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virtue in a nation, which human passions tend perpetually to extinguish.

Soon after the battle at Ridgefield, in 1777, Congress did generously resolve that a monument should be erected to the memory of Wooster, and appropriated a sum of five hundred dollars for the purpose. It has been a general sentiment prevailing throughout the western part of Connecticut, that the charge was committed to his son, Thomas Wooster, who received the money from the public treasury, and misapplied it. This common error, which reflected the most odious ingratitude upon the character of the son, it is in my power to contradict. It is an undoubted fact, that the money was never received in pursuance of this resolution, and in support of the truth of this, the Secretary of the Treasury has furnished a certificate. In the session of 1822, this subject was brought before Congress, with the view of obtaining a new appropriation; but a committee appointed to examine into the merits of the application, reported unfavorably, in consequence of the number of applications which the granting of this would encourage, and there the matter ended.

Whether Congress will ever again resolve in favor of a monument to Wooster, at the public expense, is doubtful. But how generous, and noble, and just, would it be, for that sister state which gave him birth, in whose service* he died, and which now embosoms his remains, to grant this trifling boon. Wooster added to the honor and to the strength of his native state. But in the profession of arms, he added to the splendor and usefulness of a long military life, by courting the kindly blessings of Christianity. He was a professor of religion. And oh! how would the sentimental passenger glow with enthusiasm as he read and wept over the tomb of the military and christian hero?

"Purpureos spargam flores, animamque
"His saltem accumulem donis."

In the general destruction at Danbury, nineteen houses, their furniture, linen, &c. the Presbyterian Church, and twenty-two stores and barns, with all their contents, were consumed; three thousand barrels of pork; more than one

* General Wooster was not in the service of the United States at the time of his death. He had been a Brigadier General in the continental forces, and conceiving himself to have been neglected, he resigned, and was appointed at the commencement of the war the first Major General of militia in his native state, which grade he held at the time of his death.

thousand barrels of flour; several hundred barrels of beef; seventeen hundred and ninety tents; two thousand bushels of grain; clothing for a whole regiment, besides many other valuable articles, such as rum, wine, rice, army carriages, &c. The quantity of continental stores which were consumed, cannot now be accurately ascertained. Accounts vary considerably. The private losses were estimated by a committee appointed for the purpose, at £16,184 17s 10d. The village library, and the town records, which contained the evidences of titles, were likewise burnt. Dr. Ramsay's account of the losses at Danbury, therefore, the above being correct, is far short of the truth. To this list, must be added about one hundred barrels of flour, and one hundred hogsheads of rum, which met with the same fate upon the road, as the British were returning.

The

It is confidently believed that amidst all this waste of property, the tories suffered nothing. In Danbury, there were several tories, who staid at home during the visit of the British, and were respected in their persons and property. Indeed it is said every house which the enemy wished to save, was marked by a conspicuous cross upon the door the evening previous to the fire. Certain it is, that throughout their whole route, not a single tory suffered any thing. The same care was observable in Ridgefield, and if any article was obtained of a tory, it was paid for. object was evident. But how was it so easily accomplished? How was the information so correctly ascertained? The answer is, that tories living along the route, had been obtained by Sir William Howe previous to the sailing of the expedition, and were sent with the detachment. Of these there were a great number, but I have obtained the names of but two with absolute certainty-Eli Benedict of Danbury, and Benjamin Stebbins of Ridgefield. There is no doubt that these men were of the number, who had the satisfaction of afterwards reflecting that they had been the means of destroying their native town and ruining their nearest kinsmen. But these persons, I have understood, became vagabonds afterwards. Deity made the same impress upon all their efforts, as he did upon the figure of the unrighteous son of our first parent.

VII.

NEW YORK IN 1692.

LETTER FROM CHARLES LODWICK,

ΤΟ

MR. FRANCIS LODWICK AND MR. HOOKER,

DATED MAY 20, 1692.

READ BEFORE THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

[Copied from the original in the British Museum, for JOHN CARTER BROWN, Esq. of Providence, and by him communicated for publication.]

G. De C.C.

NEW YORK IN 1692.

[Sloane MS. No. 3339, Art. 18, p. 93, et seq.; (original paging, 253 et seq.) Ascough's Catalogue of MSS. D British Museum, p. 653, No. 3339: 18.]

Mr. Charles Lodwick, his acct. of New Yorke, in a Letter to his Unkel, Mr. Francis Lodwicke, and Mr. Hooker, Members of ye Royal Society, dated from New York, May 20, 1692. Recd Sept. 5, A. D. 1692, and read before y Royal Society, Nov. 26, 1713.

HOND. GENTLEMEN:

I have sufficient reasons to beg your pardons for my neglect; it is now full 4 years since I recd yr commands to give you what Acc' I was capable, of ye Constitution of this Country, which indeed had been much sooner obeyed, had not ye Confusion and Disturbance here among ourselves wholly impeded even our common Affairs, that for almost 3 years, we had enough to do to exercise all our brains to secure our ps'ons, and that little we had, from y Cruelty and Tyranny of an ungovernable mobb; which by y peculiar mercy of God, and ye extended Favor of our Prince, we are in part released from.

I have endeavor'd to collect ye Opinions of our gravest Sages here, where my young experience would not lett me conclude, and tho' it be far from what it ought, for where Mrs of ships are ye chiefest Mathematicians, and ye Natives Geographers, with such tools you must not expect a good Fabric, especially by ye hands of so unskillfull a workman. But I shall wholly forbear makeing any farther excuses for ye great faults and many impertinencies you will find; and since it is only design'd for y' private diversions, I doubt not but you will read, and pardon, and in full assurance of yr Generosities, I take leave to subscribe myself, gentlemen,

Y most obedient, humble serv1,

New York, 20th May, 1692.

CHIS. LODWICK

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