AMERICAN NEWS. 

Copy of a Letter from Brig. Gen. Arnold, to his Excellency the Commander 
in Chief, dated Sound off Plumb Island, Sept. 8, 1781. 
 

I have the honour to inform your Excellency, that the transports with the 
detachment of troops under my orders anchored on the Long Island Shore on 
the 5th inst. At two o'clock P.M. about ten leagues from New London; and 
having made some necessary arrangements, weighed anchor at seven o'clock 
P.M. and stood for New London with a fair wind. At one o'clock the next 
morning we arrived off the harbour, when the wind suddenly shifted to the 
northward, and it was nine o'clock before the transports could beat in. At 
ten o'clock, the troops in two divisions, and in four debarkations, were 
landed; one on each side the harbour about three miles from New London; 
that on the Groton side, consisting of the 40th and 54th regiments, and 
the 3d battalion of New Jersey volunteers, with a detachment of yagers and 
artillery, were under the command of Lieut. Col. Eyre. The division on the 
New London side consisted of the 38th reg. the loyal Americans, the 
American legion, refugees, and a detachment of sixty yagers, who were 
immediately on landing put in motion; and at 11 o'clock, being within a 
half mile of Fort Trumbull, which commands New London harbour, I detached 
Capt. Millet with four companies on the 38th reg. To attack the fort, who 
was joined on his march by Capt. Frink with one company of the American 
legion. At the same time I advanced with the remainder of the division, 
west of Fort Trumbull, on the road to the town, to attack a redoubt which 
had kept up a brisk fire upon us for some time, but which the enemy 
evacuated on our approach. In this work we found six pieces of cannon 
mounted, and two dismounted; soon after I had the pleasure to see Capt. 
Millet march into Fort Trumbull under a shower of grape shot from a number 
of cannon, which the enemy had turned upon him; and I have the pleasure to 
inform your Excellency, that, by the sudden attack and determined bravery 
of the troops, the fort was carried with the loss of only four or five men 
killed and wounded. Capt. Millet had orders to leave one company in Fort 
Trumbull, to detach one to the redoubt we had taken, and to join me the 
other two companies. No time on my part was lost in gaining the town of 
New London. We were opposed by a small body of the enemy with one field 
piece, who were obliged to leave the piece, which, being iron, was spiked 
and left. 

As soon as the enemy were alarmed in the morning, we could perceive they 
were busily employed in bending sails, and endeavoring to get their 
privateers and other ships at Norwich River, out of our reach; but the 
wind being small, and the tide against them, they were obliged to anchor 
again. From information I received before and after my landing, I had 
reason to believe that Fort Griswold, on Groton side, was very incomplete; 
and I was assured (by friends to government) after my landing, that there 
were only 20 or 30 men in the fort; the inhabitants in general being on 
board their ships, and busy saving their property. On taking possession of 
Fort Trumbull, I found the enemy's ships would escape, unless we could 
posses ourselves of Fort Griswold; I therefore dispatched an officer to 
Lieut. Col. Eyre, with the intelligence I had received, and requested him 
to make an attack upon the fort as soon as possible; at which time I 
expected the howitzer was up, and would have been made use of. 

On my gaining a height of ground in the rear of New London, from which I 
had a good prospect of Fort Griswold, I found it much more formidable than 
I expected, or than I had formed an idea of from the information I had 
before received; I observed at the same time, that the men who had escaped 
from Fort Trumbull, had crossed in boats and thrown themselves into Fort 
Griswold; and a favourable wind springing up about this time, the enemy's 
ships were escaping up the river, notwithstanding the fire from Fort 
Trumbull, and a six-pounder which I had with me. I immediately dispatched 
a boat with an officer to Lieut. Col. Eyre, to countermand my first orders 
to attack the fort, but the officer arrived a few minutes too late. 

Lieut. Col. Eyre had sent Capt. Beckwith with a flag to demand a surrender 
of the fort, which was peremptorily refused, and the attack had commenced. 
After a most obstinate defence of near 40 minutes, the fort was carried by 
the superior bravery and perseverance of the assailants. The attack was 
judicious and spirited, and reflects the highest honour on the officers 
and troops engaged, who seemed to vie with each other in being first in 
danger. The troops approached on three sides of the work, which was a 
square, with flanks, made a lodgement in the ditch, and under heavy fire, 
which they kept up on the works, effected a second lodgement on the 
fraizing, which was attended with great difficulty, as only a few pickets 
could be forced out or broke in a place, and was so high that the soldiers 
could not ascend without assisting each other. Here the coolness and 
bravery of the troops were very conspicuous; as the first who ascended the 
fraize were obliged to silence a nine-pounder, which infiladed the place 
on which they stood, until a sufficient body had collected to enter the 
works, which was done with fixed bayonets through the embrazures, where 
they were opposed with great obstinacy by the garrison with long spears. 
On this occasion I have to regret the loss of Maj. Montgomery, who was 
killed by a spear in entering the enemy's works; also of Ensign Whillock, 
of the 40th reg. who was killed in the attack. Three other officers of the 
54th reg. were also wounded, but I have the satisfaction to inform your 
Excellency that they are all in a fair way of recovery. 

Lieut. Col. Eyre, who behaved with great gallantry, having received his 
wound near the works, and Major Montgomery being killed immediately after, 
the command devolved on Major Bromfield, whose behavior on this occasion 
does him great honour. 

Lieut. Col. Buskirk, with the New Jersey volunteers and artillery, being 
the second debarkation, came up soon after the work was carried, having 
been retarded by the roughness of the country. I am much obliged to this 
gentleman for his exertions, although the artillery did not arrive in 
time. 

I have enclosed a return of the killed and wounded, by which your 
Excellency will observe that our loss, though very considerable, is very 
short of the enemy's, who lost most of their officers, among whom was 
their commander Col. Ledyard. Eighty-five men were found dead in Fort 
Griswold, and 60 wounded, most of them mortally; their loss on the 
opposite side must have been considerable, but cannot be ascertained. I 
believe we have about 70 prisoners, besides the wounded, who were left 
paroled. 

Ten or twelve of the enemy's ships were burned, among them three or four 
armed vessels, and one loaded with naval stores; an immense quantity of 
European and West India goods were found in the stores; among the former 
cargo of the Hannah, Capt. Watson, from London, lately captured by the 
enemy: the whole of which was burnt with the stores, which proved to 
contain a large quantity of powder, unknown to us; the explosion of the 
powder, and change of wind, soon after the stores were fired, communicated 
the flames to part of the town, which was, notwithstanding every effort to 
prevent it, unfortunately destroyed. 

Upwards of 50 pieces of iron cannon were destroyed in the different works 
(exclusive of the guns of the ships), a particular return of which I 
cannot do myself the honour to transmit to your Excellency at this time. 

A very considerable magazine of powder, and barracks to contain 300 men, 
were found in Fort Griswold, which Capt. Lemoine of the royal artillery 
had my positive directions to destroy; an attempt was made by him, but 
unfortunately failed; he had my orders to make a second attempt; the 
reasons why it was not done, Capt. Lemoine will have the honour to explain 
to your Excellency. 

I should be wanting in justice to the gentlemen of the navy, did I omit to 
acknowledge that upon this expedition I have received every possible aid 
from them; Capt. Beasley has made every exertion to assist our operations, 
and not only gave up his cabin to the sick and wounded officers, but 
furnished them with every assistance and refreshment that his ship 
afforded. 

Lord Dalrymple will have the honour to deliver my dispatches; I beg leave 
to refer your Excellency to his lordship for the particulars of our 
operations on the New London side. I feel myself under great obligations 
to him for his exertions upon the occasion. 

Capt. Beckwith, who was extremely serviceable to me, returns with his 
lordship. His spirited conduct in the attack of Fort Griswold does him 
great honour, being one of the first officers who entered the works. I beg 
leave to refer your Excellency to him for the particulars of our 
operations on that side, and to say I have the highest opinion of his 
abilities as an officer. 

I am greatly indebted to Capt. Stapleton (who acted as major of brigade) 
for his spirited conduct and assistance; in particular on the attack upon 
Fort Trumbull, and his endeavors to prevent plundering (when the public 
stores were burnt), and the destruction of private buildings. 

The officers and troops in general behaved with the greatest intrepidity 
and firmness. 

B. ARNOLD.