The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-12-25


Journal wherein. speaking Of the war bein:
brought to an end. they express their conyic
tion. that the building and eqnippios an Amer
ican hrei. as soon as possible, would greatl,
anl essentially coniuce 10 the preservation o
th' lives. liberty ani property of the good pso
pie nj these Colonies and. therefore, instruct
tleir delegates to use their whole influence, a
the ensuing Congress, for building, al the
Continental expense, " aeet Of SUFFICIENT forcS
~ the rroierton OF these Colonies. and foi
epp.oy'nc them IN such manner and places a'
viii most annoy our enemies and contribute
10 'he common defence OF these Colonies. &c
Congress came together in September. and Ste
ph,n Hopkins and Samuel Ward were the
delegates from Rhode Island.
rhr Journs'. on page l47, vol. LIST, reads
thns: -" Tuesday, October Sd. one OF the dele
ea,rs from Rhode Island. laid before Congress a
pari of the insirnrtfons given them by their two
Houses of Legislature. on III: 2Gilf Of August
l.si" And these are the first limitations, we
are told. which the records Of Congress show
90 rr. subj ct OF Continental fleet. Who the
Rhode Islander wss that made the suggestion,
and dessr thr glory If it. Mr.. Burgess has
been unable To ascertain, and we are sorry for
. Z. hui should by no means relinqnish The hope
o, inhiug out the fact, for much more distant
and d,hcult historical problems, ITO all appear
a0ft-. nave Dern sONfu Nv tue UlUptUCe bi ut-
tenn aed enquiries. Be this as il may, the
conjur, of Congress shows how highly they
apprrci,Ied The hiut. November 26th, they
took into consideration the rules aud orders for
IT,. l.et oi the United Colonies. On Tuesday.
the 2S,h. these were debated. paragraph by par
asra,,h, aud finally agreed to and settled
December odd the committee for engaging
armed vessels. repored That they had engaged
four. VIZ:
The Columbus. Abrahora Whipple. Captain
the Alfred Dudley. Sai,strstal, Captain the
Andrew Dores. James Bidiie Captain the
Cabot, John Burroughs Hopkins, Captain.
That they had appointed Esek Hopkins. Com
m ,dol~ OF the ne-i. They had appointed John
Paul Jones. Rhodes Arnold. ifsysied Harker,
jonathan PIchCr. aud - Stanbury, first
I.ieutrnanrs; aud Benjamin Seabury, Joseph
Oue,. Elisha Weaver. Thomas Weaver, and
- NJ Dstgal second Lieutenan,s. This
Mr.. +. observes, is the first American fleet
ep ever hoi'iei sail to the wind, of heaven.
Rhedc island furnished two ofthe ships also
rIp. ronmodore "f III. fleet; two of the Cap
Iains three OF the first, aud -four of the second
LieuieGanrs aud in all probability. most. if not
I'll the other officers and meu for at least two OF
rNr ships.
THIS report was received aud established
and now Commodore Hopkins. with the fleet
under hls command. was ordered TO prscecd to
VIA. 3 Ihama Islands. and capture the warke
sores deposited at New Providence and then
TO cruise on the coast OF the Carolinas, and in
,erc.pt the British vessels found in those
waters.
Tn. first Of these orders was fulfilled TO the
letter. For the Commodore more than loaded
his fleet with those stores; and was obliged 10
impress one Of the colonial vessels TO aid in
81. A
'ion. OF war. II is believed he sailed from the
United Colonies early in FEBRUARY, 1876 for
onthe 3 of March, oftha, year, he captured the
fort at New Providence.
Aher this success, his fleet heng deeply
,aiea with stores so highly important to the
Co0Des, he. TO secure these valuable stores.
returned directly, ard uuladed hem 1t New
london.
Such is the account given us Of our earliest
nalioual maritime expedition. We have GER
taiuIy 10 reaSoD TO be ashamed of il.
The ranks in this little Navy above Captain.
were Admiral Vico.AdniraI. Rear Admiral,
and Commodore. Esek Hopkins, Of Norh
Providence. was The first and only American
,rho rrsr ,oore The tRe Of Almiral IN an Au,en-
c1a FRET.
a. this would seem to be glory enough for
one Ca!ony. especially one SO small, TO say
rollinI Of lis exploits on The water previous to
the Revolution, OF IN the course oft. including !
the capture Of General Prescott by General
Barton, "a Rhode Islander too, as Captain I
Olnry was.) and especially the famous cutting, ,
ont OF the British iIigae from the harbour OF
newport, 10 l1jj, which last act is asserted by
some, though We think, not adviscdly, 10 have
been men'y Instrumental in bringing on the
war. This however satisfies not Mr. B's pat
and he. l.
troyersy about Elliot. that Commodore Perry
was native of Rhode Island, and that he car
rei with him from that State up to the Lake
'hnse men, who. under his direction, with the |
ah of a few others. built aud equipped the fleet
which, under aiS con- nand, subducd the enemy !
on those waters. Tie tells us elsewhere that !
Perry carried With him from Newport, l49 men |
ani ) boys. all of vaOtrwcre volunteers. Some
were commissioned officers, some warrant Off /
GERS some ariihccrS, some seamen. aud some !
ordinary seamen. These were men who knew
their leader well. anl their leader knew them.
" Nothing" says Mr.. b. Can show this at
fachmen' 10 Perry more strongly than the fact. |.
that James Weaver, masters mate. who. q
boy. when Barton cap,uicd Prescott was then
ms guide. now volunteered TO 60 10 Erie with |
MS gallant young townsman. in the dead Of
winter. to this unknown northern service I
Ana tue resnit shows the advantage OF such a /
feeling in the corps These rude Yankees,
with few more shipsrgh,s, smiths, caulkers,
use"rs. and sailmakers, built and equipped this
fleet; and launched the whole into the harhor I
OF Erie, rgged and ready TO sail, in about nine. !
Il days afler The first bloc uas struck.
Thy bull, from the stump, SIX vessels; the
L9"rence. OF twenty guns-two long twelvs.,
aud eighteen "a pound caronades; the Niagara.
OF Two long tweives. and eighteen "a pound car
ronades the ARIEL of four guns, l5's and 2is;
the Scorpion. oft~o guns 35's; the Poreupine'
Of one gun. thlny-two; and the Tigress. of
one gun. tbriy-two.
During the same time, they repaired and
made efficient, the Caledonia. OF three guns
GAS and 32s: the Somes. OF two guns, 32's
me Tnppe. OF one gun. thiriy-two. and the
OHIO. Of like foroc. but not in The battle.