Timeline of Events
July 10-11, 1779
The Routes of the Patriots & British
Saturday, July 10
1. General Tryon anchors five miles offshore in “Norwalk Bay.” Under his command are 26 ships carrying 2,500 troops.
9:00pm
2. Tryon lands his troops at “Cow Pasture” (Calf Pasture). That night they lay on their arms.
Sunday, July 11
3:00am
3. As Tryon’s troops move across to Fitch’s Point, the King’s American (Tory) Regiment lands. Brigadier General Garth, in command of that regiment, crosses Norwalk Harbor in small boats to Old Well (South Norwalk).
4. Tryon marches north on East Avenue to Norwalk.
5. Captain Betts’ outnumbered Patriots cannot defend Grumman Hill. They retreat to positions in “The Rocks,” joining the militia and Continental troops under Generals Parsons and Wolcott.
4:00am
6. Tryon takes “Drummond” (Grumman) Hill and most of the town. He halts and sets up headquarters on the hill and awaits Garth’s arrival.
7. Garth lands at Old Well and sets fire to John Day’s house south of Washington Street, to signal Tryon that he had landed.
8. Captain Richards’ Patriots fire on the British from Flax Hill Road, above Old Well.
9. Garth divides his troops to prevent Richard’s Patriot militia from escaping toward “The Bridge” (Wall St.).
10. At the first ascent up the hill near Couch Street, the Patriots and the British engage in a sharp skirmish.
11. On the second ascent, Richards’ squad of Patriots, hidden behind a stone wall, kills three British soldiers. The British create a diversion and bury their dead.
12. The British advance to Round Hill and place a field gun. They remain in this position for about an hour before returning to West Avenue by way of Cedar Street.
13. Richard’s Patriots, having retreated and outflanked Garth, ford the Norwalk River near Cross Street and join General Parsons.
14. At Thomas Benedict’s house, Garth’s troops stop to drink wine and cider that had been set out for the Patriots. This house is not burned – at first – since it is used as a hospital.
15. The militia, shooting from the houses, delay Garth’s advance.
9:00am
16. Garth’s troops complete the junction at the Wall Street bridge.
10:00am
17. With his regiments united, Tryon’s forces clear the houses of any Patriot resistance and stage their assault on “The Rocks.”
18. The Battle at the Rocks. 800 American troops engage 1,200 British in the field below the Rocks.
Noon
19. After pushing the Patriots from the heights, winning the battlefield and burning the town, the British form a retreat to Calf Pasture.
2:00pm
20. Tryon’s troops retrace their march, in two columns, and return to their boats.
21. The British forces and some local Tories embark from Norwalk.