Weeds and Stairs

New London, CT  2021

 

South Battery Guns

New London, CT  2021

 

Fort Trumbull - South Battery

New London, CT  2021

 

Fort Trumbull

New London, CT  2021

 

Parapet at Fort Griswold

Groton, CT  2020

Lower Battery

Groton, CT  2020

After the Battle of Groton Heights, the fort was abandoned by Benedict Arnold.  The fort was rebuilt and was manned for a number of conflicts, including the War of 1812 but never saw any other action. During the 19th century, the lower battery was built for 20 cannons. The smaller brick building is the shot furnace, where cannonballs were heated to high temperatures, transferred to cannons using tongs, then fired.  The red-hot cannonballs would ignite the wooden ships.  The larger stone  building is the fort's powder magazine.  The fort became obsolete in 1906 and the area designated a state park in 1953.

Fort Griswold II

Groton, CT  2020

On September 6, 1781, two divisions of British soldiers under the command of former American general Benedict Arnold came to destroy American privateers in New London and capture military supplies there.  He divided his men into two divisions numbering 800 men each.  One division took the city of New London, while the second division landed on the east bank of the Thames River and attacked Fort Griswold.  Casualties were heavy on each side, but the Fort was surrendered with the loss of 88 American lives.

Fort Griswold

Groton, CT  2020

Fort Griswold was built between 1775 and 1778 to defend the harbor of New London during the Revolutionary War.  It is one of the finest examples of a Revolutionary War era fort that is still in existence.  

Fort Trumbull III

New London, CT  2019

Fort Trumbull II

New London, CT  2019

Fort Trumbull

New London, CT  2019

Fort Trumbull

New London, CT  2017

The first fort on this site was built in 1777 to protect the harbor of New London.  The current structures were built between 1839 and 1852.  The fort was in use right up until 1996 and opened up as a state park in 2000.  

Fort Trumbull in the Fog

New London, CT  2015

Fort Trumbull

New London, 2015

Fort Trumbull

Fort Trumbull State Park, New London, CT  2015

South Battery

Fort Trumbull State Park

New London, CT

The South Battery at Fort Trumbull once contained 6 of these 8"-Rodmans.  I think these are actually more accurately known as 8"-converted rifles which were made from 10"-Rodmans by fitting them with a rifled sleeve.  Shortly after the Civil War, it was less expensive to convert the many 10"-Rodmans that had been made, than to make new and improved artillery.  

North Battery

Fort Trumbull State Park

New London, CT  2014

To defend the fort and the harbor of New London, the army installed 3, 15"-Rodman cannons in the North Battery.  In the mid-19th century these cannons were the most powerful guns in the world, weighing over 50,000 lbs and could fire a 450 lb cannonball or a 350 lb explosive shell.  By the time cannons were installed here in the 1890's, they were just about obsolete.  Today, this is all that remains where these cannons once stood.  I don't believe the cannons were ever fired.

Blockhouse

Fort Trumbull State Park

New London, CT

This blockhouse is the oldest surviving structure at Fort Trumbull State Park.  It was built in the late 1790's as part of a program authorized by Congress to fortify seaports along the east coast in 1794.  Of all the structures built from Maine to Georgia as part of this program this is the only structure that exists to this day. 

Fort Trumbull

New London, CT  2014

This is the third fortification to occupy this site overlooking the mouth of the Thames River.  The first fort was built in 1775 at the request of Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull.  This fort was attacked and captured by British forces under the command of Benedict Arnold in 1781.  The current structure was built between the years of 1839-1851 and is one of a series of 42 forts built during this time to defend the coast of the United States.  Today it is state park and offers wonderful views of the Thames River and Long Island Sound.