1 ¦M:iviy|ii^i,i

Leri.yard and hi 5' brave associates, Address
Charles Grisvoin
Nev/-Lon^ en, 1 826 .

"I give iAe/^iSpb/ii:
fer.thefouniCing of a ColUge in- this. Colony'

• ILIlIBIS^jSr •

1911

Atf

ADDRESS

OF THE

aLi&ire hutt SktvbittBt

LEDYAJfDi AND HIS BRAVE ASSOCIATES,

WHO FELL AT GROTON HEIGHTS, SEPT. 6, 1781,
IN DEFENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY,
DELIVERED AT C IOTOK, (CONN.)
September 6th, 1826.
ON THE LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE OP i. MONUMENT
TO THEIR MEMORY.

By CHARLES GRISWOLD, Esa.

NEW-LONDON :
PRINTED BY J. B. CLAPP.
1826.

The Committee for building the Groton Monument, pre
sent their respects to Charles Griswold, Esq. thank him for
the excellent Oration delivered, at the ceremony of laying the
corner stone, on the 6th instant, and request him to favor them
with a copy for the press. CHARLES BULKELEY,
LYMAN LAW,
JAMES MITCHELL,
ADAM LARABEE.
TO CHARLES GRISWOLD, Esq.
JVew London, Sept. 1th, 1826.

ADDRESS.

FELLOW CITIZENS, That period in the annals of our
country, to which the ceremonies of this day, and
the recollections of this spot refer, possesses a pe
culiar and most extraordinary character. It em
braces events which involved the happiness and
welfare of nearly three millions of people : and
proclaimed principles, which by their pervading in
fluence, united the energies of this people in a
mighty struggle for freedom; which are now cefitrol-
ling the destinies of the new nations south of us,
and are advancing by a slow but certain progress
over the favorite regions of despotic government
in the old world.
The history of this period contains a Revolution,
— not the Revolution of Hayti ; not a Spanish, nor
a French Revolution, but the American Revolution
— Magical words ! What strong emotions do they
excite ! What images do they call up to the fan
cy ! Of the insolence of pride and power, of op
pressive laws and exactions, and of military coer
cion and tyranny — of the moral energy and physi
cal effort put forth under the most appalling dis
couragements, to resist this oppression and refuse
this yoke of tyranny — of battles and blood stained
fields, and at last of the triumphant result !
Let all be written, and all be said that can be
on this subject, it is a point now well settled, that

next after the glorious Reformation of the 16th
century, the American revolution is the most im
portant event in modern history. Let it not be
said or supposed, that this is a comparison unjustto
ourselves, or forms any disparagement, to the high
character of this distinguished event. When the
Religion ofthe Reformation first dawned upon the
benighted countries of the old world, the lights of
reason and knowledge appeared with her, and
have ever since attended in her train, illuminating
her path withersoever she has bent her course.
This religion crossed the English channel, and
spread her benign influences, though sparingly at
first, over Britain the land of our forefathers.
Without the regenerating powers of this Refor
mation, where would have been the pilgrims of
1620 ? and who would have ever heard of your
Plymouth Rock, or felt the glow of patriotism and
piety excited at the mention of it ? where would
have been the Ludlows, the Hookers, the Wylly-
ses, the Wolcotts, the Masons and other worthy
founders of our own State ? Where indeed would
have been your Washington, and this boasted pro
digy of modern days, the Revolution of '76, and to
return to ourselves, where would the throng that
now covers this hill, have been, and the patriotic
ceremonies of this day ?— Might not a Cortes or
Pizarro have conquered these regions, and entail
ed upon them all the horrors of Ignorance and
superstition and those enormous vices, which they
had previously carried with them into their Mexico
and Peru? And though the Mexico and Peru of the

present day, have borrowed the light and example of
our own country, in their struggles for freedom, yet
without the powerful sway of this great Reforma
tion, even this our own favored country, would
still have been a howling wilderness, or what is
worse, peopled with a race of beings, claiming an
European origin, but enslaved by ignorance, and
steeped in hopeless error, vice and pollution; with
out the cheering light of a single example to look
up to, to guide them into the ways of virtue,
knowledge or improvement.
I have spoken the names of some of the worthies
who first settled our own State : These names are
dear to us: We owe much to their rigid virtues,
their patient endurance of hardship, suffering and
toil, and their courage and fortitude in surmount
ing the dangers that beset them. Let them not be
forgotten in the recollections of this day and of
this spot. These were the men, who laid the
foundations of that society in which we live ; these
foundations they fixed deep in the solid principles
of Religion and virtue, and on them have been
reared the valuable institutions, which have formed
the character of our State the benefits of which
are seen and felt throughout our towns and villages.
The name of Mason has also been spoken ;
that man's name has much to do with the early
history of this town ; the scene of his brilliant a-
chievements, was laid in this vicinity ; here he per
formed a most distinguished public service, and
by it saved our State from utter ruin and exter
mination. A powerful and savage nation once in-

habited the regions around us, and the seat of
their politick Sachem, and his bold warriors, lay
in two fortresses that once stood in the south-east
ern part of this town. They way laid, tortured,
and murdered the peaceful people of our first set
tlements on the Connecticut River, without pro
vocation, and threatened them with extinction.
John Mason was sent with an expedition of nine
ty men, being the whole bone and muscle of an
infant colony, to subdue and if possible to extir
pate this most formidable enemy.
The story of this expedition, and the complete
success that attended it, is one of the most inte
resting in the history of New-England, and is fa
miliar to most of those who hear me ; rare, rare in
deed have been the instances recorded, where the
existence of an entire country and people have
been, as in this case, embarked on the fortunes of
one perilous enterprise : And while we doubt,
which most to admire — the wisdom and forecast
by which it was contrived or the rapidity and suc
cess with which it was executed, we cannot hesi
tate a moment to place its leader, high on the roll
of the great men, and distinguished benefactors of
our country.
But the American Revolution — what were the
peculiar and distinguishing features of this great
event ? It was a long, tedious and distressing war ;
attended with suffering, sacrifice and toil ; so also
have other wars been ; other wars also have much
exceeded it in the number of the combatants
engaged, and of the great battles fought ; in the

amount of havoc and devastation committed, and
in the quantity and splendor of the trophies that
usually accompany the victors. This war, though
for a long time it was attended with very dubious
and fluctuating fortunes, was at last completely
successful ; the enemy were worried out and van
quished ; and we were saved from those chains,
which had been prepared for us. Such is the
usual end of a succesful defensive war, but gives
a poor idea indeed of our Revolutionary struggle.
The character of a war depends entirely on the
cause that created it, and the objects that are
sought to be gained. If the cause is trivial, and
the object of contention of small moment, the
war is at once by all sensible minds, pronounced
foolish and wicked, and its end baleful and inglo
rious : Of this character have indeed been a large
proportion of the wars of ancient and modern
days, and the earth has been crimsoned with the
blood of tens and hundreds of thousands of human
victims to satisfy the rapacity, pride and ambi
tion of base men.
Widely different from this, was the character of
our Revolutionary contest, the moving cause of
which was the tyranny and oppression exercised
by a mother country over her Colonies, and the
object of which was independence of this mo
ther country, and freedom from the galling effects
of her tyranny and oppression. A war waged
with such views and motives, could not and did
not fail to fix the attention of the whole civilized
world, and even at the time to command the sin-

8
cere approbation and hearty well wishes, of many
of the first characters of Europe in our favour.
The master spirits, under whose auspices the
destinies of our Country were at this interesting
period conducted, were the first who asserted and
maintained the just and fundamental principles of
civil government, and who openly and fearlessly
proclaimed them in presence of the whole
world. They held that all political power belongs to,
and is only derived from the peop le — that this
power or sovereignty is inherent and unalien able
— that they have the right to delegate this power,
and when delegated that the person receiving it
must use it solely for the benefit and happiness of
the givers, and be accountable to them for every
abuse of it.
For the truth and soundness of these elements of
government, they appealed to the common sense
and justice of mankind. The spirit and manner
in which this appeal has been received, is suffi
ciently manifest, from the liberal and enlightened
views, that the people of most nations are begin
ning to take of civil rights, and the particular
anxiety and alarm now felt on this subject by the
crowned heads of the day, and their violent oppo
sition to every public movement in favor of these
liberal views.
The old notion of the inherent or divine right
of kings to the powers of government, though long
since exploded in Britain, is still practically if not
professedly the ruling principle, of some of the

9
great Powers of Continental Europe. They would
still maintain, though against the convictions of
conscience, and make their subjects believe it if
they could ; that the institution of government is
merely for thw convenience, benefit and acco m-
modation of the monarch on his throne, and of the
parasites that look up to it for protection and
bounty: that the millions of beings who inhabit
their extensive realms are subjects — that is, persons
who must yield a passive submission to the pow
ers that be, and who have no concern whatever
with the prerogatives of sovereignty; and those
who render, the most abject obedience to this sys
tem of rule, are of course pronounced the best
and most loyal subjects. It is admitted, that these
remarks would apply more pointedly to the state
of the world as it was a few generations back —
indeed despots' may frown on the rapid advances,
which enlightened reason, and free intellect are
making through the world, but they cannot check
them in their progressive onward course ; and
while they realize this fact, they tremble at its
ominous import, and at last content themselves
by appealing to the example of their predeces
sors, and to the law of force, for that security
which they in vain seek for elsewhere.
It is the pride and glory of our Revolution, that
all these slavish notions, these gross absurdities,
and grosser impositions on the human understand
ings, were by its agency swept away like chaff be
fore the tempest, and the mind of man for the first
time, was left free and unshackled, to discern the

10
true nature of civil rights, and the only legitimate
foundations of civil government.
We, fellow citizens, are quietly and securely en
joying the inestimable rights and privileges, which
were achieved in this memorable struggle ; while
we feel no danger, of having them wrested from us
by any power on earth, it is our bounden duty to
render up our unfeigned gratitude and thanks, to the
Great Dispenser of every good and perfect gift ibr
his gracious condescension in vouchsafing them to
us. Let us not forget the pricey at which our freedom
was obtained — that the whole moral and physical
energies of our country, were for eight long years
engrossed, in carrying on the arduous contest, and
bringing it to a successful result ; and that the
blood of our citizens many of them among the
most worthy of the human family, was freely pour
ed out in behalf of the great cause. This sub
ject 1 well know, is trite and familiar to most of
those around me ; the spirit of inquiry and gen
eral diffusion of knowledge, which characterize
the times in which we live, have caused it to be
examined, discussed, and fully comprehended ;
but it can never cease to interest us deeply, and
the story of our great struggle, though often and
again repeated, can never fall coldly on your ears.
But the associations that spring up with the re
collections of this day, what are they ? The cau
ses that have this day operated, to make these
Heights the focus of attraction to the people of
our State, what are they ? — All, all refer to this

11
same Revolution. One of the trying scenes of
that period was acted on this spot, and a portion
of the daring spirit and patriotic devotion" of the
men of '76, was here signally displayed. We
have not however, come up here to celebrate a
great battle or a splendid victqry, nor to set forth
an ostentatious display of the columns that were
here put to rout, and of the thousands that were
slaughtered in the field ; nor to draw up a pom
pous record of the number of cannon, of stand
ards and of prisoners captured : These details we
leave for such fields, as those of Marengo, Auster-
litz, or Waterloo. The stand that was made here
by a handful of our countrymen, against a very
superior British force, and the bravery, heroism,
and desperate fighting exhibited here in defence
of this fort, will not lose by a comparison in these
respects, with any other conflict that can be men
tioned : but the cause in which this conflict was
maintained, the devotedness of these brave men
to that cause, and the peculiarly agonizing man
ner, in which their lives were sacrificed in behalf
of their country's freedom and welfare, are the con
siderations which lay claim to our sympathies on
this occasion, and require us to cherish and re
spect their memories.
A particular account of the battle of Fort Gris
wold, is hardly called for at this time. A vivid
and accurate description of it, was delivered from
this spot, on the anniversary of the past year;
and many other narratives of the same event,
have at diverse times been laid before the publie

12
by persons who had taken a share in the battle,
and therefore well qualified for the task. Some
of the circumstances however relating to it, which
impart peculiar interest to the day we are celebra
ting, ought perhaps to be repeated, and are enti
tled to particular attention.
The British expedition that made its appear
ance, off the mouth of this harbour, on the morn-
of the 6th of September 178 1, consisted as it is
said of twenty-four ships and transports, which
contained about sixteen hundred regular troops.
This formidable spectacle, arose to the view of
the people on shore, with the dawning light of
day, suddenly and unexpectedly. The man who
commanded these troops, was well acquainted
with the country he had come to desolate, and the
probable condition of it for making resistance : he
came with vindictive feelings, for he was a base
and heartless traitor ! — This force landed in two
equal divisions : One of which proceeded to the
destruction of the town opposite us, and the other
to the attack and capture of this fort. As this
was the commanding position, that overlooked
New-London and its waters, it was a principal
object with the enemy to take it, and of our peo
ple to defend it as their strong hold and main de
pendence. At the period of which 1 am speaking, the A-
merican Revolution was fast drawing to its crisis ;
our principal forces had filed off from the neigh
borhood of New- York, and were on their way to
engage in new scenes in Virginia, which at length

terminated in a great victory over Cornwallis at
Yorktown, and decided the fate of the mighty
struggle. The regular army of our country, was
necessarily employed in this, and other important
operations, and of course our shores was left
chiefly or entirely to the defence of citizens or of
Buch persons as associated under state authority
for that purpose.
The condition of New-London and Groton, to
make a resistance to an enemy consisting of six
teen hundred veteran and disciplined troops, was
such„as to make us easily conceive of the stout
est hearts being appalled by the conjuncture: And
it would not be doing justice to the characters of
such men as Ledyard, Stanton and others, to sup
pose that they, on the morning preceding the as
sault on this fort, were not as fully sensible of the
consequences that would follow a determined re
sistance to an enemy so superior, as we now are,
who live forty-five years after the catastrophe took
place. Is this conduct of our brave countrymen
then, to be set down as an instance, of men rushing
needlessly and madly into the midst of danger,
. and casting away life, without a prospect of ac
complishing any good or rational purpose ? — No
one ever heard this said of them — no man's fancy
ever whispered any such thing: No one doubted
at the time, and no one doubts now, of a necessi
ty that demanded resistance to this invading foe :
The ulterior purposes of the enemy could not be
foreseen, the whole country about us, lay open
and exposed to wide waste and desolation. To

*"%

14
check the impetuousity of this enemy, to cripple his
strength, and to break down his proud spirit, was
the imperious duty of those who were here charg
ed with the public defence.
But what was the force, that made their stand
to encounter the shock of an enemy amounting to
eight hundred veteran troops ? It consisted of
one hundred and forty-nine men, a few of which
were of the standing army of our country, a lar
ger portion were Connecticut State troops, and a
decided majority of the whole, were volunteers,
chiefly from Groton, some from New- London, and
a few from Stonington, who left families, friends
and kindred, and hastened up here to engage heart
and hand in this arduous and cruel service. The
fort near us was then even more rude and imper
fect, than it is now, in the dilapidated state that we
see it, and was little fitted to withstand an assault ;
but against all these fearful odds, the little band
within its parapets stood ready to receive the
storm — it came — the shock was violent — the con
flict raged, and how did this little band bear it —
how did they acquit themselves in this trying emer
gency ! The reply has long since gone forth, it is
recorded in history, it is on the lips of the thou
sands around me ready to be uttered, and it is about
to be inscribed here on a monumental tablet ;
and we should never have come up to this spot to
perform the ceremonies just now witnessed, were
we not assured that the work of this day, and the
superstructure that will rise upon it, will here stand
a lasting testimony of the patriotism and heroic

15
valour, that was here exhibited in opposing the en
emies of our country, and in defending her rights
and liberties.
Byt there are present among us, a select few, to
whom we might appeal on this interesting subject.
They could tell the story of this conflict, far bet
ter than it is in my power to do it ; they could tell
it with that pathos and feeling, which cannot be
imitated by a person who never shared personally
in the scenes he describes ; their mutilated per
sons and honourable scars, furnish visible proofs
that they are no feigned characters, and that they
really shared, in the desperate fortunes of the 6th
of September. From them might we learn, how
fought the Ledyards and the Averys, the Chesters
and the Perkins', the Richards and the Williams,
and how fought the Stantons and the Shapleys —
But I crave pardon for mentioning the names of
some of the sufferers of that day, when time would
fail me, in an attempt to enumerate them all: these
names are among those that occur most frequent
ly on the list of the slain or mortally wounded.
Venerable Survivors of the fith September, we
would congratulate you, that the Great Being who
hold* in his own hands, the issues of life and death?
has preserved your lives thus far ; and has per
mitted you to be witnesses of the interesting cere
monies of this anniversary day. You are a small
remnant of that patriotic band, whose valour and
self-devotion to the cause of our common country,
was once so signally displayed on this spot, and
whose blood so freely shed in the same great cause;

16
has made this, consecrated ground. . To the thou
sands now assembled on these Heights, you are
objects of particular regard, and of rational cu
riosity ; and without your presence one half of
the animation and interest of the scenes of this
day would be lost. The venerable men of our
Revolutionary period, are indeed becoming more
and more, the objects of our deep attention and
respect ; the list of them is fast diminishing, and
according to the natural order of things, the time
is not far distant, when the name last remaing up
on it, will be blotted out forever.
Gentlemen, you have been spared to us, from
that scene of carnage, which has ever excited the
grief, horror and indignation, of all who ever heard
of it; the blow inflicted by it, fell upon fathers,
brothers, friends and neighhours, taken from this
immediate vicinity, and for many years overspread
the region around us, with deep gloom and un
speakable woe. The dark deed was never sof
tened down by excuse or apology: No one was
found to give this relief to the darkness of the tra
gedy. Time only can smooth the asperities crea
ted by such an event ; but the indulgence of vehe
ment feelings is now useless and unavailing, and
it is the wiser part to repress them all, while occu
pying ourselves more intently in celebrating, the
virtues and cherishing the memories of the brave
sufferers of that day.
Gentlemen, the days that are yet allotted to you,
may they be many, virtuous and happy ; and may
their end be crowned with peace — even that peace
which no man can give, nor take away.

17
It is now rather more than a year, since the first
public movement was made on the subject of erect
ing a memorial on these Heights, in remembrance
of those who fell on the 6th of September 1781.
An appeal has been made to the people and gov
ernment of our State, and one sentiment and one
feeling only, have I believe been manifested on
the occasion : The memories and deeds of these
men, at last seem to be duly appreciated, and a
just tribute of public respect, seems now in a fair
way to be awarded to them. It has been deter
mined, that a public monument shall rear its head
from this spot : An Association has been formed to
carry on the work, and we hav? just witnessed the
commencement of the labour, attebde s with those
rites and ceremonies, which were deemed suita
ble and becoming to the occasion.
The practice of raising monuments, to perpetu
ate a remembrance of distinguished persons and
events, is coeval with the history of the world ; and
has received the sanction of both enlightened and
barbarous nations, from the age of Joshua, when
the children of Israel, at the command of God, pla
ced the twelve stones at Gilgal as a perpetual me
morial of their safe arrival in the land of Canaan,
down to the day we are now celebrating.
There is something therefore, in this method of
keeping up the knowledge of interesting events,
that approves itself to the common sense and fee
ling of men. A little reflection it is true, will con
vince us, that the great events of our Revolution,
and the names of the illustrious men who figured
3

18
in it, will be more securely and durably preserv
ed, in the hearts and memories of the people of
our country, than by monuments of stone or brass :
The former are as imperishable as time, and as ex
tensive as the utmost bounds of our nation, whilst
the latter are the work of human hands and must
therefore decay and crumble to dust.
But it is a strong propensity of >our nature, to
feel a desire to do something, that will serve to
show our respect and veneration for the deeds and
virtues of departed men — to do something that
shall be an object of our senses, and that can be
seen and felt and understood by all, the old and
the young, the scholar and the illiterate person.
The erection of monuments is a method that has
been hit upon for the gratification of this common
feeling of our nature ; and when the work already
begun on this Height, shall rise as we trust it will,
in simplicity and unadorned solidity, it 'will consti
tute a common centre of attraction for the patri
otic sentiments of all such as visit this spot. The
multitudes who may resort here to pay their devo
tions, let their opinions and feelings which they
carry abroad with them in the busy world, be what
they may; and let these different opinions clash
and jar as they may, will here be impressed with
one united sentiment and feeling of love for coun
try, arid of respect for the men who fell in defence
of our rights and liberties.
Let no one imagine, that this monument when
completed, will only attract the notice and atten
tion of the people of the present day and genera-