- Fort Griswold
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name = Fort Griswold
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caption = Main body of Fort Griswold today (lower battery not shown)
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location =Bounded by Baker Ave., Smith St., Park Ave., Monument Ave., and Thames RiverGroton, Connecticut
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added =October 6 ,1970
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refnum = 70000694
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[
thumb|right|Classical_drawing_of_Fort_Griswold_by_Benedict Arnold ] Fort Griswold is an Americanmilitary base , now decommissioned, inGroton, Connecticut . Named after then Deputy Governor Matthew Griswold, the fort played a key role in the early stages of theAmerican Revolutionary War . In tandem withFort Trumbull on the opposite side of the harbor, Griswold served to defend theport of New London, a supply center for the newContinental Army and a friendly port forConnecticut -sanctionedprivateer s who preyed on British ships.History
In September 1781 British troops under
Benedict Arnold raided and burned New London in theBattle of Groton Heights with the objective of ending the harassment at sea. Fort Griswold had a key strategic position above the Thames River, but the British knew the fort's inner workings thanks to theturncoat who gave numerous secrets of American defenses to the British forces he commanded. Arnold, knowing Griswold's layout and precise position, approached the harbor from such an angle that Griswold's gun positions could never draw an effective shot on the British fleet. Arnold's troops eventually made landfall, and the fort's garrison fought back. Artillery barrages andmusket fire brought (relatively) heavy casualties to each side, the fighting continuing even past commands to stop. The British eventually captured the fort and tried to destroy it, though the plan was foiled as a patriot put out the British fire before it could reach Griswold's gunpowder stores. When Benedict Arnold finally made it in, Colonel Ledyard surrendered, gave him his sword, and said that Arnold was now in charge. Arnold stabbed Colonel Ledyard with his own sword. Arnold only commanded a raiding party, not a conquering force, so the fort was abandoned as Arnold left New London in flames.The base would be rebuilt and manned in several other conflicts, but the
Battle of Groton Heights was its most prominent use.External links
*cite web
url = http://www.billmemorial.org/griswold.htm
title = Fort Griswold
accessdate =
last = Keeler
first = Hali
coauthors = et al.
date = 2003-11-20
publisher = Groton CT:Bill Memorial Libray*cite web
url = http://www.revwar.com/ftgriswold/
title = Fort Griswold Home Page
accessdate =
last = Meals
first = Michael
date = 2005-10-04
* [http://www.fortfriends.org/FORT_GRISWOLD/FortGriswold.htm Friends of Fort Griswold]
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