Prisoners of the American Revolution

Across this harbor, on January 1, 1777, a British ship, flying a flag of truce, put ashore 200 American Revolutionary War prisoners, all desperately ill with smallpox. The people of Milford made accommodations to shelter them, using the town hall as an emergency hospital. Captain Stephen Stow and Dr. Elias Carrington volunteered to care for them. Captain Stow and 46 of the soldiers died and are buried in a common grave here in Milford. Some recovered and returned to their homes.