History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 155

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317


USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 155


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"Given under my hand at New London this 28th day of April one thousand eight hundred and fourteen.


"JIRAH ISHAM, Brigadier General. " By order : GEORGE L. PERKINS, Brig. Maj.


" To WILLIAM RANDALL, Esq., Lieut. Col. Command. 30 Regt. Conn. Militia, Stonington."


"GENERAL JIRAN ISHAM :


"Sın,-Your order of the 28th of April, 1814, came to hand the 9th of May, and I have given the necessary orders as therein directed. I have established the place for the signals near the dwelling-house of Mr. Nathan Wheeler, on what is called Grant's Ilill, and have directed Mr. Wheeler to erect a pole and procure tar barrels to burn in case of an alarm; who will also take charge of the signals and give notice to the Brigadier should an alarm take place in this regiment, and the quarter- master and quartermaster-sergeant of the regiment will also attend to his orders and assist in giving the signals, and such other duties as cir- cumstances may require.


" WILLIAM RANDALL, " Lieut .- Col. Commandant 30 Regt. Connecticut Militia.


" Dated at Stonington, May 15, 1814."


" REGIMENTAL HEAD QUARTERS, May 9th, 1814.


"SIR,-My Regimental Order was issued in conformity to orders and instructions from the Brigadier, and that order being general, I have thought proper to give some instructions to the officers commanding the company adjoining the Sound, where an attack would be most likely to be made by the enemy. Should an attack therefore be made by the enemy, or an alarm be given in or near the limits of your company, you will collect all the force under your command and defend the lives and property of the citizens, and you will at the same time and without delay give notice of the same to the commanding officer of the Regiment, and to Major Nathan Wheeler, who has charge of the signals, that notice may be given to the Brigadier, and the signal be made to the other parts of this Regiment ; should an alarm be given from some other quarter, and the signal made in this Regiment, you will, together with your company, immediately assemble at the alarm-post as directed in the former order.


" WILLIAM RANDALL, Lieut .- Col. Com. 30th Regt. Militia. " To WILLIAM POTTER, Capt. 8th Comp. 30th Conn. Militia.


" Dated at Stonington this 15th day of May, 1814."


By the 1st of July, 1814, the British squadron in Long Island Sound was largely augmented, and so


imposing was their armament and so imminent was the danger of invasion, and so divided were the American people relative to the origin and mode of prosecuting the war, that President Madison, on the 8th of August, 1814, issued a proclamation calling an extra session of Congress. The language of the proclamation indicates the danger apprehended by the President, for he said, "Whereas great and weighty matters claiming the consideration of the Congress of the United States form an extraordinary occasion for convening them," etc. The blockade of the harbors on the Connecticut coast was so close and effectual that it was almost impossible for an Ameri- can vessel to leave or enter our ports, but now and then a privateer would slip by or through the British fleet.


On the 30th of July, 1814, a privateer disguised as a merchant vessel, with a crew of fifty men, made her appearance in Long Island Sound, running in for the north shore. She was discovered, and a British barge, under the command of Midshipman Thomas Barret Powers, was dispatched in pursuit. Not knowing her true character, and seeing but a few men on deck, not more than were necessary for the navigation of the vessel, Powers pressed on for a prize. The wind being light he soon overhanled her, and when within short musket-range the men rushed upon deck, and Powers immediately took off' his hat in token of sur- render. A Dutchman among the crew without orders leveled his musket and shot Powers through the head, killing him instantly. The barge surrendered and was brought into Stonington borough. The remains of the young midshipman were buried with military honors in the burial-place now embraced in the Ston- ington Cemetery. The Rev. Ira Hart, then chaplain of the Thirtieth Regiment, delivered an appropriate address on the occasion, which was listened to with deep feeling, drawing tears from many an eye unused to weep.


This unfortunate young officer was but eighteen years of age, and great sympathy was manifested for his untimely end.


After peace took place with England, late in the summer of 1815, a grave and elderly gentleman came to Stonington and quietly took lodgings at the hotel kept by Capt. Thomas Swan. Soon after he arrived he inquired for the clergyman of the place, who was sent for and introduced. He then revealed to him his name and his mission, telling him that he had come all the way from England to visit the grave of his only son, and to thank him and other kind friends for the Christian burial extended to his dear boy. Mr. Hart, who was a man of strong sympathies, was deeply moved for his stranger friend, and procuring a carriage took him to the burial-place of his son.


Before the British fleet left our waters, the Hon. Capt. Piget and his brother officers "of the ship 'Su- perb' erceted a monument to the memory of the fallen midshipman." When the monument that marked


637


STONINGTON.


the last resting-place of his son came in view, he re- quested Mr. Hart to remain, as he wished to be alone by the grave. Slowly and with reverent steps he ap- proached it, when, overpowered with the agony of his own sorrows, he fell upon the grave and wept with unrestrained emotion until the fountains of nature were exhausted. - Composing himself at length, he rejoined Mr. Hart, who had witnessed his grief, when together they returned to the hotel. Before leaving Mr. Powers expressed himself in grateful terms for the kindness and consideration to his feelings which Mr. Hart had manifested, and warmly shook his hand at parting.


On the 9th day of August, 1814, a portion of the British fleet were seen to be in motion. At first they were supposed to be moving towards New London, but it was soon discovered that the ships were coming past the mouth of the river Thames, probably intend- ing an attack upon Newport, or some other place at the east. No one here could at first believe that so formidable a fleet designed an attack upon so small a village as Stonington, consisting of about one hun- dred dwellings. But as soon as the ships were seen coming in between Fisher's Island and the mainland the people in Stonington borough began to realize that their village was the object in view. At about five o'clock in the afternoon the fleet came to anchor off the harbor, and sent a flag on shore ; and for what happened afterwards the reader is referred to the Con- necticut Gazette of Aug. 17th, 24th, 31st, and Sept. 7, 1814 ; also to Niles' Weekly Register, Oct. 21, 1815, thus :


" RECORD OF THE EXTRAORDINARY ATTACK ON STONINGTON.1 " NEW LONDON, Aug. 17, 1814.


" On Tuesday, the 9th instant, at 5 P.M., the ' Ramillies,' 24, ' Pactolus,' 38, a bomb-ship, and the 'Dispatch,' 22-gun brig, arrived off Stonington, and a flag was sent on shore with the following note:


"' HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S SHIP " PACTOLUS," 9th August, 1814, " ' 16 past 5 o'clock P.M.


"' Not wishing to destroy the unoffending Inhabitants residing in the Town of Stonington, one hour is granted them from the receipt of this to remove out of the town.


""" T. M. HARDY, Captain of H. M. Ship " Ramillies." "' To the Inhabitants of the Town of Stonington.'


"This notification was received by two magistrates and Lieut. Hough of the drafted militia, who went off to meet the flag. The officer was asked whether a flag would not be received on board. He said no ar- rangements could be made. They inquired whether Com. Hardy had determined to destroy the town. He replied that such were his orders from the admiral, and that it would be done most effectually. When the gentlemen reached the shore a crowd waited with great anxiety for the news, which, being stated, consternation flew through the town. An express was dispatched to Gen. Cushing at New London. A number of vol- unteers hastened to collect ammunition, others ran to the battery, which consisted of two eighteen-pounders and a four-pounder on field-carriages, with a slight breastwork four feet high. The sick and the aged were removed with haste, the women and children, with loud crtes, were seen running in every direction. Some of the most valuable articles were has- tily got off by hand, others placed in the gardens and lots, or thrown into wells to save them from the impending conflagration. The sixty min- utes expired, but the dreaded moment did not bring the attack. Nelson's favorite hero and friend was seized with the compunctions of magnan- imity ; he remembered what ancient Britons were; he remembered that something was due to the character of Sir Thomas M. Hardy. Three


hours, in fact, elapsed, when, at eight in the evening, the attack was com- menced by a discharge of shells from the bomb-ship. Several barges and launches had taken their stations in different points, from whence they threw Congreve rockets and carcasses. This mode of attack was con- tinned incessantly until midnight, and the fire was returned occasionally from the battery as the light of the rockets gave opportunity with any chance of success. The few drafted militia which had been some time stationed there, under command of Lieut. Hough, were placed in the best directions to give an alarm in case a landing should be attempted.


" During the night the volunteers and militia had assembled in con- siderable numbers, and the non-combatant inhabitants had generally removed to the neighboring farm-houses in the momentary expectation of seeing their abandoned dwellings in flames. It was a night of inex- pressible anguish to many a widow or orphan, to many aged and infirm, whose little pittance they were now apparently to lose forever. But Providence directed otherwise. This compact little village of one hun- dred dwellings had been for hours covered with flames of fire and bomb- shells, and not a single building was consumed, nor a person injured.


" At the dawn of day on the IOth the approach of the enemy was an- nounced by a discharge of Congreve rockets from several barges and a launch which had taken their station on the east side of the town, and out of reach of the battery. Several volunteers with small-arms and the four-pounder hastened across the Point, supposing the enemy were at- tempting a landing. Col. Randall, of the Thirtieth Regiment, who at the time was moving towards the battery with a detachment of militia, ordered them to assist the volunteers in drawing over one of the eighteen- pounders to the extreme end of the Point, the fire of which in a few mo- ments compelled the barges to seek safety in flight. During this time the brig was working up towards the Point, and soon after sunrise came to anchor short of a mile from the battery (or, more correctly, the breastwork). Our ammunition being soon exhausted, the guns were spiked, and the men who fought them-being only about fifteen or twenty-retired, leaving them behind for want of strength to drag them off. The brig now continued deliberately to pour her thirty-two- pound shot and grape into the village, without our having the power of returning a shot, for an hour, and the bomb-ketch occasionally threw the shells. A fresh supply of ammunition being obtained, the eighteen- pounder was withdrawn from the breastwork, the vent drilled, and the piece taken back again, when such an animated and well-directed fire was kept up that at three o'clock the brig slipped her cable and hauled off, with her pumps going, having received several shots below her water-line, and considerable damage in her spars, etc. During this ac- tion between the eighteen-pounder and the brig, Mr. Frederick Denison was slightly wounded in the knee by a fragment of a rock, and Mr. John Miner badly burnt his face by the premature discharge of the gun. The flag, which was nailed to the mast, was pierced with seven shot-holes, the breastworks somewhat injured, and six or eight of the dwelling- houses in the vicinity effectually injured. At this time a considerable body of militia had arrived, and Brig .- Gen. Isham had taken the com- mand. The inhabitants had recovered from the consternation of the first moments, and were deliberately moving off their furniture and goods. At one o'clock the ' Ramillies' and ' Pactolus' had taken stations about two and a half miles from the town, when resistance appearing hopeless, the magistrates as a last resort applied to the general for per- mission to send a flag off, being impressed with the opinion that there must exist some latent cause of a peculiar nature to induce a commander who had heretofore distinguished himself for a scrupulous regard to the claims of honorable warfare to induce him to commit an act so repug- nant to sound policy, so abhorrent to his nature, so flagrant an outrage on humanity. The general, we understand, would not sanction, nor did he absolutely prohibit, a flag being sent. They therefore, on their own responsibility, sent on board the 'Ramillies' Isaac Williams and Wm. Lord, Esquires, with a letter to which the following reply was subse- quently received :


""" " RAMILLIES," OFF STONINGTON,


"'10th August, 1814.


"' GENT",-I have received your letter and representation of the State of your Town, and as you have declared that Torpedoes never have been harbored by the Inhabitants, or ever will be as far as lies in their power to prevent, and as you have engaged that Mrs. Stewart, the wife of the British vice consul, late resident at New London, with her family, shall be permitted to embark on board this ship to-morrow morning, I am induced to wave the attempt of the total destruction of your Town, which I feel confident can be effected by the squadron under my Orders. ""' I am, Gent", Your most obedient servant,


"' T. M. HARDY, Captain. "' To Doctor LORD and Colonel WILLIAMS, Stonington.'


1 From the Connecticut Gazette, Aug. 17, 1814.


41


638


HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


" This letter was received indignantly. No answer was given. It was a fact well known that no torpedoes have been fitted ont at Stonington, and that the inhabitants are unfriendly to the system ; but neither in- dividuals nor the town have power to prevent their resorting to that place. The condition fine qua non is truly tragi-farcical. Neither the town of Stonington or the State of Connecticut had any legal power to comply with it, which Capt. Hardy well knew. And if Stony Point, with its rocky foundations, had been in danger of being blown up, scarcely a voice would have been raised to have saved it on such dis- graceful terms. The first duty of a citizen, we are taught in Connecti- cut, is to obey the laws. Mrs. Stewart is under the protection of the government of the United States, and the petition of her husband for a permission for a departure is in the hands of a proper authority, who will undoubtedly decide correctly in the caso.


"Our countrymen at a distance, from the importance Capt. Hardy has attached to the circumstance of Mrs. Stewart's being sent off to the British squadron, may possibly apprehend that she has received insult, or signified some feurs for the personal safety of herself and children. So far from this being the fact, no lady ever experienced greater civilities from the citizens-as no one has better deserved them. And her feelings during the proceedings at Stonington demanded the sympathy of her friends.


" By the terms offered by Capt. Hardy, it was impossible to discover whether he was most doubtful of his ability to accomplish the destruc- tion of the town or desirous of a pretext to save it. He assured the gentlemen who accompanied the flag that this was the most unpleasant expedition he had undertaken. The truce on the part of the enemy having expired at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning, a flag was soon after observed at the battery to be coming on shore, and there not being suf- ficient time to give information of the fact at headquarters and receive instructions, it was determined by the officer then commanding to send a boat off to receive the communication. Mr. Faxon, of Stonington, took charge of the boat, met the flag, and offered to convey the dispatch agreeable to its directions. The British officer, Lient. Claxton, ques- tioned his authority to receive it; inquired whether Mrs. Stewart would be sent off, and said he would go on shore. Mr. Faxon replied that he knew nothing of Mrs. Stewart, and that if he attempted to proceed for the shore he would undoubtedly be fired on. Ile continued his course, when a sentinel was directed to fire forward of the boat, but the ball passed through the after-sail. They immediately put about and steered for the ship, the lieutenant swearing rovenge for what he termed an in- gult to his flag. An explanation of the circumstances was immediately transmitted by Gen. Isham to Capt. Ilardy, which he received as satis- factory.


" At the moment a flag had started for the ' Ramillies' from the civil authority of the town, which was received on board, by which was sent the following letter :


" 'STONINGTON BORO', Aug. 14th, 1814.


"' To THOMAS M. HARDY, Commander of H. B. M. Ship " Ramilies."


"' SIR,-Since the flag went into New London for Mrs. Stewart and family, Gen. Cushing, who commands at New London, has written. we are informed, to the Secretary of War on the subject, and it is our opin- ion that the request will be complied with. But whatever may be the result of the communication from Gen. Cushing, you will be satisfied it is not in our power to enter into any arrangement with you respecting her.


"'From yours, &c., "' ISAAC WILLIAMS, "' WILLIAM LORD, " ' ALEXANDER G. SMITH, "' Magistrates. : " JOSEPH SMITH, Wurden. "' GEO. HUBBARD, "' AMOS DENISON,


" ' Burgesses.'


" To this letter Capt. Hardy replied, verbally, that he should allow till 12 o'clock for Mrs. Stewart to be brought on board. At this time the principal part of three regiments of militia had arrived, and the town was perfectly secure against a landing.


" At 3 o'clock the bomb-ship commenced throwing shells into the town, and being out of reach of our cannon, the General withdrew the nillltla, excepting a guard of 50 men, who were ordered to patrel the streets for the extinguishment of fire should any happen. The bom- bardment continued till evening.


"On Tuesday morning the bomb-ship renewed her operations a little before sunrise, while the ' Ramillies' and ' Pactolus' were warping in. At elght o'clock the frigate opened her fire, and was soon followed by


the ' Ramillies.' At this time the cannons were ordered to be moved to the north end of the town, where they would have been serviceable if any attempt had been made to land under cover of the ships. This was a very hazardous service, as the party would be entirely exposed to the fire of the enemy. Volunteers in sufficient numbers instantly offered their services, among whom were upwards of twenty of the Norwich artillery.


"The command of the party was intrusted to Lieut. Lathrop, of that corps. They marched to the battery and brought off the piece without the smallest accident, exhibiting all the steadiness which characterizes veteran soldiers. This tremendous cannonade and bombardment con- tinued till nearly noon, when it ceased, and about four o'clock the ships hauled off to their former anchorage. During the succeeding night a large force was kept on guard, in the expectation and hope that a land- ing would be attempted. The militia during this affecting scene dis- covered the very best disposition, and were cager to take revenge of the enemy or sacrifice their lives in the contest.


" It may be considered miraculous that during the several attacks, while so many were exposed to this terrible and protracted bombardment and cannonade, not a person was killed, and but five or six wounded, and those but slightly. Among the wounded is Lieut. Ilough of the drafted militia.


" On Saturday morning the enemy relinquished the hope of burning the town, weighed anchor and proceeded up Fisher's Island sound.


" The volunteers who so gloriously fought in the battery deserve the thanks of their country. No men could have done better. Their ex- ample will have the happiest influence.


" About forty buildings are more or less injured, eight or ton essenti- ally so, and two or three may be considered as ruined. The damage was principally done by the brig. Many shells did not explode. The Con- grevo rockets, which were frightful at first, lost their terrors and effected little.


" The inhabitants, fearing another attack, have not returned to their dwellings, and their desolate situation calls loudly upon the philanthropy of their fellow-citizens. If a brief should be granted for collections in the churches of the State, we trust very essential aid will be furnished. Nineteen-twentieths of the inhabitants, it is said, have no other property than their dwellings.


" A Nantucket man has been on board the British fleet to redeem his boat, and learned that the 'Dispatch' had two mon killed and twelve wounded ; her loss was undoubtedly much greater."


NAMES OF VOLUNTEERS.]


" The following is handed us as a list of the volunteers (though pre- sumed not entirely perfect) of those who so bravely stood the brunt of the attack of Stonington Point:


" Of Stonington .- Capt. George Fellows, Capt Wm. Potter, Dr. Wm. Lord, Lieut. H. G. Lewis, Ensign D. Frink, Gurdon Trumbull, Alex. G. Smith, Amos Denison, Jr., Stanton Gallup, Ebenezer Morgan, John Miner.


" Of Mystic .- Jesse Deane, Deane Gallup, Fred. Ilaley, Jeremiah Holmes, N. Clift, Jedediah Reed.


" Of Groton .- Alfred White, Ebenezer Morgan, Frank Daniels, Giles Moran.


" Of New London .- Maj. Simeon Smith, Capt. Noah Lester (formerly of the army), Maj. N. Frink, Lambert Williams.


" From Massachusetts .- Capt. Leonard and Mr. Dunham."


From the Connecticut Gazette, August 31st :


" By an error of the compositor the following names were omitted ia the list published in our last paper of volunteers who so greatly coa- tributed to the glorious defence and preservation of Stonington, viz. : Simeon Ilaley, Jeremiah Haley, Frederick Denison, John Miner, Asa Lee, Thomas Wilcox, Luke Palmer, George Palmer, Wm. G. Bush.


" There were probably others whom we have not learnt."


Account of the attack furnished for publication by the magistrates, warden, and burgesses. From the Connecticut Gazette, September 7th :


"STONINGTON BOROUGH, Aug. 29th, 1814. " Mn. GREEN,-In relation to the extraordinary attack of the enemy of the 9th inst. on this village, the public have been furnished with various accounts; and though the circumstantial and generally correct


1 From the Connecticut Gazette, August 24th.


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STONINGTON,


account given in your paper (of the 7th of August) precludes the ne- cessity of a recapitulation of the whole transaction, yet this village having been the object of the attack and resentment of Sir Thomas, the Magistrates, Warden, and Burgesses residing therein feeling deeply in- terested that some official document comprehending a supply of some facts not given, an alteration of others, and a general statement relative to the whole should be published, offer the public the following state- ment.


"On Tuesday afternoon of the 9th inst. anchored off our harbor the frigate 'Pactolus,' the "Terror,' a bomb-ship, and the brig ' Dispatch,' of 20 guns. From the difficulty of the navigation in Fisher's Island Sound we have been generally impressed that such ships-of-war dare not ap- proach us, but the presumption of the enemy has created new fears, and we think it our duty to say that further means of defence and protection ought to be afforded us ; this we have often requested. Various were the opinions respecting the object of the enemy, but soon all was settled. A flag was discovered to leave the frigate and row towards the town. The impropriety of suffering them to come on shore was suggested, and a boat was immediately obtained, Capt. Amos Palmer, William Lord, Esq., and Lieut. Hough, of the detachment here, selected, and the flag of the enemy met by ours, when we received the following unexpected and short notice: (This not having been furnished the public correctly we give it at length.)


"' HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP " PACTOLUS,"


"'9th of Aug., 1814, half-past 5 o'clock P.M.


"'Not wishing to destroy the unoffending inhabitants residing in the town of Stonington, one hour is given them from the receipt of this to remove out of the town.


"""T. M. HARDY, Capt. H. B. M. Ship " Ramillies."


"'To the Inhabitants of the Town of Stonington.'


" From the date of this communication it will appear that Commander Hardy was himself on board the 'Pactolus' to direct the attack, the ' Ramillies' then laying at anchor at the west of Fisher's Island. The people assembled in great numbers to hear what was the word from the enemy, when the above was read aloud. The enemy in the barge lay upon their oars a few moments, probably to see the crowd and if some consternation might not prevail.




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