a change! Lord Howe was no coward;-he followed Count D'Estaing with his fleet, and offered battle off the harbor of Newport. The Count accepts the challenge. It is what he wants—what he has long desired, and he prepares to go out to meet him, notwithstanding the remonstrances of all the American officers, who endeavor to persuade him to stay where he is; who try to convince him he could serve this country, the alliance, and his king, much better, by staying and coöperating with Sullivan. But all to no purpose; fight Lord Howe he must, and fight he will! He hoists sail, and goes out to give him battle, as the enemy of the United States-but more, as the hateful enemy of France. Scarcely had he reached the scene of action, when a storm took place, and such a storm as was never known before in the annals of Rhode Island! It came up suddenly, and raged furiously.— It dispersed and conquered both fleets with the same ease with which the Almighty always accomplishes his own purposes. It is true, a French 74 man-of-war, the Caezar Monsieur Bourganville, and the English 50 gun ship, the Iris, Capt. Rayner, tried to fight in the storm, but they gave it up for a bad job.

Count D'Estaing had 12 ships of the line and four frigates, one ship of 110 guns, two of 80, eight of 74, one 64 gun-ship, and four of 36 guns; sixteen in all. Lord Howe had twentytwo sail in all. The French came up with the English the day after they left Newport, but the storm prevented a fight. After tossing about in the storm a day or two, the Count returned near the harbor of Newport. Again he is visited by the American officers, and requested to coöperate with the American army, but he declines. His instructions, he says, compel him to go to Boston to refit. After his arrival in Boston, the Marquis De LaFayette visits him, and strives, by all the arguments in his power, to induce him to return to Newport with his fleet, or even a part of it; but he is unsuccessful.

The storm was equally terrific on land. We have conversed with some twenty soldiers, perhaps more, who were in the

army on the Island at the time, and all agree its ravages were most terrific. Tents were blown down and destroyed, and the men were exposed to its fury for hours, without shelter. One soldier told us it was the first time he ever saw that " men were more hardy than horses." Many of the horses were completely overcome and died. This storm began August 11, 1778.

The departure of the French fleet was a sore disappointment to our troops. What could have been accomplished with ease, had it stayed in Newport, must now be done with great difficulty, if done at all. Rhode Island felt the disappointment in particular-every soul in the state felt it. Her Council of War felt it, but, although "cast down, was not destroyed." The Council of War issued the following order on this memorable occasion. It showed their submission to the will of Divine Providence, but, at the same time, their determination to go forward. This order, never before published, was as follows:

"In Council of War, August 17th, 1778. "It having pleased God to order events in such a manner, that the fleet of his most Christian Majesty hath put to sea, and the time of its return is uncertain, whereby General Sullivan is deprived of the assistance of that fleet in reducing the enemy on Rhode Island, and also of an aid of upwards of four thousand men on board the same; and the General hath also been disappointed in his expectation of a considerable body of troops from the neighboring States, whereby he is under the necessity of applying to this State for all the assistance we can afford, to render the expedition successful; and as there appears a most happy prospect, with the blessing of Divine Providence, of recovering that part of the State now in the possession of the enemy, and of captivating them, provided we exert ourselves with a spirit and alacrity equal to the importance of the object, it is therefore

Voted and Resolved, That all the remaining part of the militia, independent and alarm companies, in this State, as well officers as privates, excepting those who were draughted for the present expedition against Rhode Island, and are now upon duty, or have hired others in their stead, be called forth to assist their brethren upon Rhode Island; that those of the County of Providence rendezvous at the town of Providence,

those of the County of Kent at East Greenwich, those of the County of King's County at North Kingstown, and those of the Counties of Newport and Bristol on Rhode Island; that the time of the rendezvous be as follows, to wit: those in the Counties of Providence, Newport, Bristol, and Kent, on Friday, the twenty-first instant, and those in the County of Kings County on the next day after. That they do duty for the space of twenty days after they shall arrive at their places of rendezvous, unless sooner discharged, and be allowed the same. bounty and wages as are allowed to those who have been already draughted, and are now doing duty in said present expedition. It is

Further Voted and Resolved, That the Field Officers of each regiment of Militia, or where not more than one be present in the District, such one be directed to call forth all such effective men, as aforesaid, as belong to the regiment, and to march them to their respective places of rendezvous, and where there are not a sufficient number of officers to collect and conduct them, to appoint proper persons for that business. That the Commanding officers of independent companies in like manner be directed to call forth the men belonging to their respective companies, and to march them to their respective places of rendezvous, and that the said men when marched to the army shall join the corps to which they respectively belong.

And whereas a number of persons have been hired in the room of others, who were draughted to do duty in the said expedition, it is

Voted and Resolved, That all such shall continue in the service for the space of twenty days, after the time for which the persons in whose stead they are hired, shall expire, unless sooner discharged.

And whereas a number of persons professing that they cannot with good conscience bear arms, who were not draughted in the late draught for the said expedition, will be liable to be called forth; it is therefore

Further Voted and Resolved, That the Town Council of the towns wherein such persons reside, or any one member thereof, be and they are hereby empowered and directed to hire men to do duty in the room of such persons professing to have tender consciences, whether they have taken the affirmation or produced certificates or not: and if men cannot be procured for the full term of time that they hire, out of the men now upon duty to serve for twenty days, after the time for which they are now engaged shall expire, it is

Further Voted and Resolved, That the men now called out march with three days' provisions ready dressed, except those

towns in the vicinity of the town of Providence, who are to draw provisions at the Commissary's store, and in case any persons are unable to supply themselves, that the Town Council or any member thereof supply them. It is

Further Voted and Resolved, That the Commanding Officers of each regiment of Militia cause the most diligent search for good arms and accoutrements, to supply the men now called forth, and impress for such as are not equipped, and such as they cannot by any means equip, be nevertheless brought forward, as measures have been taken to provide arms, for those who are deficient. It is

Further Voted and Resolved, That it be recommended to all the Militia officers, and other good subjects of this state, to use their utmost endeavors to apprehend and carry to the army all such persons as were draughted in the late draught for the said expedition and have not gone forward. It is

Further Voted and Resolved, That a copy of this Act be sent to Major General Sullivan, to the Commanding Officers of each regiment of Militia, and independent company, and to the President of the several Town Councils, or in case of his absence, to the next member of the Council in this State."

Some have supposed that in consequence of the departure of the French fleet, the expedition against the British was abandoned. It was not so, as the preceding orders of the Council of War abundantly show. Notwithstanding the great disappointment which all felt, preparations were still made to carry on the siege without the aid of the French. On the 9th of August, General Sullivan moved on to the Island with his troops; soon after he ordered all the heavy cannon moved from Fox Point to Portsmouth. Immediately after he moved on the Island he took the battery at the north end, and by the 22d, pushed his lines within a few miles of Newport, and took possession of Quaker Hill and Butts Hill, &c.

The Director General of the Hospitals was ordered by the Council of War to appoint as many Surgeons and Mates, as he thought proper, and to give them Warrants or Commissions, and messengers were sent to Massachusetts and Connecticut for more troops. There must have been therefore a wellgrounded hope of success. But on the 11th of August, in the evening, the storm began, and continued through the 12th and

13th with terrific fury. This retarded the movements of the army and disconcerted, in some measure, the plans of attack and operation.

In the mean time the British Commander, as soon as he found the French fleet had actually departed, not to return, revived. He had almost sank in despair at the prospect before him, but he now roused up and prepared to meet Sullivan, and try the "tug of war." He knew, too, that a reinforcement was expected from New York, and this expectation was not unknown to the American Commander. Whatever was therefore on his part to be done must be done quickly. This was a trying time for the three Major Generals-Sullivan, Greene, and LaFayette, (a more noble trio seldom met to act in concert,) still they found great difficulty in deciding what to do.

The British army, then on the Island, consisted of about six thousand strong, and a reinforcement of four thousand more was on its way through the Sound. "Shall the siege

be pushed on, or shall we retreat," was the great question.This question must be decided immediately. Thus were hopes, fears, doubts, and expectations all commingled; at length the wiser course was adopted—a retreat was ordered. As soon as the enemy saw the first movement of this, he pushed on to intercept it, and to cut it off if possible. A conflict takes place between a portion of both armies. General Greene, to sustain the retreat, with a part of the troops engages in battle with about fifteen hundred Hessian and English troops,— Greene is victorious-he beats them back, and the American army continue their retreat without much disturbance. This battle takes place on the 29th of August, and by the thirtyfirst, the whole army, camp equipage, and every thing are safe off the Island; and on the first of September, Lieut. General Sir Henry Clinton arrives with a reinforcement of 4000 men, from New York, enters the harbor of Newport in a kind of triumph, lands his men, but lo! there is no enemy to fight! Thus ended the grand attempt to expel the enemy from Newport. The expedition had been well planned, and there was