Madison in South Central Region, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
Phineas Meigs
America 250 | Connecticut
Phineas Meigs was the last known casualty of the Revolutionary War in Connecticut. He died wearing this hat.
Meigs was born in 1708 in East Guilford (today's Madison). In 1777, at the age of 69, he enlisted in the Continental Army and in 1780, he joined the Guilford militia, serving as a captain. One May 19, 1782, as peace negotiations were underway in Paris, three British frigates approached the Guilford coast. Meigs led his men to the shore and engaged the British in battle. In the ensuing fight, Meigs was shot through the head. His green wool "round hat," a simple type commonly worn by farmers and tradesmen, bears the scars of the musket balls that killed him.
Meigs's children and grandchildren cared for the hat until 1850, when they donated it to the Connecticut Historical Society, where it serves as a memorial to a Connecticut man who, at an advanced age, late in the war, gave his life for the Patriot cause.
The hat is in the collection of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History in Hartford.
Erected by Design Center Studio; CThumanities; UConn Office of the State Historian; Connecticut Department
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the America 250 series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 19, 1782.
Location. 41° 17.506′ N, 72° 34.796′ W. Marker is in Madison in South Central Region, Connecticut. It can be reached from Connecticut Turnpike (Interstate 95) west of Hammonasset Connector (Connecticut Route 450), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 721 Connecticut Turnpike, Madison CT 06443, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Connecticut River Valley, on the Connecticut Shoreline, and in Greater New Haven. It is also in the American Northeast, in New England, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Haven County and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
Credits. This page was last revised on September 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
