scene of action.

In the meanwhile the British, marching all night with short haltings,
reached Danbury about two o'clock in the afternoon of the 26th. There
were but fifty Continental soldiers and one hundred militia in the
place. These retreated, as did most of the inhabitants, excepting such
as remained to take care of the sick and aged. Four men, intoxicated,
as it was said, fired upon the troops from the windows of a large
house. The soldiers rushed in, drove them into the cellar, set fire to
the house, and left them to perish in the flames. There was a great
quantity of stores of all kinds in the village, and no vehicles to
convey them to the ships. The work of destruction commenced. The
soldiers made free with the liquors found in abundance; and throughout
the greater part of the night there was revel, drunkenness, blasphemy,
and devastation. Tryon, full of anxiety, and aware that the country
was rising, ordered a retreat before daylight, setting fire to the
magazines to complete the destruction of the stores. The flames spread
to the other edifices, and almost the whole village was soon in a
blaze.

While these scenes had been transacted at Danbury, the Connecticut
yeomanry had been gathering. Fairfield and the adjacent counties had
poured out their minute men. General Silliman had advanced at the head
of five hundred. Generals Wooster and Arnold joined him with their
chance followers, as did a few more militia. A heavy rain retarded
their march; it was near midnight when they reached Bethel, within
four miles of Danbury. Here they halted to take a little repose and
put their arms in order, rendered almost unserviceable by the rain.
They were now about six hundred strong. Wooster took the command, as
first major-general of the militia of the State. Though in the
sixty-eighth year of his age he was full of ardor, with almost
youthful fire and daring. At dawn of day Wooster detached Arnold with
four hundred men to push across the country and take post at
Ridgefield, by which the British must pass; while he with two hundred
remained to hang on and harass them in flank and rear.

The British began their retreat early in the morning, conducting it in
regular style with flanking parties and a rear-guard well furnished
with artillery. As soon as they had passed his position, Wooster
attacked the rear-guard with great spirit and effect; there was sharp
skirmishing until within two miles of Ridgefield, when, as the ve