I found Robert Nye's letter, “Waterford historian gives a history lesson,” (Oct. 24) about Alewife Cove's history and Steve Fagin's column "Bringing alewifes back into Alewife Cove" interesting. According to the Connecticut Gazette's issue published on June 1, 1814, it was calculated that over 1,500 cannonballs were fired in a naval skirmish that took place between Goshen Point (present day Harkness State Park) and the mouth of New London Harbor.

Anyone watching from the mouth of Alewife Cove at that time would have been able to see parts of that skirmish. There were many naval skirmishes close to Connecticut shores during the War of 1812. The New London Historical Society published a wonderful book in 2012 called "The Rockets' Red Glare: The War of 1812 and Connecticut," which references these events.

The event Fagin was referring to happened on Nov. 28, 1813 between the Royal Navy and 200 local defenders from New London. It happened when the sloop Roxanna ran ashore "about a half mile west of New London Light." This would put it near the mouth of Alewife Cove and present day Ocean Beach. To learn more, you will have to read the book or google Alewife Cove Conservancy's website.

Stephen Alligood

Waterford