The ancient historical records of Norwalk, Conn ... - Hay genealogy

REMINISCENCES. 175
The sun was about two hours high, and Saunders was in
high spirits at the coming of the enemy : as one of his
sons was with the
enemy, and he expected his property
would be spared. But it was all burnt ; and the other
son with his negro went off with the enemy.
Our soldiers were collecting fast, and stopped at his
father's house, which stood where Mrs. Phillips now
lives. A tub of wine and a bowl stood on the stoop ;
as they came along, they stopped and drank, and were
very merry. His father's family hastily packed up what
goods they could ;
put them on the cart, which he drove
that night up to Belden's Hill, to Thos. St. John's. He
and the oxen had worked hard that day, and were very
tired. At Mr. St. John's, a party of light-horse came in
the night. He fell asleep ;
some of them took out his
silver brooch, and carried it off. Saw the first smoke
of the burning of Norwalk in the morning. Heard the
guns "pop, pop, pop, agood while." The first house burned
was where George Day now lives. The house where
Mr. Benedict now lives was occupied by the British as
a hospital for the wounded, and therefore was not burnt
at first. When the British retreated, they set it on fire,
but our people rallied soon enough to put it out. The
house was built by Mr. Benedict's grandfather. On his
return to Norwalk, saw a British
killed ;
soldier that had been
Seth Abbott shot him as he was getting over a
wall. " Now," says Abbott, before he fired, " if I kill
him, it will go right through his heart." He fired, and
the soldier fell backward, dead. The British, when they
landed on the west side, marched up to near where Capt.
Danl. K. Nash now lives. A tall British soldier was
shot there.
Mr. Learning used to preach on the wickedness of resisting
the king ;
and most of the tories were of his con-