E 241 •G8 R7 Copy 2 /I ■ / / f y^ x<*"K- v'C? ^'--U'* / / . t} 1781 GROTON HEIGHTS AND NEAA^ LONDON LETTERS FROM ZABDIEL ROGERS AND THOMAS MUMFORD From tlie Originals In llie possession ot Goi-don Ij Ford Brooklyn X Y Privately Printed' 1881 E'i^-i J??7 IN EXCHANGE New York public Library JUN 27 IP12 NOTK Of the writer of the foreg-oing- letter, the following- records aw; found, ****** " Cul. Zabdid Ro(jeri< of the State Militia was often call- ed out during the War — /« 1775 Ms regiment was sent with others froin the State to the City of New York — It was afterivards several times ordered to the Western border line of Connecticut — In 17S1 he was on duty at Rye and Horseneck " ( Miss Caulkins History of Norwich. Edition of 1866, p. 422) ****** " The regiment from Norwich, under Col. Zabdiel Rogers was the first upon the ground — It arrived early in the eve- ning — Wm. Williams Esq. of Lebanon rode from Leban- on to New London in three hours ( twenty three miles ) on horseback. The Enemy were just preparing to embark when he arrived " ( Miss Caulkins History of New London, p. 569. ) Jp ♦ N* ♦ ♦ ♦ Extract from the proceedings of a general Court Martial, beginning and held at New London and Groton, in the state of Connecticut, on the 20fh. day of August Anno Domini 1782. by warrant and order of His Excellency the Captain General of the said state, of which Brigadier - General Roger Newberry was President, " Zabdiel Rogers, Esq. Colonel of t lie 'iOih. regiment, was called upon to answer the charge of remaining inactive upon the nth. day of September. The sentence was not guilty, and acquitted with honor.'' ( Battle of Groton Heights. By WilliMni W. Harris, p 76. ) Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/1781grotonheight00roge N London. 7th. Sept. 1781 Dr. Sir; I have the Unhappinefs to acquaint you Genl. Arnold with about 1500 Or 2000 Men Land- ed Here Yesterday Morning & have Burnt this Town From the Court House to Nathl. Shaw : House which was Sav'd &. from Giles Mumfords House to Capt. Richards Store On Both Sides Ex - cept a few Houses on the West Side of the Way — & All the Stores, Houses &C ' from Elliots Tavern To the Fort They Have Burnt your House & All Your Stores at Groton & Most of the Houses on the Bank — They Attack 'd the fort at Groton with Great Spirit but were Repuis 'd with Lofs Several Times by Col" Ledyard who Commanded, who was Oblidg'd to Surrender to Superior Force. after the fort Had Surrender 'd They Inhumanely Put him to Death as Also Capt. Peter Richards and A Number of Other."?.-^ Giles,- was Engag'd with the Enemy the whole Day And is Mucli un ~ well to Day thro' his fatigue — your Family Went Back. Suppose to Paquatonnack. where Capt. Mumfords Wife & Children have Gone — The Goods that Were divided I was Lucky Eno. to Get to Norwich The Ev 'g Before the Enemy Landed — Giles had a Very Slight Wound. . . .Cannot now Write you further Particulars Must Referr you to What I have Wrote The GovT & Shall Write again Imeadiately — The Enemy are Now Under Sail Goingf Awav — Shou'd think it Best for vou to Come Down — I am With Great Affection Your friend Zab: Rogers Thos. Mumford Esq^ ( Addressed ) riios. Mumford Esq'.' Per F.xpress Now at Hartlord Groton g^^ September 1781 Sir: I liavc this Ins! Rec'^ yours of Yesterday p. M ^. Sam! Raymond Exprefs, Requesting a narrative of the Barbarous Scence of the Enemy Commited on the Brave Garison that Nobly defended Fort Grisw? Col'.' Ledyard prevailed on a Number of the brave defenders of American Liberty to Joyn him in the defence of Said fortrefs added to the Small Garison amounting in the whole to about 1 50, who nobly defended Said fortrefs against A - bout 1000 picked Brittish & foreign Troops, who Attacked that fort Sword in hand, & were Repulsed halfe an hour, during which time the Enemy Suf - ferd About >^ of their numbers in killed & wounded, but being overpowed in numbers Col!" Ledyard finding the Enemy had gained pofsefsion of some part of the Fort & entering at the Gate, having three men kill 'd, tho' proper to Surrender himself with the Garison prisoners, & presented his Sword to an officer who Rec"? the Same & imedi - ately Lunged it thr" the Brave Commandant when the Ruffans (no doubt by order) pierced him in many places with Bayonets, Lieu'" Chapman & Stanton of the Garison, with upwards of 70 others were inhumanly Murderdered with the Colonel, Chiefly the most worthy inhabitants of this Town, my Son Cap' Peter Richards make one of this number — About forty are Dangerously wounded, & About forty made prisoners whose Lives were Spared by the interposition of a Brittish officer who entered the Fort too Late to Save the Brave Col° Ledyard &c, the names of the whole killed & wound- ed I have not time Just now to Send your Excel- lency, never was a post more nobly defended, nor Brittish Cruelty more wantonly displayed, we have Lost the flour of this Town both in officers & Res- pectable inhabitants — my House with the Chief ol the others on the Bank are Burnt & many families Left destitute of food & Raiment, all the Stores in New London & more than halfe the Houfes are Likewise Consumed, I Conclude your Excellency is informed the infamous arnold Commanded, he dined with Jerremiah Miller & afterwards had his House Burnt with the others, I Can give your Excellency no encouragement from Our privateers, the Two Brig'! I am Concerned in are Sunk to Save them, their Sails & Riggen all Consumed in Stores, one other has no guns, so that only one Remains fit for Duty unequal to the plan proposed, I here there is Two French Ships of force at Newport — Gen! Ty- ler (now here) has tho* proper to order Some pub- lick Stores dealt out for the present Relief of those that have Lost their all, & no Husband &c. to pro - vide them Support, he wishes to know your Excel- lency's pleasare Respecting his Conduct herein, & has appointed Docf; Turner Superintendent of the Hospital department & direct him to Supply the needful for the wounded, I gave him my Advice in this matter The foreg-oing is all that is preserved of a let- ter, shown "by its contents to have been Tvrit - ten by Thomas Mumtord ( a merchant trading in New London but having his residence in Groton iipon tlie opjjoyite side of the river ) to Jonathan Trumbull Sen'' , then Gov of Conn? His daughter, Catherine was the wife of Captain Peter Richards who is thus mentioned in "The Richards Genealogy " p 96 " Peter — lorn 1754, died 1781 Slain in Fort Griswold — married Catherine Mumford horn 1754, died 1805 ; resi- dence New London : had only Catheritie, married Levi Huntington : residence Xorwlch " Tlie following- letter ( tlie bod 3- of whioli is in theliand writing of AYilliam Williams, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence) re- fers to a lamiored sui'pi-i^o tliree years prior to tlie assault and capture of New London and Groton Heights. I have heen unahle to find a- ny other allusion to the affair. G. L. F. Lebanon Sep"^ 3*^ ]/> past 6 : p. m. 78 Sir: Your Letter & Inclofure this minute re - ceived gives me the first & only Intelligence I have concerning the appearance of a British Fleet off New London. Your Situation &c. will afford you, the earliest & most particular Intelligence, & you will not fail to give such early orders to the whole or Such part of your Division of the Militia of this State as the Exigence of y" Cafe Shall require, & the prefent appearance is such ( unlefs different Accounts before this reaches you ShP be had ) as renders it necefsary to be as Speedy as pofsible in ordering & collecting Them at New London or elswhere to oppofe any Attempt of the Enemy which may be made. I am, Av**" Efteem and Regard Sir Your Obed* , hble Servant Jon™ Trumbull P S You '1 report your doings as Soon as Ne - cefsary. Maj' General Huntington LIBRARY OF CONGRE 011 712 386 I ■■^-