Daniel Stanton (k), 1st Company 'Groton Alarm List': Capt. Avery Point in Groton is home to a regional . Thankfully for the Shaw family, the house was built of those granite stones that the French refugees had helped carve out just 25 years earlier. Hempstead was among the wounded and reported how he was placed on a wagon with others to be taken down to the fleet. However, the high number of British casualties in the overall expedition against Groton and New London led to criticism of Arnold by some of his superiors. On the morning of September 6, 1781, a British fleet under the command of former American general Benedict Arnold appeared at the mouth of the Thames River. Possibly awaiting orders from a commander or too afraid to respond as they were outnumbered. On September 6, 1781, the British landed 800 men on the Groton side of the Thames River, about 1 miles south of Fort Griswold, as well as an additional 800 soldiers on the New London side. The fleet anchored about 30 miles (48km) west of New London to make final preparations, and then sailed for New London late on September 5, intending to make a nighttime landing. What is clear is that confusion reigned, and it is possible that Ledyards order to surrender was not received by all the militia, leading the British to continue firing at the Americans. As the british navy sailed up the Long Island Sound Colonel Ledyard, the commander of American Forces in the region was busy making his rounds insuring the forts on both sides were in usuable shape. [29], Early British historians generally did not report much beyond Arnold's report of the expedition, which was unexceptional. Capt.Shapley and Lt.Chapman fell at this point. Plaque to the American dead at Fort Griswold. Privateers carried letters of marque, signed and stamped documents that gave them permission to attack enemy ships and bring the prize ship back to port to be sold. After an old man met with some of the soldiers begging to spare his home as he was old and ill. to support the British the previous September. There was not any re-enforcement coming nor was there any opportunity to wait. He survived 40 more year after pretending to be dead. Having reached the southerly part of the town, the general requested me to take possession of the hill north of the meeting-house, where the rebels had collected, and which they seemed resolved to hold. Col.Gallup stayed off in the woods with his men and awaited to see the result of the hopeless defense. The battle was the last major military encounter of the war in the northern United States, preceding and being overshadowed by the decisive Franco-American siege of Yorktown about six weeks later. You can unsubscribe at any time. Twelve-year old George Middleton witnessed the quick rallying of Ledyard's militia and the landing of the British regiments, which he reported occurred between 10:30 and 11:00 am: "The other division of troops landed on the east side of the river under the command of Col. Eyre and Major Montgomery. The same could not be said for most of the other buildings on the New London waterfront, which became an inferno. Connecticut Historical Society Library Catalog. The wagon was allowed to run down the hill, where it stopped when it struck a tree, throwing some of the men off the wagon and aggravating their injuries. Some of the British attackers claimed to have interpreted the event as striking the colors, making a sign of surrender; the British suffered significant casualties when they then approached the fort on that occasion. Only, these were reenactors at a commemoration of the 240th anniversary of the Battle of Groton Heights, when British soldiers, under the command of notorious turncoat Benedict Arnold, defeated a. It was an important maritime port and became one of the largest along the New England coastline. According to an 1895 book by Frances Manwaring Caulkins, Arnolds troops burned 65 homes, 31 stores and warehouses, 18 mechanic shops, the wharves, the custom house, the jailhouse, and the courthouse. "[26] As the British neared the ditch, they were met by a bombardment of grapeshot that killed and wounded many. All were cut down by bayonet, some having received up to 30 stab wounds. A privateer was a private citizen who owned a ship and offered to arm that ship to fight against the British merchants. Anrold directed his men to set the torch to the court house and jail, it is not known whether any of the prisoners remained in the jail but it too located near the modern day parade was burned to the ground. The odd farmer would fire a pot shot but the majority had already responded to Col.Ledyard's call to arms and met at the Fort high above Groton Bank. While conducting this business they again came under fire from a group of militia/citizens that arranged on a hill above Vauxhall Street. The British commander, Colonel Eyre, sent forward a flag demanding surrender, but Colonel Ledyard refused. The wagon was allowed to run down the hill, where it stopped when it struck a tree, throwing some of the men off the wagon and aggravating their injuries. On it went, with accelerated velocity, surmounting every impediment, till near the foot of the hill, when it came against the trunk of a large apple-tree, with a force that caused it to recoil and sway round. Ensign Woodsmansee lay wounded and partially hidden was slashed by cutlass on his hands and arms. However, the high level of British casualties in the overall expedition against Groton and New London led to criticism of Arnold by some of his superiors. Simeon Allyn (k), 3rd 'Groton' Company (detachment): Sgt. [46] Arnold next proposed a raiding expedition against Philadelphia, but the surrender of General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown in late October ended that idea. On the morning of September 6, 1781, notably a warm morning New London awoke as it did on most mornings. All told, the Battle of Groton Heights lasted approximately 40 minutes and left 88 Americans dead and 35 wounded, with the rest taken as prisoners. Lieutenant-Colonel William Ledyard, Commanding, 1On the monument slab as Ellis2Wounded; carried away prisoner; returned sick, and died December 11th. This page is not available in other languages. Homes and fishing smacks in the south of the town were leveled by the torch. The most detailed accounts of the event are from American sources and are fairly consistent in what they describe. The house had been previously set on fire, but they extinguished the flames, and left the wounded men there on parole, taking as hostage for them, Ebenezer Ledyard, brother of the commander of the fort.". With the first rounds fired the entire field surrounding the fort was covered with scarlet uniforms of the regulars and they moved on to the southwest bastion under a deadly fire that ensued. The wounded Amercians loaded onto a cart was hastily deployed toward the waterfront. The old man retired to his garden possibly awaiting for the torch anyway another detachment walked by, spotted the man and fired at him thinking he was militia. Lieutenant-Colonel William Ledyard (December 6, 1738 - September 6, 1781) was an American military officer who served in the Connecticut Militia in the Revolutionary War.During the conflict, he commanded Fort Griswold in Groton, Connecticut, which was successfully attacked by British forces led by Benedict Arnold.In the battle, the fort was overrun by the British, and Ledyard surrendered his . The people of the town could do nothing but evacuate, and several ships in the harbor escaped upstream. Ever so enraged some made a move to open the main gates to allow the others in. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Eyre's force of 800 men landed on the east side of the Thames River, but they were slowed by tangled woodlands and swamplands. The Battle of Groton Heights : The Massacre of Fort Griswold, and the Burning of New London by Copp, John J., Leonard Woolsey Bacon, and Groton Heights Centennial Committee. FULL SCREEN Nearby Military History . The Battle of Groton Heights (also known as the Battle of Fort Griswold, and occasionally called the Fort Griswold massacre) was fought between a small Connecticut militia force and the more numerous British forces. Ledyards response was, I did sir, but you do now as he handed his sword to Bromfield. Fort Trumbull was a simple blockhouse with cannon facing the river and the sound. NRHP listing numbers: 72001333 (Fort Trumbull), 70000694 (Fort Griswold). Arnold had arrived with ships full of approximately 1,700 British, Hessian, and loyalist troops, which he split between the two sides of the Thames River. Fort Griswold, Site of the Revolutionary Battle of Groton Heights, 1781 - Connecticut State Department of Environmental Protection East of the Thames River, on Groton Heights, Fort Griswold stands commanding the New London Harbor and the surrounding countryside. The massacre at Fort Griswold marked one of the largest tragedies in the history of Groton and Connecticut, and was one of the last British victories in North America before the end of the war. From the brow of the ridge on which the fort stood, to the brink of the river, was a rapid descent of one hundred rods, uninterrupted except by the roughens of the surface, and by scattered rocks, brushes, and stumps of trees. "[22] Eyre sent a second parley flag, threatening to give no quarter if the militia did not surrender. The command passed to Loyalist officer Major Bromfield, who effected an entrance into the fort after nearly 200 of his men had been disabled, including 48 killed, the Americans having lost only about 12 men. The combined forces were commanded by General Benedict Arnold, who was from Norwich, Connecticut. This website stores cookies on your computer. They were greeted with musket fire, however others followed and eventually opened the main gates. The defenders of Ft.Trumbull that survived the escape were also in place and they included Capt.Shapley and Sergent Hempstead of New London among others. Ledyard handsomely replied, "I did, but you do now," at the same moment handing him his sword, which the unfeeling villain buried in his breast! Arnold was a native of Norwich, Connecticut just up the river from New London. These ships were not able to match the well-trained, battle-hardened British Navy, so the Americans turned to privateers to help in the fight. Its walls were of stone, and were ten or twelve feet high on the lower side, and surrounded by a ditch. American wounded were placed on a heavy ammunition cart, which broke away as it was being moved down the hill and crashed into a tree, causing terrible suffering to the men inside. Led by Lt.Col.Edmund Eyre a veteran of many, 17 Year old Thomas Avery, son of Lt.Parke Avery who was killed in the battle followed his father in death. They agreed and moved on. [citation needed], Arnold later issued a report stating that 48 British soldiers were killed and 145 wounded. Colonel Ledyard responded we will not give up the fort, let the consequences be what they may.. He seems to have disappeared as completely as his namesakes after a gale. He very soon came to the fort, and saw the enemy's fleet, and immediately sent a notice to Col. William Ledyard, who was commander of the harbor, Fort Griswold, and Fort Trumbull. One of the reasons for taking the fort was to prevent the escape of boats upriver, and many had already passed beyond the fort; Arnold, therefore, attempted to recall Eyre, but the battle was joined a few minutes before the messenger arrived. here we remained exposed to a constant fire from the rebels on the neighboring hills, and from the fort on the Groton side, until the last was carried by the British troops.". The British made their way into the fosse and scaled the works in the face of severe fire from the garrison. The odds were against the defense of the fort and many of the local militia opted to retire to the woods and wait and see as they did not want to be slaughtered without hope. [34], British descriptions of the battle ascribe several possible reasons for their behavior. with that Col.Ledyard stepped forward, raising and lowering his sword as he said "I did sir but you do now" as was customary to honor the victor. Its more difficult to burn a stone house than wood, and while the British did set fire to it, the flames did not cause much damage and the house survived. not on the Monument.3On the monument as Henry Halsey.4On the monument Kenny.5This man was wounded, and died December 28th. A farmer, whose residence was a couple of miles from he town-plot, on hearing the alarm-guns in the morning, started from his bed and made instant preparations to hasten to the scene of action. He knew the area, and he knew the people who lived there. It is reported that while fighting by his father's side Lt.Avery said ""Tom, my son, do your duty." Note puncture hole in the side, suggesting a bayonet wound Connecticut Historical Society, Linen Shirt, about 1781. Mark your calendars today so you don't miss the next The 240th Anniversary of the Battle of Groton Heights in Groton, Connecticut in September. Arnold pointed his sword and yelled "Soldiers do your duty" and they began to set the torch to the ships and wharehouses yet to be fired and this they did with a fever and wreckless abandon. The Timothy Green Print Shop on State Street (Main Street). Their stance was that the Americans were not a legitimate country, just badly behaved colonies, and therefore had no legal standing to provide such letters. Before the surrender, it is claimed only a hand full of Americans had been killed, but when the battle and surrender were over, 85 Americans were dead and five more were dying, and 36 were severely wounded. What happened next is a source of controversy. British troops led by Benedict Ar. [17] Fort Griswold's guns were fired twice, a signal of enemy approach. Therefore, the British soldiers also continued fighting, mistrusting those who attempted to surrender. 1. Col.Upham's detachment provided a lead cover for Arnold's men who slowly moved forward through modern day Hempstead Street. The absence of discoloration on shirt and vest is attributed to a thorough bleaching of the clothing in the 19th century Connecticut Historical Society, Detail of Linen Shirt, 1781. Without any organized leadership, this unbeknownst to the british only sporadic defense or aevengence could be the rule. Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton ordered Arnold to raid the port of New London, Connecticut, in an unsuccessful attempt to divert General George Washington from marching against Lord Cornwallis's army in Virginia. Those nearest to Ledyard leaned to support him while Capt.Peter Richards, seriously injured but still standing, noble, confident and strong holding Ledyard, along with others in the vacinity including Col.Ledyard's nephew Youngs moved forward to avenge their commander. The local privateers who operated out of New London had to go first to the home of Connecticuts Naval Agent, Nathaniel Shaw, Jr. His father was a wealthy sea captain of the same name who oversaw the construction of his home by French refugees from Nova Scotia in 1756. [7] The monument was closed until 1989 for the repair work. As the sound of musketry filled the quiet morning towns in New London began to hastily pack their personal items and flee for the northern parish (north) and local militia units, homeowners and Continental Soldiers off duty began to rise for a defense. The other British dead were placed in unmarked graves, and their wounded were carried down the steep hill to the river. Arnold known for his hunger for fame and credit proudly set forth the plan of the raid. Effectively viewed as a traitor by both sides, he did not receive another command when the war ended despite lengthy efforts. Privateering was not a new concept with the American Revolution and there were many well established laws and regulations that went back centuries. The black men were Jordan Freeman and Lambert Latham, who both acted heroically in the battle and were killed in action. [8] The forts suffered from continuous shortages of provisions and equipment. The defenders continued pouring fire onto the ever closing in british regulars led by Montgomery. A single field piece manned by 4 independent and resolute citizens, likely a 6 pounder used for celebrations offered the last line of resistance to Arnold.
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