Connecticut Historical Collections

New London contains five places for public worship; 2 Congrega- tional, 1 Baptist, 1 Episcopal, 1 IMethodist. There are three banks, the Union, incorporated in 179:2, die New Tjondon, incorporated ia 1807, and the \Vl)arm:;- bunk, rocenlly incorporated. There are two insurance olhces, the Union Marine and the New l^ondon Fire and Marine Insurance companies: the latter company has a capital stock of 250,000 dollars. From the excellent maritinnj location of New Lon- don, the navigation, commercial and fishing business, has ever been the principal pursuit of the inliabilants. Their line harbor has served in a great degree as the port of Connecticut river, the impediments in wliicli frequently prevent its being navigable for large vessels fully laden. Tbe.« whale fishery and sealing business is an important branch of .commerce'. About a million of dollars is devoted to its prosecution.' -In 1834, up- wards of thirty ships, and 900 men and boys were employed in -this business. The city is defended by two forts, Fort Trumbull and Fort Griswold. Fort Trumbull stands on the New I^ondon siile of the Tliaiues, about a mile below the city. It is situated on the locky extremity of a pe- ninsula extending eastward into the river. This fort is a station for United States soldiers. Fort Griswold is on the east side of the Thames, on a commanding eminence opposite the city, in the town of Grolou. Il is not at present occupied as a military post, and is considerably out of repair. New London has been rendered conspicuous for its sufferings during the Revolutionary war, and the theater of hostile operations. On the 6th of September, 1781, a large proportion of this town was laid in ashes by Benedict Arnold. The following account of this transaction 35 274 NEW r. O N D O N . is taken from the Connecticut Gazette, printed at New London, Sept. 7, 1781. "About daybreak on Thursday morning last, 21 sail of the enemy's shipping appeared to the westward of this harbor, which by many were supposed to be a plundering party after stock; alarm guns were imme- diately fired, but the discharge ol' cannon in the harbor has become so frequent of late, that they answered little or no purpose. The defense- less state of the fortifications and the town are obvious to our readers ; a k\v of the inhabitants who were equi|)ped, advanced towards the jdace where the enemy were thought likely to make their landing, and ma- noeuvred on the heights adjacent, until the enemy about 9 o'clock lantled in two divisions, and about 800 men each, one of them at Brown's farm near the light-house, the other at Groton Point: the division that landed near the light-house marched up the road, keeping up laige flanking parties, who were attacked in difiercnt i)laces on their march by the in- habitants, who had spirit and resolution to op|)ose their progress. The main body of the enemy proceeded to the town, and set fire to the stores on the beach, and inunediately after to the dwelling houses lying on the Mill Cove. The scattered fne of our little parties, unsujiported by our neighbors more distant, galletl them so that they soon began to retire, setting fire promiscuously on theli- way. The fire from the stores communicated to the shipping that la)' at the wharves, and a nundjer were burnt; others swung to single fast, ami remained unhurt. " At 4 o'clock, they began to quit the tow n with great precii)itation, and were pursued by our brave citizens with the spirit and ardor of vet- erans, and driven on board their boats. Five of the enemy were killed, and about twenty wounded ; among the latter is a Hessian cajnain, who is a prisoner, as are seven others. ^Ve lost four killed and ten or twelve wounded, some mortally. " The most valuable part of ihc town is reduced to ashes, and all the stores. Fort Trunihull, not being tenable on the land side, was evacuatcil as the em-my advanced, nml the feu men in it crossed the river-to Fort Crisuold, on tJroion Hill, which was soon afier iia(!sted by the division that landed at the point: the ft)rt having in it only about 120 men, chiefly militia hastily collected, they defended it with the greatest resolution and bravery, and once repulsed the enemy : but the fort being out of lepair, could not be defended by such a handful of men, though brave and determined, against so superior a number; and after having a number of their party killed and wounded, they found that further resistance would be in vain, and resigned the fort. Immediately on the surrendry, the valiant Col. Ledyard, wdiose fate in a particular manner is much lamented, and 70 other otlicers and men were murdered, most of whom were heads of families. The enemy lost a Major JMontgomery and fc^rty ofiicers and men in the attack, who were Ibund buried near the fort : their wounded were car- ried ofl". " Soon after the enemy got possession of the fort, they set fire to and burnt a considerable number of dwelling houses and stores on Croton bank, and embarked about sunset, taking with them sundry inhabitants NEW LONDON. 275 of New London and Groton. A Col. Eyre, who commanded the di- vision at Groton, was wounded, and it is said died on board the fleet the night they embarked. Ahont 15 sail of vessels, with the eliects of the inhabitants, retreated np the livur on tiie appearance of the enemy, and were saved, and four others remained in the harbor unhurt. The troops were commanded by that infamous traitor Bene(hct Arnold, who headed the division which marched up to the town. By this calamity it is judged that more than one hundi'ed families are deprived of their habitations, and most of their all. This neighborhood feel sensibly the loss of so many deserving citizens, and though deceased, cannot but be highly indebted to them I'or their spirit and bravery in their exertions and manly oiipositioii to the merciless enemies of our country in their last moments." " The following savage action, committed by the troops who subdued Fort Griswold, on Groton Hill, on Thursday last, ought to be recorded to their eternal infamy. Soon after the surrender of the fort, they loaded a wagon with our wounded men, by order of their officers, and set the wagon olf from the top of the hill, which is long and very steep. The wagon went a considerable distance with great force, till it was suddenly stopped by a tree ; the shock was so great to those faint and bleeding men, that some of them died instantly. The offi- cers ordered their men to Qre on the wagon while it was running." The buildings burnt at New London in this expedition by the Biitish troops, were 05 dwelling houses containing 97 families, 31 stores, 18 shops, 20 barns, and 0 public and other buildings, among which were the court house, jail and church — in all 143. " In many instances where houses were situated at a great distance from any stores, and contained nothing but household furniture, they were set on fire, notwithstanding the earnest cries and entreaties of the women and cliildren in them, who were threatened with being burnt in them if they did not instantly leave them. Indeed two houses were bought od" for 10/. each, of an officer who appeared to be ^ captain, upon condition, however, that he should not be made known ; and where the houses were not burnt they were chiefly plundered of all that could be carried off. At the harbor's mouth, the houses of poor fishermen were stripi)ed of all their fiu'niture of every kind, the poor people having nothing but the clothes they had on." The following is Arnold's official account of his expedition to New London : Sound, off Plumb Island, 8th Sept. 1781. Sir, — I have the lioiior to iiit'orin your Excellency, thai the transports with tiie de- laclunenl of troops umlcr my onlri.-,, anchored on the Long Island shore on tlie 5lh instant, at 2 o'chjck, P.M. about ten leagues I'roni New Londun ; and having made some necessary arrangements, weighed anchor at 7 o'clock, P. iVl. and stood lor New London with a lair wind. At 1 o'clock ihe nc.\t morning, we airived oil the liarbor, when the wmd suddenly shifted to the northward, and it was 9 o'clock before the trans- ports could beat in. Ac 10 o'clock the troops in two divisions, and in four debarka- tions, were landed, one on each side of the liarbor, about three miles from New Lon- don; that on the Groton side, consisting of the '10th and 51th reg'is, and the 3d batt. of New Jersey volunteers, with a detachment of Yagers and Artillery, were under the command of Lieut. Col. Eyre. The division on the New London side consisted of the 38th regiinciii, the Loyal Ainciicans, the American Legion, Refugees, and a '276 N E w L n N n o N . detQchraenl of CO Yagurs, who were iminediaiely on llieir landing pnl in motion ; and at 1 1 o'clock, beintj ujiliin half n nnle of l'\)it '^J'nitnbnli, which commands New London harbor, 1 detached Capt. Millett, with fonr companies of the 38lli regiment, to attack the fort, who was joined on his march by Capl. Friiik, with one company of the American Legion. At the same lime I advanced uitli the remainder of the divis- j ion, west of Fort Trumbull, on the road to the town, to attack a redoubt which had kept lip a brisk fire upon us for some time; l)iit which the enemy eviicuated on our ! approach. In this work we found six pieces of cannon mounted, aiid two dismounted. j Soon at'ier I had the pleasure to see Capt. Millett marcli into Fort Trninbuil, under j a shower of grape shot from a number of cannon which tlie enemy had Itiined upon him; and I have the pleasure to inform your Excellency, that by the .sudden attack j and determined bravery of ttie troops, the i'ort was carried with the loss of only four ■ or five men killed and wounded. IJapt. Millett had orders to leave one company in | Fort Trumbull, to detach one to the redoubt we had taken, and to join me with the | other companies. No time on iny jiari uas lost in gaining the town of New London. ] We were opposed by a small bddy ol the enemy, v^itli one tield piece, who were so | hard pre.s.sed that thcv were obli'^'ed to leave ti.e jiicee, whieli being irun was spiked and left.