Capt. William Latham

"Captain William Latham, of Groton, was with Washington on Dorchester Heights as a lieutenant of artillery in 1775, and was the captain of artillery commanding Fort Griswold, as Captain Shapley commanded Fort Trumbull, at the time of the battle on Groton Heights. Colonel Ledyard, commanding the military district, did not take special command at Fort Griswold until the morning of the 6th. It was customary in those days for the commander of a battery to prime each gun from his own powder horn and that of Lieutenant Latham, used by him at Dorchester, is still in existence as an heirloom in the family. It has a good sketch of Boston harbor, with the British fleet riding at anchor as seen from Dorchester Heights at that time - evidently cut with a pocket knife, but remarkable for its accuracy, - with a statement that it was done by Lieutenant William Latham at Dorchester Heights in 1775. He was a son of Deacon Jonathan Latham."

source: The Battle of Groton Heights: A Collection of Narratives, Official Reports ...By William Wallace Harris p. 257-8

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Much has been written about Captain William Latham. He served with Washington on Dorchester Heights as a Lt. of artillery in 1774. In March 1778 was promoted to Captain in command of Fort Griswold. Col. William Ledyard was the district commander at the time of the assault on Fort Griswold, Sept. 6, 1781. Capt. Latham received a thigh injury and was removed with a number of other members of the garrison as P.O.W.'s to New York.

According to the Red Book his probate record was dated April 3, 1792.

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Notes for CAPTAIN WILLIAM LATHAM: christened 10 May 1741 in First Church of Groton, Groton, New London Co., Connecticut William Latham m. Eunice Forsyth (1743-99). William Latham (1741-92) was captain of artillery, 1781, at Fort Griswold, where he was severely wounded. He was born and died in Groton, Conn.

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William Latham was lieutenant of artillery at Dorchester Heights and captain in command of Fort Griswold until the arrival of Col. William Ledyard. excerpted from "Lineage Book By Daughters of the American Revolution"

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THE GROTON AVERY CLAN, Vol. I, by Elroy McKendree Avery and Catherine Hitchcock (Tilden) Avery, Cleveland, 1912. p. 630

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Capt. Latham was second in command at the massacre of Fort Griswold, and was severely wounded, but recovered. He d. Jan. 27, 1792, his wife d. March 5, 1799· Lucy Latham, afterwards Mrs. Gallup, was 12 years old at the time of the battle, and often related to her children the story of that memorable day. When the British appeared at Eastern Point, Lambo, the colored servant, gathered the family and drove them to the Avery house, two miles away, then hurried back to the fort with his gun. He fought at the side of his master, Capt. Latham, and fell. His own name is on the monument at Groton, as "Sambo," but it should be Lambo, as his name was Lambert. Samuel Gallup, father of Nathaniel, removed with his family to Albany County, New York, soon after the war of the Revolution. Nathaniel returned to Groton and was m. there. After his return to New York State he settled in Berne, Albany County, and d. April 20, 1834; his wife d. Feb. 1, 1862.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON, county of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900, by Richard Anson Wheeler, New London, CT, 1900, p. 345, 392

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