The Burning of Fairfield Walking Tour

On July 7, 1779, Fairfield residents awoke to the sound of a cannon—a warning from the fort at Black Rock. A British fleet had been spotted anchoring off the coast. No one predicted the burning of Fairfield that was about to occur.

Join the Fairfield Museum and History Center for a special guided walking tour detailing the British raid. Discover some of the homes that made it through the invasion unscathed and hear of the sacrifices made for American independence from British rule. There are two tours: a 12 p.m. tour and a 6 p.m. tour. The cost is $12 for museum members and $15 for nonmembers.

The Burning of Fairfield

On April 25, 1777, 26 ships carrying 2,000 British troops landed in what is now Westport, Conn. Their commander, New York Gov. William Tryon, planned to seize military supplies 20 miles north in Danbury—and to terrorize the countryside. He burned houses, barns and churches along the way.

This raid, though tactically successful in destroying army provisions, resulted in 154 British casualties and turned neutral Connecticut residents into Patriots.

Two years later, Tryon raided New Haven, West Haven, Fairfield and Norwalk. This time the British hoped to lure Washington and his army from West Point to Connecticut, where they thought they had the advantage. But Washington stayed put. The burning of houses, fields, ships, barns, wharves and warehouses didn’t achieve its military objective, but it caused great suffering.

In the early hours of July 7, 1779, Fairfield residents were alerted to a British flotilla headed their way. Most unarmed civilians fled. Tryon and 800 men landed on South Pine Creek Beach and marched toward the town center, sacking homes and businesses. The militia harassed them all day but didn’t stop them from plundering the town. The next day the British burned Fairfield as they withdrew.

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Learn more Revolutionary history in this complete guide to Revolutionary War Sites in New England. Brought to you by the New England Historical Society. Click here to order your copy in paperback, here to order an ebook.