The British Attack Danbury

During the British occupation of New York City from 1776 to 1783, Connecticut was always vulnerable to attack by the British army and navy. In 1777 mounting criticism of General William Howe for failure to defeat the Americans and end the war made him anxious to achieve a victory, even if only a small one. His troops in New York, moreover, were suffering from lack of food, fuel, and supplies in general. An attack on Danbury with its supply depot would deprive the Americans of desperately-needed stores and help the local Loyalists. It was hoped, too, that the raid would assist General Burgoyne who would be driving from Canada toward Albany. General Washington, moreover, by concentrating his troops in New Jersey, had left Connecticut wide open to attack.

Major General William Tryon (1729-1788), former royal governor of North Carolina and New York, was convinced that the majority of Connecticut people really preferred British rule. Tryon, ordered by Howe to attack Danbury, landed his force of about 1,800 men at the mouth of the Saugatuck River late on April 25, 1777, and marched almost unopposed to Danbury.

Tryon's troops arrived in Danbury late on April 26 and burned about twenty homes as well as various storehouses, barns, and vast quantities of food and clothing. Most early accounts called the destruction wanton, but it seems in fact to have been highly selective, with only about five percent of the 400 Danbury homes burned.

Meanwhile, General Benedict Arnold (1740/41 1801) rushed to Redding where he joined generals David Wooster (1710/11-1777) and Gold Selleck Silliman (1732-1790) on April 27. They marched their troops to nearby Bethel where they divided their forces. Arnold and Silliman took about 400 men to Ridgefield, while Wooster, with about 200, harassed the rear of the retreating British, who, having heard of the sizable forces in the area, had decided to leave. As they retreated towards Ridgefield, Wooster attacked their rear, taking many prisoners. Wooster, however, was mortally wounded himself. In Ridgefield the British, with a large superiority in numbers, outflanked Arnold's troops, forcing them back. Although Arnold had his horse shot under him, he made a miraculous escape. More militia joined the American forces the next day, making the retreat to the coast a British nightmare. British casualties totaled about 200; American, about 60. Except for the destruction of supplies, the results of the British raid were minor. In May 1778 the assembly voted to compensate the inhabitants of Danbury and Ridgefield for one-third of their losses.

For Further Reading

McDevitt, Robert F. Connecticut Attacked: A British Viewpoint, Tryon's Raid on Danbury. Chester, Connecticut, 1974.

Bailey, James M. History of Danbury. 1684-1896. New York, 1896. See especially pp. 60-86.

* Entry under revision.