In Springfield, the first British advance was stopped at the bridge east of the village on June 7, 1780. The Battle of Springfield was fought on June 23rd, when the Americans under General Greene checked the enemy near the stream west of the church. As the British retreated, they burned the church and village. During the fighting, Parson Caldwell took psalm-books from the church and threw them to the Americans for wadding, crying, “Put Watts into ’em boys.”