USA > Rhode Island > Kent County > East Greenwich > History of the town of East Greenwich and adjacent territory, from 1677 to 1877 > Part 17
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It would be very interesting at this present time to know the names of those patriotic individuals in our village who so promptly contributed to relieve the suffering people of Boston, but Mr. Bartlett is silent on that subject.
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HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
A somewhat important event occured at this time, at the raising of the Congregational Church in East Greenwich. After the large number of men who had assembled for the purpose of raising the building had finished their labor, they met and burned the effigy of Stephen Arnold, a man of some note in the county, who at that time had made him- self very unpopular by his violent Tory principles. On hearing of this insult, Stephen Arnold, who resided about four or five miles from the village, collected a number of his friends for the purpose of marching down and destroy- ing it. He enlisted several hundred men, exercised and manœuvred them privately, until his plans were completed, and fixed on a time and place preparatory to making a de- scent on the village. The place of meeting was about two miles west of the village at the corner of the two roads, near the residence of the late Daniel Howland.
The scheme was so well arranged, and the secret so well kept, that nothing but the treachery of one of his men, to whom the whole plan was disclosed, saved the village from destruction. The prime mover divulged the secret to Thomas Tillinghast, supposing from his well known Tory feelings, he would readily fall into the scheme; but Mr. Tillinghast, although belonging to the same political party with Arnold, would not join a treasonable band collected for the gratification of private revenge. He therefore pro- ceeded to put the inhabitants of East Greenwich on their guard. He arrived here about midnight, and after calling up some of the people, placed before them the whole affair. The story appeared so improbable that it had few believers. Very few could think that such men would seriously con- template so daring an act. However, as Mr. Tillinghast was well known to be perfectly trustworthy, they prepared themselves for the worst.
At that time there resided in the village an old lady, called Peggy Pearce, who was a remarkably shrewd, observ- ing sort of person, and therefore one well fitted for an emergency. She kept a shop on Main street, and was in the habit of trading with the people of West Greenwich, where most of the rioters lived, and was therefore well situ- ated to fulfill the part of a spy.
The next day after the alarm she went on horseback through a portion of West Greenwich and Coventry, with the ostensible purpose of purchasing woolen yarn and linen thread, then furnished solely by the farmers' wives and
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daughters, but her real object was to ascertain if possible when the attack was to be made. By dropping a few casual remarks, and making some apparently idle inquiries, she learned not only that the report was true, but also that the attack would be made on the following day or night. She returned to the village and made known the result of her mission. A meeting was hastily called by the inhabitants, and Samuel Brown was dispatched to Providence request- ing the Governor to send the military to their assistance. The Governor answered the call promptly, sending the Light Infantry and Cadets to their aid.
The rioters assembled at their rendezvous, but on learn- ing that their intentions were discovered and that the in- habitants were prepared for the encounter, they sent out Arnold and others as scouts, who, happening, in their eager- ness, to approach rather too near the village, were captured. Stephen Arnold was compelled to make an apology to the villagers, expressing his sorrow and regret, and upon promising to desist from all further attempts, and dismiss his followers, he was released. And thus ended the famous riots.
Judge Staples, in his book entitled the " Annals of Provi- dence," refers to this affair in the following manner :
" The following month, (September, 1774), the Light Infantry and Cadet Companys, were requested by the Sheriff of the County of Kent, at East Greenwich, to dis- perse a mob there assembled, and threatening to destroy the village ; an express arrived here, (Providence), about two in the morning, and these two companies reached their place of destination, at nine the same morning.
" It seems that the people of East Greenwich had charged Stephen Arnold of Warwick, one of the Judges of the in- feriour court in that County, with propagating principles unfriendly to American liberty, and hung him in effigy ; he had called together his friends to the number of some hun- dreds, to avenge himself for these insults ; after the arrival of the military, he acknowledged that he had been indis- creet in his proceedings, being actuated by fear and resent- ment ; he signed a paper confessing these facts and declaring himself to be a friend to the liberties of his country, and that he disapproved of those measures which were intended to impose any taxes on America without her consent ; upon this and his promising to discourage all such unlawful as- semblies for the future, peace was restored in the village and the Military returned home."
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HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
In the printed schedule of the doings of the General As- sembly, held in Providence, December, 1774, is the follow- ing resolution :
" It is voted and resolved, That Preserved Pearce, and William Greene be, and they are hereby appointed a Com- mittee to enquire into the circumstances of the affair which caused the Cadet Company and the Light Infantry Company to march from Providence to the Town of East Greenwich and into the charges which were made thereon; and they make report to this Assembly, at the next Session."
The following account is from the Providence Gazette, September, 1774, in the Colony Records :
" Declaration of Stephen Arnold of East Greenwich relative to certain tumultuous proceedings :
" PROVIDENCE, September, 1774.
" At 2 o'clock in the morning, on Tuesday last, an ex- press arrived in this town from East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, with advice that a mob was raised consist- ing of some hundreds of people who threatened, and were hourly expected to come and destroy said village of East Greenwich, in order to show their resentment of the injury which they said had been offered to Stephen Arnold, of Warwick, Esq .; one of the Justices of the inferior court of common pleas in that County, who had been charged with industriously propagating principles unfriendly to American liberty, and had been hung in effigy by some of the people of East Greenwich.
" This intelligence was immediately communicated to his Honor the Deputy Governor, who ordered the Sheriff, with the Companies of Cadets and Light Infantry of this town and others of the Militia to arm themselves and proceed immediately to East Greenwich, to assist the Sheriff of said town, in dispersing the said mob ; the Companies of Militia, accordingly armed and marched immediately and arrived there by 9 o'clock the same morning, where a Committee was appointed and sent to the mob, about two miles distant from the village to warn them of the bad consequences of their unlawful proceedings, and to demand some of the the principal persons among them, to come immediately into the town and settle the affair.
" Whereupon, the said Stephen Arnold, and some others, came from the mob, and met the militia ; and a great num- ber of people convened at the Court House, where, after
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being made acquainted with their resolute determination, he signed the following declaration and confession :
"' Whereas, I, the subscriber, having lately in this town, received great indignity, by being hung in effigy, by some evil minded persons, to me unknown, and from many reports which have been circulated in the country, I was led to think my person and family unsafe ; and being actuated by the motives of fear and resentment, without maturely con- sidering the consequences, have been concerned, by officiat- ing with divers people of this country, with the intention of repairing to this town and making a declaration of that right which as a subject, I apprehended, I was entitled to.
"'And whereas, the said assembly was unlawful, which hath occasioned much fear and distress to the inhabitants of this town in particular, and many others in general ; for all which I do hereby express my hearty sorrow, and wish to obtain the favorable opinion of this public assembly ; especially as I am a friend to the liberty of my country, and disapprove of those measures which have been calcu- lated to tax America without her consent.
"'STEPHEN ARNOLD.'
"'EAST GREENWICH, Sept. 13th, 1774.
"' P. S. I do further declare, that I will discourage to the utmost of my power, all such unlawful assemblies for the future, and that already assembled in particular.
"'STEPHEN ARNOLD.'"
The dramatic elements are not wanting in this little series of scenes from minor Revolutionary history. The play- wright would not miss any of his favorite characters. He would find the daring traitor, the adroit female spy, the wavering conspirator, who betrays his companions, these, with the addition of " a pair of star crossed lovers," separ- ated by the hard fortunes of revolutions, but happily united in the closing scene which shows the downfall of the Tory villain, and calls together the grand display of soldiers, officials and citizens-would satisfactorily fill the pages of a Rhode Island drama.
What admirable dramatic "situations " are found in the manifestations of the excited feeling of the times-the hanging and burning in effigy of the Tory squire, the tower- ing wrath of that choleric magnate, his hasty conferences with his friends and dependents, the maturing of the rash scheme, the disclosure of the whole plot, to the half-incredu-
13
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HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
lous dismay of the villagers ; the shrewd counterplottings of the spy, with the arrival of the troops, their descent upon the rioters, the capture of Arnold and his scouts, and the hu- miliation of that unhappy Tory in his dubious and cloudy " confession."
There is material for more serious reflection in specula- tions upon the results that would probably have followed the success of this traitorous scheme. Offended vanity and egotism have seldom exacted more heavy penalties than were demanded in the proposed burning and plundering of a peaceful town. By the aid of woman's wit, East Green- wich was saved from the disaster which was close at her doors. What a strange episode of the Revolution it would have been, if, while the town's people were dreading the attack of the British, they had suffered, instead, from the unnatural enmity which took possession of their own friends and countrymen.
Many people will wonder why the Kentish Guards, an independent company in East Greenwich, were not called out to suppress the riot, instead of sending to Providence for military aid; but the Guards were on their way to Boston, having volunteered their services as soon as they heard of the battle of Lexington. Many old people, with whom I have conversed about the riots, spoke of the great numbers that assembled here and of the difficulty of finding sufficient food and lodging for so many. Every family in the village was baking bread and cooking the meats and vegetables which the farmers brought in from the surround- ing country. The inhabitants were in daily fear of a visit from Wallace, commander of the British fleet stationed at Newport. A short time previous he had made a descent on Bristol and Warren, burning those towns. He had already attempted to land troops a few miles below East Greenwich, at Quidnesett. The people of East Greenwich had removed most of their furniture, plate and provisions into the country for safety.
The Kentish Guards held an important position during a portion of the "Dorr War," as the exciting times of 1842 were then called. On the afternoon of the day when Mr. Dorr and his followers threatened an attack on the Arsenal on Dexter street, in Providence, Governor King sent orders to all the independent companies in the State to assemble in Providence as soon as possible. The Kentish Guards marched and paraded through the streets during the after-
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noon and evening, but as their services were not required they were dismissed to their very great satisfaction. When the second call for troops was made in June, it was very difficult to get the company together. Some of them thought there might be danger and they had better keep away, and although Colonel Allen made every exertion and performed his duty to the utmost, he was unable to fill up the ranks without volunteers, although most of those who volunteered were already exempt from military duty. When all the arrangements were made the company were told to be ready at a minute's warning, as Colonel Allen was expecting a call at any moment. How well we remem- ber the anxiety of that waiting! At length it came, on Sunday afternoon, during the church services. A train of cars arrived from Providence, with an urgent request from the Governor to Colonel Allen to come as soon as possible, for the rebels were making a serious demonstration at Paw- tucket. When the Court House bell rang the company assembled and were soon on their way to the seat of war.
The following from the Providence Journal will give us an idea how well the Kentish Guards performed their duty, and how much real danger they encountered at Pawtucket. Some of the members were so much injured by the stones and other missiles that they were compelled to leave the company and return home.
From the Providence Journal.'
" Having heard and seen several accounts of the encoun- ter at Pawtucket, on Monday night, the 27th of June, be- tween the military and the self-styled people, which ac- counts not only essentially differ, but some of which, it is believed, were designed to convey a false impression pre- judicial both to the military and the well-disposed citizens of that village, the following account has been carefully drawn up by one who witnessed the whole scene, from the entrance of the troops into the village until its termination : " On Monday afternoon the Kentish Guards, from East Greenwich, under the command of Colonel G. W. T. Allen, consisting of about fifty men, were ordered to repair to Pawtucket and guard the bridge over the Blackstone River at that village. On their arrival, multitudes were as- sembled in the streets, as they supposed, to witness a mili- tary parade; but it was soon apparent that mere curiosity was not the sole object, as language of the most insolent
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HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
and irritating character was heard amid the din of hisses, shouts and yells, as the troops marched down to the hotel on the corner of Main and Mill streets; all of which failed, however, of its intended effect, as the men had positive orders to observe the strictest military discipline and decorum, let their treatment from the mob be ever so rude.
" Arrived at the hotel, they were received by the Paw- tucket and Central Falls volunteers, under the command of Captain Potter, and conducted to their quarters in the hall, and immediately placed a guard at the main entrance to the hotel, with the intention of partaking of some refresh- ments before they took command of the pass across the bridge.
" The officers had scarcely reached the hall, before a shout from without announced an attack upon the guard at the entrance on Mill street ; and on looking out, one of the sovereigns was seen brandishing a bayonet, which he had wrested from the musket of one of the guard, but which was soon recovered, the guard at the door strengthened, and a file of men placed across Main street, from the old market to the corner of Main and Mill streets. To this point as far as could be seen on the Massachusetts side, the streets and bridge presented one dense mass of human be- ings, male and female, old and young, even nursing infants with their mothers, and the streets around the hotel were fast filling up.
" The guard maintained their position in the rain, stand- ing at " secure arms " or "charge bayonet" for about an hour, while the Pawtucket and Central Falls volunteers (twenty-five only of whom were armed) organized and loaded their guns from the supplies of the Kentish Guards, as they were entirely without ammunition, organization or discipline ; when it was deemed necessary to strengthen it, and a file of men formed across Main, opposite the middle of Mill, at its junction with Main street, about ten or twelve paces in the rear of the front line, and another under the piazza in front of the hotel, in Main street, in order to keep their guns dry, in case it became necessary to fire on the mob.
" These preparations for defence, instead of dispersing the rioters, only tended to increase the excitement which had risen almost to frenzy, and in a few minutes the guards on every line were as closely surrounded as their arms would allow, by friend and foe undistinguishable, and as
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some demonstrations were made to disarm them, the front line was now marched into the rear line, under cover of that on the side of the hotel and faced from the bridge two paces from that facing the bridge.
" This retrograde movement, however necessary for their own safety, had a bad effect, as it proved; for the mob, thinking that it was a signal of a retreat of the whole force, followed up the advantage which the movement gave them, and closed in on all sides, so that it was with great diffi- culty they could be kept from rushing between the lines at the short distance between them.
" At this juncture, the mob east of the bridge receded right and left, until they had opened up to the front line, when a horse in a carriage, containing two persons in male and one in female attire, was driven up to the line, and the driver demanded a pass through. The officer in command asked him to pass round the left of his line, in Mill street, but he persisted in his right to pass through his ranks, and would have done so, had not his horse been seized by the- bridle and wheeled off, when he passed up Main street a, short distance, wheeled around, and drove down furiously upon the other line; again he was frustrated, passed around the lines, and disappeared east of the bridge for a few minutes, when he returned to the assault; and as it was now evident that he was intent on breaking the lines of the guard, the officer in command, ordering his men to stand firm, again exhorted him to desist, and pass around, as he had done before ; but the mob cheered him on with exclamations of 'Break their ranks-run down the cursed Algerines-maintain your rights.' At this crisis, finding argument and expostulation unavailing, the men were now ordered to rush upon the horse, rather than spill the blood of the driver, which so exasperated the horse that it was necessary to give orders to fire, which were followed by the discharge of only three or four pieces, owing to the wet state of the priming, sufficient, however, to drive him from the assault.
" This fire separated the mob from the guard sufficiently to allow the mob to assail them with stones, bricks, and bottles of glass and stone, weapons, the contents of which had tended, probably, to elevate their courage to such a frenzied pitch, and four of the guard were carried in wounded. A female among the mob fell and was carried off for dead ; but finding that neither she nor others were
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hurt, they concluded that blank cartridges had been fired, and now commenced a scene of which an actual opening of the bottomless pit alone can convey an adequate idea.
"Every exclamation that could be expected to irritate the men, such as, 'Where's the man that shot the cow ? '- ' Fire away your blank cartridges, you cursed Algerines !' with all the dismal howlings, yells, groans, that human be- ings ever uttered, arose in one universal strain, until all distinguishable sounds were drowned in the terrific din ; as soon as Col. Allen could be heard, he advanced in front of his lines and ordered the mob to disperse at their peril, as- suring them that his muskets were loaded with ball cart- ridges, and that however reluctant to shed human blood, unless they dispersed, he should give orders to fire; again the air was rent with, 'Fire away your blank cartridges, you cursed Algerines !' and the assault with stones and other missiles was renewed.
" A detatchment of men reloaded and primed, now ad- vanced to the front, and again they were ordered to dis- perse with the same effect, and unable longer to withstand the assault the men were ordered to fire, when some five or six pieces were discharged, none of which took effect, as, owing to the reluctance of the troops to shed blood, they elevated their pieces above the mob; it had the effect, how- ever, to disperse them in some measure, as they receded back to about the middle of the bridge, where they again made a stand and renewed the assault, and were fired upon again, and one, the ringleader, fell dead or mortally wounded, and the rest receded back upon the Massachusetts side, and sought cover behind the buildings, from which they would occasionally sally and throw their missiles at the guard who now advanced to the middle of the bridge, which post was maintained until the guard was relieved by the arrival of the R. I. Carbineers, about two o'clock, Tuesday morning.
" It is due to the Kentish Guards and Pawtucket and Central Falls volunteers, to say, that the lawless inso- lence was endured and forbearance exercised, until their own safety demanded a lawful resistance and performance of their military duty; it was fortunate for the cause of humanity, that it was dark and rainy, for had the weather been dry and the night bright, hundreds of lives would in all probability have been sacrificed; happily but one was killed, and so far as we know, but six or eight wounded on both sides; thus terminated an encounter, which, while it
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quelled the violence of a lawless and desperate mob, failed in reaching and bringing to summary justice, the cowardly villians by whom the comparatively innocent and ignorant dupes of their treachery were incited to rebellion.
"Some of the worthy sovereigns of Pawtucket having industriously but falsely circulated a report that Colonel Allen detailed a body of his men, who passed the Massa- chusetts line to search for men and arms contrary to orders and that a requisition will be made by Governor Davis on their commander-in-chief to have them delivered up to the proper authorities of that State for trial, the Kentish Guards wish it to be distinctly understood, that should such requisition be made, it is their desire that it might be promptly granted, as they court the strictest scrutiny and investigation of their military conduct while stationed at that village, and are as ready to be tried by the laws of which they claim protection, as they are to support them."
The following gives an interesting account of the manner in which their grateful fellow-citizens acknowledged the valuable services of the Guards in this trying period :
" PROCEEDINGS
Of the Citizens of East Greenwich and Vicinity on the return of the Kentish Guards and Volunteers, Friday, July 1st, 1842. After the Suppression of the Late Rebellion In This State; With An Address, BY REV. S. A. CRANE.
" EAST GREENWICH, July, 1842.
" To the Rev. S. A. Crane :
" SIR,-At a meeting of the Citizens of this Town and vicinity on Monday, July 4th, it was unanimously
"Resolved, That the thanks of the citizens be presented to the Rev. Silas A. Crane, for his very interesting and im- pressive address, delivered in St. Luke's Church, on the re- turn of the Kentish Guards and Volunteers, on Friday the first instant, and that he be requested to furnish a copy of the same for the press.
" And it was also Resolved, That the undersigned be a committee to communicate to you the above resolution, and to carry the same into effect.
" We are, dear sir, very respectfully,
" Your obedient servants,
"L. MARCELLUS WHEELER, JOHN P. ROBETS, Jr., THOMAS H. RHODES, JOSEPH J. TILLINGHAST, DAVID PINNIGER,"
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HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
" EAST GREENWICH, July 6th, 1842.
" GENTLEMEN :
" Believing that the solemn injunction of St. Paul to Titus, 'Put them in mind to obey magistrates,' is imper- atively the rule of duty for a Christian minister, in times like these, I readily consented to deliver the address, a copy of which you have requested for publication. In the same belief, it is now cheerfully submitted to your disposal.
" I am, Gentlemen, yours, truly and respectfully, "S. A. CRANE."
" KENTISH GUARDS.
"It is believed that the statement of a few facts drawn from the early history of the Kentish Guards will be found neither uninteresting nor inappropriate, as a preface to the proceedings of their fellow citizens, on their recent return from defence of the State. The charter of this Company was granted by the General Assembly in their October session, 1774. Among the original petitioners for the charter are found the names of several men, who, afterwards, as officers in the army of the Revolution, were distinguished for their high rank, their courage, and their military talents. Ma- jor General Nathanael Greene, General James Mitchell Var- num, Col. Christopher Greene, Col. Archibald Crary, and others of high reputation, are in this number. Of the origi- nal petitioners, also, one is still living in this place, Capt. Wanton Casey. In his advanced age he still retains the spirit of his early and distinguished associates ; and his love of country, of law and liberty, is now as fresh and vigorous as when he marched with this company to Massachusetts, on the alarm raised by the battle of Lexington. It has been interesting to notice how keenly he felt for the honor of the company in their recent service ; and how proudly he now rejoices in their noble and successful effort to maintain the well earned and long established reputation of its orig- inal founders.
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