EXCERPT FROM THE JOURNAL OF

SAILMAKER CHARLES E. TALLMAN,

SERVING IN USS SARATOGA,

IN USS CONSTITUTION MUSEUM

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Tues Sept 6th Today is the celebration of the Massacre of Fort Trumbull, at Groton [1881] Height [Connecticut]. At noon all the saluting ships fired a salute of 21 guns. The scene was enacted as in 1781, when the British attacked fort Trumbull. At that time a preconcerted signal was made between the American Army & Navy, to fire 2 guns from the fort in the morning, & if all was right, to be answered from the flagship by one gun. The morning was foggy & the British fleet came in, with Benedict Arnold the traitor) on board the flagship. The two guns were fired from the fort, and Arnold being aware of the American signal, caused the answer of one gun to be fired from the British flagship thus misleading the Americans. The British imediately [sic] landed on both sides of the harbor, & moved on the fort thus easily securing its capture. On this day (Sept 6 1881) the Constitution frigate took the part of the British flagship, in the drama, and fired one gun & landed the troops & moved on the fort, same as the British did a hundred years ago. The day was foggy as it was then. The smoke of the firing mixing with the fog, made it quite dark and gave the sky the appearance of a copper color. A feeling of depression seemed to be upon everyone. It seemed that nature itself took part in the event of the day.