The Battle of Ridgefield, April 27, 1777
Ridgefield, Connecticut
British General Tryon’s Raid on Danbury occurred on April 26, 1777. The beginning of the 1777 campaign was the first British invasion and the only pitched battle in Connecticut. Following the burning of Danbury the British troops marched through Ridgefield the next day on their way back to their ships moored at Compo Beach in Westport. The first skirmish, under the leadership of American General David Wooster occurred at the intersection of Barlow Mountain Road and North Salem Road. The second occurred at the intersection of Tackora Trail South where General Wooster was mortally wounded. His men then joined those of General Benedict Arnold. General Arnold, then still a great American hero, led the patriots against the British at a barricade that had been erected in front of Benjamin Stebbins’ house. Arnold narrowly escaped death when his horse was shot out from under him. The enemy continued its march through the town, firing along the way at known patriot buildings.
Casagmo replaced the Stebbins house which was torn down in the 1890s. George M. Olcott built the yellow brick Georgian mansion and named it using the Italian word for house, plus his initials – Casa GMO. It was razed in 1968 to make way for the present apartment/condominium complex.
Marker is on Main Street, on the right when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
