Lieut. Col. Baldwin, at Fishkill; for which services they asked compensation of the Assembly; and the pay table were ordered to adjust their accounts, and give orders for the payment thereof. Joshua Stone, who was confined in New York as a spy, and escaped, and was apprehended in Stamford, tried, imprisoned, and fined £20. The Assem. bly ordered the release of said Stone from prison, on his taking the oath of fidelity, and paying the State Treasurer £30 lawful money, and enlist into the continental army, in any regiment raised by the State, to serve during the war, or for three years. Michael Towsley, of Suffield, asked the Assembly to remunerate him for £20 of public money burned in his mother's house, which was allowed him. On the memorial of the inhabitants of the town of Fairfield, it was shewn, that the British troops, on their march to Danbury, plundered a great number of families of every thing in their houses, that was subject of plunder, as well as their cattle, horses, and teams, and took the same away with them; whereby some persons were reduced to abject poverty and distress, who previously had lived comfortably, &c., prayed the Assembly for some allowance. The Assem. bly appointed Col. Thomas Fitch and Thaddeus Betts, Esq., of Norwalk, and • Lemuel Sanford, Esq., of Redding, a committee to enquire and estimate the losses of each individual in said Fairfield, by the British troops on their route to Danbury, and report the same. David Manvill, Jesse Tuttle, and Ephraim Warner, of Waterbury, stated to the Assembly, that they had been induced to join the enemy, and served them until November, 1777, when they escaped, returned, and were committed to prison, and prayed the Assembly to be pardoned therefor. The Assembly granted a pardon to each of them, and allowed them to receive so much of their goods as consisted in household furniture, and tools of their trades, from the officers who held them in custody, notwithstanding seizure and condemnation, by their paying all costs that had arisen. The Assembly allowed Edward Hinman, Esq., £22:16:9 for taking care of nine prisoners of war, sent to the committee of inspection at Woodbury, by the Committee of Safety of the State of New York, on the 22d day of October, 1776. Samuel Dickerman and George Dudley, of New Haven, shewed to the Assembly, that in pursuance of orders, in August, 1776, they marched to New York, for the defence of that city, under Capt. Goodyear, in Col. Thomson's regiment, and did their duty in their stations while in New York; and that during the cannonade, they were ordered to take care of a sick soldier of said company, which they did in great hazard to themselves; that they attempted to get said sick soldier into some hospital or private house, both of which they failed in accomplishing; and as they supposed his recovery depended on his returning home, they procured a carriage, and conveyed him home, &c.; in consequence of which they were returned as deserters, and deprived of their wages, &c. The Assembly ordered the pay table to examine and adjust their account of wages, and draw on the Treasurer for payment. Moses and Patience Northrop and Eunice Northrop, shewed the Assembly, that said Patience and Eunice were confined in Litchfield gaol, upon suspicion of treason against the State, and prayed to be admitted to bail; which was granted, by each of them giving bail, with good sureties, for the sum of £200 lawful money, in the usual manner. Cornelius Higgins, Jr., of East Haddam, an ensign in captain Tyler's com. pany, under Col. J. Huntington, in 1776, shewed the Assembly, that by the fortune of war he was made a prisoner on the 27th day of August, 1776, and so continued until the 13th day of April, 1777; during which time he was robbed of his watch, and some money, and expended a considerable sum for his sup. port, and asked the Assembly for allowance. The Assembly allowed him £11: 10 lawful money. The selectmen of Preston, shewed the Assembly, that on the 13th day of January, 1777, one Matthias Button, a soldier in Capt. J. Brewster's company, under Col. Huntington, arrived in Preston from his captivity in New York, having been taken on Long Island, in an action with the British troops, on the 27th of August, 1776, who was sent out of New York in a flag of truce ship, and landed at Milford, and on his return was taken sick with the small pox in said Preston, and was taken care of until he died, and the said town had expended £16:0:9 in doctoring, nursing, &c. The pay table were directed, by the Assembly, to adjust said account, and charge the same to the United States. Jonathan Bill, of Lebanon, informed the Assembly, that he was a soldier under Col. Arnold, in the expedition against Quebec, in the year 1775, that his captain, and all the officers of the company were killed, and taken prisoners in the unsuccessful attempt made upon that city, in December, 1775, and he only escaped with the loss of his clothing, arms, &c., while assisting to carry off the wounded; and by the death of all the officers, no pay roll had been or could be made for said company; and prayed the Assembly to pay him his wages, and make compensation for his losses in his tedious and distressing service. The Assembly ordered the pay table to adjust said account for wages and losses, and charge the same in the account against the United States. Jehial Bryan, of Milford, shewed the Assembly, that on or about the 20th of March, 1776, the inspection committee of Milford, received intelligence that a sloop had come to an anchor, at Oyster river, and that he was desired to muster and march 20 men to said place, in a stormy night; that he did so, and took possession of said sloop, which had on board a quantity of pork, &c., (contrary to the embargo act,) to transport to the West Indies; that he took said sloop into the port of New Haven; and at a special county court, held on the 22d of April, 1776, forfeited to the treasury of this State, (the cargo of said sloop) 22 barrels of pork, 60 barrels and 20 tierces of flour. The Assembly ordered £13 lawful money to be paid said Bryan by the Treasurer. Noah Skinner, of Coventry, was enlisted 7th of May, 1775, and served a campaign under Capt. J. Putnam, Jr., in Gen. Putnam's regiment, at Cam. bridge, for which he had received no pay, which was allowed him by the Assembly. John Morehouse, of Danbury, stated to the Assembly, that when the British troops went into Danbury, he through surprise, joined them and went away with them, but soon made his escape, and returned home, and was committed to gaol; and prayed pardon for the offence, which was granted him, by his taking the oath of fidelity, and paying the cost of prosecution. Doct. Jonathan Havens, Stephen Howell, and others, refugees from Long Island, (then residing in this State) shewed to the Assembly, that at the time the British troops took Long Island, they came into this State, with their families for protection; that they left much of their effects in the hands of their friends to be secreted and sold as they could, and the avails sent to them for the support of their families; that by permission they went to said Island to bring to Connecticut, some part of what their friends had saved from the enemy, or the avails thereof, if sold, of their stock and grain, which they received in small parcels of tea, linen, and woolen cloth, &c., for the use of their families, which was their all, which they brought to Saybrook, in a small boat, to the house of one Harris; when and where one White, a lieutenant in the continental frigate, called the Trumbull, and one Combs, a commander of a whale boat, and other associates, seized said effects, and by force carried them off, and refused to deliver the same to the petitioners; for which relief was asked of the Assem. bly. The Assembly appointed William Noyes, Samuel Field, and Ezra Selden, Esq'rs., with full powers, as speedily as might be, to notify all parties concerned, enquire into the case, and report to the Assembly, or in their recess to the Governor and Committee of Safety; said committee were also directed to take into their custody all said effects, taken from the petitioners, by Combs, White, and others. The Assembly adjourned sine die. |