Fort Griswold (Groton, Connecticut)
Groton · Connecticut · Revolutionary War
History & Significance
Fort Griswold played a key role in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War in correspondence with Fort Trumbull across the Thames River, defending the port of New London—a supply center for the Continental Army and a friendly port for Connecticut-based privateers targeting British shipping. Sited on a hill, the fort could bombard ships entering the Thames River.
On September 6, 1781, British forces under Benedict Arnold attacked the fort; though the militia stubbornly resisted, the British eventually captured Fort Griswold. American casualties totaled 85 killed, 35 wounded and paroled, 28 taken prisoner, 13 escaped, and 1 captured and released.
Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard surrendered by offering his sword hilt-first to a British officer, who received it and thrust it through him. The battle marked the last significant land engagement in the northeast during the Revolutionary War.
The fort was rebuilt and used in subsequent conflicts, including the War of 1812 when sailors under Commodore Stephen Decatur sheltered there during a Royal Navy blockade in 1814. Connecticut has owned and operated the site as Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park since 1953.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- 18th-century earthwork fortifications and restored cannon emplacements
- Monument to 1781 Battle of Groton Heights and fallen defenders
- On-site museum exhibits on Revolutionary War tactics and Connecticut's military history
- Thames River views from the defensive position overlooking New London harbor
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Griswold
- https://ctparks.com/parks/fort-griswold-battlefield-state-park
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Groton_Heights
- https://connecticuthistory.org/fort-griswold-and-the-battle-of-groton-heights-1781/
- https://www.fortgriswold.org/the-battle-of-groton-heights/
- https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/deep/stateparks/parks/thebattleofgrotonheightsandtheburningofnewlondonpdf.pdf
- https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/fort-griswold-battlefield-state-park
Other Forts in Connecticut
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