Victims of the Burning of Norwalk Remembered
The Norwalk Historical Society will present a memorial for all victims of the Burning of Norwalk - American or British, soldier or civilian - on The Green near the cannon at 7:00 pm on Friday, July 10. The memorial will be led by Eric Chandler of Sheldon's Horse, the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons who will conduct a Libation Ceremony, as a tribute to the fallen. Reenactors in American and British 18th Century uniform will participate in the ceremony. Mayor Moccia will read a proclamation designating July 10 - 12 as the Commemoration of the Battle and Burning of Norwalk.
Also participating in the memorial will be The Connecticut Line, the Living History Color Guard Unit of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and DeLancey's Brigade. Madeleine Eckert, Norwalk Historical Society Advisory Board Member and member of the Norwalk-Village Green Chapter, Connecticut State Society Daughters of the American Revolution will speak about the significance of the Norwalk DAR monuments and highlight the dedication of the Tryon / Grumman's Hill monument. Ed Eckert, Norwalk Historical Society Board Member and member of the Roger Sherman Branch #5, CTSSAR will be speaking about Patriot casualties.
The Battle of Norwalk may be the biggest battle fought in Connecticut during the Revolutionary War and Norwalk suffered more destruction than any other town in the state. One hundred thirty homes, forty shops, one hundred barns, five ships, two churches, and some flour mills and salt works were also lost. "The Green is really sacred ground. A few American regulars and a lot of citizen soldiers, just regular people trying to protect their homes and families, fought here and in other parts of town against overwhelming odds," said Tod Bryant of the Norwalk Historical Society. "All of the combatants were doing their duty as they saw it and all of them deserve to be remembered."
The Norwalk Historical Society was incorporated in 1899 with the purpose of promoting and encouraging historical research in Norwalk. That vision is kept alive today with the re-establishment of the NHS in 1949 and the continued focus on "the research, preservation, and promotion of interest in the history of Norwalk."
For more information, please call the Norwalk Historical Society at 203-846-0525 or email info@norwalkhistoricalsociety.org. For more information about the Norwalk Historical Society, please visit the NHS website at www.norwalkhistoricalsociety.org.
All donations received will be used to fund the programs of the Norwalk Historical Society.