USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 1 > Part 46
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
lead which said powder and lead are not to be embezzled but Kept for a reserve against a time of need to repulse the enemy.
"Voted, the Governor, Deputy Governor, and Reeorder are ap- pointed and empowered by this Assembly to draw up a commission for said Captn Fenner and to be signed by the Governor with the seale of the Collony annexed."
Surely grave consideration had been given the matter now, but it was not until Providence had suffered its loss that the governor and his couneil fully realized that there was a trust reposed in them by "his Majesty in his gracious Charter granted", although this very charter had in no way been altered or amended during the time that had intervened.
Without delay commissioners were appointed, of which Captain Fenner was one, to proceed at onee to Providenee and establish a gar- rison, and a commission was forthwith issued to Fenner, giving him the command of the Train Band and the garrison to be thus established.
What these commissioners accomplished is best told in Captain Fenner's own words :
"The twentie day the bote set forth from Newport.
"Apon the oune and 20 day of June oune thousand six Hondred Seventie and six the Commissioners Mr. Roger William, Mr. William Harris, Mr. George Laotton and Arthur ffenner Arrive at providenee With a commission to setill the Kings garrison in Providenee Towne and apon the 23 of the Same month did settel at nathaniell Watermans House the Kings garrison With proclamation yt it is so to be : by the Kings Authoritie And the men weare Listed which are as folloeth- John Morey Thomas fenner Henry Asten William Laneaster Samuel Winsor.
"Upon munday the 3 day of July 1676 Arthur ffenner Junr and Thomas Wallen were Listed in the Kings gareson at Providence".1 ?
That the garrison might be equipped with munitions of war against another attack, they confiscated sueh powder and lead as was in the hands of certain townsmen for the use of the troops.
This garrison was continued until Oetober, 1676, when the whole force was discharged by order of the Assembly, no further depreda- tions of the Indians against the town having oceurred.
There are preserved many old papers which relate to this episode in the state's history, among which are Captain Fenner's aeeounts of powder and lead and of wages paid ; all showing the eareful and sys- tematie methods of the old eaptain.
There are also some of the bills rendered against the Colony for service in the King's garrison, one of which is as follows :
1Capt. Arthur Fenner's memorandum among Fenner Papers in Providence Town Papers.
417
THE WARS AND THE MILITIA.
"Due unto Arthur fenner Junnear for seventeene Weeks Services in the Kings Gareson at Providence at six shillings per week fiue pounds and two shillings money pay
"Arthur ffenner Captan
"Providence the 16 Aparill 1677 John Coggeshall Treasurer.
"Be pleased to pay unto Arthur ffenner junr five pounds & two shillings money pay for service in ye Kings Garrison as above exprest this 18th of 2d mno called April 1677."'
On "the last day of August" William Lancaster was paid "his wagges for his servis" and dismissed; in April following John Morey was paid £5-2 for seventeen weeks service at six shillings a week, and he, too, was dismissed ; before October doubtless all of the soldiers were dismissed from service, for in that month the General Assembly formally relieved Arthur Fenner as captain of the King's garrison.
The royal garrison at Nathaniel Waterman's house no doubt inspired confidence among the people, but it was established too late to be of service at a time when it was most needed.
The town records of Rehoboth have entered upon their faded and yellow pages this entry, "Robert Beers slain ye 28 march 1676."
This was the day before the town of Providence was subjected to the outrages of the Indians and the day on which Rehoboth was at- tacked. It is stated that "Beers was an Irishman and a brickmaker by trade, he was very religious but eccentric and superstitious ; upon the approach of the Indians he refused to go into the garrison house, but set down in his own house with his Bible in hand believing that while thus engaged no harm could come to him".1
His Christian piety, however, availed him nothing, for he was shot at through a window and died with his Bible in his hands. This story is interesting when compared with another, published in a volume entitled "A new and Further Narrative of the State of New England, being a continued account of the Bloody Indian War from March to August, 1676, printed in London", wherein it says: "On Wednesday they stormed Providence and consumed the greater part of the houses, but without taking away the life of any person except one Wright, of whom it is reported that he was a man of singular and sordid humor ; of great knowledge of the Scriptures, but of no profession, sect or persuasion; one that derided Watches, Fortifications, and all public endeavors and administrations for the common safety, insomuch that after all alarms round about he refused to bring in any of his goods (which were of Considerable value) or to shelter himself in any gar- rison, but presumed he should be safe in his own house where the enemy found and butchered him. It is further credibly related con- cerning hin that he had a strange confidence, or rather conceit, that whilst he held his Bible in his hand he looked upon himself as secure
1Stone's Burning of Providence in Prov. Daily Journal, April 10, 1876. 27-1
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
from all kinds of violence, and that the enemy, finding him in that posture, deriding his groundless apprehension or folly therein, ript him open and put his Bible in his belly."
The similarity of these two stories makes it extremely doubtful if two such events occurred. In the latter story it is stated that "On Wednesday they stormed Providence"; this serves to more definitely fix, the date of the burning, for the 29th day of Mareh, 1676, was Wednesday.
When the letter from Newport was received, advising the people to flee from the Island for safety, some of the townspeople were disin- clined to abandon their homes, neither did they wish to retreat to any of the garrison houses in the compact part of the town, clinging to their homes and firesides notwithstanding the threatened dangers.
One of these was William Arnold, an old man of ninety years of age, who lived at Pawtuxet, some distance from the Providenee settlement; this fact being brought to the attention of his friends and neighbors at Providence, they dispatched a messenger, William Hopkins by name, to apprise him of his danger and urge him to seek some safe retreat.
Two years after the war Hopkins told his story "about going to per- swade him", in a deposition made before John Whipple, assistant. This old document1 is yet extant and is as follows :
"William Hopkins Aged Thirtyone Yeares or there abouts : and en- gaged according to law Tesstifieth as ffolloweth, That at the beginning of the warr they heard at Prouidence that William Arnold of paw- tuxett, would not leaue his owne house, then Some Neighbors desired this deponant to goe to pautuxett and persvade him to goe to some garrison for safety, or goc downe to Roade-Jsland, then this deponant sayd he would goe and did not question but to perswade him and soe this deponant went to Pautuxett to the house of William Arnold, and told the said William Arnold of the danger of the times, and did per- swade him to goe to some garrison or downe to Roade-Jsland to his Sonns Benedicts but he was very unwilling to leave his owne house, and sayd he would not goe downe to Roade-Jsland, but if he must leaue his owne house he would go to prouidenee, yett after he sayd prouidenee was soe farr off he had rather be nearer home; then this deponant Asked him if he would goe to his sonns: Stephens Garrison, and the sayd William Arnold sayd he did not care if he did goe theither, and soe desired this deponant to goe to his sonn Stephens and eall him to Come to him and then he would goe with him to his Garrison, then this deponant went to his sonn Stephen Arnold and ealled him, and soe presently his sonn Stephen went to his ffather and desired his father to goe to his Garrison, and the sayd William Arnold did goe alonge with his sonn Stephen and this Deponant to his sonn Stephens Gar- rison and ffurther this deponant sayth not.
1Providence Town Papers, 0268.
419
THE WARS AND THE MILITIA.
me
"Taken upon Engagement this: 16th : day of october: 1678 before John Whipple Assistant."
A loss which the town sustained by reason of the Indian attack, and one from which it never recovered, was the destruction of a portion of its records.
Such old books of this period as are now preserved, with their torn, faded and smoke stained pages, tell of a disaster from which their escape must have been almost miraculous. Judge Staples, in his Annals of Providence,1 has given a picturesque account of the way in which they were mutilated. He says: "The house of John Smith the miller was on the west side of Moshassuck river, .
. Mr. Smith was, at that time, town clerk, and the records of the town were then in his possession. They were thrown from his burning house into the mill pond to preserve them from the flames, and to the present day they bear plenary evidence of the two fold dangers they escaped, and the two fold injury they suffered".
This account has been copied from time to time by those who have had occasion to refer to the subject, apparently without investigation and without doubting the accuracy of the statement. So far as any evidence appears there is nothing to warrant this story, but on the contrary there is much to disprove it, for records made within a few years of the occurrence tell a far different story. The records them- selves bear silent testimony to severe usage. They have evidently been saturated with water, and one of the books still shows the marks where fire has eaten into its leaves and smoke has stained its pages. It was probably from these facts and the additional one that John Smith, the miller, was at the time clerk of the town, that the whole story was so ingeniously constructed.
If the statement of Williams2 is true, wherein he gave the names of those "that stayed and went not away", then John Smith, the miller, was not in the town during the troublesome time, and consequently could not have thrown the books into the mill pond; but as it appears from other records3 that he received "half a share" in the division of the Indian captives, he probably was in the town or performed some service which entitled him to this.
It would be an idle tale of fancy to detail the story of their mutila- tion ; but there is evidence to show by what means they suffered.
A petition to the town, without date, in the handwriting of John Whipple, contains this preamble: "Whereas by ye Late unhappy warrs by ye Indians or Towne Records have been by ye sd Indians defaced and some of them lost".4
1Annals of Providence, p. 166.
2Early Records of Providence, vol. viii, p. 12.
3Providence Town Papers.
4 Ibid.
420
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
In 1678 Daniel Abbott, who was then the town clerk, petitioned the town meeting for leave to change the records of his land, and lie en- tered upon the Record book1 the following :
"Voted & ordered, that whereas ye abovesd desired in his bill to have Libbertic To Transferr ye Record of ye returne of his Land (Layd out by Capt Arthur ffenner Survewor) out of ye old Book (wch is much defaced by ye Indians &c) into ye New Booke for the more security. The Towne sceth cause to grant his request therein, & Soe his Bill is Answered."
Ten year after the war Benjamin Hernton presented his petition2 to the town in the following words :
"To ye Towne mett Janr ye : 27 1685: or 6
"My Desire is yt you would Allow me my full Right of land and meadow, according to ye rest of ye 25 Acre men yt came in with a full Right of Comoning according to ye order of Jon Brown I conciveing I came soe in : and I judge it was so recorded, or neglected : or Elce it may be Taken away by ye Jndians they haveing ye books praying yor Consideration : hopeing you will not Deny me my request "Yors to Serve
"Benjamin Hernden."
From all of this there can be no doubt but what the records fell into the hands of the savages, and while in their possession were defaced, and thus the story of the heroic act of the town clerk rushing into the burning mill to save from destruction the records, entrusted to his care, is robbed of some of its interest.
The remembrances of those past horrors had gradually passed away from the memory of the colonists only to be recalled in story. New homes were springing up in the hills and in the valleys, and new faces entered into the everyday life of the settlers. And so their uneventful life went on until the days of King William's War, when ugly rumors reached their ears, for the Council of War had been hurriedly called together in Providence town, and on April 24, 1697, had commissioned several of the townsmen to lead scouting parties to "search after the Enemies", because, as the records of the council stated, "there hath Ben a late inCurtion & invation made upon some of our English plantations : by the Cruel and Barbar- ons Indian Enemies whose tender mercies are Cruel". They had seen Indian barbarities and had experienced one Indian attack, and in order to protect the settlements as much as possible, the Council of War commissioned Richard Arnold, John Angell, Edward Smith, Samuel Whipple, Thomas Olney, jr., Thos. Fenner, Joseph Stafford, James Brown, James Angell, Thomas Hopkins, Benjamin Carpenter,
1Early Records of Providence, vol. viii, p. 39.
2 Providence Town Papers, 0468.
421
THE WARS AND THE MILITIA.
Joseph Williams, Nathl. Waterman, sr., Nathl. Waterman, jr., John Smith, John Brown, Samuel Comstock, Eleazer Whipple, Thomas Olney, Samuel Wilkinson and Roger Burlingame to take command of ten men each and "rainge beyond the outmost of our plantations". The northern portion of the Colony had by this arrangement a chain of guards or scouting parties completely encircling the settled portion of the plantations, for an examination will show that these men were located at various points all through the outlying districts. They were directed in plain language what their duty was, and there was no opportunity for misinterpretation of instructions.
The memories of the fight at Nipsatchuck, the Providence attack and all the horrible details of the former war, were again brought vividly before them. There was to be no temporizing, nor any intermediate course, but, in the quaint language of the directions given to them, they were "to search after the Enemies and Vpon Discovery of anie of them you are according to the best of your skill to indevour to Resist Expulse Kill and Destroy them according to the best of your Indevour but in Cace you judge them to be two strong for you, you are to alarcm as manie of your inhabittants as in yor wisdom yu can or may".
But they were not called upon to engage in any hand to hand con- flict with the savages, for the war soon after ended, and these old Indian fighters were once more back again upon their farms pursuing "the noiseless tenor of their way".
For several years peace reigned in the Colony and the authorities were not called upon to provide ways and means for hostile move- ments.
The debt incurred by the former struggles in which the colonists had taken part bore heavily upon them, and the struggling settlements had hardly recovered from the losses which they had sustained when, on the 4th of May, 1702, England declared war against France and Spain. It was not until two months later that this momentous event was proclaimed in Rhode Island.
On the fifth of July Major John Dexter, commanding the military forces on the mainland in Rhode Island, issued the following official notice to the military authorities proclaiming hostilities :
"These may inform you that I have receive of our Gouvernor A proclamation of warr with orders for all our Military officers attend- ance at the reading of the same I intreat your Company with your Lieuts Ensigns and Cargants tomorrow at ten of the clock in the fore- noon, which is all that offers at present from yrs
"July 5 1702
John Dexter Major."
At a council of war, held in Kingstown, March 15, 1703-4, at which
422
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
most of the commissioned officers in the militia were present, action was taken for the defense of the Colony.
On account of the "great danger and hazard the out inhabitants of the respective towns in this colony on the main land arc exposed to, should they be assaulted by the Barbarious Enemy", for want of suitable garrisons to repair to in time of danger, authority was given to the towns of Providence, Warwick, Westerly, Kingstown and Greenwich to erect such garrison houses as shall be considered neces- sary for the safety of the inhabitants, the cost of the same to be borne by the Colony. The General Assembly of the Colony afterwards repu- diated the act, requiring the towns to provide and support their own garrisoned houses.
It was voted to raise at once forty-eight volunteers to go against the French and Eastern Indians; half of this quota was to be Indians and half English. The Colony agreed to pay them 12d. per day in addition to what the Massachusetts Colony might pay for their services during the expedition. Captain Jonathan Turner of Kingstown was ap- pointed to command the body.
Fourteen men were ordered employed in the Colony's service, six of whom, on the Main land, were placed under the command of the major of the Main land, while the six men appointed for the Islands were ordered to be placed at the fort on Goat Island in Newport harbor.
Every military commander was ordered to forthwith furnish to the major for the Main and the Islands1 a list of the soldiers in their respective commands, and to call the companies together and see that each person was provided with arms and ammunition according to law.
Recruiting stations were established at the houses of the following named persons in the several towns in the Colony : Kingstown, at the house of Capt. John Eldred and Capt. Edward Greenman; Westerly, Capt. William Champlin; Warwick, Capt. James Greene; Providence, Major John Dexter; Newport, Major Nathaniel Coddington; Ports- mouth, Capt. Joseph Sheffield ; Jamestown, Capt. Edward Carr.
The military authoritieswere at once actively engaged in putting the Colony's force in good condition to meet any attacks or to respond to such calls for their services as might be made. Scouting parties ranged the woods in the northern part of the Colony to intercept any hostile bands. There is an old order on the town, given by Capt. Thos. Fenner of the Third Company of Providence, which gives the name of some of these :
"To you James Dexter Treasurer for the Town of Providence these to desire you to pay or cause to be payed unto those persons hereafter named to Each of them seven shillinggs and six pence for service done
'The military force of the Colony was divided into two departments, the "Main" and "the Islands," a major in command of each.
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THE WARS AND THE MILITIA.
by them Jn the yeare 1703 on the Horse Scout three dayes a peece att two shillings six pence pr day. Samuel Ralph Peter Roberts George Potter Given under my hand this 1st of May 1708
"Thos Fenner Capt."
From other records of Captain Fenner it appears that "Samuel Ralph, George Potter, Zachariah Field, Thomas Garrard, went out on the Scout upon the 17 of August 1704. Thos. Fenner Jr. and Thomas Garrard went out on the Scout upon the 24 of August, and Henry Randall went to joyne with them on the 27th of August. Richard Knight, the Soon of Jonathan Knight, and Richard Knight, the Soon of Ann Knight, went forth upon the scout the 1st of September, and John Tucker and Thomas Taylor went forth upon the scout on the 5th of September".
Newport harbor was further protected by a new fort, afterwards called Fort Anne, mounting twelve guns. The proceeds of all for- feitures belonging to the general treasury, especially the gold plate and money taken from condemned pirates, were appropriated for this purpose. This fort was built on Goat Island. During the period of hostilities, which continued for eleven years, the coast line of the Colony was covered by scouts and permanent garrisons established at different points.
It is recorded that there was provided "3 pots of cyder and one gal. of rum" when the soldiers went to Newport on May 31, 1709. In later years this quantity of liquid refreshment would hardly been sufficient for the annual tours made to Newport in May.
By order of Maj. Joseph Jenks, in April, 1709, one soldier was or- dered to Block Island, representing the quota to be furnished by the town of Providence, and Hezekiah Herinton volunteered for the service.
During the period of the war Rhode Island provided a body of scouts for home service, a garrison for the forts at Newport, and fur- nished her quota from time to time as called upon to do so.
In July, 1710, the General Assembly ordered an additional force raised for the intended expedition to Port Royal, to the number of one hundred and forty-five effective men, apportioned as follows among the towns in the Colony :
Newport,
40 whereof
12 Indians
Providence,
31
8
Portsmouth,
11
3
Warwick,
10
3
Westerly,
12
4
66
Kingstown,
31
8
Greenwich,
7
66
3
Jamestown,
3
2
.
ARMS USED BY RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS IN THE VARIOUS WARS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER BEGINNING AT THE TOP: THE INDIAN WARS, THE FRENCH WAR, THE REVOLUTION, THE WAR OF 1812, THE CIVIL WAR AND THE SPANISH WAR. From the collection of Edward Field.
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THE WARS AND THE MILITIA.
The next month an additional body of troops, consisting of two hundred men, was raised for the Port Royal expedition; Lieut .- Col. John Cranston and Major George Lee were appointed to the com- mand of the force for Rhode Island. A year later one hundred and sixty-seven soldiers, besides twelve sailors, for the Canada expedition, were ordered enlisted for immediate service. This number was divided among the towns in the Colony as follows: Newport 47, Providence 35, Warwick 10, Kingstown 35, Greenwich 8, Westerly 14, Jamestown 3, Portsmouth 15.
It was not until eleven years had passed that the war came to an end and the burden of supplying men and money ceased. The Peace of Utrecht ended warlike movements and measures, and the next month following the signing of the treaty the General Assembly of the Colony made provision for disposing of the Colony's stores in the commis- sary's hands. All munitions of war with the exception of powder were sold or otherwise disposed of; the powder, however, was ordered "put into the treasurers' hands to be secure for the colony". Even the great guns belonging to the Colony were laid away to rest, but not to rust, for it was ordered that they be brought to the "Governor's wharf at Newport, there be tarred and laid on loggs."
The General Assembly of the Colony held its session on the 26tli day of February, 1739-40, at South Kingstown. It was an important session. War had been proclaimed by England against the kingdom of Spain, and in common with the other English colonies in America, Rhode Island had been warned to make suitable and necessary prepara- tions in case of invasion by the enemy. The Colony fort in Newport, then called Fort George, was at once put in order, the gun platform made four feet wider, the powder magazine made tight, the store- houses newly floored, and the barracks put in condition suitable to accommodate the force which was likely to be ordered there. Twelve men under command of Col. John Cranston were provided as a per- manent garrison. An additional force of thirty-eight men was enlisted to be called upon in an emergency to reinforce this temporary com- mand. The field officers of the militia in the several counties in the Colony were empowered to enlist or impress ten men in each county to serve on Block Island for a "space of six months", to assist the inhabitants against any raid by the enemy.
Six heavy guns on the island were ordered mounted on carriages and placed in position for use. A substantial coast guard was pro- vided to watch the ocean for suspicious vessels. To accommodate this important force, watch-houses, eight feet square and six feet stud, were built at Castle Hill, Brenton's Point, Sachuest Point, the Island of Conanicut, Point Judith, Watch Hill, and on the high land in the town of Portsmouth.
In order that the news of the approach of the enemy might be
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
speedily communieated throughout the Colony, beacons were ordered crceted at different points to be fired in ease of danger. One was on Bloek Island, onc at Point Judith, one at Watch Hill, one at Beaver Tail, one at Newport, and another at Portsmouth. In May following provision was made for enlisting men for the war, and enlistment officers were appointed for each county in the Colony. Every soldier upon enlistment was promised £3 and that he should be exempt from all military service for a period of three years after the expiration of his term of enlistment. Before the 15th of July the foree necessary for the expedition against the Spanish possessions in the West Indies had been enlisted ; indeed, a greater number had responded to the call than was required. Five of the military officers of the Colony, with two lieutenants of the British army who had been sent to Rhode Island for the purpose, were ordered by the General Assembly to immediately organize two companies of one hundred men each, and to diseharge such additional recruits as had enlisted on the best terms that could be arranged. A committee was also appointed to provide transporta- tion to Newport, so that the troops eould embark by the 15th day of August. Capt. William Hopkins was appointed to the command of one of the companies, with Joseph Sheffield lieutenant.
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