The few drafted militia which had been sometime stationed there, under command of Lieutenant Hough, were placed in the best directions to give an alarm in case a landing should be attempted. During the night the volunteers and militia had assembled in considerable numbers; and the non-combatant inhabitants had generally removed to the neighboring farm-houses, in the momentary expectation of seeing their abandoned dwellings in flames. It was a night of inexpressible anguish to many a widow and orphan, to many aged and infirm, whose little pittance they were now apparently to lose forever. But Providence directed otherwise. This compact little village of 100 buildings had been for four hours covered with flames of fire and bomb shells, and not a single building was consumed nor a person injured.
At the dawn of day on the 10th, the approach of the enemy was announced by a discharge of Congreve rockets from several barges and a launch, which had taken their station, on the east side of the town, and out of reach of the battery. Several volunteers, with small arms and the four pounder, hastened across the point, supposing the enemy were attempting a landing. Colonel Randall of the 13th regiment, who at the time was moving towards the battery with a detachment of militia, ordered them to assist the volunteers in drawing over one of the 18 pounders to the extreme end of the point; the fire of which in a few minutes compelled the barges to seek safety in flight. During this time the brig was working up towards the Point, and soon after sunrise came to anchor, short of half a mile from the battery, (or more correctly, the breastwork). Our ammunition being soon exhausted, the guns were spiked, and the men who fought them, being only about 15 or 20,[5] retired, leaving them behind for want of strength to drag them off.
The brig now continued deliberately to pour her 32 pound shot and grape into the Village, without our having the power of returning a shot, for an hour, and the bomb ketch occasionally threw in shells. A fresh supply of ammunition being obtained, the 18 pounder was withdrawn from the breastwork, the vent drilled, and the piece taken back again, when such an animated and well directed fire was kept up, that at 3 o'clock the brig slipped her cable and hauled off, with her pumps going, having received several shots below her water line, and considerable damage in her spars, &c. During this action between the eighteen pounder and the brig, Mr. Frederick Denison was slightly wounded in the knee,[6] by a fragment of a rock, and Mr. John Miner, badly burnt in his face by the premature discharge of the gun. The flag, which was nailed to the mast, was pierced with seven shot holes,[7] the breast-work somewhat injured, and 6 or 8 of the dwelling-houses in the vicinity essentially injured. At this time a considerable body of militia had arrived, and Brigadier-General Isham[8] had taken the command; the inhabitants had recovered from the consternation of the first moments; and were deliberately moving off their furniture and goods. At 1 o'clock the Ramilies and Pactolus had taken stations about two and a half miles from the town, when resistance appearing hopeless, the Magistrates as a last resort applied to the General for permission to send a flag off, being impressed with the opinion that there must exist some latent cause of a peculiar nature to induce a commander who had heretofore distinguished himself for a scrupulous regard to the claims of honorable warfare,—to induce him to commit an act so repugnant to sound policy, so abhorrent to his nature, so flagrant an outrage on humanity. The General, we understand, would not sanction, nor did he absolutely prohibit, a flag being sent. They, therefore, on their own responsibility, sent on board the Ramilies, Isaac Williams and Wm. Lord, Esquires, with the following letter.
| Copy.) | Stonington August 10, 1814. |
To Sir Thomas M. Hardy,
Sir—Agreeable to notice received from you yesterday, this town is now cleared of "unoffending inhabitants," and they feeling anxious about the fate of their village, are desirous to know from you, your determination respecting it. Yours, &c.
Amos Denison, Burgess.
William Lord, Magistrate.
The deputation proceeded on board the Ramilies, and shortly after an officer informed the boatmen that they might return to the shore, as the gentlemen would be landed in a boat from the ship; and that Captain Hardy had declared that no further hostilities would be committed against the town. After remaining on board an hour, or more, the deputation were conveyed in a flag from the ship, which was met by one from the shore. They brought with them a very singular and extraordinary communication. An exact copy cannot at present be obtained, as official etiquette will not permit; but having read it when it was received on shore, as far as memory serves us, it was as follows:
On board H. M. Ship Ramilies, off Stonington, Aug. 10.
Gentlemen—You having given assurances that no torpedoes have been fitted out from Stonington; and having engaged to exert your influence to prevent any from being fitted out or receiving any aid from your town: If you send on board this ship tomorrow at eight o'clock, Mrs. Stewart, wife of James Stewart esq. late His Majesty's Consul at New London, and their children, I engage that no further hostilities shall be committed against Stonington; otherwise I shall proceed to destroy it effectually.—For which purpose I possess ample means.