4 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



requiring much vigilance and efficiency. He took 

 the field at the head of a regiment early in 1776, was 

 in the battle on Long Island; and both in that re 

 treat and in the retreat of the American forces from 

 the city of New York, his command was placed as the 

 rear-guard. He bore a perilous and honorable part 

 in the battle of White Plains, and on this, as on sev 

 eral other occasions, narrowly escaped the balls of 

 the enemy. While serving in the camp of Wash 

 ington, General Silliman enjoyed his confidence. 

 Disparaging remarks, made by Adjutant- General 

 Reed with reference to the New-England troops, had 

 stirred up much ill feeling among them ; and Wash 

 ington chose to evince his disapproval of the Adju 

 tant's conduct by showing marked courtesy to Gen 

 eral Silliman and one or two other well-known New- 

 England officers. General Silliman descried the 

 British fleet when approaching to land the troops 

 for the destruction of the military stores at Danbury 

 in 1777, and rapidly collecting the militia, he, in con 

 nection with Generals Arnold and Wooster, inter 

 posed a resistance to their progress, sustaining the 

 attack of superior numbers in the conflict at Ridge- 

 field, and harassing the enemy on their way back to 

 their vessels. The estimate that was put upon the 

 value of his services is attested by the enterprise 

 undertaken by the British in conjunction with the 

 Tories, which resulted in his being detained in cap 

 tivity for nearly a year. 



On his mother's side, Mr. Silliman was directly 

 descended from Pilgrims of the Mayflower. His 

 grandmother, whose maiden name was Rebecca 

 Peabody, was the daughter of Elizabeth Peabody 



