Morning journal and courier., 1881-01-03

for the Despatch, a brig of p guns, coun- cil of war was held and it was decided to beach the Eagle near bluH at Mattatuck, Long Island, mount her guns on the bluff and scuttle her with cannon shot and prevent l her being lowed off by the gun brig. Capt.
 Galloway, however, thought the best way to get possession of the cutter was to let the | Yankees scuttle her and kept his brig of shore well to windward. He said as they will sink her at high water, then if we keep away at low water they will plug up the l holes. We will next tide take her adoat I which was done, and she was lowed to FauIk- | ner's Island. 8
 1 The following pertinent matter to the ob- 1 ject of these papers is taken from Barber's l History of Connecticut, being an account of | the bombardnent of Stonington
 | ssThis town has become celebrated for the l spirited and successful resistance which it | made to the attack and bombardment of Sir 1 Thomas Hardy during the late war. The following account is taken from Perkins l History of the Late War ; - 1 st On the 9th of August G814) Q detach- | Inent from the squadron of New London consisting of the flagship Families "A, Pacto- | Jus 3S, a bomb ship and the Despatch brig of l g guns appeared off Stonington Point. At l 5 o'clock note was addressed to the magis- | trates of the village by the Commodore, in ! l ceipt of the note was allowed them for the | removal of unoffending inhabitants and ef- | fects The officer who brought the note was inquired of whether flag would be received from the magistrates; his reply was that no l arrangement could be made On being asked l whether Commodore Hardy had determined | to destroy the town, he replied that such were his orders from Admiral Cochrane; and that it would be done most effectually. On receiving the communication the village
 was thrown into the greatest consternation. l The most valuable articles were hastily re-
 moved or concealed. The sick and aged
 were removed, the women, children and in- habitants incapable of bearing arms, fled to ! the neighboring farm houses. A few militia
 stationed at the point under the command of Lieut.. Hough were placed in the best posi- l tions to give notice of any attempt to land. 1 A number of volunteers hastened to the bat l tery on the Point, which consisted of two IS and one 4-pounder mounted on field car
 riages, protected by slight breastwork An l express was immediately dispatched to Gen. Gushing at New London, the U. s. command ing general of the district, with request for
 immediate attendance The General consid- ! cred this as a feint intended to mask a real attack on Fort Griswold, which commanded the harbor of New
 London, and that the object of the enemy l was to draw the regular troops and militia l from the post, and in the meantime land a considerable force at the head of Mystic, | miles in the rear of the fort, and take it by l storm. Having accomplished this object, l they could destroy or lay under contribution l the town of New London and proceed up the | river and capture the frigates. This opinion | of the Generals was confirmed in conse- 1 quence of the squadron's having Ieen lately 1 reinforced, and number of ships taking | stations near Mystic. Having these views of
 the designs of the enemy, Gen. Cushing made correspondent arrangements with l Fasr, oe
 division of militia in that district, and orders
 were given immediately for the assembling | of one regiment at the point of attack at | Stonington; one at the head of Mystic river,
 to prevent a landing for the purpose of ats
 tacking Fort Griswold; one company of ar | tillery and one regiment of infantry at Nor l w1ch port, few miles in the of the | frigates; and one company of artillery and regiment of infantry for. the protection of
 Fort Trumbull and the city of New London.
 These dispositions were promptly and zeal l ously carried into effect.
 | t' The village of Stonington Point consists | of about one hundred dwelling houses and number of stores compactly built on mar | TOW peninsula extending half mile and forming a convenient harbor. The attack | commenced on this village, and at o'clock | in the evening, by discharge of shells from
 the bomb ship and rockets and carcasses
 from several barges and launches which had l taken their station at different points. The | first continued without intermission until 1 midnight, and was occasionally answered l from the battery as the light of the rockets presented view of the object During this period the non-combatant inhabitants of the village, having taken shelter in the neighbor- I ing houses and barns, were awaiting the event
 in trembling arsNiety, expecting every mo- | ment to witness the confagration of their l dwellings.
 At 12 o'clock the firing ceased ; no build l mo yUa ar Iniu Int Ina conr.se che Efss1
 a assembled in considerable numbers At day,
 light on the 10th the approach of the British
 was announced by 8 discharge of rockets , from several barges and launch, which ha6 taken their station on the east side of the vii lage, and out of the reach of the battery. 4
 number of volunteers with musketry and ont ! four pounder hastened across the point tt 5 meet the enemy, supposing they would at
 tempt landing from the barges. Colone
 Randall of the Thirteenth regiment, wht
 was at this time approaching the battery witl
 g. detachment of militia ordered his men t. f assist the volunteers in drawing over one O
 the eighteen pounders to the extreme end O | the point, the fire from which soon compellet , the barges to seek their safety by flight; dur ? | ing this time the brig was working up toward
 the point and at sunrise dropped ancho l within half mile of the battery. This wa now manned by only about twenty men, an' , their ammunition being expended. the. [ continued deliberately to pour into the vii
 lage her thirty-two pound and grape shot and the bomb ship to throw her shells for a 6 hour without shot being returned.
 l At 8 o'clock, supply of ammunition hay n 1 ing arrived, the 1S-pounder was drilled, an such an animated and well directed fir e opened on the brig that at 3 o'clock, havin s received several shot below the water mark . and much damage in her spars and rigging she slipped her cables and hauled out c
 reach of the battery. In this contest tw
 Americans only were slightly wounded Tn V flag, which was nailed to the staff in the bal 7 tery was pierced with seven shot; th breastwork was considerably damaged an l. six or eight dwelling houses much injured r Considerable bodies of militia arrived in th F. course of the day, and Brigadier Generi
 l Isham took command The inhabitants ha
 recovered from the consternation of the firs moments things assumed 2 more regula e and orderly aspect. Every one capable ( |. bearing arms was at the post of danger, an if the others employed in removing their e '- fects.
 d The Families and Pactolus now hauled u e and took stations within two miles of the vi IA lage, and threatened it with instant destrut :. ton. The magistrates sent deputation o v board the Families with note addressed e Commodore Hardy, informing him that th l, town was now cleared of unoffending inhab v tants, in consequence of his note of yeste day, and wished to know his determinatio D. respecting the fate of the village. The de1 .s utation, consisting of Col Williams and M ,f Lord were detained on board an, hour, an r. then our boat was sent back; and at the e. =, piration ;of the time, they were conveyed s flag from the ship, with note to the mag 's istrates stating that the deputation havir e given assurance that no torpedo.
 had been fitted out from that DOT
 and having engaged that none shoul
 be in future or receive any ai ,s from the town, that further hosti1ities woul
 cease and the village be spared in case the sent on board the ship, by o'clock in tf le morning of the 11th, Mrs. Stewart, lad ell then resident at New London, wife of u d late British consul at that place, and her far = fly. But in case of failure he should fire ar
 destroy the village effectually; for which as possessed ample means. The magistrates ar if citizens of the borough were in a singul st state of embarrassment on receiving the d
 - mand; being required to procure and ser y on board the commodore's ship lady ov' n, whom they had no control. Mrs. Stewa d was under the protection of the goyernmel in of the United States; had ever been treatt | o4 ho hf