OF GROTON HEIGHTS: A COLLECTION OF NARRATIVES, OFFICIAL REPORTS, OF THE STORMING OF FORT GRISWOLD, THE MASSACRE OF ITS GARRISON, AND THE BURNING OF NEW OF BRIG.-GEN. BENEDICT ARNOLD, ON THE SIXTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1781. WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES. Halloce BY WILLIAM W. HARRIS. ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS AND MAPS. REVISED AND ENLARGED, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES, By CHARLES ALLYN. "Zebulon and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places [Inscription on Monument.] NEW LONDON, CT.: 1882. IN the History of Connecticut, written by "A gentleman of the province" (Rev. Samuel A. Peters), and printed in 1781, are many things which show that this Colony was filled very early with revolutionary sentiments, and became an object of extreme hostility among the British. He says that Governor Trumbull wrote a letter April 28, 1775, to General Gage, at Boston, from which he quotes as follows: "But at the same time, we beg leave to assure your Excellency that, as they [the people of this Colony] apprehend themselves justified by the principles of self-defence, so they are most firmly resolved to defend their rights and privileges to the last extremity; nor will they be restrained from giving aid to their brethren, if any unjustifiable attack is made upon them." He adds, of the Colony: "They had commissioned Motte and Phelps to draft men from the militia . . . for a secret expedition which proved to be against Ticonderoga and Crown Point; and the treasurer of the Colony, by order of the Governor and Council, had paid £1,500 to bear their expenses." After these remarks he adds: "Thus did Connecticut, from its hot-bed of fanaticism and sedition, produce the first indubitable overt act of high treason in the present rebellion, by actually levying war, and taking, vi et armis, the King's forts and stores; AND, MOST PROBABLY ITS OBSTJ NACY WILL RENDER THIS THE LAST OF ALL THE REVOLTED STATES TO ACKNOWLEdge the suPREMACY OF PARLIAMENT." Though Peters has not been accepted as good historical authority, this shows such a knowledge of the spirit of the people that the account of this fight against almost hopeless odds seems but the fulfilment of his prophecy. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Sketch of NEW LONDON (Frontispiece). From Faden Collection. 24 |
