Mass Grave Monument To Smallpox Dead - Milford, CT
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 41° 13.446 W 073° 03.205
18T E 663159 N 4565461
The Mass Grave Monument To Smallpox Dead is located in the south west part of Milford Cemetery in Milford, CT.
Waymark Code: WMHJGP
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 07/16/2013
Views: 2
A brownstone obelisk in Milford Cemetery was erected in 1852 to honors the 200 seriously ill Continental soldiers who were prisoners of war that were released from a British prison ship on January 1, 1777, and left
to fend for themselves on a Milford beach. The names and hometowns of 46 men who subsequently died of their illness are engraved on the monument. The monument doesn't specifically name the disease which is
believed to be smallpox.
Carved on the front of the 35' tall obelisk are 13 stars, the seal of the State of Connecticut and the two line inscription SOLDIERS' MONUMENT below is the year 1776.
A granite tablet is attached to the south face of the monument. It is inscribed:
IN HONOR OF
FORTY SIX AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO
SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES IN STRUGGLING FOR
THE INDEPENDENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY. THIS
MONUMENT WAS ERECTED IN 1852 BY THE JOINT
LIBERALITY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE
PEOPLE OF MILFORD AND OTHER CONTRIBUTING
FRIENDS
TWO HUNDRED AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN A
DESTITUTE SICKLY AND DYING CONDITION WERE
BROUGHT FROM A BRITISH PRISON SHIP THEN
LYING NEAR NEW YORK AND SUDDENLY CAST UPON
OUR SHORE FROM A BRITISH CARTEL SHIP ON
THE FIRST OF JANUARY 1777.
THE INHABITANTS OF MILFORD MADE THE
MOST CHARITABLE EFFORTS FOR THEIR RELIEF OF
THESE SUFFERING STRANGERS. YET, NOTWITHSTANDING
ALL THEIR KIND MINISTRATIONS, IN ONE MONTH,
THESE FORTY-SIX DIED AND WERE BURIED IN ONE
COMMON GRAVE.
THEIR NAMES AND THEIR RESIDENCES ARE
INSCRIBED ON THIS MONUMENT.
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The base has inscribed the names of the Monument Committee:
CHARLIE POND
JOHN L. BRISTOL
JOHN M. FOWLER
The east face carries an inscription honoring Capt. Steven Stow, a Milford resident who contracted smallpox while caring for the soldiers. He died on February 8, 1777.
IN MEMORY OF
CAPT. STEPHEN STOW
OF MILFORD
WHO DIED FEB. 8, 1777 AGED 51 YEARS
To administer to the wants and soothe
the miseries of these sick and dying soldiers
was a work of extreme self denial and danger
as many of them were suffering
from loathsome and contagious maladies.
Stephen Stow voluntarily left his family
to relieve these suffering men.
He contracted disease from them.
died and was buried with them.
He has already given four sons to serve
in the war for Independence.
To commemorate his self sacrificing devotion
to his country and to humanity
the Legislature of Connecticut
resolved that his name shall be inscribed
on this monument.
The other two faces each carry the names of 23 soldiers who died.
JOHN SMITH - CHATHAM
ANTONIO GOMEZ - SPAIN
JOHN CLEMENTS - MIDDLEBURY
RICHARD DRAKE - MASS.
SAMUEL FULLER - NORWICH
AMOS SMITH - CONN.
JOHN SNOW - CHATHAM
RICHARD HOLDEN - NO. 4
JOHN RIDDLE - GLASTENBURY
JOHN WHITE - NEW LONDON
WILLIAM THOMAS - MASS.
EBENEZER LOVEMAN - ROCKY HILL
HEZEKIAH LEE - HARWIN'TON
JOSEPH THROWBRIDGE - NORWALK
STEPHEN BROWN - KILLINGSLY
BENJAMIN PEASE - MASS.
SAMUEL EVERETT - ATTLEBOROUGH
SAMUEL GALE - WRENTHAM
RICHARD POLSEY - PENN.
NATHAN WELTON - CONN.
ELIJAH GREGORY - MASS
THOMAS MADISON - NEW LONDON
SOLOMON JACKSON - MIDDLEBURY
and
JOSEPH ARNOLD - CHATHAM
THOMAS WRIGHT - SIMSBURY
SIMEON ELWELL - MASS.
ABEL HART - FARMINGTON
CONSTANT TURNER - MIDDLETOWN
JOHN - PENN.
ROBERT CALINGHAM - CAPE ANN
BENJAMIN FRISEN - HARWINGTON
ABRAM BEACH - GOSHEN
ASA LADD - HAVERILL
SAMUEL WHITNEY - SWEAT FORD
ELISHA BRONSON - LITCHFIELD
JOHN POMEROY - NORTHAMPTON
JOSEPH MANSIER - MIDDLEBURY
STEPHEN - PENN
RICHARD MINOT - MASS.
SERGENT SMITH - MASS.
DANIEL BENEDICT - HARWINTON
SERGEANT WHIHHT - BOLTON
SHIEG T. GEO.MILLBUNN - SALEM
DANIEL FARNHAM - WINDHAM
JOSIAH COLERAN - SHARON
EBENEZER UPHAM - KILLINGLY