Signed receipt for ride to Danbury

Item Details

Fairfield CT, Josiah Brinsmaid, 1777

fine

Manuscript receipted bill, 19 May 1777, Fairfield CT. Josiah Brinsmaid is charging the State of Connecticut 1 pound 4 shillings for “going to Danberry from Fairfield an express by order of Bridg. General Silliman.” Jospeh Strong, Justice of the Peace, attests to Brinsmaid’s oath that the account is correct. An attestation by G. Select Silliman certifies that he had employed Mr. Brinsmaid for such a service. And a notation is added 18 August 1777 to John Lawrence, Treasurer requesting that the remainder of the funds owing Brinsmaid be paid. A docket inscription indicates this was audited 21 Dec 1778, for the files of Elijah Abel. Josiah Brinsmaid (1732-1790) lived in Fairfield; Gold Selleck Silliman (1732-1790) was appointed Brig. General in 1776. He is known to have employed express riders to warn Connecticut communities of approaching raids by British forces. Here, Brinsmaid communicated to Danbury, presumably ahead of Major General William Tryon’s raid on its American military supply depot. The raid was 25-27 April 1777 and the British destroyed 22 storehouses that included 1,690 hard-to-replace tents. The British marched to Ridgefield where militia led by Generals Benedict Arnold and Silliman engaged in a battle that at least slowed the British advance south. 7.5”x6.25” laid paper, partial watermark.