FOOTNOTES:

[A] "Some respectable citizens from motives of curiosity weighed several shells &c., and found their weight to be as follows.

One of the largest carcasses, partly full of the combustible,216lb.
One of the smallest sortdo.103
One of the largest kind empty,189
One of the largest bomb shells,189
One of the smallestdo.90
One, marked on it (fire 16 lb)16

One of the largest carcasses partly full, was set on fire, which burnt half an hour, emitting a horrid stench; in a calm the flame would rise ten feet. Some of the rockets were sharp pointed, others not, made of sheet iron very thick, containing at the lower end some of them a fusee of grenade, calculated to burst, and if they were taken hold of before the explosion, might prove dangerous; one or two persons received injury in this way. They appear to contain a greater variety of combustibles than the fire carcasses.

[Letter from Capt. Amos Palmer, to the Secretary of War.]

[From Niles's Weekly Register, Oct. 21, 1815.]

The defence of Stonington by a handful of brave citizens was more like an effusion of feeling, warm from the heart, than a concerted military movement. The result of it, we all know, and it afforded sincere delight to every patriot. But the particulars we have never seen so accurately described as in the following concise narrative from the chairman of the committee of defence, to the Secretary of War, of which we have been provided with a copy for publication.—Nat. Intelligencer.

"Stonington Borough, Aug. 21, 1815.
To the Hon. Wm. H. Crawford,
Secretary of War.

Sir:

The former Secretary of War put into my hands, as chairman of the committee of defence, the two 18-pounders and all the munitions of war that were here, belonging to the general government, to be used for the defence of the town,—and I gave my receipt for the same.

As there is no military officer here, it becomes my duty to inform you [of] the use we have made of it. That on the 9th of August last [year], the Ramilies 74, the Pactolus 44, the Terror bomb-ship, and the Despatch gun brig, anchored off the harbor. Commodore Hardy sent off a boat, with a flag; we met him with another from the shore, when the officer of the flag handed me a note from Commodore Hardy, informing that one hour was given the unoffending inhabitants, before the town would be destroyed.

We returned to the shore, where all the male inhabitants were collected, when I read the note aloud; they all exclaimed, they would defend the place to the last extremity, and if it was destroyed, they would be buried in the ruins.

We repaired to a small battery that we had hove up—nailed our colors to the flag staff—others lined the shore with their muskets.

At about seven in the evening, they put off five barges and a large launch, carrying from 32 to 9 lb. carronades in their bows, and opened their fire from their shipping, with bombs, carcasses, rockets, round, grape and cannister shot, and sent their boats to land under cover of their fire. We let them come within small grape distance, when we opened our fire upon them, from our two 18-pounders, with round and grape shot. They soon retreated out of grape distance, and attempted a landing on the east side of the village; we dragged a six-pounder that we had mounted over, and met them with grape, and all our muskets opened fire on them, so that they were willing to retreat the second time. They continued their fire 'till 11 at night.

The next morning at seven o'clock, the brig Despatch anchored within pistol shot of our battery, and they sent five barges and two large launches to land under cover of their whole fire (being joined by the Nimrod 20 gun brig). When the boats approached within grape distance, we opened our fire on them with round and grape shot. They retreated and came round the east side of the town. We checked them with our six pounder and muskets, 'till we dragged over one of our 18 pounders. We put in it a round shot and about 40 or 50 lbs. of grape, and placed it in the centre of their boats as they were rowing up in a line and firing on us. We tore one of their barges all in pieces; so that two, one on each side, had to lash her up, to keep her from sinking. They retreated out of grape distance, and we turned our fire upon the brig, and expended all our cartridges but five, which we reserved for the boats, if they made another attempt to land. We then lay four hours without being able to annoy the enemy in the least, except from muskets on the brig, while the fire from the whole fleet was directed against our buildings. After the third express to New London, some fixed ammunition arrived. We then turned our cannon on the brig, and she soon cut her cable and drifted out.

The whole fleet then weighed, and anchored nearly out of reach of our shot, and continued this and the next day to bombard the town.

They set the buildings on fire in more than twenty places, and we as often put them out. In the three days' bombardment they sent on shore 60 tons of metal, and, strange to say, wounded only one man, since dead. We have picked up 15 tons, including some that was taken up out of the water, and the two anchors that we got.[18] We took up and buried four poor fellows that were hove overboard out of the sinking barge.

Since peace, the officers of the Despatch brig have been on shore here: they acknowledge they had 21 killed, and 50 badly wounded; and further say, had we continued our fire any longer, they should have struck, for they were in a sinking condition: for the wind then blew at S. W. directly into the harbour. Before the ammunition arrived, it shifted round to north, and blew out of the harbour. All the shot suitable for the cannon we have reserved. We have now more 18 pound shot than was sent us by government. We have put the two cannon in the arsenal, and housed all the munitions of war."

[Extract from the Speech of Gen. Erastus Root, of New York],

In the House of Representatives, on the Bill to provide for the payment of Militia called out by State authority, and not placed under the command of the United States.

[After animadverting with great severity on the affair at Pettipaug point,[19] and the course pursued by Governor Smith, of Connecticut, for the defence of New London]—

"There was one achievement, said Mr. R., which brightened the annals of Connecticut and shed lustre on the American character. He alluded to the Defence of Stonington. A more brilliant affair, said he, had not taken place during the late war. It was not rivalled by the defence of Sandusky, the glorious triumph on the Niagara, nor the naval victories on Erie and Champlain. And yet that heroic exploit is claimed in favor of Governor Smith's militia, and is to gild the pill which we are called upon to swallow. The detached militia, said Mr. R., had nothing to do in that affair. It was achieved by fourteen democrats, volunteer democrats, who were determined to defend the town or perish in its ruins. Commodore Hardy, fearful that that democratic town would send torpedoes among his squadron, demanded a pledge that no harm should be done to his ships. No pledge being given, and after advising the removal of women and children from the town, the enemy made a vigorous attack, first in barges, and afterwards in a brig of war. This heroic little band, with a single gun mounted on a small battery, drove off the brig as they had before driven off the barges. They sent havoc and death among the enemy,—saved the town,—and crowned themselves with never fading laurels."—The (Hartford) Times, March 18, 1817.

[The Battle of Stonington, on the Seaboard of Connecticut.]

by philip freneau.

In an attack upon the town and a small fort of two guns, by the Ramillies, seventy-four gun ship, commanded by Sir Thomas Hardy; the Pactolus, 38 gun ship; Despatch brig, and a razee, or bomb ship,—August, 1814.

Four gallant ships from England came
Freighted deep with fire and flame,
And other things we need not name,
To have a dash at Stonington.

Now safely moor'd, their work begun,
They thought to make the Yankees run,
And have a mighty deal of fun
In stealing sheep at Stonington.

A deacon then popp'd up his head,
And Parson Jones's sermon read,
In which the reverend doctor said
That they must fight for Stonington.

A townsman bade them, next, attend
To sundry resolutions penn'd,
By which they promised to defend
With sword and gun old Stonington.

The ships advancing different ways,
The Britons soon began to blaze,
And put th' old women in amaze,
Who feared the loss of Stonington.

The Yankees to their fort repair'd,
And made as though they little cared
For all that came—though very hard
The cannon play'd on Stonington.

The Ramillies began the attack,
Despatch came forward—bold and black—
And none can tell what kept them back
From setting fire to Stonington.

The bombardiers with bomb and ball
Soon made a farmer's barrack fall,
And did a cow-house sadly maul
That stood a mile from Stonington.

They kill'd a goose, they kill'd a hen,
Three hogs they wounded in a pen—
They dash'd away,—and pray what then?
This was not taking Stonington.

The shells were thrown, the rockets flew,
But not a shell, of all they threw,
Though every house was full in view,
Could burn a house at Stonington.

To have their turn, they thought but fair;—
The Yankees brought two guns to bear,
And, sir, it would have made you stare,
This smoke of smokes at Stonington.

They bor'd Pactolus through and through,
And kill'd and wounded of her crew
So many, that she bade adieu
T' the gallant boys of Stonington.

The brig Despatch was hull'd and torn—
So crippled, riddled, so forlorn—
No more she cast an eye of scorn
On the little fort at Stonington.

The Ramillies gave up th' affray,
And, with her comrades sneaked away.
Such was the valor on that day,
Of British tars, near Stonington.

But some assert, on certain grounds,
(Besides the damage and the wounds,)
It cost the King ten thousand pounds
To have a dash at Stonington.

[Few of Freneau's earlier and better poems were so popular as this of "The Battle of Stonington," in its day. All Connecticut boys knew it by heart, and it had an established place among the 'declamations' of school exhibitions. Until within a few years it was to be found in the assortment of every street vender of ballads and patriotic poems,—sometimes in its original form, but more often, with 'emendations and corrections.' In the broad-side from which I first learned it (bought at a stall in the neighborhood of Fulton market, some thirty years ago,) for the twelfth and thirteenth verses was substituted this:—

"They bored the Despatch through and through,
And kill'd and wounded half her crew;
'Till crippled, riddled, she withdrew,—
And curs'd the boys of Stonington.">[

[Celebrations of the Anniversary of the Attack.]

1815.

Thursday, Aug. 10th, the first anniversary of the battle, was observed as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. The old flag was again hoisted on the flag-staff at the battery: and a procession, formed at that place, marched to the Congregational meeting-house, to listen to a discourse by the pastor, Rev. Ira Hart. On its conclusion, the procession returned to the battery, where the exercises of the day were closed by prayer. "On Friday evening a grand anniversary ball was given; the assembly being both numerous and brilliant."—Conn. Gazette, Aug. 23d.

1818.

Celebration at the Borough, on Monday, Aug. 10th. "The company was very numerous, and the business of the day went off with great eclat."—Id. Aug. 12th, 1818.

1824.

An Oration was delivered at the Congregational meeting-house, by Rev. David Austin, "characteristic of his talents, patriotism, and eloquence." The concourse of citizens from Stonington and the neighboring towns was unusually large and respectable. An excellent dinner was provided by Major Babcock, at the Borough Hotel, to which a large number of citizens and invited guests did ample justice. The following were among the volunteer toasts:

By Capt. Edmund Fanning. The Grasshopper Fort[B]—may it never be forgotten by those whom it defended.

By Samuel Copp, Esq. American Eighteen-pounders—as handled in the Grasshopper Fort.

By Gen. J. Isham. August 10th, 1814—May no vile calumniator hereafter attempt to tarnish the hard earned fame of the heroes of that day.

By Gurdon Trumbull, Esq. John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson—Their elevation to the first offices of our government, will demonstrate that sovereignty is yet with the people, and guarantee the defence of our national rights, whether assailed by the pen or the sword.

By Dr. Swift. Capt. Amos Palmer—His memory; his energy and perseverance.

By W. Storer Jun. Gen. La Fayette[C]—Whom God doth bless, we will honor.

By Jesse Dean, esq. Major Simeon Smith—Who made cartridges of his stockings, for our defence, on the day we celebrate.—New London Gazette, Aug. 18th.

1826.

The installation of Benevolent Chapter of Royal Arch Masons took place at Stonington, on the anniversary of the attack. The revenue cutters Eagle, from New Haven, the Newport cutter, and the steamboat Long-branch (Capt. Mather), from New London, brought numerous masonic and other guests,—military companies,—and a band of music. A procession of some three hundred brethren and companions was formed, by order of Doct. Thomas Hubbard, M. E. G. H. P., under the direction of Companions Gen. W. Williams, Samuel F. Denison, and others, as marshals. The procession marched to the site of the battery, where a spacious tent had been erected, with seats for 2500 persons,—and listened to a prayer from the Gr. Chaplain, Rev. Seth B. Paddock, and an Oration by Asa Child, Esq.; after which the new chapter was dedicated in ample form, and the several officers duly installed. A grand dinner closed the exercises of the day.—N. L. Gazette, Aug. 16th.

1827.

A grand celebration, on the battle ground, where a large tent had been erected. Among the guests were his Excellency Governor Tomlinson and his staff. The procession formed early in the morning, and marched through the principal streets, escorted by the Stonington artillery and Norwich rifle companies, to the tent,—where an address was delivered by Gurdon Trumbull, Esq.: after which, the procession re-formed, and proceeded to the dinner table (spread in Mr. Faxon's rope walk, under the supervision of Major Paul Babcock). Samuel F. Denison, Esq., presided at the table, assisted by Major General Wm. Williams, George Hubbard and B. F. Babcock, Esquires. A long account of the celebration, with the toasts drank at the dinner, &c.—is given in the New London Gazette, of August 15th.