People

Known as "Mother Bailey," she reportedly brought flannel petticoats to the fort to be used as wadding for the cannon during the battle. Her act of civilian support became one of the most celebrated stories of female patriotism in Connecticut's Revolutionary tradition.

Groton militia captain who fought in the defense of Fort Griswold and was among those killed after the fort's surrender. His death, alongside Colonel Ledyard and the other defenders, is commemorated on the Groton Monument.

British officer who led the initial assault on Fort Griswold and was killed during the fighting. His death enraged the British troops, contributing to the violence that followed the fort's surrender. The killing of a senior officer during an assault often led to retaliatory violence in eighteenth-century warfare.

Commander of Fort Griswold who led the garrison's fierce defense against the British assault on September 6, 1781. After the fort was overwhelmed, Ledyard reportedly offered his sword in surrender and was stabbed with it by a British officer. His death became the central atrocity of the Fort Griswold massacre.

Free Black man who fought in the defense of Fort Griswold and was killed during the battle. According to tradition, Freeman killed the British officer Major Montgomery with a spear during the assault. His name is inscribed on the Groton Monument alongside the other defenders.

Groton militia soldier who fought in the defense of Fort Griswold and reportedly witnessed the killing of Colonel Ledyard after the surrender. Latham's account, passed down through family tradition, is one of the sources for the details of the massacre.

Groton-born Continental soldier whose diary provides valuable firsthand accounts of military life during the Revolution. Though not present at the Fort Griswold massacre, his writings document the community's response to the attack and its aftermath.

Groton militia soldier who survived the Fort Griswold massacre despite severe wounds. He was among those placed on a cart by British soldiers and sent down the steep hill from the fort, a brutal act that injured the wounded further. His survival account documents the aftermath of the battle.