USA > Rhode Island > The correspondence of the colonial governors of Rhode Island, 1723-1775, Vol. II > Part 16
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Wee have not heard of an Indan or french man Seen Round Our Camp Or nigh fort Edward this Month Past. I heard that Sum of the Boston Ran- glers have begun to Pick hooles in Our Campain but Let these Studeous Enquirers that Say Wee are Only a Moth to the Country Say What Barior the french Would have from Coming throug Newengland Was it not for the forces hear and at Albany. And I belive that it is the Opinon of Most thinking Men that the Taking Oswego Will Promp them To Make A Tryal this Way Excep our Men of War being in the Bay of St Larrance Should Divert them that Way.
savages, frenzied by the rum which fell into their hands at the time of the capitulation ; but the great body of men, women, and children were protected by the extraordinary efforts of Montcalm, who appeased his Indian allies by the most reckless promises, the fulfilment of which would, he asserted, cost the French king eight or ten thousand livres. Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, I. 413.
1 The camps were ill-provided with necessaries, and badly managed. The mortality was great.
2 Montcalm took post at Ticonderoga with 5300 men, and remained there, watching he provincials, under Winslow, at Fort William Henry, until the season closed.
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it Seems by the Accts I had from hoome that Our People in General Was got Into a Sleepy Emagind Safty and had forgot the Last Sumers Allarm but I Expect this News of Oswego being taken Will awaken those Who have any knowled[ge] of the Consequence of that Place being Destroyed
I Rem[ai]n Your Most Obdent at Command SAMLL ANGELL
My Respects [to] Judg Jenckes and his falely [family ?] hoping friend [s] are Well
To STEPHEN HOPKINS Esq'
GOVERNOR SHIRLEY TO GOVERNOR HOPKINS.
BOSTON Sept. 13 1756
Sir,
I am extremely oblig'd to your Honour for your letter of the 30th of August by M: Howard, and am very sorry that I had it not in my power to let you know by his return the Resolutions of the Massachu- setts Assembly upon Lord Loudon's letter of the 20th of August, wch were not determin'd upon 'till I Ith Instant; and I now let you know in my Circular letter.1
They have, I hear since; destroyed the forts upon the Oneida Carrying place, wch they have abandon'd and retir'd to the German flats; I mean our forces
1 The letter of August 30 was evidently written upon the instructions of the Assem- bly. See Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 510 ; and the "Circular letter " is one of date September 13, sent to all governors of northern colonies, stating that Massachusetts had voted to send 1600 men to the front, if necessary. This is in Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 533.
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have done this; But as I know not the Motives, can't Judge of the Affair.1
It will be certainly right to strengthen Lord Lou- don, as much as is possible.
Our Governm: have agreed to take their Money of M: Apthorpe, as he can supply it, at the Exchange of 1of Massachusetts Old Tenour for If Sterling in order to save risque and charges of transporting it from New York to Boston; I have not time to inclose you the Copy of the Contract; wch shall be done by next Post.
· I have only time to assure your Honour of my most sincere regard and Esteem for you, and that I shall be glad to recieve your Commands in England 2 being with much truth Sir
Your Hon''s most Obedient Servant
W SHIRLEY
The Honble STEPHEN HOPKINS Esq!
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GOVERNOR HOPKINS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
To the General Assembly. Gentlemen
The Bills of Publick Credit emitted by this Col- ony, and now circulating, which ought to be the
1 Webb, who had been sent with reinforcements to Oswego, was met at the Great Carrying Place which divided the water-shed of the Mohawk River from that of Lake Ontario, by the news that the French had captured both fort and garrison, and were advancing into New York. He retreated with great precipitation, burned Fort Bull, on Wood Creek, and Fort William, on the Mohawk, which guarded the portage, and retired to the Palatine village of German Flats, further down the river.
2 Shirley was recalled to England by a letter of March 31. See his letter to Hop- kins of July 13, 1756, in Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 531, and note to letter of November 8, 1742. He sailed in the latter part of September.
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fixed measure of Property; are fallen so much into discredit, as to be extreamly injurious to Private Per- sons, and to the Publick Character of the Colony ; and now greatly discourage, and soon must put a total Stop, to all our trade and Commerce, if some proper remedy be not found out, and applied by the General Assembly, to prevent so general a Calamity.
I therefore recomend it to you, to take this Matter into your Serious Consideration, and find out, and apply such remedy's, as may, if not wholly cure, yet in some degree Alleviate, so distructive, and so grow- ing an Evil. To this purpose, it will be absolutely Necessary, to carry into execution, without any de- lay, the Vote already passed for Levying a Tax on the Inhabitants of the Colony. And whether it will not be much more effectual to the good ends Aimed at, that the Tax should be changed from what it now stands,1 into Eight Thousand Pounds Lawfull Money, to be called in by it, and sunk agreeable to the emit- ting Act; 2 I must leave you to Consider and deter- mine. Again, whether it would not have some good effect, on the Credit of our Old and New Tenor Bills, if the Tenths3 were all Ordered to be paid in the same Specific Bills which were taken out by the Debtor.
Such intelligence, as I have received from the
1 The "rate" enacted was for £4000 " lawful money," to be called in and burnt. See Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 507.
2 This act authorized an emission of £8000 "lawful money." Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 481.
3 Provision for the redemption of bills of credit was sometimes made by enacting that one tenth part of the whole loan should be redeemed each successive year for ten years. In Governor Ward's Report to the Lords of Trade on paper money in Rhode Island, he alludes to two such instances in the legislation of that colony, in 1728 and in 1740. Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 9, 12. A committee was appointed in 1749 which was, among other duties, " to receive the money paid in for tenths, and to burn the same." Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 274.
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English Army in America, and from Albany, I shall lay before you, and desire your further directions, concerning the Four Hundred Men lately raised.
STEP HOPKINS
COUNCIL CHAMBER, PROVIDENCE Octo: 28. 1756
WILLIAM BAYARD TO GOVERNOR HOPKINS.
NEW YORK November 19 1756.
Sir.
Your Favour of the 27. Ultimo per your Son M! George Hopkins I duly reced, Wherein Observe You have Sent him, in order to Receive the Moneys, Granted by Parliament, and Lodge in my hands for Your Colloney, with the proper Receipts Signed by Your Honour as Governour, By Virtue of an Act Passed by your Colloney for that Purpose,1 Agreeable to which have Delivered him the Same, being Six Chest of Silver, and One of Gold, as You will find by the Account of the Same, Transmitted You from the Contractors, for which M: Beekman has paid me £II.9.6 being the Charges Attending the Bring- ing up Landing and Carting here, and in which Sum there is no Commission Charged by me for my Trouble, nor do I Expect any, but Shall at all Times be Glad when it is in my Power to be of Service to You or that Colloney and am,
Your Honour's most Obediant Serv!
WM BAYARD
To the Honourable STEPHEN HOPKINS Esq"
1 See Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 512.
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NATHAN WHITING 1 TO THE COMMITTEE OF WAR.
NEW HAVEN Dec 15 1756
Gent
I herewith Send you An Account of Some pro- visions and Clothing belonging to the Garisons of Fort Wm Henry and Fort Edward, Which was put there Last Winter and made one General Charge off; by the agreement of Commissioners from the Several Governments, who Setled them Garisons ; 2 As no one Commissary would have Any thing to do with them I thought it my Duty to take care of them for the Governments, Accordingly I delivered the provision to the Kings Commissary, and Lodged the Clothing in Suitable hands to take care of it till the Goverments make Some Settlement about it or give directions What Shall be done with it.
I have endeavoured also to take the best care of the Tents and Camp utensils belonging to each Gover- ment. you have enclosed an Acct of those belonging to Rhode Island,3 As well as Some Arms and other things, they were obliged to be Left, as Cariages Could not be Obtained at that time to bring them Down. you have also the Number of Sloops &c at the Lake
You will excuse me Gent. for taking the Liberty to Acquaint you that Governours Shirley and Fitch have done me the Honour to give me their Com- missions for Quarter Master General of the Provin- cial Troops, I 'believe it was Aproved of by the
1 See note to letter of January 1, 1756.
2 See note on p. 195.
3 Not in the archives.
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Principal officers of the Other Goverments Who thought Such an Officer Necessary. As those of your Colony can Answer for Themselves I need only refer you to them. the Province of the Massachu- setts have made an Establishment for Such an officer of ten pound per Month at Least their Quota of it, if you can find it has been Needfull, As I assure you it has been troublesome, and will do me the favour to use your Influence I may have Some allowance from your Colony.1 I shall always Acknowledge the obligation. I am most Respectfully
Gent
your most Obed' and very humble Servt
N WHITING
The Honble Comtee War Newport
LORD LOUDOUN TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND.2
BOSTON Saturday 2911 Jan! 1757.
Gentlemen
You must be very sensible, that the Measures taken the Last Years for the Preservation of his Ma- jesty's Dominions and Colonies upon this Continent and for the Annoyance of his Majesties enemies have proved ineffectual, and instead of removing the French from any of their Encroachments, we have suffered them to make considerable advances upon
1 No mention of such " allowance " appears upon the Assembly Records.
2 Printed in Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 15.
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Us. I shall put you in Mind of some of the Pro- ceedings to which I apprehend Your Misfortunes may be in a great Measure attributed
When I left London which was on the 17th of May the Ministry had received no Intelligence, of the De- termination of any of the Governments, to prosecute an Expedition against Crown Point altho' this Deter- mination had been made by the Massachusetts, the 16th of February, and I cannot account for this Neg- lect in those whose Duty it was to have given the Earliest Advice that might be. The Want of this advice rendered it impossible for Me, to receive any Orders with immediate relation to your Resolutions.
Upon my Arrival at Albany I found that your Forces fell very much short of the Number you had agreed to raise, and which you thought Necessary for the Service and from the best Information I could get the Troops in General were not equal to those which you always had employed on former Occasions, I could not therefore think it advisable for them to proceed without the assistance of part of his Majes- ties Regular Troops. I met with unexpected Diffi- culties, and was much retarded in settling the Con- nection between the Regulars and the Provincials 1 and before it could be fully effected and any Pro- ceedings had in Consequence of it, I received the News of the Surrender of the Forts and Garrison at Oswego and all his Majesties Possessions upon the Lakes to the French The true state and Circum-
1 By a Royal Order of May 12, 1756, all general and field officers with provincial commissions were to take rank only as eldest captains when serving with regular troops. Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, I. 399.
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stances of these Forts and Garrisons were never represented to Me by my Predecessors,1 I had good reason to think that the Enemy flushed with Success would make an Attack upon the Provincial Forces. I immediately wrote to the several Governours and demanded an Aid suitable to the State of their Af- fairs, What success I had you very well know. There was in some of You a Profession of Readiness to afford assistance, and the shew and Appearance of it in the Votes of Assembly, but it turned out in Fact that the Attempts to carry those Votes into execution were defeated and proved ineffectual.
Some Time after I had applied to the several Gov- ernments for Aid it pleased God, that the Recruits from London and the High-Lands arrived, and I was able to collect a greater Number of the Recruits raised for the Royal American Regument, than I had any hopes of being able to collect at that Sea- son of the Year all which I immediately Joined to the Regular Troops and as Many of them as could be spared, I marched for the Strengthning and for the Security of the Provincial Forces
I have since received certain Intelligence that I was not mistaken in my Apprehensions of the De- signs of the French and that it was the Accounts which they received from their Scouts and Spies, of the Actual March of the Regulars the Number of which was reported to be greater than it really was,
1 This is an attack upon Shirley, whom Loudoun censured severely, and with some reason, for the deplorable condition of the garrison at Oswego. In Shirley's behalf it may be said that he would doubtless have reinforced the half-starved troops long be- fore the French made their assault, had he not been superseded by Abercrombie, who was in turn superseded by Loudoun, with the result that the reinforcements waited a month for marching orders.
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which diverted them from the Resolutions which they had formed. What the Event of such an Attack would have been, God only knows, I was extremely anxious about it, and I have the greatest reason to think, that if it had been made upon the Provincials alone it would, have been followed with very fatal Consequences
Your Forces after this, by Sickness or Desertion or both was daily diminished, the Season was so far advanced that I had no farther Thoughts of any offensive Measures against the Enemy, and I deter- mined that as soon as they withdrew, the Provincials should be dismissed, and that the Charge which the Several Governments were at for their pay should cease as soon as Possible.
This has been the State and Progress of your affairs the Year past, I hope Gentlemen, that under the Guidance and Blessing of Divine Providence the Plan of Operation for another Year will be better prosecuted.
I have devised a Meeting of your several Govern- ments by their Governours and Commissioners at this Time in Order to their determining, what Num- ber of Men they raise to be employed in Conjunction with his Majesties Regular Forces, the ensuing Year.
Considering the Vast Expense of suporting so Large a Number of Troops as are Employed by his Majesty for the Protection of his Colonies, the Bur- then whereof you bear no part in, You cannot Think much of contributing so small a Proportion towards your own Defense as I now require of You, for could VOL. II.
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I be assured of four Thousand good and effective Men, to be raised by the four Governments of New- England in such Proportion as you shall settle amongst yourselves I would not urge you to go be- yond that Number.
I must recommend to You the giving better en- couragement to your Officers, than you have formerly done which may be an inducement to Persons, who shall be equal to their Posts, and who will preserve Order and Discipline to engage in the Service, and I think if some part of your Men's pay, were con- verted into a Fund, to assist in giving them Neces- sary cloathing it would be of great Use.
The Particular Place or Service, in which I must employ these Forces, it is not in my Power to com- municate to You, I wait for Answers to my Letters gone to England before [therefore ?] I cannot fully determine upon it myself but if you were to wait until I receive them, before you proceed to raise the Men, it would be too Late to do it for the Service of this Year.
Besides Gentlemen, great inconveniences must arise from making my Design Publick, and I know of no advantage which can accrue from it, The Con- fining Your Men to any particular Service appears to Me to be a Preposterous Measure 1 Our Affairs are not in a Situation as to make it reasonable for any Colony to be influenced by its particular Interest. The Question is in what way and Manner the whole may be secured and the Common Enemy of all most effectually annoyed. This is the Point I must keep
1 This was the usual method.
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in View and no Consideration will prevail with Me, to depart from it
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You may depend on my Treating your Men with all that Tenderness and Indulgence which will con- sist with necessary Order and Discipline, and that I will employ them, whenever there shall be room for it, in such services as shall be most suitable to their Genius, and the way and Manner of fighting to which they have been used and that they shall be discharged at farthest, at the Expiration of the Term for which they are raised, and as much sooner as the service will admit but to engage that I will employ them in this or that particular Place only, it is what I cannot do upon any Terms, for I think it would be most Prejudicial to the Publick than the whole Benefit which we may expect from the Provincial Forces would countervail.
I do not thus express myself to You Gentlemen because I think it a Matter of but little Consequence whether you Afford me Aid or Not, No, I think it of such Moment, that you would never be able to atone for a refusal, I hope therefore you will spare no Time upon this Point, but will without delay, deter- mine upon a Compliance with my Proposal to you, that so we may begin our Preparations this Year earlier than we have ever done before.1
LOUDOUN
1 See the letter of the Rhode Island Commissioners upon the procedure of the Con- gress of Delegates at Boston. Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 28. The Assembly met on Feb- ruary I, and voted to raise, clothe, and pay 450 effective men for the ensuing campaign, to serve for one year under Lord Loudoun. Ibid., VI. 22.
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RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR HOPKINS.
LONDON 2 month or Feb : 3. 1757
Gov'. Hopkins
My last to thee was of 5th Nov. Since which I have recd no Letter from thee, all matters relating to your Colony here remain quiet as they have done for a considerable time past, but our Publick Affairs during the present Occurrences in America as else where have been so very discouraging and caused great uneasiness and complaints by the Populace against the great Personages in Power, that it has caused of late very considerable alterations in the Ministry, amongst whom Ld Chancellor Hardwick, the Duke of New Castle, Henry Fox Esq: and Lord Anson have all resigned their places, and the D: of Devonshire is now first Ld Com! of the Treasury, Wm Pitt Esq: Secr! of State, and Lord Temple first Lord Com' of the Admiralty with other considerable Changes but Lª President and Ld Halifax and the Secr! at War hold their Places still - whether these alterations will be for the better Time must mani- fest.1
The Parliam: met the 2ª Inst. and have granted a Considerable Sum for Provi[si]ons and Supplies for maintaining Forces and Garrisons in the Plantations, and its likely some vigorous Measures will be pur- sued in favour of the Northern Colonies early against
1 In October, 1756, Fox resigned, and Newcastle followed his example in Novem- ber. In December a new ministry was formed, with Devonshire as Newcastle's suc- cessor, William Pitt in place of Fox, and Lord Temple at the head of the Admiralty. In the following April the king dismissed both Temple and Pitt, and in June the nota- ble coalition ministry was formed, with Newcastle at the Treasury, Pitt and Lord Holdernesse as Secretaries of State, and Anson once more at the Admiralty.
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the Spring, 70 Transport Ships its said are gone or going to take in Forces at Portsmouth or Plymouth to the Number of 8 or 10,000, and that it is likely they will be accompanied with a Strong Squadron of Men of War whether they are designed to land at New York or Bound directly for Canada we know [not ]yet, - and Adm! West is lately sailed from Portsmouth with about 12 Sail of Men of War but their destination not made publick.
Adm! Byng has at length been tried by a Court Marshal and sentenced to dye, but on some circum- stance appearing in the Course of his Trial he is by the Court recommended to Mercy.
The House of Commons in consideration of the present dearness of Wheat and flour in this King- dom are about passing an Act for encouraging the bringing it in to this Kingdom from abroad by taking off the high duties here which at present subsist, and prohibiting the Exportation of Grain from hence, and also are passing an Act for prohibiting for a limited time the Exportation of Wheat, flour, Bread and pro- visions from our Plantations and Colonies in Amer- ica except to Great Britain, Ireland or to some of the said Plantations,1 for the rest I refer to the Magazine and prints sent per this Conveyance to Andrew Oli- ver Esq! of Boston to forward to thee.
and I remain respectfully Thy lo: Friend RP PARTRIDGE.
To STEPHEN HOPKINS Esq. Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
1 See Pownall's letter of March 7, 1757.
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WILLIAM PITT TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND.1
WHITEHALL Feb. 4th 1757.
Gentlemen,
The King, having nothing more at heart, than the Preservation of His Good Subjects and Colonies of North America, has come to a Resolution of acting with the greatest Vigour in those Parts, the ensuing Campaign ; and all necessary Preparations are mak- ing for sending a considerable Reinforcement of Troops, together with a strong Squadron of Ships for that Purpose; And in order to act Offensively against the French in Canada.2
It is His Majesty's Pleasure that You should forth- with call together Your Council and Assembly, and press them, in the strongest Manner, to raise, with the utmost Expedition, a Number of Provincial Troops, at least equal to those raised the last Year, for the Service of the ensuing Campaign, over and above what they shall judge necessary for the imme- diate Defence of their own Province, and that the Troops, so raised, do act in such Parts as the Earl of Loudoun, or the commander in Chief of His Ma- jesty's Forces, for the Time being, shall judge most conducive to the Service in general. And the King doubts not, but that the several Provinces, truly sen- sible of His Paternal Care, in sending so large a Force for their Security, will exert their utmost En-
1 Printed in Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 39. Pitt was Secretary of State from December, 1756, to April, 1757.
2 Loudoun suggested an attempt to take Louisbourg, which, it will be remembered, was returned to the French by the peace of Aix-la-chapelle, in 1748. Pitt accepted the suggestion.
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deavours to second, and strengthen such Offensive Operations against the French, as the Earl of Lou- doun, or the Commander in Chief, for the Time being, shall judge expedient; and will not clogg the Enlist- ments of the Men, or the Raising of the Money for their Pay, &c:, with such Limitations, as have hith- erto been found to render their Service difficult and ineffectual; And as a further Encouragement, I am to acquaint You, that the Raising of the Men, their Pay, Arms and Cloathing, will be all, that will be required on the Part of the several Provinces, Mea- sures having been already taken for laying up Maga- zines of Stores and Provisions of all kinds, at the Expence of the Crown.
I cannot too strongly recommend it to You, to use all Your Influence with Your Council and Assembly for the punctual and immediate Execution of these His Majesty's Commands. I am, Gentlemen,
Your most obedient humble Servant,
W. PITT. Gov. and Company of Rhode Island.
JOHN POWNALL 1 TO GOVERNOR HOPKINS.
WHITEHALL, March 7th 1757.
Gentlemen,
I am directed by the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations to send you the inclosed Act passed in the present Session of Parliament, inti-
1 Secretary to the Lords of Trade, and brother of Thomas Pownall, who was appointed lieutenant-governor of New Jersey and (1757) succeeded Shirley as governor of Massachusetts.
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tuled, " An Act to prohibit for a limited time the Exportation of Corn, Grain, Meal, Malt, Flour, Bread, Biscuit, Starch, Beef, Pork, Bacon, and other Victual (except Fish and Roots and Rice to be exported to any part of Europe southward of Cape Finisterre) from His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations in Amer- ica, unless to Great Britain or Ireland, or to some of the said Colonies and Plantations; and to permit the Importation of Corn and Flour into Great Brit- ain and Ireland in neutral Ships; and to allow the Exportation of Wheat, Barley, Oats, Meal and Flour from Great Britain to the Isle of Man for the Use of the Inhabitants there "; 1 and am, Gentlemen,
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