Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. I, Part 51

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 51

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).

296

RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY

works during the war. The cannon not removed from Fort George in 1774 were taken to Newport in 1775.

THE ISLAND PROBLEMS-Quite as much to prevent forcible taking by the British fleet as food for sailors and the soldiers besieged in Boston as to feed the American troops, the Gen- eral Assembly ordered the removal of cattle and sheep from Block Island in August, 1775. For this service 250 men enlisted as soldiers were engaged. The cattle and sheep suitable for marketing were slaughtered and sent as provisions to the army. Later in the year cattle and sheep were removed from Conanicut, Prudence, Hog and other islands in Narragansett Bay, all being practically stripped of meat animals, save swine and poultry, except the island of Rhode Island. The value of the animals removed, as appraised for reimbursement of owners was £534 9s. 6d., Block Island; £850 9s., Conanicut; £530 6s. 10d., Prudence. Thereafter the committee of safety controlled the transportation of cattle and sheep to and from the islands by way of the ferries, as a measure intended both to regulate food supplies and to prevent capture by the British squadron operating in the waters of Narragansett Bay, par- ticularly near the mouth. A rigid embargo was imposed on the transportation of food outside the colony, and vessels departing were limited to stores judged barely sufficient for the voyage for which clearance was obtained; the embargo was modified later to permit supplying Nan- tucket with food.

Newport, when guarded by Fort George, was reasonably protected only from attack by pirates or privateers; against the heavy batteries of warships Fort George was indefensible. It was recognition of this weakness that induced the removal of cannon in 1774 rather than manning the guns for defence. The capital town lay close by the ocean, open to capture or to bombardment by the British; the latter was much to be feared because of the behavior of the British fleet elsewhere in 1775. On July 20, appointed by the Congress as a national fast day, Newport lay anxiously in fear under the guns of Wallace, commanding the "Rose," frigate, and four other armed vessels. Alleging that some of his sailors, who had deserted, were detained in Newport, Wallace continued for two days to threaten bombardment, but withdrew eventually without firing. On October 4, Wallace, reinforced by four additional vessels, again threatened to bombard and destroy Newport as a demonstration to support his demand that the town furnish weekly supplies of fresh beef and beer for his sailors. Mean- while he had cut off the town's daily supplies of vegetables, fish and wood, and other neces- saries by interference with ferries and other boats. The inhabitants began to flee, while a heavy storm, October 5 and 6, added to their misery. Esek Hopkins, with 600 armed men, was hurried to the island, but did not enter the town of Newport. Wallace withdrew on October 7 after exacting an agreement with the town council, which subsequently was con- firmed by the General Assembly. Under the terms of the agreement Wallace was to be per- mitted to purchase in Newport, and Newport was to provide, weekly supplies of beef and beer for the fleet, and Wallace agreed not to bombard the town, and to permit "ferry boats, wood boats, and their passengers, etc., to pass and repass unmolested with the common sup- plies for the town of the common and usual necessaries of life"; meanwhile the Rhode Island troops were not to enter Newport. The flight from Newport continued even after the imme- diate threat was removed. The poor in the town were reduced to extraordinary straits, and the General Assembly appropriated £200 for their relief and to assist other removals. To prevent profiteering the Assembly also regulated charges for removing furniture and other property from the town.

Washington complained in January against continuance of the agreement for supplying Wallace with beef and beer. Under date of January 6, 1776, he wrote to Governor Cooke: "I am told that Captain Wallace's ships have been supplied for some time, with provisions by

297

RHODE ISLAND IN THE REVOLUTION-AT HOME

the town of Newport, on certain conditions, stipulated between him and the committee. When this treaty was first obtained, perhaps it was right; there then might have been some hopes of an accommodation taking place; but now . . . , when the throne, from which we had expected redress, breathes forth vengeance and indignation, and firm determination to remain unalterable in its purpose, and to prosecute the system and plan of ruin formed by the ministry against us, should not an end be put to it and every possible method be fallen upon to prevent their getting necessaries of any kind? We need not expect to conquer our enemies by good offices, and I know not what pernicious consequences may result from a precedent of this sort. Other places, circumstanced as Newport is, may follow the example, and, by that means, their whole fleet and army will be furnished with what it highly concerns us to keep them from; this, however, with all deference, I leave to your consideration."

BRITISH DEPREDATIONS-The obnoxious activities of Wallace and the "Rose" in Rhode Island waters had led, in June, to the first naval engagement of the Revolution, between an armed colony sloop, commanded by Abraham Whipple, and the tender of the "Rose."* Sail- ing up Narragansett Bay later in the month, the "Rose," the "Swan," sloop, and a tender left at Newport five vessels which had previously been captured. Newport people boarded the captured vessels while the British were absent, and sailed them away to safety. No prizes were taken on the cruise northward. In August Wallace threatened Providence, but was impressed by the fortifications and batteries guarding the Providence River, and returned to his base after raiding Patience Island for cattle. A brig from the West Indies was cap- tured off Warwick Neck. Following the demonstration at Newport, October 4-7, Wallace sailed for Bristol and bombarded the town. After reducing his demand for cattle and sheep to forty sheep, which were furnished, he sailed away. John Howland, who was with the minutemen assembled at Newport, referred to the bombardment of Bristol thus: "I saw Wallace with his fleet when they got under way . . . and as he sailed slowly up the river we commenced our march in range with him. As it was our business to attack any men he might attempt to land, we kept even pace with him till we arrived at Bristol Ferry, where one of his fleet grounded on the extreme northwest point of the island. Wallace, with the rest of his squadron, came to, waiting for the tide to rise to float the grounded one. . . . It was dark when the vessel floated, and Wallace stood with all his fleet for Bristol harbor. We stood on the high ground near the ferry, and saw the flash of his guns, which appeared to be mostly discharged in broadsides; but such was the state of the air we could hear none of the report though only four miles off. ... Governor Bradford, Simeon Potter, Benjamin Bosworth and others repaired to the head of the wharf to confer with Wallace, to induce him to cease his attack. He agreed for some sheep and oxen to be sent on board in the morning, which was complied with, and the fray was over."

Two privateers, sailing from Providence, repulsed an attack by a British schooner and tenders on November 9. In December the British raided Jamestown, plundered and burned houses and barns, and carried off livestock. Thereupon there was another exodus from Newport, some 400 persons, mostly poor, seeking refuge and finding it in Providence. These demonstrations by the British fleet had served an important purpose, if no other, of proving the need for fortifications and other measures for defence. In June a watch and beacon were established on Tower Hill in South Kingstown to warn the northern part of the colony of the approach of a hostile fleet. In July Providence established a beacon on Prospect Hill. The beacon consisted of a kettle filled with inflammable material hanging from a crane at the top of a mast probably eighty feet high. Other beacons were placed on Chopmist Hill in Scitu- ate, Beacon Pole Hill in Cumberland, and Tonomy Hill on Rhode Island. For the defence of

*Chapter XI.

298

RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY

Providence against attack from the river a battery of six eighteen-pound cannon was located on Fox Hill at Fox Point. Of the exact location of this battery no trace remains, possibly because of the grading undertaken in connection with the Brook Street extension after the Sprague failure. On the west side of the river earthworks were erected on Robin Hill between Field's Point and Sassafras Point. In a letter written to his brother Solomon Drowne fixed the date of the fortification of the west side as early in August, and estimated the number of men engaged on the work as nearly 200; the breastwork "extended near one- quarter of a mile." East of the river, in territory then part of the Massachusetts town of Rehoboth, but now part of the Rhode Island town of East Providence, Fort Hill was fortified to guard Hog Pen Point. The fort at Hog Pen Point was constructed by the town of Rehoboth for the defence of Providence after a conference between representatives of the towns. The fort at Robin Hill commanded the main channel, which at that point ran to the west; the fort at Fox Point commanded both the channels of the Providence and Seekonk Rivers, while the fort at Hog Pen Point commanded the Seekonk River, and approaches to Providence by parties landed below the town on the then Massachusetts side of the Providence River. After the bombardment of Bristol in October, 1775, other forts were built, at Field's Point and Pawtuxet on the west side of the river, and at Kettle Point on the east side ; and the mouth of the river at the narrow place between Field's Point and Kettle Point was closed to hostile vessels by a chain and boom stretched across. In November, 1775, Joseph Brown and Esek Hopkins "were appointed a committee to go through this colony and determine in what places it may be necessary to erect batteries or entrenchments for the defence of this colony; and in what towns to provide field pieces, specifying the number, the bore and the weight of metal; and also whether any fire ships are necessary, and what number, and in what places it will be proper to sink hulks, etc.," with power to act subject to the approval of the "grand committee of safety."

Although the British vessels stationed in and about Narragansett Bay were more numer- ous and more aggressive in 1775 than in earlier years, conditions varied little otherwise. Rhode Island captains and sailors carried on as usual, except that they were more daring and venturesome, in view of the British activity. The exploit of Isaac Eslick of Bristol illustrates the resourcefulness of a Rhode Island seaman. His own boat had been seized by the British and was detained as a prize. When the "Viper," sloop of war, captured the "Polly," sloop, Samuel Barnes, master, bound from Antigua to New York, Isaac Eslick was placed on board the prize as pilot and promised the return of his vessel if he would steer the sloop faithfully into Boston harbor. Instead, Isaac Eslick, with two of the crew of the "Polly," who remained on board, "with great address brought the sloop into Seaconnet River, so that she, with her cargo, were recovered out of the hands of the enemy, and taken into the possession and care of General Esek Hopkins."

TREATMENT OF TORIES-Governor Wanton, whose suspension from office had been con- tinued from May, 1775, "to give him an opportunity of making due satisfaction for his former conduct and of convincing this General Assembly of his friendly disposition to the United Colonies in general and to his colony in particular," was removed from office at the October session, 1775, because "by the whole course of his behavior" he "hath continued to demon- strate that he is inimical to the rights and liberties of America, and is thereby rendered totally unfit to sustain the said office." Nicholas Cooke, of Providence, Deputy Governor and acting Governor during the suspension of Governor Wanton, was elected as Governor, and William Bradford of Bristol was chosen as Deputy Governor. As reprisals for activities hostile to the government of Rhode Island the estates of Tories resident in the colony and of other Tories residing elsewhere but owning property in Rhode Island were seized, and the rents confis-

299

RHODE ISLAND IN THE REVOLUTION-AT HOME

cated. For the time being the estates were not confiscate, the colony assuming only the right to immediate possession and the relation of landlord to the tenants in occupancy. Attempts to avoid the consequences of seizure by sale or other alienation were forbidden and rendered ineffective by declaring deeds affecting the properties invalid unless recorded before October 5. Among the Tories affected were George Rome, Jahleel Brenton and Thomas Moffatt, whose opposition to the Charter government had been manifested even before the Revolu- tion; and Thomas Hutchinson, sometime Governor of Massachusetts, and Samuel Sewall, owner of large estates in King's County. On the other hand, instead of declaring a mora- torium for the relief of debtors, the statute of limitations was repealed, as a measure to encourage creditors to be lenient with debtors and to extend the time for payment of accounts. The colony debt was increased late in the year 1775 by the issuing of £20,000 additional notes,* making the total issues for the year £60,000. These notes were to be redeemed at the rate of six shillings for one Spanish milled dollar, and for the time being were accepted read- ily and without depreciation in legal tender transactions. Congress also undertook to finance its share of war expenditures by issuing paper currency, and the General Assembly in August, 1775, made the new Continental notes legal tender in Rhode Island, and enacted statutes for- bidding and penalizing counterfeiting of them. The legal machinery for appeals from colony courts to the King in council was made ineffective by repeal of the statute permitting appeals. The colonial government at the end of 1775 was completely in the control of the war party, which was still operating under the Charter granted by King Charles II in 1663, and still con- cluding the session records of the General Assembly with "God save the King." The prayer was earnest, and not subject to interpretation with the suggestions that the King needed sav- ing from what America was preparing for him or that the King needed saving from the stupidity of his ministers. From the point of view of America the Revolution was still a war of resistance against a ministry that had usurped powers not granted to it by the British constitution, and the British army and navy operating in America against the colonies were the army and navy of the ministers and Parliament, and thus properly designated as "min- isterial forces."

The year 1775 ended in Rhode Island with a drive to collect blankets for soldiers in Washington's army, and a military movement on the island of Rhode Island led by Major General Charles Lee. Of the need of blankets Washington wrote to Governor Cooke on December 23, "Notwithstanding the great pains taken by the Quartermaster General to pro- cure blankets for the army, he finds it impossible to procure a number sufficient. He has tried the different places to the southward without success, as what there were are engaged to supply the troops in each place. Our soldiers are in great distress; and I know of no other way to remedy the evil than applying to you. Cannot some be got from the different towns? Most houses could spare one; some of them, many." Governor Cooke forwarded 180 blankets on January I, which had been obtained in Providence, writing, "I employed two persons to apply to the housekeepers in this town individually for the blankets for the army. They have collected about 180, which will be sent forward this day. It is full as large a number as I expected to procure, considering how we have been exhausted by supplies to various parts of the service. I shall immediately take measures for collecting more from the country towns."

The advance into Newport followed a request by Governor Cooke that Washington assign a regiment of the Continental army to the defence of Rhode Island, following a move- ment of transports and other war vessels from Boston. Washington advised Governor Cooke of the British activity, and urged removal of all cattle from Block Island, because Washington had been informed "that the ministerial army is in very great distress for want of fresh pro-

*This issue of notes carried no interest.

300

RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY

visions, and having received intelligence that there are 200 fat cattle on Block Island, and some transport vessels cruising that way in quest of necessaries for the army," etc., Governor Cooke's request for a regiment could not be granted ; instead General Lee was sent to Rhode Island. He marched into Newport at the head of 800 men, including the regiment on the island and other troops from Providence, and administered a test oath to all suspected of Toryism, except Colonel Wanton and two custom house officers, who refused to subscribe it ; the latter were sent to Providence for confinement with other Tories. The oath follows :

I , here, in the presence of Almighty God, as I hope for ease, honor and comfort in this world, and happiness in the world to come, most earnestly, devoutly and religiously swear neither directly nor indirectly to assist the wicked instruments of ministerial tyranny and villainy commonly called the King's troops and navy, by furnishing them with provisions or refreshments of any kind, unless authorized by the Continental Congress, or the Legislature as at present established in this particular colony of Rhode Island. I do also swear by the same tremendous and Almighty God that I will neither directly nor indirectly convey any intelligence nor give any advice to the aforesaid enemies so described, and that I pledge myself, if I should, by any accident, get the knowledge of such treason, to inform immediately the committee of safety. And, as it is justly allowed, that when the sacred rights and liberties of a nation are invaded, neutrality is not less base and criminal than open and avowed hostility, I do further swear and pledge myself, as I hope for eternal salvation, that I will, whenever called upon by the voice of the Continental Congress, or that of the Legislature of this particular colony, under their authority, take arms and subject myself to military discipline, in defence of the common rights and liberties of America. So help me God.

And thus, having suppressed the Tories of Rhode Island, General Lee departed for head- quarters near Cambridge. The medley of irreverence, under the cloak of religion, in the oath prescribed by General Lee is surpassed only by the English test oath of the period and the oath taken by the members of the "Gaspee" Commission. One may contrast with it the simple declaration or test offered to "suspected persons in the colony relative to the war with Great Britain," prescribed by the General Assembly in 1776, as follows: "I, the subscriber, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I believe the war, resistance and opposition in which the United Colonies are now engaged against the fleets and armies of Great Britain is on the part of the colonies just and necessary ; and that I will not, directly or indirectly, afford assistance of any sort or kind whatever to the said fleet and armies during the continuance of the pres- ent war; but that I will heartily assist in the defence of the United Colonies." If an oath similar to that drawn by General Lee had been tendered to good Rhode Islanders, instead of Tories, they would unanimously have refused to subscribe it, in accordance with their time- honored reverence for religious liberty and liberty of conscience. The situation in Rhode Island in midwinter of 1775 was far too serious to permit relaxation for the laugh that well might follow the joust of Lee, as an eighteenth century Don Quixote, with the windmills on the Island of Rhode Island.

THE EFFECTS OF WAR ON RHODE ISLAND LIFE-The condition of the colony of Rhode Island at the end of the year 1775 was described thus in an address to Congress by the Gen- eral Assembly :

This colony is scarcely anything but a line of seacoast. . . . In the colony are also included the following islands . all which are cultivated and fertile and contributed largely to the public expenses ; the greater part of the . . . . shores are accessible to ships of war. . . . The town of Newport . . was the principal place of trade and paid above one-sixth part of the public taxes ; a very consider- able commerce was also carried on from Providence; and several small towns in the colony were also concerned in trade and navigation ; shipbuilding was a great branch of business. In short, the inhabitants of this colony derived their subsistence almost wholly from commerce. The convenient situation of this colony for receiving supplies from the other colonies for the Continental army, near Boston, we suppose was a principal reason why so great a number of the King's ships have been stationed in our bay; we having had,

301

RHODE ISLAND IN THE REVOLUTION-AT HOME

for above seven months past, two ships of twenty guns, one of sixteen, a bomb ketch, and about eight tenders, who having made prizes of more vessels belonging to this colony than have been lost by any other, have put almost a total end to commerce; have committed repeated depredations in different parts of the colony; have kept our coasts constantly alarmed, and obliged the inhabitants to keep almost continually under arms. The once flourishing town of Newport, by the loss of trade, and consequent cessation of all business, instead of being able to contribute to the expenses of the war, hath been reduced to so deplorable a state that we have been obliged to grant money out of the general treasury for the support of their poor ; and many of the wealthy inhabitants have not only left the town, but the colony. Conanicut and Prudence, lately the scenes of the most wanton and savage desolation and barbarity, deserted; New Shoreham, from its situation is rendered worse than useless to the colony; and the other islands will no longer be of service to any but the enemy.

The address then summarized Rhode Island's contributions of man power to the Con- tinental army and navy, and continued :

Besides these extraordinary exertions, we were alarmed in October with the arrival of fresh transports from Boston, destined to procure fresh provisions for the ministerial army. To prevent their obtaining supplies was an object of such great importance as obliged us to send a number of minutemen upon the several islands to defend the stock, which created a most enormous expense. When the Assembly met in November a regiment of 500 men was ordered to be raised for the defence of Rhode Island and the other islands ; notwithstanding which, we have been obliged repeatedly to call forth our minutemen; to prevent the great charge of which, we have augmented the regiment ordered to be raised in November to 750 men, exclusive of a company of artillery, consisting of 105 men, with their officers; and have also voted another regiment of 750 men, to be immediately raised and equipped; besides 238 artillery men, for the managing of thirty-four field pieces, ordered to be procured and placed in the several towns upon the seacoast. We have ordered sixty cannon, eighteen and twelve pounders, to be cast; and have already sent a vessel, with a very valuable cargo, to purchase powder and other warlike stores; and are fitting out another, which will soon sail.

The address requested assistance from Congress in defending Rhode Island to forfend "the damages that would be sustained by the enemy's possessing themselves thereof, its har- bors and the adjoining Narragansett Bay being greatly superior to any other in America; and its convenient situation with respect to the sea and the other colonies making it still more important."

BATTLE OF PRUDENCE ISLAND-Wallace continued early in 1776 his practice of raiding the islands in and the shores of Narragansett Bay. From a fleet of a dozen vessels he landed 250 men on Prudence Island on January 12. The minutemen stationed on the island retired before superior numbers, and the British seized 100 sheep and burned seven houses. The battle of Prudence Island was fought the following day. The minutemen, who had been reinforced from Bristol and Warren, advanced against the enemy and drove the raiders to their boats, with a loss of fourteen killed and many wounded. The Americans lost four wounded and one captured. The British fleet hovered in the vicinity for two days longer ; on the night of January 14 houses on Patience Island were burned, and on January 15 wood was cut and carried away from Hope Island. One month later, on February 15, Wallace returned to Prudence Island and burned houses and a windmill. In the interval Point Judith had been raided, on February 4, for sheep and cattle.

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 51

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