Celebrating 250: The Burning of Ridgefield & Danbury

It is about 2 days early, but talking about the 2nd Light's involvement in the Burning of Ridgefield and Danbury, CT (originally occurred Apr. 27 through 28th, 1777). This post won't be focused on the heroics of Benedict Arnold, Gold Selleck Silliman and David Wooster, but rather the mustering of the 2nd Light and subsequent response.

In my 1st novel, "Patriots" I made allusions that the 2nd Light actually went to Danbury and Ridgefield - but after it had already been burned and with the survivors reeling from Governor Tryon's surprise attack. Ridgefield in particular was where a lot of the grain and foodstores for Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York were stored. Connecticut - throughout the war - was known as the provision state (we fed the Continental Army), all under the deft hand of Jeremiah Wadsworth and a handful of other members of the Commissary and officials of the Revolution.

Once Tryon's attack was successful at Ridgefield and he made his way down to Norwalk with Arnold in pursuit (and a couple of field pieces from John Lamb), there is the sense that the general alarm was raised all across CT. Of course, it was too late for Ridgefield and Danbury, but since the 2nd Light was mustering in Wethersfield, CT - about 30 miles away from the battlefield, one can assume that they rode with all haste. Their first call to action, and only arrived in the half-burnt town to wounded and skittish troops commanded by Silliman. With Wooster mortally wounded and Tallmadge's old commanding officer in charge (along with Arnold who was semi-successful in leading a charge of revenge down by the coast, but failed to really affect anything against Tryon's forces), the 2nd Light could not really do anything.

So when Danbury and Ridgefield burned, there were perhaps two, maybe three troops of men sent and most returned back to Wethersfield when there was nothing to be done.

The other major problem the 2nd Light faced, and would face for the rest of the war, was getting serviceable mounts. Tallmadge had a personal report of 40 serviceable mounts by March 24th, 1777. While there were horses available for the men during the enlistment period, a lot of them were made lame due to training and so the 2nd Light was already in a precarious situation. Winter quarters were about to end soon (campaign season started roughly Apr. and lasted through late Oct./early Nov.) and the officers all knew that they would be expected to field as the newly created regiments of cavalry in the re-formed Continental Army.

During the winter/early spring months, Tallmadge had also been trying to figure out the problem of getting horses by using it as his cover while he worked with Nathanield Sackett and escorted Major John Clark throughout the Long Island area by actually looking for mounts by nearby stables. In the source book "Revolutionary Spies: Intelligence and Espionage in America's First War" by Tim McNeese (2015, Fall River Press): there is mention of Tallmadge going across the Sound and working with Clark for Sackett - and favorable reports from both to Washington regarding Tallmadge and his conduct. This would be his 3rd mention to Washington of his capabilities in discretion and spycraft. (1st mention would be from Nathan Hale - even though there is no proof, there are plenty of allusions and Hale would have mentioned that he had a friend who was a Long Island native that he graduated from Yale with. 2nd mention and 1st meeting would have been Tallmadge and Chatterton Hill during the Battle of White Plains in Oct. 1776.)

I inferred from Clark and Sackett's favorable reports that Washington more than likely realized that Tallmadge was perfectly positioned - both as cavalry officer - but also as a Long Island native, that he would be amenable to being his future spymaster of the area. However, nothing would come of it until after 1778 due to multiple reasons (one of which is that he had a very capable spymaster named Major Alexander Clough in his employ who knew the craft with the aplomb of a veteran and was a member of the 3rd Light Dragoons). Yes...Clough is the subject of my 5th novel and next book I'm currently writing about the 3rd Light.

Celebrating 250: The Evacuation to Manhattan Island

In the evening of August 29th, Washington made the wise decision to evacuate his remaining forces in Brooklyn across to Manhattan Island. Using the cover of heavy rain and fog for the last two days, the boats crossed near silently under the guns of British warships and troops pressing on their lines. Chester's regiments was one of the last ones to evacuate.

In his own words:

It was one of the most anxious, busy nights that I ever recollect, and being the third in which hardly any of us had closed our eyes to sleep, we were greatly fatigued. As the dawn of the next day approached, those of us who remained in the trenches because very anxious for our own safety, and when the dawn appeared there were several regiments still on duty. At this time a very dense fog began to rise, and it seemed to settle in a peculiar manner over both encampments. I recollect this peculiar providential occurrence perfectly well; and so very dense was the atmosphere that I could scarcely discern a man at six yards distance.

Washington was one of the last boats to cross, but Tallmadge was one of the last ones to actually get across.

Because he went back for his horse (the same horse he lost during the Battle of White Plains in October).

The troops having now all safely reached New York, and the fog continuing as thick as ever, I began to think of my favorite horse, and requested leave to return and bring him off. Having obtained permission, I called for a crew of volunteers to go with me, and guiding the boat myself, I obtained my horse and got off some distance into the river before the enemy appeared in Brooklyn. As soon as they reached the ferry we were saluted merrily from their musketry, and finally by their field pieces; but we returned in safety.

So the start of my research into the 2nd Light and also Major Tallmadge, that whole recollection and retrieval of his horse sparked me to the idea that there was a story here. A very, very compelling one of a bold officer and spymaster. Intrepid and willing to take risks, but also exercise caution (Bedford ambush not withstanding in 1778), Tallmadge was very determined.

The second compelling information that made me realize I had a story on my hands was the broadside published by Stoddard's brother that denounced Colonel Sheldon and signed by almost all of the subalterns. Like who does that? Who has such a pissing match that they bring it out into the public for all of its ugly glory? More telling - what the heck was Tallmadge's reaction to said broadside?

(It's notable he did not say a single word about it in his memoir, but I will write a post about that later on as part of the Celebrating 250 series.)

So yes, readers, Tallmadge going back for his horse and barely escaping the incoming British forces during the evacuation to Manhattan Island is not fiction. It is fact.