Local Author Event: Peter C. Vermilyea

About the Book: Litchfield County in the American Revolution
From the first sparks of revolution in the 1770s, Litchfield County played an important role in the War
of Independence. Roger Sherman of New Milford was on the five-member committee that drafted the
Declaration of Independence. Oliver Wolcott of Litchfield signed the document and oversaw the
transportation of a toppled statue of King George III from New York City to his hometown, where it
was melted down and turned into more than forty thousand musket balls. Those musket balls were
perhaps fired by hundreds of local militia, including Black residents, who served in the war, while many
other residents helped furnish supplies and information for the army. However, not everyone supported
the Patriot cause, as the county was also home to those who remained loyal to the British King. Later
years saw the Continental Army make a winter encampment in New Milford and several visits by
George Washington. Local author and historian Peter Vermilyea reveals how liberty, sacrifice, and
resilience in a small corner of New England helped shape the destiny of a new nation.