USA > Connecticut > New London County > Groton > Groton, Conn. 1705-1905 > Part 23
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An incident which occurred on the eve of the war with Great Britain is worthy of record here as showing the state of morals at the time. The frigate President, Commodore Rogers, and the frigate Constitution, Captain Hull, spent the winter and spring of 1811 in the harbor of New London. Commodore Rogers, with a view of improving his young midshipmen in mathematics, secured the services of Nathan Daboll, Sr., to give instruction in that branch, one half of the middies alternating each day. Two of the men became involved in an altercation concerning a supposed indignity offered by one to a woman in company of the other. Mid- shipman Brailsford, a hot-blooded South Carolinian, chal- lenged Midshipman Fowle to a duel which took place at a secluded spot near Westerly, across the border in Rhode Island.
* History of New London, Caulkins, 1860, pp. 631-2.
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Mr. Denison thus writes of the affair :* "In 1811, while the frigate "Constitution" lay in New London, two mid- shipmen became so piqued at a ball on account of a certain woman, that a challenge was passed and accepted. To evade. the vigilance of the authorities, the parties selected Westerly as their field of honor, it being just across the boundary of Connecticut. It was in February. The prin- cipals and seconds came in two sleighs and drove at high speed. They stopped for a few moments at the public house kept by Paul Rhodes. They then drove to the top of the hill, now the large quarry, and passing the meeting house, a little distance northeast, on the west side of the road, on land lately owned by Mr. Charles Vose, measured their distances and took their positions.
"The names of the principals were Brailsford and Fowle, The first was a small, unlovely appearing, evil-minded man, by birth a Carolinian. The latter was a man of fine looks, pleasant manners and gentlemanly character. He was a native of Watertown, Massachusetts. The sad moment of action came. At the appointed signal both discharged their pistols. Brailsford was slightly touched, Fowle received a bullet in his groin, which also carried a portion of his dress into the limb.
"He was too severely wounded to be carried to New London. The parties brought him into the village and cared for him at the house-then an inn, on the Connecticut side of the river-kept by Mrs. Abby Thompson, where they were obliged to leave him. He was attended by Doctor Coltin, the assistant surgeon of the ship, and also by the physicians of this vicinity. His distressed father also visited him. His case elicited much sympathy. The wound was mortal. After a week or more he was carried to New London. He lived about three weeks from the fatal hour. His grave is at Groton Bank in the Fort Griswold Cemetery and is marked by a monument. His heartless antagonist was degraded from the service and rumor says he was
* Westerly and Its Witnesses, p. 202.
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finally drowned from a schooner on the coast of North Car- olina."
It is said that Commodore Rogers was very much shocked at the affair, but that Captain Hull, under whose immediate command these unfortunate youth happened to be, merely remarked with an oath that he wanted no cowards around him.
Up to the time of the war of 1812 there had been no defensive work at the eastern end of Groton, but at the outbreak of this conflict the need of some protection was felt. The village of Mystic had already grown to a size that attracted the attention of Commodore Hardy's block- ading squadron, perhaps the more so because of the enter- prising character of its inhabitants. It would seem that nature had provided a fortress, small to be sure, but ad- mirably adapted for the purpose, in a high ledge of rocks, abruptly rising from the river bank at the southern extrem- ity of the village. On the top of this ledge a rampart was constructed in 1813, by volunteers from the whole com- munity, and is said to have been a very creditable piece of military engineering. It was christened Fort Rachel and was equipped with a four-pounder, which was sufficient defence against the barges which the enemy sent into the river from time to time.
The name is said to have been given in honor of an old woman who lived near at hand and was gifted in the telling of fortunes. Favored with a gift of speech, she was social and a prime favorite with young and old, and it is said that her name, given at first in a spirit of fun, became the permanent name of the fortification.
Sentinels were maintained in the fort from the time of its completion until the end of the blockade, and in the fall and winter of 1814, after the battle of Stonington, a militia guard of fifteen men were stationed there. Their names as shown by the records* were as follows:
Roswell Packer, Captain
Nathan Rathbun Corporal
George Packer, Corporal
Connecticut Militia, War of 1812, Adj. Gen.'s Office, 1889.
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David Burrows
Nathan Haley
Elam Burrows
Charles Packer
Elam Packer
Oliver Dewey John Fish Nathan Fish, Jr.
Eldredge Wolf
Josephus Fitch
Brutus Woodman (cy?) Brutus Woodward
These men were quartered in the house of Elder Jonathan Miner, afterward the residence of the late Abel Eldredge. Rev. Frederick Denison in "Historical Leaves"* has given us a large amount of matter pertaining to the War of 1812, most of which was gleaned from survivors and of which we are permitted to make free use.
"In the spring of 1813, after the British Fleet, under Commodore Hardy, made its appearance in the Sound, all coast trade was at once cut off, and the country was thrown into embarrassment and indignation. A few bold spirits, however, ventured to run their trade through the midst of the hostile squadron. One of these, Captain Jesse Crary of Mystic, in the sloop Fox was surprised and captured. The Fox was a fast sailer and so she was used by the British in making havoc along the coast; by means of her, in the short space of two weeks, the enemy captured twenty-seven American sails.
"Captain Crary, having escaped from his captors him- self, returned home and immediately planned the recap- ture of his vessel. To this end, the sloop Hero was fitted out from Mystic with a privateer's commission and manned by the following bold spirits:
Ambrose Burrows, Jeremiah Haley, Perez Woodward, Simeon Haley,
Captain 1st Lieutenant
2nd 66
Paul Burrows, Avery Brown,
Boatswain
Edward Tinker,
Gunner Surgeon
Alexander Latham,
Drummer
Charles Packer,
Steward
Hubbard Packer, Nathan Burrows,
Cook Cook's Mate
Jesse Crary Ezekiel Tufts Lemuel Burrows
Abel Fish
Dean Gallup Nicholas P. Isaacs
* Mystic Pioneer, May 14, 1859, et seq.
Prize Master
Sailing Master
James Burrows,
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Elisha Packer Jeremiah Shaw
James Sawyer Nathan Eldredge
Thomas Eldredge Nathaniel Niles John Holdredge Benjamin Ellison
John Appelman
"Provided with a four-pounder, small arms and ammu- nition, the Hero sailed to New London and received her commission. She expected to find the Fox off in the vicinity of Block Island, the headquarters of the British squadron. On leaving New London, she convoyed six or eight trading vessels waiting in New London harbor for the protection of an armed friend, on nearly to Point Judith, and then turned to search for her game.
"Before coming up to Block Island she discovered the Fox standing in towards the land, under double reefs. The wind was strong from the northwest. On came the Fox until she approached within about two miles of the Hero, when, suspecting a Yankee idea, she suddenly tacked ship and ran off. The Hero, now on her lee, gave chase. Both sloops, true to their Mystic origin-both were built by the famous ship carpenter, Eldredge Packer --- were sprites on the wave. The sailing was smart. But the Hero had a little the smoother keel.
"The Fox was furnished with two brass six-pounders. But from the angle of her decks in her flight the Hero keeping on her lee --- she sould not bring them to bear on her pursuer. She could only use smallarms. The Hero returned the fire with small arms and her four-pounder. The skir mish took place about ten miles southeast of Block Island, with the British squadron in sight at the southward.
"The speed and guns of the Hero soon compelled the Fox to change her hand. She attempted to wear round to bring her guns to bear upon the Hero. Small arms were now playing with great activity. But as the Fox wore around the Hero came pounce upon her and ran her bowsprit into the Fox's mainsail. The vessels now grappled and had the fight hand to hand. The whole battle was short, occupying not more than thirty minutes. The gun of the Hero to " away a part of the Fox's mainsail and out her shrouds. The
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Hero's men now rushed on board the Fox and completed their victory.
"On board the Hero, Thomas Eldredge was wounded through the arm. On board the Fox, two were slightly wounded. The Fox was manned by Lieutenant Claxon, belonging to the Ramillies, a quartermaster, a midshipman and twelve men.
"The skirmish ended just in the evening. The Hero with her prize and prisoners now made towards the land. The next morning, while the British ships were standing in toward the land, in hot pursuit, the Yankees passed Watch Hill and came in triumph into Mystic River. It was Fast Day, but the visitors were not, it is presumed, excessively abstemious in respect to what was good to eat or to drink."
Soon after the recapture of the "Fox," another encounter with the British blockading Fleet occurred near the mouth of the Mystic River. The Sloop "Victory," Captain Jere- miah Haley, en route from Providence to New York, was forced to take refuge in the Mystic River, where she grounded near Ram Point. Her plight was discovered about the same time by the British and by the Americans. As barges were putting out from the blockading fleet, friends of Captain Haley were manning the smack "Charles- ton" and arming her with a four-pound cannon and the small arms taken in the "Fox," together with powder and balls.
The Groton men concerned in this affair were Silas Bur- rows, Henry Holdredge, Guy E. Burrows and Ambrose H. Burrows. These men, with seven others from the Stoning- ton side of the river, were soon on board the "Victory," prepared to give the enemy a warm reception. A sharp encounter on the deck of the "Victory" resulted in a com- plete victory for the Americans.
Among the activities of the year 1814 we should not overlook the cruise of the barge "Yankee."
"During the year 1814, while the inhabitants of Mystic were being sorely vexed by the English blockade of the coast, they meditated and carried into effect various meas-
£
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ures of offence as well as defence. While they sometimes suffered the loss of valuable property by the English cruisers, they determined, if possible, to indemnify them- selves by seizing British prizes. The barges of the enemy, in their depredations, had even ascended Mystic River as far as Pine Hill, since the property of the bold Mystic men was especially courted by the enemy. The Yankees, how- ever, were not to be outdone in diligence or daring.
"A barge, named the 'Yankee,' forty-two feet long, a double-banked galley mounting twelve oars, built by Max A. Rogers, in Waterford, after having acted as a privateer out of New London, was purchased by Mystic men for six hundred dollars, and properly armed and furnished for her former business. She was manned, first and last, so far as we have been able to gather the names, by the following courageous company :
Lemuel Burrows, Amos Wheeler, Peter Washington, John Park,
Captain Lieutenant Boarding Master
Nathan Eldredge
Pilot Abel Eldredge
James Sawyer
William Wilbur
Dudley Packer
George Bennett
Henry Bailey
Havens Sawyer
Eldredge Wolf
George Wolf
Allen Holdredge
Peter Baker
Roswell Packer
Ezekiel Tufts
Robert Deuce
Nathaniel Niles
Elam Eldredge
"The first cruise of the 'Yankee' resulted in the capture of the sloop Nancy on the south side of Fisher's Island. The sloop was loaded with shellfish and was not a valuable prize, bringing hardly two hundred dollars.
"On a second expedition the 'Yankee' passed to the west- ward until she came near the mouth of the Connecticut, when she was fired upon from the shore under the sus- picion that she was an English barge, which appearance she purposely maintained. Then standing over towards Long Island, she discovered, near Plum Island, a sail that attracted her attention. This proved to be the sloop George,
.
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professedly loaded with salt and bearing papers from New London to New Haven.
"The Yankee in approaching the George passed as an English barge and boarded her without resistance, as she was in possession of the English. She proceeded to examine her papers. These all seemed to be correct. The sloop also appeared to be laden with salt. The Yankee's crew, however, entertaining a little suspicion of double-dealing, entered her hold and began to thrust their swords and ram- rods into the salt, when lo, their weapons met with obstacles. Removing the salt a little, boxes and trunks appeared.
"The truth was the George was an English smuggler. She had just been into Gardiner's Bay and taken from an English prize-ship this load of dry goods and covered them with salt as a ruse in case she should fall in with barges that might question her character. Her papers also were intended to aid in the deception. The Yankee now revealed her true character. The sloop was seized as a prize and put under sail for Mystic River. Her crew, with the excep- tion of the supercargo, were put on board the Yankee, while Captain George Wolf and Abel Eldredge were put on board the sloop as prize masters.
"The goods thus taken consisted of silks, calicos, cloths, some block tin, medicines and the like. For safety they were removed to Head of Mystic and deposited in the ware- house of Jedediah Rogers, where they were finally sold at auction for the snug sum of about six thousand dollars.
"The Yankee next made an expedition to Buzzard's Bay and the Vineyard Sound. On her way she enjoyed some amazing scenes by overhauling boats that were trading with the English ships. Peter Washington, being an English- man (having escaped from the English and taken an American name) and having something of a naval uniform, carried a good English aspect, and secured from the trading boats such articles as pleased the palate of the Yankee's crew.
"On landing in Quick's Hole in the Vineyard Sound, the Yankee was hailed on the dock by a Mr. Stevens, an old
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man, who was a little animated by the spirits imbibed, with the salutation, 'Welcome my friends, the British! my name is old Britain.' The Yankee returned the cordial com- pliment. The old man seemed to own the premises there- abouts and had a long flagstaff erected, indicative of his loyalty to John Bull, with a signal flying bearing the word 'Yorktown,' the name of an American vessel lately cap- tured by the English.
"Lying near the dock was a sloop just loaded with hay and provisions for the English ships 'Nieman' and 'Endy- mion.' The sloop had a license from the English admiral to carry on her trade and wore a false name. Her real name was the 'Abby.' The Yankee now threw off her English guise, captured the 'Abby' and bore her away to Mystic.
"A fourth vessel overhauled by the Yankee was a sharp schooner found near the east end of Fisher's Island, loaded apparently with corn and flour. The schooner was exam- ined and, being found with American papers of seeming good character, was suffered to pass. Afterwards, how- ever, she was captured in Newport and found to be sim- ilarly situated with the sloop 'George.' She was a valuable prize, her goods selling for about thirty thousand dollars."
The Ruse at Long Point
"On the 12th of August, 18144, the next day after the signal repulse of the English at Stonington, the victorious Yankees, as if not satisfied with their noble defence of the borough, and the injury they had done to the British ships, planned to decoy a barge from the ships lying off the Hum- mocks, and to capture her. To this end a plot was laid by Captain Eldredge Packer, and others of kindred daring, which was as follows:
"First, a few squads of militiamen were detailed from the companies then near Mystic, lately called out for the defence of Stonington, and were put under the command of Captain Packer. They were detailed as volunteers and the company numbered about eighty men. They were
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marched down behind the hills and through the woods to Long Point, where they were secreted behind the eastern bank of the Point, ready to act upon a given signal.
"Captain John Barber was stationed in a concealed spot near a large rock, where he could look out upon the Sound towards the ships, to watch the movements and to give Cap- tain Packer and his men the given signal. Meanwhile, not knowing but the barge might be decoyed into the mouth of the Mystic River, or that the victors might be pursued by a second barge, Captain Jonathan Wheeler, with the regular company under his command, was stationed on the west bank of what is now called Lighthouse Point.
"Second, a large fishing-boat with a sail resembling the present Block Island boats was obtained and taken to the mouth of the river, where she was voluntarily manned for the errand by Simeon Haley, captain, Paul Burrows, Henry Park, Peter Washington and Ezekiel Tufts.
"The boat now sailed out around Long Point and made as if she were bound westward on business. She was soon spied by the English ships, and a barge from the bomb-ship 'Terror,' with fourteen men commanded by Lieutenant Chambers, was sent to overhaul her. The boat at first turned as if to run up to New London, and then, in her apparent fright and confusion, turned as if to escape into Mystic River. While tacking and filling and rowing withal, as if for life, the barge was fast coming up to her.
"Finally, as if in despair, the boat with full sail and bend- ing oars ran straight on to the east beach of Long Point and her men fled over the bank. The barge was hard upon her heels and intent upon seizing the boat as probably loaded with something valuable.
"As the barge touched the beach, Captain Barber rose up and waved his sword as the signal to the men in ambush. Instantly Captain Packer and his men rose up and, firing on the barge, demanded her surrender. Lieutenant Cham- bers stood firmly yet evidently confounded. Resistance was in vain. The lieutenant simply remarked: 'I have heard
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of Yankee tricks, but this is the first that I have ex- perienced.'
"Unfortunately the fire of some of Captain Packer's men was too low. One man, a Scotchman, was killed by a shot through the head and two men were wounded.
"The prisoners and the barge were immediately brought up to Mystic. The Scotchman was buried with military and religious services-with dirgeful fife, muffled drum and fervent prayer. His body was laid in the northwest part of the old Packer Cemetery, under an apple tree which is still standing, (1859). The generous honors paid to the unfortunate marine, falling thus alone in the service of his country far away from his native land, and paid, too, by his country's enemies, most deeply affected the heart of Lieutenant Chambers, who was, indeed, a gentleman, and a brave and generous officer.
"The wounded men were taken to the house then stand- ing, where now stands the residence of Joseph Avery. The men were so tenderly and faithfully cared for that they re- marked 'that they wished they might always remain wounded, for they never in their lives fared so well.'
"When the prisoners were exchanged, the citizens of Mystic presented to Lieutenant Chambers a purse of one hundred dollars in consideration of his gentlemanly and officerly conduct.
"The captors received twelve hundred dollars for the barge and fourteen hundred dollars for the prisoners."
As the cords of the blockade drew tighter the efforts of the restless Yankees were redoubled to find means of out- witting the British and retaliating upon them for the losses sustained. In the spring of 1814 several attempts were made by bold spirits under the command of Captain Jere- miah Holmes to explode torpedoes under the blockading ships, and in one instance the purpose was nearly accom- plished. The following Groton men were associated with Captain Holmes in this hazardous enterprise: George Wolf,
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John Rathbun, Allen Holdredge, Abel Eldredge, Daniel Burrows, Ezekiel Tufts, Elam Eldredge and John Park.
Owing to an unfortunate combination of tide and stiff working gear, the first torpedo was lost. The second at- tempt was directed against the seventy-four gun ship "Ramillies." From their rendezvous up the Thames at dead of night the boat with her daring crew passed out by Eastern Point around the "Ramillies," between her and a prize ship that lay under her wing, and came up to the northwest of her and dropped anchor. After paying out the torpedo for a distance the boat lifted her kedge and attempted to glide across eastward towards the land so as to swing the engine against the ship. The wind was fresh from the northwest and the tide was strong in ebb.
This so deceived the boat that in passing across in the darkness she unconsciously drifted down so near the bows of the "Ramillies" that the operators could even see the sails furled on the ship's jib-boom. The boat instantly hauled up to windward and anchoring began to haul in upon the torpedo. But this movement soon brought the engine up near the ship's bows, when the warp caught in the ship's cable and an unexpected strain upon one arm of the cross bar caused an immediate explosion of the torpedo.
The effect was terrible, and hogsheads of water were thrown into the ship's foretop. In an instant, almost, a storm of musketry was poured from the ship's deck on every side in hope of reaching the daring operators. In another instant signal lanterns were run up in all the rigging as an alarm to the other ships. Then followed hot and repeated discharges of the ship's guns. But all was in vain. The adventurers had fled, though not without im- minent peril from the ships and also from the shore; for as they neared the land in the vicinity of Eastern Point, they were fired upon by the sentry and the shot struck among their oars.
Had the plot succeeded in disabling the "Ramillies," Commodore Decatur, who had all things ready, would have run down with all his force and given battle to the remain-
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ing ships, and so have fought his way out to the open sea. On June 1, 1813, Commodore Decatur, in command of the frigates "United States, "Macedonian" and sloop of war "Hornet," in attempting to escape from New York via Long Island Sound was chased into New London by a superior force and was closely blockaded there until the close of the war. Commodore Decatur did not rest easy under his enforced idleness but made several attempts to escape. On the night of Dec. 12, 1813, all things were in readiness for the ships to sail. The night was dark, the wind was fair, but before the hour fixed for sailing Decatur was notified that "blue light" signals were seen on both sides of the harbor, notifying the enemy of the proposed sailing, which in consequence was called off.
That such signals were given was denied by the citizens of Groton and New London, but there is no doubt that Com- modore Decatur firmly believed that some treacherous in- dividuals betrayed his plans to the enemy.
On the 26th of September, 1814, at the island of Fayal in the Azores, took place the last notable engagement of the war, one which has a romantic interest for the town of Groton. It was the fight between the privateer brig "Gen- eral Armstrong" and a British fleet consisting of the ship of the line "Plantagenet," the frigate "Rota" and the sloop of war "Carnation." The "General Armstrong" was com- manded by Captain Samuel Chester Reid, the son of Lieu- tenant John Reid of the British Navy, who had been taken prisoner by the Americans in 1778. While detained in New London the latter fell in love with Miss Rebecca Chester, a daughter of the intensely patriotic American Chester family of Groton. She refused to marry an English officer and in consequence he resigned his commission in the English navy and they were married in 1781. Captain Samuel Chester Reid was the eldest child of this marriage and he came from fighting ancestry on both sides. Born in 1783, at eleven years of age he commenced his seafaring career.
The year 1814 found him in command of the privateer
1
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brig "General Armstrong," a Baltimore clipper noted for her fast sailing qualities, as well as for the quality of her crew of ninety men, all picked Americans.
On September 26th Captain Reid had entered port at Fayal to replenish his water supply. Later in the day the British man of war "Carnation" appeared in the harbor and although it was in the neutral territory of Portugal she at once commenced preparations for attack. The orders could be heard, and the men were seen transferring arms to four launches which had been put out. Captain Reid gave secret orders to his men to prepare for action, and as the wind was too light to get out of the harbor he pulled up close under the guns of the castle and claimed the pro- tection due to a vessel in a neutral port.
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