battle battle known occasionally called massacre battle american revolutionary war fought september small connecticut militia force led lieutenant colonel numerous british forces led brigadier general lieutenant colonel lieutenant general sir ordered general arnold raid connecticut port unsuccessful attempt divert general george_washington marching lord army virginia raid success connecticut militia resisted british attempts capture new london burned ships escaped received land grants new_york ohio battle lost property originally little resistance new london discovered hand reports resistance stiff regulars landed similar lexington concord militia organised raid new london far leadership col harris reportedly felt ill rode leaders attacking british force killed seriously wounded defending garrison killed mortally wounded captured fort stormed high british casualties led criticism general arnold superiors battle major military encounter war northern united_states preceding overshadowed decisive american victory virginia weeks later battle reportedly remember french forces stormed background connecticut history dates originally larger counterpart northern shore important maritime port largest new_england coastline officially separated incorporated separate town american revolutionary war port major center rebel naval operations including highly successful operations british shipping port comparatively poorly protected fort new london little open inland substantial roughly square stone fort surrounded ditch outer defenses typically garrisoned small companies militia including overall command area defenses directed lieutenant colonel forts suffered continuous shortages provisions equipment unfinished infrastructure complete lacked sufficient gunpowder food troops conduct effective stand british august continental_army major general george_washington realized opportunity strike british army lieutenant general charles virginia washington began moving forces south new_york area variety british commander chief head british forces new_york_city lieutenant general sir general clinton realized september unable quickly assist unwilling large percentage forces face continental forces washington left new_york clinton decided launch raid connecticut effort draw washington attention planned raid believed permanent british occupation new london established base operations interior new_england gave command forces raid connecticut native brigadier general changed sides previous september prelude forces assembled british divided battalions numbering men lieutenant colonel composed 40th 54th regiments foot loyalist provincial regiment skinner second battalion arnold command consisted 38th foot variety loyalist units including arnold provincial regiment known expedition included small number pound guns divided battalions troops embarked transports sailed september company fleet smaller armed ships led commodore fifth rate fleet anchored miles west new london final preparations sailed late september intending nighttime landing contrary winds prevented transports reaching port daylight september early hours morning colonial officer stationed fort witnessed fleet arrival clock morning soon daylight fleet appeared short distance lighthouse fleet consisted thirty vessels immediately sent word captain commanded fort far distant soon came fort saw enemy fleet immediately sent notice col commander harbor receiving alert sent messenger governor local militia leaders british arrival went arrange defenses guns fired twice signal enemy approach british ships fired round changing meaning signal indicate arrival victorious friend signal confusion led delays militia companies sunrise september british landed sides mouth people town evacuate ships harbor escaped upstream man detachment arnold led new london met resistance defenders men led captain fired single volley guns boarded boats cross river following orders left colonel seven men wounded boats captured detachment arnold sent fort sustained killed wounded according arnold account arnold troops continued town set destroying goods naval stores orders given town supposed spared unknown arnold burned contained large quantity gunpowder ignited resulting explosion set fire surrounding buildings fire soon buildings consumed flames ships harbor able escape wind changed lieutenant colonel force men landed east slowed woodlands landed initial wave regulars delayed difficulty moving artillery rough conditions participate assault boy confused accounts commanding officer african american militia unit called witnessed quick rallying militia landing british regiments reported occurred division troops landed east river command col major montgomery division got terminus woods little south east direct line fort division halted major montgomery sent captain flag fort demand surrender colonel sent flag met bearer american flag answered colonel maintain fort sent second flag threatening quarter militia surrender response subordinates argued leave fort fight outside general arnold ordered assault fort believing fall easily reaching prominence defenses arnold realized fort complete anticipated taking easy reasons taking fort prevent escape boats passed fort arnold attempted recall battle joined minutes messenger arrived battle return second flag launched scale assault fort roughly defenders sergeant militia recounted answer demand returned enemy soon motion marched great solid column rushed simultaneously assault southwest opposite sides british neared ditch met bombardment killed wounded briefly scattered british reformed units led force southwest american fire repulsed assault seriously wounding officers new london historian assertion mortally wounded apparently incorrect arnold reported survived major led second party abandoned east fort moved ditch assaulted fierce resistance unit gained montgomery instantly killed bayonet thrust montgomery men finally able open gate inside british force poured fort seeing fort penetrated colonel ordered cease fire prepared surrender place happened subject controversy detailed extant accounts event american sources fairly consistent describe according accounts british continued fire americans despite signs surrender garrison consequently killed seriously wounded wrote account believe men enemy parade fort killed wounded nearly man fort quick described cold killing colonel sword officer murdered came near commands fort replied moment handing sword villain buried breast spite madness man murder reasonable noble hearted officer act submitting surrendering accounts claim captain killed claim captain assumed command major montgomery killed recalled bloody scene aftermath scene brutal witnessed took place enemy firing discovered danger blown believed attack called chance musket fire set fort powder magazine american accounts historical descriptions possible reasons british behavior battle fort flag supposedly shot point quickly british attackers interpreted event striking colors making sign surrender british suffered significant casualties approached fort occasion combined anger death wounding commanding officers led disregard legitimate surrender accounts claim americans fort unaware surrendered continued fight leading british continue fighting surrendered early british historians generally report arnold report expedition mention killings surrender reported history war americans half dozen killed fort stormed severe execution took place resistance ceased italian historian wrote surrendered resisted aftermath massacre fort marked largest history connecticut british victories north_america end war damage new london substantial estimate placed value destroyed nearly battle left nearly families homeless destroyed public buildings town waterfront state identified losses totaled continental dollars lost homes property awarded land slaughter fort left dozens americans dead reported casualties numbered survivors escaped taken prisoner including stated massacre plundered left literally naked wounded reported placed wagon taken fleet wagon allowed run hill stopped struck tree throwing men wagon injuries general arnold reported men found dead wounded mortally later issued report stating british soldiers killed wounded general clinton praised arnold spirited conduct complained high casualty rate percent troops sent killed wounded british observer wrote like expedition british soldiers blamed arnold events fort position prevent reported slaughter arnold proposed raiding expedition philadelphia surrender general late october ended idea legacy british left burning powder trail destroy magazine daring entered fort extinguished fire extensively modified 19th century preserved state parks park includes erected 1820s commemorate battle forts listed national_register_of_historic_places order battle american captain captain captain company detachment captain 2nd company 8th militia regiment commanded captain numerous volunteers according plaque gate american casualties follows killed wounded taken prisoner escaped total british operating new london west bank brig general colonel 38th regiment foot captain loyal american regiment colonel pounder east bank colonel captain 40th regiment foot major captain 54th regiment foot colonel captain 3rd battalion colonel pounder gun inch captain
Battle of Groton Heights