)2. #LIBMRY OF CONGRESS. I ^ LI^ORCE COLLECTION.] ^ # i UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, f Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/descriptionofmonOOmisc OF THE ^^*'*'^^-"^-^. 6R0T0N HEIGHTS, WITH THE INSCRIPTION AND NAMES. A 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 at Fort Griswold, near this spot, on the 6th of Sep- tember, A. D. 1781, when the British under the command of the traitor Benedict Arnold, burnt the towns of New-London and Groton, and spread des- olation and woe throuo^hout this region. ■&' Zebulon and Napthali were a people that jeop- arded their lives unto death in the high places of the field. — Judges 5th chap. 18 ver. List of Men who fell at I'^ort Griswold, Septe3iber 6th, 1781. WILLIAM LED YARD, Lieut. Col. Commanding. ELIJAH AVERY, NATHAN ADAMS, EBENEZER AVERY, SIMEON ALLYN, SOLOMON AVERY, SAMUEL ALLYN, JASPER AVERY, BELTON ALLYN, ELISHA AVERY, THOMAS AVERY, DANIEL AVERF, DAVID AVERY, CHRISTOPHER AVERY, JOHN P. BABCOCK, JOHN BILLINGS, ANDREW BILLINGS, SAMUEL BILLINGS, EZEKIEL BAILEY^ ADRNEW BAKER, WILLIAM BOLTON, JOHN BROWN, HUBBARD BURROWS, JONATHAN BUTJiER, FREDERIC CHESTER, ELDRIDGE CHESTER, DANIEL CHESTER, RICHARD CHAPMAN, PHILIP COVIL, ELLIS COIT, JAMES COMSTOCK, ' WILLIAM COMSTOCK, JOHN CLARK, DANIEL DAVIS, SAMUEL HILL, HENRY HALSEY, JOHN HOLT, RUFUS HURBUT, Capt. ADAM SHAPLEY, of Fort Trumbull. MOSES JONES/ ELIDAY JONES, BENONI KENSON, BARNEY KENNY, THOMAS LAMB, YOUNGS LEDYARD, DANIEL LESTER, JOHN LESTER, JONAS LESTER, WAIT LESTER, JOSEPH LEWIS, NATHAN MOORE, JOSEPH MOXLEY, SIMEON MORGAN, EDWARD MILLS, THOMAS MINER, LUKE PERKINS, LUKE PERKINS Jr. ELNATHAN PERKINS, ELISHA PERKINS, ASA PERKINS, SIMEON PERKINS, DAVID PALMER. PETER RICHARDS, AMOS STANTON, ENOCH STANTON, DAVID SEABURY, JOHN STEDMAN, NATHAN SHOLES, THOMAS STARR, NICHOLAS STARK, DANIEL STANTON, HENRY WILLIAMS, THOMAS WILLIAMS, JOHN WILLIAMS, HENRY WOODBRIDGE, CHR. WOODBRIDGE, JOHN WHITTLESEY, STEPHEN WHITTLESEY. SYLVES. WALWORTH, PATRICK WARD, JOSEPH WEDGER, BENADAM ALLYN. SAMBO LATHAM, JORDAN FREEMAN, This Monument is 26 feet square at the base, and 12 at the lop, and has 168 steps, being 127 feet high. tK**- ^\ The folloicing Narrative of the battle at Fort Griswold, on Grotov Heights, on the 6th September, 1781, urns conmunicated to the Missouri Republican in 1826, by Mr. Stephen Hempstead, formerly of New-London, who was in the Fort at the time, and afterwards removed to that State. The author of the following narrative of events which took place at the battle at Fort Griswold, on Groton Heights, enter- ed the service of his country in 1775, and arrived in Boston on the day of the battle of Bunker Hill. He was at Dorchester Point — was on Long Island at the time of the retreat of the American army — and was also a volunteer in the first ships that were sent- to destroy the Asia, 84 gun ship, and a frigate lying above Fort Washington. In this attempt they were unsuccess- ful, although grappled to the enemy's vessel twenty minutes. For the bravery displayed by them, they received the particular thanks of the commanding officer, in person, and in general orders, and forty dollars were ordered to be paid to each per- son engaged. He was afterwards wounded by a grape~shot while defending the lines at Haerlem Heights, which broke two of his ribs. He continued in the service, and was ugain wounded on the 6th of September, 1781. Mr. Hempstead removed to this State in 1811, and is now 72 years of age. He was present at the reception of Gen. La Fayette in this city. Mr. H. is one of the few surviving patriots of the Rev- olution, who have been permitted to view the unexampled ra- pidity with which our country has increased in wealth, power, and population ; the blessings which their exertions contrib- uted to bestow upon us, and the happiness by which all classes are surrounded. Mr. Charles : — I have thought, since last fall, that I would send you an account of the battle of Fort Griswold, on Groton Heights, on the 6th of September, 1781. The celebration of that event in September last, caused several notices of it to appear in different newspapers, none of which, I think, are sufficiently particular or wholly correct. As I was a participa- tor in that catastrophe, and had an opportunity of knowing most of the circumstances, and reasons for remeraberipg them, be- sides some notes taken subsequently, I am enabled I think, to give a clearer account of it (particularly in detail) than any I have seen ; and if you believe the following worthy of public- ation, you are at liberty to do so. STEPHEN HEMPSTEAD. On ihe morning of the 0th of September, 1731, twenty-four sail of the enemy's shipping appeared to the westward of New-London harbor. The enemy landed in two divisions, of about 800 men each, commanded by that infamous traitor to his country, Benedict Arnold, who headed the division that landed on the New-London side, near Brown's farms ; the other division, commanded by Col. Eyre, landed on Groton Point nearly opposite. I was first serpenn* of Capt. Adam Shapley's company of State troops, and was stationed vvilh him at the time, with about 23 men, at Fort Trumbull o[\ the New- London side. This was a mere breastwork or water battery, open from behind, and the enemy coming on us from that quar- ter, we spiked our cannon, and commenced a retreat across the river to Fort Griswold in three boats. The enemy were so near that they overshot us with their muskets, and succeeded in capturing one boat with six men commanded by Josiah Smith a private. They afterwards proceeded to New-London and burnt the town. We were received by the garrison with enthu- siasm, being considered experienced artillerists, whom they much needed, and we were immediately assigned to our stations. The Fort was an oblong square, with bastions at opposite an- gles, its longest side fronting the river in a N. W. and S. E. direction. Its walls were of stone, and were 10 or 12 feet high on the lower side and surrounded by a ditch. On the wall were pickets projecting over 12 feet ; above this was a parapet with embrasures, and within a platform for the cannon, and a step to mount upon to shoot over the parapet with small arms. In the S. W. bastion was a flag-staff, and in the side near the opposite angle, was the gate, in front of which was a triangular breastwork to protect the gate ; and to the right of this was a redoubt, with a three pounder in it, which was about 120 yards from the gate. Between the Fort and the river was another battery, with a covered way, but which could not be used in this attack, as the enemy appeared in a different quarter. The garrison with the volunteers, consisted of about 160 men. Soon after our arrival, the enemy appeared in force in some woods about half a mile S. E. of the Fort, from whence they sent a flag of truce, which was met by Capt. Shapley, demanding an unconditional surrender, threatening at the same lime to storm the Fort instantly, if the terms were not accepted. A council of war was held, and it was the unanimous voice, that the gar- rison were unable to defend themselves against so superior a force. But a militia Colonel who was then in the fort, and had a body of men in the immediate vicinity, said he would rein- force them with 2 or 300 men in fifteen minutes, if they would hold out ; Col. Ledyard agreed to send back a defiance, upon the most solemn assurance of immediate succour. For this purpose, Col. started, his men being (hen in sight ; but he was no more seen, nor did he even attempt a divirsion in our favor. When the answer to their demand had been returned by Capt. Shapley, the enemy were soon in motion, and march- ed with great rapidity, in a solid column, to within a short dis- tance of the fort, where dividing the column, they rushed furi- ously and simultaneously to the assault of the S. W. bastion and the opposite sides. They were however repulsed with great slaughter, their commander mortally wounded, and Major Montgomery, next in rank, kille'd, having been thrust through the body, whilst in the act of scaling the walls at the S. W. bas- tion, by Capt. Shapley. The command then devolved on Col. Beckvvith a refugee from New- Jersey, who commanded a corps of that description. The enemy rallied and returned to the at- tack wiih great vigor, but were received and repulsed with equal firmness. Durini; the attack a shot cut the halyards of the flag, and it fell to the ground, but was instantly remounted on a pike-pole. This accident proved fatal to us, as the enemy, supposing that it had been struck by its defenders, rallied again, and rushing with redoubled impetuosity, carried the S. W. bas- tion by storm. Until this moment, our loss was trifling in number, being 6 or 7 killed, and 18 or 20 wounded. Never was a post more bravely defended, nor a garrison more barbar- ously butchered. We fought with all kinds of weapons, and at all places, with a courage that deserved a better fate. Many of the enemy were killed under the walls by simply throwing shot over on them, and never would we have relinquished our arms, had we had the least idea that such a catastrophe would have followed. To describe this scene I must be permitted to go back a little in my narative- I commanded an 18 pounder on the south side of the gate, and while in the act of sighting my gun, a ball pass- ed though the embras\ire, struck me a little above the tight ear, grazing the skull, and cutting off the veins which bled profusely. A handkerchief was tied around it and I continued at my duty. Discovering some little time after, that a British soldier had broken a picket at the bastion on my left, and w.is forcing him- self through the hole, whilst the men stationed there were gaz- ing at the battle which raged opposite to them, and observino- no officer in that direction, I jumped from the platform and ran to them, crying my brave fellows the enemy are breaking in behind you, and raised my pike to despatch the intruder, when a ball struck my left arm at the elbow, and my pike fell to the 6 ground. Nevertheless I grasped it with my right hand, and with the men who turned and fought manfully, cleared the breach. 'The enemy, however, soon after forced the S, W. bastion, where Capt. Sbapley, Capt. Peter Richards, Lieut. Richard Chapman, and several other men of distinction, and volunteers, had fought with unconquerable courage, and were all either killed or mortally wounded, and which had sustained the brunt of every attack. Col. Ledyard, seeing the enemy within the fort, gave orders to cease firing, and to throw down our arms as the fort had surrendered. We did so, but they contin- ued firing upon us, crossed the fort and opened the gate, when they marched in, firing in platoons upon those who were re- treating to the magazine and barrack rooms for safety. At this moment the renegado Colonel commanding, cried out, who commands this garrison ? Col. Ledyard, who was standing near me, answered, " I did sir, but you do now," at the same time stepping forward, handing him his sword with the point towards himself. At this instant I perceived a soldier in the act of bayoneting me from behind. I turned suddenly round and grasped his bayonet, endeavoring to unship it, and knock ofi'the thrust — but in vain. Having but one hand, he succeed- ed in forcing it into my right hip, above the joint, and just below the abdomen, and crushed me to the ground. The first person I saw afterwards, was my brave commander, a corpse by my side, -having been run through the body with his own sword, by the savage renegado. Never was a scene of more brutal wan- ton carnage witnessed, than now took place. The enemy were still firing upon us by platoons, and in the barrack rooms, which were continued for some minutes, when they discovered they were in danger of being blown up, by communicating fire to the powder scattered at the mouth of the magazine, while deliv- ering out cartridges, nor did it then cease in the rooms for some minutes longer. All this time the bayonet was " freely used," even on those who were helplessly wounded, and in the agonies of death. I recollect Capt. William Seymour, a volunteei, from Hartford, had thirteen bayonet wounds, although his knee had previously been shattered by a ball, so much so, that it was obliged to be amputated the next day. But I need not mention particular cases. I have already said that we had 6 killed and ]8 wounded, previous to their storming our lines ; 85 were killed in all, 35 mortally and dangerously wounded, and 40 tak- en prisoners to New- York, most of them slightly hurt. After the massacre they plundered us of every thing we had, and left us literally naked. When (hey commenced gathering us up, together with their own wounded, they put their's under 4 the shade of the platform, and exposed us to the sun, in front of the barracks, where we r«mained over an hour. Those that could stand were then paraded, and ordered to the landing, while those that could not (of which number 1 was one) were put into one of our iimmunition wagons, and taken to the brow of the hill (which was very steep, and at least 100 rods in descent) from whence it was permitted to run down by itself, but was arrested in its course, near the river, by an apple tree. The pain and anguish we all endured in this rapid descent, as the wagon jumped and jostled over rocks and holes, is inconceiva- ble ; and the jar in its arrest was like bursting the cords of life assunder, and caused us to shriek with almost supernatural force. Our cries were distinctly heard and noticed on the op- posite side of the river, (which is nearly a mile wide) amidst all the confusion which raged in burning and sacking the town. We remained in the wagon more than an hour, before our hu- mane conquerors hunted us up, when we were wgain paraded and laid on the beach, preparatory to embarkation. But by the interposition of Ebenezer Ledyard (brother to Col. L.) who humanely represented our deplorable situation, and the impos- sibility of our being able to reach New-York, 35 of us were paroled in the usual form. Being near the house of Ebenezer Avery, who was also one of our number, we were taken into it. ^Here we had not long remained, before a marauding party set fire to every room, evidently intending to burn us up with the house. The party soon left it, when it was with difficulty ex- tinguished, and we were thus saved from the flames. Ebenezer Ledyard again interfered and obtained a sentinel to remain and guard us until the last of the enemy embarked, about 1 1 o'clock at night. None of our own people came to us till near daylight the next morning, not knowing previous to that time, that ti^e enemy had departed. Such a night of distress and anguish was scarcely ever pass- ed by mortal. Thirty-five of us were lying on the bare floor — stiff", mangled, and wounded in every manner, exhausted with pain, fatigue and loss of blood, without clothes or any thing to cover us, trembling with cold and spasnjs of extreme anguish, without fire or light, parched with excruciating thirst, not a wound dressed, nor a soul to administer to one of our wants, nor an assisting hand to turn us during these long tedious hours of the night ; nothing but groans and unavailing sighs were heard, and two of our number did not live to see the light of the morning, which brought with it some ministering angels to our relief. The first was in person of Miss Fanny Ledyard, of Southold, L. I. (then on a visit to her uncle, our murdered commander) who held to* my lips a cup of warm chocolate, and soon after returned with wine and other refreshments, which revived us a little. For the?e ivindnesses, she has never ceased to receive my most grateful thanks, and fervent prayers for her felicity. The cruelty of our enemy cannot be conceived, and our ren- egado countrymen surpassed in this respect, if possible, our British foes. We were at least an hour after the battle, within a few steps of a pump in the garrison, well supplied with water, and, although we were suffering with thirst, they would not pern»it us to take one drop^of it, nor give us any themselves. Some of our number, who were not disabled from going to the pump, were repulsed with the bayonet, and not one drop did I taste after the action commenced, although begging for it after I was wounded, of all who came near me, until relieved by Miss Ledyard. We were a horrible sight at this time. Our own friends did iiot know us — evtm my own wife came into the room in search of me, and did not recognise me, and as 1 did not soe her, she left (he room to seek for me among the slain, who had been collected under a large elm tree near the house. It was with the utmost' difficulty that many of them could bo identified, and we were frequently called upon to assist their friends in distinguishing them, by remembering particular wounds, &c. Being myself taken out by two men for this pur- pose, I met my wife and brother, who, after my wounds were dressed by Dr. Downer from Preston, took me — not to my own home, for that was in ashes, as also every particle of my prop- erty, furniture and clothing — but to my brother's, where I lay eleven months as helpless as a child, 'and to this day feel the efi'ects of it severely. Such was the battle of Groton Heights ; and such, as far as my imperfect manner and language can describe, a part of the sufferings which we endured. Never, for a moment, have I re- • gretted the share I had in it ; I would for an equal degree of honor, and the prosperity which has resulted to my country from the Revolution, be willing, if possible, to suffer it agaift. I regret, very much, my not being able to be with my com- patriots and co-veterans at the late celebration. STEPHEN HEMPSTEAD. Capt. P. Richards, Lieut. Chapman, and several others were kdled in the bastion ; Capt. Shapley, and others wounded. He died of his wounds in January following. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS