HMS Terror

A British bomb vessel completed 31 July 1813 and commissioned 7 October 1813.  Abandoned in Victoria Strait, Canada 22 April 1848.

Its armament was one 13-inch mortar and one 10-inch one.  Commanded by John Sheridan.

Bombarded Stonington, Connecticut in August 1814, at the Battle of Baltimore and Fort McHenry 13-14 September 1814 and was one of those bombs bursting in air ships.

In January 1815 was at Battle of Fort Peter and the attack on St. Marys, Georgia.

After the war, it was used for Arctic exploration until laid up in 1828.  After which it saw service in the Mediterranean.

--Brock-Perry

1814 Battle of Stonington Commemorated-- Part 2

Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malby, U.S. senator Richard Blumenthe and U.S. RepresentativeJoe Courtney will also be in attendance.

The battle itself took over the span of four days in early August 1814.  The Royal Navy ships commanded by Commodore Thomas Masterman Hardy attacked the village of Stonington after it refused to surrender.  Using three cannons, two of which are on display at Cannon Square, residents repelled the attack, but many burrough homes were damaged and some still have cannonballs in their walls.

This was one of Connecticut's biggest military events during the war and came at a time when the U.S. fortunes were going bad.

There will be concerts, walking tours, military encampments at the Old Lighthouse Museum.  There will also be Stonington Harbor cruises aboard the Mystic Whaler and a rare public display of the original flag that flew over the burrough those days 200 years ago.

--Brock-Perry

1814 Battle of Stonington Commemoration-- Part 1

From the August 8, 2014 Connecticut Day "1814 Battle of Sonongton commemoration this weekend" by Joe Wojtas.

A three day bicentennial celebration was held Friday-Sunday, August 9-10th featuring exhibitions and events culminating in a large parade Sunday afternoon.

The Newport Artillery Company will have an 18th century cannon and there will also be a replica of the flag that flew over the burrough (evidently an often-used term in Connecticut) of Stonington during the battle and there will be a representative of the British Navy.

Grand Marshal of the parade is 106-year-old Anna Colt of North Stonington, who attended the centennial celebration as a young girl.  Another parade leader is Rita Babcock Palmer Park, whose grandmother, Rita Babcock Palmer, led the 1914 parade.  She will be wearing an outfit similar to what her grandmother wore back then.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Trumbull, Connecticut

From the Feb. 21, 2013, The Day (Ct.) "War of 1812 focus at Fort Trumbull" by Judy Benson.

Fort Trumbull State Park at New London, Connecticut.

There will be a series of programs beginning this spring that feature Fort Trumbull, built to protect the mouth of the Thames River and keep the British fleet blockading Long Island Sound in 1813 anchored off Great Gull Island.

Other talks will be about the Raid on Essex, the Battle of Stonington, Battle of Long Island, Battle of Groton Heights and burning of New London.

Today's fort is the third one constructed at the site which was built in 1838 to replace the War of 1812 one which was built in 1809. There is still one building at the current fort remaining from the War of 1812 one, the Block House, made of granite and protecting the powder magazine and also served as living quarters for some of the garrison.

A model of the 1812 fort is in the visitors center and there is a painting of it at the Lyman Allyn Museum.

--Brock-Perry