June 10. A smart en 1761. ered their heights. As the troops advanced, a large party of Indians briskly fired on them from the opposite banks of a river on their left. While the line faced about and gave their whole charge to these Indians, colonel Grant ordered a party to march up the hill, and drive the enemy from their heights. The engagement. gagement soon became general, and was continued with great. spirit from eight in the morning until eleven, when the Cherokees began to give way. They were pursued, and a scattering fire was kept up until two, when they disappeared. Of colonel Grant's army between 50 and 60 men were killed and wounded; the loss of the Indians is not ascertained. After the action, colonel Grant proceeded to the adjacent town of Etchoe, which other Che- he reached about midnight; and, the next day, reduced it to rokee towns ashes. Every other town, in the middle settlements, shared the Etchoe and burnt. same fate; the magazines and the cornfields were destroyed; and the miserable savages were forced to seek shelter and subsistence among the barren mountains. A few days after colonel Grant's return to Fort Prince George, Attakullakulla, attended by other Cherokee chieftains, came to his camp, and solicited Peace con- peace. Articles of peace were accordingly drawn up; and, not long after, were ratified and confirmed by lieutenant governor Bull and council, and the same Indian chiefs, at Ashley Ferry, with mutual expressions of hope, that it would last as long as the sun shall shine, and the rivers run. This reduction of the Cherokees was among the last humbling strokes, given to the power of France in North America.1 cluded. Whirlwind In the month of May a whirlwind, the most violent and dreadin Carolina. ful that ever had been known, was experienced near Charlestown, the capital of Carolina. Passing down Ashley river, it ploughed the waters to the bottom, and laid bare the channel. The town was in imminent danger of being desolated; but it providentially escaped. A fleet of 40 sail of loaded ships, lying at anchor in Rebellion road about four miles below the town, waiting a fair wind to sail for England, was threatened with destruction; but the whirlwind, passing in an oblique direction, struck a part only of the fleet, sunk five vessels in an instant, and dismasted eleven ships.2 Earthquake. Violent storm in Boston. On the 12th of March, between two and three in the morning, two shocks of an earthquake were felt in all the New England colonies.3 A most violent storm of wind and rain, on the 23d of October, did great damage to the houses, stores, wharves, and merchan 1 Hewatt, ii. 244-254. Univ. Hist. xl. 450. Wynne, ii. 283. 2 Hewatt, ii. 256. The damage was computed at £20,000 sterling. dise in Boston, and to the shipping in the harbour. an earthquake was soon after felt there, and in the neighbouring towns. York river. A wooden bridge, of a new construction, was built over York Bridge over river, in the Province of Maine, about a mile from the sea.1 There was an emigration, this year, from New England to Emigra Nova Scotia. There also arrived at Nova Scotia from the north tions to of Ireland, for settlement, 200 souls.2 N. Scotia The number of dwelling houses in Newport was 888; of State of warehouses and other buildings, 439; of polls from 16 years and Newport, upwards, 1250; of slaves, from 14 to 45 years, 666.3 R. Island. The American Gazetter, in three volumes; and the Interest Publica of Great Britain considered, with regard to her Colonies, and the tions. Acquisitions of Canada and Guadaloupe, a pamphlet by Dr. Franklin, were published at London.5 The drought of summer, in this and the following year, was Severe so great in the northern American colonies, as to cut short the drought. crops, and render supplies from abroad absolutely necessary. During the drought of this year, a fire raged in the woods, in the towns of Barrington and Rochester, in New Hampshire, and passed over into the county of York, burning several weeks with irresistible fury. A plentiful rain, falling in August, extinguished it. An immense quantity of the most valuable timber was destroyed by this conflagration.6 1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. iii. 11. It stands on piles driven into the bed of the river, and is 25 feet wide, and about 270 feet long, exclusive of the wharves at each end of it, which reach to the channel. It stands on 13 piers of four piles, or posts, in a pier. The model of framing and method of driving the piles into the bed of the river was invented by major Samuel Sewall, a native of the town of York. 2 Stiles, MS. Six vessels sailed from Boston; four from Newport (R. Island); one or two from New London; and some "from about Plymouth." Dr. Stiles, from the best information he obtained, supposed the emigrations in these vessels to be about as follow: From Boston, 200; Newport, 100; Plymouth, 180; New London, 100; total, 580 souls. 3 Ibid. "Sept. 1761; according to valuation." 4 Biblioth. Americana, 144. 5 Franklin's Works, iv. 39-82. In 1760, upon the prospect of peace with France, the earl of Bath addressed a Letter to Two Great Men (Mr. Pitt and the duke of Newcastle) on the terms necessary to be insisted upon in the negotiation. He preferred the acquisition of Canada, to acquisitions in the West Indies. In the same year there appeared Remarks on the Letter of the earl of Bath, containing opposite opinions on this and other subjects. At this moment Dr. Franklin stepped into the controversy, and wrote "The Interest of Great Britain considered with regard to her Colonies, &c." commonly styled "The Canada Pamphlet." The arguments he used appear to have carried weight with them at the Courts of London and Paris; for Canada was kept by the peace. Ib. N. 6 Belknap, N. Hamp. i. 308. It is justly observed, as a signal favour of divine Providence, that, during the colonial war with the French in the preceding years, the seasons were fruitful, and the colonies were able to supply their own troops with provisions, and the British fleets and armies with refreshments. Ib. 1761. Deaths. The English take Martinico; William Dummer, formerly lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, died, aged 83;1 Samuel Davies, president of the college of New Jersey, aged 37;2 and P. Charlevoix, the historian of New France, aged 77 years.3 1762. THE war against the French on the continent of North America being decisively finished, it was resolved to employ all the troops which could be spared, on an expedition against Martinico. Eleven battalions were drawn from New York; a considerable draught was made from the garrison of Belleisle; and all the troops that had been cantoned in the Leeward islands, were ordered to the rendezvous at Barbadoes. General Monckton was appointed to command the land forces; rear admiral Rodney, to command the marine. The expedition was completely 1 Pemberton, MS. Chron. He was highly esteemed for his piety and beneficence; and he left a considerable part of his estate to pious and charitable uses. He laid the foundation of Dummer academy at Newbury. 2 President Davies was of Newcastle on the Delaware. In 1748 he was settled in the ministry at Hanover, in Virginia, at which place and its vicinity his labours were attended with remarkable success. In 1759 he was chosen president of New Jersey College, as successor of president Edwards. His short presidency was highly useful to that seminary. He was exemplary for his piety and active zeal, and eminent as a preacher and writer. His character is delineated in the funeral discourses of Drs. Finley and Gibbons, and other Memoirs, prefixed to Sermons of President Davies "on Important Subjects," 3 vols. 8vo. sermons so evangelical, persuasive, and popular, as to have passed through many editions. See also Allen's Biography, where to his character is subjoined a list of his publications. In a Sermon entitled " Religion and Patriotism the Constituents of good Soldiers," preached to captain Överton's independent company of Volunteers, raised in Hanover county, Virginia, August 17, 1755, Mr. Davies says: "Our continent is like to become the seat of war; and we, for the future (till the sundry European nations that have planted colonies in it, have fixed their boundaries by the sword) have no other way left to defend our rights and privileges. And has God been pleased to diffuse some sparks of this martial fire through our country? I hope he has and though it has been almost extinguished by so long a peace, and a deluge of luxury and pleasure, now I hope it begins to kindle: and may I not produce you, my brethren, who are engaged in this expedition, as instances of it?" To this passage is subjoined the following Note, which shows the discernment of the preacher, and the high estimate already formed in Virginia of the military talents and character of Washington: "As a remarkable instance of this, I may point out to the public that heroic youth Col. Washington, whom I cannot but hope Providence has hitherto preserved in so signal a manner, for some important service to his country." See 1754. 3 Peter-Francis-Xavier de Charlevoix was of the Society of Jesuits, and was much esteemed by the Society for the purity of his morals and the extent of his knowledge. His works that relate to America are, A History of the Island of St. Domingo, 2 vols. 4to. 1730; History of Paraguay, 6 vols. 12mo; General History and Description of New France, 1744, 3 vols. 4to. containing the result of his own observations on the manners and customs of the native Americans, during his residence in Canada, and in the course of his journey from Quebec to New Orleans, "which are peculiarly valuable." Nouv. Dict. Hist. Rees, Cyclopædia. successful. On the 14th of February, the French governor, 1762. M. de la Touche, delivered up the whole island to the English general, on capitulation. With Martinico fell Granada, St. Lucia, & the other St. Vincent, and every other place possessed by the French in islands. the extensive chain of the Caribbee islands.1 Caribbee vana. War was declared by Great Britain and Spain against each Expedition other early in the year. Before the news of the success of the against HaEnglish at Martinico reached England, a second and grand armament, consisting of 19 ships of the line, 18 frigates, and about 150 transports, with 10,000 land forces on board, was ready to sail for the reduction of Havana. The command of the fleet was given to admiral Pococke; the land forces, which were to be joined by 4000 men from North America, were under the direction of the earl of Albemarle. This formidable armament, passing through the old channel of Bahama, arrived on the 6th of June in sight of the dreadful fortifications that were to be stormed. The entrance into the harbour of Havana is by a narrow channel, the east side of which was secured by a strong fort, named Moro; the west, by another, called the Puntal. Lord Albemarle first commenced the siege of Moro; and, after suffering incredible hardships and surmounting numberless obstacles, the besiegers obtained possession of the covered way; made a lodgment before the right bastion; and sprung a mine, which, throwing down part of the works into the ditch, left open a small breach. The soldiers, now ordered to storm the place, mounted the breach under the command of lieutenant Forbes, supported by lieutenant colonel Stuart, and entered the fort with such order and intrepidity, as entirely disconcerted the garrison. Four hundred Spaniards were either cut in pieces, or perished in attempting to escape by water to the city; the rest threw down their arms, and received quarter. The British troops having completed their batteries on an eminence that commanded the city, and 60 pieces of cannon being now ready to play on the Havana, lord Albemarle sent a flag of truce, to summon the governor to surrender; but the haughty Spaniard replied, that he would hold out to the last extremity. The batteries, however, were opened the next morning with such effect, both against the 1 Univ. Hist. xli. 195-200, 231. Smollett, iv. 364-370. Russell, v. 386. Fort Royal, the first place assailed by the English, capitulated on the 4th of February. M. de la Touche, after that capitulation, retiring to St. Pierre, a large and populous town on the same island, determined to make his last stand there; but just when the English were about to embark for the reduction of that place, he sent deputies to general Monckton, with proposals of capitulation for the whole island. The entire reduction of Martinico was effected with the loss of but 7 British officers and about 100 privates, killed; about 150 only were wounded. The French lost above 1000 of their best men, killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. Martinico, before this reduction by the English, could raise 10,000 white inhabitants, fit to bear arms; and had above 40,000 negroes. July 30. 1762. town and fort, that a deputy was sent about the middle of the day to the camp of the besiegers, to settle terms of capitulation. A cessation of arms immediately ensued; and the city of Havana, with a district of 180 miles to the westward, including its the English, government, the Puntal castle, and the ships in the harbour, were surrendered to his Britannic majesty.1 Aug. 12. Havana is taken by Massachu setts raises men for se The expedition against Martinico rendering it necessary that the colonies should continue their exertions, Massachusetts raised curity and 2000 men, to aid in securing the British dominions, and particularly the conquests in her neighbourhood. defence. The French lose their posts at Soon after the capitulation of Martinico, fears being entertained lest Canada and the American fishery might be restored to the French, the requisite additions to the quota of this province were made, making the amount of men 3270. The French, in the summer of this year, landed and took possession of the Bay of Bulls, in Newfoundland. This partial Newfound conquest was soon lost by the recapture of the posts which they held there; and all the advantage they gained was, the interruption of the British fishery, and a general alarm through the colonies.2 land. Mass. societies. Printing at Boston, The Massachusetts legislature passed an act to incorporate certain persons by the name of "The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge among the Indians in North America;" but it was disallowed by the court of St. James.3 Massachusetts Charitable Society was founded.4 Printing was introduced into Providence, Rhode Island, where Providence, the Providence Gazette was now first published. Four journals were, at this period, regularly published in Boston: The News Letter, The Evening Post, The Gazette, and The Advertiser, or and Phila- Post Boy. A new German newspaper was published at Philadelphia.5 delphia. Dark day. At Detroit, the 14th day of October was one of the darkest days ever known.6 1 Russell, v. 386–390. Wynne, ii. 195, 196. The English lost 500 men, including 15 officers, killed; and about 700, comprehending 39 officers, cut off by various disorders. In forming the siege of Moro, many of the men, in dragging the cannon and carriages up a bold declivity from a rough and rocky shore, while parched with thirst beneath a burning sun, dropped down dead. The booty, in silver and valuable merchandise, belonging to the catholic king, exclusively of great quantities of artillery, small arms and warlike stores, was computed at nearly three millions sterling; and it more than indemnified the British for the expedition. 2 Minot, ii. c. 5. 3 Gordon, i. Letter 2. 4 It was incorporated in 1780. 5 Thomas, i. 427 [See 1732]; ii. 246, 341. The title of the German newspaper was, Der Wochentliche Philadelphische Staatsbote: "And for some time there were two German and two English newspapers published in Philadelphia." 6 Memoirs American Academy, i. 244. |
