Tryon's raid
Encyclopedia
In July 1779, British
Major General William Tryon
and 2,600 men embarked onto a Royal Navy
fleet led by Admiral George Collier
, and raided the Connecticut
ports of New Haven
, Fairfield
, and Norwalk
. Military and public stores, supply houses, and ships were destroyed, as were private homes, churches, and other public buildings. The raids were ineffectually resisted by militia forces.
The raid was part of a larger strategy designed by the British commander in chief, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, to draw Major General George Washington
's Continental Army
onto terrain where it might be more effectively engaged. The strategy failed in this goal, and General Tryon was criticized for the severity of the action by both sides. Although the raid had economic impact and affected military supplies, Clinton's efforts had no long-term strategic impact.
into the American Revolutionary War
in 1778, British
forces in New York City
were primarily concerned with defending the city and its important harbor. The military activity in the northern states was reduced significantly, and the armies of George Washington
and Sir Henry Clinton warily watched each other in the New York area. Washington based his defense in New Jersey
and at West Point, where he guarded critical communications and supply links. In 1779 Lieutenant General Clinton hatched a plan that he hoped would convince General Washington to move his army so that he might be engaged in a "general and decisive action". He first launched an expedition in late May that seized Stony Point
and Verplanck's Point, opposite sides of a key crossing point on the Hudson River
. Although Washington did move additional troops into the New York highlands, Clinton felt the position too strong to attack. He then decided to dispatch Major General William Tryon
organized an expedition to raid the coastal communities of Connecticut
, while Clinton staged a body of troops at Mamaroneck, New York
that would go after Washington when he moved troops to oppose the raids, and also attack Continental Army
positions in New Jersey
.
Tryon assembled a force of 2,600 men, and embarked them on a fleet commanded by Sir George Collier
. One division, led by Brigadier General George Garth
, consisted of the 54th Regiment along with several companies of Royal Fusiliers, Foot Guards
, and Hessian jäger
s. The second division, led by Tryon, consisted of the Hessian Landgrave Regiment, the Royal Welch Fusiliers
, and the King's American Regiment
, the latter being a provincial regiment of Loyalist
s raised by Yale College
graduate Edmund Fanning
.
(41°18′36"N 72°55′25"W) two days later. Immediately disembarking, Garth's division rapidly gained control of New Haven, and went to work. Although Tryon had given orders that included burning the town, Garth did not do this; he limited his activities to destroying public stores, and seizing or destroying the towns armaments and ships in the harbor. Tryon's division landed in East Haven
, where it met spirited resistance from a band of local militia, but managed to take Black Rock Fort. In addition to destroying barns filled with grain, Tryon had local manor houses put to the torch. By the time the British withdrew, over 1,000 militia had mustered from the surrounding towns.
(41°10′33"N 73°16′19"W), arriving two days later. There the inhabitants fled upon the fleet's arrival, and Tryon's force, with little or no opposition, went on a destructive rampage. In addition to destroying 54 barns and 47 storehouses, they burned 83 homes, two churches, and municipal buildings including a schoolhouse, the courthouse and the local jail. After another night ashore, the expedition sailed across Long Island Sound
, where it spent two days resting and resupplying in Huntington, New York
.
(41°05′38"N 73°25′11"W), late on July 11. The troops did not finish landing until 3 am on the 12th, so they rested until daybreak. The two divisions, which had landed on opposite sides of the harbor, were weakly opposed by about 50 local militia, which were easily dispersed. The destruction then began, with most of the village and its commercial infrastructure destroyed. The fleet returned to Huntington, where on July 14 Tryon received orders to return to New York.
General Clinton's plan was an utter failure. General Washington, in spite of pressure from Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull
, refused to send troops to the state's assistance. He also may have benefited from Clinton's weakening of the garrison at Stony Point in order to provide men for Tryon's expedition; on the night of July 15–16 a picked force under the command of General Anthony Wayne
successfully captured the outpost
. Although Clinton reoccupied Stony Point, the failure of the 1779 raids to accomplish anything of substance led him to abandon it later in the year.
Tryon was pilloried by both Patriots and Loyalists for the raid. Washington accused him of making war against women and children, and Silas Deane
called the raids acts of "barbarity" and "almost beyond description". John Pownall, a colonial administrator in London
, wondered "what could have induced our friend Tryon to countenance [...] the wanton severities". General Clinton insisted on a written report justifying the burnings, and complained of the raiding he had been reduced to ordering, "I have been a buccaneer already too long; I detest that sort of war."
The last raid by the British against the Connecticut coast was conducted by its native son, Benedict Arnold
, in 1781, when he attacked
the port of New London
.
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
Major General William Tryon
William Tryon
William Tryon was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of New York .-Early life and career:...
and 2,600 men embarked onto a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
fleet led by Admiral George Collier
George Collier
Sir George Collier was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Seven Years War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars. As commander of the frigate HMS Rainbow, he was one of the most successful British naval commanders during the opening stages of war...
, and raided the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
ports of New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, Fairfield
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
, and Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
. Military and public stores, supply houses, and ships were destroyed, as were private homes, churches, and other public buildings. The raids were ineffectually resisted by militia forces.
The raid was part of a larger strategy designed by the British commander in chief, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, to draw Major General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
onto terrain where it might be more effectively engaged. The strategy failed in this goal, and General Tryon was criticized for the severity of the action by both sides. Although the raid had economic impact and affected military supplies, Clinton's efforts had no long-term strategic impact.
Background
Following the entry of FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
into the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
in 1778, British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
forces in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
were primarily concerned with defending the city and its important harbor. The military activity in the northern states was reduced significantly, and the armies of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and Sir Henry Clinton warily watched each other in the New York area. Washington based his defense in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and at West Point, where he guarded critical communications and supply links. In 1779 Lieutenant General Clinton hatched a plan that he hoped would convince General Washington to move his army so that he might be engaged in a "general and decisive action". He first launched an expedition in late May that seized Stony Point
Stony Point, New York
Stony Point is a triangle-shaped town in Rockland County, United States. Rockland County is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The town is located north of the town of Haverstraw, east and south of Orange County, New York, and west of the Hudson River and Westchester County. The population...
and Verplanck's Point, opposite sides of a key crossing point on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. Although Washington did move additional troops into the New York highlands, Clinton felt the position too strong to attack. He then decided to dispatch Major General William Tryon
William Tryon
William Tryon was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of New York .-Early life and career:...
organized an expedition to raid the coastal communities of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, while Clinton staged a body of troops at Mamaroneck, New York
Mamaroneck (town), New York
Mamaroneck is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 29,156 at the 2010 census. There are two villages contained within the town: Larchmont and the Village of Mamaroneck...
that would go after Washington when he moved troops to oppose the raids, and also attack Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
positions in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Tryon assembled a force of 2,600 men, and embarked them on a fleet commanded by Sir George Collier
George Collier
Sir George Collier was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Seven Years War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars. As commander of the frigate HMS Rainbow, he was one of the most successful British naval commanders during the opening stages of war...
. One division, led by Brigadier General George Garth
George Garth
George Garth was a British General, a commander in the American Revolutionary War, and Colonel of the 17th Regiment of Foot.-Life:...
, consisted of the 54th Regiment along with several companies of Royal Fusiliers, Foot Guards
Foot Guards
-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Regular Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist. The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the Household Brigade in existence from 1900-1901...
, and Hessian jäger
Jäger (military)
Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
s. The second division, led by Tryon, consisted of the Hessian Landgrave Regiment, the Royal Welch Fusiliers
Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
, and the King's American Regiment
King's American Regiment
The King's American Regiment was a British provincial regiment which was raised and served in the American Revolutionary War.It was raised in New York in December, 1776 by Colonel Edmund Fanning as the Associated Refugees. It served in the attacks on Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery...
, the latter being a provincial regiment of Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
s raised by Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
graduate Edmund Fanning
Edmund Fanning (colonial administrator)
Edmund Fanning first gained fame for his role in the War of the Regulation, but later had a distinguished career as a colonial governor and British general.right| Sketch of Edmund Fanning...
.
New Haven
The fleet sailed from New York on July 3, and reached New HavenNew Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
(41°18′36"N 72°55′25"W) two days later. Immediately disembarking, Garth's division rapidly gained control of New Haven, and went to work. Although Tryon had given orders that included burning the town, Garth did not do this; he limited his activities to destroying public stores, and seizing or destroying the towns armaments and ships in the harbor. Tryon's division landed in East Haven
East Haven, Connecticut
East Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 28,189. The town is just 3 minutes from downtown New Haven...
, where it met spirited resistance from a band of local militia, but managed to take Black Rock Fort. In addition to destroying barns filled with grain, Tryon had local manor houses put to the torch. By the time the British withdrew, over 1,000 militia had mustered from the surrounding towns.
Fairfield
The expedition reembarked on the fleet on the afternoon of July 6, after having spent the night in armed camps. They sailed for FairfieldFairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
(41°10′33"N 73°16′19"W), arriving two days later. There the inhabitants fled upon the fleet's arrival, and Tryon's force, with little or no opposition, went on a destructive rampage. In addition to destroying 54 barns and 47 storehouses, they burned 83 homes, two churches, and municipal buildings including a schoolhouse, the courthouse and the local jail. After another night ashore, the expedition sailed across Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
, where it spent two days resting and resupplying in Huntington, New York
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
.
Norwalk
The fleet arrived at NorwalkNorwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
(41°05′38"N 73°25′11"W), late on July 11. The troops did not finish landing until 3 am on the 12th, so they rested until daybreak. The two divisions, which had landed on opposite sides of the harbor, were weakly opposed by about 50 local militia, which were easily dispersed. The destruction then began, with most of the village and its commercial infrastructure destroyed. The fleet returned to Huntington, where on July 14 Tryon received orders to return to New York.
Aftermath
Tryon reported losses of 26 killed, 90 wounded, and 32 missing. Historian Charles Hervey Townshend compiled a list of 23 Americans killed, 15 wounded, and 12 captured in the New Haven raid; a contemporary news account reported 27 killed and 19 wounded.General Clinton's plan was an utter failure. General Washington, in spite of pressure from Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull
Jonathan Trumbull
Jonathan Trumbull, Sr. was one of the few Americans who served as governor in both a pre-Revolutionary colony and a post-Revolutionary state...
, refused to send troops to the state's assistance. He also may have benefited from Clinton's weakening of the garrison at Stony Point in order to provide men for Tryon's expedition; on the night of July 15–16 a picked force under the command of General Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
successfully captured the outpost
Battle of Stony Point
The Battle of Stony Point was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on the night of July 15–16, 1779. A select force of Continental Army infantry made a coordinated surprise night attack and stormed a fortified position of the British Army on the Hudson River south of West Point, New...
. Although Clinton reoccupied Stony Point, the failure of the 1779 raids to accomplish anything of substance led him to abandon it later in the year.
Tryon was pilloried by both Patriots and Loyalists for the raid. Washington accused him of making war against women and children, and Silas Deane
Silas Deane
Silas Deane was an American merchant, politician and diplomat. Originally a supporter of American independence Deane served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and then as the United States' first foreign diplomat when he travelled to France to lobby the French government for aid...
called the raids acts of "barbarity" and "almost beyond description". John Pownall, a colonial administrator in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, wondered "what could have induced our friend Tryon to countenance [...] the wanton severities". General Clinton insisted on a written report justifying the burnings, and complained of the raiding he had been reduced to ordering, "I have been a buccaneer already too long; I detest that sort of war."
The last raid by the British against the Connecticut coast was conducted by its native son, Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, in 1781, when he attacked
Battle of Groton Heights
The Battle of Groton Heights was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 6, 1781 between a small Connecticut militia force led by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard and the more numerous British forces led by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold and Lieutenant...
the port of New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
.