Fort Trumbull

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Fort Trumbull is a massive granite fort near the mouth of the Thames River in New London, Connecticut, managed as Fort Trumbull State Park by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The original fort was built in 1777 and named for Governor Jonathan Trumbull. The present fortification was built between 1839 and 1852. It lies adjacent to the Coast Guard Station New London. In 1775, Governor Jonathan Trumbull recommended building a fortification at the port of New London to protect the Connecticut government's seat. The fort was built on a rocky point of land near the mouth of the Thames River on Long Island Sound; it was completed in 1777 and named for Governor Trumbull, who served from 1769 to 1784. It was attacked in 1781 during the American Revolutionary War and was captured by British forces under the command of Benedict Arnold. Benedict Arnold had betrayed his country by this time, and he was serving as a brigadier general in the British Army when he led a raid on Groton and New London, Connecticut, on September 6, 1781. Two bodies of troops were landed on either side of the mouth of the Thames River and marched towards Fort Trumbull in New London under Captain Nathan Frink, and against Fort Griswold in Groton. Fort Trumbull fell after slight resistance, but about 150 Connecticut militiamen made a stand at Fort Griswold in the Battle of Groton Heights. The British were finally able to enter the fort, and militia commander Lieutenant-Colonel William Ledyard offered his sword to Loyalist officer Major Bromfield as a token of surrender. According to contemporaneous accounts, Bromfield took the sword from Ledyard and drove it through him, and Arnold's men proceeded to show no quarter to the remaining American troops. Eighty-five militiamen were killed, and the others were severely wounded, taken prisoner, or managed to escape. After capturing both forts, Arnold's troops burned New London and returned to their ships. - Extract of a letter from New London, dated Sept. 12. Arnold had long promised to visit New London and the neighbouring towns on the sea shore, and the enemy having frequently appeared in sight of the harbour, the alarm guns fired on the present occasion were considered by the country around us the salutes of prizes or other vessels belonging to the port. He however arrived the 6th inst. about five o, and at seven o' landed about 2500 men, half on each side of the river. At 8 o' the militia mustered in parties of 8 or 10, and annoyed the enemy until about 100 of them came up and disputed their way to Fort Trumbull; their great superiority obliged our people to yield to them the possession of the fort. Col. Ledyard, with about 76 other brave fellows, retreated to the fort on Groton side, which they determined resolutely to defend. The next assault was upon this fort, where they were repulsed several times by a bravery unequalled, for about three hours. A flag was then sent, demanding a surrender of the fort, accompanies by a threat of giving no quarters in case of refusal. The commandant consulted with his brave garrison, who refused to submit. The action was then renewed, when the flag staff was unfortunately shot away; notwithstanding which the defence was gallantly continued until about five or six hundred of the enemy having forced the pickets had entered through the breach. At this time there were but four of the garrison killed, and it was thought prudent to submit, to preserve the lives of the remainder. The officer who at this time commanded the assailants, (Major Montgomery being killed) enquired who commanded the garrison? Colonel Ledyard informed him that he had had that honour, but was unfortunate in being obliged to surrender it, at the same time delivered up to him his sword, and asked for quarter for himself and people; to which the infamous villain replied, "ye rascals, I give you quarters," and then plunged the sword into his body. The inhuman banditti, taking this as a signal, drove their bayonets up to the muzzles of their pieces into the breasts of all that were taken, except one or two who made their escape.

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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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