Capt. Adam Shapley

Died from wounds received in defense of Fort Griswold, September 6, 1781

In May 1769 he was appointed Lieutenant of the second company, or trainband of New London. In July 1776 he was appointed Captain. Later in the Revolutionary War he commanded the artillery at Fort Trumbull, and later the Fort. He died from wounds received in the defense of Fort Griswold on Sept 6, 1781.

"Adam Shapley, Captain of Artillery, had been for a number of years commander of Fort Trumbull. On the approach of the invaders he rallied his men, and made as good a defence as possible with his garrison of twenty-three, discharging grape at the advancing columns until they had gained the unprotected rear of the fort, which he then abandoned. Embarking with his men in three boats, he crossed under fire to Groton, losing in the passage one boat with six men, half its crew being wounded. With those from the other boats, he reinforced Fort Griswold, where most of the men were killed and he received a fatal wound.

He was of an old family in New London where the name is now extinct. They lived on Shapley Street which was laid out in 1747 through their property. A number of the Shapley houses are still standing. In one of them, which is almost unchanged at the present time, Adam lived. Here he languished for five weary months of his wound, receiving during that time the news of the death of his oldest son on one of the British prison ships." source: The Battle of Groton Heights: A Collection of Narratives, Official Reports ...By William Wallace Harris, p. 207

His gravestone reads:"In Memory of Capt. Adam Shapley of Fort Trumbull who bravely gave his life for his country. A fatal wound at Fort Griswold Sept 6, 1781 caused his death Feb 14, 1782, aged 43 years."

Find A Grave record

1780, One year before the storming of Ft. Griswold: "Resolved by this Assembly That the Committee of Pay Table draw on the Treasurer in favour of Capt Adam Shapley and Capt William Latham captains of the matross companies in New London and Groton for a sum of money of the new emission to each captain sufficient to pay the bounty and first months pay to the officers and privates to be inlisted into their said companies they giving bond agreeable to an act of this Assembly Whereas it appears to this Assembly that Adam Shapley captain of a matross company raised for defence of the forts at New London and Groton pursuant to a resolve of this Assembly passed at their sessions in April 1779 hath received orders on the Treasurer at the Pay Table office for seventeen thousand six hundred and ninety four pounds common currency of the United States at several times from Feby 12th 1779 to Feby 25th 1780 which upon the scale of depreciation adopted by this Assembly for settlement with the officers and soldiers of the Connecticut Line in the continental army the rule of settlement with said matross company in said resolve contained amounts to the sum of 546 0 4 lawfull money Resolved by this Assembly that the Committee of the Pay Table be and they are hereby authorized and directed in the settlement of the pay roll of said matross company to charge in account the sum of 546 0 4 L money the just value of the said sum of 17694 pounds in gold or silver or bills of credit of this State by the measure and rule aforesaid" source: The public records of the state of Connecticut ... with the ..., Volume 3

By Connecticut, Connecticut. General Assembly, p. 40

Of His Son Daniel: Extract from Newspaper, New London, November 17th, 1781 " Last Saturday Evening a Flag of truce returned here from New York and bro[ugh]t 132 American Prisoners among them are Ebenezer Ledyard, Esq. and Lieut. Jabez Slow, on Parole, with the remainder of the prisoners who were captivated and carried off from New London and Groton by Benedict Arnold's burning party. But the prisoners are chiefly from the Prison ship and are mostly sick.

Captain Jonathan Budington Jun., late of the Brig. Favorite, Mr. George Worthylake, and Daniel Shapley, (son of Capt Adam Shapley,) all of this Town, lately died on board the Prison ship; and Mr. John Monroe, of this Town died on board the Flag the night it arrived."