Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-11-14

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should visit and examine New London harbol
and Narrangansett Bay. That commission
minority of whom are Philadelphans, in its
report, recommends this harbor in preference
to any other, for the purposes proposed. 1t
seems to be settled that another yard is re-
quired for the public service. Having the
Recommendation Of an experienced commits
sion, headed by Commodore Stringham. it is
to be hoped that the usual log rolling ard
scheming for measures of this kind will be ig
nored. and "a site for Navy Yard will be Sc
lected upon its merits alone If this be done
the people Of this place may rest assured #
the success Of their wishes. to be recognized
as dwellers upon the shores Of harbor that
has no superior. trust that Iowa members
may give this subject due deiberation, know
ing their sc:ion will depend upon merit
alone
day or two sine crosse the river at
this point and assembled Groton Heights, not
unknown to history. Reaching the summit t,
| wended my way through the crum bling
ruins of Fort Griswold, where fought Spar
TIN band Of Militia, against the disciplined
Hessians, led i, chief by Benedict Arnold, at
the time of his burning this city stood
upon the abuttments -walkcl through the
decaying barracks-stood npon the .uins of
the log Magazine CROPPED my way through
the narrow, winding passageway from the
fort to the outer ditchcs-drank from the
well-stood u! on the spot where fell the
brave Ledyard, pierced by his own sword
after its surrender, and thought of the blood
and toll, shed and suffered, by that garrison,
and asked myself the question "can It be
that from mere difference Of political policy,
there can be found those who can forget the
sacrifices made and lives offered to bequeath
to US Union strong and great? Can it be
that this little garrison fought long and we'll,
for myth -wtho ut an idea ?' The blood
and bones of eighty four dead heroes, who
fell within those walls, answer They fought
for selfeVident truths, among which was the
equality of man, and his right to life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness. From here
passed beyond and assembled the Granite
Monument and from its summit surveyed
the surrounding scenery. On the marble
tablet at the base found this inscription-
to which trust the Courier and its vo,aries
will take no exceptions:
"This monument was erected under the |
patronage of Connecticut, in lS30,in memory |
OF the BRAVE Patriots, who fell in the mas
sacre at Fort Griswold, September 9th. 1881, |
when the British under the traitor Benedict |
Arnold burned the towns of New London and |
Groton."
Here follows the names, 81 in number,
headed by VIM. Ledyard, Lieut.. Col. COM
Among them l find nine of
the name Of Avery, four Allyns and six
Perkins. And strange as it may seem, it is
nevertheless true, that among the brave pa
triots are Colored men-Sambo Latham and
Jordan Freeman" How degrading to those
brave patriots it must have been, to be COM
PEELED tn stand and fight side by side with
Sambo Latham and Jordan Freeman.
wonder if any of them thought that the war
in which they were engaged was a white
mans war. Why did not they surrende r
refuse to fight-retreas-do any thing, rather
than suffer The imputation of fighting with
Il niggers," for equality of rights? What
an ignorant, misguided set those brave pa
triots must have been, to whose memory the
people of Connecticut erected a monumena,
l 81 feet high, 26 feet square at tie base, and
70 feet at the top. But, reader, those were
days when Toryism was reproach. D.