Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery, Jr. was born 7 March 1732/33 at Groton, New London County, Connecticut, and died 6 September 1781 at Groton, New London County, Connecticut.  (4)   He married Phebe Denison, 11 June 1761. (3)  She was born 22 June 1741 at New London, Connecticut, and died 11 June 1762.  (5)  The Lieutenant’s father was Lieutenant Colonel Ebenezer Avery Sr.  His mother was Lucy Latham.  They were married 16 January 1726, at Groton, New London, Connecticut.  As with many colonial families, a number of family members fought in the Revolutionary War.  This was the case with the Averys.  Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery Jr.’s son, Ebenezer Avery III, served in addition two of the Lieutenant’s brothers: Captain Griswold Avery and brother Elihu Avery.  Prior to the British attacking Groton, Ebenezer Avery Jr. had been part of a committee collecting clothing for soldiers.  (5)

Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery Jr. and Lucy Denison would have the following children:  Ebenezer Avery, III; Elizabeth Miner, born 1768, died 1837; Hezekiah, born 1772, died 1854; Henry, born 1776, died 1873; Cyrus, born 1779, died 1847. 

Battle of Groton Heights/Fort Griswold

Groton Heights is located on the East side of the Thames River, across from New London, Connecticut.   Groton Heights was defended by a small militia, 6 September 1781.  Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery was assigned to Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard.  (1)(5)   The British hoped their maneuver to attack Groton would cause General Washington to delay his march on Lord Cornwallis, who was in Virginia.  The British forces, commanded by Benedict Arnold, who was originally from Connecticut, were in superior numbers.  Arnold was infamous for initially being an American General who would later defect to the British.  The battle that ensued resulted in a British victory and although successful, they would suffer large casualties.  More importantly, when the British finally were able to breach the surrendering Fort Griswold, they killed many of the defenders.  There have been conflicting views as to whether the militia’s post-surrender deaths were a massacre by the British or miscommunication from the militia commander.  (1)(4)(5)(6)(7)

Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery Jr., would be killed in this battle.  Charles Henderson much later would include a powerful notation, in his SAR application dated 26 May 1911, in regard to the battle of Groton Heights and Fort Griswold, “… a score or more of his kindred was killed at the massacre at Ft. Griswold September 6, 1781, by the British under command of the traitor, Benedict Arnold.  Sixteen by the name of Avery took part in that fight, of whom eight were killed, four severely wounded, three captured and one escaped.” (6)(7)

Those still alive, but injured in the battle, were transported to a makeshift hospital at a local resident’s home.  The prisoners were placed in a cart, which would careen out of control down a hill, eventually colliding with a tree.  One of the British prisoners in the cart was identified as Ensign Ebenezer Avery, who was not a direct relative.   The injured men were taken to the Ensign’s nearby residence, where they remained, and were later released by the British.   His injury had been created by a musket butt, caving in a portion of his head.  Being severely injured, he was not boarded onto the British prisoner transports.  He would later recover from his wounds and work as a tailor.  He would go on to receive a disability pension as a result of his injury from the Revolutionary War.  (2)(5)(6)(7)

Charles Manning Henderson would add in his SAR application, that Avery III, a son of the Lieutenant, who was only 19 years old at the time, was present at Groton Heights the day of 6 September 1781.  He had been charged to transfer the women and children out of the town and into the surrounding countryside, prior to the British attack.  When he had returned, he observed the fort had fallen and the town had been burned.

References:

1. North American Family Histories, 1500-200, Vol. 79, Pg. 204.

2. “Historic Buildings of Connecticut,” https://historicbuildingsct.com/the-ebenezer-avery-house-1750.

3. Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, Pre-1870, Barbour Collection, Vol. 2, Pg. 31.

4. Connecticut history.org, “Blood on the Hill: The Battle of Groton Heights, September 6, 1781.”

7. The Groton Avery Clan, Elroy Mckendree Avery, 1844-1935, by Catherine Hitchock Tilden Avery, (1844-1911), Cleveland, Ohio, 1912. Pg. 248-249, 379-380.

8. Connecticut Men in the Revolutionary War, Pg. 577 and 578.

9. The Battle of Groton Heights: A Story of the Storming of Fort Griswold, and The Burning of New London on the Sixth of September, 1781, by Reverend H.H. Burnham.