Fort Griswold
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Fort Griswold
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River or Lower battery.
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| Location | Bounded by Baker Ave., Smith St., Park Ave., Monument Ave., and Thames River Groton, Connecticut |
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| Website | Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park |
| NRHP Reference # | 70000694 |
| Added to NRHP | October 6, 1970 |
Fort Griswold is a former American defensive fortification in Groton, Connecticut. Named after then Deputy Governor Matthew Griswold, the fort played a key role in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. In correspondence with Fort Trumbull on the opposite side of the harbor, Griswold served to defend the port of New London, a supply center for the new Continental Army and friendly port for Connecticut-sanctioned privateers who attacked British ships. The 17-acre site is maintained as Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Construction of the fort was begun on 5 December 1775 in response to the outbreak of the American Revolution. The fort was completed in 1778, and was also called "Groton Fort". It is located on a high hill with the ability to bombard ships entering the Thames Rive or the city of New London if necessary. About 100 feet below the main fort is a battery for additional guns which was originally built during the Revolutionary War and improved in the late 19th Century.
In September 1781, British troops under Benedict Arnold raided and burned New London in the Battle of Groton Heights with the objective of halting the naval harassment. Fort Griswold was strategically positioned above the Thames River. Thanks to the turncoat (Arnold), the British were well informed of the inner layout of the fort. Arnold intelligently approached the harbor from such an angle that the fort's guns could never engage his fleet. Arnold's troops eventually made landfall and encountered resistance. Artillery barrages and musket fire brought somewhat heavy casualties to each side. The British plan to blow up the fort was foiled by a patriot who extinguished the fire before it reached the gunpowder stores. As the British broke into the fort, Colonel William Ledyard surrendered by giving the commanding officer his sword and was killed with it. Arnold eventually abandoned the fort and left New London in flames.
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