Annals of the American Revolution; or a record of the causes and events which produced ... the American Republic, etc

Front matter

'■"TIOT" cnp vwi * *""* * — T! !tnrrm AJYJYALS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION; OR A RECORD OF THE CAUSES AND EVENTS WHICH PRODUCED, AND TERMINATED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND INDEPENDENCE OF THE Aiomi-mit «Fœmic*\ INTERSPERSED WITH NUMEROUS APPROPRIATE EOCUMENTS AND AKECDOTEf. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED A SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY AND SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL INDIAN WARS, WHICH HAVE AT SUCCESSIVE PERIODS AFFLICTED ITS INHABITANTS To which is added, REMARKS ON THE PRINCIPLES AND COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES OF THE CONSTITUTION OF OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND AN AP-4JU 9 CONTAINING A BIOGRAPHY OF THE PRINCIPAL MILITARY OFFICERS, WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN ACHIEVING OUR INDEPENDENCE Compiled from a mass of authentic Documents, and arranged in chronological and historical order, BY JEDIDIAH MORSE, D. D. Author ofthe American Universal Gazettee'* HARTFORD : DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT, ss.

Be it remembered, That on the 8th day of November, in the lorty-niiitii L. S. year of the independence ofthe United States of America, Oliver D. Cooke & Sows, of the said district, hnve deposited in this office the title of a Hook, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit : " Annals of the American Revolution; or a record of the causes and events which produced, and terminated in the establishment and independence of the American Republic. Interspersed with numerous appropriate documents and anecdotes, to which is prefixed a summary account of the first settlement ofthe country, and some of the principal Indian Wars, which have at successive periods afflicted its inhabitants. To which is added, remarks on the principles and comparative advantages nf the con atitution of our nati nal government : and an appendix ; containing a biography of the principal military officers, who were instrumental in achieving our independence.

Compiled (rom a mass of authentic Documents, and arranged in chronological and his torical order, by Jedidiah .Viorse, D. D. author ofthe American Universal Gazetteer." In conformity to the act ofthe Congress oi the United States, entitled, "An act for the entourajemenl ol learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." CHARLES A. INGERSOLL, Clerk ofthe District of Connecticut, A true copy of Record, examined, and sealed by me, CHARLES A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Connecticut.

Chapter 1

— ♦— General View of the Discovery and Settlement of North America, particularly of the.British American Colonies, which now constitute the United States ; brought down to the present time. North America was discovered in the reign of Henry VII. a period when the arts and sciences had made very considerable pro gress in Europe. Many of the first adventurers were men of genius and learning, and were careful to preserve authentic records of such of their proceedings as would be interesting to posterity. These records afford ample documents for American historians. Perhaps • ) people on the globe can trace the history of their origin and pro gress with so much precision, as the British North American Colonies, irticularly those who first planted New-England. These were a peculiar people, enlightened bv the best education of those times, a rid distinguished for their wisdom and piety.

One of their eloquent descendants* thus characterizes them : — The fathers of New-England " came hither to a land, from which they were ever to return. Hither they had brought, and here they were to fix, their -.opes, their attachments, and their objects. Some natural tears they shed, is they left the pleasant abodes of their lathers, and some emotions they suppressed, when the white cliffs of their native country, now seen for the last time, grew dim to their sight. They were acting however upon a resolution not to be changed. With whatever stifled regrets, with whatever occasional hesitation, with whatever appalling apprehensions, which might sometimes arise with force to shake the firmest purpose, they had yet committed themselves to heaven, and the elements ; and a thousand leagues of water were interposed to separate them from the region which gave them birth.

A new existence awaited them here .; and when they saw these shores, rough, cold, barbarous, and barren as they were, they beheld their country. That mixed and strong feeling, which we call love of country, and which is, in general, never extinguished in the heart of man, grasped and embraced its proper object here. Whatever constitutes country, except the earth and the sun, all the moral causes of affection and attachment, which operate upon the heart, they had brought with them to their new abode. Here were now their families ; their homes, and their property. Before they reached the shore, they had established the elements of a social system, and at a much earlier period had settled their forms of religious worship. At the moment of their landing, therefore, they possessed institutions of government, and institutions of reli gion : and friends and families, and social and religious institutions, established *Hon. Daniel Webster — Discourse delivered at Plymouth, on the Anniversary of the " Landing of the Forefullurs," Dec. 22, 1820, just two centuries after their Jirst landing.

DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT [1495 2 by consent, sounded on choice and preference. How nearly do these fill up our whole idea of country ! The morning that beamed on the first nip*ht ot their repose, saw the Pilgrims already established in their country. There were political institutions, and civil liberty, and religious worship. Poetry has fancied nothing, in the wanderings of heroes, so distinct and characteristic. Here was man, indeed, unprotected, and unprovided for, on the shore of a rude and fearful wilderness ; but it was politic, intelligent, and educated man. Every thing was civilized but the physical world. Institutious containing in substance all that ages had done for human government, were established in a forest. Cultivated mind was to act on uncultivated nature ; and, more than all, a government, and a country, were to commence, with the very first foundations laid under the divine light of the Christian religion.

Happy aus pices of a happy futurity ! Who would wish that his country's existence had otherwise begun ? — Who would desire the power of going back to the ages of fable ? — Who would wish for an origin obscured in the darkness of antiquity ? Who would wish for other emblazoning of his country's heraldry, or other ornaments of her genealogy, than to be able to say, that her first existence was with intelligence ; her first breath the inspirations of liberty ; her first principle the truth of divine religion ?" The Editors of the Quarterly Review give the following testimony to their character : — " There are few states whose origin is on the whole so respectable as the American — none whose history is sullied with so few crimes. The Puritans who had fled into Holland to avoid intolerance at home, carried with them English hearts.

They could not bear to think that their little community should be absorbed and lost in a foreign nation : they had forsaken their birth place and their family graves ; but they loved their country, and their mother tongue, and rather than their children should become subjects of another state, and speak another language, they exposed themselves to all the hardships and dangers of colonizing in a savage land. No people on earth may se justly pride themselves on their ancestors as the New Englanders." The inhabitants of New England, educated under its wise, civil, religious and literary institutions, whose sons, in great numbers in every generation, have spread themselves in every part ofthe United States, have had their full share of influence in forming and establishing our national character and government.

But we return to the general design of this chapter. The fame which Columbus had acquired by his first discoveries on this western continent, spread through Europe, and inspired many others with the spirit of enterprize. As early as 1495, John Cabot, a Venetian, and his three sons, Lewis, Sebastian and Sanciusj obtained a commission from Henry VII. to discover and settle un known lands and countries westward of Europe, and to annex them to the Crown.* These adventurers ranged the Continent of North America, before Columbus discovered any part of the Continent of South America, for the Court of Spain. *See Hazard's " Historical Collections," vol. i. page 9, where this grant is recited at large. It is dated A. D. 1495. 1496-1534] OF NORTH AMERICA. 3 In the spring of 1496 they sailed from Bristol, England, with two sliips.

In tins voyage, which was intended for China, in the belief that there was a north-west passage to this country, they fell in with. the north side of Labrador, and coasted northerly as far as the 60th degree of N. latitude, where they were stopped by the ice, changed their course, and went 3. to the 34th degree of N. latitude. They made no settlements during this voyage, but agreeably, to the custom of those times, took a general possession ofthe country in behalf of their king. The next year, 1497, they made a second voyage to America. His son, Sebastian, afterwards proceeded in discoveries, which his father had begun. On the 24th of June he discovered Bonavista, on the north-east side of Newfoundland. Before his return, he traversed the coast from Davis' Straits, to Cape Florida. Sebastian Cabot, in 1502, was at Newfoundland ; and on his return, carried three ofthe natives of that island to King Henry VII.

In the spring of 1513, John Ponce sailed from Porto Rico, north erly, and discovered the continent in N. latitude 30 deg. 8 min. He landed in April, a season when the country was covered with ver dure, and in full bloom. This circumstance induced liim to call the country Florida, which, for many years, was the common name for the whole of North America. In 1516, Sir Sebastian Cabot and Sir Thomas Peet, explored the coast, as far as Brazil, in South America. This vast extent of country, the coast of which was thus explor ed, remained unclaimed, and unsettled, by any European power, (except by the Spaniards in South America) for almost a century from the time of its discovery. It was not till the year 1 524, that France attempted discoveries on the American coast. Stimulated by his enterprizing neighbours, Francis I. who possessed a great and active mind, sent John Verra zano, a Florentine, to America, for the purpose of making discoveries.

He traversed the coast from latitude 28 deg. to 50 deg. north. In a second voyage, sometime after, he was lost. The next year, 1525, Stephen Gomez, the first Spaniard who came upon the American coast for discovery, sailed from Groyn, in Spain, to Cuba and Florida ; thence northward to Cape Razo or Race, in latitude 46 deg. north, in search of a northern passage to the East Indies. In 1528, Pamphilo de Narvaez, in the service of Spain, sailed from Cuba with 400 men, to conquer Florida ; but he was wrecked on the coast by a tempest, and his purpose defeated. In the spring of 1534, by the direction of Francis I. a fleet was fitted out at St. Malo's, in Fiance, with design to make discoveries in America. Tho command of this fleet was given to James DISCOVERS AND SETTLEMENT [J535-42 4 Cartier.*' He arrived at Newfoundland in May of tliis year.

Thence he sailed northerly ; and on the day of the festival of St. Lawrence, he .found himself in about latitude 48 deg. 30 min. north, in the midst of a broad gulf, which he named St. Lawrence. He gave the same name to the river which empties into it. In this voyage, he sailed as far north as 51 deg., expecting in vain to find a passage to China. The next year, 1535, he sailed up the river St. Lawrence 300 leagues, to the great and swift Fall. He called the country New France ; built a fort near the west end of the Isle of Orleans, which he called Port de St. Croix, in which he sr. -nt the winter, and return ed in the following spring to France, carrying with him some of the natives. On the 12th of May, 1539, Ferdinand de Soto, with 900 men, besides seamen, sailed from Cuba, having for his object the conquest of Florida.

On the 30th of May he arrived at Spirito Santo, from whence he travelled northward to the Chickasaw country, in about latitude 35 deg. or 36 deg. He died, after having spent three years in this country*, and was buried on the bank of the Mississippi River, May, 1542, aged 42 years. Alverdo succeeded him. Carrier made a third voyage to Canada, in 1540. built a fort, and began a settlement, in 1541, or 1542, which he called Charlebourg, four leagues above Port de St. Croix. He soon after broke up the settlement, and sailed to Newfoundland. In 1542, Francis la Roche, Lord Robewell, or Roberval, was sent to Canada, by the French king, with three ships, and 200 men, women and children. Th-**y wintered here in a fort which they had built, and returned in the spring. About the year 1550. a'large number of adventurers sailed for Canada, but were never after heard of.

In 1 598, the King of France commissioned the Marquis de la Roche to conquer Canada, and other countries not possessed by any- Christian Prince. We do not learn, however, that la Roche ever attempted to execute liis commission, or that any further attempts were made to settle Canada during this century. In the succeeding 30 years, the passion for discovery took another direction. Adventurers from Europe were seeking a passage to In dia and China by the Xorth-East, but were prevented from accom plishing their views by the cold and ice of those inhospitable regions In this interval, the French of Brittany, the Spaniards of Biscay, and the Portuguese, enjoyed the fishery on the banks of Newfoundland without interruption.! "In Hazard s Historical Collections, vol. i. page 19, is a commission from Francis I to James Cartier or Quartier, for making an establishment in Canada, dated Oct. 17 15^0. r-robahly this commission was giveD him in consequeDce of his former discov er:estBelknay*. 1549-76] OF NORTH AMERICA. 5 In January, 1549, King Edward VI. granted a pension for life to Sebastian Cabot, in consideration of the important services lie had. rendered to the kingdom by his discoveries in America.* Very respectable descendants of the Cabot family now live in the Com monwealth of Massachusetts. * The Admiral of France, Chatillon, early in t! ie year 1 562, sent out a fleet under the command of John Ribalt.

He arrived at Cape Francis on the coast of Florida, near which, on the first of May, he discovered and entered a river which he called May Riv er. It is more than probable that this river is the same which we now call St. Mary's, which divides Georgia from. Florida. As he coasted northward, he discovered eight other rivers, one of which he called Port Royal, and sailed up it several leagues. On one of the rivers he built a fort and called it Charles, in which he left a colony under the direction of Captain Albert. The severity of Albert's government excited a mutiny, in which, to the ruin of the colony, he was slain. This happened in 1564. Two years after, Chatillon sent Rene Laudonier, with three sliips, to Florida. In June, he arrived at the River May, on which he built a fort, and, in honour to his king.

Charles IX., he called it Caroh.va. In August, this year, Capt. Ribalt arrived at Florida the second time, with a fleet of seven vessels, to recruit the colony, which, two years before, he had left under the direction of the unfortunate Capt. Albert. The September following. Pedro Melandez, with six Spanish ships, pursued Ribalt up the river on which he had settled, and overpower ing him in numbers, cruelly massacred him and his whole company. Melandez, in this way, having taken possession of the country, built three forts, and left them garrisoned with 1 200 soldiers. Laudonier and his colony on May River, receiving information of the fate of Ribalt, took the alarm and escaped to Fiance. In 1567, a fleet of three ships was sent from France to Florida, under the command of Dominique de Gourges.

The object of this expedition, was to dispossess the Spaniards of that part of Florida which they had cruelly and unjustifiably seized three years before. He arrived on the coast of Florida, April, 1568, and soon after made a successful attack upon the forts. The recent cruelty of Melandez and his company excited an unjustifiable spirit of revenge, and retaliation in the breast of Gourges. He took the forts ; put most of the Spaniards to the sword ; and, having burned and demol ished all their fortresses, returned to France. During the 50 years next after this event, the French attempted no settlements in America . All the enterprizes to find a N. E. passage to India being frustrat ed, Capt. Frobisher, in 1 576, was sent to renew the attempts to find ♦Hazard's His. Coll. vol. i. page 23. Hackluyt calls this " The large pension granted by King Edward VI. to Sebastian Cai'ot. constituting liinj Grand Pilot of England." [1579-83 DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT 6 ou*1 a N. W. passage to that country.

The first land wliich he made on the coast, was a cape, which, in honour to the Queen, he called Queen Elizabeth's Foreland. In coasting northerly he discovered the the Straits, which have ever since borne his name, and which are now impassible by reason of fixed ice. He prosecuted his search for a passage into the Western Ocean, till he was prevented by the ice, and then returned to England.* The two following years he made a second and third voyage, but made no important new discoveries. Sir Francis Drake, being on a cruise against the Spaniards in the South Sea and Pacific Ocean, landed on the Continent of America, nc: ihward of California, took possession of a harbour, and called the circumjacent countiy, between lat. 38 deg. and 42 deg., New Albion, which name it has ever since retained.

In 1579, Sir Humphrey Gilbert obtained a patent from Queen Elizabeth, for lands not yet possessed by any Christian Prince, pro vided he would take possession within six years. AVith this encour agement he sailed to Newfoundland, and on the first of August, 1583, anchored in Conception Bay. He took formal possession of the Continent of N. America for the Crown of England. In pursuing his discoveries, he lost one ofhis ships on the shoals ofthe Sable Isles, and on his return home, a storm overtook him, in which he was un fortunately lost, and the intended settlement was prevented. In 1584 two patents were granted by Queen Elizabeth, one to Adrian Gilbert, (Feb. 6) the other to Sir Walter Raleigh (March 25) for lands not possessed by any Christian Prince.! By the direction of Sir Walter, two ships were fitted and sent out under the command of Philip Amidas, and Arthur Barlow, with 107 passengers.

In June, 1585, they arrived on the coast, and anchored in a harbour seven leagues west (probably south) ofthe Roanoke. On the 1 3th of July, they, in a formal manner, took possession of the country, and, in honour of their virgin queen Ehzabeth, they called it Virginia. Till this time the country was known by the general name of Florida. After this Virginia became a conimon name for all North America. To diversify this part of our history, and to instruct and amuse our readers, we introduce here, though a digression, an extract from the histo*-}' of the celebrated Captain John Smith, who has given us a particular account of the first interviews of this colony with the na tives ; of the simplicity of their manners, their kindness and hospi tality, and of their religion. We give the extract in the author's own style.

" Till the third day we saw not any of the people ; then, in a little boat, three of them appeared ; one of them went on shore, to whom we rowed, and he attended us without any sign of fear ; after he had spoke much, though we •Hazard's Historical Collection, vol. i. page 23. fHazard's His. Coll. vol. i. pages 28 and 33. OF NORTH AMERICA. 7 understood not a word, ofhis own accord he came boldly aboard us ; we gave him a shirt, a hat, wine and meat, which he liked well ; and after he had well viewed the barks and us, he went away with his own boat, and within a quar ter of a mile of us, in half an hour, had loaden his boat with fishes, with which he came again to the point of land, and there divided his fish into two parts, pointing one part to the ship, the other to the pinnace, and so departed.

" The next day came divers boats, and in one of them the King's brother, with forty or fifty men, proper people, and in their behaviour civil ; his name was Granganameo ; the King is called Winginia, the country Wingandacoa. Leaving his boats a little from our ships he came with his train to the point, where, spreading a matt, he sat down. Though we came to him well armed, he made signs to us to sit down without any shew of fear, stroking his head and breast, and also ours, to express his love. After he had made a long speech to us, we presented him with divers toys, which he kindly accepted. He was greatly regarded by his people, for none of them did sit, nor speak a word, but tour, on whom only we bestowed presents ; but he took all from them, making signs that all things did belong to him.

The king himself, in a con flict with another king, his next neighbour, and mortal enemy, was shot in two places through the body, and the thigh, yet recovered : whereby he lay at his chief town, six days journey from thence. " A day or two after, shewing them what we had, Granganameo taking most liking to a pewter dish, made a hole in it, hung it about his neck for a breast plate, for which he gave us twenty deer skins, worth twenty crowns ; and for a copper kettle fifty skins, worth fifty crowns. Much other truck we had, and after two days he came aboard, and did eat and drink with us merrily. Not long after he brought his wife and children ; they were but of mean stature, but well favoured and very bashful ; she had a long coat of leather, and about her loins a piece of the same, about her forehead a band of white corrall, and so had her husband ; in her ears were bracelets of pearl hanging down to her middle, of the bignesse of great pease ; the rest ofthe women had pendants of copper, and the noblemen five or six in an ear ; his apparrel, as his wives, only the women wear their hair long on both sides, and the men but one ; they are of colour yellow, but their hair is black, yet we saw children that had very fair chesnut coloured hair.

After that these women had been here with us, there came down from all parts great store of people, with leather, corrall, and divers kind of dyes, but when Granganameo was present, none durst trade, but himself, and them that wore red copper on their heads as he did, Whenever he came, he would signify by so many fires that he came with so many boats, that we might know his strength. " Their boats are but one great tree which is burnt in the form ofa trough, with gins and fire, till it be as they would have it. For an armour (musket) he would have engaged us a bag ot pearl, but we refused, as not regarding it, that we might the better learn where it grew. He was very just of his promise, for oft we trusted him, and would come within his day to keep his word. " He sent us commonly every day a brace of bucks, conies, hares and fish, sometimes mellons, walnuts, cucumbers, pease, and divers roots.

This author saith, theircorn groweth three times in five months ; in May they sow, in July reap, in June they sow, in August reap ; in July sow, in August reap. We put some of our pease is the ground, which in ten days were 14 inches high. " After this aequaintance, myself with seven more, went twenty miles into the river Occam? that runeth toward the city Skicoack, and the evening fol lowing we came to an isle called Roanoak, from the harbourwhere we entered 7 leagues ; at the north end were 9 houses, builded with cedar, fortified round with sharp trees, and the entrance like a turnpike. When we came towards it, the wife of Granganameo came running out to meet us, (her hus band was absent) commanding her people to draw our boat ashore to prevent beating on the billows .; others she appointed to carry us on their backs aland others to bring cur oars into the house to prevent stealing.

When we came into the other room (for there was five in the house) she caused us to sit down by a great fire ; and after took off our clothes and washed them, of some our stockings, and some our feet in warm water, and she herself took much pains to see all things well ordered, and to provide us victuals. After we had thus dryed ourselves, she brought us into an inner room, where she set on the board, t-tanding along the house somewhat like frumentie, sodden venison, and roasted fish ; in like manner mellons raw, boiled roots, and fruits of divers kinds. Their drink is commonly water boiled with ginger, sometimes with sassafras, and wholesome herbs, but whilst the grape lasteth they drink wine. More love she could not express to entertain us ; they care but only to defend themselves from the short winter, and feed on what they find natural in summer.

In this feasting house was their Idol, of whom they told us incredible things. When we were at meat, two or three of her men came amongst us with their bows and arrows, which caused us to take our arms in hand. She perceiving our distrust, caused their bows and arrows to be broken, and they beaten out of the gate : but the evening approaching we returned to our boat, whereat she much grieving, brought our supper half boiled, pots and all, but when she saw us but put our boat a little off from the shore, and lie at anchor, perceiving our jealousy, she sent divers men, and 30 women to sit all night on the shore side over against us, and sent us five mats to cover us from the rain, doing all she could to persuade us to her house. Though there was no cause of doubt, we would not adventure : for on our safety depended the voyage ; but a more kind, loving people cannot be.

" Some Religion they have, which although it be far from the truth, yet being as it is, there is hope it may be the easier reformed. They believe there are many gods, which they call Muntoac, but of different sorts and degrees. Also, that there is one chief God, that hath been from all eternity, who, as they say, when he purposed first to make the world, made first other gods ofa principal order, as instruments to be used in the creation and government to follow : and after the sun, moon, and stars, as petty gods, and the instruments ofthe other order more principal. First, they say, were made waters, out of which, by the gods, were made all diversity ofcreatures that are visible or invisible. -' For the origin of mankind, they say, a woman was made first, which, by the working of one of the gods, conceived and brought forth children ; and so they had their beginning ; but how many years or ages since, they know not ; having no records, but only tradition from father to son.

They think that all gods are of human shape, and therefore represent them by images in the forms of men ; which they call Kawasowok ; one alone is called Kewasa ; them they place in their temples, where they worship, pray, sing, and make many offerings. The common sort think them also gods. "They believe the immortality of the soul, when life departing from the body, according to the good or bad works it hath done, it is carried up to the Tabernacles ofthe Gods, to perpetual happiness, or to Popozeesso, a great pit : which they think to be at the fartherest parts of the world, where the cun sets, and there bum continually. " To confirm this they told me of two men, that had been lately dead and revived again ; the one happened but a few years before our coming into the country ; of a bad man, who being dead and buried, the next day the earth over him being seen to move, was taken up, who told them his soul was very near entering into Popozeesso, had not one of the Gods saved him, and gave him leave to return again, to teach his friends what they should, do to avoid such torment.