USA > Rhode Island > Kent County > Warwick > The history of Warwick, Rhode Island, from its settlement in 1642 to the present time; including accounts of the early settlement and development of its several villages; sketches of the origin and progress of the different churches of the town, &c., &c > Part 11
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Isabel Lippitt married Stephen Budlong, July 28, 1805. Their children were, Moses L., born Oct. 26, 1806; Tabitha G., (who married Thomas Jones Spencer, Esq.,) March 1, 180; William D., Dec. 14, 1809; Lorenzo Dow, June 27, 1812; Isabella L., March 13, 1814, and Ann C., March 9, 1816. The homestead of Stephen Budlong was near the "High House." where he owned a large farm. He died Oct. 13, 1850; his wife died May 8, 1860.
Jeremiah, son of Moses," married Welthian Greene, daughter of Richard Greene, Sept. 12. 1734. He was Town Clerk of Warwick, from June 1742 to his death in 1776, with the excep- tion of the year 1775; a deputy four years, and Assistant five years. They had nine children, five sons and four daughters, of whom the first, Anne, born Nov. 15, 1735, married first, Col. Christopher Greene (see frontispiece), son of Philip and Elizabeth (Wickes) Greene. She married the second time Col. John Low.
Christopher Lippitt, son of Moses,3 was born Nov. 29, 1712. He married Catherine Holden, daughter of Anthony and Phebe (Rhodes) Holden, Jan. 2, 1736, and had twelve children, of whom Col. Christopher Lippitt, the revolutionary hero, was the fourth .*
The exposed condition of the seaboard towns rendered it advisable for the women and children to remove into the interior, and many of them accordingly left their homes for safer quarters. Warwick Neck was defended by Col. John Waterman's regiment, and Pawtuxet by that of Col. Samuel Aborn. In July, 1777, one of the most daring and skilfully executed acts that occurred during the war, resulted in the seizure of Gen. Prescott, the British commander on Rhode Island, by Lieut. Col. William Barton, who was at the time stationed at Tiver- · ton. Prescott was quartered about five miles from New- port, on the west road leading to the Ferry. On the 10th of the month, at about nine o'clock, Barton with a
* For a further account of this family, see the carefully prepared account by Daniel Beckwith, Esq., of Providence, R. I. I am also indebted for a portion of the above information to Mrs. Thomas Jones Spencer, of this town. See also Updike's Narragansett Church.
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CAPTURE OF GEN. PRESCOTT.
1776-1800.]
small company, went down to Warwick Neck, and em- barked in row boats, passing between the islands of Patience and Prudence to the island where Prescott was encamped. Three British frigates, the Lark, the Dia- mond and the Juno, were lying at anchor with their guard boats out on the east side of Prudence. Passing the south end of Prudence with muffled oars, they heard the sentinels cry : "All's well." These they passed safely and in due time landed at the place of their des- tination. Barton divided his men into several squads and advanced toward the house, passing the British guard house a hundred rods on the left, and a company of light horse about the same distance on the right. The squads approached the house from different di- rections to cut off all chance of Prescott's escape. As one company approached the gate a sentinel challenged them, but met with no reply. The sentinel then de- manded the countersign. Barton replied boldly, " We have no countersign to give ; have you seen any deserters to-night ?" and marched on, and before the sentinel was aware of the position of things he was made a prisoner. The house was at once entered and Col. Barton ascended to the General's sleeping room. As he entered Prescott jumped from his bed and seized his gold watch, hang- ing upon the wall, when he was told that he was a pri- soner. Gen. Prescott requested permission to dress, but was told that time was too precious to allow it, and he was permitted only to wrap his cloak about him. Major Barrington, who had leaped from a window as Barton and his men entered by the door, was taken prisoner. Both were marched off to the boats, where Prescott was permitted to dress. The injunction of perfect silence was imposed upon the prisoners until they had passed the British vessels. As they landed at Warwick Neck, Prescott turned to Col. Barton and remarked, "Sir, you have made a bold push to-night," to which Barton re- plied, "Sir, we have been very fortunate." They re- mained a short time at Old Warwick, until Col. Elliott arrived with a coach and conveyed the party to Provi-
116
HISTORY OF WARWICK.
[1776-1800.
dence. Gen. Prescott took breakfast before starting for Providence, at a house which is still standing and which was then used as a tavern. It is a gambrel roofed house, on the east side of Main street, and not far from the residence of Mr. George Anthony. It is known as the David Arnold house. Mrs. Arnold noticing that the General was without a cravat, offered him one of her white handkerchiefs, and at breakfast expressed her fear that her breakfast was not relished, as the General did not eat heartily. Prescott replied that he had not much appetite. Prescott was afterward exchanged for Gene- ral Lee, who had fallen into the hands of the enemy, and at the close of the same year or the beginning of the next, he resumed command of the British forces in Rhode Island, where he remained until its final evacuation .* For this gallant act, congress voted a sword to Col. Bar. ton, and gave him a few months afterwards, a Colonel's commission and he was appointed aide-de-camp to Gen. Greene.
In 1777, William Greene, Jr., was chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and in May of the following year, he was elected to the office of Governor, a position which he held for eight consecutive years. "It illustrates the simple manners, as well as the physical vigor of the man of revolutionary times, that Gov. Greene, although pos- sessed of an ample fortune, was accustomed two or three times a week, during the sessions of Assembly at Providence, to walk up from Warwick, or we might say from Greenwich, as he resided on the dividing line of the two towns, and home again in the afternoon."¡ At this time the war had been in progress two years. The battles of Lexington, Bunker Hill, Trenton, Brandy- wine, Germantown and others had been fought, and the condition of the country, though still depressed, was as- suming a more hopeful prospect. Congress had sent
* See account of the affair in Rev. Arthur A. Ross' Centennial Dis- course, published in 1838. Mr. Ross was then pastor of the 1st Baptist Church, Newport, and previously settled in this town. Also, in "Spirit of '76." pp. 47-50, and Arnold, vol. ii. 403.
f Arnold II., 417.
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117
PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
1776-1800.]
Dr. Franklin, Silas Deane and Arthur Lee as commis- sioners to France to solicit assistance, and during this year, treaties of amity and commerce were signed, and the Independence of the United States was thus acknowledged. All this was hopeful, but the British troops still lay in force upon the Island of Aquidneck, near Newport-like the ancient Mordecai at the king's gate-commanding the entrances of Narragansett Bay, and threatening to pounce upon the defenceless towns at any moment. Attacks were soon made upon Warren, Bristol and Fall River, the Baptist Church in the former place was destroyed, and other wanton acts were com- mitted, which occasioned a sharp correspondence between the commanding generals, Sullivan and Pigot. In the
following month (June) Congress, by recommendation of Gov. Greene and Gen. Sullivan, directed Washington to send home the Rhode Island troops, if they could be spared, and made other provisions for the protection of the State. The British had seven thousand men upon the island, while the forces under Sullivan amounted to only sixteen hundred. The Council of War called out half the effective force of the State, the rest to be ready to take the field at a moment's warning. On the 30th of July, Count D'Estaing, with twelve ships-of-the line and four frigates, arrived off Newport, and blockaded the enemy. The British at once withdrew to Newport, and their ships sought refuge in the harbor. Three British vessels were blown up in the east passage, and four frigates and a corvette were run ashore and burnt to prevent them falling into the power of their opponents. The conflict between the opposing forces was, however, delayed until August 29th, when a short and sharp battle took place a few miles from Newport, in which the American loss in killed, wounded and missing, amounted to two hundred and eleven, while that of the British, including prisoners, was one thousand twenty- three.
In the battle Maj. Gen. Greene commanded the right. Lafayette returned from Boston too late to take an im-
118
HISTORY OF WARWICK.
[1776-1800.
portant part in the engagement, but at a later period of the war is said to have remarked that "it was the best fought action of the war."
In May, 1781, a sad event occurred to one of the gal- lant soldiers from this town, which deprived the country of the valuable services of Col. Christopher Greene. His regiment was quartered at "Rhode Island village," a part of it occupying an advanced post, some ten miles distant, at Points Bridge on the Croton river, where the Colonel and Major Flagg were quartered. While here a party of the enemy, consisting of two hundred and sixty cavalry, forded the river and surprised the camp, killing in a most barbarous manner, Col. Greene and Major Flagg. About forty of the Rhode Island regi- ment were either killed or taken prisoners. The follow- ing account of the affair, from the appendix to the war, in the Southern department, by Col. Henry Lee, gives some of the particulars of the affair .*
"Exhibiting in early life his capacity and amiability, he was elected by his native town to a seat in the colonial Legislature, in Oct .. 1770, and he continued to fill the same by successive elections until Oct., 1772. In 1774, the Legislature wisely established a military corps, styled the " Kentish Guards," t for the purpose of fitting the most select of her youth for military officers. In this corps young Greene was chosen a Lieutenant, and in May, 1775, he was appointed by the Legislature a Major, in what was called " An army of Observation," a brigade of 1600 effectives, under the orders of his near relative, Brigadier Greene, afterwards so celebrated.
" From this situation he was promoted to the command of a company of infantry, in one of the regiments raised by the State, for continental service. The regiment to which he be- longed was attached to the army of Canada, conducted by Gen. Montgomery, in the vicissitudes and difficulties of which cam- paign, Capt Greene shared, evincing upon all occasions that unyielding intrepidity which marked his military conduct in every subsequent scene. In the attack upon Quebec, which terminated the campaign, as well as the. life of the renowned Montgomery, Capt. Greene belonged to the column which en- tered the town, and was taken prisoner.
* Updike's Narragansett Church. See also account in "Spirit of '76," by B. Cowell.
t All the members of the Kentish Guards who entered the continen- tal army became officers of the line. Writings of Wm. Goddard, vol. 1. 349. note.
119
COL. CHRISTOPHER GREENE.
1776-1800.]
His elevated mind ill-brooked the irksomeness of captivity, though in the hands of the enlightened and humane Carleton; and it has been uniformly asserted that, while a prisoner, Greene often declared that he "would never again be taken alive," a resolution unhappily fulfilled:
As soon as Capt. Greene was exchanged he repaired to his regiment, with which he continued without intermission, per- forming with exemplary propriety the various duties of his progressive stations, when he was promoted to the Majority of Varnum's regiment. In 1777 he succeeded to the command of the regiment, and was selected by Washington to take com- mand of Fort Mercer (commonly called Red Bank), the safe keeping of which post with that of Fort Mifflin (Mud Island), was very properly deemed of primary importance.
The noble manner in which Col. Greene sustained himself against a superior force of veteran troops, led by an officer of ability, has been partially related, as well as the well-earned rewards which followed his memorable defence. Consummating his military fame by his achievements on that proud day, he could not be overlooked by the Commander in-chief when great occasions called for great exertion. Greene was accord- ingly attached with his regiment to the troops placed under Major Sullivan for the purpose of breaking up the enemy's
post on Rhode Island, soon after the arrival of the French fleet under the command of D'Estaing in the summer of 1778; which well-concerted enterprise was marred in its exe- cution by some of those incidents which abound in war, and especially when the enterprise is complicated, and entrusted to allied forces and requiring naval co-operation.
"In the spring of 1781, when Gen. Washington began to expect the promised aid from our best friend, the ill-fated Louis XVI, he occasionally approached the enemy's .ines on the side of York Island. In one of these movements Col. Greene with a suitable force was posted on the Croton river in advance of the army. On the other side of this river lay a corps of refugees (American citizens who had joined the British army) under the command of Col. Delancy. These half citizens, half soldiers, were notorious for rapine and murder; and to their vindictive conduct may be ascribed most of the cruelties which stained the progress of our war, and which compelled Wash- ington to order Capt. Asgill, of the British army, to be brought to headquarters for the purpose of retaliating, by his execution, for the murder of Capt. Huddy, of New Jersey, perpetrated by a Capt. Lippincourt of the refugees. The commandant of these refugees (Delancy was not present) having ascertained the position of Greene's corps, which the Colonel had cantoned in adjacent farm houses,-probably with a view to the procure- ment of subsistence,-took the resolution to strike it. This
120
HISTORY OF WARWICK.
[1776-1800.
was accordingly done by a nocturnal movement on the 13th of May. The enemy crossed the Croton before daylight, and hastening his advance reached our station with the dawn of day unperceived. As he approached the farm house in which the Lieutenant Colonel was quartered, the noise of troops marching was heard, which was the first intimation of the fatal design. Greene and Major Flagg immediately prepared them- selves for defence, but they were too late, so expeditious was the progress of the enemy. Flagg discharged his pistols and instantly afterwards fell mortally wounded, when the ruffians (unworthy of the appellation of soldiers) burst open the door of Greene's apartment. Here the gallant veteran singly re- ceived them with his drawn sword. Several fell beneath the arm accustomed to conquer, till at length overpowered by numbers and faint from the loss of blood streaming from his wounds, barbarity triumphed over valor. His right arm was almost cut off in two places. the left in one, a severe cut on the left shoulder, a sword thrust through the abdomen, a bayonet in the right side, several sword cuts on the head and many in different parts of the body."
"Thus cruelly mangled, fell the generous conqueror of Count Dunop, whose wounds as well as those of his unfortunate associates, had been tenderly dressed as soon as the battle terminated, and whose pains and sorrows had been as tenderly assuaged. The Commander-in-chief heard with anguish and indignation the tragical fate of his loved-his faithful friend and soldier-in whose feelings the army sincerely participated. On the subsequent day the corpse was brought to headquarters and his funeral was solemnized with military honors and universal grief. "Lieut. Col. Greene was murdered in the meridian of life, being only forty-four years old. He married in 1758, Miss Anne Lippitt, a daughter of J. Lippitt, Esq., of Warwick, whom he left a widow with three sons and four daughters. He was stout and strong in person, about five feet ten inches high, with a broad round chest; his aspect manly, and demeanor pleasant ; enjoying always a high state of health, its bloom irradiated his countenance, which significantly ex- pressed the fortitude and mildness invariably displayed throughout his life.'
For the gallant defence of Fort Mercer at Red Bank, Congress made a suitable acknowledgment by passing a resolution, Nov. 4, 1777, " That an elegant sword be provided by the Board of War and presented to Col. Greene." Col. Greene did not live to receive the sword, but several years after his death it was forwarded to his son, Job Greene, of Centreville, accompanied by the following complimentary letter :
121
COL. CHRISTOPHER GREENE.
1776-1800.]
"WAR OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES, New York, June 7, 1786.
SIR: -
I have the honor to transmit to you, the son and legal repre- sentative of the late memorable and gallant Col. Greene, the sword directed to be presented to him, by the resolve of Con- gress of the 4th of November, 1777.
"The repulse and defeat of the Germans at the fort of Red Bank on the Delaware, is justly considered one of the most brilliant actions of the late war. The glory of that event is inseparably attached to the memory of your father and his brave garrison. The manner in which the Supreme authority of the United States is pleased to express its high sense of his military merit, and the honorable instrument which they annex in testimony thereof, must be peculiarly precious to a son emulative of his father's virtues. The circumstances of the war prevented obtaining and delivery of the sword previous to your father's being killed at Croton River in 1780.
On that catastrophe his country mourned the sacrifice of a patriot and a soldier, and mingled its tears with those of his family. That the patriotic and military virtues of your hon- orable father may influence your conduct in every case in which your country may require your services is the sincere wish, sir, of
Your most obedient and very humble servant,
H. KNOX.
Job Greene, Esq."
The sword is of elegant workmanship, the blade a polished rapier, with its principal decorations of silver, inlaid with gold. The sheath is of rattlesnake-skin. It is now in possession of Hon. S. H. Greene, of River Point, a grandson of the Colonel.
Col. Greene's home was in Centreville. He lived in a house that formerly stood just north of the bridge, on the same site where now stands the dwelling known as the "Levalley House." He was the son of Philip Greene, an Associate Judge of the Supreme Court in 1768, and great grandson of Deputy Governor Greene. He had four sons and five daughters, though at the death of the Colonel, two of them may have deceased. Welthian, born Nov. 19, 1757, married Capt. Thos. Hughes; Job, Nov. 19, 1759, married Abigail Rhodes, of Stonington; Phebe, Jan. 6, 1762; Ann Frances, June 2, 1762; Elizabeth, Dec. 15, 1766, married Jeremiah Fenner, Jr .; Jeremiah, Oct. 17, 1769, married Lydia Arnold, of East Greenwich; Daniel
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122
HISTORY OF WARWICK.
[1776-1800.
Westrand, March 22, 1772; Christopher, August 27, 1774; Mary, Sept. 20, 1777. Col. Greene's widow married Col. John Low. She died June 9, 1816, aged 80, and was buried with her parents near the Baptist Church, Old Warwick.
Job Greene, son of Christopher, had four children. Chris- topher Rhodes, born Sept. 19, 1786; Susanna, May 5, 1788; Mary Ann, May 25, 1794; Simon Henry, March 31, 1799. Christopher R. Greene died in South Carolina. In the Provi- dence Journal of April 3d, 1875, appeared an interesting arti- cle by "H. L. G.," with several of the poems of Mr. Greene, which illustrate the facility of his versification, and the patri- otic as well as poetic sentiments of his nature. H. L. G. says: "To the list of Rhode Island poets should be added the name of Christopher Rhodes Greene. He was the oldest child of the late Job Greene, Esq., of Centreville, in Warwick, and brother of Hon. Simon H. Greene, and grandson of Col. Christopher Greene, the revolutionary patriot.
Born soon after the close of the war of independence, of such parentage, it was natural that the mind of Mr. Greene should be indued with the highest-toned sentiments of patri-, otism, and with all the noblest attributes of manhood.
His first employment in business was in connection with the Providence Bank. He afterwards formed a copartnership with William Carter, under the name of Greene & Carter, and en- gaged in mercantile pursuits in Providence. On the dissolution of this firm, he went to Savannah, where he remained through the winter of 1811-12, and from thence to Charleston, S. C., being honored and esteemed as a merchant, citizen and friend in both of those cities. He married in Charleston, Miss Mary Ann Lehre, and after a few years of wedded life, died Novem- ber 6, 1825, at his wife's plantation, Fountain Grove, St. Stephen's Parish, S. C., at the age of 39 years.
Several of his poems were published under the nom de plume of Hebron, in the Providence Gazette, the Charleston Courier, and the American Patriot, a Savannah newspaper."
The impossibility of determining with certainty the names of any considerable number of persons belonging to this town, who were soldiers of the Revolution, is a matter of regret. The muster rolls that are still pre- served do not generally indicate the town to which the soldiers belonged, and at this time it is probably impos- sible to ascertain even a majority of the " rank and file," as well as many of the subordinate officers of the army who enlisted from this town .* That the town furnished
* The muster roll of the Field, Staff and commissioned officers of the First Battalion of Rhode Island forces in the services of the United
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SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.
1776-1800.]
its quota of men, and was not lacking in patriotic senti- ments, might be inferred, if there were no other grounds, from the influence that such men as we have already seem raised high in official military position, would be likely to exert upon their fellow-townsmen.
Among the manuscripts preserved in the Secretary of State's office, relating to this period, I find the following :
"A general return of the Brigade stationed at Warwick Neck, consisting of three regiments, com- manded by Col. John Waterman, Dec. 12, 1776." Of these regiments, Col. Waterman, Col. Bowen and Major Medciff were commanders. The total number of men in them was 750.
Col. John Waterman, of Warwick, in January, 1777, commanded the regiment which drove the British from the Island of Prudence, at the time Wallace landed and burnt the houses upon the Island.
Muster and size roll of Recruits enlisted for the town of Warwick for the campaign of 1782:
Henry Straight, Rhodes Tucker, Daniel Hudson, George Westcott, George Parker, Caleb Mathews, Nathaniel Peirce, Benjamin Howard, Benjamin Utter, Stephen Davis, Anthony Church, Abel Bennet, James Brown.
Officers of the Pawtuxet Rangers for 1776, were Benjamin Arnold, Captain; Oliver Arnold, First Lieutenant; Sylvester Rhodes, Second Lieutenant, and James Sheldon, Ensign.
Officers of the Kentish Guards for 1776, were, Richard Frye, Captain; Hopkins Cooke, First Lieutenant; Thomas Holden, Second Lieutenant, and Sylvester Greene, Ensign.
Field officers of the State for Kent County for the year 1780: Thomas Holden, Colonel of the First Regiment of Militia; Thomas Tillinghast, Lieutenant Colonel; Job Peirce, Major. Archibald Kasson, Colonel Second Regiment of Militia; Thos. Gorton, Lieutenant Colonel; Isaac Johnson, Major.
Officers to command the several trained bands or companies of Militia within the State:
For Warwick .- First Company .- Job Randall, Captain; Jas. Arnold, Lieutenant; James Carder, Ensign.
Second Company .- Squire Miller, Captain; James Jerauld, Lieutenant; John Stafford, Ensign.
Third Company .- Thomas Rice, son of Thomas Rice, Captain; Anthony Holden, Lieutenant; Stukely Stafford, Ensign.
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