Cannonballs Flew Near Alewife Cove, Ct.-- Part 2: The Fight

The Gazette reported that:  "A few inhabitants immediately assembled and from an adjacent wall so annoyed the marauders that they abandoned the vessel as soon as they could put fire to her."

According to the journal of Sylvanus  Griswold, ten men left the church service in New London and ran to Fort Trumbull, and "took two smart field pieces & hastened to the scene of Action & drove the three barges off."

A half hour of firing from both sides ensued as American reinforcements arrived.  Some of the locals boarded the vessel to try to retrieve what they could, but were driven off when the frigate Statira approached and fired two or three broadsides at the burning vessel.

--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