This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
01/24/2017 01:09 PMHistory books and national monuments highlight the major moments that defined the American Revolutionary War, but one local group is working to make sure Guilford’s involvement is the war is appropriately recognized. Members of the reenacted 6th Connecticut Regiment are trying to makes sure the event, known as Meigs Raid, has a place in history, too.
On May 23, 1777, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs, 170 men departed Sachem’s Head Harbor in whaleboats (small boats generally used for whale hunting) to launch a stealthy counter-attack on the British. Rowing across Long Island Sound, dodging enemy ships, the regiment landed in Sag Harbor, New York, and raided a British supply outpost, destroying British ships and taking close to 90 prisoners.
Despite the challenges of the attack, 6th Connecticut Regiment Lt. Ross Kenney, a Revolutionary War re-enactor, said no American soldiers were killed or wounded in the attack. Now, the re-enacted regiment wants to establish a plaque to commemorate the successful raid.
“It is part of our history…It was a very important raid because it was in retaliation to the burning of Danbury,” he said. “There is an untold story of these whaleboat raids that took place.”
To make sure that story is told, the regiment is currently fundraising to have a plaque placed at “The Landing” on lower Colonial Road in Sachem’s Head. Kenney said Congress recognized the valor of the raid long ago, but the current regiment wants to make sure the event is recognized in town.
“The whole Connecticut coast was used to launch raids over to Long Island and vice versa,” he said. “We have been going over to Sag Harbor to redo the raid and we noticed there are plenty of signs over in Long Island about the raid, but there were none about this raid in Connecticut.”
Kenney said the plaque is estimated to cost close to $2,500 and the group currently has a Go Fund Me page set up to raise the money. Kenney said the dollars will cover the cost of the plaque and the dedication ceremony and any extra funds will be donated to a veteran’s charity.
“The Town of Guilford has donated a boulder that is native to Guilford and the plaque is going to be embedded in that boulder,” he said.
To learn more about the plaque of to make a donation, visit the Go Fund Me page at www.gofundme.com/Guilford-Plaque. Donation checks can also be mailed to The 6th Connecticut Regiment, 271 George Street, Middletown CT 06457. The word “plaque” should be written in the check memo line.