battle battle battle series skirmishes american british forces american revolutionary war main battle fought village connecticut april occurred day coastline near modern connecticut april british force command royal governor landed marched destroyed continental_army supplies chasing small garrison troops word british troop movements spread connecticut militia leaders sprang action major general brigadier general brigadier general raised combined force roughly continental_army regular irregular local militia forces oppose british reach time prevent destruction supplies instead set harass british return coast company led general twice attacked rear guard march south april second encounter mortally wounded died days later main encounter took place militia arnold command confronted british driven away running battle town main street inflicting casualties british additional militia forces arrived day continued harass british returned fleet awaited arnold militia artillery stand british near landing site position flanked force scattered artillery fire bayonet charge expedition tactical success british forces actions pursuing raid patriot support connecticut british raids connecticut coastal communities including second raiding expedition raid led arnold british raids penetrated far countryside background years american revolutionary war state connecticut scene conflict war begun neighboring massachusetts april new_york_city taken british campaign fall major general commanding british forces new_york drafted plan primary goal taking rebel capital philadelphia troops left defend new_york include brigade provincial troops command royal governor new_york given temporary promotion major general spring howe plan included authorization operate hudson river enter connecticut circumstances point given early operations season raid continental_army depot connecticut howe learned depot existence efforts spy working british indian agent met success earlier raid continental_army outpost new_york fleet consisting transports hospital ship small craft assembled placed command captain landing force consisted regulars drawn 4th 15th 23rd 27th 44th regiments loyalists led small contingent 17th led generals sir command entire operation given general fleet sailed new_york april depot established order primarily served forces located hudson_river valley april army began regiments year campaigns expedition landed connecticut continental_army soldiers local militia command local resident colonel state militia commodore duncan anchored fleet april mouth landed troops eastern shore place called point moved inland miles area march continued day reached early afternoon march militia fired attempting slow advance drove troops attempting remove supplies killing capturing skirmishes departure early morning british destroyed barrels pork beef flour pairs shoes grain tents supplies troops reported consume significant quantities houses marks chimneys avoided torch british fleet spotted passed troops landed patriot dispatched warn local militia leaders movements major general brigadier general reached april immediately sent local militia arnold reached learned commander militia departed orders militia raised follow rapidly possible arnold immediately moved direction including troop volunteers assembled force numbering militia members continental_army regulars messages broadcasting alarm went far began continental_army troops garrisoned intercept case entered force moved heading pouring rain reached miles short wet gunpowder battle impossible chose spend night press alerted presence americans april cutting short thoughts remaining day troops ordered houses patriots burned structures destroyed troops left dawn marched south village attempt avoid general force hoping delay general overwhelming reinforcements arrived general split force main body men went generals arnold countryside met erected crude road town general personally chased british column remaining effort assisted local patriots created british column including destruction bridge taking advantage element surprise engaged rear guard breakfast miles north town killing british soldiers took prisoners engagement retreated cover nearby woods struck hour later british prepared second engagement having positioned artillery pieces rear guard shot rallying men year old general mortally wounded moments come boys mind random shots miles town center inexperienced militia dissolved confusion died days later home house served general temporary quarters words reported dying strong hope country gain independence harassment british column provided time arnold prepare crude defensive position british column arrived base arnold northern end town center noon following hour long artillery barrage dispatched flanking parties test sides american position having anticipated posted forces flanks initial patriot forces chose advance fronts including man column covering artillery fire leadership general directed general send fire helped breach british pursued patriot forces running battle length town street gained control town dead wounded americans withdrew general arnold orders breached arnold positioned men advancing enemy platoon horse struck musket shots horse went arnold pinned british soldier charged shouting arnold surrender arnold shouted shot killed ran troops slightly injured leg entire engagement took minutes british return fleet night south british forces departed morning leaving houses episcopal church patriot supply depot field hospital flames night militia command continental_army colonel expanded men arrival militia connecticut militia force neighboring new_york led colonel force engaged harassment british column moved south resembled british retreat concord start war convenient stone walls trees buildings militia constantly fired british column headed meantime general arnold gathered reinforcements south including small company continental artillery led colonel arnold adopted strong position hill commanded roads leading beach waited british arrive force arnold position prompted arnold chasing militia led attempt british reached beach british column moving speed able gain high ground joined fresh marines landed ships provide cover arnold prepared force attack british timed bayonet charge men broke formation spite determined action lamb artillery arnold attempts rally troops skirmish arnold second horse shot lamb injured british successfully embarked sailed new_york official british report listed killed wounded missing reported british casualties enlisted men killed officers enlisted men wounded published patriot account stating british prisoners taken americans hand gave british loss killed wounded americans reported lose killed wounded british claimed reports americans killed wounded incorrectly reported colonel lamb killed injuries severe appeared dead field aftermath raid actions tactical british successes resistance american forces consequent rise american military area british attempting landing ship attack inland colonial strongholds war british conduct inland operations connecticut despite western connecticut strategic importance securing british destroyed houses stores military medical supplies town estimated expedition caused damage submitted claims congress congress issued payment town response applications state general_assembly resulted awarding land includes ohio raid increased support area patriot cause short term gains territory previously neutral soon sailed away approximately connecticut citizens joined lieutenant colonel return led raid connecticut british position new_york connecticut later sent company cavalry regiments assist defeat lieutenant general pivotal battles september october sent militia companies assist defense hudson raided connecticut expedition limited raiding port towns major raiding expedition british conducted ironically led changed sides raid included stiff resistance militia rewarded role affair planned visiting family travel philadelphia protest promotion junior officers major general ahead recognition role received promotion major general command officers restored awarded horse properly token conduct late arnold restored important contributions success ride year old daughter colonel performed significant service patriot cause battle exhausted messenger arrived house inform british advance volunteered ride county round local militia act favorably comparable ride paul raise alarm lexington concord rode miles rainy night patriots avoiding loyalists raise troops men late assist formed force harassed british return beach american animated children educational series liberty kids story episode legacy beginning residents remembered battle form anniversary ceremony years day tribute hosted connecticut governor town street mansion conjunction town celebration anniversary affair featured publication history anniversary held year early tie america celebration anniversary celebrations included battle portions town street main street covered dirt sake authenticity monument erected honor local museum features british lodged building educational markers maintained points significance town including locations mortally wounded pinned shot horse stone marker near site marks spot patriot british troops buried public square named street battle depicted honor winning book brother sam dead christopher
Battle of Ridgefield