Westport Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Minute Man Statue

"Look out. O Minute Man,

Still keep brave watch over thine abode,

Beside the sea on Compo Road."

One hundred years ago today, Westport's "Minute Man" statue on Compo Road was dedicated with a poem (by Westporter Agnes Lewis Mitchell, excerpted above), a ceremony and a few words from its creator, Westport artist H. Daniel Webster.

Today it is the preeminent icon that says: "Westport!"

"It is the symbol of Westport," remarked First Selectman Gordon Joseloff at an event Thursday afternoon to mark the statue's 100th anniversary, which was attended by a crowd of more than 100 people.

In the eyes of town historian Allen Raymond, the Minute Man is Westport's equivalent of the Lincoln Memorial.

Bedecked in red, white and blue bunting, the Westport militiaman was honored with a display of the American, Connectiut and Westport flags (the latter designed with a Minute Man by Westport's Miggs Burroughs in 1986).

The event got off to a rousing start as a fife-and-drum duo — Kelsea Mullaly of Wethersfield on fife and Geoffrey Ader of Westport on drum. Traffic was temporarily detoured during the ceremony.

Master of Ceremonies Joseloff recalled the dedication ceremony held at the same location 100 years ago, relying on  a 100-year-old newspaper clipping and other historic memorabilia.

The Rev. Frank Hall of Westport's Unitarian Church gave a blessing and read the poem Agnes Lewis  Mitchell penned for the original dedication ceremony.

Raymond said that Westport  Minute Men  "really won the show" back on April 28, 1775, when they finally routed British troops who had landed at Compo Beach three days before with little resistance and marched on to Danbury.

The raiding party of 2,000 Redcoats came ashore from 26 British ships anchored near the mouth of the Saugatuck River.

The surprise landing was "virtually uncontested," according to Woody Klein's history of Westport (Westport, Connecticut). The British first encountered militiamen near the corner of Post and Compo roads when musket shots were fired and and the fire returned.

The Redcoats went on to lay waste to Danbury, destroying an ammunition depot and burning 19 homes and 22 barns and stores with their contents of foodstuffs, medical supplies, tents, candles and clothing.

Patriot General Benedict Arnold staged a fierce opposition in Ridgefield as the raiding troops retreated, and by the time they neared Compo and their anchored fleet, Westport's Minute Men were ready for them.

A fierce battle for Compo Hill was under way.

According to Klein, the British ran out of ammunition and feared they would be overwhelmed by the Colonials. A fixed-bayonet charge was ordered.

"The ploy so demoralized the American forces that they made no further attempt to dislodge the British, allowing them to get back to board their ships and head out to sea," Klein writes.

Today's ceremony ended with Tom Sephen of New Canaan, authentically dressed as a member of the 5th Connecticut Regiment, firing his musket three times.

Each shot was preceded by an elaborate 11-step process of priming and loading the gun, a routine that should take 20 seconds or less in the pressure of combat.

"The musket fire was scarier to see than endure," Sephen said after the ceremony. "It was terribly inaccurate."

It was only after the war had been under way for two years, he said, that the Patriots had gained sufficient training and confidence to order fixed-bayonet charges, a far more deadly tactic.

According to Wakefield Dort's Westport in Connecticut's History (published in 1935 for Westport's tercentenary), the battle at Compo Beach "was not one of the major engagements of the war, but it was important."

"It is significant that never again during the Revolutionary War did raiding troops from Long Island Sound move beyond sight of their ships," Dort wrote.

The militiamen of Westport  (then Fairfield) suffered at least 25 casualties, including General David Wooster, Colonel Abraham Gould and 25-year-old Lieut. Samuel Elmer.

One hundred years ago, the Minute Man's sculptor, Webster, expressed his gratitude to the men who safeguarded liberty at Compo those days in 1777 and "paid with their own precious blood."

The figure in Webster's statue is a composite of local people descended from the Patriots, according to a plaque to the side of the statute placed by the Westport Historical Society and Young Woman's League.