Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-08-06
Capture Of General Prescott by
Lieut. Col. William Barton.

| Llman OF Drown University, on the cap
ture of the British commander, Maj
Gen. Prescott by Col. Barton and few
brave militia men on the 10th of July,
1777. Col. Barton afterwards became
one of the charter owners of township
of land in Northern Vermont, which IN
honor of its illustrious past owner was
called Barton:
After the lapse of century, we are
gathered upon this spot, where historic
memories are blended with so many nat
ural charms, to commemorate its achieve
ment, which not only ranks as the most
gallant in our local annals, but which
has been termed by perhaps the most
temperate of our American historians,
''One of the boldest, best executed and
most successful adventures" of the Rev.
olutionary struggle. 1t is meet that the
hundredth anniversary of so memorable
an event should not pass unnoticed.
Let us estimate at its true value the
enterprise which we have come to COM
memorate to-day an enterprise leading
to no important political or military re.
suits, yet deserving to be kept forever in
remembrance as showing what manner of
men they we're who dared hurl defiance
in the face of powerful empire, and
who waged successful contest with res
olute and highly disciplined foes. What
they did hundred years of the history
of a united and lndependant nation re-
mains to show; what they were can be
best learned from such exhibitions of
individual daring and resolutions as have
made this memorable spot, not only in
Rhode Island. but in American history.
1t is hard for us to realize to-day that
when the sun rose on the July morning
of l777, its early beams glanced on the
glittering bayonets of powerful British
army holding this whole Island, and on
the tapering masts of numerous feet
commanding yonder familiar waters.
Yot ouch was the 1act, fact sorrowfully
impressed on the minds of those who
were living in those troublous times. In
December, of the preceding year, two
English and two Hessian brigades under
the command of Sir Henry Clinton, with
Earl Percy and General Prescott as his
immediate subordinates, passed through
Long Island Sound in seventy transports,
and entered Narragansett Bay. They
were conveyed by Sir Peter Parker, with
eleven ships of war, and passing round
the north end of Conanicut, effected their
main landing not far from the spot where
we are now assembled. A large portion
of the troops were quartered in farm
houses on the Island. To force so
overwhelming no effectual resistance
could be offered, and the American forces
withdrew to the main land, while the
armed vessels in the bay, the early con-
tribution of Rhode Island to an Ameri-
can navy were forced to seek shelter at
Providence.
In January, 1777, Sir Henry Clinton
returned to England, leaving in command
Lord Percy, who had learned so well at
Lexington the modern measures of Chevy
Chace. In May, the humane Percy fol-
lowed the example of his former chief,
and the forces were left in charge Of
Major General Prescott. Prescott was a
man advanced in years, of small stature,
of harsh temper, who carried, even be-
yond the common measure of military
insolence, his contempt and hatred for
those whom he persistently refused to
regard in any other light than as rebels
against their king. He brought an i'll
reputation to his new post. When Ethan
Allen was taken prisoner, at the time of
his fool-hardy attempts on Montreal,
Prescott so far forgot himself as to over
whelm the captor of Ticonderoga with
curses and even threaten him with vio-
lence, apd the harsh treatment which
Allen afterwards received, being placed,
hand and foot, in irons, was due to Pres
colts orders. This was not forgotten,
when, two months later, Prescott himself
was taken prisoner by Montgomery, and
when he arrived at Philadelphia he was
closely confined in the common Jail. In
September, l776, he was exchanged for
Sullivan. but it cannot be supposed that
the treatment which he had received in
clined him to look with any more favor
upon rebels. Yet to his credit it should
be stated that when Colonel Lambert
Cadwalader was taker prisoner at Fort
Washington, gratitude for some favors
shown him by the Colonel's father
prompted Prescott to intercede so ear.
nestly in his behalf that he was released
Immediately without parole. By his ar
bltrary rule at Newport, Prescott made
himself especially obnoxious. No doubt
representations of the demeanor of Brit
ish officers must be taken with consider
BILE allowance; but traditions long lin
gered of the readiness with which Pres
! colt extorted unwilling salutes from
Quakers, and of the merciless severit,
with which he punished men for refusing
to comply with his acquisitions. To un
derstand the bitter feeling with whicI
} the British commanders were regarded
, we must remember that by their order
, the islands in the bay had been lai,
waste, and the seaport towns laid unde
HEAVIER contributions. These petty an,
r continuous exactions were more exasper
ating than the losses inflicted in
r more active warfare.
Soon as the British landed on the is
{ land the General Assembly was convene
at East Greenwich, but for greater sc
1 curity adjourned to Providence, and tn
: most energetic measures for defence wer
Y at once adopted. A brigade of thre
regiments was ordered to be raised I
replace the militia already in the felt
i The command of the second regimen
# was given to Joseph Stanton, and unde
G him, as Major, was placed William Bal
It ton, native of Warren, not yet twenty
v nine years of age, who, when the new
IS came flying on the winds, of the repuli
n of the Americans at Bunker's Hill, f: