To George Washington from Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 9 July 1779
From Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons
Redding [Conn.] 9th July 1 o’Clock P.M.
Dr General
I have this Moment arrivd here after a Tour of Sixty Miles Since 11 o’Clock last Night: The few Militia at New Haven behavd exceeding well, repulsd the Enemy several Times & considerable Loss was sufferd by the Enemy; they burnt a Number of Houses at East & West Haven & plunderd New Haven: they have destroyd Fairfield, almost every House: the Abuses of Women, Children & Old Men are unparaleld: they imbarkd from Fairfield Yesterday and pasd over Sound but there’s Reason to think they design an Attack on Norwalk & the other Towns.1
Genl Wolcott has recd an Express informing that about 4000 of the Enemy are in Possession of Horseneck & marching Eastward. I have wrote to Col. Moyland & the Small Number of Infantry desiring them to march to the Coast, I hope it will be agreable to yr Excellency’s Intentions2 I hear Nothing of Glover’s Brigade:3 is it possible to send 1000 Conl Troops? they will serve to Steady the Militia & render them a4 formidable Body: I will write you from Norwalk where I shall be this Night.5 I am yr Excellency’s Obedt Servt
Samuel H. Parsons
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. For these British raids on Connecticut, see GW to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 7 July, source note. For British excesses while in New Haven and Fairfield, see Parsons to GW, 31 July, notes 1 and 2.
2. This letter from Parsons to Col. Stephen Moylan has not been identified, but see Moylan to GW, 12 July.
3. For the ordering of Brig. Gen. John Glover to march his brigade from Rhode Island to the Highlands by a route close to Long Island Sound to support Connecticut militia responding to British raids on that state, see GW to Glover, 8 July; see also GW to Parsons, that date, and to Glover, 9–10 July.
4. Parsons inadvertently wrote “are” on his manuscript.
5. See Parsons to GW, 10 July.