USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Westerly > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 12
USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Charlestown > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 12
USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Hopkinton > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 12
USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Richmond > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 12
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At the time of his death, Governor Ward was attended by his faithful body-servant and slave, Cudjo, who, in returning to West- erly, brought on safely his master's papers and personal effects. Cudjo's wife, also a slave, was named Pegg Ward. From an old family paper, executed in reference to Cudjo's support by Governor Ward's heirs, we find that this faithful servant was living as late as 1806, and was under the care and protection of Oliver Wilcox.
Samuel Ward, 2d (son of Gov. Samuel Ward), born in Westerly, Nov. 17, 1756; graduated at Brown University in 1771 ; joined the Rhode Island army of observation, and rose to a captaincy in 1775. He joined the forces besieging Boston. In September of the same year, at the head of a company, he connected himself with the dar- ing and perilous expedition, under General Arnold, that marched against Quebec. In a letter, under date of Nov. 26, 1775, when near the city, he says: "We have gone up one of the most rapid rivers in the world, where the water was so shoal that, moderately speaking, we have waded 100 miles. We were thirty days in a wilderness that none but savages ever attempted to pass. We marched 100 miles upon short three days' provisions, waded over three rapid rivers, marched through snow and ice barefoot, passed over the St. Law- rence when it was guarded by the enemy's frigates, and are now about twenty-four miles from the city, to recruit our worn-out nat- ures." In the attack on the city, Captain Ward, with most of his company, penetrated the first barrier, but was finally overcome.
He was exchanged in 1776, and on the 1st of January, 1777, was commissioned as major under Col. C. Greene. He co-operated in the gallant defense of the fort at Red Bank, and in the same year was
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aid-de-camp to General Washington. In 1778 he acted in defense of Rhode Island under Generals Greene, Lafayette, and Sullivan. Here he once commanded a regiment, and was commissioned lieu- tenant-colonel, to take rank from May 1, 1778. After this he was in Washington's army in New Jersey, " in the toil and glory of that service." He was present at the defense of the bridge at Spring- field, by a part of the Rhode Island line, against the Hessian Gen- eral Kuyphausen, in June, 1780.
At the close of the war he turned to the pursuits of peace, and became a distinguished merchant, going abroad for a few years, and finally settling in New York. For a time, after acquiring a compe- tence, he owned a farm and lived at East Greenwich, but at last went to Jamaica, Long Island, where, near his children, and in the midst of honors, he spent the remainder of his days. His death occurred in New York, Aug. 16, 1832, in his seventy-sixth year.
His wife, Phebe (Greene) Ward, born March 11, 1760, died in October, 1828. Colonel Ward left a gifted family. An excellent likeness of this distinguished soldier of the Revolution is here given.
Worthy of conspicuous and enduring record are the noble senti- · ments expressed by the freemen of Westerly in the beginning of 1774, at a meeting which " was the largest ever held in the town, and not a dissenting vote." We quote from the records : -
" At a town meeting specially called, and held at the dwelling-house of Major Edward Bliven, in Westerly, in the County of Kings, February 2d, A. D. 1774.
"The Honorable Samuel Ward, Esq., chosen Moderator.
"The Moderator and several other gentlemen laid before the meeting the vast importance of civil and religious liberty to society, and then stated the natural and constitutional rights and privileges of the Colonists, and the many infringements of those rights by several acts of Parliment for raising a revenue in America, and other constitutional purposes: upon which the Moderator and Joshua Babcock, Esq., Mr. James Rhodes, Col. Wm. Pendle- ton, Mr. Geo. Sheffield, Oliver Crary, Esq., and Capt. Benj. Parke were appointed a committee to take the important subjects before the meeting into their consideration, and report as soon as may be, what measures will be proper for the town to take in the present alarming situation of the Col- onies. The meeting was adjourned for a few hours, and the freemen being again assembled, the committee reported the following resolves, all of which were unanimously received and voted: -
"1st. Resolved, That our ancestors, being oppressed in their native country, and denied the liberty of worshiping God according to the dictates of their consciences, had a natural and just right to emigrate from Britain to this or any other part of the world.
"2d. That upon their arrival in America, they found the country in the actual possession of the Indian natives, who had the sole and absolute juris- diction of the same, and a perfect and exclusive right and property in the soil and its produce of every kind.
"3d. That they purchased the soil, and with it the jurisdiction of the country, of the Sachems, the then sole lords and proprietors thereof. and accordingly became possessed of an exclusive, natural, and just right and property in the same, with a right to improve or dispose of the same and its
£
Samuel Warth
LIEUT COL. FIRST PHODE ISLAND REGIMENT, A~MY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Born Nov 1" = 1756. Died Ante 16 - 1832 .
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INCIDENTS OF THE REVOLUTION.
various produce, in any manner which they chose, and might have incorpo- rated themselves into distinct or separate societies or governments, without any connection with any European power whatsoever.
"4th. That their attachment to their native country and its excellent Constitution made them forget their former sufferings, and hope for better times, and put themselves and the vast territory which they had acquired under the allegiance of the Crown of England, upon express conditions that all their natural, civil, and religious rights and privileges should be secured to them and their heirs forever. This security was solemnly granted and confirmed accordingly in their respective charters, with all the 'liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects within any of the dominions of the then King of England, &c., his heirs or successors, to all intents, con- structions, and purposes whatsoever, as if they or every one of them had been born within the realm of England,' and these privileges have been since confirmed by several acts of Parliament.
"5th. That the charter of this Colony doth in the strongest manner possible, grant unto the inhabitants thereof, all those rights and privileges, with complete jurisdiction within the territory they had purchased, and an entire exemption from all 'services, duties, fines, forfeitures, claimns, and demands whatsoever, except the fifth part of all ore of gold and silver found in the Colony, which is reserved in lieu of all other duties.'
"6th. That the act of the British Parliament, claiming a right to make laws binding upon the colonies in all cases whatsoever, is inconsistent with the natural, constitutional, and charter rights and privileges of the inhabit- ants of this Colony.
"7th. That the acts of Parliament forbidding us to transport our wool by water from one town to another, or prohibiting the working up the iron or other raw materials which the country affords, are arbitrary, oppressive, and inconsistent with our natural and charter rights.
"Sth. That all acts of Parliament for raising a revenue in America are a notorious violation of the liberties and immunities granted by charter to the inhabitants of this Colony, and have a tendency to deprive them of the liberties, which, as freemen, they have a right to, by Magna Charta and the Bill of Rights, and also to deprive them of the fruits of their own labor and the produce of their own lands; and make the present colonists and all their property, slaves to the people, or rather to the ministry of Great Britain.
"9th. That the granting of salaries to the Governors and Judges of the colonies; the enlarging the jurisdiction of the Court of Admiralty; the appointment of the Board of Commissioners; the increase of the Custom House officers; the arbitrary power given to those officers to break into any man's house (ever considered by law as a sacred retirement from all force and violence till now), and to forcibly enter his bed-chamber, break open his desk and trunks, and offer all kinds of insults to his family: the introducing fleets and armies to supply those officers and enforce a submis- sion to every act of oppression, are inconsistent with every idea of liberty, and will certainly, if not immediately checked, establish arbitrary power and slavery in America, with all their fatal consequences.
"10tlı. That the act of Parliament entitled an . Act for the better pre- serving His Majesty's Dock-yards,' &c., is a flagrant violation of all our natural and constitutional rights; for by this act any man in America may be seized and carried to any part of Britain, there to be tried upon a pre- tense of his being concerned in burning a boat, vessel, or any materials for building, or any naval stores, &c., and being deprived of a trial by his peers in the vicinage, and subjected to a foreign jurisdiction, under the direction of those who neither know nor regard him; tho' innocent, he is sure to be entirely ruined.
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"11th. That the act allowing the East India Company to export tea to America, subject to a duty payable here, and the actual sending the tea into the colonies by the Company, are manifest attempts to enforce the revenue acts, and undoubtedly designed to make a precedent for establishing the taxes and monopolies in America, in order that a general tax upon all the neces- saries of life, and all our lands, may take place ; and monopolies of all valu- able branches of commerce may be established in this country. We will, therefore, neither buy, sell, or receive as a gift, any dutied tea, but shall consider all persons concerned in introducing dutied tea into this Town as enemies to their country.
"12th. That it is the duty of every man in America who loves God, his King, or his country, to oppose by all proper measures, every attempt upon the liberties of his country, and particularly the importation of tea subject to a duty, and to exert himself to the utmost to obtain a redress of the grievances the colonies now groan umler.
"13th. That the inhabitants of this Town ever have been, and now are, loyal and dutiful subjects to their Sovereign; that they have a most affec- tionate regard for their brethren in Britain and Ireland: that in all the wars in America, they have, when the Government has been constitutionally ap- plied to by the Crown, granted all the aid in their power, and frequently more than was expected; that they are still ready, when called upon in a consti- tutional way, to grant such aid and assistance to the crown as the necessity of the case may require, and their ability will admit; but though we are ready to sacrifice our lives and fortunes for the true honor and interest of our sovereign and the good of our mother country, we cannot give up our liberties to any person upon earth; they are dearer to us than our lives. We do, therefore, solemnly resolve and determine, that we will heartily unite with the other towns in this and all our sister colonies, and exert our whole force and influence in support of the just rights and privileges of the Amer- ican colonies.
"14th. That the Moderator and Joshua Babcock, Esq., Mr. James Rhodes, Mr. George Sheffield, Major James Babcock, or the major part of them, be a committee for this town to correspond with all other committees appointed by any town in this or the other colonies; and the committee is directed to give the closest attention to everything which concerns the lib- erties of America; and if any tea subject to a duty should be imported into this town, or anything else attempted injurious to liberty, the committee is directed and empowered to call a town meeting forthwith, that such meas- . ures may be taken as the public safety may require.
"15tlı. We higlily applaud, and sincerely thank our brethren in the sev- eral sister colonies of America, particularly in Boston, Virginia, and Phila- delphia, for their noble and virtuous stand in defence of the common lib- erties of America; and we return our thanks to the Town of Newport for their patriotic resolutions to maintain the liberties of their country, and the prudent measures they have taken to have the other towns in the colony to come into the same generous resolution.
"Voted. That the proceedings of this town meeting be published in the Newport Mercury."
It is sufficiently evident that the above patriotic paper was penned by Gov. Samuel Ward; he, however, wrote for the hearts of his fel- low-townsmen. The people cherished no disloyalty to law and legit- imate government, but simply the opposition of principle to manifest usurpation and oppression. Nobly had they defended the Crown in the French and Indian wars. In 1754, Westerly and Charlestown
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organized, for the defense of the coast, an artillery company of one hundred men. They adhered to the Crown till their chartered rights and privileges had been purposely and persistently trodden under foot. In May, 1774, Westerly sent a letter to the inhabitants of Boston, sympathizing with them and indorsing the policy of non- importation ; nor content with this, in August following she sent a liberal sum of money for the relief of the city, as it was now belea- guered by the enemy. For this purpose Hon. Joshua Babcock "gen- erously subscribed one hundred dollars."
On the approach of the great issue, when just resistance to arbi- trary power was by necessity raised to the height of just revolution, Rhode Island, trained to the recognition of free principles, was prompt and bold to meet the issues of the hour. On the 4th of May, 1776, two months before the birth of the immortal Declaration of Inde- pendence by the Continental Congress, the General Assembly of this colony, in which Joshua Babcock and Joseph Noyes were deputies from Westerly, " passed an act discharging the inhabitants of the Colony from allegiance to the King of Great Britain. The measure was carried in the upper house unanimously, and in the house of deputies, where sixty were present, with but six dissentient voices. The overturn was complete; the act was at once a declaration of independence, an organization of a self-constituted republic." On the part of so small a colony, to thus stand out as a separate power in the earth was an exhibition of no small measure of moral courage. And she instructed her delegates to the Colonial Congress " to secure to the colony, in the strongest and most perfect manner, its present established form and all powers of government, so far as they relate to its internal police and the conduct of its own affairs, civil and religious."
It is difficult, at this late day, to obtain full and accurate accounts of the military forces furnished for the war from this portion of the State. They were necessarily blended with the army of the country. Of the local facts pertaining to this region, few and frag- mentary records only remain. It is certain, however, from what we obtain, that the heart of this region throbbed strongly and warmly in the patriot cause. The deeds of many of the inhabitants of Westerly are justly held in proud remembrance by their descendants. We can only now give a few general facts.
Throughout the revolutionary period, peril was imminent from the English navy on the coast. The enemy captured Block Island, and also the Island of Rhode Island, which they held till 1779. Marauding and plundering expeditions were frequent along the shore. The records of the town were removed for safety, and two volumes of them were lost.
Of the militia, in 1776, Joshua Babcock was major-general ; Jo- seph Noyes, colonel ; Jesse Champlain, lieutenant-colonel ; Jesse Max-
8
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son, major. Thus we find a regiment organized in this corner of the State. In 1777, Capt. Samuel Champlain commanded " the guard " stationed on the sea-shore as a defense against the British barges. In the same year Mr. Samuel Sheffield and others, at their request, were authorized by the State to fit out a small privateer.
Perhaps the roll of military companies, with their officers for 1777, may be taken as an index of the whole period of the war.
The Artillery Company, of Westerly, Hopkinton, and Charles- town, counted, "Augustus Stanton, captain; Thomas Noyes, first lieutenant ; William Gardner, second lieutenant; Charles Crandall, ensign."
Westerly, besides being represented in the coast guard and artil- lery, had three militia companies, officered as follows : " First Com- pany : Joshua Pendleton, captain ; Ephraim Pendleton, lieutenant ; Simeon Pendleton, ensign. Second Company : John Gavitt, captain; Stephen Saunders, lieutenant; William Bliven, ensign. Third Com- pany : George Stillman, captain ; Peleg Saunders, lieutenant ; Asa Maxson, ensign."
In Charlestown. - " First Company : John Parks, captain; Gid- eon Hoxie, Jr., lieutenant ; Christopher Babcock, ensign. Second Company : Amos Greene, captain ; Beriah Lewis, lieutenant ; Dan- iel Stafford, ensign."
In Richmond. - "First Company : Richard Bailey, Jr., captain ; John Woodmansie, lieutenant ; Joshua Webb, ensign. Second Company : John Clarke, captain ; Jeremiah Tefft, lieutenant; Par- don Tefft, ensign."
In Hopkinton .- " First Company : Henry Welles, captain ; Syl- vanus Maxson, lieutenant ; Thomas Welles, Jr., ensign. Second Company : George Thurston, Jr., captain ; Randall Welles, lieuten- ant; Joseph Thurston, ensign. Third Company : Jesse Burdick, captain ; Uriah Crandall, lieutenant ; Lebbeus Cottrell, ensign."
In the " Alarm Company" of Hopkinton, for 1779, we find, " Thomas Wells, 2d, captain ; Elias Coon, first lieutenant; John Pierce, second lieutenant ; John Brown, ensign."
For the " Alarm Company" of Westerly, in the same year, we find, " Joseph Maxson, first lieutenant ; Peleg Barber, second lieuten- ant ; Silas Greenman, ensign." And of field officers in this region we find, " Joseph Stanton, Jr., colonel ; Jesse Maxson, Esq., lieuten- ant-colonel; Joseph Pendleton, Esq., Jonathan Maxson, Esq., majors."
These names of companies and officers suffice to show that all the land was in arms. The entire strength and resources of the town were involved in the struggle. Even the boats belonging to the fishermen were pressed into the service along the coast and in the vicinity of Newport. While the men were in camp and in bat- tle, the women managed the home affairs and toiled at their looms.
-
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INCIDENTS OF THE REVOLUTION.
In 1781, Westerly enrolled " four companies of militia," besides her quota in the Continental battalions ; the whole must have absorbed one fifth of her population, for in 1777 the town numbered 1,812 inhabitants.
In June, 1775, the town provided for the distribution among the freemen of "Powder, Balls, & Flints."
" Feb. 12, 1776. - Voted, That the two field pieces ordered by the Gen- eral Assembly to be deposited in this town, be stationed near the sea on the land of Nathan Babcock, 2d, Esq., and to be used on any sudden invasion as need requires."
" Apr. 17, 1776. - Voted, That Mr. David Maxson be paid 32 shillings for bringing the Powder & Lead from the town of Providence, &c."
"June 4, 1776. - Voted, That the store of lead now in this town be run into bullets for firearms of several sizes, & Mr. David Maxson is appointed to run the same as soon as may be, &c."
At a town-meeting held Aug. 27, 1776, it was -
" Voted, That the captains of military companies shall consider themselves holden to look out for guns delivered into the hands of the individual sol- diers, and to see that they shall be delivered up when called for.
".Voted, That deputies should be instructed to ask the General Assembly to augment the coast guard from 14 to 50 men, to be under the command of captain of train of artillery."
Sept. 18, 1776, a meeting was held at Major Edward Bliven's, to raise six men in every one hundred, to replace Colonel Richmond's regiment now in the field, but under marching orders for New York. But here the meeting found an obstacle to action, for no freeman could act legally until he had signed the declaration or test act (so called), and no copy of said declaration was in town. But while the meeting waited, the required instrument was procured from Charles- town, and business proceeded under Job Bennett, Esq., Moderator. Meantime -
" Voted, That Mr. Simon Ray Littlefield and Mr. Stephen Franklin have passes to Block Island as they come with passes from N. Y. Head Quarters."
Here is a copy of the Declaration, viz. " We, the subscribers, do solemnly and sincerely declare, that we believe the war, resist- ance, and opposition in which the United American Colonies are now engaged against the fleets and armies of Great Britain, is, on the part of the colonies, just and necessary, and that we will not directly or indi- rectly afford assistance of any sort or kind whatever to the said fleets and armies during the continuance of the present war, but that we will heartily assist in the defence of the United Colonies," signed by Job Bennett and forty-nine others. After signing, proceeded to vote a bounty of four dollars to each volunteer who should enlist to go to the Island of Rhode Island, to take the place of Colonel Rich- mond's regiment. Each man was to be equipped with blanket, knap-
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sack, and all other accoutrements, which accoutrements were to be furnished by the town, and when no longer used in actual service to be returned to the treasurer, or forfeit value thereof (casualties excepted).
Col. Joseph Noyes and Col. James Babcock were appointed a committee, with powers, to purchase or impress into the service blankets, arms, etc. The men were to be equipped as aforesaid, and supplied with two days' rations, by 12 of the clock to-morrow.
Nov. 11, 1776, there was a meeting called to see that the salt stored at Dr. Joshua Babcock's be not sent away, but that the fact be rendered to the honorable committee of assembly sitting in recess, that there is not a proper supply in this town. Capt. Peleg Saun- ders is appointed a committee on the part of the town to negotiate with the assembly's committee, in this matter.
Nov. 29, 1776, at a meeting of which John Babcock was the mod- erator, -
" Voted, That Col. James Babcock and Joseph Crandall be appointed to assist in the equipment of soldiers to go to the Island of Rhode Island, accord- ing to the act of the General Assembly.
" Voted, That a horse cart be provided to carry the baggage of soldiers to the Narragansett Ferry."
Jan. 8, 1777. - At a meeting held at the house of Col. Elias Thompson, -
" Voted, That Reformadors be called upon to organize a military com- pany."
This vote was carried into effect, a company formed, and offi- cered as follows : -
Elkanah Babcock, Captain.
Wm. Vincent, Lieutenant.
Amos Pendleton, Ensign.
Jan. 14, 1777. - At a meeting at Col. Elias Thompson's house, the soldiers were divided into three divisions, and one of these was to be under marching orders for Head Quarters at all times.
Chose Edwin Bliven, Captain of the alarm men; Hezekiah Saun- ders, Lient .; James Bliver, 2d Lieut .; and John Green, Ensign.
The alarm men were so arranged in divisions that each squad or division was to be under marching orders for a month, and then the second division stood liable, and so on in rotation.
The alarm men for the first month consisted of John Cottrell, and twenty-eight others ; for the second month, Geo. Potter, Thomas Rathbun, and twenty-four others ; for the third month, David Max- son, and twenty-three others.
March 3, 1777. - Town-meeting at the house of Thomas Max- son, for the purpose of drawing a juror to sit upon the case of the
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INCIDENTS OF THE REVOLUTION.
capture of the schooner "Two Brothers," tried in the maritime court sitting in South Kingstown, Hon. John Foster, judge, pre- siding.
April 16, 1777. - Town-meeting at the dwelling of Major Edward Bliven. Dr. Joshua Babcock, moderator. Made choice of Elder Thomas Ross and Col. James Babcock as deputies to the General Assembly. Dr. Babcock gave his fees as deputy to the town, which the meeting directed to be indorsed on his note against the town. In colonial times the tories paid their Assembly men.
Oliver Burdick is to be paid $10 for the use of his house as a guard-house, near Watch ITill beach. Six shillings to be allowed for half a cord of wood furnished Watch Hill guard, and eighteen shil- lings for one and a half cords furnished the guards on Noyes' beach.
Prox for Governor, Nicholas Cook, 49, and 3 in opposition for Hon. Wm. Greene. The result of vote carried to Newport by Col. James Babcock.
May 2, 1777. - Meeting at Col. Elias Thompson's to see about enlisting the town's quota, if not yet completed; the same to be for the Continental Battalion, according to the act of the General As- sembly.
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