Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 1NVAS1ON OF NEW HAVEN BY THE BR1T1SH TROOPS, JULY 5, 1779. By Rev. CHAUNCEY GOODRICH. [Read April 15 and May 27, 1867.] The year of our Lord 1779 will always be memorable in the history of New Haven, as the one in which for the first and only time in the War of the Revolution this town was compelled to undergo suffering and spoliation occasioned by an invasion of armed enemies. Up to that time the town had happily escaped an experimental acquaintance with the ravages of war. Its inhabitants had of course shared in the general excitement and anxiety which pervaded the country during the great struggle for civil liberty. They had in various ways exerted themselves for the common welfare. They had contributed both men and means to help win those successes by which in the good Providence of God, independence of the mother country was at length achieved. The example and influence of patriots like Roger Sherman had animated them to cheerful effort and self-denial. Nor were soldierly services wanting. Immediately on the reception of intelligence of the battle of Lexington, in April, 1775, Benedict Arnold, then Captain ofthe company of Governor's Foot Guards, had called together his company and proposed to march to Cambridge in order to join the American army. About forty of the number consented to do so. Not having the requisite ammunition, Arnold requested the town authorities to supply him, but they refused to do this. On the day of the march he brought his company in front of the building where the authorities were in session, and sent in a demand for the keys of the powder-house, threatening if these were not given to him to break open the building and help himself. The authorities yielded to his determined spirit and the keys were delivered. Deceased, 1868. On ...