The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-01


don, have . prior celebration under way
OF great local interest.
The capture Of New London. indeed.
Is directly connected with the York.
town campaign. for il wss the useless
counter movement which Sir Henry
Clinton attempted when, on the 2d OF
September, 1881, be first discovered
that Washingtcn wss marching TO Vir.
ginia 10 attack CORVALLIS. and was al 8.
ready too far on his course to be pur-
sued New London wss 9 seaport
which had furnished privateers TO prey
upon British commerce. and also con.
tanned some valuable stores. Clinton
detached = column against il, under
Gen Bensdict Arnold, the traitor. who
took pleasure In q eommission TO de-
yastate his native State he landed at
New London on the morning of Sep.
tember oth. IN 90 bodies, ths one on
the western OF city side OF the river be-
ing commanded BY himself, while the
other, which vas designed TO assault
Port GriswoId. and consisted of the
FestistA end Fsfsy-feurth Infantry,
vas 10 charge Of Lieutepsps .Colonsl
Eyre. With Majos Montgo~ess % sec-
oud in commapd.a ~ - -
The city was only defended by few
militiamen, who made hardly any
sembianes Of fssistsnes, end the little
garrison of Port Tfumbull, hastily
evscusting that post. crossed the river
in boats TO reinforce Fort Girls void, on
the eastern bsak. Arnold. 4hsrsfose.
entered the city without loss. aud
burned and sacked it during the day,
Withdrawing in his vessels at night.
Colonel Eyre meanwhile summoned
the garrisou Of Fort Griswoii 10 sur.
render. snd, On it's refusing to do 90,
assaulted the works. The tort was q
square work with Wings. on .Groton
Heights, reasonably strong as against
IN infantry attack but the garrison
consisted Of only about eight score of
militia. including small .qusd Of ar
tillerymen. AL under tho command Of
Colonel Ledyard. The British sd-
vanced gallantiy. one gun from the fort
getting destructive range with grape
upon them. and q sharp fire Of mus.
kerry. causing their columns to percep-
tibly waver. But after o brief struggle
they succeeded in scaling the walls. and
fell upon the unlucky garrison with all
the fury of successful conflict, mad
denad by the severe losses shey had
suffered in their assault, Montgomery
being killed and Eyre wounded.
The affair at Fort Griswold is CON-
monty called . massacre, and the his
toric evidence seems 10 leave little
doubt that II mast, be 30 regarded.
The number OF killed alone. which was
nearly half the entire garrison taken
with the fact that they were completely
sheltered behind works. shows that the
chief part Of the slaughter among the
defenders must have taken place after
the works were carried. Perhaps the
severe losses Of the British would point
10 q legitimate hand.to. hand struggle
within. the works; but the dispropor.
tion between the numbers Of the as.
sailsnts and the defenders suggests
that such . conflict would not long be
maintained. a
1t not seldom happens, when regular
works are carried by sudden assault.
that there 10 nobody to convey ut the
right moment The signal for surrender
or for the cessAtion Of firing; end very
few niuutss a u certAiuty snd confu.
sion will cause horrible slaughter
among the huddled defenders. who re-
ceive . convsrging fire from the sssail-
snts elanbesing in on al aaidsss But.
with al possible excuses. the uniform
story Of the survivors Of that bloody
day Is that most Of their comrades were
shot down or bayoneted after the sur~
renisr. Il 10 certain that oyss.s hun
dred of the garrison were killed or
wounded, and that more than two.
thirds cf these we're killed.
The same testimony 10 given to the
story that when Ledyard surrendered.
the British ofiicsr then in command,
presumably Major Bleomfslds sdr Opt
Beck with, ran him thropeh With bis
sword. Such iuhumsnisy isaimcst m
credible. and Beckwith after~ard de-
MED IL, petus b.snk. % far, y he was
conoerped. alleging. however. that be
had been badly treated on his appear
ance. before TIE assault. with the flag
demanding surrender. But there are
the terrible statistiOs Of the dead. iadir
eating that no quarter wss given 10 she
garrison until the greater part were
6ach. u the svsus That New Londor
will celebrate on its hun3rsdth ami