The daily gazette., 1881-09-06
eRoTON MASSACRE.
CENT ENNIAL CELEBRATION
OF THE CAPTURE OF a
CONNECTICUT FORT.
cRowN,NG rNFAMy
A Scene Of Brutal Hatchery tnat
Makes the Blood Run Cold.

H1nSiiNuHlNb, WI Ie II IGrelRh Lfopp WAS
landed IN my country, | would never lay
uoWn my arms-neYer. never neVerl"
LoRD CHATHAM.
The 9th Of September. 1881, will be
marked in the annals of the Common
wealth OF Connecticut as the day of the
most important, elaborate and extensive
anniversary ever held within her limits,
1t will be the one hundreth year OF OBJ
sefvauee of the battle OF Groton Heights
the massacre of Foft GiisWold aud the
burning Of New London, and as the
day approaches the descendants of the
heroes of Fort Griswold III his and far
OFF States and the better class of the
population Of Connecticut are awaken
Ing TO the duties Of the occasion, and
are joining heart and hand in the great
work of preparing for the glorious testi-
val. Every fact and narrative bearing
upon the bloody massacre is being care
fully gathered, and record is being
male that snail outlast tile granite
o6elisk that rises in solemn grandeur
above The spot where blood of our early
defenders was poured ont like water.
The battle oil Grot0n Heights is the only
battle that was fought on the SOL OF
Connecticut during the war for indie
peBdence, and that It was battle wor-
Thy the name the losses of tie Britohs
efficiently attest. The massacre which
followed the battle was SO nnexampled,
so contrary To civilized warfare, that
everything else is at times largotten in
It's horror and barbarities; yet, now that
ime has assuaged indignant grief, the
events Of that memorable bloody day in
September may be Looked upon with
calm judgment and given their true
place in The historic drama Of the Amer
lean Revolution. Massachusetts, Yer
mont, Rhode Island, New York, Penn
5yvania and Georgia have observed
similar centennials with distinguished
ceremonies; Virginia IS TO render Illus
trious the eveniful battle of Yorktown,
and Connecticut is about to show to her
sister Stat es and TO the nation that she
cherishes with just pride the heroic
deeds and patriotic sacrifices of her sons.
The battle of Groton Heights, view
ed in its relation to other events of the
American Revolution, was by no
means an isolated event, but scene
in the great act which closed soon al
| ter at Yorktown in The surrender of
Lord CORVALLIS. 1t stands connected
with Yorktown indissolubly, for, had
there been no siege of \ orktown,
there would have been no battle of
Groton Heights and its chilling conse-
quences. Happening in the days
when the Union consisted Of but thir-
teen feeble colonies, less than three
millions of people and narrow strip
of country bordering on the Atlantic
hnt ho I1iuar f1,AiS
the northeast and the st. Mary's on
the southwest, it has been retold and
handed down from generation until it
is the topic of to-day here aud is re-
counted as Familiarity as though an oe.
| currenea of but a year ago.
EXPEDITION AGAINST NEW LONDON.
Benedict Afneld, s'that infamous
traitor" had just returned from burn
| ing Richmond and an expedition into
Virginia whose trail was marked with
rapine and slaughter. tie was selected
for The new enterprise, and on the af-
ternoon OF September 4, 1881, his fleet
Of English ships, thirtytwo sail, left
New York. At two O'Clock on the af'
| ternoon of the 9th they came to anchor
off this city under the Long Island
shore. New London was the objective
point of attack, and was a rich and
| hourishing town for those days, and
filled with recently captured spoils.-
Arnold, familiar with the general con
tour of the country about this and his
native city, Norwich, waited for dark
ness and the usual southwest wind
hoping to arrive in the harbor at IN d
night, surprise the garrison, captur,
the fort and prevent the escape of thu
shipping, but it was one O'Clock thl
next morning before he reached til,
mouth of the Thames. Then the wint
suddenly shifted to the northward aut
it was nine o'clock in the forenoon be
fore the transports could beat IN Il
opposite the present site of the Pequol
House. The enemy was deserted iron
Fort Griswold six hours before and
the commandment of the harbor, Colone
William Ledyard, was notified, ant
the usual signal, two guns, who free
to assemble the militia. Here Arnold
knowledge of the defenees of New
London stood again in his service. b,
his direction third gun was fired
which broke tue alarm. Colonel Led
yard, however, had taken the precau
ton 20 send out expresses 10 the yari
Gus militia commanders and eourie
to Governor Trumbull,a score of mile
to The north. Then he crossed to For
Grswod from New London, saying a
he left his fri nds, .If must lose to
day honor or life, you who know mi
can tell winch it will be.
BATTLE OF aRoToN HEIGHTS.
It was the high noon of heated
New England summer day. Til
British troops advanced in two col.
umns upron the fortress from TIN
north and southeast. Their red coat
formed fiery sea, which must havi
struck terror TO hearts other THAI
those willing to be saeraticed upon TIN
altar of their eountry's freedom. Witt
cleaning guns and nodding plumei
they extended long and scarlet wave
With shouts they rent the air, ant
through the peaceful fields OF ripen
ing maize and yellow rye, over wall
and brooks and slowly ascending til
rank upland pasture leading to TIL
fort, on they came yelling like mad
men. Twice they were lepuised h,
the defenders. The fight was mos
fierce, and many terrible hand to-han,
encounters are chronlcled in history
Eyre had fallen, and Major Mont
eomery was killed. With their Lwt