New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-07
HONORED BY THEIR COUNTRY


HAwLEY's oRATIoN-A POEM BY ROSE fHhH'
CoOKE-REMARKs BY GENERAL SHERMAN.
IFRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE 'ii"'",
NEw-LoNpoN. Sept. 6.-The weather TINS
morning looked gloomy and threatenihs' i"o e"y w"
G. mpetsly hid by cloude, through when thc sun h
du,l red color Al the people OF NewLonooh
and it's vicinity astir and by a. H. 'ho strees VI
N,wondon were crowded with persons ana Vehicies ot
ey,rv description. The flags snd banners gave gay
appearance to the scene Groton Heights was crowded.
with people who had gone there to watch the mock
battle which to be the principal feature
NJ the day. Prom the monument hoatcd
two American nags, while three or four long
lines stretched from its top to the ground
But the bay presented the most attractive sight At the
lower part the bay the Tennessee, the flag shp
the Vandalia, and the school ships Constitution st.
Mary and Saratoga. Then came the United States Cut
tiers Grant and Dexter while above them with their
decks covered with handsome awnings and many col
orcd flowing from their asts were number
yachts. Every few minutes special train would ar
rive depot deposit thousand more country
men, who would plunge for the wharf to see what was
going on About . a. the excursion steamers began
TO in.
About $3.50 the fog which had hung the bay and
the river began 20 grow heavier The atmosphere
very depressing and tAe clouds had an unnatural ap
pearauce
The battle which fought in the of the day.
was be much like the battle of Groton Heights
September g. 1871. possible. 1t to be begun by
the firing of signal guns from Fort Griswold at day
break, to be answered by from the Constitution.
This to continue until a. m but the signals
fired only few times
THE SHAM BATTLE.
At 915 the guns of Fort rrumbull opened fire on
the fort occupied by the MOodus Drum Corps Its
bers dressed in Revolutionary uniform, they
took the part of the patriots. For half an hour
the firing continued. Their the head of the
English column, represented by the Sd Regiment
of Connecticut, with Benedict Arnold leading
Colonel Tubbs), charged After a brisk
defence the patriots rereated, keeping up contin-
GUS fire as they At Manerug Ill., however, they
reorganzed and entrenched in an advantage
position. The enemy, who had followed the patriots
closely, after voeys, charged and chased the pat
riots through Helmstead Post Hill Here the patriots
made a rally but again driven back They crossed
the river to their friends in Groton.
The assault Fort Griswod was the feature Of the
day. General sherman and Admiral Rogers, who were
have witnessed the storming from the KearsarSe,
went to q stand which, at their request, had been
served for them the fort where they could the
entire contest. Governor Litto1eld escorted by the
Rhode Island Veterans, arrived the field
just before the firing began. Lieutenant Bliss
commanded the fort, assisted by CAPTAIN Latham The
attacking party consisted of three regiments commanded
by Colonels Barbour, Croiut and Graham; At 1880
two hours after the time set-the Enghsh" began the
attack by charging up the steep hill The garrison re-
eeived them with heavy fire. and for ten or fifteen min
finally scaled the rampars, and the garrison surrend
cred. The troops showed considerable discipline in
army officers who witnessed the contest General She
expressed himself highly pleased with the dis
play.
There was immense crowd OF spectators to witness
the charge Fort GriswOld Every available inch of
ground not occupied by the troops was occupied and 1t
crowdng into the fort Governor Bigelow who arrived
from Mantle at II a. m received salute of sixteen guns
his sta passed her lie then board the Kearsarge
where he spent the morning.
THE NATIONAL SALUTE.
At IL IN. a National salute fired. The first gun
fired tho flagship Tennessee, was signal for the
of the fleet. All along the line went the quick fash
followed by heavy roars At the same time flags
chin,
at intervals of 10 15 seconds The Grant Captain A.
A. Fengar with four guns fred her shots at intervals
of IA seconds. The yachts followed the example of
their larger companions and kept up an
incessant noise with their pea-shooters.
salute had been clouds of smoke hung
the water completely hiding from sight most of the
the sight persons who were
from there through the fog and SMOKE seen
After the battle at Fort Grswold was concluded a
among whom were General Sherman and Senator Haw-
THE AFTERNOON EXERCISES
In the morning excursion trains kept arriving from al
parts of Connecticut The crowd Ia the streets kept
creasing, and by O'Clock the streets almost i'm
passabe This the time set for the beginning OF the
afternoon exercises and there rush for the ferries
leading TO Groton. There are two OF these, the rail
road ferry which large boats the other with a
solitary boat which holds perhaps 400 people.
The ferries not able to carry half Of the
passengers who desired to the river there was
in consequence large crowd collected in front of
gates leading TO them At the smaller ferry landing there
would be sometimes 500 people waiting for passage
crowding and growing. There great many ruff
fans in the crowd and several fights aud thefts
The Rev DR.. Leonard Bacon with his wife tried to
cross the ferry, as he to make special prayer
the President AS he is over seventy years of age
rather feeble, he not able make his
the crowd While waiting it's outskirts his pocket
had for the soe2 Fn he nHS 4ed ne
rowhoat and was taken across the river with his wife.
IN large Th iS held R0Tt St
5000 people and the exercises began every OF
ground occupied, and there people
ing outside In the centre of the a large plat
form for the guests capable of holding thousand
people Among people on the platform were nearly
all the prominent persons present the celebration
aud the descendants of those who fell Fort Griswod
After music by the Adams Fort band there singing
by 500 school children from New-LOndon and GrOtOn.
The Rev t. j. Lee read the poem by Rose Terry Cooke,
concluding with the lines:
Rest on, oh heroes in your silent slumber;
Hail and fare well, we mighty, moveless deadl
Long az her centuries earth shall know and number,
Green be the laurel Doughs above ye spread.
Your course is sped; your record man remembers,
And Gods own hand your sacred dust shall keep
Though all the flame hath left those mortal enbers
Upward 1t sprang, with bright, immortal leap.
Sleep in your country's heart; forever holy,
Your memory shines along the slopes tread,
Another hundred years their incense lowly
Ere long shall DER your sculptured honors shed,
And we who bring you grace and salutation,
We too shall sleep; and nObler tribes of men
Snail offer here the homage OF a Nation
Rich with wisdom far beyond our ken.
But still, years return, shall man returning
Fight, TAIL, despair or chant the conquerors psalm;
Still the same light in patriot hearts be burning,
And heaven, still just, bestow the martyrs palm
The Rev. Dr. Leonard Bacon then offered a PRAYER for
the recovery of President Garfield. General Hawley
vered an address III which ne gave history OF the bat
tle and massacre OF Groton Heights and in which he
briefly sketched the causes which led toit
REMARKS BY GENERAL SHERMAN.
After Mr.. Hawiey's speech j. N Harris OF Ncw-I.on-
DON who presided, called upon General Sherman. The