I'd like you to meet my friend Sybil.
She's our state's, Connecticut's, version of Paul Revere.
During the American Revolutionary War, Sybil Ludington rode her horse through the night for some forty miles...
Alerting everyone to the attack on the town of Danbury.
You'll find her here, right in the center of town. No need to hurry; she's here every day.
In 1777, the British landed near Westport and took this road north.
At the time, Danbury was a sleepy farm village but it had been selected to play a significant role in the Revolution.
It was an important supply depot, a town loaded with stores of all kinds desperately needed by the Americans, and the Redcoats were out to destroy it.
On the night of April 26, 1777, after hearing of the attack on Danbury, 16-year-old Sybil took it upon herself to ride her horse named "Star" to alert the countryside.
Members of the militia, farm boys, everyone in the area, heard her shout, "They're burning Danbury!""
Members of the militia, farm boys, everyone in the area, heard her shout, "They're burning Danbury!""
A proper young lady of that era, she rode sidesaddle all the way.
When she returned home the next morning, soaked from the rain and exhausted, the soldiers had assembled and marched to the Battle of Ridgefield.
The Redcoats fired their cannon down the main street of Ridgefield.
One of their cannon balls struck Keeler Tavern...
Where it remains to this day.
Sybil was later congratulated by just about everyone, including George Washington.
Much later she was put on a stamp, back in the days when you could mail a letter for eight cents. :-)
Sybil Ludington, a name to remember.
Sybil Ludington, a name to remember.
9 comments:
I like that the cannonball has been preserved in the tavern.
Moreso, I guess I like that the tavern has been preserved.
Yes, I like those things too.
It's funny to think that our two nations were once enemies and that your ally was the French - how times have changed :)
>>It's funny to think that our two nations were once enemies...<<
Very true. You might find it interesting that at the site of the Battle of Ridgefield there's a small cemetery where British soldiers are buried. The inscription reads: "Foes in arms, brothers in death."
I was a little girl living in Florida when I first heard of her. She was a story in my reading book and I was so envious of her opportunity to assist in such an important event in our history. The fact that she had her own horse helped a lot too.
Glad to hear from you, Stacie. Thanks for your comment.
Isn't it wonderful to live somewhere where history is so immediate? I always enjoyed small New England towns for that reason.
I enjoyed hearing about Sybil.
>>I enjoyed hearing about Sybil.<<
Thanks so much. And I enjoyed your comments on problems of the French language, posted today. (Who says I don't keep up?)
There's one problem. You used that stock photo without my permission. I'm the guy on the left. :-)
That was graet! im doing a report on her.
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