USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. I > Part 26
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For continuance of the campaign against Canada in 1756 Rhode Island enlisted 400 sol- diers early in the spring, additional to the 100 in garrison at Fort William Henry; 100 more in June, sixty in August, and 400 in October, thus having over 1000 men in active service, besides the large number who had sailed on privateers to annoy the French and prey upon French commerce. Governor Winslow of Massachusetts, complimented Governor Hopkins of Rhode Island, upon the colony's zealous interest, saying "that the colony under your com- mand comes nearest up to their quota"-the first and almost the only kindly message that ever reached Rhode Island from Massachusetts. The October contingent of 400 soldiers was raised partly by voluntary enlistment, encouraged by bounties, and partly by draft. Before the time set for these soldiers to depart for Albany news reached Rhode Island that smallpox had broken out there, and the departure was delayed. On October 30, 1756, Lord Loudon, who had succeeded Shirley as commander-in-chief, ordered that no more troops be dispatched, because the approach of winter suggested suspension of active campaigning. The Rhode Island soldiers were discharged. Meanwhile Oswego, which had been prepared as a base for an attack on the French at Niagara, had been captured by the French under Montcalm. The prisoners taken by the French included soldiers from Rhode Island. Rhode Island received £6600 as the colony's share in £115,000 sent from England to encourage America for active prosecution of war against the nationals of France, while England and France were still nominally at peace in Europe. War was not declared until May, 1756. That war profiteers are not new, and that the "embalmed beef" scandal of the Spanish-American War was not without precedent are suggested by action taken by the Rhode Island General Assem- bly in January, 1757, thus: "Whereas the committee of war purchased a large quantity of pork of Silas Gardner some time last spring, as good and merchantable Rhode Island and Connecticut pork, for the use of the forces raised by this colony for the Crown Point expe- dition, which was not merchantable, but very bad Carolina pork, and unfit for use . ... resolved that the committee . .. . be directed to demand of the said Silas Gardner the dam- ages that have accrued by the badness of said pork . .. and to prosecute him in the law to recover them."
In anticipation of an active campaign in 1757 the General Assembly voted to raise and arm 450 soldiers by voluntary enlistments and impressment if necessary. The building of a colony war sloop of 120 tons was ordered undertaken in a shipyard at Providence; in June the vessel was ordered rigged as a brigantine. To enforce a strict embargo against collusive shipping of provisions to the French, clearance for other than his majesty's ports was for- bidden, and shipmasters and owners were required to file bonds to guarantee delivery accord- ing to clearance. Later in the year, because of the failure of crops in England and Ireland, the embargo on shipments of corn and provisions was relaxed to permit the sending of food to avert famine in the mother country. To cover wartime expenditures, £ 100,000 were raised. Commissioners sent to Boston to attend a New England colonial conference assem- bled at the request of Lord Loudon, reported delay in the arrival of other commissioners and failure to achieve substantial agreements because of the reluctance of other colonies to con- tribute freely of man power. It appeared that the Rhode Island commissioners alone had not been restricted by instructions. The privateer "Abercrombie," brig, Captain Joseph Rivers, was taken into the colony's service and sent out from Newport in search of a French privateer reported off the coast, but returned without prize. The Rhode Island troops sent forward for the campaign expected to start from Albany as a base were not completely armed because so many muskets and other weapons had been lost or were not accounted for, and there were complaints from New York and Albany, which indicated that the soldiers were not so contented as had been those in earlier campaigns. For want of vigorous action New England's faith in the enterprise against Crown Point had begun to fail. Colonel Samuel Angell, commanding the Rhode Island regiment, urged better cooperation. A renewal of
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interest and effort followed the French movement against Fort William Henry. There 2000 men were besieged by Montcalm and 11,000 French and Indians, and after a defence lasting six days capitulated. Aid had been requested of the garrison at Fort Edward, less than fifteen miles away, but none was sent by General Webb, who had 6000 men idle in camp. The gar- rison of Fort William Henry surrendered on promise of permission to march unmolested to Fort Edward. Montcalm, commanding the French, was unable to restrain his Indian allies, who attacked and plundered and massacred the unarmed colonials, pursuing them along the portage to Fort Edward. When news of the French attack, but not of the disaster, reached Rhode Island one-sixth of the militia was ordered drafted and "raised and sent to Albany." To hasten arrival at Albany, the soldiers were to be mounted and proceed on horseback. When the disaster suggested the probability that the enterprising and indefatigable Mont- calm might follow up his victory by invasion, fifty-six of the leading citizens of Providence enlisted in a movement to raise 250 men to march so soon as possible. The agreement, dated August 15, 1757, was as follows: "Whereas, the British colonies in America are invaded by a large army of French and Indian enemies, who have already possessed themselves of Fort William Henry and are now on the march to penetrate further into the country; and from whom we have nothing to expect, should they succeed in their enterprise, but death and devastation. And as his majesty's principal officers in the parts invaded have in the most pressing and moving manner called on all his majesty's faithful subjects to defend the coun- try, therefore, we whose names are underwritten, thinking it our duty to do everything in our power for the defence of our liberties, families and properties, are willing and agree to enter voluntarily into the service of our country, and go in a warlike manner against the com- mon enemy, and hereby call upon and invite all our neighbors who have families and prop- erties to defend to join us in this undertaking, promising to march as soon as we are 250 in number, recommending ourselves and our cause to the favorable protection of Almighty God." The'paper was signed by Stephen Hopkins, Obadiah Brown, Nicholas Cooke, Bar- zillai Richmond, Joseph Bucklin, John Randall, John Cole, Gideon Manchester, Ephraim Bowen, John Waterman, Joseph Arnold, John Boss, John Thomas, Jr., Allen Brown, Benoni Pearce, Barnard Eddy, Benjamin Doubleday, Nicholas Brown, John Brown, William Whea- ton, William Smith, Jonathan Clarke, Jonathan Ballou, James Thurber, Amos Kinnicutt, Nathaniel Olney, Theophilus Williams, Joseph Lawrence, John Paine, Benjamin Olney, George Hopkins, Edward Smith, Joseph Winsor, Joseph Cole. Many of these, as patriots in the cause of America in the Revolutionary War, were equally solicitous of the defence of liberties, families and properties. Contrary to expectations, Montcalm did not pursue the advantage gained, but withdrew to Canada. Rhode Island troops already on their way to the front were recalled. In the fall other Rhode Island soldiers, except ninety remaining at Saratoga for winter service as rangers were transported home. The year had been disas- trous. Loudon's expedition by water against Louisburg had been a failure because a French fleet reached Cape Breton before the English fleet. The advance position on Lake George had been lost; Fort Edward at the southern end of the portage was the most advanced post held by the colonials. Loudon had under his command, however, a contingent of English regulars, ordered to America in anticipation of the campaign of 1758 to be used as the nucleus for a large army for the invasion of Canada.
William Pitt, English Secretary of State, in two letters dated December 30, 1757, announced (I) the recall of Lord Loudon and the appointment of Major General Abercrom- bie as his successor, and (2) "most vigorous and extensive efforts to avert .... the dan- gers impending in America." Pitt urged the raising of a colonial army of 20,000 men. Rhode Island sent commissioners to a conference at Hartford on February 20, with instruc- tions "to lay an exact state of the colony before his Lordship* with regard to its fortifica-
*Loudon was in command pending the arrival of Abercrombie.
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tions, cannon, warlike and military stores, the number of its inhabitants, state of the treasury, and funds for supplying the same," and to ask for reimbursement from the English treasury for earlier expenditures and aid for new effort, and to request that "the forces raised by this colony may be under the immediate command of their own officers, and no other except the commander-in-chief." Lord Loudon's request for men was considered excessive by the Rhode Island commissioners, who estimated Rhode Island's fair quota in an army of 5000 men from New England as 425. Nevertheless, the General Assembly ordered the enlistment of a regiment of 1000 men. The Rhode Island regiment, Colonel Henry Babcock, reached Albany by transport in June. General Abercrombie had already moved part of his army to Fort Edward. Early in July Abercrombie had reached the head of Lake George with an army of 16,000 men, including 7000 English regulars, 9000 colonials, and a heavy train of artillery. Transportation down the lake was provided by 900 batteaux and 125 whaleboats. On July 6 Abercrombie reached the northerly end of Lake George, and by noon his army, without artillery, was marching in four columns through the woods toward Ticonderoga. There the French had built a fortress on a height commanding the portage, which must be traversed to avoid the rapids between Lake George and Lake Champlain. Montcalm had 3000 men at Ticonderoga, and expected reinforcements of 500. He knew that Fort Ticonderoga was commanded by Mount Defiance and could not be defended successfully against artillery. Retreat he would not; leaving the fort, he threw up entrenchments hastily along the edge of a plateau between the lakes, blocking Abercrombie's approach. A scouting party of 300 French, sent out to reconnoitre, encountered the column led by Lord Howe and Israel Put- nam. One hundred French were killed, 150 were taken prisoners, and fifty escaped; but the English lost Lord Howe, who fell, shot through the heart, at the first discharge. Abercrombie retreated to the lake, and on the seventh sent out a scouting party, which located Montcalm, cleared the portage road and rebuilt bridges which had been destroyed by the French. Aber- crombie was deceived by his prisoners and led to believe that Montcalm had 6000 men and expected 3000 more as reinforcements. He determined to attack on the eighth without wait- ing for his artillery, paying as little attention to Putnam's protest as had Braddock to Wash- ington's advice on the march through the wilderness of Virginia. The French lay along the edge of the plateau, fortified by a wall of tree trunks with abattis. The approach was up the slope of rising ground; the place was ideal for defence. The attack was magnificent but suicidal; charge after charge was made, the famous Scotch Black Watch, led by Major Campbell reaching the French breastworks, but leaving 500 clansmen, half the regiment, dead or seriously wounded on the slope. The colonial troops, including Babcock's Rhode Island regiment, charged gallantly. Colonel Babcock was shot through the knee while leading his men, and carried from the field. Three other officers were wounded, and many-how many is not known-Rhode Islanders fell dead or wounded while fighting valiantly. Abercrombie lost 2000 men, one-eighth of his effective forces; the intensity of the struggle was indicated by the French loss of 400, though the French fought under the cover of breastworks. Aber- crombie withdrew at the close of the day to his landing place, and thence retreated precipi- tately up Lake George, although his forces still outnumbered the French more than four to one, his line of communication was intact and not endangered, and he had artillery against which the French position was not tenable. Beyond the portage lay Lake Champlain, the gateway to Canada; but Abercrombie had been defeated and he no longer had courage for conquest.
Colonel Babcock's report to Governor Hopkins referred to the battle thus:
The fifth instant the army consisting of 15,000 men, proceeded down the lake in batteaux with thirty days' provisions. The sixth in the morning, half after eight, we landed at the advance guard, who were very casily driven from their post, with no loss on our side and but four on theirs. About two o'clock P. M. the whole army marched, saving a battalion of the York regiment, who were posted as a guard on
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our batteaux. About three o'clock we were attacked by a party of the enemy, in which engagement we unfortunately lost the brave Lord Howe. There were taken of the enemy 100 prisoners, eight of whom were officers; our army was much scattered by reason of the firing in the woods, and it was thought advisable to return that evening to our batteaux. The next day Colonel Broadstreet was ordered . . . . to take possession of the saw mill, which we did without the loss of a man. The same evening the whole army marched up to the saw mill.
The eighth we were ordered to proceed in the following manner: The batteaux men, light-armed infantry and the rangers were ordered to form a line about 200 yards from the French entrenchments, which extended from Lake George to Lake Champlain; the regulars were to form a line behind the first line; who, after they were formed, were to pass through the first line, they making avenues for them; after that they were to form in line again. A captain and fifty men, out of the line, were detached for picket, who were to form in front; the grenadiers were to form behind them; and in this manner they were to attack the trenches, and were to march with shouldered firelock till they should get on top of the trenches. They accordingly marched on with great intrepidity, but were received so warmly that they were obliged to give ground after making most vigorous efforts; they even went up to the breastwork, but were knocked down so fast that it was very difficult for those behind to get over the dead and wounded. But before the attack of the regulars the enemy began firing upon the Yorkers. In the rear of the regulars the Connecticut, New Jersey and Rhode Island troops were ordered to form about 300 yards behind, and were to support them if necessary.
About an hour after the attack I was ordered to march with the regiment, to relieve those that had been engaged. We went up within about forty yards of the breastwork. Soon after I got up, on posting my regiment to the best advantage I could, I received a shot on my left knee; after that, finding myself of no advantage, I ordered two men to carry me off and left the regiment warmly engaged. We have lost no officers. Captain John Whiting, Lieutenants Russell and Smith are slightly wounded. The return of the killed and wounded, Your Honor has enclosed .* The same evening, to my great surprise, the whole army was ordered to return to the batteaux, to the great mortification of chief of the officers; and the next evening we arrived here [Lake George, south end].
Never did an army gain more advantage in so little time, whilst the late Lord Howe was alive; but soon after that we became a confused rabble. We have lost a great many brave officers; in Lord Howe's regiment all the field officers were killed.
A month later 312 men from the Rhode Island regiment participated in the capture of Fort Frontenac, a shipping point on Lake Ontario from which the French sent supplies to Niagara, Frankfort, and Fort Duquesne. Major Daniel Wall reported this adventure in a letter to Governor Hopkins, as follows:
Three thousand troops, with four brass twelve-pounders and two howitzers, set out on the fourteenth of August on a secret expedition under the command of Colonel Broadstreet; out of which number there were 312 from the Rhode Island regiment. We proceeded to Oswego . . . and crossed part of Lake Ontario, and on the twenty-fifth we landed in high spirits on an island in open sight of Fort Frontenac and their shipping-a brig and schooner (partly rigged). Colonel Broadstreet immediately sent a whale- boat to reconnoitre and thought it impracticable to attempt to land before the evening by reason of the great surf. Provisions were then issued and the people employed in cooking. At about seven in the evening landed the whole troops about a mile distant from the fort without being opposed. The rangers and Indians, who were about 200, scouting in the woods; and an attempt was then formed to board the brig- antine and schooner with whaleboats; but as they were warped in under the fort it was thought imprac- ticable to attempt it. The troops were under arms all that night in front of the batteaux; and about eight next morning all our artillery were landed and fixed in their carriages. About ten, began to cannonade, under cover of a hill about 700 yards distant; the enemy firing very hot, but without doing execution.
As soon as it was dusk we approached up to a breastwork of the enemy, erected at the time that Oswego was garrisoned, through which we cut embrasures; and at daybreak began to throw shells, which continued very warm till seven o'clock, the enemy firing very smart, both with their cannon and small arms, when we perceived them endeavoring to escape with the vessels. We immediately brought two twelve-pounders to play upon them, which shattered them very much, and all the crews on board took to their boats and made off, suffering the vessels to drive on shore. Then the garrison sent out to surrender. . .
*This paper has been lost.
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The expedition burned seven French vessels, besides taking the brigantine and schooner to Oswego, loaded with the stores seized at Fort Frontenac. The fort was demolished. The stores in large part had been accumulated for dispatch to Fort Duquesne, and the destruction of Fort Frontenac thus contributed to the English success later in the year on the Ohio.
Except at Ticonderoga the English were uniformly successful in 1758. Amherst and Wolfe captured the fortress at Louisburg, July 26, and thus opened the St. Lawrence River as a gateway toward Quebec and Montreal. Fort Frontenac fell on August 27. General Forbes captured Fort Duquesne November 25, and renamed it Fort Pitt, the name still commemorated by the city of Pittsburgh. William Pitt was resolved to prosecute vigorously in 1759 the war to conquer New France. In Rhode Island the year 1758 had been distress- ing. Besides the effort involved in raising 1000 men, 2000 English troops had been billeted in Providence for several weeks, awaiting orders to proceed to Albany. After the soldiers had gone forward, messages came frequently naming dead and wounded, and many soldiers returned broken physically. The colony brigantine, on the construction of which more than £20,000 had been expended, had never been launched; in 1758 it was ordered sold after advertisement, and finally the committee was directed to sell "for the most they can get, and that the purchase money be applied to the colony's use." But Rhode Island was not down- hearted; Rhode Island was ready to join with William Pitt in prosecuting the war.
Abercrombie was recalled after the battle of Ticonderoga, and Major General Jeffrey Amherst was appointed commander-in-chief. In anticipation of the campaign of 1759 only soldiers unfit for service were discharged during the winter, and in February the Rhode Island regiment was ordered to reach Albany not later than April Io. Upon Admiral Durell's urgent request for seamen to maintain man power in the English fleet of war, Rhode Island encouraged enlistment in the navy by offering bounties. Admiral Durell was so well pleased with Rhode Island's effort, the number of men obtained and the promise of more upon request, that he thanked Rhode Island and promised to order reimbursement on account of the bounties. Vigorous effort was also made to maintain the Rhode Island regiment at full strength of 1000 men. In June an additional bounty was offered to raise 115 men for the regiment. Colonel Babcock remained in command, but Daniel Wall, who had been promoted to be Lieutenant Colonel, did not join the regiment. Colonel Babcock urged the promotion of Major Whiting to be Lieutenant Colonel, and Eben Whiting to be Major, the latter having been offered a command in the Inskilling regiment. General Amherst's army moved forward from Albany early in the summer, and on July 12 was reported by Colonel Babcock as at Camp Lake George, southern end. The French had withdrawn so many effective soldiers as possible for the defence of Quebec and Montreal against Wolfe's army, moving from the east via the St. Lawrence River; those left at Ticonderoga and Crown Point offered resist- ance only to delay the advance of Amherst, who had 12,000 men. A show of force was made on Lake George; on July 27 Amherst reported the taking of Ticonderoga after trifling oppo- sition. The enemy carried off their baggage and withdrew most of their effective troops, and finally blew up part of the fortress as the English advanced. Amherst delayed to repair the fort, and waited further at the south end of Lake Champlain for transports, instead of push- ing forward vigorously to join Wolfe. The French abandoned Crown Point as they had Ticonderoga, and, familiar by this time with the cautious inertia of Amherst, gave him a new job-restoring the fort at Crown Point, which they attempted to blow up-anything to serve the purpose of keeping Amherst busy while Wolfe waited. Amherst announced, in a letter to Governor Hopkins: "I am in possession of the ground ever since the fourth, where I propose building such a stronghold as shall most effectually secure and cover all this coun- try." The strategy of effective war demanded the destruction of the enemy army, but Amherst was obsessed by the same delusion of possession of territory which defeated Eng- land in the Revolutionary War. Fortunately for England, Wolfe was more energetic; after
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waiting two months before Quebec for Amherst's army, which never arrived, Wolfe climbed to the Plains of Abraham and on September 13 fought the decisive battle for the city, and for Montcalm's army. Both Wolfe and Montcalm died on the field. Meanwhile Amherst was at Crown Point building vessels to meet the French war vessels on Lake Champlain; he did not become master of the lake until October, when it was too late to undertake the inva- sion of Canada. In a letter written to Governor Hopkins General Amherst praised Colonel Babcock thus: "And as Colonel Babcock has, throughout the whole campaign, continually manifested his great zeal for the service, and upon all occasions promoted it to his utmost, I should not do him justice were I to omit giving him this public testimony of it, and of beg- ging you to return him my particular thanks for the same." Amherst requested retention of the Rhode Island regiment in service during the winter in anticipation of the final campaign in 1760, but Governor Hopkins had discharged the regiment on December 10, not having received up to that time, a request otherwise. In a letter to General Amherst Governor Hop- kins promised further assistance if it should be wanted. The French retained possession of Montreal and other posts along the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario.
In February, 1760, the General Assembly ordered the raising of a Rhode Island regiment of 1000 men, to be commanded by Colonel Christopher Harris. Amherst ordered the regi- ment forward to Albany in May for participation in the campaign against Montreal. In April a French army of 10,000 men moved from Montreal, defeated an English army at Sil- lery, and laid siege to Quebec. They were driven off by the arrival of an English fleet. Three English forces converged on Montreal, from Quebec via the St. Lawrence River, from Oswego via Lake Ontario, and from Albany via Lake George and Lake Champlain. Mon- treal surrendered September 8, 1760. The colony regiment was discharged from service at the close of the campaign, and in 1761 a regiment of 666 men, Colonel John Whiting, was recruited for garrison duty in the new territory acquired by the conquest. In October a company of sixty-four men was continued in service as a garrison for Fort Stanwix. The Assembly in 1762 voted to raise a regiment of 660 men, Colonel Samuel Rose, and also 178 men as the colony's quota for filling up the regiments of the English regular army then serv- ing in America. Soldiers for the colonial regiment were obtained readily; more difficulty was experienced in enlisting men for his majesty's regiments. The regiment of 1762 was employed in the brief war against Spain declared in 1762, and saw service in the West Indies. Scarcely one-half of the Rhode Islanders returned home, so many had died from disease or had been killed in the war. In November, 1762, an armistice was signed, and on February 10, 1763, peace was restored by the Treaty of Paris. France ceded all of New France save Louisiana to England, Spain acquired Louisiana and ceded Florida and all possessions east of the Mississippi to England. England thus became mistress of half the continent. There remained after the Treaty of Paris a quarrel between the colonists and the mother country as to the proper allocation of the costs of conquest, and another enduring quarrel involving the rights of the colonists and of the mother country inevitably conflicting as the latter attempted to secure for herself economic advantages at the expense of the former. The next clash in arms would find the late allies in the war against France enemies contending for the control of a new empire to be. The causes of the Revolution, however, were the develop- ment not of a generation but of a century, during which Rhode Island played a significant part in resisting aggression, penetrating design, and maintaining independence by a sturdy battle for the preservation of the rights granted by the King Charles Charter.
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