Alamo of the Revolution

Benedict Arnold and the Massacre at Fort Griswold

By: Jerald P. Hurwitz

Narrated by: Paul Brion

In July of 1781, an American privateer sailing out of New London, Connecticut, captured the British merchantman the Hanna, loaded with a bounty of luxury goods destined for British officers based in New York City. That action induced the British supreme leader of British forces in America to grant permission to the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold to lead an 1,800-man punitive amphibious expedition to destroy the American privateer base in New London. Being a native of the region, Arnold - a former American general - had intimate knowledge of the port and its defenses, including the most powerful fortification defending the harbor from Groton Heights: Fort Griswold. So important was the fort that Arnold dedicated half of his expeditionary force to landing on the east side of the Thames River, for the sole purpose of capturing the fort and putting its heavy cannon out of commission.

But Arnold miscalculated and misapprehended the strength of the fort and its defenders. That misperception would have grievous consequences for the fort's British attackers and their outnumbered American defenders.

©2020 Jerald P. Hurwitz (P)2020 Tantor

Not taught in public schools.

This was an interesting read. History class in public schools are limited to an out of date textbook. This is something you would never know about unless you dive into military history.

Well researched, compelling

The quality of research is accompanied by a compelling narrative. The author does Justice to the experiences of both the defenders of the fort, and the attackers. His nuanced treatment of the events in the book is mercifully free of oversimplification.