S T O R Y Attle Of- Fort Griswold

v54 1894 STORY OF THE . ATTLE OF- FORT GRISWOLD. SEPTEMBER Q, 1781, IjtaB || WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT ON GROTON HEIGHTS. ;--== - STORY OF THE Battle of Fort Griswold WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT ON GROTON HEIGHTS. E GROTON, CONN.: 3t+l PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY JAMES M. BACON. AT THE MONUMENT. V5" 4 . 1894. 1 936 LIST OF MEN WHO FELL AT FORT GRISWOLD, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 1781. WILLIAM LEDYARD, Lieut. Col. Commanding. Elijah Avery, Daniel Chester, Youngs Ledyard, Ebenezer Avery, Richard Chapman, Daniel Lester, Solomon Avery, Philip Covil, John Lester, Jasper Avery, Ellis Coit, Jonas Lester, Elisha Avery, James Comstock, Wait Lester, Daniel Avery, William Comstock, Joseph Lewis, David Avery, John Clark, Joseph Moxley, Chris. Avery, Daniel Davis, Nathan Moore, Thomas Avery, Samuel Hill, Simeon Morgan, John P. Babcock, Henry Halsey, Edward Mills, John Billings, John Holt, Thomas Miner, Andrew Billings, Rufus Hurlbutt, Luke Perkins, Samuel Billings, Nathan Adams, Luke Perkins, Jr., Ezekiel Bailey, Simeon Allyn, Elinathan Perkins, Andrew Baker, Samuel Allyn, Elisha Perkins, William Bolton, Benton Allyn, Asa Perkins, John Brown, Moses Jones, Simeon Perkins, Hubbard Burrows, • Eliday Jones, David Palmer, Jonathan Butler, Benoni Kenson, Peter Richards, Frederick Chester, Barney Kenny, Amos Stanton, Eldredge Chester, Thomas Lamb, Enoch Stanton, CAPT. ADAM SHAPLEY, of Fort Trumbull. David Seabury, Thomas Williams, Patrick Ward, John Stedman, John Williams, Joseph Wedger, Nathan Sholes, Henr. Woodbridge, Benadam Allyn, Thomas Starr, Chr. Woodbridge, Nicholas Starr, John Whittlesey, Sambo Latham, Daniel Stanton, Steph. Whittlesey, Jordan Freeman. Henry Williams, Sylv. Walworth THE BATTLE MONUMENT. In the year 1826, a number of gentlemen in Groton, feeling that the tragic events that had occurred in the neighborhood in 1781 should be properly commemorated, organized as an associa- tion for the purpose of erecting a monument. An application to the legislature for a charter was granted, and a lottery in aid of the work was legalized by special act. The corner stone was laid September 6th of that year, and the 6th of September, 1830, it was dedicated with imposing ceremonies. During the centennial year, important repairs and changes were made. In form, the monument is now an obelisk, twenty-two feet square at the base, and eight and one-half feet at the base of pyramidion, resting on a die twenty-four feet square, which in turn rests upon a base twenty-six feet square. Its material is granite, quarried in the neighborhood. Its whole height is one hundred and thirty-five feet, and its summit, which is reached by a spiral stairway of one hundred and sixty-six stone steps, is two hundred and sixty-five feet above the waters of the bay. From this point a picture of sea and land of almost unrivalled beauty is presented, well repaying the visitor for the toil of ascent. INSCRIPTION. This Monument was erected under the patronage of the State of Connecticut, A. D. 1830, and in the 55th year of.the Independence of the U. S. A., in memory of the patriots who fell in the massacre of Fort Griswold, near this spot, on the 6th of September, 1781, when the British, under command of the traitor Benedict Arnold, burnt the towns of New London and Groton, and spread desolation and woe throughout this region. "Zebulon and Napthali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto death in the high places in the field."—Judges, 5th Chapter, 18th Verse. Return of Americans killed, ......... 84 " " " wounded, ........ 40 Total 124 British loss, killed, .......... 48 " " wounded, .......... 127 Total 175 Captain P. Richards, Lieutenant Chapman and several others were killed at Bastion ; Captain Shapley and others wounded. He died of his wounds in January following. THE STORY OF FORT GRISWOLD AND ARNOLD'S EXPEDITION. URING the war of the Revolution the Harbor of New London was a rendezvous for the armed vessels of the D American States. Here they were often fitted and re- cruited for service. The privateering business was also prose- cuted with great success. Situated near the entrance into Long Island Sound, this harbor opens its inviting arms to welcome the victor returning with his spoils, or to receive the flying fugitive and protect him from further pursuit. As a place convenient for shipping out to sea it possesses great advantages. New London was particularly serviceable to the country during the war and therefore became obnoxious to the British officers, by whom it was denounced and marked for chastisement at the first convenient opportunity. In the meantime the cruisers or privateering vessels of the port in- creased from year to year, and with them the energy and business of the place. In 1779 and 1780, success attended almost every cruise that was undertaken, and the favor of fortune continued into the summer of 1781, when the climax was reached by the capture of the rich merchant ship Hannah. This was a vessel from London, laden with costly merchandise for New York traders and with private supplies for the British officers quartered in that city. She had neared the southern coast of Long Island and was almost at the end of her voyage, when the privateer Minerva, Capt. Dudley Saltonstall, came athwart her course and greeted her with \ 8 a rough salute, shot down her flag and, running alongside and boarding her, at once obtained possession and brought her into port. Another London and another Thames received her, vastly inferior, it is true, to those renowned shores from which she had set sail, but welcoming her arrival with acclamations probably more joyful than had ever before greeted her entrance into port. This was a distinguished prize. It was probably the most valuable single seizure made on the high seas during the war. Her cargo consisted of an assortment of choice goods adapted to the New York market. It was regarded as a token of good fortune to New London, but in reality it sealed her doom and made her destruction sure. The capture of this vessel just when her arrival was antici- pated and the supplies she bore were most urgently required, was the drop too much, and exasperated the British into immediate re- prisal. A fitting instrument for the vengeance of the enemy was at hand. Benedict Arnold had deserted the American cause the preceding year, in Sept. 1780, and had been received into the British service with the rank of Brigadier-General. Since that time he had conducted a predatory expedition against Richmond and other portions of the Virginian coast, plundering, burning, and destroying the public stores, the mills, and shipping in his course. He was now in New York, unemployed. No other person could have been found in the whole range of British choice among the regular troops, or the " American royalists," so well prepared as Arnold to conduct the expedition and perform the service to which he was forthwith appointed. He was a native of New London county, and, with the town itself, almost as familiar as an inhabitant. He knew all its streets and lanes, its shops and ware- houses, the names and faces of its most prominent citizens. He had often sailed from the port and was conversant with every turn of the coast, like one of its own pilots. He knew all the con- 9 tinguous country, the streams, the highlands and winding roads, and was therefore able to estimate the facilities for ensuring success, or the obstacles that might be encountered in the under- taking. In addition to these advantages he was supposed to be in secret correspondence with personal friends in the town, of tory propensities, who covertly favored the enemy and served him as HOUSE IN WHICH THE WOUNDED AMERICANS WERE LEFT. spies and informers. This was at a critical point of the American conflict. The early days of August, 1781, were full of preparatory events converging to attack New London and Groton. General Washington and his Gallic allies were advancing upon YorktoWn ; the British and French fleets under Admiral Graves ro and the Count De Grasse were maneuvering each to obtain command of Chesapeake Bay. In New York, Sir Henry Clinton was sending reinforcements to the South, equipping privateers, and particularly earnest in furnishing Arnold with everything necessary ' for the vengeful attack upon New London, which was expected to be a short, spirited, and decisive expedition, and one of the most brilliant episodes of the war. The preparations were made with great secrecy. The fleet set sail and swept along the coast of Long Island, almost unnoticed upon the opposite shore. The inhabitants of the doomed town had not heard that the thunderbolt was forging, until the cloud broke over them, except that at night- fall, September 5th, it was rumored that a fleet of British transports had been advancing through the Sound, and that they were even then lurking under the shadow of Long Island, opposite the harbor of New London. But the people had long been accustomed to threatening reports and false alarms, and gave little heed to the intelligence. The inhabitants, one and all, officers in charge and householders with their families, passed the night in their usual way. With the first dawning of light the fleet was discovered approaching the Connecticut shore, but even then it was generally supposed to be a prowling expedition sent out to scour the coast for stock and other provisions, such as had often during the war disturbed the surface of the Sound and devastated its borders. It was near sunrise before the alarm guns gave out their startling notes, and couriers flying through the town aroused the inhabitants to a sense of immediate danger. Hundreds rushed to the hill tops and found the tidings to their fullest extent verified.

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