The Spirit of '76
By Benjamin Cowell
Pub. Boston 1850
Page 241-2-3
After the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, there was but little
fighting. In England, the tide of public opinion was set decidedly against making
any further efforts to subjugate the "rebels". The policy which had been
pursued by Lord North was universally condemned. It had broken the ties and
severed from the British Empire thirteen of her colonies, which had become united,
and had been acknowledged as an independent people by several of the most
powerful nations in Europe. There was now no hope of conciliation; all attempts
with that object in view had failed, and there was no alternative but to
continue the war, or to treat with the United States as an Independent sovereignty
and as an equal in the scale of nations. This was very galling to English
pride. It was said that when John Adams was first presented to George the third,
as Minister from the United States, the king was much embarrassed. He little
thought, perhaps. that he should ever be compelled to acknowledge the "rebel"
advovate of the Declaration of Independence, as an accredited minister at his
court. But such was the fact; now, one of the rebels stood before him in a
character which his own dignity as well as the courtesy and custom of nations
compelled him to respect. John Bull was humbled, he felt it, he showed it
in his actions for some time.
NEWPORT was left in a most wretched condition by the British army; houses had
been torn down and used for fuel; churches had been desecrated; the beautiful
forests on the island had been cut down; and orchards of fruit trees had been
destroyed,--in fact this ancient town, the pride of New England and the
paradise of America, was but a wreck and shadow compared with what it was before
the invasion. So great had been the destruction of property, that the General
Assembly, at their June session this year, appointed a committee to estimate
the damages wantonly done by the enemy to the inhabitants. This committee
after investigation, make a report that the "property destroyed was estimated at
one hundred twenty-four thousand, seven Hunded and ninety-eight pounds,
thirteen shillings and five pence silver money." They presentedd a schedule of
losses of individuals making up that amount. Such had been the ravages of the
British army on Rhode Island.
There was not much want of a mililtary force this year, but still the General
Assembly ordered two companies--Captains Dayton's and Miller's to be
stationed on the Island; these companies were on duty at Newport until the winter of
1782. There was also a guard of forty men enlisted for four months under the
command of Ensign Pierce, which received pay and rations as other troops during
the summer.
In November the French army returned from the westward. The General Assembly
ordered suitable accommodations for the passage through the state, and every
attention was paid to the officers and soldiers that gratitude could suggest.
Very different were the connection and feelings between the Americans and the
French from those between the English and the Hessians. We looked upon the
French as friends, who came to our rescue in the hour of need, and who assisted
us in our glorious struggle. But the English looked upon the Hessians as
hirelings, bought, as Earl Chathm said, "in the shambles of a foreign market."
and
when their services were no longer wanted, they were sent home as a slave to
his master. Such were the poor ignorant Hessians; they were taught to believe
on their arrival here, that the Americans were cannibals and if they allowed
themselves to be taken prisoners, they would soon be devoured. While the
British were in possession of Newport, they established a small guard on Canonicut
Island; in this guard were several Hessians; it so happened that this guard
was captured by the Americans and made prisoners of war. When the prisoners
were marched to the boats, it was observed that one of the Hessians appeared to
be dreadfully agitated and continued so for some time; upon ascertaining the
cause of this, it was found that this poor Hessian expected to be devoured
alive. He had been told and he believed, that if taken, he would be eaten by
the Americans, who were cannibals! This poor Hessian found out his mistake, and
instead of being exchanged, preferred to live here, and his descendants are
now among us, respectable inhabitants.
To be continued
Copied by Claire Dietz