Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-01-02

and suffered great loss of property, by
severe depredations during the War Of
Independence. His eldest son, William,
the writer and subject of the present short
memoir, was born in Newport, on the 7th
day Of May, 1855, and resided there un-
I'll he was 10 years Of age, when he went
on voyage to sea, with his father
Soon after our return, my father pur-I
chased Il valuable farm in the town Of
Nllddletown, about six miles from New
port. lie removed to the farm, where
resided with him, being fond of agricul-
tural pursuits. ! was the eldest oftwelve
children, among whom the greatest har-
mony prevailed; until it was unhappily
interrupted by the arrival Of the British
troops, who landed upon Rhode Island,
in December, l776. In few days, a
Hessian Colonel took possession Of the
best part of our comlnodous mansion
house; he having selected it as Quarters
sor himself and his retinue. Although
the Colonel was extremely polite, yet the
mother Of this numerous family was rem
dered very uneasy, and could not brook
the idea of being among soldiers, in such
a state OF vassalage and danger; more
| especially on account Of her daughters,
whom she was very aDprehensive, would
be particularly liable to the insults Of a
brutal soldiery. She therefore, prevail
ed on her husband, to remove the family
from the Island; and accordingly, the
whole, with the exception of my father
and two of my brothers next in age to
myself, removed, under my care, to the
town of Little-Compton. During the
following summer, an Expedition was
formed under the command of Mai jor
General Spencer, to attack the British
troops, and to obtain possession Of the
Island, and the town Of Newport. A
bout this time, person came from the
Island, with a Flag, and informed me
that my father had expressed wish for
me to come over to the Island and have
an interview with him. l communica-
ted this fact to Colonel Joseph Stanton,
who then commanded at Howland's Fer
ry, in Tiverton. He assented to the pro-
Posal, and directed three officers of the
, Ame erican army to accompany me, and
l to obtain the best possible information OF
the force, strength and situation of the
enemy. One of these officers was q
Lieutenant Charles Handy, Of Newport.
On the following night, we proceeded to
, my fathers mansion on the Island; and
. ascertained, to the best Of my recollcc-
ton, that the British force did not ex-
ceed two thousand men, who had scarce
" any entrenchments on any part of the
lsland:-that their naval force was very
small, and in such situation, that an
Expedition might, if judiciously arrang-
ed, be SO conducted, as, under God, to
insure success. We returned in safety
and made report Of every particular to
! the proper officers. The Expedition
= was rapidly progressing. In the inter
q i'm, ] several times went upon the Island
to obtain additional information, previOu.
to the night which had been assigned fol
the landing of our army; and through the
same channel, | received all the intelli.
j, gence which was desirable or necessary
The night at length arrived. Oul
troops, said to be twelve thousand strong
were drawn up, under arms, ready fo
embarcation. A party about thirty, o
which | was one, was detached in three
r boats-and having landed, well down tt
the mouth Of the river, we imme ediately
proceeded TO my fathers house. Ii,
with his two sons, who, until this period
a had remained on the Island, and hat
:: communicated much important informa
, ZION to the American commander, nov
= joined us. Our orders were, to procee
to Black Point, so called, which was tn
e place designated for the landing of on
!, army. The landing was to be made, 1
~ Il signal which had been previously al
ranged; and we were ordered to secur
the sentinels in our route; and to call o
IS the inhabitants to come out, with thel
n teams, SC. to assist in transporting tn
/, cannon On our way, we captured tw
3 mounted light-horsemen, who were pa
. trolling the shore; and after our arriv,
i a, the appointed station, we waited unit
IT near day-break, for the signa!-but
l. was not given-and to our great mort
fication and disappointment, we were vi
der the necessity Of leaving the lslan'
> accompanied by my father and brother
r, who would undoubtedly have been col
l. demned to an ignomiuous death, if the
r had remained; as the active part whic
they had taken, in commune ating inte
lgence to the American forces, was no
of discovered. They were according
to compelled to abandon valuable prope
ty, which was afterwards destroyed
u the ruthless enemy. Houses, barns, @
&c chards, fruit trees, fences, were all wa
lie tonly torn to pieces; and the whole far
r. left a barren waste-the mere soil, whi
A. they could not destroy, alone remainin
My venerable parents being thus r
SIS ducod at once from aflluence to e