West Haven invaded! (a really long time ago, as described in new book)

By Abbe Smith, Register Staff

WEST HAVEN — As a young boy, Peter J. Malia used to ride his bicycle up to Allingtown in search of the elusive grave of the British adjutant William Campbell.

As the story goes, Campbell, an aide to a British general who invaded New Haven in 1779, spared the life of minister Noah Williston of the First Congregational Church. When Williston tried to flee the town Green, he fell and broke his leg and was captured by the invading soldiers. Campbell persuaded his men not to kill Williston, but rather to help him. Campbell himself was fatally shot only hours later.

Decades after Malia went searching for history on his bicycle, he has published a book that tells the history of the British invasion of New Haven, including Campbell’s contribution.

“Campbell is the only British combatant honored by the town he invaded with a monument and a street named after him,” Malia says.

Campbell Avenue is now one of the city’s main thoroughfares and Campbell’s memorial sits on top of a hill in a small park across from the University of New Haven. It is the same site where Campbell was shot in the chest by armed Colonial militia 230 years ago.

Malia’s book, “Visible Angels,” takes an in-depth look at the New Haven area’s 150-year struggle for independence. The book, which covers New Haven and West Haven history from 1648-1798, was published this year by The Connecticut Press, a company Malia founded.

When the British invaded New Haven on July 5, 1779, they did it via Bradley Point in West Haven and a beach in East Haven. The temperature that day was 100 degrees, according to accounts. The battle was an inevitably uneven one, with the 1,500 British troops up against much fewer Colonial militiamen. In all, 120 people fighters were killed that day, on both sides. But before the British left to burn Fairfield and Norwalk, they pillaged much of New Haven, killed 30 civilians, burned the wharf and wrecked the fort.

Before the invasion, Malia says a third of the local population supported the revolution; a third was loyal to Britain; and a third was undecided.

“After the attack on New Haven, (opposition to Britain) became almost universal,” Malia said.

Three or four victims of the invasion are buried in the graveyard next to the West Haven green. He said West Haven is steeped in history from the Revolutionary War.

Much of what is known about Campbell has been kept alive through oral tradition. Malia’s book offers new insight into why the British adjutant was moved to save the life of minister who by all accounts was recruiting rebels to join the Colonial militia. As a Scots highlander, Campbell would have witnessed as a small boy the massacre of innocent civilians during the Jacobite rising in Scotland.

“Because of the massacre of their families, it’s drilled into everyone’s head who is a Scots highlander to respect civilians,” he said.

Malia’s book is based on decades of research reading first-hand accounts of battles and life in Colonial-era New Haven. Much of the information that exists about the invasion of New Haven comes from men who kept diaries and journals. Ezra Stiles, president of Yale College at the time, witnessed the 48 British ships in the New Haven harbor and kept detailed accounts of the invasion. So too did Thomas Painter in West Haven, who stood on the beach and fired shots at the British as they rowed toward the shore, only to flee when he realized his attempts were in vain.

As a historian who started his career long before the age of the Internet, Malia says technological advancements have made historical research easier.

“Today, thanks to the Internet, and the fact that records on online, much of the records that we didn’t think existed actually do exist,” he said.

After graduate school at Fordham University, Malia started his career as a historian at Sleepy Hollow Restorations in Tarrytown, N.Y. Over the years he has worked as an editor for the Connecticut Historical Society and communications administrator for several corporations.

His research for the book has taken him as far away as London to visit the British archives. He has spent many hours as well in the crypt below the First Congregational Church in West Haven, and at the Yale University libraries and the Connecticut History Museum.

On Friday, Malia presented a copy of his book to Mayor John M. Picard, who said he was honored by the gesture.

“This is important. This is great. I can’t wait to read it,” he said.

Also on hand for the ceremony was city historian Jon Purmont, who praised Malia for his dedication to the subject of local history.

“He’s a great researcher and he’s donated a lot of his research to the city,” Purmont said.

Malia lives in Monroe with his wife. He will be joining several other local historians giving talks from 2 to 9 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Barnes & Noble store in Milford. Malia also will be signing copies of his book that day.

Abbe Smith can be reached at asmith@... or 203-789-5615.