The Defence of Stonington (connecticut) Against a British Squadron, August 9th to 12th, 1814

In August 1814, a British squadron carrying more than 60 guns appeared off the coast of Stonington, Connecticut, a fishing town of barely a thousand residents with almost no defenses. When the British commander demanded surrender, the response was immediate and contemptuous: not a single resident would abandon their homes. Over four days, the Royal Navy bombarded the tiny town with cannon fire and rockets, setting buildings ablaze and tearing holes in the old stone church. The defenders had only a handful of cannons and earthenworks thrown up by volunteers. Yet they refused to break, returning fire with a stubbornness that confounded the British and ultimately forced the squadron to withdraw in failure. This is the story of that improbable victory, told through letters, orders, and firsthand accounts that capture the terror and elation of ordinary people facing impossible odds. It is American history at its most raw and democratic: no generals, no regular army, just farmers and fishermen who chose to stand and fight.