USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > History of New London, Connecticut, From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1852 > Part 49
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
1 At the October session of the legislature, 1775, the sum of £12, 4s. 4d. was allowed to Jonathan Weaver, Jun., a music man in the company of Capt. Oliver Smith, who was dangerously wounded at Stonington, Long-point. Hinman, p. 192.
It is singular that when Stonington was again cannonaded by the British, August 9th, 1814, the result should have been so nearly the same; buildings damaged, one man severely wounded, no one killed.
517
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
On the 5th and 6th of August, 1775, a fleet of nine ships and sev- eral smaller vessels, gathered around New London Harbor, and ap- peared as if about to enter. Expresses were sent forth to alarm the country, but it was soon ascertained that the object of the fleet was to secure the stock that was owned upon the fertile islands of the Sound. From Fisher's Island alone they took 1,100 sheep, beside cattle and other provisions ; for which they made a reasonable com- pensation to Mr. Brown, the lessee of the island ; but from Gardiner's and Plum Islands, they took what they wanted without payment.
This incident probably operated as a spur upon the higher powers of the colony, in regard to a subject much discussed in their councils, viz., the fortification of New London.
Among the heads of inquiry1 proposed by his majesty's secretary of state to the colony of Connecticut, in 1773, was this :
" What forts and places of defense are there within your government, and in what condition ?"
To which Governor Trumbull replied, October, 1774 :
" A small battery at New London, consisting of nine guns, built and sup- ported at the colony's expense."
This was then the only fortification in Connecticut when the war commenced. But the defense of the coast was a subject to which the attention of the legislature was soon called.
April, 1775, a committee was appointed to examine the points of defense, and report on the best means of securing the country from invasion. Of this committee, Messrs. G. Saltonstall, D. Deshon and T. Mumford, reported in regard to New London, that the battery was in a ruinous condition, and that the only effective cannon in the place consisted of six new pieces ; (four eighteens and two twelves.) They proposed that three positions, Mamacock, Winthrop's Neck and Gro- ton Height, should be fortified, and that fourteen new cannon (twenty- fours) should be procured.2 This judicious advice was not adopted, probably on account of a void in the treasury. All that was obtained at this time, was an order to repair and complete the old fort. This was done during the summer, under the direction of Col. Saltonstall, who in effect rebuilt the works and mounted upon them all the can-
1 Heads of Inquiry, printed by order of the Governor and Company; T. Green, 1775.
2 Council Records, (Hinman, App.,) p. 545.
44
518
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
non in the town. It will be recollected that this fortification stood near the water's edge, where is now the ferry wharf. Here was the battlement, the platformn, the cannon and the flag-staff; the magazine stood a little to the west. The garrison, from twelve to twenty men, had their meals at Potter's, near Bradley Street. Nathaniel Salton- stall, captain ; Stephen Hempstead, lieutenant.
On the Groton side of the river, with a spirit of enthusiasm that did not wait for legislative aid, the inhabitants voluntarily threw up in- trenchments, excavated ditches and erected breastworks, at sundry exposed places, which, though they had no ordnance except a few pieces at the principal battery on the heights, obtained from the sup- ply brought in by Commodore Hopkins, they resolved to defend to the last extremity.
On the river below Norwich, (at Waterman's Point,) a battery was erected under the superintendence of Benjamin Huntington and Ephraim Bill, and furnished with four six-pounders. Such were the preparations made to receive the enemy in 1775.1
Two enlisted companies were stationed at New London, during the summer, under Major Latimer and Capt. Edward Shipman, of Say- brook.2 These were ordered to Boston the last of September, on the requisition of General Washington. Their place was supplied by a new enlistment of seventy men, of whom Col. Saltonstall took the command.3
The governor and council of safety, acceding to the oft-repeated request of the inhabitants that something further might be done for them in the way of fortification, sent Col. Jedediah Elderkin to New London, in November, to view the premises and report what fortifi- cation was necessary. After a general survey and consultation with the principal men on both sides of the river, he confirmed the judg- ment heretofore given by the committee, and recommended the im- mediate fortification of the three points designated by them.
The neck of land bounding New London Harbor on the south, now called Fort Neck, but then generally known by its Indian name of Mamakuk, (or Mamacock,) presented near the point a broad, irreg- ular platform of rocks, rising twenty feet above the water, and con-
1 Council Records in Hinman, pp. 328, 331.
2 Ibid, p. 328.
3 At the same time thirty were ordered for New Haven, forty for Stonington, and fifteen for Lyme. The pay was the same as to continental soldiers, which in 1775, was £2 per month for a private, and £6 for a captain; five shillings and three pence per week for billeting. Ibid, p. 191.
519
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
nected with the main land on the east by meadows and marshes. This rocky point seems to have been projected into its position pur- posely to protect the harbor. A more advantageous site for a forti- fication is scarcely to be desired. Could we allow that the benevo- lence of nature would concur in any of the plans of war, we might suppose that this use of it had entered into her design ; for it is not only well adapted to this end, but seems nearly useless for any other purpose. On this point, Col. Elderkin proposed the erection of a. rampart fronting east, eighty feet ; south, eighty feet ; north, eighty feet, but not at right angles ; with five embrasures in each bank, to be defended by five cannon, eighteen or twenty-four-pounders.
The point selected on the Groton side was nearly opposite the center of the harbor. The ascent, within fifty rods of the water's edge, was 120 feet. The summit was tolerably level. Here it was supposed that a breastwork of turf and gravel, with some ten pieces of cannon, would be all that was necessary.
Winthrop's Neck lies north-east of the town, and projects more than half-way across the harbor; the southern extremity, facing the mouth of the river, presents a level, bold bluff, twenty feet above the water. Here, also, it was recommended that a breastwork should be raised, and planted with ten cannon. These various positions would expose an invading fleet to be raked at so many angles, that it was thought the inhabitants might thus be rendered secure from all annoy- ance by sea.
The report of Col. Elderkin was made to the governor and coun- cil, November 15th,' and on the 22d, orders were issued for the works to be commenced, under the direction of a committee of six persons, Col. Saltonstall, Ebenezer Ledyard, John Deshon, Nathaniel Shaw, Jun., Peter Avery and Josialı Watrous (or Waters.)? Yet notwith- standing this early and earnest action of the government, more than a year elapsed before either of the posts could take rank as a fortifica- tion, and merit a name. Even in December, 1776, when the two principal works were honored with the names of the governor and deputy-governor, Trumbull and Griswold, they were imperfect and unfinished.
Nor is this a matter of surprise when it is considered that the labor
1 Elderkin's report, in Hinman's App., p. 551. The land at Mamacock was pur- chased of Nathaniel Shaw; an acre and a quarter for the works at Groton, of Jona- than Chester and Elisha Prior. Groton fort was commenced December 5th, 1775.
2 Hinman, p. 337.
520
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
was performed by relays of fresh recruits, changed every few weeks, who wrought under the direction of the civil authority and field-offi- cers. These enlistments consisted in part of mere boys, with the spirit indeed, but not the experience of men, and in part of aged per- sons, who had perhaps the judgment, but not the physical energy of maturity.
It is interesting to note the difficulties which in those revolutionary times stood in the way of public works. In the case of these small fortifications, the legislature must first discuss the matter and pass the resolves ; the governor and council of safety must take it up ; Col. Saltonstall must be consulted ; Mr. Shaw must be summoned to Hart- ford, to give advice ; Col. Mott must be sent to New London, to sur- vey ; Col. Dyer and Mr. Wales must examine and report. The works begin, stop, go on. The governor and council are at the trou- ble of directing just the number of sledges, hammers, shovels, spades, crow-bars, pickaxes, chains, &c., that are to be provided for the work. Timber, teams, tools, and other necessary materials are to be procured by Col. Saltonstall, for Winthrop's Neck; by Ebenezer Ledyard, for Groton; and Nathaniel Shaw, for Mamacock. The tim- ber was in the forests, and must be selected growing.
The assembly must now apply to Congress for cannon to furnish their works, asking for some of the brass pieces taken at St. John's. Again they apply to Admiral Hopkins for some of the New Provi- dence ordnance.1 They can not obtain the necessary complement, and it is decided that the heavy cannon must be cast in Smith's fur- nace at Salisbury. In order to accomplish this, the furnace must be enlarged, new workmen obtained, higher wages given; wood-land must be bought to obtain fuel for the furnace ; and all these details must be performed by the executive officers of the state ; Col. Elder- kin and others must make journeys to and forth from Salisbury to Hartford, to manage the business.
In the summer of 1777, the works were regarded as finished, though probably then very far from what military men, at the pres- ent day, would call complete.
The engineer of Fort Trumbull was Col. Josiah Waters ; of Fort Griswold, Col. Samuel Mott.2 The first commanders of these forts
1 Council Records, p. 355, Hinman, where will be found authority for most of the particulars in this sketch.
2 Their appointment as engineers was in February, 1776, but Col. Waters had been previously on duty. His services commenced November 28d, 1775, and he was still at his post in April, 1777, as was also his assistant, Josiah Waters, Jun. Hinman, p. 430.
521
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
were appointed in February, 1776, and were captains of companies stationed at each place ; John Ely, of Lyme, at Mamacock, and Ed- ward Mott, at Groton,1 but in July, before the forts were half com- pleted, they were both promoted to the rank of major. Their suc- cessors were Martin Kirtland, of Saybrook, for Mamacock, and Oliver Coit, for Groton. Two artillery companies, one for each fortress, were afterward raised, and of these Nathaniel Saltonstall and Wil- liam Ledyard were the first captains. These must be regarded as the first actual commanders of Forts Trumbull and Griswold. They were appointed July 3d, 1776.2 At the same date, Adam Shapley was ordered to take command of the old fort at New London, in the place of Dudley Saltonstall, resigned.
August 2d, 1777, orders were issued by the governor and council to remove the platform from the old fort to Fort Trumbull. The bar- rack, also, was soon transferred to the lower part of the town, and being subsequently used for a brewery, gave the name of Brewery, (now Brewer,) to the street in which it was placed. The old battery was left to decay, and its site afterward appropriated to the market and the ferry wharf.
A redoubt on Winthrop's Neck was erected by Col. Saltonstall. The importance of the site was overrated, and in the course of a year or two the post was abandoned.
For the garrisoning of the various posts at New London and Groton, a regiment of foot was employed during a part of the year 1776, of which Col. Erastus Wolcott had the command. He was the superior military commander of the district which included Stonington, for that year. Dr. John Ely of Lyme performed a tour of duty here, as captain and major, and also as physician and surgeon. In July he was sent to visit the northern army and employ his skill in arrest- ing the small-pox, which was then raging in the camp with great virulence.
In the various battalions raised for continental service, New Lon- don was expected to furnish her full quota ; though, as we look back upon her exposed situation, we might deem that the services of her sons were of pressing necessity at home. Mr. Shaw, in writing to Governor Trumbull, Aug. 7th, 1776, when new enlistments were de- manded, observes :
1 Hinman, pp. 346, 364.
2 Ibid, pp. 365, 366.
44*
522
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
" This town has been drained of men already, so that there is scarcely a suf- ficiency of hands left to get in the harvest."
In addition to the regular militia then in service, in June a large volunteer company was recruited in the town under Capt. Richard Deshon, and another in November, under Capt. Jonathan Caulkins. Groton was in a similar condition, nearly all its able-bodied men were in the army. In October, 1775, she had memorialized the assembly, praying that her soldiers might be allowed to return and defend their own homes, for the British fleet was hovering near them, and the coast had been stripped of its men to recruit the army and navy. This was the sad truth, which might have been repeated every year of the war.
How shall we describe the shifting scenes of plunder, stratagem and atrocity, exhibited on the bosom of Long Island Sound, during the years 1776 and 1777? What fury possessed the minds of men, that the inhabitants of the two shores, old neighbors and friendly associates, should thus become assassins and wolves, prowling for each other's destruction !
Long Island, having passed in a great measure into the occupation of the British, those inhabitants who had embraced the cause of lib- erty, were obliged to seek safety by flight. The troops stationed at . New London, with all the armament that the governor could command, were ordered to cross the Sound and assist in removing them and their effects to the Connecticut coast. Many of these unfortunate patriots, left all behind them, and homeless and destitute were thrown upon the mercy of the charitable. Long Island was abandoned by the Genius of Liberty, and the British rule was spread over it, far and wide. From that moment the two coasts were hostile, and an inveterate system of smuggling, marauding, plundering and kidnap- ping took place on both sides, in comparison with which a common state of honorable warfare might be taken for peace and good neigh- borhood. Sheep, cattle, effects and people, were seized and carried off by either party. On the Connecticut side this was done under the covert of secrecy, Goods stolen from the island were carefully - secreted ; and if discovered by honest persons were advertised, and the owners desired to come and take possession. This condition of affairs was fraught with mischief, misrule and villainy. There was no end to the strays and the thieves. Akin to this marauding system was the contraband trade-an illicit dealing with the enemy, and fur- nishing them with supplies for the sake of their gold, and their goods. This was not often carried on by the tories, the professed
523
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
friends of the British, for they were too narrowly watched to allow of the risk, but by men who were patriots in pretension, but yet lovers of money, rather than lovers of their country. This trade was en- tered into by many people who were otherwise considered fair and honorable in all their dealings ; but if discovered by their country- men, they were marked for opprobrium and insult. A more odious occupation could not be mentioned, nor could any thing be said of a man better calculated to hold him up to public indignation than to call him a Long Island trader. The republican authorities were rigorous in their watch upon this trade.1 Many houses were search- ed and men imprisoned ; yet the contraband trade flourished. Goods that were bought for country produce, might be sold cheap, and the temptation to buy was great. Fine Holland shirts ready-made could be procured for half a Spanish dollar. Sloops and boats laden with provisions for the New York market were occasionally intercepted by the state cruisers, and the sad history of the day was often enliv- ened by ludicrous anecdotes that would gain currency respecting these night-traders. Thus, a story was told of two men from the Great Neck shore of New London, who put off one night in a whale- boat, with a large fat ox on board. The animal got loose from its · fastenings and became so unmanageable that the men, in danger of sinking, were glad to make toward a country sloop near by, and meekly surrender their ox to confiscation and themselves to impris- onment.
On the Long Island side the harbors were infested with bands of the lowest and vilest refugees, from whence many a plundering de- scent was made on the Connecticut coast and robbery and extortion of every kind committed. The small sloops and boats in which these piratical excursions were made had the familiar name of Shav- ing-Mills. They were the terror of the coast, often committing atro- cious robberies.
The present generation, living in peace and quiet, and looking round upon the goodly heritage that has fallen to their lot, think but little of those years of suffering, through which these blessings were attained. They have no adequate conception of the scenes of alarm, panic, flight, destitution, poverty, bereavement, loneliness and even famine, through which their forefathers passed in the fierce struggle
1. Shaw to Governor Trambull, Feb., 1777; " I suppose Gen. Parsons has given you a history of the discovery we made of the correspondence carried on from our Neck on board the man-of-war." Shaw's Letter Book. (MS.)
524
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
for liberty. During the whole war, the inhabitants of New London could never lie down with any feeling of security that they might not be roused from their beds by the alarm bell and the signal fire, pro- claiming the invader at hand. There was indeed, in the early part of the war, no spoil to allure an enemy ; but the harbor, capacious, accessible and secure, would furnish a fine winter refuge for their ships, and it would be a vast benefit to their cause to seal up the state and have the whole Sound to themselves.
During the winter of 1776-7, the frigates Amazon and Niger were stationed most of the time near the west end of Fisher's Island, so as effectually to blockade the mouth of the river. Several Brit- ish vessels also wintered in Gardiner's Bay, and the Sound was the common haunt of the enemy. On the 3d of December, 1776, eleven ships passed Montauk Point and anchored within sight of the town. The next morning they were joined by a fleet of transports and war- like vessels approaching eastward from New York, which gradually increased to 100 in number. This fleet, which was under the com- mand of Sir Peter Parker, while maneuvering in the Sound made a truly formidable appearance. They remained nearly three weeks, recruiting where they could on the shores and islands-often secretly supplied by faithless men from the coast-and stretching their wings . from Gardiner's Bay to Fairfield. New London was in daily appre- hension of a bombardment. The women and children and all valua- ble goods were removed. On Friday, Dec. 20th, the admiral hav- ing collected together his transports and made his preparations, began to weigh anchor. At that moment the public consternation was greater perhaps than has ever been experienced, before or since, on this coast. When this magnificent fleet came abreast the mouth of the river it seemed sufficient to sweep the foundation of the town from its moorings. Astonishment and dismay filled the minds of the inhabitants as from hill-tops and house-tops, they gazed on the dis- tant spectacle. After a short period of intense anxiety, a sudden relief was experienced, as the leading ships passed off to the south and east of Fisher's Island, and it became apparent that Newport was to be the point of attack. The governor had ordered out all the militia east of the river and three regiments from the west side ; but the orders were countermanded when the destination of the fleet was ascertained.1
1 Col. John Douglas was encamped here with his regiment. In January, 1777, Col. John Ely's regiment on duty at New London was ordered to Providence. He was remanded with four companies in March.
525
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
The 14th of March, 1777, brought another breeze of alarm along the coast. A fleet of eleven sail-the Amazon, Greyhound, Lark and seven transports-came round the western point of Fisher's Isl- and, and anchored near the Groton shore. An immediate descent was expected, and tumult and terror reigned for a time in the town. The object of the squadron, however, was to obtain, as they had the year before, the stock of Fisher's Island, and this business they ex- ecuted so thoroughly, as almost to sweep the island clean of produce. They took not only sheep, cattle, swine, poultry, corn, potatoes, wood and hay, but blankets, woolen cloth, sheeting and other necessaries, for all which they made a reasonable compensation to Mr. Brown, in British gold.
While the enemy thus kept possession of the Sound, the sloops and boats belonging to the coast, melted away like summer snow. The Amazon frigate kept a continual watch at the mouth of the river, capturing and destroying coasters and fishing vessels without mercy. Through the whole year 1777, New London was blockaded almost with the strictness of a siege.
April 12th, about thirty sail of armed vessels and transports pass- ed along the mouth of the river: in fact, during the whole of this momentous summer the threatening aspect of a man-of-war, was scarcely absent from the vision of the inhabitants ; and from the high grounds twenty were frequently in view at one time, either at anchor, or flying east and west where, at the two extremities of the Sound, the strong forces of the enemy held undisputed possession of Newport and New York. May and June were months of almost continual alarm.
On the 20th of July a squadron appeared on the coast bending its course as if about to enter the mouth of the river. The alarm guns were fired and the militia set in motion ; but it proved to be a fleet of transports and provision vessels bound to England under convoy of the Niger frigate. They passed by without any hostile demon- stration but that of firing several shot at the armed schooner Spy, which they chased into the harbor. The next day, the Spy slipped out of the river, and cut off from the fleet two vessels that had lingered to take in wood.
In August, the Cerberus frigate lay for some time at anchor, off Niantic Bay, west of New London. A line was one day seen from the ship floating upon the water at a little distance, which the tender of the ship was ordered to examine. It was drawn up with great caution, and found to be 150 fathoms in lengtlı, and to have a ma-
526
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
chine attached to the end of it, weighing about 400 pounds. This, upon being hauled into the schooner, exploded on the deck, and as was currently reported at the time, killed several men.' The machine was undoubtedly one of the marine torpedoes invented by Mr. Bushnell, to blow up ships. This ingenious gentleman and pa- triotic soldier made other attempts to destroy a British vessel with his machine, but failed.
In September, thirty or forty sail of English vessels were at one time in the Sound ; many of them taking in wood from the Long Island shore.
In November, about the 14th, a fleet of vessels of all descriptions passing from Newport to Gardiner's Bay, encountered a gale of wind, by which the Syren frigate of twenty-eight guns was driven ashore at Point Judith and fell into the hands of the Americans with her crew (200 men) and equipments. She was stripped of her guns, stores, and every thing movable, and burnt; Sunday Nov. 15th.
The military organization for the coast defense was arranged anew for the year 1777. The three posts of New London, Groton and Stonington were placed under the command of Major Jonathan Wells of Hartford. Two companies were raised and stationed at New London; one of artillery consisting of fifty men, of which Nathaniel Saltonstall was captain; the other of musketry, (seventy men,) of which Adam Shapley was captain. Two corresponding companies stationed at Groton were commanded by Wm. Ledyard and Oliver Coit; and a company of musket men was stationed at Stonington under Capt. Nathan Palmer. This was the stationary force for the year ; but being totally inadequate to the necessity, a regiment was raised expressly to defend the coast of New London county. Before this could be enlisted, Colonels Latimer, Ely and Throop, and Majors Buel and Gallop, performed tours of duty at New London and Gro- ton, with parts of their respective regiments.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.