Pratt Stories - Col. Abraham Gould

This will be the story of Col. Abraham Gould of Fairfield, Connecticut, who was killed in the Battle of Ridgefield during the Revolutionary War. It is taken from an old book about the Burr family. The name was Gold when this book was written. I don't know when or why it became Gould.

 

The descendents of Elizabeth Burr and Col. Abraham Gold have in almost all cases proved themselves worthy of the parent stock.(I think we are still worthy) Mr.and Mrs.Gold were married New years Day, 1754. Even then the muttering thunders of the revolution were beginning to be heard in Boston and New York, in Virginia and along the eastern bases of the Alleghenies.

 

 Col. Gold early espoused the cause of the colonies, and when troubles thickened and soldiers were mustered for defense, was commisioned by Governor Trumbull Colonel of the Fifth Regiment which had been raised in the lower tier of towns of Fairfield County. 

 

On the morning of Friday, April 25, 1777, the British under Governor Tryon of New York landed 2,000 men at Compo (now Saugutuck), four miles east of Norwalk, and after burning the village, began their march towards Danbury, some twenty four miles in the interior where stores for the Contnental Army had been stored

 

News of the inroad was quickley borne to Fairfield, only ten miles distant, and General Sillman commanding the district ordered alarm drums to be beat, and swift messengers sent to the neighboring towns to call in the companies. Col. Gold mounted his horse, formed the men in line on the village green as they came pouring in by twos and threes, in squads and companies. By nightfall 500 men had been collected, and the regiment slept on its arms with orders to march at daybreak

 

They reached Redding, seven miles from Danbury, late next day, and were joined by Maj. General Wooster, of Stratford, and Brig. General Arnold (yes, Benedict Arnold), who with a few volunteers had ridden over from New Haven. General Wooster took command. His force numbered 600 men hastily gathered, raw recruits, against the enemy's 2,000 disciplined men. To add to their discomfort a heavy rain came on, wetting them to the skin, and rendering their firearms useless. Reaching Bethel, three miles from Danbury, at 11 o'clock PM, they bivouacked for  he night, the men being utterly exausted, and made camp by the light of the blazing houses and churches of Danbury, which the British had fired.

 

NEXT: The fighting begins

 

Emailed Sept. 11, 2008