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 A DETAIL 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 
 SOME PARTICULAR SERVICES | 
 
 i '\ 
 
 PERFORMED IN AMERICA, 
 
 J 
 
 During^ tlie years 1TT6, 1T77, 1178, and 1779. 
 
 COMPILED FROM JOURNALS AND ORIGINAL PAPERS, 
 
 SUPPOSED TO BE CHIEFLY TAKEN PROM THE JOURNAL KEPT ON BOARD OF I 
 
 THE SHIP RAINBOW, COMMANDED BY SIR GEORoE COLLIER, ' 
 
 While on the American Station during that period : giving a minute account ■ 
 
 of many important attacks on towns and places, expeditions sent up ; 
 
 rivers, skirmishes, negotiations, etc., some of which are ; 
 
 nowhere else correctly represented, and many \ 
 
 others not as minutely described in the i 
 
 histories of that period. ' 
 
 PRINTED FOR ITHIEL TOWN, 
 
 From a manuscript obtained by him, while in London, in the summer of 1830. 
 
 NEW-YORK, 1835. 
 
 Vw. 
 
 ^•' Vv, 
 
"Entered according to uct of Congress, the lltli of May, in the year 1835, 
 by Ithi£L Town, in the Office of the Clerk of the Southern District of New- 
 Yorlv." 
 
 ^^/>^ 
 
 
 O. F. Hopkins & Son, print- , 44 Nassau-street. 
 
TO THE HISTORIANS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 
 
 AND TO ALL WHO DESIRE TO SEE 
 
 THE COLLECTED FACTS AND DETAILS OF THIS 
 
 INTERESTING PERIOD OF OUR COUNTRY'S STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY, 
 
 EMBODIED IN A FULL, AUTHENTIC, AND 
 
 CONNECTED HISTORY, FOR THE USE OF POSTERITY, 
 
 THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, 
 
 BY THEIR OBEDIENT SERVANT, 
 
 ITHIEL TOWN. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The following pages are a true copy, printed 
 from a manuscript fairly written out, purchased by 
 me in London at a public sale of autographs and 
 manuscripts from the collection of a private gen- 
 tleman ; among which, were letters, etc., of the 
 most celebrated persons in English history, par- 
 ticularly Charles the first and second. Prince Ru- 
 pert, Lord Burleigh, Oliver Cromwell, Garrick, 
 Foote, Pope, Burns, Adderson, Johnson, General 
 Washington, etc., etc. 
 
 Curious and interesting manuscripts ; also, an 
 illustrated copy of the Life of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 
 with autographs and letters inserted, etc., by 
 Messrs. Southgate, Grimston and Wells, No. 22, 
 Fleet-street, June 2d, 1830, and following day.* 
 
 * Among the most interesting letters, etc., of this curious cata- 
 logue, were the following, which sold for high prices, and serves to 
 show the taste in that country for this kind o^vertu: 
 
 " Glueen Mary, her sign manual to a warrant for a Fat Buck, to 
 the Remembrancer of the City of London." 
 
 "Sapie7itm Veterum, with curious drawings in colours, a manu- 
 script." 
 
VI 
 
 This manuscript was left with the librarian of 
 Congress library in 1834, and read by some of the 
 most respectable historians of our country, who 
 were of opinion that it should be printed and laid 
 before the public. It has been suggested, also, 
 by a number of gentlemen, that a copy of such a 
 journal, kept on board a ship of war during a pe- 
 riod so interesting, should be placed in the hands 
 of every young officer in the United States Navy, 
 
 " Remarks on the navigation to Gluebec, translated from a 
 French manuscript." 
 
 " A manuscript by Francis Grose, the antiquary, relative to the 
 antiquities of England and Wales." 
 
 " A letter from General Washington, dated, Virginia, 26th April, 
 1763, to Mr. Chs. Lawrence, tailor, in Old Fish-street Hill, Lon- 
 don, containing an order for a * genteel suit of clothes,' very minute 
 in the description and measurement of his person, w^ith the tailor's 
 measures." 
 
 " A letter from John Washington (a relative,) to Messrs. Carey 
 & Co., dated 12th July, 1744, with instructions for a tombstone, 
 with the arms.^^ 
 
 " A warrant from Oliver Cromwell to Walter Frost, Esq., Trea- 
 surer, etc., * Whitehall, April, 1665,' signed Oliver P." 
 
 " A letter in the hand- writing of Lord Burghley, addressed to 
 'The Earle of Shrewsbury,' dated 23d July, 1609, with seal; 
 highly interesting, as expressive of the opinion of this great man 
 on works of art. In it he says : * there is a little ould man, called 
 John Bolognia, loho is not inferiour mutch to Michell Jlngelo.^ " 
 
 " A case for the opinions of counsel, in which they decide * that 
 Trayne Oyle is neither victual nor munition ;' signed ' Mr. Holstock is 
 of the same opinion, and Sir Walter Rawley.'* This curious docu- 
 ment has the jug watermark." 
 
 " Petition to Charles L from the Irish House of Commons, 
 signed by ninety-four members : very curious.^* 
 
as being well calculated to turn their attention to 
 a subject which, if pursued, might, in many in- 
 stances, be of great importance to the future his- 
 tory of our Republic. — Many of the maps, plans 
 of encampments, fortifications, battles, etc., made 
 by the engineers of the English army in different 
 parts of the country, some of them of the most 
 interesting character, were also obtained by me, 
 they having fallen into the possession of a family 
 at Hamstead, near London, after the death of one 
 of the engineers, whose name was stamped on 
 several of the drawings, "John Montresor," which 
 relate mostly to the transactions in and about 
 Boston, New-York and Philadelphia. They were 
 placed in the hands of Chief Justice Marshall, for 
 
 " The original certificate of arms granted to the Duchess of 
 Portsmouth, (Nell Gwynn,) signed by Sir Edward Walker, Gar- 
 ter, King at Arms, June 5th, 1674." 
 
 " An original letter from Prince Rupert to Charles I. dated 
 October 31st, 1645, with his seal." This curious and interesting 
 letter, (probably the last sent to the King previously to Prince Ru- 
 perVs leaving the country,) is full of accusation of Charles for his 
 conduct towards him. Sold for two guineas. 
 
 " A letter from Benjamin FrankUn, 1774 ; his friend T. Brad- 
 ford, (printer, of Pliiladelphia,) 1774 j Rev. W. Tennant, of 
 Charleston, with a manuscript poem." 
 
 " Curious notes on the Ahen Act, by J. H. Tooke ;" sold for two 
 guineas, 
 
 "Earle of Berkley, (South Sea Director,) 1734, to a lady: */ 
 hope the South Sea will make amends for the disappointment at Mis- 
 
vm 
 
 examination, whose letter accompanying their re- 
 turn, is, in part, here given, to show his opinion of 
 them: 
 
 " Washington, Feb. 5th, 1833. 
 " Mr. Town : Sir, I return your portfolio containing the draw- 
 ings of Mr. Montresor, and thank you for the pleasure their ex- 
 amination has given me. They are interesting, and, as far as I 
 can judge, accurate. Those which represent the positions of the 
 hostile armies in and around Boston, resemble very closely, drafts 
 and descriptions I have seen among the papers of General Wash- 
 ington. They will form a valuable document in any hterary insti- 
 tution in which you may place them, and will be prized by the 
 curious. Be pleased to receive my acknowledgements for this 
 polite mark of your recollection, and my assurances, etc. 
 
 J. MARSHALL." 
 
 It is my intention to have a number of the most 
 interesting of these drawings engraved, as a further 
 illustration of our history, during a period when 
 we had but few topographical engineers, or even 
 persons who could make drawings. Indeed, it 
 may be truly said, that our army at that time could 
 fight a battle much better than lay it down on pa- 
 per ; Col. Trumbull, however, who is yet a living 
 
 " Dr. Samuel Johnson's letter, dated May 25th, 1784." 
 " An original epigram of Robert Burns, in his own hand-writ- 
 ing— 
 
 " The Devil got notice that Grose was a dying, 
 So whip ! at the summons old Satan came flying ; 
 But when he approach'd where poor Francis lay moaning, 
 And saw each bed-post with its Burden agroaning ; 
 
 Astonish'd, confounded, cries Satan, by G ! 
 
 I'll want him e'er take such a d — mnable load ! " 
 
IX 
 
 monument in our city, (and I regret to state, that 
 we have few other monuments than hving ones, of 
 those days,) who, I understand, is about to publish 
 some of his own sketches and drawings of this 
 kind, is, it is beheved, among the very few who 
 form an exception to this general remark. 
 
 In publishing this manuscript, written when the 
 two countries were involved in a war which was 
 calculated to embitter the feelings of each party 
 towards the other, and in which the terms of Re- 
 bel, etc., frequently occurs, it has been thought bet- 
 ter to retain precisely the same language, although 
 it is not intended to revive any unfriendly feelings, 
 or to cast any unpleasant reflections ; more espe- 
 cially, as not only the true interest, but, it is sin- 
 cerely hoped, the true feelings of these two na- 
 tions, which were then hostile to each other, are 
 now those of kindness and friendship towards each 
 other, — their commercial relations dictate these 
 feelings, and, in addition to this motive, we can, 
 with equal propriety, claim an honour, from having 
 descended from a great and powerful nation, as 
 that nation itself can do, from being the mother 
 country of an intelligent, enterprising, and power- 
 ful young republic. 
 
 ITHIEL TOWN. 
 New- York, May 5th, 1835. 
 
A DETAIL 
 
 OF 
 
 SOME PARTICULAR SERVICES, 
 
 PERFORMED IN AMERICA, 
 
 During the years 1776, 1777, 1778, and 1779. 
 
 Compiled Jrom Journals and Original Papers. 
 
 The rebellion in America was come to so alarm- 
 ing a height, as threatened the entire loss of that 
 continent to Great Britain, unless the most vigor- 
 ous and effectual means were used to suppress it. 
 Government, therefore, determined upon sending 
 out a force so considerable, as should at once put 
 an end to the machinations and evil designs of the 
 king's enemies, and restore peace to that distracted 
 country. 
 
 To carry this measure into execution, and to 
 avoid sending away so great a number of the na- 
 tional troops, as would be necessary to effect it, a 
 treaty with the Landgrave of Hesse was entered 
 into, for his supplying Great Britain with a stipu- 
 1 
 
lated number of men, at a certain rate, whose de- 
 ficiency by deaths, desertion, or any other cause, 
 was to be supplied occasionally from Hesse ; pay- 
 ing the prince for every soldier who should be killed 
 in battle, or die by sickness, from the time of their 
 leaving Germany till their return to it. 
 
 In consequence of this agreement, a number of 
 transports, necessary to receive the first division of 
 the Hessian troops, was sent to Stadt, where they 
 accordingly embarked, and arrived at Spithead the 
 beginning of May, 1776. 
 
 This first division consisted of 7,800 Hessians, 
 and were commanded by Lieutenant-General De 
 Heister, with some other General officers under 
 him ; together with a numerous and well-appointed 
 train of artillery, wagons, field equipage, and every 
 other necessary preparation for taking the field. 
 To these were added 1 ,000 of the English guards, 
 under Colonel Matthews, who, on the arrival of the 
 Hessian troops at Spithead, immediately embarked 
 in transports prepared for them. 
 
 Sir George Collier, in the Rainbow of 44 guns. 
 Commodore Hotham, in the Preston of 50 guns, 
 and four other men-of-war were appointed to es- 
 cort this formidable force to America. The fleet 
 having completed their water and provisions, and 
 the wind admitting of their sailing, they left Spit- 
 head about the 20th of May, amounting in all to 
 ninety-two sail, eighty-six of which were transports, 
 and the rest men-of-war. H^ 
 
 It was to be lamented that these troops were not 
 
s 
 
 ready to sail for America by the beginning of March, 
 as it was the difference to Great Britain of almost 
 a campaign. The easterly winds which prevail 
 from February to the middle of May, would pro- 
 bably have made the passage out a very short one ; 
 and besides arriving in health from that cause, they 
 would have been ready to take the field almost as 
 soon as they sailed from Spithead, But by the in- 
 judicious protraction of their departure so late, they 
 were subjected to contrary winds and calms, which 
 made the voyage more than double what, in the 
 other case, it would probably have been, and occa- 
 sioned so powerful a reinforcement to be of very 
 little use that year, by their arriving so late in the 
 campaign. 
 
 The incidents of the voyage are little worth men- 
 tioning, except that some of the transports, by thick 
 weather and other causes, separated from their 
 convoy ; the fogs on the banks of Newfoundland 
 making it very difficult for the fleet to keep toge- 
 ther. This disagreeable impediment continued till 
 they arrived off the coast of Nova Scotia, and it 
 was then found, upon coming into clear day light, 
 that about seventeen sail of the convoy were miss- 
 ing. 
 
 After the evacuation of Boston, our troops reti- 
 red to Halifax, and it was expected they would re- 
 main at that settlement till joined by the reinforce- 
 ments from England. Accordingly, this fleet pur- 
 sued#heir voyage for Halifax, but were informed, 
 in coming off the harbour, that General Howe and 
 
his army had embarked from thence, and were 
 gone to New- York. 
 
 This was disagreeable news for the sick men, of 
 whom there were ah-eady great numbers, and who, 
 after a tedious and uncomfortable voyage of nine 
 weeks, were in hopes of meeting with a little quiet 
 and refreshment. The expectation, however, was 
 illusive ; for as the service would not admit of any 
 delay, the fleet, without anchoring, turned their 
 prows to the southward, and shaped a course for 
 New- York. 
 
 This passage was again very tedious, for calms, 
 contrary winds, and currents, drove the fleet in 
 such adverse directions, as baffled every reckon- 
 ing, though kept by the ablest artists. The old 
 General, De Heister, who was embarked on board 
 a merchant ship, exhausted his whole stock of to- 
 bacco and patience together. He wrote a letter, 
 couched in terms oi grief , impatience, and despair. 
 " I have been imposed on and deceived," said the 
 old veteran ; " for I was assured the voyage would 
 not exceed six or seven weeks, — it is now more 
 than fourteen since I embarked, and full three 
 months since I left England, yet I see no more 
 prospect of landing than I did a week after our 
 sailing. I am an old man, covered with wounds, 
 and imbecilitated by age and fatigues, and it is im- 
 possible I should survive if the voyage continues 
 much longer y Sir George Collier went on bQM*d 
 the transport, to visit and comfort the old General ; 
 and to do it more effectually than by words, he 
 
carried with him refreshments, fresh provisions, 
 &c., but, above all, plenty of tobacco, which he 
 learned was one principal cause of the veteran's 
 dejection. This, and an assurance that the voyage 
 would now soon terminate^ raised the old German's 
 spirits very effectually. He ordered his band of 
 music to play, — he called for old Hock, and swal- 
 lowed large potations to the healths of the King of 
 England, the Landgrave, and many other friends, 
 and Sir George left him perfectly exhilarated and 
 happy. 
 
 After a passage of about thirteen weeks from 
 England, the convoy arrived at Sandy Hook, where 
 they found Lord Howe, who had taken upon him 
 the command of the fleet. The army, under his 
 brother, was encamped on Staten Island, within 
 sight of the city of New-York. 
 
 The Hessian troops were immediately disem- 
 barked, and formed a separate camp. The great 
 plenty of refreshment they received, soon recovered 
 them from the fatigues of their long voyage, and 
 rendered them perfectly fit for service. General 
 Howe had now the satisfaction of finding himself 
 at the head of full 24,000 fine troops, most com- 
 pletely furnished and appointed, commanded by 
 the ablest and best officers in the world, and hav- 
 ing a more numerous artillery than ever before was 
 sent from England. Four hundred transports were 
 anchored abreast of Staten Island, to carry them 
 to any place the General might choose to attempt ; 
 and thirty-seven sail of men-of-war attended as a 
 1* 
 
protection and escort, if it should be wanted. A 
 force so tremendous by sea and land, struck terror 
 into the breast of every rebel, and they gave up, 
 as hopeless, that independence which they had the 
 presumption to proclaim but a little before. 
 
 From the nearest part of Staten Island, the city 
 of New- York was distant about six miles. The 
 rebels had thrown up some trifling works on the 
 different points of land leading up to it, but the 
 channel was not intricate, and no one conceived 
 that the dislodging them from the posts they had 
 taken, and becoming masters of New-York, would 
 be attended with any great hazard or difficulty. 
 Mr. Washington, (a gentleman of property in Vir- 
 ginia, who had formerly served in the American 
 troops last war against the French,) had the chief 
 command of the rebel army, and took upon him- 
 self the title of General. The utmost of his col- 
 lected force did not amount to 16,000 men, all of 
 whom were undisciplined, unused to war, deficient 
 in clothing, and even necessaries, and very ill-pro- 
 vided with artillery and ammunition. His officers 
 were tradesmen of different professions, totally un- 
 acquainted with discipHne, and consequently ut- 
 terly unskilled in the art of war. 
 
 Such was the exact state of both armies before 
 any operation was undertaken. Justice on the 
 royal side, and treason on the other, made the ba- 
 lance still more unequal. 
 
 The season was already too far advanced to 
 lose a moment from enterprise. The troops panted 
 
with the most gallant ardour to be led on to ac- 
 tion ; the men-of-war were impatiently anxious to 
 attack the rebel batteries, (believing the traitors 
 who were to defend them, would soon give up the 
 point,) and longing to tear down and trample upon 
 the thirteen stripes, which were seen insolently 
 waving on bastions in many different places. 
 
 Six fire-ships appeared at this time under the 
 walls of New-York, menacing the fleet at Staten 
 Island. Had they attempted burning the trans- 
 ports in some dark night, when the wind and tide 
 were favourable, much damage and confusion 
 might have ensued, but they had not courage to 
 hazard it. 
 
 About this period, Commodore Sir Peter Par- 
 ker, in the Bristol of 50 guns, joined Lord Howe, 
 together with some frigates and transports, in the 
 latter of which came General Clinton, and a strong 
 reinforcement of troops. This small fleet arrived 
 from South Carolina, where an ill-judged attack 
 had been made, and from which the king's ships 
 were disgracefully forced to retreat, with the loss 
 of three frigates and the mainmast of the Bristol. 
 
 The arrival of a crippled ship and a defeated of- 
 ficer, at this time, w^as very unwelcome ; for it in- 
 fused jfre^A spirits into the rebels, and showed them 
 that ships were sometimes obliged to retreat from 
 batteries. 
 
 Though every thing was apparently ready for 
 going on service by the 15th August, yet it was the 
 26th before any enterprise was undertaken. On 
 
e 
 
 the morning preceding that day, Lord Howe (the 
 commander-in-chief,) sent for Sir George Colher, 
 and acquainted him, that early next morning the 
 troops were to make a descent in Gravesend Bay, 
 upon Long Island, under cover of the fire of the 
 men-of-war. The Admiral, therefore, directed Sir 
 George to place the Rainbow in the Narrows, 
 abreast of a large stone building, called Denyke's, 
 (where he understood the rebels had cannon and 
 a strong post,) in which situation the Rainbow 
 would also be able to enfilade the road leading 
 from New-York, and thereby prevent reinforce- 
 ments being sent to the rebel outposts, as well as 
 to their troops, who were stationed to oppose the 
 landing. 
 
 By the dawn of day, the Rainbow was placed 
 as the Admiral had directed. The principal engi- 
 neer of the army had come on board in the night, 
 to assist in directing the fire, and to point out any 
 bands of loyal subjects, who might possibly ap- 
 proach, with an intention of joining and assisting 
 the royal army. 
 
 The rebels, intimidated at the tremendous force 
 which appeared in the flat boats, withdrew their 
 outposts, and suffered the king's troops to land with- 
 out the least opposition. Sir H. Clinton, with the 
 grenadiers and light infantry of the army, got first 
 on shore. They were soon after followed by other 
 bodies of men, making in all about 16,000 : — with 
 these last came General Howe, the commander-in- 
 chief of the army, who marched to the small village 
 
of Utrecht, where he established his head-quarters. 
 Earl Cornwallis occupied the advanced post at 
 Flaibush, a hamlet six miles from Utrecht. 
 
 The army remained in this situation, without ad- 
 vancing, for some days ; in which time the train of 
 artillery, ammunition, baggage, and provisions were 
 landed. Six regiments of the Hessians also joined 
 the army, which amounted now to upwards of 
 20,000 men, besides those who remained on Staten 
 Island. 
 
 At last, General Howe began his march towards 
 New- York, the army moving in three columns, by 
 as many different roads. Some of the rebel out- 
 posts were surprised, and the men all put to death 
 with the bayonet. They fled in a panic wherever 
 the royal troops appeared. A small stand was 
 made by about 3,000 of them, who found them- 
 selves hemmed in: 2,500 of these were presently 
 killed and made prisoners ; the rest, frightened, 
 defeated, and dismayed, were pursued to the edge 
 of a ditch of a temporary work they had thrown 
 up, into which the victorious troops would have en- 
 tered with them, had they not been restrained by 
 the most positive orders of the General. The re- 
 treat was sounded, and the conquering army halted. 
 Their ardour was, by this means, cruelly checked ; 
 and one of the most glorious opportunities of end- 
 ing the rebellion lost. It was said, the considerate 
 General, careful of the lives of his men, intended 
 to attack these paltry retrenchments by way of sa- 
 pient. However that was, the rebels did not give 
 
10 
 
 him the trouble of breaking ground before it, but 
 in silence and terror abandoned their works as soon 
 as it was dark, and crossing the East River in boats, 
 got safely over, without obstruction^ to New- York, 
 with their artillery, baggage, and provisions, where 
 they joined General Washington and the remain- 
 der of the rebel army. 
 
 The enemy's loss in killed and wounded, in the 
 different skirmishes on Long Island, was about 
 4,000 men. Amongst the prisoners were two of 
 their Generals, — one named Sullivan, who had 
 been bred a lawyer ; the other calling himself Lord 
 Stirling. About 6,000 rebels, commanded by old 
 Gates, fled across the water, who might all have 
 been taken prisoners, had our troops been suffered 
 to push on, or even if the men-of-war had pro- 
 ceeded to attack the batteries, as by getting into 
 the East River they would have prevented boats 
 from passing. Washington's army, with this re- 
 inforcement, amounted to 11,000 men ; ours was 
 at least double that number. As fresh reinforce- 
 ments from Staten Island had joined the General, 
 the men-of-war had moved gradually up as the 
 troops advanced, and when the latter got to the 
 margin of the East River, (which was about half a 
 mile across,) the ships anchored just out of gun- 
 shot of the batteries of New- York. 
 
 The having to deal with a generous, merciful, 
 forbearing enemy, who would take no unfair ad- 
 vantages, must surely have been highly satisfactory 
 to General Washington, and he was certainly very 
 
11 
 
 deficient in not expressing his gratitude to General 
 Howe for his kind behaviour towards him. Far 
 from taking the rash resolution of hastily passing 
 over the East River after Gates, and crushing at 
 once a frightened, trembling enemy, he generously 
 gave them time to recover from their panic, — to 
 throw up fresh works, — to make new arrange- 
 ments, — and to recover from the torpid state the 
 rebellion appeared in from its late shock. 
 
 For many succeeding days did our brave vete- 
 rans, consisting of 22,000 men, stand on the banks 
 of the East River, like Moses on Mount Pisgah, 
 looking at their promised land, little more than half 
 a mile distant. The rebel's standards waved inso- 
 lently in the air, from many different quarters of 
 New- York. The British troops could scarcely con- 
 tain their indignation at the sight and at their own 
 inactivity ; the officers were displeased and ama- 
 zed, not being able to account for the strange de- 
 lay. Gates fled across the river on the 29th Au- 
 gust. The Rainbow (with Sir George Collier,) 
 went to sea from thence on another service on the 
 8th September, at which time the royal army still 
 remained on the same spot inactive, and without 
 making any motions whatever. How long they 
 continued this state of torpidity, or what followed 
 their reanimation, cannot have place here ; these 
 pages being only intended to give an account of 
 the services in which Sir George Collier was him- 
 self particularly engaged. 
 
 Sir George Collier was sent by the Viscount 
 
12 
 
 V 
 
 Howe to Halifax, to supersede Commodore Ar- 
 buthnot in the command of the squadron stationed 
 in Nova Scotia. His lordship having had intelli- 
 gence that the rebels meditated an attack of that 
 important colony, urged the utmost expedition 
 should be used by Sir George in getting there as 
 soon as possible. The Rainbow^ had so fortunate 
 a passage, that she arrived in Halifax in ten days 
 after leaving Sandy Hook. Sir George found 
 things tolerable quiet in Nova Scotia, and after ta- 
 king the men-of-v^^ar there under his command, he 
 sent them upon such services as appeared best cal- 
 culated for the security of the colony and its trade, 
 the annoyance of the enemy, and the advantage of 
 Great Britain. 
 
 Three months had hardly elapsed after Sir 
 George's arrival, before news was brought that the 
 rebels had invested Fort Cumberland, which, from 
 the weakness of its garrison, and want of cannon, 
 ammunition, and provisions, was judged in some 
 danger. This fort is situated at the head of the 
 Bay of Fundy, upon an isthmus between that and 
 the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The tides in this bay 
 are the most rapid in the world, rising to the asto- 
 nishing height oi sixty -seven feet above low water 
 mark. This, of itself, would make the approach 
 with ships very dangerous ; but joined to the time 
 of year, being the depth of winter season, in which 
 the most intense coldj storms, and heavy snow pre- 
 vail, together with strong currents, thick weather, 
 and sunken rocks, made the sending of any man- 
 
13 
 
 of-war to its relief extremely hazardous. The 
 danger, however, from the rebels being pressing, 
 and the loyal subjects in that neighbourhood fear- 
 ing they should have their lands and habitations ra- 
 vaged by those banditti, made Sir George deter- 
 mine to risk a couple of men-of-war for the fort's 
 relief. The Lizard, frigate, and Hope, sloop, there- 
 fore were ordered for that service, and on board 
 them one hundred and fifty marines were sent be- 
 longing to the squadron, to assist the garrison in 
 raising the blockade. These ships happily arrived 
 without damage, and before the marines could dis- 
 embark, the rebel banditti withdrew themselves 
 and fled to the woods with precipitation. 
 
 The winter passed over without anymore alarms, 
 and the cruisers which Sir George had stationed 
 principally upon the coasts of New-England, were 
 particularly successful in captures, and in retaking 
 a vast number of British ships, many of which had 
 been captured by the rebels on the coast of Great 
 Britain. Our valuable fishery at Canso, was, at 
 the same time, eflfectually protected from the ene- 
 my's depredations, who attempted (as they did the 
 preceding year with success,) again to destroy the 
 fishery and stages. The force sent there by Sir 
 George Collier, prevented their intended ravages, 
 and the winter passed without the least loss to the 
 merchants. 
 
 The House of Assembly (consisting of the repre- 
 sentatives of the people of the province,) are gene- 
 rally convened every year, and their term of sit' 
 
14 
 
 ting lasts from six weeks to two months, according 
 to the business before them. This respectable body 
 showed their grateful sense of Sir George Collier's 
 services, by the following honourable testimony, 
 which passed unanimously, in a very full house, the 
 first day of the session. 
 
 In the House of Assembly, for the Province of 
 Nova Scotia, June \lth, 1777. 
 
 The House having taken into consideration the 
 essential services rendered the province, by the 
 spirited exertions of the officers and seamen of his 
 Majesty's ships, 
 
 Resolved, That the thanks of tliis House be pre- 
 sented to Sir George Collier, commander of his 
 Majesty's ships in this province, for his constant 
 and generous attention to its safety and protection. 
 By order of the House, 
 
 Wm. Nesbitt, Speaker. 
 
 A copy of this resolution was, by order of the 
 House, presented to Sir George CoUier, by a com- 
 mittee of their body appointed to wait upon him 
 for that purpose. 
 
 A like acknowledgement was made from the 
 Governour and Council, in a letter from the Secre- 
 tary of the Province, dated 19th June, and addres- 
 sed to Sir George, expressing " their grateful sense 
 " of the aid the Province had received by the ju- 
 " dicious arrangement of the Naval Force under 
 " his command, and of the readiness and alacrity 
 
15 
 
 *' with which he had always attended to the safety 
 " and protection of the Province." 
 
 Enraged at the disappointment of their schemes, 
 and the ruin of their trade, the Rebel Council of 
 State at Boston were determined to fit out such a 
 force as should sweep their coasts of our cruisers, 
 and destroy our fisheries, both in New-England and 
 Nova Scotia. This resolution met with the hearty 
 concurrence of the whole people of Massachusetts ; 
 and every town situated on the sea coast, cheer- 
 fully joined in affording every assistance to the 
 squadron intended to be fitted out. They used such 
 diligence, after they had determined on this mea- 
 sure, that early in June their fleet was equipped 
 and ready to proceed on service. They appointed 
 an Englishman, whose name was Manley, to the 
 command. This man was born in Torbay, and had 
 been master of a merchant-man before he took 
 arms against his sovereign. A savage courage, and 
 a brutish ferocity of manners, had given him favour 
 with the Rebel Government, and made them think 
 him the most proper person they could employ, in 
 their intended destructive scheme ; neither could 
 it give disgust to any, as they had before raised this 
 man to be the second in command in their Navy ; 
 at the head of which was Hopkins, who was too 
 old and inactive to be employed on this occasion. 
 
 Commodore Manley sailed from Boston the 21st 
 May, having his broad pendant hoisted on board the 
 Hancock ; a fine new Frigate of 34 guns, and 290 
 men. He had with him the Boston of 30 guns ; 
 
u 
 
 the Mifflin, and Tartar of 22 guns ; brig Hawk of 
 18 guns, and four schooners, each of 14 guns. 
 
 This squadron cruised for a short time together, 
 upon St. George's Bank in expectation of meeting 
 some of the King's ships, who were often station- 
 ed there singly. A hard gale of wind, however, dis- 
 persed the rebel fleet, and Manley having omitted 
 one part of a commanding officer's duty, i. e. giving 
 out a rendezvous, the scattered ships knew not 
 where to rejoin him, but each proceeded wherever 
 the caprice of the commander led him. The Bos- 
 ton was the only one that remained with the Han- 
 cock; and finding they were not likely to meet the 
 rest of their squadron, proceeded together towards 
 Newfoundland, with the intention of putting their 
 destructive schemes of destroying the fishery in 
 execution. 
 
 These two pirates accordingly got upon the 
 banks of Newfoundland without any accident, and 
 soon after met with many of the small fishing 
 vessels industriously at work, procuring a cargo. 
 Manley without remorse took the crews out, and 
 burnt them all without mercy; when their numbers 
 grew too alarming, he generally gave them some 
 old rotten vessel in which they might attempt get- 
 ting ashore. This practice he pursued to the infinite 
 distress of the poor people, and great prejudice to 
 the fishery. 
 
 Not satisfied, however, with these savage acts of 
 cruelty and revenge, he determined to pursue it 
 still further, by going into the small harbours and 
 
n 
 
 destroying the fishing stages : he was on his way 
 to put this intention in practice, when, early in the 
 morning of the 8th of June, a large ship was discover- 
 ed to leeward with a tier of guns, which Manley 
 believed to be a frigate belonging to the King; he 
 immediately harangued his people to encourage 
 them, at the same time bearing down upon the 
 stranger. This ship proved to be the Fox, man-of- 
 war of 28 guns, who seeing the Hancock ap- 
 proaching, took her for one of the King's frigates, 
 as there had been no account of any ship so large 
 being fitted out by Congress, nor of their cruising 
 on that station. The Fox, however, was soon con- 
 vinced, what she was, by Manley hoisting rebel col- 
 ours, and ordering her to "strike instantly." The 
 refusal was accompanied with a broadside which 
 was soon returned by the Fox, though her decks 
 were not sufficiently clea?' for action. 
 
 A running fight now commenced. The Fox en- 
 deavoured to get off, in order to be better pre- 
 pared to meet the attack. She set her sails at nine 
 o'clock and it was near one in the afternoon be- 
 fore Manley could bring the Hancock again along 
 side of her, after which a warm action took place 
 on both sides. During the contest several of the 
 rebel crew showed strong signs of fear, and dis- 
 may. Manley, sensible of this ran continually from 
 one end of the ship to the other, in his waistcoat, 
 his shirt tucked up to his shoulders, flourishing and 
 swinging a great cutlass around his head, and with 
 the most horrid imprecations swearing he would 
 2* 
 
18 
 
 cut dowti the first man who should attempt to 
 leave his quarters. 
 
 These threats had the intended effect, and the 
 action continued with spirit, till the Fox, a good 
 deal disabled, thought proper to strike her colours, 
 which she had scarcely done, before the Boston, 
 who had hitherto kept at a distance, came under 
 her stern and gave her a broadside, to the great 
 displeasure of Manley, who inveighed loudly 
 against a proceeding so unfair and unnecessary. 
 
 Both the Hancock and her prize were so much 
 damaged in their rigging, that it required some 
 days to put them into condition to proceed for 
 Boston, which Manley (highly elated with his con- 
 quest,) determined forthwith to do ; postponing 
 his schemes of totally destroying the fishery to 
 another opportunity. Accordingly so soon as they 
 were refitted, they put a part of the Fox's crew 
 into a small fishing vessel which came near them, 
 and divided the remainder between the Hancock 
 and Boston, steering a course for the coast of 
 Nova Scotia. 
 
 Calms and a variety of incidents delayed their 
 passage till the 3d July, when they found them- 
 selves a little to the eastward of Halifax, and near 
 a sloop which seemed bound there. Manley sent 
 his boat and took her. She came from Louisburg 
 and was laden with coals. The three ships with 
 their little prize in company, passed the harbour 
 of Halifax next morning, and continued their 
 
10 
 
 voyage along the coast of Nova Scotia towards 
 Boston. 
 
 Sir George Collier having careened and com- 
 pletely refitted the Rainbovs^, v^as at this time 
 ready for sailing on a cruise. He accordingly pro- 
 ceeded dov^n the harbour on the same day the 
 rebel ships had passed it, and by singular good 
 fortune carried a press of sail on the very track 
 they had pursued, though without knowing it. 
 About four in the afternoon they were discovered 
 from the Rainbow's mast head, at an immense dis- 
 tance ; she immediately gave chase with every 
 sail that could be set, and before night, could dis- 
 cover they were ships of force ; and from the 
 course they steered. Sir George had every reason 
 to believe they were a part of Manley's squadron, 
 whose equipment had made much noise, and oc- 
 casioned great anxiety to the merchants. 
 
 Thinking it highly probable that these pirates 
 would attack the Rainbow in the night. Sir George 
 directed the ship to be cleared for action, and kept 
 every body at their quarters, ready to oppose any 
 attempt the enemy might make. 
 
 The chase was continued all night, and at dawn 
 of day the rebel ships were discovered at not more 
 than six or seven miles distance. Boats seemed to 
 be passing between the sloop and the ships, and 
 soon afterwards the former was discovered to be 
 on fire, and blazing fiercely ; the ships going oflf in 
 a line of battle ahead. 
 
 The Rainbow continued the chase and gained 
 
30 
 
 on the enemy, when about nine o'clock another 
 ship was discovered a head, standing towards the 
 Rainbow. She crossed her about four miles dis- 
 tance, and as soon as she could fetch into the wake 
 of the rebel ships, tacked, and seemed to make 
 a fourth in the line of battle. 
 
 Sir George knowing Manley's squadron consisted 
 of many ships, had no doubt but this was another 
 of them. His only surprise was, that they suffered 
 him to pursue them, instead of being the assailants; 
 which from their very superior force (the Rain- 
 bow being only a 40 gun ship,) they were certain- 
 ly enabled to be. 
 
 About ten o'clock the enemy's ships altered their 
 course and bore away ; and shortly after, several 
 shots were exchanged between the stranger (who 
 till now had been supposed one of their fleet,) and 
 the sternmost of the pirates. The strange ship had 
 an old red English ensign hoisted ; and Sir George 
 then directed the colours of the Rainbow to be 
 shown, and fired a gun to leeward, as signal to that 
 ship of his being a friend. The rebel ships seemed ir- 
 resolute, and undecided both as to their course and 
 conduct ; the headmost of them kept more away, 
 and was chased by the stranger, which Sir George 
 saw was the Flora, frigate. The Rainbow followed 
 the two others, and shortly after the headmost, 
 which was pursued by the Flora, frigate, again al- 
 tered her course to join her comrades ; and coming 
 within the reach of the Rainbow's fire, she poured 
 two or three broadsides into her in passing, though 
 
21 
 
 without being able to bring clown efther mast or 
 sail. 
 
 Sir George left the Flora in pursuit of this ship, 
 and the other two having altered their course and 
 steered different ways, he thought it best to follow 
 the largest, which appeared a fine ship of 34 guns, 
 and was averred to be the Hancock, commodore 
 Manley, by a midshipman of the Rainbow, who a 
 little before had been prisoner at Boston, and had 
 seen that ship at anchor there. 
 
 The particular chase of the Hancock began 
 about one o'clock in the afternoon of the 7th July, 
 and was continued for some hours without any 
 great prospect of coming up with her, as she seem- 
 ed to outsail the Rainbow ; but Manley, to endeav- 
 our making his ship sail faster, started the water in 
 his fore hold, and by that means put her out of trim ; 
 through this circumstance the King's ship gained 
 fast upon the Hancock, and by close of day had 
 got so near, as enabled Sir George (by the help of 
 a night glass,) to keep sight of her all night. Man- 
 ley, whilst the darkness continued, altered his course 
 several times, and practised all the doublings and 
 finesse usual on such occasions. At dawn of day 
 a small brig was discovered not far from the chase, 
 who in passing fired several shot at the Hancock, 
 one of which went in at a port hole and killed the 
 man at the helm. Sir George, as he came nearer 
 the brig, knew her to be the Victor, a small vessel 
 of 10 guns, commanded by one of the lieutenants 
 of the Rainbow. Her rate of sailing, however, was 
 
m 
 
 so indifferent, that she was soon left at a considera- 
 ble distance a-stern. About five in the morning, the 
 Rainbow being within gun shot of the Hancock, 
 began firing upon her, as she could bring her guns 
 to bear loaden with round and grape shot. At nine 
 Sir George ordered Manley to be hailed, and ac- 
 quainted that " if he expected any quarter he must 
 surrender immediately.^^ No reply was made to 
 this ; but a small breeze springing up, the rebels at- 
 tempted to set their steering sails on the other side. 
 The Rainbow upon this began a heavy fire, and in 
 half an hour afterwards they struck the rebel co- 
 lours, and surrendered to his Majesty's arms. 
 
 By the return of the boat with prisoners. Sir 
 George first learned the loss of the Fox, man-of- 
 war, which was the ship the Rainbow had fired at, 
 in passing, and left the Flora in chase of. Captain 
 Fotheringham (her late commander,) and fifty of 
 his crew were found on board the Hancock in cap- 
 tivity. The third ship of this little squadron which 
 escaped, was the Boston of 30 guns, commanded 
 by a Macneal, whom Manley execrated with many 
 oaths for his cowardice in not assisting him. The 
 fact was, that they all three deserved the name of 
 arrant poltroons, for not attacking the Rainbow the 
 night they first saw her, as their force was so in- 
 finitely superior, for they had between three and 
 four hundred men more than the Rainbow ; and as 
 the water was perfectly smooth, they might all 
 three have boarded her ; and if they behaved as 
 
23 
 
 brave men, ought (without a doubt,) to have car- 
 ried her. 
 
 The scene, however, was fortunately different. 
 Manley affected to be in most violent concern 
 when he came on board the Rainbow, to find she 
 was of no more force, declaring he had believed 
 her to be the Raisonable of 64 guns. Manley's 
 captain, who was brought on board with him, was 
 an Englishman, and to the disgrace of his coun- 
 try, a most inveterate rebel. 
 
 The number of prisoners being nearly equal to 
 the crew of the Rainbow, it became necessary to 
 get into port as fast as possible. Three days after 
 the capture Sir George entered the harbour of 
 Halifax with his prize. The merchant-men having 
 got intelligence of it, ornamented their vessels with 
 colours, firing their guns, and huzzaing, as the Rain- 
 bow passed along, giving every token of the high- 
 est joy and satisfaction. The Flora having also re- 
 taken the Fox, had arrived with her at Halifax the 
 preceding day. Advice arriving about this time 
 that the rebels from Machias had embarked in 
 several small vessels with a view of making a de- 
 scent in Nova Scotia, near the river of St. John's. 
 Sir George immediately ordered captain Hawker 
 in his majesty's ship, the Mermaid, to proceed to St. 
 John's, together with the Vulture and Hope, sloops, 
 assisted by the garrison of Fort Cumberland, which 
 was to join them afterwards. The Vulture arriving 
 first, found the town in possession of the rebels, 
 who fired at his boats in landing, killed and wound- 
 
24 
 
 ed six of their men ; but upon the Mermaid's an- 
 choring, the rebels quitted the town, taking post 
 round it in the woods. Captain Hawker, however, 
 thinking he had force sufficient to dislodge them, 
 made a disposition for that purpose, which was 
 hardly completed before a detachment arrived 
 from Fort Cumberland, who, immediately landing, 
 and joining the seamen, they drove the rebels be- 
 fore them with a considerable loss ; but they know- 
 ing the country better than the King's people, re- 
 treated up the river till they got above the Falls ; 
 and then, though dispersed, made their escape 
 across by means of whale-boats ; but their expedi- 
 tion turned out so bad, and they were so harass- 
 ed, and almost starved for want of provisions, in 
 their flight, that it threw a damp for a consider- 
 able time on their schemes of invading Nova 
 Scotia. 
 
 It was, however, at length resumed by the di- 
 rection of the ruling powers of Boston ; and colonel 
 Allen was sent from thence, to encourage the peo- 
 ple of Machias to engage in the service, and to es- 
 tablish magazines for that purpose, of provisions, 
 ammunition, and clothing. Colonel Allen brought 
 with him presents for the Indians of St. John's, 
 whose friendship and assistance he was ordered to 
 court, by every method in his power. He was in- 
 defatigable in all the business he was charged with, 
 getting a promise from the Indian Chiefs to join 
 in the attack of Nova Scotia. He raised a large 
 number of men, whom he assiduously trained to ex- 
 
25 
 
 ercise ; and by the large supplies from Boston, 
 some considerable magazines were established, 
 and grew fast to a completion. 
 
 The vicinity of Machias to the frontiers of Nova 
 Scotia, made it impossible the great preparations 
 carrying on there could be long a secret at Hali- 
 fax: the governor and council accordingly took 
 the alarm ; convinced of the imminent danger 
 which threatened the colony, they laid their ap- 
 prehensions before Sir George Collier and Gene- 
 ral Massey, (who commanded the troops,) offering 
 it as their opinion, that the only way to prevent 
 the attack, was to begin with the rebels at Machias, 
 before their preparations should be quite ready, 
 and urging those gentlemen to co-operate on this 
 occasion with the ships and troops under their com- 
 mand, to carry the war into the enemy's country. 
 
 General Massey excused himself from having 
 any concern in it. He said he was left there by 
 General Howe to protect and defend Halifax, if 
 it should be attacked ; but that he had no power 
 to send troops out of the province, or to attempt 
 any expedition offensive to the enemy. 
 
 Sir George Collier, in answer to the application 
 of the governor and council, informed them that 
 he would instantly sail with what men-of-war he 
 could collect, and do every thing in his power to 
 destroy the enemy's magazines, and prevent their 
 intended invasion of the Province. He accordingly 
 put to sea in two days, having only the Rainbow 
 and Blonde, frigates, with him ; but the Mermaid 
 3 
 
26 
 
 joined him on the passage, and he found the Hope 
 at anchor amongst the Cranberry Islands, (near 
 Mount Desart,) whom he directed to procure intel- 
 ligence of what was doing at Machias, and to meet 
 him at these islands. 
 
 The captain of the Hope confirmed every tittle 
 relative to the intended enterprise of the rebels, and 
 by a spy he sent, found there w^as great reason to 
 suspect many traitors, who were in Nova Scotia, 
 intended joining with and assisting the rebels, when- 
 ever they made their appearance there. Sir 
 George, upon this intelligence, weighed immedi- 
 ately with his little squadron, and proceeded to- 
 wards the harbour of Machias ; but the passage 
 was rendered very dangerous, by thick fogs, strong 
 currents, and numerous breakers and shoals, which 
 had very nearly wrecked all the ships. They es- 
 caped, however, and made at last the entrance of 
 the harbour, up which the squadron proceeded as 
 high as the Rainbow could possibly go, who then 
 anchored, but the other ships drawing less water, 
 went on. The arrangement had been made pre- 
 vious to entering the harbour, and accordingly the 
 marines of all the ships were put on board the 
 Hope, who, with some small vessels, proceeded up, 
 till she was stopped by a boom across the river, 
 which was defended by a small fort. The rebels 
 from the woods kept up a warm fire of musquetry, 
 but the fort was abandoned after a few broadsides 
 from the Hope. The marines were then landed, 
 and the boom being examined, was easily cut. The 
 
27 
 
 Hope proceeded on, flanked by the marines, who 
 marched along the side of the river. They soon 
 came to the spot where the magazines were erect- 
 ed, which they found to consist of great quantities 
 of clothing, salt provisions, and ammunition : they 
 were large separate buildings, tlwee in number. 
 The stores were very valuable ; but as the rebels 
 increased fast, and kept up a constant firing from 
 the woods, there was no possibility of bringing 
 any part away. The buildings were therefore set 
 fire to, and the whole quantity of stores consumed, 
 together with a large corn mill, and three saw^ 
 mills. The habitations of the people, and all pri- 
 vate property were spared, by the express orders 
 of Sir George, who wished to bring back those in- 
 fatuated people by acts of lenity rather than se- 
 verity. 
 
 The marines, after this, re-embarked, and the 
 Hope and small vessels proceeded a little higher 
 up, into the centre of the town, with an intention 
 of destroying three or four other saw-mills situated 
 there ; but the rebels by this time had increased 
 so considerably, and appeared so much in force, 
 and with a body of Indians, that the officer charged 
 with this service very prudently declined hazard- 
 ing the lives of his people, as the object was not 
 worth it. Accordingly, as soon as the ebb-tide 
 made, he weighed and dropped down the river ; 
 the rebels lining the woods on each side, and 
 keeping up an unceasing fire of musquetry. 
 
 The Hope had not proceeded far, when by some 
 
28 
 
 accident she got aground, and in spite of every ex- 
 ertion to get her off, the tide ebbed so fast, as to 
 leave her almost dry. The rebels instantly availed 
 themselves of this accident, and, in addition to their 
 incessant fire of musquetry, brought a small can- 
 non (a three-pounder) down, (through the woods,) 
 with which they annoyed her extremely till the 
 next tide, when she luckily floated again, though a 
 good deal damaged, and joined the rest of the 
 squadron, who had anchored as high up the river 
 as the depth of water would permit of. 
 
 This fortunate enterprise put an entire end to 
 all future attempts of the rebels to invade Nova 
 Scotia ; and it was achieved with much less loss 
 than might have been expected, considering the 
 force of the enemy, there being only three men 
 killed and eighteen wounded in the whole ; viz. 
 
 
 Killed. 
 
 AVounded. 
 
 In the Rainbow 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 " Blonde 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 " Mermaid 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 Hope 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 Total 
 
 3 
 
 18 
 
 The news was received with great joy at Ha- 
 lifax, as it freed the province from the fears of in- 
 vasion. The House of Assembly was at that time 
 prorogued ; but Sir George received the thanks 
 of the governor and council in the following let- 
 ter: 
 
29 
 
 " Secretary's Office, 
 
 Halifax, August 24:th, 1777. 
 Sir, 
 
 Your letter dated the 17th of this month, from 
 His Majesty's ship Rainbow, in Machias harbour, 
 and addressed to the Lieutenant Governor and 
 Council, was received yesterday ; and I have the 
 honour, on their behalf, to acknowledge the signal 
 service you have done for the frontier settlements 
 in that part of this Province, by the readiness and 
 zeal wherewith you have pursued the views of this 
 government, in destroying the preparations which 
 the rebels had been making at Machias to attempt 
 an invasion. For this service, sir, executed with 
 that alacrity which you have always shown for 
 the King's service on this station, the Lieutenant 
 Governor and Council request you will accept 
 their best thanks. 
 
 I have the honour to be, respectfully, 
 Sir, 
 Your most obedient 
 
 And most humble servant, 
 
 RICHARD BUCKELEY. 
 To Sir George Collier, commander of His Majes- 
 ty's ship Rainbow, and commanding on the sta- 
 tion of Nova Scotia, &c. &c." 
 
 The business at Machias being effectually end- 
 ed, the Commodore weighed with the squad- 
 ron, and, as soon as he got out to sea, sent the 
 Blonde and Mermaid upon the stations he judged 
 3* 
 
30 
 
 most necessary, himself and the Hope proceeding 
 to the westward, along the coast of New-England ; 
 not far from the harbour of Townsend, he took 
 a small fishing sloop, and wishing to procure hitel- 
 ligence of any rebel ships about to sail, he accepted 
 the offer of a Mr. Goldthwayte, (whom Sir George 
 had taken up at sea in an open boat, making his 
 escape from the rebel coast,) to go in disguise in 
 her, and learn if there was any thing in that neigh- 
 bourhood worth the hazard of attempting. Sir 
 George sent a midshipman and six seamen with Mr. 
 Goldthwayte, to navigate the sloop, and the Rain- 
 bow and Hope were to lie to for his return for 
 three days, at such a distance from shore as not to 
 be discovered from it. 
 
 The vessel went away in the night, and steered 
 in for some of the small harbours on the coast. 
 The first day passed without much expectation, 
 but the two following, every eye on board the ships 
 were anxiously looking out for her return. They 
 were disappointed, however ; for the three allot- 
 ted days passed without getting any tidings of the 
 sloop. 
 
 Sir George began to be uneasy at the loss of 
 so many good seamen: he however remained 
 twenty-four hours longer on the same station ; and 
 then, not hearing any thing of the vessel, steered 
 towards the harbour of Townsend, at the entrance 
 of which he anchored, and sent the Hope in, di- 
 recting a flag of truce should go from her, to make 
 inquiry if any such men were taken prisoners. 
 
31 
 
 This measure was singularly fortunate : the 
 Hope's boat came on board the Rainbow some 
 hours after, with the midshipman and all the peo- 
 ple, except Mr. Goldthwayte, whom the rebels 
 had detained, under pretence of his being a sub- 
 ject of their usurped State. 
 
 The midshipman informed the Commodore, that 
 the day after leaving the ship, they had seen seve- 
 ral other fishing vessels, which they took no no- 
 tice of, but proceeded towards a small harbour, 
 where they hoped, under the appearance of New- 
 England men, to procure some intelligence ; that, 
 as they approached, they discovered a rebel pri- 
 vateer coming out, who passed them so near, as 
 (from some cause or other) to entertain suspicion, 
 and send their boat to examine the vessel : they 
 soon discovered the deception, and made them 
 prisoners ; but the captain not choosing to encum- 
 ber himself with them, as he was going to sea, 
 sent the boat ashore, and delivered them to some 
 militia, who marched them along towards Boston, 
 where they were to be confined in jail. The road 
 lying through Townsendt and a heavy rain falling, 
 their guard halted them there just in the nick of 
 time, when the Hope approached to inquire after 
 such men. The inhabitants, fearful of irritating by 
 a refusal, prevailed with their escort to deliver them 
 up, except Mr. Goldthwayte, who, having lived as 
 a merchant in a town not far distant, (Witchcastle) 
 and being inimical to the rebel government, they 
 seemed determined to retain, for punishment. The 
 
m 
 
 captain of the Hope acquainted Sir George that the 
 people of Townsend had behaved with civility to- 
 wards him, and had consented to let his people 
 fill casks ashore for watering his ship. 
 
 The Commodore, upon receiving this account, 
 weighed his anchor, and proceeded with the Rain- 
 bow into the harbour of Townsend, sending at the 
 same time a flag of truce ashore with a letter, de- 
 manding instantly the release of Mr. Goldthwayte, 
 on pain of having their town destroyed, and al- 
 lowing them only half an hour to determine in. 
 
 The return of the boat brought Mr. Goldthwayte 
 off, whose terrors had exceeded description, being 
 convinced, that if the Rainbow had sailed without 
 him, nothing could have prevented his being hang- 
 ed by the rebels. 
 
 From the ready concurrence of the people of 
 Townsend to allow of the Hope's getting as much 
 water as she wanted. Sir George ordered the long- 
 boat of the Rainbow on the same service, and they 
 proceeded early next morning, in a peaceable 
 manner, to the watering place, for that purpose ; 
 but they had not long been ashore, till a number 
 of armed men came down, seized the boat, and 
 took the master and eight men prisoners. 
 
 Having a flat-bottom boat, which would con- 
 tain fifty men besides the rowers. Sir George im- 
 mediately got her ready, barricaded her, and or- 
 dered fifty marines, with their officers, into her. 
 He then directed a lieutenant of the ship to pro- 
 ceed ashore and bring off" the long-boat, which lay 
 
33 
 
 in sight, loaded with empty casks. The officer 
 executed his orders without losing a man, though 
 three or four hundred armed rebels surrounded 
 the spot where the long-boat lay. None of them 
 had ever seen a flat-bottom boat before: they 
 gazed on her with surprise and admiration : they 
 saw eighteen oars in motion impelling this strange 
 appearance forward, but could not discover a sin- 
 gle man. The mouth of a cohorn, loaded with 
 musquet balls, appeared in front, which the rebels 
 believed to be a six-pounder, and inquired of their 
 prisoners if it was so, who did not disabuse their 
 mistake. The long-boat was brought back with- 
 out the loss of a single cask. 
 
 The Commodore, understanding that a clergy- 
 man of the name of Murray, who lived at this 
 place, had acquired a wonderful ascendancy over, 
 and had the entire guidance of the people of this 
 district, wrote the following letter to him, which 
 he sent by a boat bearing a flag of truce : 
 
 " Rainbow, in Townsend Harbour, 
 
 21th August, 1777. 
 Sir: 
 
 After the promise made yesterday to Captain 
 Dawson, of His Majesty's ship Hope, by you and 
 the committee, that no molestation should be given 
 to the men and boats employed in watering, I am 
 extremely surprised at the breach of faith just 
 committed, in seizing the boat's crew I sent peace- 
 ably for that purpose. It is in my power, you must 
 
34 
 
 be sensible, to take a very prompt satisfaction of 
 the inhabitants of Townsend for this insuh, but I 
 am very loth to distress individuals, unless com- 
 pelled to it. 
 
 I demand the immediate restitution of the eight 
 men you detain ; and I w^ill have them without 
 any conditions whatever. I desire an immediate 
 answer. 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your very humble servant, 
 
 GEORGE COLLIER. 
 To the Rev. Mr. Murray, 
 at Townsend." 
 
 The flag of truce waited for some time, and then 
 returned with the following answer : 
 
 " The militia of this county, assembled by alarm, 
 now sitting by their officers in council of war, 
 highly resent the conduct of the inhabitants of 
 Townsend yesterday, in presuming to deliver up 
 prisoners of war, as well as the granting Captain 
 Dawson liberty to water, without the consent of 
 authority. 
 
 The Council are of opinion, that there was no 
 propriety in Sir George Collier's treating with 
 these few people upon a matter which properly 
 belonged to the State, and was the business of a 
 cartel. 
 
 Depending, however, upon Sir George's honour, 
 for delivering an equal number of our prisoners, 
 now in his hands, and of the same quality, they 
 
35 
 
 detained the men in his boat, only to know his de- 
 termination on that subject : as soon as that is 
 known, the men shall be returned. 
 
 And upon condition that Sir George will make 
 no further demands, the Council will give leave 
 to a single boat at a time, with any number of 
 men, unarmed, to come to the watering place, and 
 take away as much water as they can fill in two 
 or three tides. 
 
 By order of the Council, 
 
 SAMUEL M'COBB, President. 
 Booth Bay, 
 2Sth August, 1777." 
 
 To which Sir George sent by the flag of truce 
 the following reply : 
 
 " A paper being sent me, signed by Samuel 
 M'Cobb, promising that the men who were de- 
 tained this morning should be set at liberty, pn 
 my consenting to give in exchange an equal num- 
 ber and rank for those taken in the schooner by a 
 privateer, I consent to the request made me, and 
 will deliver an equal number, either here, or as 
 soon as I return to Halifax. 
 
 (Signed) GEORGE COLLIER. 
 
 Rainbow, in Townsend Harbour, 
 28^^ August, 1111 r 
 
 The flag of truce also carried the following note 
 to Mr. Murray ; 
 
" If Mr. Murray, by himself or with any others 
 he may choose to accompany him, will come on 
 board the Rainbow and confer with Sir George 
 Collier, he pledges his word and honour for their 
 safe return as soon as they request it ; and upon 
 Mr. Murray's signifying his assent, Sir George 
 will send a flag of truce, in a larger boat, to bring 
 them on board. 
 
 GEORGE COLLIER. 
 
 Rainbow, 28th August, 1777." 
 
 To which the boat returned with the following 
 answer : 
 
 " Townsend, 28th Augast, 1777. 
 Sir: 
 
 I have the honour of two letters this morning 
 from you, and having obtained leave of the coun- 
 cil of war now sitting, I mean to have the pleasure 
 of waiting on Sir George on board the Rainbow, 
 at 12 o'clock, in my own boat, when I doubt not 
 I can easily convince you of the impropriety of im- 
 puting the detaining of men in your boat to the 
 people of Townsend, or of your taking of any sort 
 of revenge on them for that act. Haste forbids 
 my adding more, save that I have the honour to 
 be. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient and very humble servant, 
 (Signed,) JNO. MURRAY. 
 
 Sir George Collier." 
 
37 
 
 Mr. Murray accordingly made his visit at the 
 hour he mentioned. He was received v^ith civility 
 by Sir George, but seemed full of apprehension 
 and fears, at his first coming on board. He was 
 a cunning, sensible man, and had a great influ- 
 ence over all the people in the country round 
 Townsend. He was born in Ireland, but had re- 
 sided for some years in this place : his house was 
 situated upon an eminence not far from the water 
 side. It appeared a very handsome edifice, and 
 had gardens and shrubberies happily disposed 
 round it. A consciousness of being within reach 
 of Sir George's power, was the true reason of the 
 King's people being given up, and of all the con- 
 cessions they made. Sir George offered him some 
 trifling presents, which he refused, for fear of giv- 
 ing jealousy to his brother rebels. He ascribed 
 the seizing of the men who were watering entirely 
 to the neighbouring militia, but said Col. M'Cobb 
 had promised their release, and that they would 
 be given up whenever Sir George sent for them, 
 which they accordingly were. 
 
 The Commodore in return sent on shore thirteen 
 men, who were prisoners, which gave occasiun 
 next day to the following letter : 
 
 " Townsend, 29th August, 1777. 
 Mr. Murray presents his compliments to Sir 
 George Collier, by desire of the officers and com- 
 mittee, and begs leave to inquire whether Sir 
 George means that they should receive the thir- 
 4 
 
teen persons (including a boy, three men sick of 
 an epidemical disease, and seven or eight who are 
 not prisoners of war) as a just exchange for eight 
 men in health, prisoners of war, two of whom 
 were officers. The inhabitants, anxious to act, so as 
 to be able to answer for their conduct to the author- 
 ity over them, earnestly request Sir George Collier 
 to send his answer as soon as may be convenient 
 for him, that they may know what to do with, 
 these men." 
 
 The Commodore had availed himself of the con- 
 sent given for his procuring water, and had ac- 
 cordingly sent his long-boat ashore, with men, 
 unarmed, to fill it. One of these, a marine in re- 
 gimentals, contrived to desert, and notwithstand- 
 ing all the inquiry the officer with him made, the 
 man could not be heard of. 
 
 Sir George, upon being made acquainted with 
 this, sent a message ashore, demanding the imme- 
 diate delivery up of the deserter, to which Mr, 
 Murray returned the following answer : 
 
 " Townscnd, 29th August, 1777, 
 Sin, 
 
 You do justice to the commjUee, as well as to 
 myse'If, when you assure yourself no sanction shall 
 be given by us to any thing here that might 
 wear the aspect of a violation of the treaty of yes- 
 terday. 
 
 I had just heard, that the officer of the boat 
 had told the guard of the desertion of one of your 
 
39 
 
 men -, I immediately took horse to go to the pkce 
 in order to inquire into that matter. I find he 
 was gone before the guard was set. Every one 
 of the guard declares he has not seen him. The 
 commanding officer of the day is gone to one of 
 the outposts at present ; when he returns, which 
 I expect in the afternoon, I will lay the matter be- 
 fore him, and doubt not he will send to the differ- 
 ent quarters of the town in search of him. How- 
 ever, I will venture to promise, that if he is found 
 in the town, he will be returned. We have no 
 desire to make any acquisition of that sort, and 
 should expect no advantage from them if made. 
 I believe no means have been used to decoy the 
 man. If the guard had been at the place, I pre- 
 sume they would rather have detected than se- 
 creted him. 
 
 But I hope Sir George will not expect, that the 
 inhabitants either can or ought to look upon them- 
 selves bound to prevent the desertion of men that 
 are under the care of his officers, nor obliged to 
 answer for them, if any such (through the neglect 
 of such officers) should happen. 
 
 The utmost that I can promise, or Sir George can 
 expect, is, that we will neither decoy nor secrete 
 them as far as our bounds extend, and that we 
 will return them as soon as we find them. I have 
 the honour to be, Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient, 
 
 and very humble servant, 
 
 JOHN MURRAY. 
 Sir George Collier." 
 
40 
 
 To which the following answer was sent : 
 
 " Rainbow, 29t7i August, 1777. 
 Sir, 
 
 I received your letter of this day. I cannot 
 comprehend your distinction between prisoners 
 and prisoners of war, any more than I do your 
 seeming opinion, that a sick prisoner is not equally 
 exchangeable with one in perfect health. How- 
 ever, I will make that matter very easy to you and 
 your committee, by receiving back any of the pri- 
 soners sent ashore that you object to, and return- 
 ing from Halifax a sufficient number to make up 
 the eight men released, who were taken by the 
 privateer. 
 
 I must at the same time declare myself by no 
 means satisfied with your answer about the de- 
 serter, and again apply to you to cause him to be 
 delivered up. I am, Sir, 
 
 Your very humble serv't. 
 GEORGE COLLIER. 
 
 There was only one midshipman returned in- 
 stead of two officers you mention. Mr. Gold- 
 thwayte is no officer, but a passenger." 
 
 This produced the following reply : 
 
 " Tow7isend, SOth August, 1777. 
 Sir, 
 
 Your letter this morning received by your flag, 
 to which I have the honour now to reply, calls 
 
41 
 
 my attention to two objects, on both of which I 
 shall beg leave to express the sentiments of the of- 
 ficers and committee, by whose order I write, fully 
 confiding in the acknowledged candour of your hon- 
 our for screening myself from the injurious suppo- 
 sition of intending any thing to give the least um- 
 brage to you, these sentiments are as follows : 
 
 Any person held in duresse, whether on a matter 
 of record, or oifact, is a prisoner of law; if seized 
 by mandate of the supreme power without either, 
 he is a prisoner of state, and he only that is taken 
 in arms, or levying w ar against the authority of the 
 captor, is to be deemed d^, prisoner of war. It has 
 not (as far as we know) been the practice of either 
 party in the present unhappy and much regretted 
 war, to detain the person, even though they confis- 
 cate the property of the professed subjects of the 
 other, when taken only in quiet and peaceable pur- 
 suit of their ordinary lawful business ; such persons 
 not being in the service of either contender, have 
 never been considered as liable to the treatment 
 supposed to be due to such as were in service. 
 On the part of America, we do not understand that 
 any ransom has ever been required for the release 
 of the prisoners of that class, that have fallen 
 into their hands ; and, to the honour of the British 
 arms, we have frequently seen the commanders of 
 His Majesty's forces, both by sea and land, setting 
 at liberty, as soon as they had opportunity, such of 
 the Americans as they had taken only in a peacC' 
 able trade ; and no commander on this station haa 
 4* 
 
42 
 
 been more distinguished for that humane and ge- 
 nerous practice, than your honour ; and to the 
 benefit of it the prisoners sent ashore received a 
 pecuhar claim by the kind promise your honour 
 (as they say) was pleased to make them, of their 
 being liberated as soon as you came to any New- 
 England port, without any exchange or ransom ; 
 from which it is not doubted but you would have 
 set them ashore here if you had received no pri- 
 soners from us at all. 
 
 Therefore their liberation by way of exchange 
 is conceived to be a hardship both to the state and 
 to the town. To the state, as eight men are thereby 
 put into the hand of its enemies, and into their 
 immediate service, in lieu of men that it has no 
 right to call into the service of America, either by 
 sea or land, while as many that are engaged to 
 continue in that service during the war, are still 
 detained; and from whom these eight men would 
 have been a just exchange. 
 
 To the town, inasmuch as their country will call 
 them to account for their transaction, and they 
 have nothing to expect but its resentments for thus 
 betraying its interests : to this resentment we fear 
 one expression in your last will especially expose 
 them. You declare Mr. Goldthwayte only "« 
 passenger :" if so, your peremptory demand that 
 this town " should instantly deliver him to you 
 without any condition or cause alleged," will pub- 
 licly be understood as a requisition for sending on 
 board your ship a free citizen, and one of our 
 
43 
 
 brethren, without any stipulation ; and this peo- 
 ple's compliance with that demand will be inter- 
 preted as betraying a member of the community, 
 who was entitled to the protection of the law, and 
 so a (constructively) conspiring with its enemies 
 against the safety of the state. 
 
 To all this we beg leave to subjoin, that although 
 sick men are doubtless as exchangeable as men in 
 perfect health, yet we presume it is for men only 
 in the same predicament ; however, as this point 
 has been fully debated by the Generals Howe and 
 Washington, in a public manner, already, it does 
 not become our obscurity to insert our thoughts 
 into the subject, when we address ourselves to 
 you. We have no thoughts of forcing any of our 
 brethren whom you have sent to us, to return to 
 you ; nor can we be able to bring the present dis- 
 pute to any adjustment, but what is the issue of 
 your will and pleasure alone ; but we cannot avoid 
 submitting the whole matter to the cognizance of 
 this and the United States, and we must abide by 
 their judgement. 
 
 It is needless to remind your honour, that the 
 inhabitants have cause to judge their lives brought 
 pecuharly into danger, by the introduction of an 
 epidemical disease amongst them, without being 
 able to find a physician, medicines, or even neces- 
 sary comforts against it, for themselves, or those 
 now sick of it. 
 
 Now, with regard to the matter of the deserter, 
 it gives us much surprise that your honour should 
 
be by no means satisfied with the declarations al- 
 ready made on our parts, unless you doubt the 
 veracity of them ; of that veracity you may have 
 any assurance you shall think proper. Lieutenant 
 Colonel Reed has advertised the man ; I have sent 
 the notice of him to Georgetown and Penalbo- 
 rough already ; besides this, we shall continue our 
 endeavours to recover him ; but it is not improba- 
 ble he has reached Cumberland county before 
 now, if he is at all acquainted with the country: 
 more than this, it is impossible for us to perform ; 
 and I flatter myself your honour has no thoughts 
 of making any thing beyond this the term of our 
 safety. 1 have the honour to be. Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient and 
 Very humble servant, 
 
 JNO. MURRAY. 
 Sir George Collier." 
 
 To this Sir George Collier sent the following 
 answer : 
 
 " Rainbow, Townsend Harbour, 
 1st September, 1777. 
 Sir, 
 
 If my health had permitted me, I should have 
 given an immediate answer to your letter of the 
 30th past ; written, as you inform me, by orders of 
 the officers and committee, as expressive of their 
 sentiments. 
 
 When I told you in my last letter that I could 
 
45 
 
 not comprehend your distinction between ^mower* 
 and prisoners of ivar, I certainly could never mean 
 any other prisoners than such as are belonging to 
 a country at war with Great Britain ; your expla- 
 nation, therefore, of "prisoners of law," and "pri- 
 soners of state," was extremely unnecessary. You 
 tell me that those only are prisoners of war who 
 are taken in arms, or levying war against the au- 
 thority of the captor; but on what grounds do 
 you form this opinion ? It is not from all the wars 
 Great Britain has been engaged, for a century 
 past ; for in those it has been invariably the usage 
 to consider every prisoner taken, (whether in men- 
 of-war, privateers, or merchant vessels,) as 'pri- 
 soners of iDcir, and to confine them indiscriminate- 
 ly together ; and when the exchange took place, 
 they were as indiscriminately exchanged. 
 
 You are entirely mistaken when you say that 
 it has not been the practice during the present un- 
 happy war, to detain the persons though their pro- 
 perty is confiscated, and that 710 ransom has been 
 required on the part of America for the release of 
 prisoners of that class, who have fallen into their 
 hands. 
 
 Among other instances, I must point out that 
 cartel in which Mr. Glover came to Halifax as 
 commissary, who produced to the commissary I 
 appointed to treat with him, a long list of masters, 
 mates, and men from merchant ships, who were 
 liberated, and whom he demanded an equality for 
 
46 
 
 in exchange. I did not, indeed, consent to it, for 
 reasons it is unnecessary to mention now. 
 
 The prisoners I sent ashore here, misinformed 
 you, if they told you of a promise from me to set 
 them at hberty in the first New-England port I 
 came to : I mentioned to them a probability of 
 letting them go the " first convenient opportunity," 
 but at that time I did not think of anchoring upon 
 this coast ; — however, an exchange for them w^as 
 always understood, as it certainly would be very 
 extraordinary to liberate people taken in arms 
 without it. 
 
 I repeat again, that Mr. Goldthwayte ivas only 
 a passenger ; but Mr. Goldthwayte is a faithful 
 subject of His Majesty, and, as such, I demanded 
 his release; I will, however, to save your town 
 from the resentment you seem to apprehend, con- 
 sent to give a petty-officer in exchange for Mr. 
 Goldthwayte, as soon as it is possible for me to do 
 so, by having one in my possession. 
 
 The part of your committee who attended me 
 yesterday, seem to allow but six men out of the 
 whole number I sent on shore, to be eligible for 
 exchanging against the eight returned me. I think 
 very diflferently; yet, willing to gratify the inhabi- 
 tants of Townsend for their peaceable behaviour 
 since His Majesty's ships have been here, 1 will 
 consent to liberate two other prisoners, as soon as I 
 return to Halifax. 
 
 The representation of my having sent some of 
 the prisoners on shore with an "epidemical dis- 
 
47 
 
 temper," is not a fact, if I may credit the report of 
 the surgeons, who declare that there is no epi- 
 demical disorder in the Rainbow ; had it been 
 otherwise, I most certainly would have sent them 
 ashore, for reasons which certainly are too plain 
 to need mentioning. 
 
 I still must be dissatisfied with the account you 
 give of the deserter ; because, I cannot but know, 
 so remarkable an object as a man in English regi- 
 mentals could not travel through a country without 
 people remarking and giving notice of it. Not- 
 withstanding this, and two other instances, which 
 have occasioned me just cause of displeasure, I 
 desire that yourself, and the other inhabitants of 
 Townsend, will remember and do justice to the 
 kindness and forbearance with which you have 
 been treated since the Rainbow has lain here, in 
 which time not an injury of the smallest kind has 
 been sustained by any individual. 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 GEORGE COLLIER. 
 
 Reverend Mr. Murray." 
 
 Having completed watering both ships, they 
 weighed and went to sea, to cruise upon the rebel 
 coast. They were so fortunate in a few days to 
 capture eight or nine vessels, and as they pro- 
 ceeded with this little fleet of prizes along the 
 New-England shore, they discovered a large snow, 
 which, far from running away, stood towards 
 
48 
 
 them, believing them to be some of their brother 
 rebels going to attack a part of Nova- Scotia ; the 
 snow came from the West Indies, and was loaden 
 with rum, molasses, and sail cloth, belonging to a 
 very disaffected man in Boston. Sir George and 
 all his prizes arrived safe at Halifax, to the great 
 joy of the town. 
 
 The Commodore having intelligence that some 
 turbulent spirits were again endeavouring to stir 
 up the people around Machias to attem.pt an inva- 
 sion, directed a man-of-war to proceed thither, 
 and, by a flag of truce in a boat, sent the following 
 declaration to be dispersed among them : 
 
 "DECLARATION 
 By Sir George Collier, commander of His Ma- 
 jesty's ship Rainbow, and having the direction 
 of the King's ships and vessels employed on the 
 coast of New-England and Nova-Scotia. 
 The inhabitants of Machias, not satisfied with 
 the quiet they enjoy, whilst a great part of Ameri- 
 ca are suffering the inconveniences attendant on 
 war, have thought proper, without the least provo- 
 cation, several times to invade and ravage the 
 possessions of their innocent and peaceable neigh- 
 bours (faithful subjects of the King) in the province 
 of Nova- Scotia, and likewise had the temerity 
 last winter to invest Fort Cumberland, in the Bay 
 of Fundy, belonging to His Majesty : 
 
 Such repeated outrages could not pass unno- 
 ticed, and accordingly I thought proper lately to 
 
49 
 
 convince these ill-judging and misled people that 
 their harbour was accessible, and their town at 
 our mercy, if it was judged necessary to reduce it 
 to ashes. His Majesty's ship Hope, therefore, af- 
 ter proceeding up to the town, in spite of all the 
 opposition that could be made against her, showed 
 the inhabitants at the same time a proof of lenity 
 and moderation by sparing the place, and doing no 
 injury to individuals, in the wish that such for- 
 bearance might be the means of preventing a re- 
 petition of the cruel and injurious inroads they 
 have made on their neighbours, wantonly and 
 without reason. 
 
 In order, however, that these motives of the 
 lenity and forbearance shown, not only at Machias, 
 but in Townsend harbour, and other places, may 
 be properly understood, and to let the subjects of 
 His Majesty in the eastern parts of New-England, 
 know what they have to tr'ust to in future, I think 
 proper to declare, that if any more preparations 
 shall be made in those parts, for ravaging and in- 
 vading the province of Nova- Scotia, or that the 
 inhabitants should either attempt collecting fresh 
 magazines, or associating themselves for such a 
 villanous jnirpose, the consequence will inevitably 
 be, laying in ashes every house, mill, store-house, 
 and other buildings belonging to them, of which 
 the inhabitants of Machias, Narraguagus, Golds- 
 borough, and all the neighbouring places on and 
 near the sea-coast, will take notice ; besides which, 
 their harbours shall be so effectually blocked up by 
 5 
 
50 
 
 the ships and vessels of His Majesty, that even their 
 fishing boats will not be suffered to come out be- 
 fore the rebellion is over. 
 
 With this generous caution before them, the in- 
 habitants on the east coast will act as they think 
 proper: but they must remember, if they draw 
 down the threatened punishment, that they have 
 no body to blame for it but themselves. 
 
 And, in order that every proper method to 
 induce the King's subjects before-mentioned to 
 live inoffensively and peaceably shall be used, I 
 hereby declare that if they do so. His Majesty's 
 cruising ships of war will have orders not to injure 
 or molest the fishermen in their occupations of 
 catching fish, provided their vessels c^yyj 710 arms ^ 
 and that the number of men do not exceed eight 
 in any one of them. 
 
 Given on board His Majesty's ship Rain- 
 bow, in the harbour of Townsend, 
 in New-England, the 2d day of Sep- 
 tember, 1777. 
 
 GEO. COLLIER. 
 To the inhabitants of Machias, 
 Narraguagus, and Goldsborough, 
 and the rest of the settlements on 
 the eastern coast of New-Eng- 
 land." 
 
 This declaration had every effect that could be 
 wished for from it ; the inhabitants of Machias and 
 the eastern district were ever after perfectly 
 
51 
 
 peaceable, and never attempted to commit any act 
 of hostility against Nova- Scotia, w^hilst Sir George 
 commanded there. He was as good as his word 
 respecting their fishermen, who never received 
 molestation from the King's cruisers, when they 
 were not armed for war. 
 
 Sir George, anxious again to annoy the enemy, 
 only took in some few refreshments, and then 
 sailed for the coast of New-England. By a fish- 
 ing boat he received intelligence of a large ship 
 loaded with masts, up the river Sheepscut, and de- 
 signed for France. He was extremely anxious to 
 prevent the enemies of Great Britain from profit- 
 ing of the quarrel with her colonies, and therefore 
 was determined to run any hazard, rather than 
 not take or destroy her. 
 
 Having prevailed with the fisherman lo pilot 
 the Rainbow up the river. Sir George put for the 
 entrance of it just before night. Soon after this a 
 most violent storm came on, attended with a black 
 darkness most uncommon and unusual ; the shore 
 on the other side of the river was invisible, the 
 wind was violent, and the danger from the break- 
 ers and sunken rocks was imminent. In this dis- 
 tress and danger they proceeded about twelve 
 miles up the river, when Sir George, from looking 
 at the compass, concluded they were going a 
 wrong course, and on inquiry of the pilot he ac- 
 knowledged it, averring at the same moment he 
 could not guess where the ship then was ; there 
 was no time for hesitation or debate ; Sir George 
 
52 
 
 ordered the anchor to be let go, and that measure 
 saved the ship, on the very brink of destruction ; 
 m swinging round they found the land close on 
 each side, and then the pilot declared the ship was 
 in a small channel called the Oven^s Mouth : the 
 wind blew a storm, but sheltered by the high land 
 and woods there w as no fear of parting the cable. 
 
 At this spot the river Sheepscut branched out 
 into three parts ; the proper one for the Rainbow 
 was the middle one, but the darkness rendered 
 that not to be seen, and Providence directed she 
 should anchor in safety in the entrance of the 
 Oven's Mouth, which was the channel on the right 
 of the true one. 
 
 The darkness, the danger, and the st07in, had no 
 effect to make Sir George forego the object of his 
 attention and pursuit, for a moment ; it was after 
 midnight when the Rainbow anchored, and be- 
 tween one and two in the morning he manned 
 and armed the flat boat and cutter, with a hundred 
 men, commanded by two lieutenants, and sent 
 them up the river, to get possession of the ship 
 before-mentioned, which was represented as lying 
 about twenty miles higher ; these boats accord- 
 ingly proceeded amidst the darkness and a most 
 severe rain ; they got abreast the town of Witch- 
 castle by dawn of day, and pursuing their 
 course undiscovered three miles higher, they saw 
 and took possession of the ship for which all these 
 dangers had been run. 
 
 When the morning appeared Sir George was 
 
50 
 
 beyond measure astonished at the situation he 
 found the Rainbow in. Convinced that nothing 
 but the particular intervention of Providence could 
 have brought him in safety through so intricate 
 and dangerous a channel; he immediately set 
 about weighing his anchor in order to proceed up 
 the river to support the boats, who might proba- 
 bly stand in need of his assistance, from the oppo- 
 sition or attack of the rebels. 
 
 After much fatigue and hazard of losing the 
 ship. Sir George at last got her into the right chan- 
 nel, and then proceeded up in search of the boats. 
 He had not gone five miles before he found reason 
 to admire at his wonderful preservation , by losing 
 the right channel in the dark, which forced him to 
 anchor. Had he proceeded, nothing could have 
 saved him from shipwreck ; for the dangerous 
 sunken rocks spread almost across the river, and 
 hardly afforded room in the clearest day for the 
 ship to pass. What must have been her fate then 
 in the midnight darkness ? 
 
 Passing this imminent danger. Sir George pro- 
 ceeded on, and at last came in sight of a pleasant 
 town called Witchcastle, where he anchored, on 
 being informed there was not depth of water suf- 
 ficient for the Rainbow half a mile higher, and 
 that the mast ship was not more than a league 
 from that spot. 
 
 The people of the place could hardly credit their 
 eyes — they saw, soon after sunrise, a large ship 
 anchored before their town, which they could only 
 5* 
 
54 
 
 impute to enchantment, or her coming through the 
 air ; the tempest of the preceding night had been 
 fiercer than any known for twenty years before ; 
 they had vessels below, to give them notice of any 
 enemy's approach, but no such notice had arrived ; 
 they knew, from the dangers of their river, that 
 nothing could come up in the night, and yet they 
 saw an enemy at their doors soon after sunrise, 
 though thirty miles from the sea. Before their as- 
 tonishment had time to subside, they received by 
 a flag of truce the following summons, which was 
 addressed to their chief judge, Mr. Rice : 
 
 '• To the inhabitants of the town of Witchcastle. 
 Sir George Collier, commanding of His Majes- 
 ty's ship Rainbow, signifies to the inhabitants of 
 Witchcastle, that he has no intentions of injuring 
 their persons or property, unless from their impro- 
 per behaviour they compel him to do so : the ship 
 loading in this river with masts for His Majesty's 
 enemies, is the object of his present attention : and 
 the inhabitants of Witchcastle must not by any 
 means obstruct his seizing and carrying her down 
 the river, as they value the safety of their town ; 
 Sir George therefore recommends to them not to 
 assemble the militia, or other armed men ; since 
 the doing so can answer no puiyose, except bring- 
 ing on hostilities that may probably end in the 
 destruction of the town : though such measure 
 will be very contrary to his intentions and wishes. 
 Sir George Collier demands the delivery of the 
 
55 
 
 two pieces of cannon in the town, the rigging and 
 sails of the mast ship, and the spare masts (if any) 
 lying in or near the basin. 
 
 Upon these conditions being complied with, he 
 pledges his word of honour forf^e safety of the 
 town, and the property of each individual. He 
 desires an immediate answer to this requisition, 
 and expects two respectable inhabitants will re- 
 ^ main in his hands as hostages for the due perform- 
 ance of this covenant, and whom he engages to 
 put safely on shore before he leaves the river. 
 
 Rainbow, off Witchcastle, 
 lOth September, 1777." 
 
 The boat with the flag of truce returned in 
 f^ about two hours with the following answer from 
 Judge Rice : 
 
 " I acknowledge the receipt of a message by a 
 -4^ flag from Sir George Collier, which respects the 
 inhabitants of Witchcastle as well as myself, but as 
 / was inquired after particularly, by the flag, I 
 think it proper to make this short answer in a pri- 
 vate capacity, until I can consult the inhabitants 
 and know their minds, which cannot be done till 
 to-morrow.* The ship Sir George demands, is 
 near four miles from hence, and in the possession 
 of his men, (as I hear,) with one of the pieces of 
 cannon he requires ; the other is carried off*,* but 
 
 A * This was true, though he did not assign the reason : which 
 
 was their being gone up to attack Sir George's people ; the other 
 gun was carried away for the same purpose. 
 
56 
 
 where I cannot learn. The rigging and sails of 
 said ship I have never seen, and know not where 
 they are ; and believe there are no masts but what 
 are at or near the said ship. This being the case, 
 I think we must stand fairly excused in Sir 
 George's own mind from giving hostages for the 
 performance of what is not in our power. 
 I am Sir George's very humble servant, 
 THOMAS RICE. 
 Witchcastle, lOth September, 1777." 
 
 Sir George passed the whole day in the most 
 anxious expectation of seeing the mast ship and 
 his people coming down the river ; he began to 
 grow extremely uneasy after dark, at hearing no 
 tidings of them, and took the resolution of sending 
 a reinforcement of men to their assistance, in a 
 large boat, which proceeded upwards for that pur- 
 pose ; the officer, however, came back some time 
 after, with an account that on advancing he found 
 the river extremely narrow, and as he was silently 
 paddling up, he came to a pass where he heard a 
 great number of voices, though he saw no one, on 
 account of the darkness ; he therefore thought it 
 prudent to return, to prevent any of his people 
 in the boat being killed, which, from the situa- 
 tion of the enemy, might have been the case, 
 without his being able to fulfil the purpose for 
 which he was sent. 
 
 Sir George spent some hours in great bitter- 
 ness, seeing his situation was become very dan- 
 
57 
 
 gerous and critical. His zeal for the success of 
 the enterprise had made him detach a greater 
 force from the ship than j^rudence would warrant. 
 Two lieutenants out of three, and one hundred 
 men, out of two hundred and eighty, were in the 
 utmost jeopardy of being killed or taken prisoners. 
 The militia was apparently flocking in from all 
 parts. The passage down to the sea was danger- 
 ous beyond expression ; exposed to sunken rocks, 
 a very narrow channel, and subject to annoyance 
 from each side, where the land was covered with 
 thick woods, and as high as St. PauVs church ; 
 the least mistake in going down would be the cer- 
 tain loss of the ship ; for in case she had the mis- 
 fortune of striking the ground, she must remain 
 there, as no boats could venture out to use means 
 for getting her off", since every man in them would 
 probably be shot by the concealed rebels in the 
 heights above them. 
 
 Sir George, however, appeared as cheerful as pos- 
 sible, and remained the most of the night looking 
 out for the boats, though he was fatigued to death 
 with thirty-six hours incessant attention, and with- 
 out a moment's sleep. Between two and three in 
 the morning a great deal of firing from musketry 
 was heard up the river ; every one now was in 
 high expectations of seeing the mast ship in our 
 possession ; they looked out impatiently through 
 the darkness to discover her approach, but in vain ; 
 the firing sometimes ceased, and then began again 
 with increased violence ; after continuing for a 
 
58 
 
 quarter of an hour, it stopped ; and about half 
 past three the sound of oars was distinguishable ; 
 shortly after which the two boats returned on 
 board, to the very great joy of every body. 
 
 The commanding officer of the detachment ac- 
 quainted the Commodore that after parting with 
 the Rainbow, in the Oven's Mouth, he had pursued 
 his way up the river with all possible expedition ; 
 that when he got abreast of Witchcastle the day 
 was just beginning to break, but that the storm 
 and incessant rain had made his boats pass unob- 
 served, as every body kept within doors from the 
 badness of the weather. Three or four miles 
 above the town he discovered the object he was 
 in search of ; she was anchored close under some 
 very high land, and with hawsers fast on shore ; 
 the boats instantly boarded her without opposition, 
 and having discovered a piece of cannon upon an 
 eminence near the ship, he sent one of the boats 
 and a party of men, who (with some trouble) 
 got it down, and it was taken, by way of defence, 
 into the mast ship, though it proved of no use to 
 them from their having no ammunition. The cap- 
 tain and the crew were all made prisoners in their 
 beds — they were well furnished with small arms, 
 and were put on board to defend her in case of an 
 attack, having a suspicion that the Rainbow would 
 make the attempt ; the storm and thick weather 
 made them apprehend they were perfectly secure 
 whilst that lasted, and their surprise was extreme 
 at finding their ship taken, without the least inti- 
 mation or intelligence of an enemy's approach. 
 
59 
 
 The first care of the Rainbow's officers was to 
 endeavour warping the prize farther from the 
 land, but to their concern they found her aground! 
 however, they hoped at high water she would float, 
 and that then they might get into a situation less 
 subject to annoyance. 
 
 A boat was immediately sent to sound and find 
 out the proper channel ; but the shoal water all 
 round, and the astonishing intricacy of the passage 
 out, made them almost despair of getting this va- 
 luable ship down the river, even if the rebels gave 
 them no annoyance. In about an hour after they 
 had possession they were discovered by the ene- 
 my, and the alarm being given, great numbers of 
 armed men began to show themselves upon the 
 heights over the ship. 
 
 The lieutenant who commanded the party be- 
 gan to find himself rather unpleasantly situated ; 
 however, he caused a barricado teiifeet high to be 
 built on that side next the shore, of thick planks, 
 (part of the loading ;) this precaution was very ne- 
 cessary, for they began to fire upon her soon after 
 with musketry, which continued without intermis- 
 sion, as their numbers increased every moment. 
 
 The barricado, however, was an excellent pre- 
 servative, and the enemy's small arms had very 
 little effect ; about two in the afternoon they were 
 surprised with a cannon shot piercing through their 
 palladium, and soon after another, neither of which 
 fortunately hurt any of the people, though it was a 
 proof to the lieutenants that there was now no 
 
60 
 
 longer safety upon the deck ; they then all went 
 down into the hold, where, by throwing overboard 
 planks and part of the loading, they could just find 
 room to stow themselves and their men in safety ; 
 the prisoners were also secured below, and senti- 
 nels placed over them. The firing of small arms, 
 and the piece of cannon, continued from the ene- 
 my, but without any bad consequence. The offi- 
 cers now not only gave up all thoughts of bringing 
 away the ship, but began to entertain great appre- 
 hensions of their own safety whenever they should 
 leave her ; it was determined, however, not to 
 make the attempt till after nightfall, that from the 
 darkness they might be subject to less annoyance. 
 
 Upon examining their boats they were fortu- 
 nately found not damaged ; about eleven at night, 
 therefore, with great silence and caution they be- 
 gan to get into them, having cut many holes in the 
 bottom of the mast ship before they quitted her, 
 to prevent her being able to proceed on her in- 
 tended voyage to France. 
 
 They had hardly put away from the ship's side 
 when they were discovered by their vigilant ene- 
 mies, who not only thundered away with their 
 musketry and cannon, but kept abreast of them as 
 they moved down the river, which, from the innu- 
 merable shoals on which they frequently grounded, 
 they were enabled to do but very slowly ; they at 
 last came to the very narrow pass before men- 
 tioned, where, from the voices they heard, the 
 numbers of the enemy seemed very great ; here. 
 
61 
 
 though exceeding dark, they were discovered by 
 the rebels, who called to them, and with many 
 curses told them they were ^^now catched, and 
 should not escape" At this moment the cutter 
 (being a little ahead of the flat boat) found her- 
 self suddenly stopped, without being able to dis- 
 cover the cause, and immediately after the flat 
 boat run aground ; they were then close to the ene- 
 my, who continued to abuse and curse them, keep- 
 ing at the same time a continual fire from their 
 small arms. Their situation was now most criti- 
 cal and distressing, and the boldest man present 
 could not but be sensible of it. A fisherman who 
 was taken in his little schooner a few days before 
 by the Rainbow, was in the flat boat with the 
 lieutenant, being sent as a pilot ; this poor fellow's 
 heart sunk within him when the boat grounded, at 
 the apparent danger ; he wrung the hands of the 
 officers near him, and told them his death was now 
 inevitable. "I heartily wish you well, gentlemen," 
 says he, " but as to myself, I shall be hanged in- 
 stantly on my being taken — they will show me no 
 mercy." The lieutenant advised him not to des- 
 pair, and then directed some of the men to jump 
 overboard and endeavour to push the boat off' the 
 shoal ; the fisherman darted forward, was one of 
 the first in the water, and their eflforts were suc- 
 cessful; the cutter, about the same time, found the 
 impediment to her going on was a rope across, 
 which (with some difficulty) the men cut through 
 with knives. This moment was more critical than 
 6 
 
62 
 
 they were aware of, for the rope was fastened to 
 a boom which the rebels were then pulling across 
 the passage, and two minutes more would have 
 rendered every attempt to pass fruitless. The 
 boats now joyfully proceeded, and in half an hour 
 got on board the Rainbow. 
 
 In this hazardous and dangerous enterprise 
 there were but three or four men wounded, for 
 the flat boat being barricadoed all round by ham- 
 mocks, was very effectually screened from small 
 shot. 
 
 All that now remained was to get down the 
 river unmolested from the heights, close under 
 which the channel lay, through which the ship was 
 to pass. The militia to the number of three thou- 
 sand were already come in, commanded by the 
 same Colonel M'Cobb with whom Sir George had 
 before some intercourse at Townsend. The Rain- 
 bow was obliged to wait for a favourable wind to 
 go down the river, during which time a negotia- 
 tion was set on foot for a cessasion of further 
 hostilities till the Rainbow left the river. They 
 demanded as a condition on their part, that two 
 sloops should be given up which had been taken 
 before Witchcastle, and likewise a parcel of masts 
 which were stopped floating down the river. Sir 
 George put an absolute negative upon both these 
 requisitions, and threatened to burn the town if 
 his offers were not immediately accepted. 
 
 They were very loth to open the net they thought 
 they had enclosed the Rainbow in, but at last they 
 
63 
 
 consented to the offered neutrality, and then Colo- 
 nel M'Cobb called in his parties, which had occu- 
 pied the heights to annoy the ship as she went 
 down, assisted by cannon, which their industry 
 and revenge had made them bring from a consider- 
 able distance for that purpose. 
 
 Some days after a favourable breeze sprung up, 
 and as the Rainbow was just getting under sail, 
 Sir George sent for the two poor men to whom 
 the empty sloops he had taken belonged ; they had 
 both large families, and these vessels were their 
 chief means of subsistence ; he restored the sloops 
 to them as a gift, and desired they would always 
 " remember they owed that mark of generosity 
 and munificence to an officer of their sovereign, 
 against whom their countrymen were waging wavT 
 The poor people seemed the more impressed with 
 the favour from its being totally unexpected ; they 
 promised to behave as faithful subjects, and seem- 
 ed grateful for the kindness shown them. 
 
 The Rainbow went safe and unmolested down 
 this dangerous river, and so ended an enterprise 
 replete with hazard and difficulty. 
 
 The remainder of this cruise consisted in taking 
 several prizes, and recovering some ships which 
 the rebels had captured, and were sending into 
 Boston. Returning along the coast of New-Hamp- 
 shire, he chased a fleet of small vessels into a har- 
 bour near Damascotte, and the rebels coming down 
 to defend them, he set fire and burnt the whole, 
 consisting of fifteen or sixteen schooners, brigs, 
 and sloops. 
 
64 
 
 An epidemical disease began now to rage with 
 great violence in the ship, insomuch that the num- 
 ber of sick w^ere full half of the complement : it 
 became, therefore, indispensably necessary to re- 
 turn to Halifax as soon as possible. Accordingly 
 the Rainbow proceeded towards that port, but the 
 sick still rapidly increasing, left scarcely sufficient 
 men to navigate the ship. In this scene of dis- 
 tress, the Rainbow was obliged to take shelter in 
 any harbour in Nova-Scotia that was near, when- 
 ever there was an appearance of bad weather ap- 
 proaching. In putting to sea from one of these 
 (called Margaret's Bay) a thick fog came on, at- 
 tended with a calm ; this circumstance drove the 
 Rainbow into the most imminent danger ; for a 
 strong current set her (during the thick weather) 
 close to a reef of sunken rocks, on which it was 
 with the utmost difficulty they could prevent her 
 being lost ; for the bottom was sharp pointed 
 shoals, which cut the line through every time they 
 attempted to sound. This escape was a very nar- 
 row and extraordinary one. Nothing else of con- 
 sequence happened till the ship arrived at Halifax, 
 where the sick were immediately sent to the hos- 
 pital, and effectual means used to purify her with- 
 inside, by washing every part with vinegar, and 
 burning fireballs in the hold, composed of beaten 
 gunpowder, vinegar, and tobacco. 
 
 The gunner's mate of His Majesty's ship Fox, 
 having been tried by a court-martial, and found 
 guilty of encouraging and assisting the rebels 
 
65 
 
 during the late chase of Manley's squadron, he 
 was ordered to be executed, and was accordingly 
 hanged on board the Rainbow. Had such just 
 punishments been constantly inflicted on traitors 
 when taken, it would have effectually stopped the 
 progress of rebellion, and the King's service expe- 
 rienced infinite advantage from the measure. 
 
 As soon as the sick men were recovered, and 
 that the season would admit of cruising. Sir George 
 went in the Rainbow off* Boston. The intense 
 cold weather, and snow storms, made it, however, 
 very dangerous, and the ship had several times 
 narrow escapes of being lost: particularly once, 
 when in chasing a French man-of-war into Boston 
 harbour, a snow storm came on so suddenly and 
 thick, that it was with the utmost difficulty he 
 could clear the land and anchor under the pro- 
 montory called Cape Cod. 
 
 Sir George was exceedingly fortunate during 
 the summer of 1778, in taking prizes from the ene- 
 my, and recovering valuable ships for the mer- 
 chantS; which had been captured by the rebels. 
 Among the latter was one called the Martha, 
 loaden with bale goods to the amount (as was sup- 
 posed) of eighty thousand pounds ; she had been 
 taken near the English channel on her voyage 
 from London to New- York, by the rebel frigate 
 Boston, in her way to France with Mr. Adams, 
 who, going there on important business from 
 Congress, would not permit the loss of so much 
 time as staying with this valuable prize would 
 6* 
 
-/ 
 66 
 
 have occasioned ; by which means she fell in the 
 way of the Rainbow, who chased and re-took her 
 within two miles of the coast of New-Hampshire. 
 
 Understanding from intelligence given by a fish- 
 ing vessel, near the island Mahagen, that another 
 large ship, laden with masts for France, was ready 
 to sail from the river Sheepscut, (up which the 
 Rainbow went the preceding year, as has been re- 
 lated,) Sir George cruised off the mouth of it for 
 many days in hopes of intercepting her, keeping at 
 such a distance by day from the shore as not to be 
 discovered, and in the night causing a small armed 
 schooner, w^ith a detachment of seamen and ma- 
 rines, to keep near the river that she might not es- 
 cape in the dark; after waiting for about a week, 
 every body's patience was almost exhausted, and 
 Sir George began to imagine his object had by 
 some means escaped him. He took the resolution, 
 therefore, to send eighty determined men under 
 command of lieutenant Haynes, (who had so gal- 
 lantly conducted himself in the former enterprise,) 
 in the armed schooner a few miles up the river, 
 (followed by the Rainbow,) that some intelligence 
 might be procured whether the mast ship was 
 still there, and to attack her if it could be done 
 with a prospect of success. 
 
 The schooner accordingly set forward in the 
 night, and the Rainbow followed slowly towards 
 the entrance of the river ; but when the ship was 
 within a mile of the mouth of it, and entangled 
 among breakers and shoals, a thick fog came on 
 
67 
 
 and occasioned great danger of her being lost ; 
 it continued the remainder of that day and night, 
 and with very little wind. Providence was, how- 
 ever, again gracious in protecting the Rainbow 
 from the perils that surrounded her, for she got at 
 a greater distance from the land without having 
 struck upon any of the sunken rocks. 
 
 The following morning being clear and bright, 
 the Rainbow again steered towards Sheepscut 
 river, to support and protect the little tender ; as 
 she proceeded a very pleasing sight presented it- 
 self — a lofty ship with top-gallant sails appeared 
 coming out, and the little schooner close by, es- 
 corting her. 
 
 They soon joined the Rainbow, and Sir George 
 had the satisfaction of finding he had at last got 
 possession of what he had been so long looking for. 
 She was a large French ship called Le Marquis 
 de la Fayette, loaded with masts, spars, plank, &c. 
 bound to Nantz ; had a tier of guns, and was about 
 500 tons burthen. 
 
 Lieutenant Haynes acquainted the Commodore 
 that soon after the schooner had got into the river 
 the thick fog had obliged him to anchor ; that ob- 
 serving a boat passing he had sent and seized her, 
 but could get no information from the men except 
 that there was a ship at anchor above the schoon- 
 er, but they could not tell what she was, or where 
 she was bound. The Heutenant had hardly done 
 examining the prisoners, when another small boat 
 approached, hailing the schooner, and asking where 
 
68 
 
 they came from ? Mr. Haynes, with great pre- 
 sence of mind, told them he was a privateer called 
 the True Blue, from Boston; with this the men 
 seemed satisfied and pulled away, but lost them- 
 selves (as it afterwards appeared) in the fog ; the 
 boat actually belonged to the Marquis de la Fay- 
 ette, which was at anchor near them. The French 
 captain being very vigilant, had kept a man during 
 the fog at the mast head to look round ; the vapour 
 being very dense and low, did not prevent the upper 
 part of the schooner's masts from being discover- 
 ed, though they could see nothing of the hull. 
 Alarmed at every new appearance, and hearing 
 they had a pretty vigilant enemy in the offing, 
 (for the Rainbw had been discovered by the fishing 
 boats,) the French captain sent his pilot (who lived 
 close to the place) to learn what the strange ves- 
 sel was, and return back ; she accordingly came 
 within hail and received the answer before re- 
 lated. 
 
 The deception, however, by no means passed, 
 for the pilot was too cunning to be taken in by it 
 when he rowed away ; whether he really lost his 
 way in returning to the ship, as he said, or whether 
 he thought it most prudent to take care of number 
 one (which is not unlikely) is a doubt ; but it is 
 very certain he got on shore, and never returned to 
 communicate his suspicions to the French cap- 
 tain. 
 
 Lieutenant Haynes having learned from the 
 prisoners nearly where the ship was at anchor, 
 
69 
 
 proceeded towards her through the fog, and was 
 not discovered till they were very near her ; a mi- 
 nute after brought the schooner alongside, when the 
 English marines, with bayonets fixed, presented a 
 terrible sight to the affrighted people upon deck, 
 among whom was Mr. Bethune,* a Boston gentle- 
 man of considerable property, who was taking that 
 opportunity of going to France on his way (as he 
 said) to England. 
 
 It was a proof of the good discipline the men 
 were under, that a whole line of loaded arms were 
 presented, at the same time the seamen boarded 
 with pistols and pole-axes, yet not a drop of blood 
 spilt, and the prize taken without any mischief 
 done. 
 
 Sir George ordered this ship to proceed to Hali- 
 fax, with proper people to navigate her ; but on her 
 way there she was chased by a rebel cruiser, who 
 followed her to such a distance off Nova-Scotia, 
 that the officer who had charge of her thought it 
 would be most prudent, as the wind was fair for 
 England, to proceed there ; he accordingly had a 
 good passage, and arrived safely at Portsmouth 
 with the prize. 
 
 Sir George after this went again to Townsend 
 harbour, and procured some water and a few 
 sheep for the sick men. He then continued his 
 cruise, destroying and taking several rebel priva- 
 teers and other prizes ; the Rainbow had impress- 
 ed the coasting vessels with so much terror that 
 
 ♦ A descendant of the great Duke de Sully. 
 
70 
 
 they could not be prevailed upon to come out of 
 the harbours, and the rebellious inhabitants of Bos- 
 ton were put to great inconveniences for fuel, as 
 firewood rose (from few coasters arriving) to a 
 most enormous price. 
 
 The cold weather was more intense the ensu- 
 ing winter at Halifax (1778) than had ever before 
 been known since the settlement had been made ; 
 the quicksilver sunk to 40° below 0, and the very 
 ink froze when writing near a large fire ! 
 
 The 30th November the Rainbow had a very 
 narrow escape of being burnt by a large French 
 prize, which appeared in a blaze about two o'clock 
 in the morning ; she drove so near as to melt the 
 pitch upon the Rainbow's bends ; the harbour was 
 at that time full of ships, yet they all providential- 
 ly escaped, and the vessel, in a fierce blaze, (for 
 she was loaded with sugar,) was set by the tide 
 over to the eastern battery, where she grounded 
 and burnt to the water's edge. 
 
 Nothing else of importance happened before the 
 close of the year ; the inhabitants on the frontiers 
 of Nova-Scotia remained in tranquillity and safety; 
 the people of Machias, finding they were exposed 
 to chastisement, gave up all intentions of annoying 
 their loyal neighbours ; the small rebel privateers 
 with which the coasts near Halifax swarmed, were 
 now no longer heard of; more than thirty of them 
 had been taken or sunk, which deterred others 
 from making attempts they found attended with 
 much hazard and little probable advantage ; the 
 
71 
 
 trade of Halifax by this means flourished, and the 
 important fishery of Canso, from the protection 
 given by the men-of-war, was carried on more 
 consider-ably than ever, and to the great advantage 
 and profit of the merchants concerned in it. 
 
 In this prosperous and tranquil state was the 
 colony of Nova-Scotia, when, about the middle of 
 February, Sir George received the important news 
 (by a vessel sent express to him from New- York) 
 of the recall of Rear- Admiral Gambler, (who had 
 succeeded Lord Howe,) and of Sir George being 
 appointed Commodore and Commander-in-Chief 
 of all His Majesty's ships and vessels in America. 
 His presence being necessary at New- York as 
 soon as possible, he used the most speedy means 
 for his departure, which took place on the 7th 
 March, in company with the Hunter, and several 
 sail of transports with troops for that place. 
 
 Sir George, at taking leave of the colony, had 
 the satisfaction of again receiving the most con- 
 vincing proof of their sensibility of the services he 
 had rendered them. He was waited upon by de- 
 putations from the Council, and likewise from the 
 merchants, who all testified their concern at his 
 departure ; he was honoured likewise by an affec- 
 tionate visit of adieu from General Maclean, (who 
 commanded the troops,) accompanied by all the 
 field-officers of the garrison. The House of As- 
 sembly was not at that time sitting. 
 
 A boisterous passage at that season of the year 
 was to be expected, and it was extremely so; in- 
 
72 
 
 cessant storms and intense cold, together with foul 
 winds, made it the 3d of April before the Rainbow 
 could reach New-York ; some of the transports 
 separated, and one of them, in which were one 
 hundred and seventy-five troops, with women and 
 children, struck upon the Barnegat Shoals (near 
 Egg Harbour) and was lost. All on board perish- 
 ed except twenty-seven, who climbed up the 
 shrouds and masts, till they were saved by rebel 
 boats, and carried prisoners to Philadelphia. 
 
 A day or two after Sir George's arrival, Rear- 
 Admiral Gambler sailed for England in the Ar- 
 dent, carrying also with him three of the best fri- 
 gates, notwithstanding he knew the great want of 
 ships in America. The Raisonable of 64 guns, 
 arriving at New-York from Rhode-Island, Sir 
 George hoisted his broad pendant on board her. 
 
 One of the first objects of the Commodore's at- 
 tention, was to make himself master, as near as 
 could be, of the true state of the ships under his 
 command ; but the closer he inspected particulars 
 the more mortification he received. The noble 
 fleet of near one hundred sail of men-of-war which 
 had been a year or two before there, under the 
 command of Loid Howe, were now the major 
 part of them vanished. Numbers of those had 
 been wrecked, foundered, and lost ; many had been 
 sent to England, and not replaced ; seven were 
 destroyed at one time by D'Estaing at Rhode- 
 Island ; so that the fleet which remained under the 
 command of Sir George was not only extremely 
 
73 
 
 reduced in number, but scarcely three ships among 
 them were in a condition of service, being very 
 foul for want of cleaning, and all very z7Z manned; 
 whilst the privateers sailed in shoals from New- 
 York full of men, and frequently inveigling those 
 belonging to the King's ships to desert and join 
 them. 
 
 Sir George now saw with concern that he was 
 invested with almost a nominal command, and 
 without power ; being charged with protecting the 
 King's settlements, and carrying on the war along 
 a most extensive continent, (his jurisdiction reach- 
 ing from the North Cape, upon the Island of Cape 
 Breton, to the Bahama Islands to the southward,) 
 without half the number of men-of-war necessary 
 to form a chain of cruisers, much less to relieve 
 them, or to have a spare ship for occasional servi- 
 ces. Many of the guard-ships stationed in rivers 
 and bays, for protection of navigation or of posts, 
 had been there between two or three years, and 
 were ready to sink for want of caulking and re- 
 pairs ; the men-of-war at Georgia rotten and leaky 
 for the same reasons, and the men starving for 
 want of provisions, which, for causes Admiral 
 Gambier could best explain, had not been supplied 
 in proper time ; to add to their uncommon distress, 
 he had judged it right to send the victuallers for 
 their relief, the ordinance stores for the garrison, 
 and some large ships with rich cargoes, (bound 
 there,) without the escort of any man-of-war, and 
 conducted only by a merchantman of 20 guns. 
 
 7 
 
74 
 
 This intention was publicly known a month before 
 they sailed, and the consequence was, that the re- 
 bels at Boston sent three of their cruisers to wait 
 for the convoy, who accordingly met with and 
 captured the whole without the least resistance 
 whatever ! a most severe blow, which ruined some 
 considerable merchants, and had very near been 
 attended with the most fatal consequences to the 
 King's ships and garrison in Georgia. 
 
 In this distressed and painful situation Sir 
 George found things when he assumed the chief 
 command. He had everything to apprehend and 
 very little to hope. The memory of his former ex- 
 ertions, he dreaded, would be erased by the too 
 great likelihood that the enemy might take advan- 
 tage of his imbecility, and the wretched state and 
 arrangement of his fleet, which rendered it impos- 
 sible for him to give proper protection to com- 
 merce, or prevent insults to the King's settle- 
 ments. 
 
 These reflections were succeeded by others, that 
 however deficient the force was, committed to his 
 direction, it was nevertheless incumbent on him to 
 employ it in the best manner possible for the ser- 
 vice of his country ; that merely acting on the de- 
 fensive was not only disgraceful to the King's 
 cause, but would give fresh vigour to the rebels, 
 and draw on attacks from them ; that the way 
 which seemed most feasible to end the rebellion, 
 was cutting off the resources by which the enemy 
 carried on the war ; that these resources were 
 
75 
 
 principally drawn from Virginia, by her trade in 
 tobacco, &c. ; that an attack on that province, 
 and the shutting up the navigation of the Chesa- 
 peake, vs^ould probably answer very considerable 
 purposes ; and if not of itself sufficient to end the 
 war, would drive the rebels to infinite inconvenien- 
 ces and difficulties, and especially as Washington's 
 army was constantly supplied with salted provi- 
 sions sent by water through the Chesapeake. 
 
 After the most mature consideration, the Com- 
 modore was convinced of the great use as well as 
 facility of the enterprise, and he communicated 
 his opinion upon it to Sir Henry Clinton, (the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief of the army,) who acknowledged 
 great advantages to the King's affairs might be 
 drawn from it. He lamented that the feeble state 
 of the army with him would not admit of his spar- 
 ing many troops, till he had reinforcements from 
 England, for which reason the intended attack 
 could be only desultory; but he consented to send 
 any number Sir George might think necessary, 
 provided they did not exceed two thousand men. 
 I Where people have the same object in view 
 matters are easily adjusted and settled. Sir Hen- 
 ry Clinton was always zealous to promote the 
 King's serv^ice ; this enterprise was, therefore, soon 
 planned, and the necessary orders issued for the 
 men-of-war, the troops, and the transports, to be in 
 readiness. The Commodore determined on going 
 himself, and General Matthews, of the Guards, 
 was appointed to command the troops. 
 
76 
 
 The regiments that embarked were the Guards, 
 Prince Charles's Hessian Regiment, Royal Volun- 
 teers of Ireland, and the 42d ; amounting in the 
 whole to one thousand and eight hundred men, 
 besides artillery, &:c. &c. 
 
 The men-of-war consisted of the Raisonable, 
 Rainbow, Solebay, Otter, Diligent, Harlem, sloop, 
 and Cornwallis, galley, together with twenty-eight 
 transports. The Solebay, however, (though she 
 could be ill spared,) was countermanded and or- 
 dered to reinforce the convoy going with victual- 
 lers and stores to Georgia, in the room of those 
 which Admiral Gambier sent, and who were taken 
 entirely from the circumstance of their having no 
 convoy. 
 
 The 5th of May the men-of-war and transports 
 all got safe over the bar at Sandy-Hook, and with 
 a favourable wind pursued their course to the 
 southward. 
 
 The passage was uncommonly fortunate, for on 
 the 8th the Capes of Virginia were discovered, 
 and the same evening the fleet anchored among 
 the shoals off Willoughby's Point, where, though a 
 most terrible and severe thunder squall came im- 
 mediately on, none of the ships received any da- 
 mage. 
 
 The want of a sufficient number of men-of-war, 
 obliged Sir George to accept the oflfer made by 
 the owners of several privateers, of receiving them 
 under his command, and employing them on such 
 occasional services as they might be fit for. In 
 
77 
 
 passing the Capes of Virginia the Commodore or- 
 dered the Otter, and some of these light infantry 
 armed vessels, to push up the Chesapeake, and the 
 same night a considerable firing was heard from 
 that quarter. 
 
 At dawn of day next morning some rebel gal- 
 leys were discovered making their escape up 
 James river from Hampton Roads, where soon af- 
 ter the Raisonable anchored, being unable (through 
 her great draught of water) to proceed further. 
 The Commodore, however, immediately left her 
 and went on board the Rainbow, where he hoisted 
 his broad pendant, and led the fleet as high up 
 Elizabeth river as the tide would admit ; but fall- 
 ing calm, the signal was made to anchor, which 
 the fleet obeyed. Early the next morning Sir 
 George proceeded up the river, in a small armed 
 schooner, to reconnoitre the fort, and to get infor- 
 mation (if possible) of the enemy's strength. Hav- 
 ing seized two of the inhabitants, he learned that 
 the rebels had very few troops in that neighbour- 
 hood, the present visit being totally unexpected. 
 
 The calm still continuing, the ships were not able 
 to move ; but the first division of troops went into 
 the flat-boats, led by Sir George Collier and Gen- 
 eral Matthews in the Rainbow's barge, and cover- 
 ed on the flanks by the Cornwall is, galley, and 
 several gun-boats, carrying a six or nine pounder 
 in their prows. 
 
 A breeze springing up before the boats had ad- 
 vanced two miles, the ships weighed their anchors 
 7* 
 
78 
 
 and followed up. The sight was beautiful, and 
 formed the finest regatta in the world. Signals 
 were occasionally made from the Commodore's 
 barge, to advance, or to halt, by the display of a 
 small red, or blue flag ; had there been a neces- 
 sity for retreating, a white one was to have been 
 shown. 
 
 When the leading boat was within less than a 
 musket shot of the intended place for landing, a 
 signal to halt was made ; the galley and gun-boats 
 then advanced, and kept up a warm cannonade 
 towards the shore for several minutes, which the 
 rebels returned from the fort, but most of their 
 shot fell short. On the gun-boats ceasing firing 
 the troops pushed ashore at a spot called the glebe, 
 about two miles from the fort, and landed without 
 the least opposition. The flat-boats were then 
 sent back to the transports for the second division, 
 which, together with the artillery, horses, and 
 some baggage, were safely landed the same even- 
 ing. 
 
 It was agreed between the Commodore and 
 General, that a joint attack upon the fort, by sea 
 and land, should be made early in the morning ; 
 the Rainbow to batter it from the river, and 
 the troops to storm it at the same time. Every 
 thing was prepared for the attack, but the enemy, 
 with great cowardice, abandoned it in the night 
 and fled, leaving the thirteen stripes flying. The 
 troops soon took possession of the rebel's works, 
 which were found of astonishing strength towards 
 
79 
 
 the river ; the parapet was fourteen feet high and 
 fifteen feet thick ! surrounded with strong timber 
 dove-tailed, and the middle part filled with earth, 
 hard rammed. A great number of heavy cannon 
 were taken in the fort, with ammunition, provi- 
 sions, and every necessary for defence. The town 
 of Portsmouth, within half a mile of the fort, was 
 taken possession of at the same time. Norfolk, on 
 the opposite shore, and Gosport, where the rebels 
 had fixed a very capital marine-yard for building 
 ships, were all abandoned at the same time by the 
 enemy, and the men-of-war moved up into the 
 harbour, where they moored. 
 
 The enemy, previous to their flight, set fire to a 
 fine ship of war of 28 guns, ready for launching, 
 belonging to Congress ; and also to two large 
 French merchantmen, one of which was loaded 
 with bale goods, and the other with a thousand 
 hogsheads of tobacco. 
 
 The quantity of naval stores, of all kinds, found 
 in their arsenals was astonishing. Many vessels 
 for war were taken on the stocks in different for- 
 wardness ; one of 36 guns; one of 18; three of 
 16 guns ; and three of 14 ; besides many mer- 
 chantmen. The whole number taken, burnt, and 
 destroyed, whilst the King's ships were in the river, 
 amounted to one hundred and thirty-seven sail of 
 vessels ! A most distressing stroke to the rebels, 
 even without other losses. 
 
 A great deal of tobacco, tar, and other commo- 
 dities, were found in the warehouses, and some 
 
80 
 
 loaded merchantmen were seized in the harbour. 
 Many of the privateers and other vessels fled up 
 the different branches of the river, but as there 
 vi^as no outlet the Commodore either captured or 
 destroyed them all. 
 
 The town of Suffolk, famous for their sedition 
 and for banishing every loyal inhabitant out of it, 
 was also taken. Nine thousand barrels of salted 
 pork, which were stored there for Washington's 
 army ; eight thousand barrels of pitch, tar, and 
 turpentine, with a vast quantity of other stores and 
 merchandise, were all burnt and destroyed, togeth- 
 er with seven vessels in the harbour richly laden, 
 none of which could be brought away, as several 
 bodies of armed rebels appeared in the neighbour- 
 hood. 
 
 The damage the enemy sustained in various 
 parts of the province, by this enterprise, was im- 
 mense. Numbers of the inhabitants began to think 
 it was time to make submission to their offended 
 sovereign ; and the Commodore and General had 
 innumerable applications for that purpose. The 
 little squadron o{ light-armed vessels, with the Ot- 
 ter, had considerable success; they took some 
 schooners and sloops laden with tobacco, and kept 
 the rebels on the banks of the rivers in constant 
 terror and alarm ; they had, however, positive or- 
 ders from the Commodore to do no wanton acts 
 of cruelty, burn houses, or in any shape molest in- 
 nocent people ; but in spite of every endeavour to 
 prevent it, some little irregularities happened. 
 
81 
 
 The privateers had no idea oi order or discipline, 
 and Sir George found it extremely difficult to re- 
 strain these lawless people within any decent 
 bounds. Among the rest of their cruel and wan- 
 ton mischief, they set fire to the houses of four 
 poor families near Cheriton, in Northampton coun- 
 ty, (upon the banks of the Chesapeake,) which had 
 been mostly esteemed as a loyal district. Such 
 outrages, especially unprovoked, must always give 
 pain to humanity. A small sloop laden with salt 
 (a scarce and dear commodity in America) had 
 just been seized by one of the Rainbow's boats, 
 up a branch of the river ; the commodity was use- 
 less to the fleet, but of great value to the inhabi- 
 tants ; Sir George sent this vessel and salt, under 
 a flag of truce, to Cheriton, with the following 
 note: 
 
 " Sir George Collier having with great concern 
 just learned that a New- York privateer has acted 
 so contrary to humanity, as to burn four houses 
 belonging to poor people near Cheriton, Sir 
 George will cause his disapprobation and abhor- 
 rence of such practices to be signified to those 
 who have been guilty of it ; and commiserating the 
 case of the unhappy sufferers, has directed a small 
 vessel laden with salt, to be sent to them as some 
 remuneration for their losses. 
 
 Rainbow^ in Portsmouth harbour, 
 11th May, 1779." 
 
8^ 
 
 The boat and flag of truce returned with the 
 following letter from the lieutenant of the county 
 of Northampton : 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 Your letter, addressed to the people who had 
 their houses lately burnt by a privateer, near Che- 
 riton, has fallen into my hands , together with the 
 sloop and cargo mentioned in the same. Of the 
 four houses which you suppose to be burnt, one 
 only was quite consumed, the others were happily 
 extinguished, one or two of them being first plun- 
 dered. I will cause an exact and faithful estimate 
 to be made of the loss sustained, and your bounty 
 impartially divided according to their several losses ; 
 the sum may not perhaps be adequate to their wliole 
 loss ; but, however, give me leave to say, that I 
 cannot express my feelings at this signal instance 
 of humanity; especially as it is the first of the kind 
 that has fallen under my observation, though num- 
 berless have been the suflferings of the people on 
 this shore, of the same nature. 
 I am, Sir, 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 ISAAC AVERY, County-Lieutenant, 
 Northampton. 
 Fort Simpson, 24th May, 1779. 
 
 To Sir George Collier, Commodore and Com- 
 mander-in-Chief of the British fleet in America." 
 
 The following note was at the same time brought 
 
back by the flag of truce, together with eight 
 lambs, which Sir George caused to be given to 
 the sick men ; 
 
 " Several gentlemen very respectfully present 
 their compliments to Sir George Collier, and beg 
 leave to present him, by the bearer hereof, with 
 eight lambs. We are, with all due respect, 
 
 Your most obedient humble servants, 
 GEORGE SAVAGE, 
 HENRY GREY, 
 DANIEL ROBERT HOAL, 
 T. L. FULLWELL." 
 
 The Commodore having received an account 
 from the captain of His Majesty's ship Raisonable, 
 (which from her draught of water could not pro- 
 ceed higher than Hampton Roads,) that three per- 
 sons, whom, from some particular circumstances, 
 he suspected as spies, or upon some sinister de- 
 signs, had come on board the Raisonable, under 
 sanction of a flag of truce, with the undermen- 
 tioned paper from the titular Governor of Virginia. 
 He had, therefore, caused them to be detained till 
 he had Sir George's directions concerning them. 
 
 "/n Council l^th May, 1779. 
 
 Permission is hereby given to Captain Peter Bur- 
 
 nard to go with a flag of truce on board His Brir 
 
 tannic Majesty's ship now in Hampton Roads, and 
 
 make application to the Commanderrin-Chief of 
 
84 
 
 the British squadron in Virginia, to obtain the re- 
 stitution of four negro slaves, said to be on board 
 some of the British ships, and belonging to William 
 Armistead, Esquire, of Gloucester county, and run 
 away from him. 
 
 P. HENRY." 
 
 The Commodore caused it to be signified to P. 
 Henry that the business of his sovereign's ships in 
 Virginia, was neither to entice negro slaves on 
 board, nor to detain them if they were found there. 
 Nevertheless, His Majesty's colours, in all places, 
 afforded an asylum to the distressed, and protec- 
 tion upon supplication. 
 
 That he, however, could not seriously imagine 
 three gentlemen would come upon so insignificant 
 an errand as they pretend; but that they were 
 sent by Mr. Henry as spies, notwithstanding which 
 as they had approached under the sanction of a 
 flag of truce, it should not be violated, but they 
 suffered to return, with an injunction not to venture 
 again to gain intelligence through a channel which 
 ought to be sacred, and never prostituted to such 
 purposes. 
 
 General Matthews having made application to 
 the Commodore that the troops might be re-em- 
 barked on the 24th May, in order to return to 
 New- York, Sir George endeavoured to dissuade 
 that measure being carried into execution, till the 
 return of the express he had sent to the Comman- 
 der-in-Chief of the army, to whom he had wrote 
 
85 
 
 in very strong terms, pointing out the infinite con- 
 sequence it would be to the King's service, the 
 keeping possession of Portsmouth, as the doing so 
 would distress the rebels exceedingly, from their 
 water communication by the Chesapeake being 
 totally stopped, and by which Washington's army 
 was supplied with provisions, and an end put to 
 their foreign trade; that the natural strength of 
 the place was singularly great both by sea and 
 land, and might be maintained with a small force 
 against a very superior one;* that the marine- 
 yard was the most considerable in America, and 
 the quantity of seasoned oak timber there, for ship 
 building, very large ; which, as well as a vast deal 
 of other stores, could not be embarked there for 
 want of vessels, but might be sent hy degrees to 
 England, where it was much wanted ; that the fa- 
 vourable disposition of the province seemed to 
 promise very happy consequences from cherishing 
 it, and by showing the King's faithful subjects in 
 Virginia, that they were not abandoned, but would 
 be encouraged and protected ; that the delay could 
 not be great at any rate to wait Sir Henry Clin- 
 ton's answer to this representation, as it might be 
 expected every day. 
 
 General Matthews, however, conceiving himself 
 tied down to the letter of his instructions, did not 
 care to recede, and preparations were therefore 
 
 ♦ It is surprising that Earl Cornwallis with liis army did not 
 take post here, instead of Old York, where the adjacent high 
 grounds overlooked his works. 
 
 8 
 
86 
 
 made for abandoning this valuable settlement. 
 As many of the naval stores as could be carried 
 away were shipped off, but great quantities vv^ere 
 unavoidably left behind and set on fire. The con- 
 flagration in the night appeared grand beyond de- 
 scription, though the sight vs^as a melancholy one. 
 Five iliousand loads of fine seasoned oak knees for 
 ship building, an infinite quantity of plank, masts, 
 cordage, and numbers of beautiful ships of war on 
 the stocks, were all at one time in a blaze, and all 
 totally consumed, not a vestige remaining, but 
 the iron work, that such things had been !* 
 
 The fort, which had forty-eight embrasures, 
 took great labour of the pioneers and troops to de- 
 stroy, which, with the other batteries, was at last 
 (by the help of fire) effectually done, together with 
 the large and spacious barracks. Nothing then 
 remained but to re-embark the men, which was 
 done from the spot where the fort had stood, in 
 the following order: 
 
 Hospital, 
 Baggage, 
 Horses, 
 Artillery, 
 Cavalry, 
 Prince Charles's Hessian Regiment. 
 Forty-Second Regiment, 
 
 * Two years afterwards the great importance of this post was 
 discovered, and a considerable force sent from New- York to re- 
 cover it. 
 
87 
 
 Volunteers of Ireland, 
 Guards. 
 
 The embarkation was covered (as in landing) 
 by the Cornwallis, galley, and four gun-boats, but 
 the rebels never appeared in force, nor made at- 
 tempts to molest them. Every thing being got on 
 board, the ships w^eighed and proceeded down 
 Elizabeth river ; the prizes first, then the trans- 
 ports, and the men-of-war bringing up the rear. 
 The town of Portsmouth was spared, and but few 
 of the houses were pillaged ; some, unavoidably, 
 were so, in spite of every care to prevent it. The 
 rebels, however, as the last of the ships were 
 weighing, treated them with a few cannon shot 
 from field-pieces, which they had brought down to 
 the water side, but without doing any essential 
 mischief. That night the fleet joined the Raison- 
 able, and the small flying squadron from the Ches- 
 apeake, in Hampton Roads, and the next morning 
 the whole proceeded to sea with a fair wind. 
 
 The day following, the express boat, which the 
 Commodore had sent to Sir Henry Chnton, joined 
 him, and brought his answer, which was now of 
 no consequence, as the evacuation of Portsmouth 
 had taken place — a fatal and unfortunate mea- 
 sure, universally regretted by all who were ac- 
 quainted with its great importance, and the ad- 
 vantages which would have resulted to Great Bri- 
 tain from its being in possession of the King's 
 troops. 
 
88 
 
 The third day, in the evening, after leaving Vir- 
 ginia, the whole fleet anchored before New- York, 
 with all the transports and prizes. A more fortu- 
 nate expedition, or acheived in less time, was never 
 known. When Lord Howe went to the Chesa- 
 peake, (two years before,) his passage took up 
 seven weeks and three days. In the present one, 
 the winds, and every circumstance, were so pro- 
 pitious that the whole time from sailing to the re- 
 turn of the fleet, was no more than twenty-four 
 daysy in which time the damage sustained by the 
 rebels was upwards of a million sterling. 
 
 Sir George finding a large part of the army at 
 New- York ready to go up the North River with 
 Sir Henry Clinton, to attack some posts of the re- 
 bels, very readily took a part in the enterprise. 
 He accordingly weighed next luorning, with the 
 men-of-war and transports, (which he had brought 
 from Virginia,) and proceeded with them till he 
 was abreast of Tarrytown, (forty miles above 
 New-York ;) at this place he left the Raisonable, 
 on account of the shallowness of the river, and, 
 with Sir Henry Clinton, went on board the Ca- 
 milla, frigate, in which he continued advancing 
 about twenty miles higher, and then anchored 
 with the fleet, in sight of the rebel posts at Stony 
 Point and Verplanck's. 
 
 These works are on different sides of the river, 
 which, in that place, is about one thousand three 
 hundred yards across. Stony Point is an im- 
 mensely strong, elevated situation, but the fortifi- 
 
89 
 
 cations were not half completed. Verplanck's, 
 or Fort La Fayette, was a very small but regular 
 work, consisting of pallisadoes, a double ditch, 
 parapets, and a wooden block-house in the centre, 
 which was bomb pi^oof. These posts were erected 
 to cover a pass of importance, called King^s Fer- 
 ry, by which the communication was preserved 
 between the Northern and Southern colonies, 
 without a tedious and troublesom.e passage higher 
 up, over the mountains. 
 
 The troops landed on different sides of the river. 
 Those destined for the attack of Fort La Fayette 
 were commanded by General Vaughan, the others 
 by General Pattison, (of the Artillery,) but Stony 
 Point gave him no trouble, for the rebels abandon- 
 ed it on the appearance of the fleet, setting fire, 
 before their flight, to an unfinished block-house on 
 that height. The King's troops soon took posses- 
 sion, and with great diligence dragged mortars and 
 some heavy cannon up the perpendicular steep. 
 The seamen assisted, and two 24 pounders and 
 two 18 pounders were furnished from the men-of- 
 war. 
 
 The batteries were soon opened against Fort 
 La Fayette ; the Camilla and Vulture, together 
 with three galleys, joined in the cannonade ; the 
 rebels returned it briskly from the few guns they 
 had mounted, but the contest was unequal. At 
 night the Commodore sent the Vulture and a row 
 galley past the fort, to cut off their retreat by wa- 
 ter, and it had that consequence. General Vaugh- 
 
 8* 
 
90 
 
 an invested the place closely by land, and the gar- 
 rison (a small one) then beat the chamade, and 
 surrendered prisoners of war. 
 
 These were all the operations at that time on 
 the North River. The King's troops remained in 
 possession of these posts, by which the rebels were 
 forced to make a detour over the mountains, more 
 than sixty miles, instead of crossing the river at 
 King's Ferry. Sir Henry Clinton directed that 
 Stony Point (impregnable almost by a natural situ- 
 tion) should be strongly fortified, and he and the 
 Commodore, with the remainder of the troops and 
 ships, proceeded down to New-York. 
 
 Within a few days afterwards a new expedition 
 was concerted against the rebel province of Con- 
 necticut, which had all along shown itself very in- 
 veterate against the King's faithful subjects. The 
 transports, with the troops on board, dropped 
 down the East River, (passing Hell Gate,) and an- 
 chored at the entrance of the Sound. Major 
 General Tryon, governor of the province of New- 
 York, a brave and gallant officer, was named to 
 command the land forces, and Sir George Collier, 
 anxious to assist in every enterprise where the 
 enemy could be attacked, took on himself the com- 
 mand of the fleet, which consisted of no ships lar- 
 ger than frigates, from the difficulty and danger 
 of the passage at Hell Gate. The Commodore 
 joined the fleet in Huntington Bay, and the 11th 
 July weighed from thence and anchored before 
 New-Haven^ the capital of the province of Con- 
 
^ 91 
 
 necticut. The landing was effected without loss. 
 The first division of the troops, commanded by 
 Brigadier General Garth, got on shore (under fire 
 of the cannon from the smaller ships and galleys) 
 about five miles from the city ; the second division, 
 with General Tryon, proceeded in the flat-boats 
 (under the direction of the Commodore) to the 
 other side of the harbour, where they were briskly 
 cannonaded by the fort, and the landing opposed, 
 hkewise, by some companies of riflemen,^ who 
 concealed themselves in the bushes. In this di- 
 vision several men were wounded, but the troops 
 got on shore with less injury than might have been 
 expected. A good deal of straggling fire took 
 place between the rebels and the King's troops as 
 they advanced, and General Garth lost a great 
 many men in his march of about six miles. He 
 got at last into the town of New-Haven, though 
 his people were very heartily jaded by severe ser- 
 vice, and a hot, fatiguing, hasty march. 
 
 Most of the rebels quitted the town, and Gen- 
 eral Garth remained in possession, but the number 
 of rebels in the environs increased every moment, 
 and a very formidable attack was expected during 
 the night. 
 
 Soon after landing General Tryon began his 
 march towards the fort, which was hastily and 
 cowardly abandoned by the enemy at his ap- 
 proach, and immediate possession taken of it by 
 
 ♦ Riflemen are excellent marksmen, with rifle-barrelled guns. 
 
92 
 
 the King's troops. He proceeded on to a neck of 
 land opposite New-Haven, where he took post 
 that night, having a free communication, hy boats, 
 with the first division under General Garth. 
 
 Great pains was taken to prevent disorders, 
 which often attend a place taken as this was, with- 
 out terms. Such inhabitants as remained in their 
 houses had a sentinel at their doors granted them, 
 to prevent any irregularities. But even this mark 
 of indulgence was treated with the baseness and 
 treachery inherent in these people. The very sen- 
 tinels fixed as their safeguards, were villainously 
 shot and murdered from the upper windows ! 
 Their inveteracy extinguished even their feeling 
 of humanity, if they ever possessed it. Colonel 
 Parker (of the Guards) being dangerously wound- 
 ed by a musket ball in the body, was carried into 
 one of their houses to be dressed ; when the opera- 
 tion was over, and the surgeons were conveying 
 him out, to be sent on board, he was inhumanly 
 fired at from the windows of the very house he 
 had been dressed in. 
 
 The Commodore, besides two or three very 
 narrow escapes in landing with the troops, was 
 nearly shot afterwards from the windows, by re- 
 bels, when walking with several officers through 
 the streets of New-Haven. 
 
 This place is a spacious and very considerable 
 town ; it has the largest University in America, 
 and might with propriety be styled the parent and 
 nurse of rebellion. It was in this seminary that 
 
m 
 
 those arch-rebels Hancock, Adams, Warren, Otis, 
 and Deane, had their education. 
 
 The Commodore and Major-General Tryon is- 
 sued the following proclamation at landing: 
 
 "By Commodore Sir George Collier, Com- 
 mander-in-Chief of His Majesty's ships and ves- 
 sels in North America, and Major-General Try- 
 on, commanding His Majesty's land forces on a 
 separate expedition. 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 To the inhabitants of Connecticut, 
 
 The ungenerous and wanton insurrection against 
 the sovereignty of Great Britain, into which this 
 colony has been deluded, by the artifices of des- 
 perate and designing men, for private purposes, 
 might well justify in you every fear which con- 
 scious guilt could form respecting the intentions of 
 the present armament. 
 
 Your towns, your property, yourselves, lie still 
 within the grasp of that power whose forbearance 
 you have ungenerously construed into fear, but 
 whose lenity has persisted in its mild and noble 
 efforts, even though branded with the most unwor- 
 thy imputation. 
 
 The existence of a single habitation on your de- 
 fenceless coast, ought to be a constant reproof to 
 your ingratitude. Can the strength of your whole 
 province cope with the force which might at any 
 
94 
 
 time be poured through every district in your 
 country? You are conscious it cannot. Why 
 then will you persist in a ruinous and ill-judged 
 resistance ? 
 
 We have hoped that you would recover from 
 the frenzy which has distracted this unhappy 
 country, and we believe the day to be now come 
 when the greater part of this continent begin to 
 blush at their delusion. You who lie so much in 
 our power, afford the most striking monument of 
 our mercy, and therefore ought to set the first ex- 
 ample of returning to allegiance. 
 
 Reflect upon what gratitude requires of you. 
 If that is insufficient to move you, attend to your 
 own interest. We offer you a refuge against the 
 distress which you universally acknowledge broods 
 with increasing and intolerable weight over all 
 your country. 
 
 Leaving you to consult with each other upon 
 this invitation, we do declare, that whosoever shall 
 be found and remain in peace, at his usual place 
 of residence, shall be shielded from any insult, 
 either to his person or his property ; excepting 
 such as bear offices, either civil or military, under 
 your present usurped government, of whom it will 
 be further required that they shall give proofs of 
 their penitence and voluntary submission, and they 
 shall then partake the like immunity. 
 
 Those whose folly and obstinacy may slight 
 this favourable warning, must take notice that 
 they are not to expect a continuance of that lenity 
 
95 
 
 which their inveteracy would now render blame- 
 able. 
 
 Given on board His Majesty's ship Camilla, 
 in the Sound, 4th July, 1779. 
 
 GEO. COLLIER, 
 WM. TRYON." 
 
 After demolishing the fort, burning a great quan- 
 tity of stores, and many vessels, the troops were 
 again re-embarked without any considerable loss, 
 and the fleet and army then proceeded to another 
 large town in the province, called Fairfield, where 
 a descent was again made, and the place taken 
 possession of by the King's troops, though not 
 without some skirmishing with the rebel militia. 
 
 Every opportunity had been made use of to dis- 
 perse the before-mentioned proclamation through 
 the province ; and General Tryon, the evening he 
 got to Fairfield, sent some copies of it by the Re- 
 verend Mr. Sayer, the clergyman of the place, 
 with a flag of truce, to a Colonel Whiting, the 
 principal officer of the rebel troops in that neigh- 
 bourhood, who returned the following elegant an- 
 swer by the flag : 
 
 ''Fairfield, July 1th, 1779. 
 Sir, 
 
 Connecticut having nobly dared to oppose the 
 usurpations of an unjust and oppressive nation, (as 
 flames have preceded the answer to your flag,) we 
 hope they will still continue, as far as in their pow- 
 
96 
 
 er, to protect persecuted and oppressed inno- 
 cence. 
 
 SAM. WHITING, Colonel. 
 Sir George Collier and Governor Tryon. 
 Per Mr. Sayer, in flag." 
 
 In spite of every argument that could be used 
 to induce these infatuated people to return to their 
 allegiance, they remained obstinate, and the lenity 
 exerted tow^ards Nevs^-Haven served but to harden 
 them the more in their inveteracy and rebellion. 
 They continued firing upon the King's troops in 
 the town all night, and beginning to grow trouble- 
 some from some houses in front. General Garth 
 was ordered to drive them from thence and set 
 the houses on fire, which was done accordingly. 
 The conflagration extended itself by degrees to 
 the whole town, which, together with the churches, 
 was entirely consumed. The army in the morn- 
 ing began their march to the water side, and em- 
 barked again in the flat-boats, under cover of the 
 row-galleys and gun-boats, without molestation. 
 
 New-London is a large and capital town, situa- 
 ted on the banks of a fine navigable river, at the 
 entrance of the Sound, and not very distant from 
 Rhode-Island. This place was a famous recepta- 
 cle for privateers, and was thought on that account 
 to injure the British trade as much as any harbour 
 in America. The Commodore intending to con- 
 clude his operations in the Sound by an attack up- 
 on this nest of pirates, sent a small squadron to 
 
97 
 
 block it up, to prevent the privateers there from 
 escaping, as well as to hinder the rebels receiving 
 any succours by sea. 
 
 In the mean time Sir George Collier went on 
 with the fleet to other opeiTitions, which, from 
 their similarity to what has been already mention- 
 ed, need not be particularly described. The towns 
 of Greenfield and Norwalk shared the same fate 
 with Fairfield ; as did aslo some other places of less 
 note, together with a great number of whale boats* 
 and other small vessels, in which the malignant 
 rebels had used to make frequent depredations on 
 the King's faithful subjects, their peaceful and inno- 
 cent neighbours. In all the different landings of 
 the troops, the Commodore always assisted in per- 
 son, preceding the flat-boats in his barge, and di- 
 recting their evolutions and places of landing. 
 
 After the destruction of Norwalk, the men-of- 
 war and transports went over and anchored in 
 Huntington Bay, on Long-Island, to wait for a 
 supply of ammunition from New- York. 
 
 Sir George took that opportunity of meeting the 
 Commander-in-Chief of the army, at Frog^s Neck, 
 who was come there from New- York lo confer 
 with the Commodore on the intended operations 
 against New-London. They had the satisfaction 
 of receiving intelligence that the chastisement the 
 rebels had lately received in Connecticut, was at- 
 
 * Whale boats hold from twelve to twenty men, row fast, and 
 were made great use of by the rebels m their desultory incursions 
 to plunder. 
 
 9 
 
98 
 
 tended with very favourable consequences for the 
 King's cause ; that their murmurs, both against 
 Washington and the Congress, rose very high ; 
 and that they execrated them as the cause of their 
 misfortunes, from their imbecility in not being able 
 to protect, and prevent them. Many of the prin- 
 cipal people in the province had already formed 
 the outlines of an association, and seemed deter- 
 mined to throw off all subjection and allegiance 
 to the Congress. This account, which was well 
 authenticated, induced the General and Commo- 
 dore to hope for consequences still more impor- 
 tant, by the capture of New-London ; and every 
 thing was soon finally adjusted between them for 
 beginning the attack in the most vigorous manner. 
 They parted — the General to give orders for the 
 embarkation of more troops, immediately to rein- 
 force those under General Tryon, and Sir George 
 to join the fleet again in Huntington Bay. 
 
 A very disagreeable event, however, put a stop 
 to the favourite expedition against New-London, 
 and this was the surprisal (in the night) of the 
 strong post of Stony Point, on the North River, 
 which was carried by the rebels with very little 
 loss, and the garrison all made prisoners or killed. 
 The enterprise was really a gallant one, and as 
 bravely executed. The rebel troops, under a Gen- 
 eral Wayne, formed two attacks, with fixed bayo- 
 nets and unloaded arms, during the daikness and 
 silence of the night. It was said they had taken 
 the precaution to kill every dog (two days before) 
 
99 
 
 that was within some miles round the post, to pre- 
 vent their approach being discovered by their 
 harking. They began to march from their camp, 
 eleven miles off, soon after dusk, proceeding with 
 celerity and silence, and soon after midnight fell 
 in with the British piquets, whom they surprised, 
 and bayoneted a number of them ; the rest hastily 
 retreated, keeping up a straggling fire, though to 
 very little purpose, for the rebels followed close at 
 their heels. Their forlorn hope consisted of forty 
 men, and were followed by a party with hooks on 
 long poles, to pull aside the abattis and thereby 
 give entrance to the column behind. The works 
 of Stony Point were not half completed, and as 
 one part of its strength, at that time, consisted in 
 the abattis, the rebels found no great difficulty in 
 getting into the body of a work which was quite 
 open, though on an eminence. 
 
 A young man of the name of Johnson, who was 
 Lieutenant-Colonel of the 17th regiment, w^as left 
 with the charge of this important spot. He was 
 reckoned a brave and good officer for his years, 
 but the force with him was certainly inadequate 
 to its defence. On the first alarm from the piquets, 
 he ran down with the main-guard to defend the 
 abattis, and support them ; the rebel column was 
 stopped for a few minutes, and a brisk firing took 
 place on both sides ; but to Colonel Johnson's grief 
 and surprise, he heard a cry of " Victory," on the 
 heights above him, and "fAe fortes our own^ 
 (which was the rebel watch- word.) He very soon 
 
100 
 
 learned by some of his officers that the enemy 
 were in full possession of the body of the place. 
 It was certainly so. The column which was des- 
 tined for making the other attack, took a short de- 
 tour round, and climbed up the perpendicular 
 height, which being over the river, nobody ex- 
 pected an enemy on that side, and the surprise of 
 the King's troops, at seeing them in possession of 
 the works, was extreme. 
 
 The laws of war give a right to the assailants, 
 of putting all to death who are found in arms. 
 Justice is certainly due to all men, and commen- 
 dation should be given where it is deserved. The 
 rebels had made the attack with a bravery they 
 never before exhibited ; and they showed, at this 
 moment, a generosity and clemency which, during 
 the course of the rebellion, had no parallel. There 
 was light sufficient, after getting up the heights, to 
 show them many of the British troops with arms 
 in their hands. Instead of putting them to death, 
 they called to them " to throw their arms down if 
 they expected quarter." It was too late then to 
 resist — they submitted ; and the strong post of 
 Stony Point fell again into the possession of the 
 rebels. The loss of the King's troops, considering 
 the place was taken by storm, was very small; 
 Captain Tew being the only officer killed, and 
 thirty -two men. Forty -three were wounded, and 
 the rest, (amounting to two hundred and sixteen,) 
 were made prisoners. 
 
 The enemy found here several brass mortars^ 
 
101 
 
 many pieces of large cannon, together with the 
 ammunition necessary for them. An unlucky 
 piece of business, and fatal to the reputation of a 
 gallant young man, who was certainly left with a 
 force very inadequate to the purpose he was pla- 
 ced at Stony Point for. 
 
 Immediately upon this coup^ the rebels began a 
 brisk attack upon the opposite post at Verplanck's. 
 It was invested by a large body of troops, and the 
 mortars and heavy cannon from Stony Point kept 
 up an incessant fire upon the works. 
 
 On the receipt of this disagreeable news, the 
 Commodore sent orders to discontinue the block- 
 ade of the harbour at New-London, and immedi- 
 ately proceeded back to New-York with all the 
 men-of-war and transports, getting through that 
 most dangerous pass called Hell Gate, luckily with- 
 out losing any of the ships. The transports each 
 received more troops on board at New- York, and 
 then, escorted by the King's ships, took their way 
 up the North River, 
 
 The fleet was no sooner descried from Stony 
 Point, than the rebels set fire to every thing there 
 that would burn, and went off' with their usual 
 alertness. They had conveyed away some of the 
 cannon and mortars, but the greatest part of them 
 were loaded on a galley, with which they propos- 
 ed going up the river to their strong post of West 
 Point, but as the galley was beginning to move, 
 she was luckily sunk by a shot, either from Ver- 
 planck's or from the shipping ; the Vulture, sloop, 
 9* 
 
102 
 
 and two galleys having been left up there by the 
 Commodore for the defence of the posts, who all 
 cannonaded the rebel vessel as soon as their guns 
 could be brought to bear. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Webster had defended Fort 
 La Fayette with great gallantry and httle loss. 
 The rebel army drew off, and retired on the first 
 intimation being received of the approach of the 
 King's troops up the river. 
 
 Very soon after Sir George's return to New- 
 York, he received the alarming intelligence that 
 His Majesty's garrison of Penobscot, upon the 
 coast of New-England, was besieged by a consid- 
 erable rebel army from Boston, supported by all 
 the naval force they could bring together, under 
 the command of General Lovel and Commodore 
 Saltonstall. Their expectations of success might 
 be judged from the following proclamation, issued 
 by the Council of State (as they called themselves) 
 of Boston : 
 
 " State of Massachusetts Bay, 
 Council Chamber, Boston, July Sd, 1779. 
 Resolved, That the committee appointed to en- 
 list men for the manning of ships and vessels des- 
 tined on the expedition to Penobscot, be, and here- 
 by are, empowered and directed to publish and 
 proclaim, to all persons inclining to take a part in 
 the Penobscot expedition, that the State will not, 
 directly or indirectly, share any part of any armed 
 vessel, or ship, or transport, or other vessel, which 
 
103 
 
 may be captured by the fleet destined to Penob- 
 scot, or by any vessel thereto belonging : and that 
 the share that might accrue to this State shall 
 belong to the captors, and be shared among them. 
 And it is further 
 
 Resolved, That the embargo laid by the General 
 Court for forty days, shall peremptorily be constru- 
 ed for that term, unless the said expedition to Pe- 
 nobscot shall be finished ; and if it should so happen 
 that the said expedition to Penobscot should not 
 then be terminated,this Court will continue the said 
 embargo as necessity may require it, till said ex- 
 pedition shall be ended, or the General Court 
 meet ; and the said committee are directed to pub- 
 lish this Resolve, that no seaman, or other person, 
 may neglect to put himself into such advantageous, 
 business as the Penobscot expedition, under the 
 delusive idea that as soon as the Penobscot fleet 
 sails all ships and vessels will be permitted to put 
 to sea. 
 
 True copy. 
 Attest, JNO. AVERY, Dep'y Sec'y." 
 
 The settlement of Penobscot is situated in the 
 bay of that name, in the province of Maine, upon 
 the coast of New-England. It was at this time 
 quite in its infancy, as the King's orders for send- 
 ing troops and building a fort there, had been re- 
 ceived but a few months. The Bay of Penobscot 
 has much the appearance of a wide river, being 
 seven or eight leagues in breadth at the mouth. 
 
104 
 
 and about seventeen leagues deep. At the east- 
 ern part of the bottom of the Bay, is an inlet, called 
 Penobscot River, nearly a mile broad at the en- 
 trance, and narrowing afterwards considerably, 
 shoaling, and sometimes growing deeper, for full 
 twenty miles up, when it terminates. Long Island 
 extends seven or eight miles in length, and hes in 
 the middle of the Bay; it is narrow, and has a 
 passage for ships on both sides of it. 
 
 On the right side of the Bay, about three leagues 
 from the mouth of Penobscot river, and fourteen 
 or fifteen from the sea, is a small harbour, which 
 still bears the Indian name of ^^ Majabaguaduce,^^ 
 which, though it has many good spots for anchor- 
 age, has also a number of dangerous shoals. The 
 country all round is without inhabitants and uncul- 
 tivated, except here and there a hovel, at great 
 distances asunder ; the rest of it is overgrown with 
 wood, which fringes the land quite down the 
 steeps to the waterside. A small distance up this 
 harbour of Majahaguaduce, was the spot fixed on 
 for the new settlement. It was overgrown with 
 trees, and required time and labour to clear the 
 ground, as well as to construct the works neces- 
 sary for the security of the garrison. 
 
 General Maclean, a brave and gallant officer, 
 who had the command of the King's troops in 
 Nova-Scotia, and who had left a lucrative and 
 honourable employment in Portugal, to act against 
 his master's rebellious subjects in America, came 
 in person to fix on a spot for the settlement, and 
 
106 
 
 to direct proper fortifications to be made for it^ 
 security. An enemy's country is not the most 
 propitious to make a new settlement in ; and there 
 were many unforeseen difficulties to struggle with 
 in bringing this to any perfection. The indefati- 
 gable industry of the General, however, got over 
 impediments which would have staggered minds 
 less determined and patient. His force was about 
 eight hundred troops ; to which were added three 
 small men-of-war, which Sir George had ordered 
 to remain at Penobscot, after escorting the trans- 
 ports from Halifax, in order to add security to the 
 infant settlement. 
 
 The clearing of the ground inevitably took up 
 much time ; after which the engineers marked 
 out the works, and the troops laboured with un- 
 ceasing diligence to dig the fosse, raise the para- 
 pets, and put the place in a state of defence. 
 
 The fortification was an exact square, with a 
 bastion at each corner. It was extensive enough 
 to raise a cavellier, or block-house, in the middle, 
 and to have sufficient room besides for barracks, 
 officers' apartments, store-houses, &c. 
 
 General Maclean, anxious to get the works in a 
 state of defence as soon as possible, allowed neith- 
 er himself or his men more repose than their 
 meals and the darkness of the night made unavoid- 
 able. He encouraged the diligent^- he repre- 
 hended the slothful — and the batteries, under his 
 able direction, advanced rapidly. 
 
 Notwithstanding every humane exertion, an ex;- 
 
106 
 
 tensive work of this kind must take a long time to 
 make it defensible, much less complete. The ditch 
 was not yet half its intended depth ; one bastion 
 was entirely open, and another not near finished, 
 when the sentinels on the heights gave the alarm 
 of a very strange appearance towards the entrance 
 of the Bay, which they were at a loss what to 
 make of. The General and the officers gazed for 
 sometime,without being able to determine whether 
 it was a fog-bank blowing into the harbour from 
 the sea, (which often happens,) or moving sub- 
 stances on the water. The appearance was like 
 a floating island with innumerable trees. The 
 commanding sea officer sent out a boat to investi- 
 gate the phenomenon ; but before she returned 
 their doubts were fully resolved into its being a 
 rebel armament, come to attack the settlement. 
 The strange fleet advanced, bearing the thirteen 
 stripes, and one of the ships displayed the broad 
 pendant of a Commodore. Those armed for war 
 appeared about twenty, the transports, victuallers, 
 &c. were about thirty-five, who all proceeded on 
 till they came abreast of Majabaguaduce, and then 
 their men-of-war anchored in a line, having the 
 transports without them. 
 
 The brave General Maclean took every pre- 
 caution which judgement and vigilance could direct, 
 both to prevent their landing and to make the best 
 possible defence. In spite of all his endeavours, 
 however, the enemy's troops got on shore in a 
 place where they were never expected, and which 
 
107 
 
 was judged inaccessible. This spot was the foot 
 of a perpendicular steep, overgrown with trees, 
 and difficult to ascend, even without any incum- 
 brance. The rebels landed their first division 
 here soon after dark, and before sunrise their in- 
 defatigableness had not only drawn up some can- 
 non, but had even constructed a breastwork which 
 covered them effectually from any surprise or sud- 
 den attack. 
 
 Some skirmishing happened next morning be- 
 tween the British piquets and the rebels' advanced 
 guards, in which a few men on both sides were 
 killed. 
 
 The design, however, of this detail is not to 
 speak of matters foreign to the subject ; the attack 
 and defence of the garrison of Penobscot before 
 the King's fleet appeared, must be such. It is 
 sufficient in general to say, that General Maclean, 
 his officers and troops, showed the utmost alert- 
 ness and bravery, the rebels a great deal of back- 
 wardness and timidity. The three small sloops of 
 War belonging to His Majesty were hauled close 
 to the shore, under the protection of the battery. 
 Some of the rebel ships advanced and cannonad- 
 ed them to no great effect ; but the united ef- 
 forts of the sloops of war and garrison could not 
 prevent the enemy from erecting two batteries 
 witliin 450 yards of the fort, besides two others of 
 heavy cannon at a greater distance. 
 
 Such was the situation of things at Penobscot 
 when Sir George Collier sailed from New-York 
 
108 
 
 to the relief of that garrison ; having under his 
 command His Majesty's ships Raisonable, Grey- 
 hound, Blonde, Virginia, Camilla, Galatea, and Ot- 
 ter, sloop. He had the misfortune to be confined 
 to his bed with a violent fever during the equip- 
 ment ; but the advice and entreaties of the physi- 
 cians could not divert him from his purpose of go- 
 ing in person, and he sailed from Nev^^-York in 
 that dangerous situation, upon the expedition. 
 
 The voyage was not long, but the whole of it 
 was made through black and thick fogs, which ob- 
 scured the face of day, and inevitably separated 
 the squadron. They all (except the Otter, sloop,) 
 rejoined again oft' the island of Monhagen. Two 
 rebel privateers were taken upon the passage. 
 
 The squadron was no sooner re-collected than 
 the Commodore immediately led them into Penob- 
 scot Bay. The light airs of wind, currents, and 
 innumerable dangerous shoals, obliged them to 
 anchor for that night ; but at dawn of day next 
 morning they weighed, and proceeded up the Bay 
 with a light but favourable wind. About ten 
 o'clock an advanced frigate made a signal for see- 
 ing the enemy's fleet. The Commodore soon af- 
 ter discovered them from the Raisonable, (in 
 which he was.) They were all under sail, and 
 seemed forming into the shape of a crescent, and 
 their commanding oflficer in the centre, with a 
 broad pendant. The numerous transports, on 
 which most of their army were embarked, and 
 smaller vessels, were beyond the ships of war and 
 
109 
 
 higher up the Bay. The whole seemed rather in 
 confusion, and as not decided liow they should act, 
 notwithstanding their force appeared to be seven- 
 teen or eighteen ships of war. The wind still con- 
 tinued very faint, though it blew directly into the 
 Bay ; the enemy had no other alternative than 
 bravely to try the fortune of the day, or be de- 
 stroyed. 
 
 The prospect that then must have presented it- 
 self to the British troops on the shore, was cer- 
 tainly highly interesting and pleasing. The rebel 
 army had received intimation of the approach of 
 the King's squadron the night before. They had 
 laboured ever since without ceasing, to re-embark 
 some of their heavy cannon and mortars, together 
 with their baggage and men, and they had suc- 
 ceeded so well, that the whole rebel armament of 
 land and sea forces presented itself at that time 
 afloat, to the right of the King's ships. 
 
 From the form the enemy drew up in. Sir 
 George doubted whether their intention was not 
 to hoard the King's ships, which from the smooth 
 water, the little wind, and the assistance of the re- 
 bel troops in the transports, might have been at- 
 tended with success, if they had had spirit to 
 attempt it. Whilst this matter hung in suspense, 
 an agent of transports from the shore, ventured to 
 pass the enemy's fleet in a small boat, and came 
 on board the Raisonable. The agent informed 
 the Commodore of the safety of the General and 
 garrison, and that the rebel army were all re-em- 
 10 
 
110 
 
 harked, " It seemed," he said, " to be the general 
 opinion that they would make a bold push with 
 the whole of their force against the King's ships." 
 
 A short time, however, put this matter out of 
 doubt. The transports were seen flying towards 
 the mouth of Penobscot river. Their men-of-war 
 caught the panic and followed. The broad pen- 
 dant of Commodore Saltonstall was no longer to 
 be discovered, and it was thought that officer was 
 one of the first to abandon his squadron. The 
 scene was highly picturesque. The enemy spread 
 all their sails to assist their fliglit, and looked like 
 a moving forest skimming over the waters. A 
 universal shout from the British fleet was heard, 
 and echoed from ship to ship. Joy was lit up in 
 every countenance, and the highest satisfaction ap- 
 peared at the inevitable defeat and destruction of 
 so considerable a part of the rebel force. 
 
 The Commodore observing their unexpected 
 and ignominious flight, immediately made the sig- 
 nals for battle and for a generalh case, which was 
 instantly obeyed by the King's ships, with all the 
 eagerness and alacrity which a desire of destroy- 
 ing their enemies could inspire. The body of the 
 rebel fleet soon entered Penobscot river, and push- 
 ed up it. Two of their men-of-war (the Hunter 
 and Defence) made an attempt to get round Long- 
 Island, but failed in the attempt ; the Commo- 
 dore's ship took the former and blew up the other. 
 
 Night came on ; the Raisonable continued the 
 pursuit till she was forced to anchor for want of 
 
 
Ill 
 
 depth of water. The animating business of the 
 day had kept up the Commodore's spirits, and act- 
 ed as a restorative to his health. It was the first 
 hour from his saihng that he had been able to 
 leave his cabin, and his extreme weakness forced 
 him to sit in a chair upon deck the whole time. 
 He remained there till he fainted, in the evening, 
 through fatigue. 
 
 The course of the night afforded many distant 
 views of blazing ships, accompanied with frequent 
 explosions of blowing up. The pursuit and de- 
 struction continued part of the next day. The 
 scene was awful and the service dangerous. The 
 channel grew narrower and shoaler in advancing. 
 The branches of trees on different sides of the 
 river were often brushed at the saine time by the 
 yards of the pursuing ships, whilst those of the re- 
 bels lay on each side aground and blazing ! Be- 
 sides the Hunter, there was only the Hampden of 
 twenty-two guns, taken ; the rest were all blown 
 up and destroyed. Among the former was a beau- 
 tiful frigate, called the Warren, of thirty -two guns, 
 (18 pounders,) on board which the rebel Commo- 
 dore had his broad pendant hoisted.* The re- 
 mainder of this armament blew themselves up to 
 prevent falling into their enemy's possession, and 
 for the same reason they burnt their transports, 
 not a single one of any kind escaping. 
 
 * This was the second flag ship taken and destroyed by Sir 
 ■George in America ; the other was Commodore Manley, in the 
 Hancock, whose broad pendant was sent to England and present- 
 ed to His Majesty. 
 
112 
 
 Followed by terror ^ f ear ^ and dismay, the rebel 
 crews and troops got hastily on shore and gained 
 the woods, the generality of them without provi- 
 sions, the rapid progress of the flames forbid their 
 returning to procure any, when recollection re- 
 minded them of the want of it. Reproaches and 
 mutual recrimination soon took place between the 
 sea and land officers, each accusing the other of 
 being the cause of their present situation. It end- 
 ed in a battle, in which between forty and fifty 
 people were killed and wounded ; the rest dispers- 
 ed in small parties through desert, pathless-wastes 
 and thick woods, in hopes of finding their way 
 back to some of the rebel settlements. A full half 
 of the number perished by hunger and other acci- 
 dents, and the remainder, a great while afterwards, 
 got back to Boston. General Lovel was tried by 
 a court-martial and broke ; but their Commodore, 
 Saltonstall, was never heard of, and it was ima- 
 gined he was either murdered, or had perished in 
 the woods ! Such was the end of the attack of 
 Penobscot, of the success of which the rebels had 
 formed the most sanguine expectations. And such 
 an end may the enterprises of rebellion always 
 have ! The Congress, as well as their Council of 
 State at Boston, were so much affected at this de- 
 feat as to order "it should not be made a subject 
 of conversation." Their disappointment was the 
 greater, from the assurances they had given the 
 people of their seeing a similar scene exhibited to 
 that of Saratoga; in which a General and his 
 army were made prisoners. 
 
113 
 
 The day succeeding the flight of the rebels, the 
 Raisonable returned and anchored off the King's 
 Fort, which saluted the Commodore with fifteen 
 guns. The brave and gallant General Maclean 
 immediately came off to congratulate Sir George 
 on his success, and the joy on each side was very 
 sincere and mutual. 
 
 Though the rebels had embarked some of their 
 cannon, they had left many on their batteries in 
 perfect good condition. This was a fortunate cir- 
 cumstance for the fort, which was in great want 
 of large guns. Among others there were nine (of 
 the 18 pounders) found in one battery, which had 
 formerly belonged to the Somerset, man-of-war, 
 of 64 guns, which was lost a year before upon 
 Cape Cod. 
 
 Sir George directed some of the smaller men- 
 of-war to remain up the river, to protect the ves- 
 sels employed in weighing the cannon of the rebel 
 frigates, many of which were afterwards recover- 
 ed, as well as other stores. 
 
 The arrival of the British squadron at the time 
 it did, was singularly fortunate, as the rebels had 
 determined making a general assault on the works 
 that day, by land and sea, with all their force. 
 
 10* 
 
114 
 
 ENGLISH LINE OF BATTLE. 
 
 The Blonde to lead on both tacks, unless ordei 
 ed to the contrary. 
 
 Ships. 
 
 Commanders. Guns. 
 
 Men. 
 
 Blonde, . 
 
 . Capt. Barkley, . 32 
 
 220 
 
 Greyhound, 
 
 " Dickson, . 28 
 
 200 
 
 Raisonable, 
 
 ( Sir Geo. Collier, ) ^ . 
 I Capt. Evans, \ ^^ 
 
 500 
 
 Galatea, . 
 
 " Reid, . . 24 
 
 180 
 
 Camilla, . 
 
 " Collins, . 24 
 
 180 
 
 Vh'ginia, . 
 
 . " Ord, . . 28 
 
 200 
 
 
 Totals, 200 
 
 1480 
 
 Sloops Albany, North, and Nautilus. 
 
115 
 
 REBEL SHIPS, 
 
 Taken, burnt, and destroyed, at Penobscot. 
 
 Ships. 
 
 Guns. 
 
 Men. 
 
 
 Warren, 
 
 32 
 
 280 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Monmouth, 
 
 24 
 
 200 
 
 » 
 
 Vengeance, 
 
 24 
 
 200 
 
 J5 
 
 Putnam, 
 
 22 
 
 180 
 
 » 
 
 Sally, 
 
 22 
 
 180 
 
 >? 
 
 Hampden, 
 
 22 
 
 180 
 
 Taken 
 
 Hector, 
 
 20 
 
 160 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Hunter, 
 
 20 
 
 160 
 
 Taken 
 
 Black Prince, 
 
 18 
 
 150 
 
 Burnt. 
 
 Sky Rocket, 
 
 18 
 
 150 
 
 » 
 
 Brigs. 
 
 
 
 
 Active, 
 
 16 
 
 130 
 
 j> 
 
 Defence, 
 
 16 
 
 130 
 
 J5 
 
 Hazard, 
 
 16 
 
 140 
 
 5) 
 
 Diligent, 
 
 14 
 
 130 
 
 ?) 
 
 Tyrannicide, 
 
 14 
 
 130 
 
 ?) 
 
 Providence, 
 
 14 
 
 125 
 
 >5 
 
 Spring Bird, 
 
 12 
 
 120 
 
 5J 
 
 Nancy, 
 
 16 
 
 150 
 
 Taken 
 
 Rover, 
 
 10 
 
 80 
 
 jj 
 
 Totals, 
 
 350 
 
 2975 Men, 
 
 Exclusive of troops, which were said to be 4000. 
 
116 
 
 Sir George directed Captain Dickson, in His 
 Majesty's ship Greyhound, to proceed to England 
 with his dispatches to government, giving an ac- 
 count of the destruction of the rebel fleet. He 
 arrived safe, and v^as rewarded by the Admirahy 
 with ^£500 for the good news he brought. 
 
 The Commodore sent the Blonde, frigate, to Sir 
 Henry Clinton, and the Nautilus to Governor 
 Hughes, at Halifax, with the like accounts ; after 
 which he arranged every thing for his departure 
 from Penobscot Bay, supplying the garrison with 
 what ammunition and provisions could be spared 
 from the squadron, and sending the frigates on dif- 
 ferent stations, to cruise upon the enemy's coast. 
 He then took leave of the General, and the officers 
 of the garrison. The fort again saluted him with 
 fifteen guns, and making the signal to weigh, left 
 Penobscot, in company only with the Camilla of 
 24 guns, steering a course into Boston Bay. 
 
 Two days afterwards he fell in with the Galatea, 
 frigate, with a very rich Jamaica ship, which she 
 had retaken from the rebels near the harbour of 
 Boston. Sir George took the prize under convoy 
 and without any thing else happening remarkable 
 on the passage, arrived soon after at New- York, 
 where he found Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot, who had 
 lately been Commissioner at Halifax, and was now 
 sent from England to take upon him the com- 
 mand of the King's fleet in America, which the 
 Commodore resigned into his hands. 
 
117 
 
 The Daphne, of 20 guns, being appointed to 
 carry Sir George and his suite to England, he em- 
 barked on board her on the 30th October, leaving 
 New- York with the most honourable testimonies of 
 high satisfaction with his conduct, from the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief of the army, and all the Generals ; 
 the Governor, the Council, the body of merchants 
 and the inhabitants of New- York, who all publicly 
 expressed "their concern at his departure, and 
 their wishes for his safe voyage, and favourable 
 reception from his Royal Master." 
 
 His passage did not exceed a month, arriving at 
 Plymouth the 27th November, 1770, having been 
 three years and an half absent from England. 
 
 He immediately set out for London to pay his 
 duty to the King, and to give the Ministers an ac- 
 count in what situation he had left affairs in 
 America, 
 
 THE END. 
 
H 33 ^ 89 
 

 
 
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