Battle of Groton Heights
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Groton Heights (also known as the Battle of Fort Griswold, and occasionally called the Fort Griswold massacre) was a battle of the American Revolutionary War
fought on September 6, 1781 between a small Connecticut
militia force led by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard
and the more numerous British
forces led by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
and Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Eyre.
In an unsuccessful attempt to divert General George Washington
from marching against Lord Cornwallis's
army in Virginia
, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
ordered General Arnold to raid the Connecticut port of New London
. Although the raid was a success, the Connecticut militia stubbornly resisted British attempts to capture Fort Griswold
, across the Thames River
in Groton
. Several leaders of the attacking British force were killed or seriously wounded, and much of the defending garrison was either killed, mortally wounded, or captured when the fort was stormed. British casualties were also high, leading to criticism of General Arnold by some of his superiors.
The battle was the last major military encounter of the war in the northern United States, preceding the decisive American victory at Yorktown, Virginia
by about six weeks.
was originally a part of New London
, its larger counterpart on the other side of the Thames River
on the northern shore of Long Island Sound
. Groton was an important maritime port, and became one of the largest along the New England
coastline. Groton was officially separated from New London and incorporated as a separate town in 1705. In the American Revolutionary War
the port was a major center of rebel naval operations, including highly successful privateer
ing operations against British shipping. The port, however, was comparatively poorly protected: Fort Trumbull
, on the New London side, was little more than a redoubt
open on the inland side, while Fort Griswold
in Groton was a more substantial, roughly square, bastioned stone fort surrounded by a ditch and some outer earthen defenses. They were typically garrisoned by small companies of militia, including a few artillerymen, and overall command of the area's defenses was directed by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard
. The forts suffered from continuous shortages of provisions and equipment. In the case of Fort Trumbull, the fort itself was unfinished. Although Fort Griswold's infrastructure was complete, it lacked sufficient gunpowder, cannonballs, food, and troops to conduct an effective stand against the British.
In August 1781, Continental Army
Major General George Washington
realized there was an opportunity to strike at the British
army of Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis
in Virginia
. Using a variety of strategems to deceive the British Commander-in-Chief
and head of the British forces in New York City
, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
, Washington began moving his forces south from the New York area. General Clinton realized on September 2 that he had been deceived. Unable to mobilize quickly enough to assist Cornwallis and unwilling to detach a large percentage of his forces due to the Continental forces Washington had left around New York, Clinton decided to launch a raid into Connecticut in an effort to draw Washington's attention. Although Clinton only planned it as a raid, he also believed that if a permanent British occupation of New London could be established, it could be used as a base for further operations into the interior of New England. He gave command of the forces for the raid to Norwich, Connecticut
native Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
, who had changed sides the previous September.
The forces assembled by the British were divided into two battalions, numbering about 1,700 men. The first, under Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Eyre, was composed of the 40th
and 54th
Regiments of Foot and a Loyalist
provincial regiment, Cortlandt Skinner
's New Jersey Volunteers
. The second battalion, under Arnold's command, consisted of the 38th Foot and a variety of Loyalist units, including the Loyal American Regiment
and Arnold's provincial regiment, known as the American Legion
. The expedition also included about 100 Hessian jäger
s, a small number of artillerymen, three six-pound guns, and a howitzer, all of which were divided between the battalions. These troops were embarked on transports, and sailed on September 4 in the company of a fleet of smaller armed ships led by Commodore John Bazely in the fifth-rate
.
The fleet anchored about 30 miles (48.3 km) west of New London to make final preparations, and then sailed for New London late on September 5, intending to make a nighttime landing. However, contrary winds prevented the transports from reaching the port until it was already daylight on September 6. In the early hours of that morning Rufus Avery, a colonial officer stationed at Fort Griswold, witnessed the fleet's arrival:
"...about three o'clock in the morning, as soon as I had daylight so as to see the fleet, it appeared a short distance below the lighthouse. The fleet consisted of thirty-two vessels ... I immediately sent word to Captain William Latham, who commanded [Fort Griswold], and who was not far distant. 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."
Upon receiving the alert, Ledyard sent a messenger to notify Governor Jonathan Trumbull
and local militia leaders of the British arrival, and went to Fort Griswold to arrange its defenses. Fort Griswold's guns were fired twice, a signal of enemy approach. However, one of the British ships fired a third round, changing the meaning of the signal to indicate the arrival of a victorious friend. This signal confusion led to delays in the mustering of militia companies.
At sunrise on September 6, the British landed on both sides of the mouth of the Thames River. The people of the town could do nothing but evacuate, and several ships in the harbor escaped upstream. The 800-man detachment that Arnold led in New London met with no resistance. The defenders of Fort Trumbull, 23 men led by Captain Shapley, following orders left by Colonel Ledyard, fired a single volley, spiked the guns, and boarded boats to cross the river to Fort Griswold. Seven of Shapley's men were wounded, and one of the boats was captured; the detachment Arnold sent to take Fort Trumbull lost, according to Arnold's account, four or five killed or wounded. Arnold's troops continued into the town, where they set about destroying stockpiles of goods and naval stores. Under the orders given, much of the town was supposed to be spared; but unknown to Arnold, at least one of the storehouses burned contained a large quantity of gunpowder. When it ignited, the resulting explosion set fire to the surrounding buildings. The fire was soon uncontrollable and 143 buildings were consumed by flames. Several ships in the harbor were able to escape upriver when the wind changed.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Eyre's force of 800 men that landed on the east side of the Thames River was slowed by tangled woodlands and swamplands. The New Jersey Loyalists landed after the initial wave of regulars, also delayed by the difficulty in moving the artillery through rough conditions, and did not participate in the assault.
George Middleton, a boy of 12 (who in some accounts is incorrectly confused with George Middleton, the commanding officer of an African American militia unit called the Bucks of America
) witnessed the quick rallying of Ledyard's militia and the landing of the British regiments, which he reported as occurring 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. This division ... got to the terminus of the woods ... a little south of east on a direct line from the fort. Here the division halted, and Major Montgomery sent Captain Beckwith with a flag to the fort to demand its surrender. Colonel Ledyard ... sent a flag and met Beckwith ... The bearer of the American flag answered, 'Colonel Ledyard will maintain the fort to the last extremity.'" Eyre sent a second parley
flag, threatening to give no quarter
if the militia did not surrender. Ledyard's response was as before, even though some of his subordinates argued that they should leave the fort and fight outside it.
General Arnold ordered Eyre to assault the fort, believing the fort would fall easily. However, upon reaching a prominence from which he could see its defenses, Arnold realized that the fort was more complete than anticipated and that taking it would not be easy. Since 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 attempted to recall Eyre, but the battle was joined a few minutes before the messenger arrived.
On the return of the second parley flag, Eyre launched a full scale assault upon the fort and its roughly 150 defenders.Caulkins, pp. 558–559 Stephen Hempstead, a sergeant in Ledyard's militia recounted, "When the answer to their demand had been returned ... the enemy were soon in motion, and marched with great rapidity, in a solid column ... they rushed furiously and simultaneously to the assault of the southwest bastion and the opposite sides." As the British neared the ditch, they were met by a bombardment of grapeshot
that killed and wounded many. This briefly scattered the British, who reformed into two units. Eyre led one force against the southwest bastion, where American fire repulsed the assault, seriously wounding Eyre and several of his officers. (New London historian Francis Caulkins' assertion that Eyre was mortally wounded is apparently incorrect; Arnold reported that Eyre survived.) Major William Montgomery led the second party to an abandoned redoubt
just east of the fort. From there they moved across the ditch and assaulted the ramparts. Against fierce resistance this unit gained the bastion, but Montgomery was instantly killed by a bayonet thrust. Montgomery's men were finally able to open a gate from inside, and the British force poured into the fort. Seeing that the fort was penetrated, Colonel Ledyard ordered a cease fire and prepared to surrender the place.
What happened next was a subject of some controversy. The most detailed extant accounts of the event are from American sources, but are fairly consistent in what they describe. According to these accounts, the British continued to fire on the Americans despite Ledyard's signs of surrender, and much of the garrison was consequently either killed or seriously wounded. Rufus Avery wrote in his account, "I believe there was not less than five or six hundred men of the enemy on the parade in the fort. They killed and wounded nearly every man in the fort as quick as they could..." Jonathan Rathbun described the cold-blooded killing of Colonel Ledyard with his own sword by an officer:
"... the wretch who murdered him [Ledyard], exclaimed, as he came near, 'Who commands this fort?' 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! Oh, the hellish spite and madness of a man that will murder a reasonable and noble-hearted officer, in the act of submitting and surrendering!"
Some accounts claim that Captain George Beckwith
killed Colonel Ledyard, while others claim it was Captain Stephen Bromfield, who assumed command after Major Montgomery was killed. Stephen Hempstead recalled the bloody scene in the aftermath: "Never was a scene of more brutal wanton carnage witnessed than now took place. The enemy were still firing upon us ... [until] they discovered they were in danger of being blown up..." Rufus Avery believed the attack was called off due to the chance that further musket fire might set off the fort's powder magazine.
American accounts and historical descriptions ascribe several possible reasons for the British behavior. During the battle, the fort's flag was supposedly shot down at one point. Although it was quickly reraised, some of the British attackers 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. Combined with anger over the death and wounding of their commanding officers, this led them to disregard Ledyard's legitimate surrender. Some accounts also claim that Americans in one part of the fort were unaware that Ledyard had surrendered, and continued to fight, leading the British to also continue fighting, even against those who had surrendered.
Early British historians generally did not report much beyond Arnold's report of the expedition, which did not include mention of killings occurring after the surrender. William Gordon, however, reported in his 1788 history of the war that "[t]he Americans had not more than a half dozen killed" before the fort was stormed, and that "a severe execution took place after resistance ceased." An Italian historian wrote in 1809 that "[t]he assailants massacred as well those who surrendered as those who resisted."
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. The damage done to New London was substantial: one estimate placed the value destroyed at nearly $500,000, left nearly 100 families homeless, destroyed nine public buildings and much of the town's waterfront. The state determined in 1792 that more than £61,000, or $200,000 Continental dollars. Some people suffering losses were awarded land in the Western Reserve
.
The slaughter at Fort Griswold left dozens of Americans dead. The Groton Gazette reported that casualties numbered about 150. Some survivors, such as George Middleton, escaped, but others, including Stephen Hempstead, were taken prisoner. He stated, "After the massacre, they plundered us of everything we had, and left us literally naked..." Hempstead, who was among the wounded, reported how he was placed on a wagon with others to be taken down to the fleet. 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. General Arnold reported that 85 men "were found dead in Fort Griswold, and sixty wounded, most of them mortally."
Benedict Arnold later issued a report stating that 48 British soldiers were killed along with 145 wounded. General Clinton praised Arnold for his "spirited conduct", but also complained about the high casualty rate; about 25 percent of the troops sent against Fort Griswold were killed or wounded. One British observer wrote that it had been like "a Bunker Hill expedition
", and many British soldiers blamed Arnold for the events at Fort Griswold, even though he had not been in a position to prevent the reported slaughter. Arnold next proposed a raiding expedition against Philadelphia, but the surrender of General Charles Cornwallis
at Yorktown
in late October ended that idea.
, erected in the 1820s to commemorate the battle. Both forts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
fought on September 6, 1781 between a small Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
militia force led by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard
William Ledyard
William Ledyard was a lieutenant colonel in the Connecticut militia who was killed in the American Revolutionary War....
and the more numerous British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
forces led by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
and Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Eyre.
In an unsuccessful attempt to divert General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
from marching against Lord Cornwallis's
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
army in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)
General Sir Henry Clinton KB was a British army officer and politician, best known for his service as a general during the American War of Independence. First arriving in Boston in May 1775, from 1778 to 1782 he was the British Commander-in-Chief in North America...
ordered General Arnold to raid the Connecticut port of New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
. Although the raid was a success, the Connecticut militia stubbornly resisted British attempts to capture Fort Griswold
Fort Griswold
Fort Griswold is a former American military base in Groton, Connecticut. Named after then Deputy Governor Matthew Griswold, the fort played a key role in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War...
, across the Thames River
Thames River (Connecticut)
The Thames River is a short river and tidal estuary in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It flows south for through eastern Connecticut from the junction of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers at Norwich, to New London and Groton, which flank its mouth at the Long Island Sound.Differing from its...
in Groton
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
. Several leaders of the attacking British force were killed or seriously wounded, and much of the defending garrison was either killed, mortally wounded, or captured when the fort was stormed. British casualties were also high, leading to criticism of General Arnold by some of his superiors.
The battle was the last major military encounter of the war in the northern United States, preceding the decisive American victory at Yorktown, Virginia
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
by about six weeks.
Background
With its history dating back to 1655, Groton, ConnecticutGroton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
was originally a part of New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, its larger counterpart on the other side of the Thames River
Thames River (Connecticut)
The Thames River is a short river and tidal estuary in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It flows south for through eastern Connecticut from the junction of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers at Norwich, to New London and Groton, which flank its mouth at the Long Island Sound.Differing from its...
on the northern shore of Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. Groton was an important maritime port, and became one of the largest along the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
coastline. Groton was officially separated from New London and incorporated as a separate town in 1705. In the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
the port was a major center of rebel naval operations, including highly successful privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing operations against British shipping. The port, however, was comparatively poorly protected: Fort Trumbull
Fort Trumbull
Fort Trumbull refers to a fort in New London, Connecticut and to a nearby neighborhood.-Neighborhood:The neighborhood of Fort Trumbull was demolished as part of plan for the economic development of New London. The plan was appealed in a case that reached the US Supreme Court, Kelo v...
, on the New London side, was little more than a redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
open on the inland side, while Fort Griswold
Fort Griswold
Fort Griswold is a former American military base in Groton, Connecticut. Named after then Deputy Governor Matthew Griswold, the fort played a key role in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War...
in Groton was a more substantial, roughly square, bastioned stone fort surrounded by a ditch and some outer earthen defenses. They were typically garrisoned by small companies of militia, including a few artillerymen, and overall command of the area's defenses was directed by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard
William Ledyard
William Ledyard was a lieutenant colonel in the Connecticut militia who was killed in the American Revolutionary War....
. The forts suffered from continuous shortages of provisions and equipment. In the case of Fort Trumbull, the fort itself was unfinished. Although Fort Griswold's infrastructure was complete, it lacked sufficient gunpowder, cannonballs, food, and troops to conduct an effective stand against the British.
In August 1781, Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
Major General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
realized there was an opportunity to strike at the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
army of Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Using a variety of strategems to deceive the British Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief, North America
The office of Commander-in-Chief, North America was a military position of the British Army. Established in 1755 in the early years of the Seven Years' War, holders of the post were generally responsible for land-based military personnel and activities in and around those parts of North America...
and head of the British forces in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)
General Sir Henry Clinton KB was a British army officer and politician, best known for his service as a general during the American War of Independence. First arriving in Boston in May 1775, from 1778 to 1782 he was the British Commander-in-Chief in North America...
, Washington began moving his forces south from the New York area. General Clinton realized on September 2 that he had been deceived. Unable to mobilize quickly enough to assist Cornwallis and unwilling to detach a large percentage of his forces due to the Continental forces Washington had left around New York, Clinton decided to launch a raid into Connecticut in an effort to draw Washington's attention. Although Clinton only planned it as a raid, he also believed that if a permanent British occupation of New London could be established, it could be used as a base for further operations into the interior of New England. He gave command of the forces for the raid to Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
native Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, who had changed sides the previous September.
Prelude
40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot
The 40th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1717 and amalgamated into The Prince of Wales's Volunteers in 1881.-Formation:...
and 54th
54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot
The 54th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army.Originally formed in 1755 as the 56th Regiment of Foot it was renumbered as the54th when the 50th Regiment and 51st Regiment were disbanded....
Regiments of Foot and a Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
provincial regiment, Cortlandt Skinner
Cortlandt Skinner
Cortlandt Skinner was the last Royal Attorney General of New Jersey and a Brigadier General in the loyalist forces during the American War of Independence.- Origins :...
's New Jersey Volunteers
New Jersey Volunteers (Skinner's Greens)
The New Jersey Volunteers was a British provincial regiment raised for service during the American Revolutionary War.-Regimental history:...
. The second battalion, under Arnold's command, consisted of the 38th Foot and a variety of Loyalist units, including the Loyal American Regiment
Loyal American Regiment
The Loyal American Regiment was a Royal Provincial regiment composed of American loyalists who served in the American Revolution from 1777 to 1783...
and Arnold's provincial regiment, known as the American Legion
American Legion (Loyalist)
The American Legion was a British provincial regiment raised for service during the American Revolutionary War.It was raised on Long Island in October, 1780. In June 1781, it was sent on raids to Portsmouth, Virginia and on September 1781 to New London, Connecticut.It was commanded by Brigadier...
. The expedition also included about 100 Hessian jäger
Jäger (military)
Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
s, a small number of artillerymen, three six-pound guns, and a howitzer, all of which were divided between the battalions. These troops were embarked on transports, and sailed on September 4 in the company of a fleet of smaller armed ships led by Commodore John Bazely in the fifth-rate
Fifth-rate
In Britain's Royal Navy during the classic age of fighting sail, a fifth rate was the penultimate class of warships in a hierarchal system of six "ratings" based on size and firepower.-Rating:...
.
The fleet anchored about 30 miles (48.3 km) west of New London to make final preparations, and then sailed for New London late on September 5, intending to make a nighttime landing. However, contrary winds prevented the transports from reaching the port until it was already daylight on September 6. In the early hours of that morning Rufus Avery, a colonial officer stationed at Fort Griswold, witnessed the fleet's arrival:
"...about three o'clock in the morning, as soon as I had daylight so as to see the fleet, it appeared a short distance below the lighthouse. The fleet consisted of thirty-two vessels ... I immediately sent word to Captain William Latham, who commanded [Fort Griswold], and who was not far distant. 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."
Upon receiving the alert, Ledyard sent a messenger to notify Governor Jonathan Trumbull
Jonathan Trumbull
Jonathan Trumbull, Sr. was one of the few Americans who served as governor in both a pre-Revolutionary colony and a post-Revolutionary state...
and local militia leaders of the British arrival, and went to Fort Griswold to arrange its defenses. Fort Griswold's guns were fired twice, a signal of enemy approach. However, one of the British ships fired a third round, changing the meaning of the signal to indicate the arrival of a victorious friend. This signal confusion led to delays in the mustering of militia companies.
At sunrise on September 6, the British landed on both sides of the mouth of the Thames River. The people of the town could do nothing but evacuate, and several ships in the harbor escaped upstream. The 800-man detachment that Arnold led in New London met with no resistance. The defenders of Fort Trumbull, 23 men led by Captain Shapley, following orders left by Colonel Ledyard, fired a single volley, spiked the guns, and boarded boats to cross the river to Fort Griswold. Seven of Shapley's men were wounded, and one of the boats was captured; the detachment Arnold sent to take Fort Trumbull lost, according to Arnold's account, four or five killed or wounded. Arnold's troops continued into the town, where they set about destroying stockpiles of goods and naval stores. Under the orders given, much of the town was supposed to be spared; but unknown to Arnold, at least one of the storehouses burned contained a large quantity of gunpowder. When it ignited, the resulting explosion set fire to the surrounding buildings. The fire was soon uncontrollable and 143 buildings were consumed by flames. Several ships in the harbor were able to escape upriver when the wind changed.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Eyre's force of 800 men that landed on the east side of the Thames River was slowed by tangled woodlands and swamplands. The New Jersey Loyalists landed after the initial wave of regulars, also delayed by the difficulty in moving the artillery through rough conditions, and did not participate in the assault.
George Middleton, a boy of 12 (who in some accounts is incorrectly confused with George Middleton, the commanding officer of an African American militia unit called the Bucks of America
Bucks of America
The Bucks of America was a patriot Massachusetts military company during the American Revolutionary War that was composed of African American soldiers. Little evidence survives about the unit....
) witnessed the quick rallying of Ledyard's militia and the landing of the British regiments, which he reported as occurring 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. This division ... got to the terminus of the woods ... a little south of east on a direct line from the fort. Here the division halted, and Major Montgomery sent Captain Beckwith with a flag to the fort to demand its surrender. Colonel Ledyard ... sent a flag and met Beckwith ... The bearer of the American flag answered, 'Colonel Ledyard will maintain the fort to the last extremity.'" Eyre sent a second parley
Parley
Parley is a discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or other matters. The root of the word parley is parler, which is the French verb "to speak"; specifically the conjugation parlez "you speak", whether as imperative or indicative.Beginning in the High Middle...
flag, threatening to give no quarter
No quarter
A victor gives no quarter when the victor shows no clemency or mercy and refuses to spare the life in return for the surrender at discretion of a vanquished opponent....
if the militia did not surrender. Ledyard's response was as before, even though some of his subordinates argued that they should leave the fort and fight outside it.
General Arnold ordered Eyre to assault the fort, believing the fort would fall easily. However, upon reaching a prominence from which he could see its defenses, Arnold realized that the fort was more complete than anticipated and that taking it would not be easy. Since 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 attempted to recall Eyre, but the battle was joined a few minutes before the messenger arrived.
Battle
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
that killed and wounded many. This briefly scattered the British, who reformed into two units. Eyre led one force against the southwest bastion, where American fire repulsed the assault, seriously wounding Eyre and several of his officers. (New London historian Francis Caulkins' assertion that Eyre was mortally wounded is apparently incorrect; Arnold reported that Eyre survived.) Major William Montgomery led the second party to an abandoned redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
just east of the fort. From there they moved across the ditch and assaulted the ramparts. Against fierce resistance this unit gained the bastion, but Montgomery was instantly killed by a bayonet thrust. Montgomery's men were finally able to open a gate from inside, and the British force poured into the fort. Seeing that the fort was penetrated, Colonel Ledyard ordered a cease fire and prepared to surrender the place.
What happened next was a subject of some controversy. The most detailed extant accounts of the event are from American sources, but are fairly consistent in what they describe. According to these accounts, the British continued to fire on the Americans despite Ledyard's signs of surrender, and much of the garrison was consequently either killed or seriously wounded. Rufus Avery wrote in his account, "I believe there was not less than five or six hundred men of the enemy on the parade in the fort. They killed and wounded nearly every man in the fort as quick as they could..." Jonathan Rathbun described the cold-blooded killing of Colonel Ledyard with his own sword by an officer:
"... the wretch who murdered him [Ledyard], exclaimed, as he came near, 'Who commands this fort?' 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! Oh, the hellish spite and madness of a man that will murder a reasonable and noble-hearted officer, in the act of submitting and surrendering!"
Some accounts claim that Captain George Beckwith
George Beckwith (British Army officer)
General Sir George Beckwith KB was a British Army officer.-Military career:Beckwith was commissioned into the 37th Regiment of Foot in 1771. He distinguished himself as a regimental officer in the American Revolutionary War, where he was assistant to Major Oliver Delancey responsible for British...
killed Colonel Ledyard, while others claim it was Captain Stephen Bromfield, who assumed command after Major Montgomery was killed. Stephen Hempstead recalled the bloody scene in the aftermath: "Never was a scene of more brutal wanton carnage witnessed than now took place. The enemy were still firing upon us ... [until] they discovered they were in danger of being blown up..." Rufus Avery believed the attack was called off due to the chance that further musket fire might set off the fort's powder magazine.
American accounts and historical descriptions ascribe several possible reasons for the British behavior. During the battle, the fort's flag was supposedly shot down at one point. Although it was quickly reraised, some of the British attackers interpreted the event as striking the colors
Striking the colors
Striking the colors is the universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. Surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck.-In international law:# "Colors. A national flag . The colors . ....
, making a sign of surrender; the British suffered significant casualties when they then approached the fort on that occasion. Combined with anger over the death and wounding of their commanding officers, this led them to disregard Ledyard's legitimate surrender. Some accounts also claim that Americans in one part of the fort were unaware that Ledyard had surrendered, and continued to fight, leading the British to also continue fighting, even against those who had surrendered.
Early British historians generally did not report much beyond Arnold's report of the expedition, which did not include mention of killings occurring after the surrender. William Gordon, however, reported in his 1788 history of the war that "[t]he Americans had not more than a half dozen killed" before the fort was stormed, and that "a severe execution took place after resistance ceased." An Italian historian wrote in 1809 that "[t]he assailants massacred as well those who surrendered as those who resisted."
Aftermath
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
before the end of the war. The damage done to New London was substantial: one estimate placed the value destroyed at nearly $500,000, left nearly 100 families homeless, destroyed nine public buildings and much of the town's waterfront. The state determined in 1792 that more than £61,000, or $200,000 Continental dollars. Some people suffering losses were awarded land in the Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
.
The slaughter at Fort Griswold left dozens of Americans dead. The Groton Gazette reported that casualties numbered about 150. Some survivors, such as George Middleton, escaped, but others, including Stephen Hempstead, were taken prisoner. He stated, "After the massacre, they plundered us of everything we had, and left us literally naked..." Hempstead, who was among the wounded, reported how he was placed on a wagon with others to be taken down to the fleet. 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. General Arnold reported that 85 men "were found dead in Fort Griswold, and sixty wounded, most of them mortally."
Benedict Arnold later issued a report stating that 48 British soldiers were killed along with 145 wounded. General Clinton praised Arnold for his "spirited conduct", but also complained about the high casualty rate; about 25 percent of the troops sent against Fort Griswold were killed or wounded. One British observer wrote that it had been like "a Bunker Hill expedition
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
", and many British soldiers blamed Arnold for the events at Fort Griswold, even though he had not been in a position to prevent the reported slaughter. Arnold next proposed a raiding expedition against Philadelphia, but the surrender of General Charles Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
at Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
in late October ended that idea.
Legacy
Although the British had left a burning powder trail to destroy Fort Griswold's magazine, a daring militiaman entered the fort and extinguished the fire. Both Forts Trumbull and Griswold were extensively modified in the 19th century, and are now preserved in state parks. The Fort Griswold park also includes the Groton MonumentGroton Monument
The Groton Monument, sometimes called the Fort Griswold Monument is a granite monument in Groton, Connecticut.It is dedicated to the defenders who fell during the Battle of Groton Heights on September 6, 1781. Built between 1826 and 1830, the Monument stands 135 feet tall with 166 steps...
, erected in the 1820s to commemorate the battle. Both forts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.