The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-04-03
JOURNAL OF A NAVAL OFFICER,
DURING HE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
(Coniinued.1 I
KEPT BY JOHN TREvErr, OF NEWPORT


January, I77S.-A new cruise. I hav,
had time 10 reflect on what | am about {,
undertake, and am well satisfied that W,
are engaged in good cause, and are fight
ing the Lords battles. We are now get
ting under sail, and running down from
Georgetown. Next day put to sea, stand.
ing to the Southward. The next morning
at daylight, saw a sail to the Eastward, aud
then saw two more; they proved to be Brit
ish, ship, brig and sloop. They gave
chase, and the ship gained on us fast; by
2 p. NJ, we could see her tier Of guns.
Night came on. and very dark /; we took in
all sail, and put out our lights, and in a few
hours (being lgh,er) we could see her, and
she passed US, and when she was out OF
sight wo altered our course, aud in the
morning could not discover = single sail.
We had hove over so much of our wood,
water &c, in order to tighten. ship, that we
concluded 10 make all sail for Abaco.
We h,d short passage; came to anch-
or, and went to work making a scaling
ladder. Ia two days after we stood over to
New Prov vidence, having sent down our top
mast aud topsail yard, and housed our guns ;
we also kept all our men out of SIGHT. A
bout midnight We got abreast of the harbor,
with light air of wind off the land.
had picked out my lambs better /
could not wish-all smart and active, ex-
cept one lame he said said to me I" ]
cannot run" said you are the man
should choose. We soon dsembarked ff-
teen men, MS our barge would take no mora
at once, md then twelve, beside myself; that
made tw euty-tisht, all told. We took moth
ing with us to eat or drink, but filled our
pockets with ball-catridgrs We landed a
boat a mile FROM the Fort, aud got our seal
ing ladder and all things ready. | recoi-
lected that when Iw"s at the taking of New
Providence with Com. Hopkins, lleit out one
nf tie pckets of The fort, and thought tins
might prove fortunate, if it has not been re-
placed so left my men and went myself
to see, and found it as left il, still out.
went through, and near the embrazures
heard talking in the Fort, ard Instantly Que
of the ceninels came to the corner OF the
Forr, and cried "All is well ~ and was an
swered from the other end of the Fort, All
is we'll" the Ship that lay near the Fort
her centinal also cried all is well. lay
still few moments, as supposed the CEN
tinels were going their rounds; | then went
back, and we came on with The scaling lad
der, and lay down near the Fort until the
Gentry should come round again; for ex-
pected they gave the cry every half hour,
and so it was We had been but short
time there, before they came round and
cried "AlLis WELL" | waited few min
utes and then placed the ladder near one OF
the en,brazrres and went over, every man
following me. gave positive orders not to
FIRE pistol, or make my noise, as knew
it would instantly alarm the town. went
Oh aud as | was turning round the corner
of the barracks met one Of the British cen
tinel. fall butt. seized him by the collar,
and ordered him into the first barrack- door F;
he was much frightened, and exclaimed
{" for Gods snke what have I done ~ One
of our men, in despite of my orders, fired u
pistol over my shoulders At the ceniinei
had hold of, but i, did no damage. lspoke
a soft word, and went into the barracks
and examined the prisoner, and found there
was only one more centinal, and he at The
other end of the Fort. | soon put him IN
To another barrack -roomnnd examined them
apart; they both told one story, and 'a'd
that Gov. Gambler had sent into the Fort
every article necessary, about three weeks
before we made them this friendly visit
ssssd them the reason Of having only two
cen,Inels IN the Fort in time Of war-ihey
said # they had only time to FIRE one or tive
guns, that IN less than ten minutes they
would have mare than five hundred fighting
men in the Fort. When fra rot into the
f.rt found number of ~ pounJers load.
81. and natcIes burning by them i'm.
nediaiely ordered one Of the prisoners to
see What cartridges wer. filled, and took a
I,n,lwrn and went TO thu magazine Of pow.
der. where found ab0u, lIirce toas, bat