JIureii, July 5. Guards, 1 olficer, 1 rank and file killed; 1 oliicer, 1 sergeant, 9 rank and file woundetl : 14 tank ami file missing.— 7tli or Royal Fu/.iliers, 1 sergeant, 7 rank and file wounded ; 2 ranlc and file missing. — 'JIM, or Royal AV^elch Fuziliers, 1 drummer, 1 rank and file wounded. — allh Regiment of fi)Ot, I sergeant, 5 rank and file killed ; 2 officers, 1 drummer, 5 tank and file wounded ; 1 sergeant, 7 raiilc and file mis.sing. — Landgrave regiment, 2 rank and file wounded.— Del:ichmeiil of Yagers, 1 rank and file wounded; 1 rank and file missing. — King's American Regiment, 1 ofiicer killed ; 1 sergeant, tj rank and file wuunded. — Royal Artillery, 1 driver wounded. Names of Ike ojficers Killed and Wounded. Guards, Adjutant Campbell, killed; Captain Parker, wounded. — 54lh Regiment of foot', Captain Biekop, Lieut. Powell, wounded. — King's American Regiment, iOnsigii and Adjutant Watkins, killed. W.m. Tiao.N, M. G. The foUoiving additional particulars, relative to the invasion of New Haven by the Briiish Troops, were received from persons who were residents of the town at the time.