Russell Regales with Stories of Wartime Wilton

Fort Henry. Valley Forge. Antietam. Pearl Harbor. Baqbah.

From pre-Revolutionary War days through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Wilton men and women have served the nation both on and off their home soil.  Last night local historian, author and former First Selectman Bob Russell regaled a roomful of people with stories about Wilton's wartime experiences.

Russell spoke at the Wilton Library just days before the town dedicates the Veterans Memorial Green. The memorial will occupy a slice of land near the Purcell Building.

"Two days from now we will dedicate the memorial," Russell said. "A war memorial was first proposed for that location in 1923. The town dithered and in 1936 accepted the proposal."

But it wasn't until 1966 that a World War One memorial occupied the triangle. It took another 44 years to get a memorial there, Russell said.

It didn't take quite so long for Wiltonians to engage in combat. Wilton became a parish in 1726, 20 years after the first settler arrived.

"As a parish Wilton had to maintain a militia," Russell said. "It was a colony law because there was still a threat of Indian raids. New Milford was still getting Indian raids in 1726," Russell said.

No Wilton men fought in the April 1775 Battle of Lexington and Concord. But one month later, Matthew Mead of Wilton was appointed Captain of the Fifth Connecticut Regiment in Norwalk.

"He got his commission before George Washington so make note of that!" Russell said.

Buried in Sharp Hill Cemetery, Ezekiel Holly is the only Revolutionary War soldier buried in Wilton. Usually soldiers were buried on the battlefield.

In earlier wars soldiers often didn't fight during the winter. During the winter of 1778-1779 Wilton soldiers camped in Redding's Putnam Park.

 "They had a grand old time. They stole chickens and pigs and socialized with the girls," Russell said, adding that there were 12 recorded marriages in that period. "I read people in Redding were proud to be selected for winter encampment, but by the time they [the soldiers] left in the spring of '79 they were glad to get rid of them."

Twenty Wilton men died in the War for Independence and two of them died on the British prison ships anchored off the coast of New York City.

In 1826, 50 years after the war ended, General Marquis de Lafayette enjoyed a triumphant tour through the former colonies. He visited veteran Samuel Comstock, whose home still sits on Ridgefield Road.

 "The legend is the old soldier drank so much applejack they put him to bed boots and all. And supposedly the Comstock family never washed the sheets," Russell said.

The Revolutionary War divided Wilton into Patriots and Loyalists, which wasn't unusual for a northern colony. The Lambert family was one such Loyalist family. Susannah Rogers Lambert, wife of David Lambert II, had two sons, David Rogers Lambert and Samuel Fitch Lambert. Their politics got them into trouble and at one point they decamped for New Brunswick, Canada.

If the Revolution divided the home front, World War One and World War Two united it.

Rationing and constant search for news of the town's fighting men forged tight bonds among the civilians. Nearly 90 Wilton women worked as riveters at Sikorsky.

"Everyone had victory gardens and some even raised their own livestock," Russell said. "There were 150 pigs in Wilton."

Wilton lost one man to the Korean War but eight to Vietnam. Considering the town lost 10 men during World War Two, it's a high number, Russell said.

In recent times several Wilton men and women have joined the military. Nicholas Madaras, a soccer player and graduate of Wilton High School, died Sept. 3, 2006.

"We were shocked and saddened by the death of Private Nick Madaras," Russell said, adding how Ken Dartley organized Kick for Nick and has since collected thousands of soccer balls nationwide to send to Iraq.

On Veteran's Day, several local citizens will read letters and diary entries from some of these warriors.