Part of a series of articles titled 12 Soldiers of the Revolution.
Article
Naphtali Daggett: The Courageous Clergyman
Naphtali Daggett stood his ground manfully, while the British columns advanced.
In 1779, as the American Revolution was in full stride, British troops marched into largely undefended New Haven, Connecticut, threatening both the local inhabitants as well as Yale College and its students. In an effort to give the people time to flee, Yale’s professor of divinity and former president, Dr. Naphtali Daggett, along with a few dozen brave defenders (many of whom were students), placed themselves between their town and the British. In the end, Rev. Daggett was the only one left, surrounded by 2,500 enemy troops.
DOI / Andrew King
Biography
Naphtali Daggett (1727–1780) was a colonial American clergyman and educator. Born in Massachusetts in 1727, he graduated from Yale in 1748. After studying theology, he was ordained in 1751 as pastor of the Presbyterian church in Smithtown, New York, and then in 1756 was appointed professor of divinity at Yale, a position he held for the rest of his life. When Yale President Thomas Clap resigned in 1766, Daggett was selected as its president and served in that capacity until 1777, at which point he was succeeded by the Rev. Ezra Stiles.
When the British launched their attack on New Haven in July 1779, Daggett joined the handful of local defenders, armed only with a musket. He died of his wounds in New Haven in November of the following year. Daggett published several sermons and an account of the famous 1780 “Dark Day” in New England—the day of the British attack.
Naphtali Daggett Stands in the Gap
On the evening of July 4, 1779, three American cannons sounded the alarm that enemy troops were headed toward New Haven, Connecticut. A force of 2,500 British troops landed nearby in Long Island Sound, about five miles from the center of town. The following morning, Yale’s President Ezra Stiles climbed into the chapel’s steeple and from that vantage point could clearly see their boats coming ashore. Invasion was imminent. All classes were immediately suspended as students, along with many of the town’s inhabitants, prepared to flee to safety in the neighboring county.
To give more time for citizen evacuation, a small group of local militia formed. Initially it was only about two dozen but ultimately grew to about 100, and included many young men from the college. Overwhelmingly outnumbered by the British, they were determined to divert and delay as long as possible to aid the escape of the townspeople.
The small militia group was startled to see 51-year-old Professor Daggett galloping by them, headed directly at the approaching enemy troops. One of his students in the militia body, Chauncey Goodrich, reported:
In common with other students, I was one of the number [in the small militia]. And I well remember the surprise we felt…to see Dr. Daggett riding furiously by us on his old black mare, with his long fowling-piece in his hand, ready for action. We knew the old gentlemen had studied the matter thoroughly and satisfied his own mind as to the right and propriety of fighting it out; but we were not quite prepared to see him come forth in so gallant a style to carry his principles into practice.
The students gave him a hearty cheer as he passed. Daggett took up a position in the woods where he could watch the British advance, biding his time for an effective attack.
In the meantime, the defenders had confronted and successfully chased off an advanced guard of British Redcoats—only to come against the full body of British regulars rushing forward to support them. The boys had no choice but to fall back.
Most citizens fled for their lives, but Rev. Daggett found a place where he stationed himself to resist the British. Soon discovered, he reported:
They instantly fired upon me… discharging not less than fifteen or twenty balls at me alone. However, through the preserving Providence of God, I escaped from them all unhurt.
Daggett then began to fire at the British. He was just a single gun, but his bullets were having an effect. The British sent a detachment to investigate.
Daggett saw them coming, but never moved, continuing to methodically load, fire, reload, and fire. When the squad reached him, the officer in charge was shocked to see an old man in black robes standing before him and exclaimed:
“What are you doing there, you old fool—firing on His Majesty’s troops!!!”
“Exercising the rights of war,” says the old gentleman. The very audacity of the reply, and the mixture of drollery it contained seemed to amuse the officer.
“If I let you go this time, you rascal,” says he, “will you ever fire again on the troops of His Majesty?”
“Nothing more likely,” said the old gentleman, in his dry way.
It was a miracle that Daggett was not immediately executed on the spot. As it was, they beat him with musket butts, inflicting a deep gash to his skull, and then jabbed and pricked him with their bayonets. They took his shoes from him and then and quick-marched him at the front of their column as they proceeded toward the town, all the while beating and kicking him if he slowed.
Goodrich noted, I think it was the hottest day I ever knew. The stoutest men were almost melted with the heat.
This multiplied the suffering of Daggett. Goodrich witnessed what was happening from a nearby meadow and reported:
They drove the old gentleman before them at midday under the burning sun… about five miles into the town, pricking him forward with their bayonets when his strength failed, and when he was ready to sink to the ground from utter exhaustion.
Despite the brave resistance of the small band of militia, the British took the town and ransacked it, killing many. A Loyalist friend (pro-British) in the town interceded on Daggett’s behalf, saving him from further torture as well as prison or execution.
Though feeble from exhaustion and the loss of several pints of blood, Dr. Daggett eventually recovered enough to continue preaching regularly in the college chapel—at least for a time. The minister had been physically broken and his sufferings hastened his death, which occurred about 16 months after his courageous stand.
Faith and Conviction
Daggett’s students saw him—as they affirmed—carry his principles into practice.
They had almost certainly often heard his sermons, such as the one a few years earlier in which he reflected on the trials of life and argued that for one to be able to find joy in all circumstances, it was necessary to act according to a right conscience before God.
Daggett testified that It is a high honor to be faithful servants to our generation.
His prayer for his students was, May we all be faithful to the death; and while we live, have the testimony of our conscience for our rejoicing, as a sure earnest of a crown of glory to be bestowed upon us at the last day.
Higher Education in Early America
In colonial New England, young men would often enter college as early as age 13 or 14 after completing eight levels of primary education. As was the practice with nearly all early American universities, the early presidents of Yale were clergymen, a practice that largely continued until the twentieth century. Some of its notable graduates in that day included Declaration of Independence signers Oliver Wolcott and Lyman Hall, and U.S. Constitution signers Abraham Baldwin and William Samuel Johnson.
Tributes to Daggett and the New Haven Defenders
Today, the “Defenders Monument” stands in New Haven, Connecticut. It was dedicated in 1910 to honor the 100 brave men and students who rose to defend their town.
Legacy
As the United States celebrates 250 years of freedom and independence, Daggett’s story challenges us to rise and stand courageously under pressure, maintain a good conscience, and carry the principles of faith and liberty into practice.
Last updated: June 3, 2026