Fort Decatur (3)

Fort Decatur (3) (1813-1815) - An American War of 1812 fort established in 1813 by Commodore Stephen Decatur north of present day New London, Connecticut. Named after Commodore Decatur. Abandoned circa 1815. History A stone and earthwork fort built on Allyn's Mountain by Commodore Decatur's men in June 1813 during the War of 1812. The Fort was armed with cannon to protect his squadron from the blockading British armada anchored in Long Island Sound. The fort overlooked the Thames River just above the town of Gales Ferry. Decatur's fleet included his flagship the United States, the sloop Hornet, and the captured British frigate Macedonian. British partisans in the area kept the enemy informed of Decatur's every move and he was unable to move his squadron for the remainder of the war. Current Status On private property, remnants of the fort include stone structures and a monument inscribed on a boulder. Public access may be restricted to specific times of the year. Location: North of Groton, New London County, Connecticut. Maps & Images Lat: 41.43556 Long: -72.08556 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 256' See Also: War of 1812 War of 1812 Forts Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 119. USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 1930877 Links: North American Forts - Fort Decatur Tour of Mount Decatur in Gales Ferry Visited: No