Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park

There are numerous Revolutionary War historic sites in the New England area and the Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park is one of them. It is located to the east of the river on Groton Heights and commanded the harbor and area around it. There was a deep trench surrounding the fort on three of its sides and there was a tunnel passage leading to a covered ditch. During the Revolutionary War, the British generals were looking for a way to distract Washington and his army, headed toward the south. They attacked the town of New London and destroyed Rebel pirate ships, leaving the area to Benedict Arnold, formerly of the American forces. The Battle of Groton Heights occurred when 800 British troops landed on the east side of the Thames River. They advanced on Fort Griswold, but were met with gunfire, long spears and hand to hand combat. Forcing their way in, the battle continued for a little less than an hour. There was an attempt to destroy the fort, but it failed. The fort has been the scene of other military preparations during other wars. Today, the site is home to a museum and monument in honor of the men who defended Fort Griswold. Both are open during the summer months on the daily basis from 10 am until 5 pm.