The Romance of Norwalk

Just before the Sunday morning service, July 22, 1781, in the Darien Congregational church, the Tories arrived at the church. Discovering that all the people they wanted had not attended the morning session, the British decided to wait until the afternoon service. As soon as all had taken their seats inside the church, the English surrounded the place and dared anyone to come out. The Rev. Mather accepted the challenge, leaped, it is said, over the bayonets guarding the door and was promptly taken prisoner. Various others of the parishioners were also captured, in spite of the efforts of the hurriedly gathered coast guard and of sundry inhabitants who exchanged shots with the enemy. Barber, the historian, who states that it was the refugees, or Tories who attacked 150 ROMANCE OF NORWALK the church, says also “the son of Dr. Mather was more for¬ tunate than the rest; as the refugees entered the church he sprung under the seat, and the women sitting before him their clothes hid him from observation.” The Connecticut Journal in speaking of the raid says that the surprise was so complete that only four or five escaped, one of them being a son of Mr. Mather who was slightly wounded in the leg as he was running away. The parishion¬ ers were tied in couples and marched down the shore road. The route taken by the captors led over the old Five Mile road to a point west of the head of the Pampaskeshank In¬ let (Wilson’s Cove) near “Witch Lane” where all embarked for Long Island. The next stop was New York where the captives remained in the horrible Provost prison for many a long week, some of them dying. Mather, who might have fared as badly as the rest, while behind the bars, found his lot much lightened by the mother of Washington Irving, novelist, who, hearing of his plight, saw to it that he had necessary food, clothing and comforts. Only one entry appears in the Norwalk town records, dealing strictly with the Tories. This was in February 24, 1783 and had to do with the matter of returning Tories who had previously gone off with the enemy. The townspeople “put to vote whether those persons which have gone off and joined themselves with the enemy, should return back and inhabit in this town.” “Past in the negative.” At an adjourned meeting, two weeks later, the good peo¬ ple of the town made their decision in the matter a little more emphatic. They had decided not only to keep out of the town all Tory sympathizers known to them, but to in¬ vestigate the actions of all suspicious looking people who might attempt to make settlement in Norwalk. December first of the same year, Hezekiah Rogers, Job Bartram, Isaac Keeler, Sami. Deforest, Justus Hayt, Mat¬ thew Gregory, Sami. Comstock, Stephen Betts, Eli Reed, were named a committee “to take directions from the select¬ men of this town, and deal with those persons who have TORIES IN NORWALK 15 1 been to the enemy and returned, according to their direc¬ tions.” On the last Monday in December, 1783, the town fathers evidently relented the stern position they had hitherto taken and while the Christmas spirit was still upon them passed the following: “Voted that the selectmen and committee are to act their discretion respecting those persons which have joyned the enemy, notwithstanding any former votes.” FAIRFIELD BURNED Wednesday afternoon, July 7, 1779, British ships, consist¬ ing of two large men-of-war, and 48 row galleys, tenders and transports, appeared off the Fairfield shores. About 10 in the evening General William Tryon landed on an out- jutting piece of coast, with some 2,600 men. With him was Brigadier General Garth, who had special charge of the Hessian regiments, the Landgraves and the Yaegers. The British immediately advanced on the town, although some¬ what bothered by the firing from a small fort on Grover’s Hill. Scenes of debauchery and cruelty, worse than Fairfield had ever witnessed, continued throughout the night. The Hessian soldiers went from house to house, plundering and burning, taking the very buckles and jewelry from off the women, whom they grossly insulted. Some of them went around in bands, staggering up and down the pretty streets, drunk from the effects of the strong liquor and cider they had stolen. Others danced on the village green and showed off the choice bits of plunder which they had taken. Fairfield suffered a loss by fire of three churches, two schoolhouses, a court house, a jail, 97 homes, 48 stores, and 67 barns. The burning of Fairfield was followed by the burning of Greens Farms. The British then returned to Huntington Bay, L. I. BURNING OF NORWALK Chapter XV British Come to Norwalk — Terrified Women and Children Hide in W oods — u Battle of the Rocks” — Town Reduced to Ashes — Only Thirty Homes Escape Torch — Norwalk- ers Who Served in Revolution — D. A. R. Monuments. Late on a warm, sunny, lazy Saturday afternoon, July io, 1779, when the majority of the local men and women were ending their week’s work, at peace with the world, the British fleet of 26 sail piloted by a Norwalk Tory carrying a land force of about 2,500 men under Generals Tryon and Garth, appeared off the shores of Norwalk. The news travelled like wild fire among the terrified citizens of the little town. Who first spread the alarm of the coming of the British, through Norwalk, is not definitely known, although various historians have given various theories, Dr. T. S. Childs maintaining that the hero was one Onesimus, a slave owned by the New Canaan Comstocks. It is quite probable that a number sighted the vessels when they sailed into the harbor, and broadcast the news. It is more probable that it was the coast guard, stationed at various lookout points along the Sound, who first warned the people of impending disaster. Hysterical terror seized the women of Norwalk when the full import of the presence of the British in the harbor grew on them. Mothers corralled their offspring, snatched up whatever precious bits of household goods they could carry and hur¬ ried off to “The Rocks,” above France st., to Wilton, to New Canaan or to whatever hilly or woody spot they believed might temporarily be safe. 152 BURNING OF NORWALK i53 Meanwhile, the militia and the guard were mobilizing and planning out a campaign which would effectively hamper the enemy if not completely frustrate its purposes. All the men, with their muskets, met at the parade ground, where they were divided into companies, given their orders, and sent to various sections of the town to watch the movements of the British. About 9 in the evening, General Tryon landed at Calf Pasture beach with 2,500 men from his fleet of 26 sail. At the time, the Norwalkers did not know the exact number of British, or they might have been more disheartened. There were in town only about 400 patriot troops, 150 of whom were Continentals, commanded by General Samuel Parsons, while the rest were members of the town militia or were volunteers, headed by Captain Stephen Betts and Captain James Richards. After landing very quietly at Calf Pasture, Tryon did nothing further that night. The men just slept on the beach on their arms. Early the next morning, Sunday, about 3 o’clock, the Brit¬ ish moved across to Fitch’s Point, where they were joined by the King’s American regiment, the Tories. The latter re¬ ceived orders to cross over in flat boats to Old Well, now South Norwalk. This they did, under the command of General Garth, who had been told by Tryon to burn a house at a point just south of Washington st. immediately upon his arrival. This would notify those watching from Fitch’s Point that he had disembarked and was ready to carry out the orders of his superior. Tryon’s plan appeared to be to have Garth and his men reach “The Bridge,” now Norwalk, through South Norwalk, while he would make the trip through East Norwalk. Garth set out immediately, on landing near Washington st., for his goal. He had not progressed very far, however, before he discerned some patriots on the hills above South Norwalk, in the direction of Flax Hill. He decided that he had better dispatch these soldiers first, before proceeding to finish those up at “The Bridge.” Accordingly, he divided his men so 154 ROMANCE OF NORWALK that the left wing charged through the fields at the back of South Norwalk, up Spring st., and Flaxhill road, then called West st., while the right wing hurried along Water st. and came out on West ave., by way of Marshall and Ann sts. At Trinity church, the patriots and the British came to¬ gether and engaged in a few moments of severe fighting. The latter were somewhat confused, yet they succeeded by force of superior numbers in gaining the summit of the first rise of hill, some of them coming up the steep cliff now known as Crescent Terrace. At the second ascent, up Flax- hill, the British were met by sharp and rapid fire from a large squad of patriots under Captain Richards, secreted be¬ hind a stone wall, on a slope leading from the main road to Round Hill. This Round Hill appears to have been situated in what is known as Highland Park, in the woods between Flaxhill Road and the Post road, almost opposite “Shaw’s” restaurant on the Post road. On the slope mentioned, the enemy lost three men and several more were wounded. The British thereupon retreated into a nearby field and under cover of another pretended attack, unknown to the patriots, buried their dead. The remains were not found until many years later during excavation work for a new house. With eagle eye the patriots crouched behind any conceiv¬ able protection, wall, tree, house or barn and waited further developments. Suddenly they saw a British officer appear on the brow of Flaxhill road, grandly flourishing a sword as though to urge his men on to battle. Several random shots were taken at the officer who disappeared again as quickly as he had appeared, evidently in haste, “his cocked hat and tall plume appearing as if transferred from the head of the rider to that of the horse,” according to description.