between the whole, which continued about an hour; in which, our men behaved with great spirit, but being overpowered by numbers, were obliged to give way, though not until a small breast work was raised and thrown across the way, at which Gen. Arnold had taken post with about two hundred men. The rest of our small body were posted on the flank, and acted with

State against theft and larceny-and the civil authority and selectmen of each and every town within this State, from which any of the militia or others marched to the relief of the town of Danbury, or any other towns in the enemy's route on their late incursion, are hereby authorized and directed to make the strictest enquiry into all and every plunder, goods and effects found or taken on occasion of the alarm aforesaid, by any and every person, in such their respsective towns; and in order to make full discovery of such goods and effects, they or the major part of them are further authorized, empowered and directed to call before them every suspected person or persons, as also any others who may be supposed to have any knowledge thereof, and him or them examined upon oath touching the premises, and upon their finding just ground to suspect any person or persons to be guilty of any such plundering, and taking the goods, property or effects of any inhabitant of this State as aforesaid, or concealing the same, and who shall not deliver up the same or give notice thereof as aforesaid, but shall still detain, or secrete, or conceal the same after the time limited as aforesaid, and the authority aforesaid, shall make a memorandum in writing, of the evidence they shall find, and such person or persons shall be liable on conviction, before any conrt proper to try the same, to suffer all the pains, penalties and forfeitures to be inflicted on those guilty of theft or con. cealing of stolen goods, as by law liable to. And it shall be the duty of the grand jurymen of such town, on notice of such enquiry, to call upon the authority of said town as aforesaid, and on finding proper evidence to satisfy his con. science, to make due presentment thereof according to law. And whenever it shall be found on enquiry that any person or persons belonging to the contin ental army, have been guilty of plundering as aforesaid, or any other plundering or burning of houses, or buildings of any person or persons belonging to this State, by whatever name they may be called, whether friendly or inimical, whig or tory, they shall make further enquiry to find out and know to what State, battalion and company such offender belongs, and the same with their names, send to the Governor of this State, to be by him transmitted to some general officer proper to take notice of the same, that justice may be done against such high handed offender; that all may be made to know that the persons and properties of all the inhabitants of this State, whatever their char. acter or denominations may be, all shall be protected against such daring vio. lations thereof, that every one in this time of calamity remain secure in his per, son, property and possessions against every unjust invader thereof.

The following letter is from a gentleman of strict integrity, in the town of Westport, and in the neighborhood of Compo Hill and Cedar Point. WESTPORT, July 12th, 1841. Dear Sir-I received your line a few days since, and in answer to which I remark, I had not forgotten your request, but was writing to H., an o'd gen.

great spirit. The General had his horse shot under him, when the enemy were within ten yards of him, but luckily received no hurt recovering himself, he drew a pistol and shot the soldier, who was advancing with his fixed bayonet. He then ordered his troops to retreat, through a shower of small and grape shot. In this action, the enemy suffered very considerably, leaving

tleman who was absent, who I presume would give a more detailed account of the proceedings of the revolution than any other person about here, but I have not seen him: I therefore give you so far as I have been able to get the facts wanted. The British landed on the East side of Saugatuck river at Cedar Point, so called, at the lower end of Compo, and marched up and formed on Compo hill, about one mile from Cedar Point; they then marched up Compo street, at the head of the street, at the country road, they were fired upon by a company of Americans, and the Americans fled after the first fire; they killed a number of the British, and the enemy continued their route about a mile North of the country road, to Cross Highway, as it is called, and then they filed off eastward, on said highway until they came to the road that leads from Fairfield to Danbury, about five miles North of the court house, in Fairfield, and about a mile North of Greenfield meeting house; they then took the road passing through Weston by the church, and through Reading on the Ridge, so called, by the church, (which they injured very much) to Danbury, and they returned by the way of Ridgefield and Wilten, Our people had proposed to give them battle on the West side of Saugatuck river, on Old Hill, so called, which posi. tion commanded the bridge across the river, and the only place it was sup. posed they would attempt to come. Our people had quite a force there with a number of field pieces, with (Arnold) at their head. The British ascertained the position of our troops, when they were within about a mile of them, and instead of persisting in gaining the bridge to cross the river, which position our people had the complete command of. They filed off to the North, up the river about one mile, piloted it is said by a man by the name of John French, a tory; when they forded the river and passed down on the East side, and got two field pieces on Couch Hill opposite. When our people came, they fired upon them to prevent their crossing over on the bridge, but they did pass and pressed hard upon them down Compo street, and pursued them until they got under the cover of the shipping; it was thought they would have captured them had they not crossed the river above them. There were two families that were tories, viz. one by the name of Lockwood and one by the name of Cable; it is said, that Jabez Lockwood, one of the family, piloted them to Danbury; and it is also said that Jabez Cable was pilot of the fleet to Cedar Point. There were in 1781, a party of two companies of refugees, in number about two hundred, came over and landed at Cedar Point; they divided into two divisions, one went on the North and the other the South side of Compo hill; they had some fight. ing with the coast guard, but they were so far superior to the guard, they gave way; they burnt the guard house. There were a number killed on both sides, and some taken prisoners; they plundered a number of cattle, sheep, hogs, and fowls, &c. &c.; they took every thing they could lay their hands on; but the

about thirty dead and wounded on the field, besides a number unknown, buried. Here we had the misfortune to lose Lieut. Col. Gold, one subaltern, and several privates, killed and wounded. It was found impossible to rally our troops, and Gen. Arnold ordered a stand to be made at Saugatuck bridge, where it was expected the enemy would pass.

Americans had assembled in such numbers that they made a hasty retreat, leaving a good deal of their booty behind them, which they could not get on board the shipping, and came very near being captured.

January 3, 1777. Several British transports were loading with wood, &c., at the East end of Long Island, guarded by some ships of war, who pilfered and robbed the inhabitants of their effects.

Last Tuesday evening, thirty tories and soldiers under guard arrived at Middletown, taken at Hackinsack. N. Y., by a party of Gen. Parsons's brigade.

A sloop, Wheeler Brown, master, which sailed from New London with provisions for our army, was taken at Norwalk by a barge, of a British-man-of-war. Nathaniel Shaw, Jr., went from New London with a flag of truce, to New York, to exchange prisoners, and returned with forty seamen he had exchanged, most of whom were from Rhode Island, and on his way from New York, put into New Haven, where an express from Gen. Washington to Gen. Heath, with the news that early on the 26th of Dec. 1776, Gen. Washington with 3,000 mnen crossed the Delaware, and at 8 o'clock in the morning, engaged the enemy at Trenton, N. J., with about 1,600 men, and the weather cold, with rain and hail, and in 35 minutes routed the whole, and took 919 prisoners, exclusive of killed and wounded; 1 colonel, 2 lieut. colonels, 3 majors, 4 captains, 8 lieutenants, 12 ensigns, 1 judge advocate, 2 surgeon's mates, 92 sargeants, 20 drummers, 9 musicians, 25 officers' servants, 740 rank and file. Took 6 brass cannon, two of which were 12 pounders; 1,200 small arms; 4 standards; 12 brass drums, with trumpets, swords, 6 wagons, and a number of horses, &c.-[Connecticut Gazette.]

January 10th, 1777. On the 6th of January, nine British ships passed New London to the East.

January 17, 1776. Accounts stated that Gen. Washington's army on the 11th of January, consisted of 22,000 effective men.

Arrived at Milford a flag of truce, from New York, with more than 200 American prisoners, whose rueful faces too well depicted their ill treatment, while prisoners in New York; twenty died on their passage from New York to Milford, and twenty more died at Milford, and thirty-one were sick.

The last day of January was appointed a day of fasting and prayer throughout New England.

An extract of a letter from a prisoner of distinction in New York, from Connecticut, dated 26th Dec. 1776.-" The distress of the prisoners cannot be communicated by words, twenty or thirty die every day, they lie in heaps, unburied;

"At 9 o'clock, A. M., the 28th, about five hundred men were colleeted at Saugatuck bridge, including part of two companies of Col. Lamb's battalion of artillery, with three field pieces, under command of Lieut. Col. Oswald; one field piece, with part of the artillery company from Fairfield, 60 continental troops, and the companies of volunteers from New Haven, with whom Gens.

what number of my countrymen have died by cold and hunger, perished for the wants of the necessaries of life!-I have seen it!

"This, sir, is the boasted British clemency—I had nigh perished—New England people can have no idea of such barbarous policy; nothing can stop such treatment but retaliation. It is due to the manes of our murdered countrymen, to protect the survivors, rather than experience again their barbarity and insults. May I fall by the swords of the Hessians.

I am, &c."

January 24, 1777. On the 13th of January, 1777, Col. Ethan Allen was a prisoner on parole in the city of New York.

On the 19th of January, twenty British officers and soldiers arrived at Hartford from the westward; and one hundred and sixty more were on their way to Hartford, a part of three hundred taken at Princeton.

Capt. Lodowick Champlin in a sloop from New London, was taken and carried into New York.

January 31, 1777. Ten sail of British ships and two brigs, supposed to be the ships from the East end of Long Island, on the 26th January, and on the 28th several other British ships went down Long Island sound. On the 29th of January, twenty-one sail of the enemy's ships passed New London harbor up the sound; the last supposed to be the fleet of transports that had been taking in British troops at Newport, bound to New York.

On the 26th of January, a flag of truce that went from Saybrook, with prisoners to New York, returned to New London harbor, but were not allowed to come within some leagues of the city, and to remain there but one night.

The privateer, American Revenue, Capt. Champlin, of New London, took a brig from Quebec, and sent her into Bedford, laden with fish.

Feb. 7, 1777. A ship of war of 36 guns, (the Niger) lay at the West end of Fisher's Island, and on the 3d hoisted sail, and the same day drove on shore at Narraganset beach A large schooner, a prize to the privateer, American Revenue, of New London, the schooner was from Ireland, laden with flour, bread, butter, &c., and two bales of linen, taken out by the privateer. After the prize was on shore, the British sent several boats to set her on fire, which they effected, but the fire was soon extinguished by the inhabitants collected on shore, with several cannon, by which they preserved the vessel, though an incessant fire from the ship-of-war was kept up; several of the enemy were killed; the prize had 800 firkins of choice butter on board, &c.

Feb. 21, 1777. On the 16th of February, Capt. Clay, from Connecticut river, was drove on shore on Narraganset beach by two British frigates, who fired at

Arnold and Silliman took post about two miles above the bridge. Soon after the enemy appeared in sight, their rear was attacked by Col. Huntington, (commanding a party of five hundred men,) who sent to Gen. Arnold for instructions, and for some officer to assist him. Gen. Silliman was ordered to his assistance. The enemy, finding our troops advantageously posted, made a halt

his vessel, and sent barges to take possession of her, but were repulsed by the people on shore, who beat off the boats, which vessel afterwards arrived at Stonington.

On the 17th of February, several tories at Great Neck, (in New London) were found in traitorous acts, and taken into custody, and Pardon Tabor committed to jail, the others confined under a safe guard.

On the 16th, a flag of truce went from New London with prisoners, to the Amazon frigate, near Gardner's Island, who were exchanged for Capt. Palmer's people, who had been taken by the enemy.

March 7, 1777. Capt. Bonticue, who sailed from New Haven January 1st, for Europe, was taken two days out, by the Union ship-of-war, and carried to Newport, where all but two were exchanged, one of whom, a native of New Haven, turned traitor, and joined the British.

A British frigate and two or three tenders appeared in New Haven harbor, and in the night, one of her boats came close in to the Eastern point, but the guards being seen, the boat immediately made off.

The unfortunate prisoners, forty-six in number, landed on the 3d of March from the Glasgow transport ship, (Capt. Craige) were buried at New Haven, and a list of their names published.

March 14th, 1777.. On the 8th of March, eleven sail of men-of-war and transports, a part of the British fleet from Rhode Island, appeared at the West end of Fisher's Island standing westward, they drifted back of the point, and came to anchor, the next day made sail, and about noon anchored the North side of the Island, and on the 11th made sail to the eastward, the fleet being so near New London, the militia from the neighboring towns were ordered to New London for the defence of the harbor, among whom the Norwich light infantry company, Col. C. Leffingwell, made a martial appearance; and his men were neatly dressed in uniform. After the fleet left, Col. Leffingwell went to Fisher's Island with several boats to make discoveries. Mr. Brown a citizen of the Island informed him, that the fleet took 106 sheep, 8 oxen, 11 cows, 22 yearlings, 26 swine, 24 turkeys, 4 doz. fowls, 123 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of potatoes, 5 tons of hay, wood, pork, bed clothes, sheets, &c. &c.; that the armed ships were the Amazon, Greyhound, and Lark, with seven transports; that they landed three companies of British, and three companies of Hessian troops. Mr. Brown informed Col. Leffingwell that there were twenty ships at anchor in Gardner's bay, though but eleven could be discovered; besides two ships then coming through Plumb Gut. The stock taken from the Island was mostly paid for by the British.