"Old Virginia," too. The efforts which this good old State made should never be forgotten; she furnished the noblest specimen of a General and Commander-in-chief the world ever saw. The author of the declaration of our Independence came from her coasts, and a host of other patriots poured out their treasure and their blood to carry forward the noble contest, and from that time to the present this patriotic state has ever been true to her "first love;" well does she deserve the praise that has so often been bestowed upon her, that it has grown into a proverb, "Old Virginia never tires.”

We have said there was a "union of heart and mind," to establish our Independence. Perhaps this should be taken with some qualification. There was an opposition got up this year in one or two towns in King's County (now Washington), against enlistments, and it proceeded so far that General Spencer was requested to send some troops into those towns to quell it. But the opposition was soon put down. We have in our possession one of the inflammatory addresses put forth by the discontented; the amount of which was, that "there should be no enlistments unless soldiers and officers were placed upon the same footing as to pay and rations." Great complaint was also made, that "Congress should have seven dollars a day," while the soldiers had only a few dollars per month. We found this relic among the papers of a militia officer belonging to that county; beside this there was nothing to mar the harmony that prevailed in every part of the state. We cannot close our sketch for 1777 more appropriately, than by introducing in this connection, the recommendation of Congress to set apart a day for a general thanksgiving, to be observed throughout all the states for the success of our arms, &c.

In Congress, Saturday, November 1, 1777.

The committee appointed to prepare a recommendation to the several states, to set apart a day of public thanksgiving, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration and agreed to as follows:

"Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men, to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received, and to implore such farther blessings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased him in his abundant mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable bounties of his common providence, but also smile upon us in the prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the defence and establishment of our unalienable rights and liberties, particularly in that he hath been pleased in so great a measure to prosper the means used for the support of our troops, and to crown our arms with most signal success. It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive powers of these United States to set apart Thursday the 18th day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise; that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine Benefactor; and that together with their sincere acknowledgments and offerings, they may join the penitent confession of their manifold sins, whereby they had forfeited every favor, and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please God through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance; that it may please him graciously to afford his blessings on the governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public council of the whole; to inspire our commanders both by land and by sea, and all under them with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States the greatest of all blessings, independence, and peace; that it may please him to prosper the trade and manufactures of the people, and the labor of the husbandman; that our land may yield its increase; to take schools and seminaries of education, so necessary for cultivating the principles of true liberty, virtue and piety, under his nurturing hand; and to prosper the means of religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom, which consisteth in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

And it is further recommended that servile labor, and such recreation as, though at other times innocent, may be unbecoming the purpose of this appointment, be omitted on so solemn an occasion."

Upon this recommendation, the General Assembly of Rhode Island passed the following vote.

Dec. 1777. It is voted and resolved, that Thursday, the eighteenth of December, be set apart for a day of solemn thanksgiving and prayer throughout this state, agreeably to the above resolve; and all servile labor and recreation is forbidden on that day, and his Excellency the Gov. is desired to issue his proclamation accordingly.

SECTION IV.

[1778.]

On the 21st of February, Congress directed General Washington to appoint a Major General to take the command of the American troops in Rhode Island, in the place of General Spencer, resigned; soon after this, Gen'l Washington appointed Major General Sullivan, who upon his arrival assumed the command, and immediately Rhode Island requested him to take the command of all the State troops, and militia of this State, whenever they should be called into service.

But before we proceed in our sketch of events in 1778, we will first glance at the naval movements and efforts this state made to sustain the great cause. Let it be remembered, that this little state had, at this time, five full regiments in the field, two in the Continental army, and three in the state service; and besides these were the Kingston Reds, the Kentish Guards, the Pawtucket Rangers, the Captain Generals Cavaliers, the

Providence Cadets, the Smithfield and Cumberland rangers, Providence Light Infantry and Providence Artillery, North Providence Rangers, Gloucester Light Infantry, and the Scituate Hunters; independent companies chartered by the General Assembly, more effectually to defend the state, and mostly "minute men," all these were to be in readiness at a "minute's warning," and march to any point required. These were all efficient corps, composed of hardy and intelligent men, and were always ready for service; yet notwithstanding such efforts made for the land service, Rhode Island was among the first, if not the very first to propose a naval force. She certainly furnished the first commodore (Esek Hopkins) in the Revolution.

On the 22d of December 1775, as appears by the records of Congress, the "Committee appointed to fit out armed vessels, laid before Congress a list of officers, by them appointed agreeably to the powers given them by Congress," as follows:

Esek Hopkins, Esqr., Commander-in-chief of the fleet. Dudley Saltenstal, Capt. of the Alfred; Abraham Whipple, Capt. of the Columbus; Nicholas Biddle, Capt. of the Maria Doria; John Burrows Hopkins, Capt. of the Cabot.

First Lieutenants. John Paul Jones, Rhodes Arnold, Sternsbury, Hersted Hacker, Jonathan Pitcher.

Second Lieutenants. Benjamin Seabury, Joseph Olney, Elisha Warner, Thomas Weaver, - McDuglall.

Third Lieutenants. John Fanning, Ezekiel Burroughs, and Daniel Vaughan.

The above vessels had been purchased and equipped to be sent on a "secret expedition." The commodore and two of the captains, Abraham Whipple and John B. Hopkins, were from Rhode Island; and three of the lieutenants, Rhodes Arnold, Hersted Hacker, and Jonathan Pitcher; and in fact the larger number of the officers and men were from this state. This expedition was sent to New Providence and was eminently successful. They took the town of Nassau and with

it a large amount of munitions of war, and arrived back in safety, with all they captured.

In June, 1775, the General Assembly ordered two vessels to be bought, armed and equipped for the defence of the state, the largest to carry ten guns, 4 pounders, and 14 swivel guns, and to be manned with eighty men besides officers; the smallest thirty men. These were to be kept in service until the end of the year. Abraham Whipple was appointed to command the largest vessel, John Grimes, first Lieutanant, (afterwards Captain,) Benjamin Seabury, second Lieut. and William Bradford, master, Ebenezer Flagg, Quarter-master; of the crew there is no list to be found.

Of the smaller vessel, Christopher Whipple was appointed Captain, and William Rhodes, Lieutenant; no list of the crew to be found.

In August following, the General Assembly ordered two large row-gallies to be built, large enough for sixty men each, besides officers-they were named the "Washington" and แ 'Spitfire," the Washington was rigged as a schooner. Joseph Mauran was commissioned as Captain of the Washington, Timothy Larcher as Lieutenant, Lewis Larcher, master, and William Davenport as quarter-master.

Of the Spitfire, Isaac Tyler was appointed Captain, Josiah Simmons first Lieutenant, Abel Weathers second, and Benjamin Cranston quarter-master. It is to be regretted that no list of the crews of these vessels are to be found, nor are their names known, except those who have been pensioned under the various acts of Congress.

Two frigates were also built in Rhode Island in 1776, by order of Congress, the Warren of thirty-two guns, and the Providence of twenty-eight. These frigates were mostly officered and manned by men of Rhode Island; these vessels of war were built, armed and equipped, in Providence, by a "building committee" authorized by the Marine Committee at Philadelphia. John Hopkins was appointed by Congress to the command of the Warren, and Abraham Whipple of the Providence; after these vessels were ready, it was a long time