appeared assured of success. Now to come home. The opposition is become formidable-18,000 men, brave and determined, with Washington and Lee at their head, are no contemptible enemy. Adjutant Genl. Gates is indefatigable in arranging the army. Provisions are very plenty; clothes are manufacturing in almost every town for the soldiers. 20 tons of Powder lately arrived at Philadelphia, Connecticut and Providence; upwards of 20 tons are now in camp. Saltpetre is made in every Colony. Powder Mills are erected and constantly employed in Philadelphia and New York. Volunteers of the first fortunes are daily flocking to the camp-1000 Riflemen in two or three days. Recruits are now levying to augment the army to 22,000 men. 10,000 Militia are appointed in this Government to appear on the first summons. The Bills of all the Colonies circulate freely, and are readily exchanged for cash,-add to this, that unless some plan of accommodation takes place immediately, their harbors will swarm with Privateers. An army will be raised in the Middle Colonies to take possession of Canada. For the sake of the miserably convulsed empire, solicit peace,-repeal the Acts, or Britain is undone; this advice is the result of a warm affection to my King, and to the Realm; remember I never deceived you, every article here sent you is sacredly true. The papers will announce to you that I am again a member for Boston-you will there see our motley Council. A general arraignment of officers will take place, except the chief, which will be suspended but for a little while, to see what part Britain takes in consequence of the late Continental Petition. A view to Independence grows more and more general. Should Britain declare war against the Colonies, they are lost forever. Should Spain declare war against England, the Colonies will declare a neutrality, which will doubtless produce an offensive and defensive league between them. For God's sake prevent it by a speedy accommodation. Writing this has employed a day. I have been to Salem, to reconnoiter, but could not escape the "Geese" in the capital. To-morrow I set out for Newport, on purpose to send you this.—I write you fully, it being scarcely possible to prevent discovery. I am out of place here by choice, and therefore out of pay, and determined to be so unless something is offered in my way. I wish you would contrive to write me largely, in cyphers, by way of Newport, addressed to Tom Richards, Merchant,-inclose it in a cover to me, intimating that I am a perfect stranger to you, but being recommended to you as a gentleman of honor, you took the liberty to enclose that letter, entreating me to deliver it as directed to the person, as you are informed, is living at Cambridge; sign some fictitious name; this you may send to some confidential friend at Newport, to be delivered to me, at WaMake use of every precaution, or I perish.” tertown. It will be seen that this letter alludes to a fact, which took place in the Battle of Bunker Hill, which has never been mentioned in any history, but which, if true, was very disreputable to two of the American officers. The writer of the above letter attributes the defeat of the Americans to the "cowardice" of the "clumsy Col. Gerrish and Col. Seamans." The words as deciphered "Mother, at Providence," in the letter, are supposed to allude to a certain Clergyman of the "Mother Church," who then lived in Providence. It is a well known fact that this Clergyman was opposed to the efforts made to resist "his King," and did all he could—and in some cases succeeded-to quench the fire of freedom in the breasts of his parishioners. But generally speaking, his efforts were in vain; in no city or town did the fire burn so freely or so purely as in Providence. It will be seen also by some passages in Church's letter, that his object might have been innocent and friendly, as he alleged on his trial, to the American cause; but it was determined otherwise. It might be inferred, however, that he was anxious to be on good terms with both parties, so that let the contest terminate as it might, his position would be safe and successful. His fate, however, produced one good effect, it put an end to double dealing—a man was obliged to be either friend or foe, and to show what he thought by his acts-words were not deemed sufficient for this purpose; a neutral position was not tenable. 31 SECTION II. [1776.] THE first event worthy of notice this year, and in keeping with the character of the British, was the burning and plundering of the dwelling houses on the Island of Prudence. Early in January, as an eye-witness informed the writer, Captain James Wallace, Commander of the British Sloop-ofwar Rose, of 24 guns, came up the Bay, and anchored at the south end of the Island. The Swan, 16 guns, Askey, Commander, anchored on the east side. Capt. Job Pearce's Company was then stationed on the Island. But from information received, and from certain manifestations, it was soon ascertained what the object of Wallace was,-it was to plunder and destroy. This was Friday, but on the evening preceding and on the night following, many of the inhabitants left the Island, in boats, which came from Warwick Neck. On Saturday Wallace landed about three hundred men, and commenced burning the houses and plundering; he burnt every house on the Island, and one on Patience. Capt. Pearce's Company was obliged to retreat; they were, however, reinforced by several hundred men, from Warwick and other towns, and under the command of Col. Waterman and Col. Lippitt, they soon drove the British on board their ships. Two prisoners were taken on each side. Col. Lippitt proposed an exchange of prisoners, but Wallace refused. The British had the entire command of the Bay, and often exhibited their thirst for plunder in a similar manner. Among the houses burnt on the Island, was one occupied by Samuel Pearce, the father of our late member of Congress, the Hon. Dutee J. Pearce; the farm was owned by Gov. Wanton, and he wrote to Mr. Pearce, saying Capt. Wallace was coming up to Prudence to buy stock and provision, the next day, and would pay the highest price for every thing he bought, and he advised Mr. Pearce to sell whatever he had to spare. Mr. Pearce answered immediately that "whatever Wallace took, it should be taken at the point of the bayonet." The letter of Gov. Wanton, how.. ever, had one good effect-it enabled the inhabitants to carry off their stock, and the women and children to leave the Island, Wallace having been prevented, by contrary winds, from coming up as soon as contemplated. This wanton destruction of property but added fuel to the flame of patriotism, which already burnt furiously in the bosoms of the inhabitants of the state, and only quickened them in their efforts for defence. This same Wallace landed and burnt a house on Quidnisset Neck, and he pursued this marauding warfare about two years; he was a choice instrument in the hands of his Majesty George the Third, his master. On the 18th of January, our General Assembly ordered another regiment, of 750 men raised, for one year. The command of this regiment was conferred on Henry Babcock, at first, but from some disqualifications he was removed, and Christopher Lippitt, the Lieutenant Colonel, placed in his stead. The Field officers at the time the regiment began its march to the westward, in Sept., 1776, were as follows: CHRISTOPHER LIPPITT, Colonel. ADAM COMSTOCK, Lieutenant Colonel. WILLIAM TYLER, Adjutant. BENJAMIN BOURNE, Quarter Master. The following is a Regimental Pay Roll, for Sept., 1776, and no doubt is correct. It was obtained from the family of Col. Lippitt.* *N. B.-A further notice of this regiment will be found in the Appendix. See note B. |