Fort Griswold is a former American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 military base

Military base

A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...

 in Groton, Connecticut

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....

. Named after then Deputy Governor Matthew Griswold

Matthew Griswold (governor)

Matthew Griswold was the 2nd Governor of Connecticut from 1784 to 1786. He also served as Lieutenant Governor and Chief Justice of the Superior Court, during the American Revolution .-Early life:...

, the fort played a key role in the early stages of 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...

. In tandem with 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 opposite side of the harbor, Griswold served to defend the port

Port

A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....

 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....

, a supply center for the new 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...

 and a friendly port for 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...

-sanctioned 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...

s who preyed on British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 ships.

History

In September 1781, British troops under 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...

 raided and burned New London in the Battle of Groton Heights

Battle of Groton Heights

The Battle of Groton Heights 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...

 with the objective of ending the harassment at sea. Fort Griswold had a key strategic position above 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...

, but the British knew the fort's inner workings thanks to the turncoat

Turncoat

A turncoat is a person who shifts allegiance from one loyalty or ideal to another, betraying or deserting an original cause by switching to the opposing side or party...

 who gave numerous secrets of American defenses to the British forces he commanded. Arnold, knowing Griswold's layout and precise position, approached the harbor from such an angle that Griswold's gun positions could never draw an effective shot on the British fleet. Arnold's troops eventually made landfall, and the fort's garrison fought back. Artillery barrages and musket

Musket

A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....

 fire brought (relatively) heavy casualties to each side, the fighting continuing even past commands to stop. The British eventually captured the fort and tried to destroy it, though the plan was foiled as a patriot put out the British fire before it could reach Griswold's gunpowder stores. When the British finally made it in, Colonel William Ledyard

William Ledyard

William Ledyard was a lieutenant colonel in the Connecticut militia who was killed in the American Revolutionary War....

 surrendered, gave the commanding officer his sword, and was killed with his own sword. Arnold only commanded a raiding

Raid (military)

Raid, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose and is not normally intended to capture and hold terrain, but instead finish with the raiding force quickly retreating to a previous defended position prior to the enemy forces being...

 party, not a conquering force, so the fort was abandoned as Arnold left New London in flames.

The base would be rebuilt and manned in several other conflicts, but the Battle of Groton Heights was its most prominent use.

Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park

The State of Connecticut now owns and operates the site as Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park. The site includes the restored earthwork battery, cannons, and a later period shot furnace and powder magazine. The grounds include several monuments and memorials to state residents who fought in different wars.

The Groton Monument

Groton 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...

is a granite monument dedicated to the defenders who fell during the Battle of Groton Heights. Built between 1826 and 1830, the Monument stands 135 feet (41.1 m) tall with 166 steps. The adjacent Monument House Museum features exhibits about the Revolutionary War and is operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution

Daughters of the American Revolution

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....

. Visitors can climb the monument and visit the museum from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The Ebenezer Avery House, which sheltered the wounded after the battle, is a Revolutionary-period historic house museum that is open for tours on summer weekends.

External links

• Friends of Fort Griswold - Park details and visiting information
• Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park - official state park site
• Ebenezer Avery House