William Ledyard, an American revolutionary soldier, uncle of the preceding, born in Groton, Conn., about 1750, killed at the capture of Fort Griswold, Sept. 7, 1781. He held the commission of colonel in the militia of Connecticut, and during the marauding expedition of Arnold along the coast of that state in September, 1781, he was in command of Forts Trumbull and Griswold, which protected New London. Throwing himself into the latter work with 157 militia hastily collected, he refused a demand for its surrender, and resisted for nearly an hour the attack of a British force numbering 800 men, led by Lieut. Col. Eyre, who received a mortal wound in the onset. His successor, Major Montgomery, having been killed while mounting the parapet, the command devolved upon Major Bromfield, a tory, who effected an entrance into the fort after nearly 200 of his men had been disabled, including 48 killed, the Americans having lost about a dozen killed. To Bromfield's inquiry, "Who commands this garrison?" Ledyard replied, " I did, sir, but you do now," at the same time handing him his sword. Bromfield immediately plunged it through the body of Ledyard to the hilt, killing him upon the spot. A massacre of the Americans ensued, which was not stopped until more than 100 of them were killed and wounded.

A monument has been erected near the spot to commemorate this event.