From Danbury, to Ridgefield to Westport’s Compo Beach, British soldiers did battle with Connecticut’s “rebel” colonists in 1777.
The New Canaan Men’s Club will hear about those battles at its meeting Friday from Norwalk resident Ed Hynes, who first became interested Revolutionary War history when, as a child, he learned a neighbor’s house had been partially burned by the British in what became known as the Danbury Raid. That early interest gave rise to Hynes’ avocation as a lecturer and frequent traveler to historic battle sites.
The Men’s Club meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in Morrill Hall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 111 Oenoke Ridge. Hynes will begin his remarks at about 10:40 a.m. following the business portion of the meeting.
Benedict Arnold, a brigadier general, led several hundred militia in confronting British troops on Ridgefield’s main street, inflicting heavy casualties and continued battling the British fighters as they made their way back to their ships at Compo Beach. While the expedition was a tactical success for the British, the colonists garnered support for the cause, according to Hynes.
A financial advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Westport, Hynes graduated from The George Washington University in 1977 with a B.A. in Political Science. As an equity analyst, institutional salesperson and trader, he has worked with major investment banking firms in financial centers, such as New York, Tokyo, London, Chicago and San Francisco. He became a Chartered Financial Analyst in 2001.
The Men’s Club has openings for new members. Men 55-years old and above may email ncmens@ncmens.club for information about joining.