** The people of this region were extremely patriotic, and never hesitated a moment when their country called. Before actual hostilities commenced (March, 1775), a company of one hundred men was enlisted in Danbury, for the colonial service, and joined a regiment of Connecticut troops, under Colonel Waterbury They were engaged in active service until Montgomery reached Montreal, in December, when they returned home without the loss of a single man. The last survivor, David Weed, died in Danbury, June 13th, 1842, aged ninety-four years. When this little band of one hundred men left for Lake Champlain, their friends regarded them as lost. When they all returned, many of those very friends were in their graves, swept away by a prevalent dysentery.
Enemy's March to Danbury.—Entrance into the Village.—Anecdotes of Holcomb and Hamilton.—Officers' Head quarters
proceeded through Weston, by Reading Church, over Hoyt's Hill and through Bethel and so expeditious was their march, that the people of Danbury were not warned of their approach until they were within eight miles of the town. Then all was confusion and alarm Although the chief object of the invaders—the capture or destruction of the military stores—was understood, the Revolutionary party felt a presentiment that the expedition was fraught with cruelty and woes.
Some fled, with the women and children and a few movable effects, to the woods and adjacent towns, while others remained to watch and guard the sick and aged who could not depart. There was a small militia force of only one hundred and fifty in the town, under the Colonels Cook and Dimon, when the enemy approached ** —too few to attempt resistance. When Try-on entered the village at the south end, Dimon and his troops, who were mostly without arms, retired across the Still River at the north, and, making a circuitous march under cover of night, joined the Americans at Bethel. ***
Tryon established his head-quarters at the house of a Loyalist named Dibble, at the south end of the village, and near the public stores.
Generals Agnew and Erskine made their head-quarters in a house near the bridge, at the upper end of the main street, now owned by Mr. Knapp. All the other houses in the village were filled with British troops at night.
As soon as the enemy entered the town they began to insult and abuse the people, but com-