New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-11
NEW-LONDON HARBOR.
NINETY-FOUR YEARS AGO AND NOW.

NINETY-FOUR YEARS AGO AND NOW
LANDING OF BRITISH TROOPS UNDER BENEDICT AR
MOLD TIE MASSACRE AT FoEr GRlswoLp-A
FlSE ,EAPDRr NEGLECTrD-HOpEs OF 4 EEVI-
VAL OF PROSPERITY.
IFROM STAFF COEREsPoNDENT OF TIE rRibUNEl
NFW-LONDON, Sept. G.-Six years from to-day
doubtless tlcy will he celebrating centennial here.
Il was o. years ago this blessed September morning
that Britisl, fleet of SO vessels 2 OF which
! Transports, carrying some 1909 800 troops
under command of the trlitOr Benedict Arnold EN-
tered this harbor and after beating down the Ireg-
uar and hastily formed militia which opposed them,
applied the torch to the two towns Of NewLond0n
and Groton. Since 177J the port and ha,hor of
/ hcW-I ondon had been prolific source of mis- hi't
! to B'i.i y commerce through the Pr' aterrs which
| were ht;ed and srlt ont from lcie and equally
source of supply for the coon'-ts through
/ The communications maintaincd with the Outer
world az this point. in September. ISL, II large
! quantity Of West India goods aud European n.or-
! chandsc had been collected at New-London by the
! arrival of various prvatccrs. and there was a con
siderable amount OF shipping in the haibor. Among
/ the prizes recently taken was the Hannah, i rich
! me-, haut ship bound from London TO New-lofk.
! which had been captured Il little s0un of Long
/ Island by Capt. Dudley >lltOnstLll 0i the inerya
uriNaftrr. II was believed to be tine loss of this
ship whose cargo was said to be the most valuable
/ brought into America during the war, Chat cNa~-
lcratcd the British 10 the point oi citing out th'
, expedition under Arnold. There had been fge-
! o,,opt alarms d,rino tb, time. occa,.onel
ly the anrcar.nce OF war vessels At the month Of
/ the harbor and at times yirsdaI blockade na4
! I..,.,...,l..l.1 vl. i,l,b.t,ots of N,w-I oudon
/ and Groton and the towns adjacent. who were not
,h.od,. in tto,.,,. h,l uaintai,,.d eof. If rro-
| vi..'n.ry militart orgo1ization upon which they
d,p,,,el 10 r.pel invasion or attack and rude de-
f,.ivc work, Lad been erected on tn sides Of e
river at To.. TriimLul and Fort Grswold. The sig
+ nal, Ly which information WAS conveyed 10 the in
holitlnts were three guns 10 Indicate the clpuIe Of
ocrz, ar oror rood news and two guns 20 as5e,lhc
militia mon a,,rclicnsiois of attack. On the
,,or,i,.,, &c fine G,h of eepienher. al carly dawn,
tl, l;,;,sl, fleet wa. discovered living becaned at
H., ,,o,' of III. ,rbor The t,;o .ln5 NO cd IN
t,y1. were. fir ii 70 alarm the inhabitants. bat the
;.,uol. vy.rc understood ia The Hect; another gun
t.,uor, the larger ye,,,', followed the two and
T c,.,,..,i tl,, i,,uo,f of th. e4latr
.rr,. ,;,...eRl, N FORT GrfSv0lD
Tho stor, of tho Alv W.. vr,..en IN blood anl
L,.5 t,., tbc r.,.,,,i,., 90 fiji. -.-c.i:1n ssh
srr,.iv,1 ia oirn-ifi.s. ianliars were c-silT
. .,,.-,d on not, Idle, the river Cen. Arnold with
flo main lotlv marched from point mar tue light
l 49,, IN .,,i ,i,,c1L Now ia l3n. meeting With
r, lit,e or., tio from thr Affiliated population.
LII d.,,,l,,, Pr. ,.as suo.i,.,t lo accomplish the
c.,pt1r, Of Fort Trrrahull. which was . work Of
rttl e,r,r.+h L.:,o merely block of bat
terir. facing the water on three sd-s,
o.,.n bc1.ol and only designed TO act
.,.:,.. q naval fre. Tae garrison of
/ op , II I,,,o1 , si,..lo vol'ov n th. iny!l.ra
aud ,, i,,.i..,, .,,l ila .i..,- crossed TIE river
.,.i.+ tlo d.r,n.a r. Fort l,ri.,.o'd. The force
,i, ,,,li l,f.,,,,, .I., tic ucrt', md of the