David Wooster
| David Wooster | |
|---|---|
 
1776 mezzotint by Thomas Hart
(artist's conception, not made from life) |
|
| Born |
March 13, 1711 Stratford, Connecticut |
| Died | May 22, 1777 (aged 66) Danbury, Connecticut |
| Place of burial | Wooster Cemetery, Danbury |
| Allegiance |
 British Empire United States of America
|
| Service/branch | British colonial militia British Army Continental Army †
|
| Years of service | British colonial militia: 1739–1745 British Army: 1745–1761 Continental Army: 1775–1777 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held | Montreal, Connecticut militia |
| Battles/wars | |
David Wooster (March 13, 1711 [O.S. March 2, 1710] – May 2, 1777) was an American general who served in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolutionary War. He died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Cities, schools, and public places were named after him. He has been called "a largely forgotten hero of the Revolution."
David Wooster was born in Stratford, in the British colony of Connecticut. He entered Yale College in 1735, and graduated in 1738.
In 1739, following the outbreak of war between Britain and Spain, he joined the colonial militia as a lieutenant, but apparently saw no action. In 1741 he was named lieutenant of a ship of the guarda-costa, or coast guard, which the colony had established to protect against potential Spanish attack. He was later promoted to captain.
On March 6, 1745, Wooster married Marie Clapp, the daughter of Yale's president, Thomas Clapp. They went on to have four children; their son Thomas also served in the American Revolutionary War. His grandson Charles Whiting Wooster was Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Navy. Shortly after he was named captain of a company in the provincial regiment of Andrew Burr (uncle to future United States Vice President Aaron Burr), and saw service at that year's Siege of Louisbourg. He was sent to France as part of the prisoner escort following that action, and then to England, where he was given an audience with King George and a position as captain in the regiment of William Pepperrell in the British Army.
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Wikipedia