November 24th, 1781." On the other two sides are inscriptions to his wife. One of them is, "Hannah, wife of the Rev. James Caldwell, and daughter of Jonathan Ogden, of Newark, was killed at Connecticut Farms by a shot from a British soldier, June 25th,* 1780, cruelly sacrificed by the enemies of her husband, and of her country."

"The memory of the just is blessed."

*The date is incorrect.

CHAPTER XXII.

BENJAMIN TRUMBULL.

HIS BIRTH AND EDUCATION.-TAKES SIDES WITH THE COLONIES.-ENTERS THE ARMY AS CHAPLAIN.-FIGHTS IN THE RANKS.-CURIOUS INTERVIEW WITH WASHINGTON.-FIGHTS AT WHITEFLAINS.-ANECDOTE.-FIGHTS AT NEW HAVEN.-RETURNS TO HIS PARISII.-WRITES THE HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.-IIIS DEATIL— HIS PUBLICATIONS.

HEBRON, Connecticut, has well earned a prominence by the number of good men she gave to the Revolution, and among them none rank higher as patriots than Mr. Trumbull. Born in this parish in 1735, he early fitted for college, and graduated at Yale when twenty-four years of age. The year after he taught in Dr. Wheelock's Indian charity school at Lebanon Creek, and at the same time studied divinity. The next year he was licensed to preach, and in the following December was ordained and settled at North Haven.

At this time the New England Colonies began to be agitated with the oppressive acts of Great Britain. Of a bold spirit and sanguine temperament, a bitter hater of wrong, and a fearless, ardent, and sometimes stormy defender of the right, Trumbull at once took sides with the former. His ruddy, determined face and stout figure typified admirably his character. He had the massive energy and strength one would expect to see in a man of his vigorous frame and robust health, and

at the same time the excitability of an extremely nervous, sensitive person. These characteristics were prominently displayed in his efforts in the cause of American liberty. Zealous, enthusiastic and able in argument, he brought efficient aid to the patriots, and it is much to be regretted that one who bore so important a part in the Revolution in his native State, and afterwards became so distinguished as its historian, should not have left more details and personal incidents connected with his services in the army. But aside from his general patriotism and zeal very little is known of this part of his history. It is evident, however, that but for his clerical profession he would have been found foremost in the ranks fighting for the cause which he so nobly upheld with his tongue. As it was, he, like many other good clergymen, could not at all times be content with discharging the duties of his profession, but in the ardor of his patriotism resorted to carnal weapons to defend what he believed to be the cause of God. Having battled manfully for the right so long as the contest was confined to discussion and remonstrances, the moment hostilities commenced he offered his services as chaplain in the army. In the campaigns that followed he appears only at intervals, but the transient glimpses we do get of him deepens the regret that we cannot follow him step by step in his course. We know, however, that he was engaged in most of the battles in the autumn that immediately followed the fall of New York. On a certain occasion, having learned, as he thought, that one of the divisions of the army was in danger of being cut off, he hurried

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to General Washington, and in his ardent, excited manner told him of it. The latter had doubtless received the information before, if it was true, and taken the necessary precautions to meet the threatened, danger, and hence listened to the chaplain's account without surprise. Looking up and noticing the clerical garb of the messenger, and seeing his intense excitement and anxiety, he said very pleasantly, "Good gentleman, you seem to be very much frightened." Mr. Trumbull had evidently taken his own instead of a military view of the matter, and on his own responsibility described a state of things that did not exist, and Washington's reply was meant to intimate as much. He, however, sadly mistook the man in supposing that his excitement was caused by fear-it was produced solely by anxiety. Fear was not one of the sensations with which he was familiar. At the battle of Whiteplains, which took place soon after, he was with the division that occupied Chatterton's Hill, and aroused by the shameful flight of the militia, seized a musket, and stepping into the ranks fought like a common soldier. Although the cannon balls were crashing around him, he loaded and fired with the most imperturbable coolness. Gano standing in front of the regiment to which he was attached, exposed to the hottest of the fire, and refusing to stir lest his example might dishearten the troops unaccustomed to battle, and Mr. Trumbull fighting on foot among those with whom he had often prayed, were not the least among the remarkable incidents of the fiercely contested action of Chatterton's Hill. When the division was

ordered to retreat across the Bronx and join the main army under Washington, he found himself on the shore of the stream, over which horses, artillery and men were hurrying in confusion, at a point where the depth did not promise an easy crossing. While hesitating what to do, he saw Colonel Tallmadge spur his horse into the water close beside him. The brave chaplain immediately resolved that the colonel's horse should carry him also to the farther bank, and being an active as well as strong man, he, with a vigorous leap, landed astride the crupper. The horse, astonished at the summary manner in which this new accession to his load was made, gave a sudden powerful spring and cleared himself of both colonel and chaplain, and they fell into the water together. Floundering up from their cold bath as quickly as possible, they scrambled up the farther bank, and dripping and dirty continued their flight with the retreating force.

In July, 1799, when Gov. Tryon invaded New Haven, he joined the volunteer company of one hundred, who went out to retard the advance of the enemy till the inhabitants could effect their escape with their goods. In the skirmish that followed he fought bravely, showing an example of coolness and courage that gave new life to the younger volunteers. He was mounted on a horse that was used to the sound of battle, and while others fired from behind fences and trees, he sat in full open view of the enemy, and loaded and fired from the saddle. Whenever the enemy poured in an unusual close and deadly volley he would duck his head behind his horse's neck and let the bul