USA > Connecticut > A complete history of Connecticut, civil and ecclesiastical, from the emigration of its first planters, from England, in the year 1630, to the year 1764; and to the close of the Indian wars > Part 28
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a state of
war, Oct:
966
HISTORY OF
CHAP. IX.
Book II. with cheerfulness and expedition in his majesty's meas- ures. A special assembly was convoked in July, and it 1740. was enacted, that "Whereas his majesty has thought fit to declare war against Spain, and hath appointed an ex- pedition against the territories of the catholic king in the West-Indies, and given his orders and instructions under his royal sign manual, now laid before this assembly by his honor the governor, for the raising of such troops in the colony as shall voluntarily enlist in the said service, to join the British troops in a general rendezvous in the West- Indies : and whereas it appears by said instructions, that it is his majesty's expectation that the assembly will pro- vide victuals, transports, and all necessaries for the said troops, to be raised in this colony, except their clothes, tents, arms, ammunition and pay, until they arrive at the place of the general rendezvous, which important affair this assembly being most willing to exert themselves to promote by a cheerful conformity to his majesty's instruc- tions, therefore be it enacted,-That there shall be pro- vided victuals, transports, and all other necessaries for said troops, &c. till their arrival in the West-Indies." Com- mittees were appointed to carry these measures into imme- diate effect.
The governor, previously to this, had issued his procla- mation giving notice of his majesty's pleasure, and encour- aging the enlistment of volunteers for the service. The committees were now ordered to collect the names of all who had enlisted in the several counties. The governor and council were directed to appoint the officers and to give notice who they were, that the soldiers might choose under whom they would serve. The governor was desir- ed to issue a second proclamation, as his majesty's pleas- ure was now more fully known than it had been before, to give further information, and encourage able bodied men to enlist into the service. Men of influence were appoint- ed in every county to beat up for volunteers. The assem- bly wished the governor and committee of war to forward the expedition with the utmost dispatch. They were au- thorised to draw on the treasury for such sum or sums as should be found necessary for the service.
At the same assembly an act was passed, that a sloop of war of eighty or an hundred tons should be provided for the defence of their seamen and the coast. At the ses- sion in May preceding, and this session, bills were emitted to supply the exigencies of the colony, to the amount of 45,000 pounds ; 30,000 pounds in May, and 15,000 pounds at this time.
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The ministry in Great-Britain made the utmost exer- Book II. tions to make effectual provision of all articles necessary for the success of the expedition. The armament sailed 1740. for the West-Indies in October, under the command of lord Cathcart, a nobleman of great popularity and distin- guished abilities, convoyed by twenty-five ships of the line, besides frigates, fire ships, bomb ketches and tenders, com- manded by Sir Choloner Ogle. A British historian says, "they were likewise furnished with hospital ships, and store ships, loaded with provisions, ammunition, all sorts of warlike implements, and every kind of convenience. In a word, the ministry exerted their utmost endeavours to render the armament as complete as possible ; and never had the nation more reason to hope for success from any undertaking." When this armament and vice-admiral January Vernon formed a junction at Jamaica, the whole fleet con- 9th. sisted of twenty-nine ships of the line, with nearly the same number of frigates, fire ships and bomb ketches, well man- ned, and plentifully supplied with all kinds of provisions, stores and necessaries. The number of seamen amounted to fifteen thousand : the land forces, including the four re- giments from the American colonies, were not less than twelve thousand. In the November preceding this junc- tion, admiral Vernon had taken and plandered Porto Bel- lo, on the Isthmus of Darien, and demolished its fortifica- tions ; and now he found himself at the head of the most formidable fleet and army ever sent into those seas. The nation had great expectations from him ; but they were miserably disappointed. Lord Cathcart died in the West- Indies before the complete junction of the fleets. This probably gave a fatal blow to the success of the expedi- tion. The chief command of the army now devolved on general Wentworth, who was not equal to the command of such an army. Vernon was a man of uncommon prejudic- es and very much governed by his passions, and an invet- erate hatred of France was said to be his ruling passion. Under the influence of this he used his exertions and au- thority to obtain the consent of a council of war to beat up against the wind to Hispaniola, with the view of falling in with a French squadron commanded by the Marquis d'Au- tin, which had been dispatched from France to reinforce the Spaniards. It happened that the French admiral be- fore his arrival had sailed for Europe. Disappointed in this quarter, it was determined to make an attempt upon Carthagena. It was about the tenth of March when they commenced their operations against the enemy. Two months time had been lost, and by this time the garrison
268
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Book II. had been reinforced by the French, so that it amounted to four thousand men. The fortifications had also been in- 1741. creased and strengthened. Admiral Vernon and general Wentworth, nevertheless attacked the town, and carried on . their operations against it from the 10th of March till the beginning of April. They demolished the strong forts and castles in the harbor, and the admiral forced his way into it. An attack was made by Wentworth upon the town . but the troops were obliged to retire with the loss of four or five hundred men. In the course of the expedition, they destroyed six Spanish men of war, eight galleons and some smaller ships. In July they made an attempt upon the isl- and of Cuba. They possessed themselves of a fine har- bor, but by reason of an extraordinary sickness and mor- tality, they were not able to effect any thing of conse- quence.
According to the accounts given of the sickness, it was nearly as mortal as the plague. More than a thousand men died in a day for several days .* Of nearly one thou- sand men from New-England, not one hundred returned. Of five hundred from Massachusetts, fifty only returned.
Expedi- tion a- gainst the Floridas.
The Spaniards laid claim to the American seas, and in- terrupted the trade between Great Britain and her colonies. This was one occasion of the war ; and the parliament pe- titioned his majesty never to make peace with Spain until she should renounce that claim. She had been a bad neighbor, especially to the southern colonies, in time of peace ; and as it was expected that she would be a much worse one in time of war, governor Oglethorpe, of Geor- gia, having at the commencement of the war received a general's command, undertook an expedition against the Floridas. Assisted by Virginia and the Carolinas, he raised an army of more than two thousand men, consisting of regular troops, provincials and Indian allies. He suc- ceeded in reducing two Spanish forts, Diego and Moosa. St. Augustine was cannonaded and bombarded for some considerable time ; but after all his exertions, he was, for want of a sufficient naval force, obliged to raise the siege, and the expedition miscarried.
Invasion of
Georgia.
In 1742, the Spaniards, in their turn, invaded Georgia. Don Manuel de Monteano, about the last of June, with a formidable armament, came to anchor off Simons' bar. Ilis fleet consisted of thirty two sail, on board of which were more than three thousand men. The utmost exer- tions were made by general Oglethorpe to prevent their
* In the term of two days only, when the mortality was the greatest. there died three thousand four hundred and forty men.
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sailing by fort Simons. The enemy, notwithstanding, sail- Book II. ed up the river Altamaha, landed their troops, erected a battery of twenty eighteen pounders, and hoisting the bloo- 1742. dy flag, threatened the country with a general destruction. Georgia and the Carolinas were filled with trembling and dismay. General Oglethorpe had no force sufficient by any means to meet the enemy. He perceived that the most he could effect, was by vigilant and vigorous mea- sures, to act on the defensive, and to adopt all means of retarding the enemy, and of gaining time, until he should be reinforced from the Carolinas. The general watched all their motions by night and day. The Indian allies, ac- companied by his highlanders, ranged through the woods and harassed their out posts. When the enemy attempt- ed to advance, they were so impeded by morasses and thickets, and by the furious attacks of the Indians and high- landers, who laid wait for them and harassed them in eve- ry convenient place, that they were driven back in every attempt. The general at last, by a stratagem, had the good fortune to make the enemy believe that a great reinforce- ment was just at hand, and they decamped, in a panick, and returned to St. Augustine, without effecting any thing of importance.
Though the French made professions of peace, yet they French were constantly assisting the Spaniards and preparing for war pro- war. It had been expected from the commencement of the March claimed, war with Spain, that France would unite with her : and ac- 4th, 1744. cording to the general expectation, on the 4th of March, 1744, she proclaimed war against England. England, the same month, proclaimed war against France. But before it was known in New-England that war was proclaimed between the two nations, Duvivoir fitted out an expedition from Louisburg, and on the 13th of May, surprised Canso. Canso fa- He also made an attempt upon Annapolis, but this post ken, May had been reinforced by the Massachusetts people, and his 13th. expectations were disappointed. While the French were thus attacking our settlements by land, their privateers and men of war captured many of our vessels, and carried them into Louisburg. The French cruisers were so numerous on the coast, that it became dangerous to prosecute the fishery. The fishermen determined to give up the fishing voyages for the ensuing summer. It was generally con- ceived that no maritime business could be carried on with- out a convoy.
This was so grievous and wounding to the New-England people, that it became the general voice that Louisburg must be taken. It was not however the opinion of any that
270
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Book II. the colonies could effect it without assistance from England. It was the general opinion that application must be made to his majesty, both for a naval and land force, to carry it into execution. As winter approached, it began to be sug- gested that the place might probably be taken by surprise. . It became the general opinion that if the fortress could not be taken by surprise, that the provisions for the garrison were so scant that it would be impossible for it to stand a siege, until the usual time of the arrival of supplies from France. It was also said, that a naval force might be oh- tained to cruise off the harbor, sufficient to prevent the en- trance of any vessels which might by chance arrive.
While this was the conversation abroad, governor Shir- ley, who then had the chief command in Massachusetts, made the most diligent enquiry of those who had been trad- ers and prisoners at Louisburg, concerning the state of the fortress, the usual time of the arrival of supplies from France, the practicability of cruising before the harbor, and whatever else might be necessary for the fullest infor- mation relating to the affair.
He had before this time written to the ministry, repre- senting the necessity of a naval force early in the spring, for the preservation of Annapolis. He hoped that if this should arrive, the commander would be willing to cover the provincial troops. Commodore Warren was cruising with a number of ships in the West-Indies. It was imag- ined probable that, when he should be acquainted with the expedition, he would either come with his whole force, or at least, would send part of it to the assistance of the colo- nies. These were no more than probable conjectures, and yet these were all the chances which the colonies had of a naval force in the spring, sufficient to cope with a sin- gle ship which might arrive at Louisburg. Though the ministry would be immediately acquainted with the expedi- tion, by express, yet the distance between Europe and América was so great, that no timely assistance could be expected.
Pian of the The plan of the expedition was, that four thousand expedition troops in small transports should proceed to Canso : and against Louisburg. on the first favorable opportunity, be landed in Chapeau- rouge bay. They were to be furnished with cannon, mor- tars, ammunition, and all necessaries effectually to carry on the siege. To prevent the arrival of provisions and stores for the enemy, a number of vessels, as soon as the season would permit, were to be dispatched to cruise be- fore the harbor of Louisburg. An estimate was made of all the naval force which the colonies could muster. The
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largest ship which they could employ mounted twenty guns Book II. only. The whole number of armed vessels did not ex- ceed ten or twelve. With this land and sea force, it was 1745. said there was a good chance of success. If, agreeably to their expectations, the men of war should arrive, it was in- sisted that there was every imaginable reason to expect the reduction of the place. The whole affair was so prov- idential and extraordinary, that it merits a particular re- lation.
In the beginning of January, when the general court of Massachusetts was sitting at Boston, governor Shirley com- municated the plan of the expedition to both houses, who had previously bound themselves to secrecy. Some of the members, who had heard little conversation on the subject, were struck with amazement at the bare proposal: They imagined that it was an enterprize by far too great, even if there were a fair prospect of success. They were ap- prehensive that it would create an expense which might ruin the country. The scheme appeared wild and extrav- agant, yet, in deference to the governor's recommendation, a committee of both houses was appointed to take the pro- posal into consideration. For several days it was delibe- rated with great attention. By those who were for the ex- Debate with res- pedition, it was insisted that if Louisburg should be suffer- pect to the ed to continue in the hands of the French, it would infalli- expedition bly prove the Dunkirk of New-England. That the French trade had always been inconsiderable ; that their fishery was on the decline, and that for several years they had bought fish cheaper at Canso, than they could catch and cure them : and that by privateering, they might enrich themselves with the spoils of New-England. It was also urged, that in addition to these dangers, there was that of losing Nova-Scotia, which would instantly cause an in- crease of six or eight thousand enemies. It was further pleaded, that the garrison at Louisburg were disaffected, that provisions were scarce, the works mouldering and de- cayed, and the governor an old man, unskilled in the arts of war, and that now was the only time for success. Fur- ther it was said, Louisburg in another year, would be so fortified, as to become impregnable : That there was no danger from any force already there, and before any could arrive from France, the garrison would be forced to sur- render : That there was no danger of the arrival of any capital ship from France, so early in the year: That if one should arrive, five or six of our small ones might be a match for her. But it was said, that there was a much greater probability of the arrival of men of war from Eng-
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279
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Book II. land, or the West-Indies, at an earlier period than of any from France. It was observed, that there was always un- 1745. certainty in war, and that if we were disappointed, we were able to bear it: That if we succeeded, the conse- quences would be glorious indeed. The coasts of New- England would not only be preserved from molestation and plunder, but peace might be given to Europe. It was also pleaded, that Great Britain in case of success, would rein- burse the whole expense.
To this it was replied by others, that we had better suffer in our trade, than by such an expensive measure, to deprive ourselves of the means of it, for the future : That we could annoy the enemy in their fishery, as much as they could us in ours : That both parties would soon be willing to Icave the fishery without molestation : That the accounts given of the works and garrison at Louisburg, could not be depended on : that the garrison at Louisburg were regu- lar troops, who, though unequal in numbers, would, in the field, be more than a match for all the raw inexperienced militia which could be sent from New-England : that it was so difficult at that season of the year for vessels to keep their station, and the weather was frequently so thick, that twenty cruizers could not prevent supplies from going into the harbour of Louisburg. Further, it was observed, that there was no sufficient ground to expect any men of war from England or the West-Indies, to cover our troops : that if one sixty gun ship should arrive from France, or the French islands, she would be more than a match for all the vessels which the colonies could provide : that our trans- ports in Chapeaurouge bay would all be destroyed, and the army on Cape Breton would be obliged to surrender to the mercy of the French : that the colonies would be con- demned by the British court for engaging in such an en- terprize without their knowledge or approbation; and that they would be unpitied in their misfortunes, as they would be the natural effects of their own wild and rash measures. To these arguments it was further added that there was no certainty that such a number of men as had been proposed, could be raised, or that provisions, artille- ry, military stores, and transports sufficient for the expe- dition, could be obtained : that the season of the year was a great discouragement, as in the winter it frequently hap- pened, for many days together, that no business could be done abroad ; and that though bills of public credit should be emitted to carry the expedition into effect, yet they would depreciate to a very great degree, probably nearly in proportion to their whole amount. Finally, it was urged
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that if the expedition should succeed, it would be a nation- Book II. al benefit, in which the colonies would have no share, in any measure proportionate to the expense of the blood and 1745 treasure which it might cost them : and that, if it should prove unsuccessful, it would give the country such a shock, that it would not recover its present state in half a century.
On mature deliberation, the arguments against the ex- pedition, in the view of the house, preponderated, and the committee reported against the expedition. The houses accepted the report; and, for some days, the members laid aside all thoughts of the enterprise.
Though the governor ardently wished that this proposal might have been adopted by the court, yet he judged it inexpedient to urge the affair any further, by message, or by private influence with the members. He adopted a measure more prudent and influential; by forwarding a petition from the merchants and men of influence, in the colony, to the general court, on the subject. This, for reasons therein expressed, and especially, for the preser- vation of the fishery from ruin, prayed that the houses would reconsider their vote, and comply with the gover- The expe- nor's proposal. This produced another committee, who gainst dition a- reported in favour of the expedition. After a whole day's Cape Bre- debate on the subject, a majority of one voice was obtain- ton resol- ed to undertake the expedition. The whole affair was de- ved upon, by the gen- liberated with the utmost calmness and moderation. There eral court. appeared no other division, than what resulted from a real of Massa- difference in opinion, with respect to the true interests of chusetts, the province and nation. 1745.
No sooner was the great point determined than there was an immediate union in the measures necessary to carry the expedition into the most effectual execution. Dispatch- es were immediately sent to the neighbouring colonics, urging them to join and assist in the expedition. Nonc, however, would join in the enterprise, but those of New- England. An embargo was laid on all the shipping in the harbours. The proportion of men in the colonies, as pro- posed in the general plan, was, for Massachusetts, three thousand two hundred and fifty men ; for Connecticut, five hundred; and Rhode-Island and New-Hampshire, three hundred each.
On the 26th of February, governor Law convened a Special as" special assembly at Hartford, in consequence of letters re- sembly in ceived from governor Shirley and the general court of Mas- cut, Feb. " Connecti- sachusetts, relative to the expedition. No sooner were 26th. the letters communicated to the assembly, than five hun-
K 2
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Book II: dred able bodied men were voted for the service. For the encouragement of the men to enlist, a bounty of ten 1745. pounds was granted to each soldier, who should furnish himself with arms, knapsack and blanket ; and three pounds to every soldier who should not be able to arm himself. The assembly resolved that the pay of the soldiers should be eight pounds per month, and that one month's pay should be made to them before their embarkation. It was provided, that they should be under the command of their own officers, so far as the general service would permit : That, as soon as the expedition should terminate, they should be brought immediately back to New-London, the port where they were to embark, unless they should volun- tarily enlist for further service ; and that they should be exempted from all impresses, for the term of two years, af- ter their discharge from the expedition. The five hundred Inen were divided into eight companies .* Roger Wolcott, Esq. lieutenant-governor, was appointed commander in chief of the Connecticut troops ; major Andrew Burr, was appointed colonel; Simon Lathrop, lieutenant-colonel ; and captain Israel Newton, major of the regiment. It was resolved, that the colony sloop, Defence, should be com- pletely furnished, and sail as a convoy of the troops to Cape Breton : That the troops should embark at New- London, and sail immediately, to form a junction with the. troops of the other colonies, at the place of their destina- tion : That provisions and stores, of all kinds necessary for the expedition, should be provided. Commissioners were appointed immediately, to purchase provisions, pro- cure transports, and to forward the expedition with the utmost dispatch. Jonathan Trumbull and Elisha Williams. Esq'rs. were appointed commissioners, with full powers, to repair to Boston, and to treat with such gentlemen from Massachusetts, and the other colonies, as should be ap- pointed for the same purpose, relative to all matters con- cerning the expedition. The whole business respecting the expedition was finished in three days, and the assem- bly adjourned until the 14th of March.
The time of preparation for such an expedition was short; but, from the day it was determined upon, every circumstance so remarkably contributed to its success, that. a divine Providence seemed every where to watch over it. for good. The winter was so clement and favourable, that business could be done as well abroad, and nearly with the same dispatch, as at other seasons. Colonel Pep-
* Five captains, Elizur Goodrich, David Wooster, Stephen Lee, Samuel Adams, and John Dwight, only, were appointed at this session,
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perell was appointed commander in chief. He was a gen- Book II. tleman of a great landed interest, and largely employed in commerce. He, and governor Wolcott, the second in 1745. command, were popular men. Their popularity, and the sacrifices which they made of ease and interest, had great influence on inferior officers and private soldiers, for a season, to sacrifice domestic ease and their private inte- rests, to the more important concerns of the public. Many of the common soldiers were freeholders, and others the sons of wealthy farmers, who could have no other view in their enlistment than the public welfare.
It was soon found, that it would be next to impossible to clothe and victual the men, and to obtain the warlike stores necessary for the expedition. Committees of war were authorised to enter houses, cellars, and all places, where these articles were, and to take them for the use of the army. During the preparation, many vessels unexpect- edly arrived, with more or less of the very articles which the country wanted; and such was the general zeal and union, that the people submitted to any measures which appeared necessary for the general good. The chief men' in the New-England governments appcared willing to run all risks, and to be at any expense, to accomplish the en- terprise in view.
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