Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. I, Part 47

Author: Carroll, Charles, author
Publication date: 1932
Publisher: New York : Lewis historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 716

USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. I > Part 47

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Comment by historians on the Act of May 4, 1776.

May 4 (1776), Rhode Island formally declared her independence of Great Britain, by a solemn act, abjuring her allegiance to the British Crown. . . . It constitutes Rhode Island as the oldest independent state in America .- E. Benjamin Andrews.

Thus the first colony to declare her absolute independence of the crown, was Rhode Island .- Bryant and Gay.

The despondency and hesitation of the assembly of Pennsylvania was in marked contrast with the fortitude of Rhode Island, whose general assembly, on the fourth day of May (1775), passed an act, discharging the inhabitants of that colony from allegiance to the king of Great Britain. . . . The overturn was complete; the act was at once a declaration of independence, and an organization of a self-constituted republic .- Bancroft.

The last colonial assembly of Rhode Island met on the first day of May (1776). On the fourth, two months before the Congressional declaration of independence, it solemnly renounced its allegiance to the British crown, no longer closing its session with "God Save the King !" but taking in its stead, as expressive of their new relation, "God Save the United Colonies !"-Green.

The first state actually to declare herself independent of Great Britain was Rhode Island. This act was passed May 4, 1776-Mowry.

In this wise, in May, 1776, the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, before any other colony declared their absolute independence of the British crown .- Smith.

272

RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY

It is believed to be the earliest vote of the kind passed by any of the colonies. It severed the connec- tion between Rhode Island and the British crown, and the English colony of Rhode Island became hence- forth a sovereign state .- Staples.

Rhode Island, from that moment, became, and is at this day, the oldest sovereign and independent state in the western world .- Durfee.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MAY 4, 1776. Governor-Nicholas Cooke, of Providence. Deputy-Governor-William Bradford, of Bristol. Secretary-Henry Ward, of Newport. Attorney-General-Henry Marchant, of Newport. General Treasurer-Joseph Clarke, of Newport.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY. Assistants (Senators).

Ambrose Page, of Providence James Arnold, of Warwick Simeon Potter, of Bristol John Sayles, Jr., of Smithfield John Collins, of Newport

John Jepson, of Portsmouth Thomas Church, of Little Compton Peter Phillips, of North Kingstown William Potter, of South Kingstown Jonathan Randall, of Westerly

Deputies (Representatives). Speaker of the House-Metcalfe Bowler, of Portsmouth. Clerk of the House-Josiah Lyndon, of Newport.

Newport.

Mr. John Wanton,

Mr. Samuel Fowler,

Mr. George Sears,

Mr. Gideon Wanton,

Mr. Thomas Freebody,

Col. Joseph Belcher.

Providence.

Col. Jonathan Arnold,

Mr. John Brown,

Mr. John Smith,

Col. Amos Atwell.

Portsmouth.

Mr. Metcalfe Bowler, Mr. John Coddington, Mr. John Thurston.

Cumberland.

Mr. John Dexter, Capt. Elisha Waterman.

East Greenwich.

Mr. Job Comstock,

Mr. Thomas Shippee.

Jamestown.

Capt. Samuel Carr, Mr. Benjamin Underwood.

Smithfield. Mr. Daniel Mowry, Jr., Capt. Andrew Waterman. Scituate. Col. William West, Mr. Christopher Potter.

South Kingstown.

Capt. Samuel Seagar, Mr. Samuel Babcock.

Glocester. Mr. Richard Steere, Col. Chad Brown.

West Greenwich. Mr. Thomas Tillinghast, Mr. Judiah Aylworth.

Coventry. Mr. Ephraim Westcott, Mr. Jeremiah Fenner.

Exeter.

Mr. George Pierce.

Middletown. Mr. Joshua Barker, Mr. Nicholas Easton.

Johnston.

Mr. John Fenner, Mr. Peleg Williams.

North Providence.

Major Thomas Olney, Mr. Jonathan Jenckes, Jr. Barrington.

Mr. Edward Bosworth, Capt. Thomas Allin. Hopkinton. Mr. John Larkin, Mr. Thomas Wells.

Charlestown. Capt. Joseph Stanton, Jr. Mr. Jonathan Hazard.

Bristol. Mr. Shearjashub Bourn, Col. Nathaniel Pearce.

Tiverton. Mr. Gideon Almy, Col. John Cooke.

Little Compton.

Capt. Thomas Brownell, Mr. Daniel Wilbur.

Warren. Mr. Cromwell Child, Col. Sylvester Child.

Cranston. Mr. Andrew Harris, Mr. Zuriel Waterman. Richmond. Mr. Samuel Tefft, Major Richard Bailey. Warwick. Mr. William Greene, Mr. Jacob Greene, Mr. Charles Holden, Jr., Col. John Waterman. Westerly. Maj .- Gen. Joshua Babcock, Col. John Noyes. North Kingstown. Mr. John Northup, Mr. Sylvester Gardner.

CHAPTER XII. RHODE ISLAND IN THE REVOLUTION (ABROAD).

HE British flag was fired upon by the battery of Fort George at Newport on July 9, 1764, when the people of the Rhode Island capital rose in wrath because of an attempt to impress seamen for his majesty's navy. Less than a year later, June 4, 1765, the people of Newport burned one of the boats of H. M. S. "Maid- stone" as a reprisal for impressment and interference with the lawful commerce of the town. Henry Sparker, first American martyr in the cause of liberty, was slain by a British officer in the Newport massacre of May 3, 1768. The British armed sloop "Liberty" was captured and scuttled at Newport on July 19, 1769, and burned later when floated by the tide. The British armed sloop "Gaspee" was captured and burned by Providence men on June 10, 1772; in this affair the first British blood was shed. Fort George was repaired and cannon were remounted for defence in 1773; and in 1774 Rhode Island had become an armed camp, as military companies were chartered by the General Assembly, and drilled frequently and diligently in anticipation of-eventualities. Cannon were purchased by the colony and loaned to military companies for practice in use. Small arms and ammunition were accumulated and stored in places convenient for quick distribution. The manufacture of muskets was encouraged. A colony armed squadron was fitted out and patrolled Narra- gansett Bay; the first naval engagement of the Revolutionary War was fought in Narragan- sett Bay on June 15, 1775, and was won by Rhode Island sailors. When the war thus started in Rhode Island was shifted by the British to Massachusetts, Rhode Island prepared imme- diately to send assistance to the contiguous, though never neighborly, colony to the north and east. More than 1000 armed and disciplined Rhode Island soldiers were marching to the relief of Massachusetts on April 20, 1775, when news reached them that the British army had retired from Lexington and Concord to its base at Boston. The General Assembly on April 22 voted to raise and equip an army of observation of 1500 men for service either in Rhode Island or elsewhere "with the forces of the neighboring colonies." Within a month, I200 officers and men from Rhode Island, organized as a brigade of three regiments, had joined the provincial army holding the British landlocked in Boston. This force subsequently was increased to 1700 men. Thereafter the story of Rhode Island's participation in the Revo- lutionary War practically is the story of the war itself.

The Rhode Island Brigade, on its arrival at Jamaica Plan, attracted attention because of the completeness of its equipment. "The Rhode Islanders are furnished with tent equipage, and everything in the most exact English style," wrote Chaplain William Emerson of Con- cord. The troops from Rhode Island were uniformed and well-armed. Brigadier General Nathanael Greene and his officers, including among others. James M. Varnum, Daniel Hitch- cock, Thomas Church, Ezekiel Cornell, Christopher Greene, Israel Angell, Simeon Thayer, Stephen Olney and Jeremiah Olney, all of whom were destined for distinguished service, in a short time had the troops so well trained in manual and manœuver that General George Washington remarked their soldierly behavior on taking command of the army early in July, and thus found Nathanael Greene, who was to be his never-failing auxiliary in battle and in strategy throughout the war. Washington Irving, in his life of Washington, said: "In riding through the camp Washington observed that 9000 of the troops belonged to Massachusetts ; the rest were from other provinces. They were encamped in separate bodies, each with its own regulations, and officers of its own appointment. Some had tents, others were in bar-

R. I .- 18

274

RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY

racks, and others sheltered themselves as best they might. Many were sadly in want of clothing, and all, said Washington, were strongly imbued with the spirit of insubordination, which they mistook for independence. One of the encampments, however, was in striking contrast with the rest, and might vie with those of the British for order and exactness. Here were tents and marquees, pitched in the English style; soldiers well drilled and well equipped ; everything had an air of discipline and subordination. It was a body of Rhode Island troops, which had been raised, drilled and brought to the camp by Brigadier General Greene of that province." The Rhode Island Brigade carried a distinctive flag described thus by the "National Geographic Magazine" of October, 1917: "Fashioned from white silk with thir- teen stars on a canton of blue, and showing a blue anchor surmounted by the motto of the State, Hope, on the center of the field, this regimental banner of Rhode Island easily takes rank as an attractive flag." The flag is on exhibition with other historical banners at the State House.

RHODE ISLAND AT BUNKER HILL .- A decisive battle had been fought before Washing- ton's arrival. On the night of June 16 a detachment of Americans, led by Colonel Prescott, began to fortify Breed's Hill in Charlestown, which overlooks Boston. Had the works been completed and armed with cannon, Gage and his 6000 regulars must abandon Boston. Neg- lecting the possibility of occupying Charlestown Neck, and thus cutting off the party on Breed's Hill from the main body of American troops, Gage began to shell the American lines on the morning of June 17, and in the afternoon directed Howe to make a frontal attack upon the entrenchments. Meanwhile Prescott's detachment was reinforced by parties of Ameri- cans, so that his line included men from all the New England colonies. The following account of the battle of Bunker Hill, the name commonly given to the engagement on Breed's Hill, is from the relation of Israel R. Potter, of Rhode Island :

About noon a number of the enemy's boats and barges, filled with troops, landed at Charlestown and commenced a deliberate march to attack us. We were now harangued by General Putnam, who reminded us that, exhausted as we were by our incessant labor through the preceding night, the most important of our duties was yet to be performed, and that much would be expected from so great a number of excellent marksmen; he charged us to be cool, and to reserve our fire until the enemy approached so near as to enable us to see the white of their eyes. When within about ten rods of our works, we gave them the contents of our muskets, which were aimed with so good effect as soon to cause them to turn their backs and to retreat with a much quicker step than with what they approached us. We were now again harangued by "old General Put," as he was termed, and requested by him to aim at the officers, should the enemy renew the attack, which they did in a few moments, with a reinforcement. Their approach was with a slow step, which gave us an excellent opportunity to obey the command of our General in bringing down the officers. I feel but little disposed to boast of my own performances on this occasion, and will only say that after devoting so many months in hunting the wild animals of the wilderness, while an inhabitant of New Hampshire, the reader will not suppose me a bad or inexperienced marksman, and that such were the fair shots which the epauletted red coats presented in the two attacks, that every shot which they received from me, I am confident, on another occasion would have produced me a deerskin.

So warm was the reception that the enemy met with in their second attack that they again found it necessary to retreat, but soon after receiving a fresh reinforcement, a third assault was made, in which, in consequence of our ammunition failing, they too well succeeded. A close and bloody engagement now ensued. To fight our way through a considerable body of the enemy with clubbed muskets (for there was not one in twenty of us provided with bayonets) was now the only means left us to escape; the conflict, which was a sharp and severe one, is still fresh in my memory, and cannot be forgotten by me while the scars of the wounds which I then received remain to remind me of it. Fortunately for me, at this critical moment, I was armed with a cutlass, which, although without an edge, and much rust-eaten, I found of infinitely more service to me than my musket. In one instance I am certain it was the means of saving my life; a blow with a cutlass was aimed at my head by a British officer, which I parried, and received only a slight cut with the point, on my right arm near the elbow, which I was then unconscious of, but this slight wound cost my antagonist at the moment a much more serious one, which effectually disarmed him, for

275

RHODE ISLAND IN THE REVOLUTION-ABROAD

with one well-directed stroke, I deprived him of the power of very soon again measuring swords with a "Yankee rebel." We finally, however, should have been mostly cut off, and compelled to yield to a superior and better equipped force, had not a body of three or four hundred Connecticut men formed a temporary breastwork with rails, etc., and by this means held the enemy at bay until our main body had time to ascend the heights and retreat across the neck. In this retreat I was less fortunate than many of my comrades; I received two musket ball wounds ; one in my hip and the other near the ankle of my left leg. I succeeded, however, without any assistance, in reaching Prospect Hill, where the main body of the Americans had made a stand, and commenced fortifying. From there I was soon after conveyed to the hospital at Cambridge, where my wounds were dressed and the bullet extracted from my hip by one of the surgeons. The house was nearly filled with the poor fellows who, like myself, had received wounds in the late engagement, and presented a melancholy spectacle.

The battle had been sanguinary; the British losses were over 1000 killed and wounded, and the American losses were 441. The British had carried the hill and retained possession of the field at the end of the day; but the Americans had demonstrated their ability in pitched battle to withstand the attacks of trained European soldiers. General Nathanael Greene remarked, dryly, after the battle: "I wish we could sell them another hill at the same price." He had already grasped the fundamental principle of successful warfare, that the enemy's army is the prize to be contended for. The success of the third attack by the British had been due principally to failure of American ammunition; the fire of the latter ceased abruptly as the British neared the fortification, and the charge of the British finally was with bayonets against men armed only with clubbed muskets and a few side arms. One of the ships of John Brown, Providence merchant, fresh from the West Indies with a cargo of powder taken in a raid upon a British storehouse, arrived just too late for distribution to the gallant defenders of Breed's Hill.

Following the battle the American cordon was drawn even tighter than before around the British and Gage found himself dependent for food upon what could be brought in by water. To prevent recourse to Rhode Island for supplies, the General Assembly, at the request of General Washington, removed sheep and other food animals from Block Island and other exposed places. General Washington also fitted out at Plymouth the "Washington," brigan- tine, mounting ten guns, to cruise in and about Boston harbor and intercept vessels carrying food to the beleaguered British army. The "Washington" was commanded by Captain Sion Martindale, one of the captains in the Rhode Island regiment from Newport and Bristol, Colonel Thomas Church. Her complement of seventy-two men, principally from the three Rhode Island regiments commanded by Colonels Varnum, Hitchcock and Church, included Israel R. Potter, whose recovery from the wounds received at Breed's Hill had been remark- able. The vessel was captured by the "Foy," British man-of-war, twenty guns, and the crew were shipped on the "Tartar," British frigate, to England for trial and imprisonment as rebels. While on the voyage Israel R. Potter and others attempted to capture the British frigate, but the conspiracy was revealed and the ringleaders were placed in irons. While in England Pot- ter escaped from prison three times and was recaptured twice. He was employed by friends of America in England to carry dispatches to Benjamin Franklin in France, and by Franklin to carry return messages. Potter returned to Rhode Island in 1823.

THE INVASION OF CANADA-Holding Gage and Howe beleaguered in Boston, Washing- ton, in the autumn of 1775, projected a campaign aiming to wrest Canada from British con- trol and to persuade the Canadians to join with the Americans against England. General Richard Montgomery, with 1500 men, was ordered to march against Montreal by way of Lake Champlain ; General Benedict Arnold was to lead 1100 men through Maine against Quebec; in each instance the objective was the capture of the British garrison. Rhode Island interest lies principally with the Quebec expedition because of the large detachment of Rhode Island troops included in Arnold's regiment. Of the two battalions, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher

276

RHODE ISLAND -- THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY

Greene of Rhode Island, commanded one, and Lieutenant Colonel Roger Enos of Connecticut, the other. Of the six companies in Greene's battalion three were commanded by Rhode Island- ers, Samuel Ward, John Topham and Simeon Thayer. These Rhode Island Captains and their companies volunteered for the expedition. The Rhode Island contingent number 250. From Cambridge the expedition marched, in September, to Newburyport, and there boarded ten transports, sailing for the Kennebec River and landing near the present site of Augusta, the capital of Maine. There 200 flatboats had been built to carry the soldiers, their Indian guides, arms, ammunition and supplies of food; and on these the ascent of the river was undertaken. The principal source of the Kennebec River is Moosehead Lake, for which the eastern branch of the river furnishes an outlet to the ocean. A western branch of the Kenne- bec, known as the Dead River, rises near the eastern Canadian boundary of Maine, and mean- ders in the manner of a detour from a good modern road generally eastward until it joins the main stream. Across the headlands, marking at once the Maine-Canadian boundary and the divide between watersheds, are the sources of the Chaudiere River, which flows somewhat west of almost due north into the St. Lawrence River, which it reaches at a point a little west- ward of and opposite Quebec. The expedition planned to ascend the Kennebec River ; carry across the Carry Ponds from the Kennebec to the Dead River to avoid the long sweep to the north that the Dead River makes as it nears the Kennebec; ascend the Dead River to its source, and then carry across to the headwaters of the Chaudiere. Thence the descent of the river would bring the army within striking distance of Quebec.

The journey was beset with difficulties and dangers. The flatboats had been constructed hastily of green wood, and leaked badly. Provisions became watersoaked and spoiled ; a great deal was thrown away early on the trip that later would have been of incalculable value. Stormy weather delayed the progress, and swollen streams increased the hazards as their ordi- nary turbulence was intensified. Still the intrepid army pressed forward spurred to valor by indomitable leaders. Rations were reduced to half a pint of flour a day; there was no meat and soon there was no more flour. Cold weather set in late in October, when the troops were still in the valley of the Dead River. Lieutenant Colonel Enos and many of his battalion, disheartened, discouraged, disgusted, maddened by hunger, abandoned the expedition and returned down the Kennebec River. Still Arnold and Greene and the faithful Rhode Island contingent pressed onward. Provisions were entirely exhausted; the soldiers boiled their moccasins and ate them ; they killed a dog and ate it. Weakened men dropped in their tracks and were left by their comrades to die in the wilderness. Reduced to 600 men, the Chaudiere River was reached, and with it the hope of finding food in the French villages far north along its banks. Food was supplied in abundance eventually, and the course of the river was followed on to the St. Lawrence, which was reached about November 10.

The Canadians along the Chaudiere River had interposed no resistance, and had supplied the invading army with food, but the people of Quebec, though surprised almost to panic by the unexpected appearance of the American army, prepared for defence. To do this they were induced by General Carleton, who threatened all who did not arm in defence of the city with expulsion, and confiscation of their property. Arnold, realizing that he was probably too weak in numbers to hazard an attack, pitched camp at Point au Tremble to await the arrival of Montgomery from Montreal. Messengers were dispatched to Montgomery, and replies were received on November 22. Anticipating the approach of Montgomery on December I, Arnold ordered a Connecticut officer to move cannon, stores and provisions to Cellers, nearer Quebec, but met refusal because of danger. Captains Thayer and Topham of Rhode Island, volunteered, and Thayer won the toss of a coin, as he recorded in his diary, "equally to my satisfaction and the vexation of Captain Topham, who was always ready to encounter the greatest dangers." Montgomery, who reached Point au Tremble on December 2, was described in the diary as "a genteel appearing man, tall and slender, quite bald on the top of his head,

277

RHODE ISLAND IN THE REVOLUTION-ABROAD

resolute yet mild, of an agreeable temper, and is a virtuous and noble general." The advance to Cellers was made in a driving snowstorm. After cutting through ice for a quarter of a mile, the batteaux were rowed eighteen miles in the night time. On the second refusal of the Connecticut officer to undertake dangerous service, Thayer and Topham of Rhode Island, replaced him, and for three weeks were exposed to enemy fire while erecting siege batteries. One morning a shot passed through the bed from which Thayer and Topham had risen, and another passed between them and under the bed. An assault on the city planned for December 27 was abandoned because of stormy weather.

On the night of December 31 an advance was made under cover of a heavy snowstorm. The outer barriers were stormed, and the Americans entered the city, fighting their way from street to street, passing barricades, silencing batteries, capturing blockhouses, until the high tide of impetuous valor carried them even to the walls of the citadel. The city itself was in their hands; the garrison had retired to the interior fortress. Meanwhile Montgomery had been killed, and Arnold had been wounded. The attacking army faltered in the face of the withering fire poured against them by gallant defenders and retreated, beaten back by superior forces strongly entrenched. A part surrendered; the remainder encamped at St. Roque, maintaining a siege until May 6, when reinforcements from England reached Quebec and relieved the garrison. Arnold retreated doggedly before superior forces, holding Carleton in check so long that the latter was not able to cooperate with Howe in the British movement near New York in the spring of 1776. Captain Thayer described the attack on Quebec in his diary. The assault was launched simultaneously from two sides of the town, with feint attacks elsewhere to distract attention. The three Rhode Island companies, with Arnold and Greene, attacked the lower town. "The front having got lost by a prodigious snowstorm," wrote Captain Thayer, "I undertook to pilot them, having measured the works before and knowing the place; but coming to the first barrier, two field pieces played briskly upon us, that were placed there, but on drawing them back to recharge, Captain Morgan and myself quickly advancing through the ports, seized them with sixty men, rank and file, which was their main guard, and made them prisoners. Immediately afterward, advancing toward a picket that lay further up the street, where there was a company of the most responsible citi- zens of Quebec, found their captain drunk; took them prisoners, and, taking their dry arms for our own use, and laying ours up in order to dry, being very wet, we continued advancing, by which time our whole party got into the first barriers. We rallied our men, and strove to scale the second. Notwithstanding their utmost efforts, we got some of our ladders up, but were obliged to retreat, our arms being wet, and scarcely one in ten would fire; whereon some did retreat to the first barrier we had taken; and when we came there we found we could not retreat without exposing ourselves to the most imminent danger. . . There was no possi- bility of retreating, and they promising good quarters, we surrendered. Colonel Arnold, being wounded in the beginning of the action, was carried to the general hospital. The number of us who did not retreat, among whom were Colonel Greene, Captain Morgan, a number of other officers and myself, with a number of privates, after passing the first barrier, having been for upward of four hours victorious in the lower town, and having about 130 prisoners in our possession, fell unhappily victims to them, that a little while before felt the same fate." Lieutenant Colonel Greene, Captains Ward, Topham and Thayer of Rhode Island, were among those captured. Greene and Thayer rejoined the army so soon as possible after they had been exchanged.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. I, Part 47

Author: Carroll, Charles, author Publication date: 1932 Publisher: New York : Lewis historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 716

Author: Carroll, Charles, author
Publication date: 1932
Publisher: New York : Lewis historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 716