Friends of the Office of State Archaeology participated in the BioBlitz, sponsored by The Connecticut Museum of Natural History, held on June 4, 2005. Brae Rafferty of Project Oceanology, also a participant, inquired if we knew about two gravestones located on Pine Island. He described them as being located in the vicinity of a flagpole, and the stones as being that of a British Soldier buried during the Revolutionary War. We did not know of their existence.

Pine Island is a small uninhabited island southeast of Avery Point and west of Bluff Point in the town of Groton. Bonnie and I decided we would like to search for these headstones so a letter of inquiry was sent to Mr. Rafferty with a copy of a nautical map showing Pine Island, to be marked and to describe landmarks of the location of the two headstones that could aid us in locating them.

The date selected for our adventure was June 23. On our canoe voyage over to the island we sighted our key landmark, the flagpole. We landed on the beach and began preparing our equipment. In the meantime, we had lost sight of the flagpole. An overgrown path appeared to be headed in the right direction towards our landmark. A machete and pruning shears aided in our journey through the extremely thick vegetation. Finally, the top of the flagpole was detected, smothered in undergrowth with the gravestones barely visible nearby. The white marble military headstone was seen first and the brownstone marker, possibly fashioned by Thomas Johnson III, was located 8½ feet to the west.

What is interesting, in the area where the headstones are located, is the flagpole mounted on the eastern knoll which is part of a glacial rock ledge. It has a reinforced wall built of local stone and soil placed to create a surface area that is elliptical in shape.

We still had many unanswered questions. Who was James Baley? Was he or his family from Groton? Was he buried at this location or lost at sea? What part did he play in the Revolution? Why is his headstone on Pine Island? The list of questions goes on.

To obtain answers to our questions several libraries were visited and a genealogy search was conducted of the Baley Family.

Our Pine Island Soldier was born July 28, 1751 and was the son of Elijah Baley and Mary (Lister) Baley, both of Groton, Connecticut. He was baptized in the First Congregational Church of Groton, July 1751. Little has been found about his childhood or education. On September 8, 1776, at the age of 15, he enlisted to serve in the Revolutionary War. He was assigned to the 8th Regiment of Militia of Connecticut, Captain Joseph Gallup Company. On September 15, 1776, only 7 days after the day of his enlistment, Mr. Baley saw battle at the "Battle of Kips Bay." After 69 days of service, James Baley was discharged, November 17, 1776.

The Battle of Groton Heights, September 6, 1781, was the largest massacre of the Revolutionary War. Not only were many American militia killed and wounded, but several homes, properties and businesses were damaged or destroyed. The "General Assembly of Hartford" created a resolution for grants of properties to the people of Groton and the City of New London for their pain and suffering.

James Baley was a recipient for losses to his properties and was given the eastern section of Pine Island.

A newspaper account of September 2, 1788, the date of Mr. James Baley's death, wrote of a severe storm hitting the shoreline of Groton and New London. Baley was out in Pine Island Sound in a small craft when the storm approached. He used a lobster pot line for an anchor, but the wave action caused the small boat to capsize. His headstone reads, "In Memory of Mr. James Baley who was drowned September 2, 1788."

Does this mean that the remains of Mr. James Baley are interred on Pine Island? Or, does this mean that Mr. Baley was lost to the sea and the stories of the "Ghost of Pine Island" are TRUE.

The authors would like to thank Ruthie Shapleigh-Brown, John Spaulding and Jack Rajotte for their information and research.