-J,
? " V,'' ' :;;.-rv. V j ?
U,nwrpd fry part rge, tciie ie rotneri. ,v - m ; v& f. 0' 7,'.vv ; S ; . j - - ! j V, '' '.A , ' - . -;'.' .:t
lfl
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VOL. XXIII,'
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBEK '2r, 1822
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0 ' ' '-' "? . v ' t
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,
P GENERAL GREENE.
' " "", Concluded. r i '?,
Another event not long afUr occur
m1 which aRbrfleU him ajiew opror
tunfly Of exhibiting Ms spirit and zeal
in the caue he had espoused. .
On the 19th of April,1. 1775, in the
ineinraMe a flair of Lexipdon, the soil
of America first drank the. blood of
f,pr boni shed by the hands or .English
men. The cwmbat was warmly kept
up the whole day, and before, night
vhMlP.hlani was alarmed witla the
intelligence, that the people of M,sa-.
chusetts were enffafii in munai uuisj
vjth the English troops. -The whig
corps all beat to arms, and the Kent
ish Guards took up the line of march
for Boston. Unfortunately: Wanton,
the Governor of Rhode-Island at that
time, wag very much of a loyalist, and
vas not at all pleased witU this exhi
bition of spirit in the Kentish Guards.
Trfirront lay through Providence, the
place of his residence. He very spoo
dispatched a message after them, or
dering them back. They received it
with indignation, but the officers.did
rot Tee! themselves at libertto refuse
obedience Not so Vith Orene ; at
all hazards, he ,wa resolved to ftVto
the assistance of thevbigs. and having
rnmmu nicated his intention to three,;
of his most trusty friends, including
one, of his brothers, the four immedi
ately nrocored horses, and with reek-
ircr spurs, hastened on to Boston. But
it was too late; the tfrinsn army uiai
night retired into Boston, and the in- j
leUigence met his gallant tittle band
before they had passed quite half way
of their intended.jo,urney. ;
r By this time, the corps began to ac-
knowledge that they were ignorant of
the character and just claims of the
oan whom thev had rejected as their
lieutenant. His superiority and spirit
became obvious to ail,. and the Vxain
ple he set of zeal and discipline as a
private, convinced there, that he who
knew so well -how to obey, must be
qualified to command. Many of them
had soon an opportunity of giving ii
shining example of candor and disin
terestedness tnwcnl him. " '
It was now obvious to all, that the
struggle between the colonies and the
mother country, must end in an appeal
to the sword. Great Britain persisted
in her odious assertions of power, and
the means to which she had resoried
to enforce its exercise, plainly avowed,
that she considered the colonies as
Holding their lives, liberties anil for
tunes at the will of a despotic, parlia
ment. Such measures could only have
been intended to drive the colonies to
open resistance, in order to furnish a
plausible pretext for actual subjngja-
tion. Such has often been the, jwlicy
cf rulers. In .-producing -the state pf
things which justified the attempts of
the "ministry to sweep away before her;
.".rmie3 all the chartered rights of the;
cMoiiist, the ministry were success
ful ; but heaven 'denied to them the'
Iruition of its expected consequences.
Immediately after the battle of Lex-
tin .Isi . .1 " l. .- I A .
resolved on collecting an armed force,'
snd confining the British under Gage!
to ti e limits of Boston. Deputies ivere
dispatched to Rhode Island and Con-;
riecticutjdematidingtheirco-opeiationJ
The request was promptly complied
with, and Khode Island proceeded to
organize what was. called, her " army
of observation.1 This consisted of
Hxteen hundred men, enlisted till the
this army, it is a very singular circuin
stance, that the eyes of all should have
been turned upon an humble private
in the Kentish Guards. No better evi-j
deuce of the decree to which Greene
2rew upon" all who became acquainted
whh him can be adduced, ihan this
highly honourable Selection ; his sub
quent conduct provedhe judgment
?f the men who chose him. Ainon;
those who were selected as ofticcrd
nder him, were several of the officers
l the Kentish Guards. The captain:
of the Guards, who ranked as-colonel,
was elected a colonel in the. new ie-1
es, and the celebrated Christopher'
Greene, the heio , of Red Hank, wa'
iie of his majors: General Varnum
was of theaiue number. Such were
ie virtues and self-denial of the times.!
-ien v,Iose ufter-ton,duct bote ample
dcrstuuiD, cheerfully, surreiiucrcd
I,
Uhe sensitive peelings of military pride
S to, the good, rgTthe country and supe
rior, io: the dazzling influence, of "self
love or yanitcould fortt their just
claims of pYeJerence in favor of one ln
whom they had sense to discover, and
magnanimity to acknowledge superior
talents for command. . ' ' j
The astonnhing rapiditv with" which
the Rhode Jsland contingent was raisr
ed'.'organisei and. marched to the scene
of action, adds infinite, credit to the
patriotism ofithe state.; i:H j
Indeed; wfeen posterity shall distri
bute justice Vltb impartial hand among"
the states, Rhode .Island, diminutive
as it is in territory , will stand pre
eminent for he spirit and vigour with
which she supported the revolutionary
war. It was not with her the cause of
Massachuset s ; there was -nothing to
be ascribed t i contiguity of consangui
nity ; jealousies and ill will had pre
vailed betwe n these tw o states. Rhode
Island viewed Massachusetts" as1 the
oppressor anl. persecutor of her fore
fathers, and lassSrthusetts, in addition
to the feeling which accompany a con
sciousness of having done an. injury!
t never cordially forgave the Rhode Is-
landers; for h
laving eiuueu ner .claims
Tese early causes haye
es so deeply" epgraven,
av there is a want of cor-
of dominion:
left their tra
that, to this.t
dial feelin
p'lainly.to be discovered.
at least, arhoiig Uhe less enlightened
classes in thee two.states. But every
disagreeable recol lection was magna
nimously sacrificed by Rhode Island.
And in the sliortspace of fortyeigrit
d&ys, at the requisition of, Massachu-
Za- l " -PP. 1 -J.il.
(5eus, soe raiea, omcereu, equippeu,
land marched 'to the rendezvous,' six
: teeq hundred-men, of as high promise,
land as well disciplined and officered,
.as. any tht were assembled, Rhode
Isl"a!nl has ndt yet had her historian to
palliate her faults and blazon her fame
fin the eyes bf posterity. Bttt whcnJ
one shall arise,' he will find other e
ve'nts beside this to relate highly to
her honour. The great states of Vir
ginia and Massachusetts are contend
ing fop the honour of having led in the
revolution, but perhaps, upon inquiry
it will, be foil (id, that .the first daring
and decisive! act was done in Rhode
Island. This was in taking possession
of the King's5 ar'tilleryVas soon as the
proclamation preached them prohibi ting
! the exportation of anrisvand ammuni
jtion from Great Britain j and openly,
by an act of .the government, encou
j raging the importation from other quar
ters, of the articles necessary to equip
i themselves, for war. And even in d
jclarirg for indeptnderice, Rhode Isl
and took the j lead of most, 'if not all,
the states. In April, '76, this.bold and
decisive step was taken, in the midst
j of internal d?ssention, and , under the
jeye of a powerful British army. mA
tribute of respect was also paid that
state by the common enemy, which no
oiner state can, noasi oir jongas ine
British army ivas in possession of Jsrev
porti they made no serious efforts to
reduce the country. And very cau
tious, were they at all times, how they
ventured from the security of their in
sular situation' and ehtrenchmentst
The more credit is due this state, also,
from having j both the governor and
lieutenant-governor decided loyalists,
so that the secretary of state, the first
whig in the descending line, was oblig
ed to sign the commissions of the offi
cers ; and alj other acts of the whigs
were authenticated in the same manner.-'
i .. -
It ivas in May, 1775, that Greene
was elected commander of the Rhode
Island contingent of the army of ob
servation ; aid such was the avidity
with which' the hardy yeomanry of that
country enrolled themselves Under. his
standard, thut in a very few days his
command was complete. Much of this
no doubt is Attributable to the potju
JarUy of thej cause, but it cannot be
doubted, thai his. own high standing in
the" confidence of his fellow citizens,
and that of Uhe yofiicersk selected tol
serve unuer mm, contributed greatly
to till lip his ranks. lief was soon rea
dy to dep rt i n his lie vv career ; ; his
brothers cheerfully undertook to dis
charge his ,part of the' common duty,
and in the true character of this prime
val fami ly , the business'weh t on as ; u
aual for tuVcommon fLCxhi.'fi y
fli' s fathef jwAa now deadi and 'jthe
brother hadcntinued
tfie forgei and mills, harmoniously j)ar
ticipati ng )uf tllie proceeds as each tone t
in neeJiiicoufidiug in each othet'
Jnl ;' -I.
,7
distrust, no wralngling settlements ;e
ver took place among them : bi t when
f h e comm on chest ; f was full to ove r
flowihgf some purchase wWmade by
common c'ohsent,' or some 'addition to
their living or accom m 6d a ti o n is; Itj s
a'verv singular fact, aijd a!mostun
precedented in these times of com
merce and of lust of wealth, that the
tvo brothers, who at present own the
Potowome Mills, have tolled together
for sixty years, and TeareiV and set out
thei- families, living in common, and
havjhg never had a statement ofvac;
counts in all that time, nor ever in
tending tQ have one. AYet their busi
ness has been lucrative and extensive.
Such are the benign effects of .purity
of heart and disinterestedness.; ofcim
dnct.S It was in'a school Ifke this', that
Greene acquired his habits of self-devotion.
Accustomed from early .life
to consider himself o'hly as a member
of a ljttle. community, to labor h the
common interest; andcovet no eHjoy-
mht but what he wis' ready and desi
rous of participating in common with
his fellow, labourers, selfUh feeling,
thai foul destroyer of all virtue and all
happiness, Viras. .in him early subdued,
or perhaps never , felt. Tiie motives
that govern' the hearts of men, are soon
tliscoyered by the discerning, through
hc veil too commonly thrown over
human Actions ; :often before the indi
vidual is himself conscious of theirjulf
effect in influencing his conduct. No
thing attaches , the hearts of men, or
commands their confidenfce so much as
that dignified i simplicity of conduct
which results from a consciousness
that we have no motive to? conceal,
and not a wish - inconsistent with the
just claims of others. When these
qualities are blended with a strong
mind, quick parts, and a cultivated
j understanding, they form the most
j happy combination for public useful-
ness. Hence Greene never failed to
J acquire riot only the confidence, but
! the affections of all who became; ac
quainted with, him. And it may be
truly said of him, that he never lost a
friend, whose worth entitled him to
that honourable appellation, nor pub
lie esteem, DutTwnilst' his character
was obscured by calumny or miscon
struction The most honourable proof of this
observation is to be found in the fast
hold he. ever held in tlie -esteem and
confidenceJof iheycominander in chief.
Washington soon distinguished him a
mong the numerous military acquaint
ance introduced to hjm before Boston.
There is a sympathy between, talents
and integrity, by which those who pos
sess these qualities intuitively discover
them in others. And in addition ;
there was in our hero a calmness that
nothing could ruffle, a firmness that
I nothing could shake, and a deference
or .manner any inviting openness or
countenance, that ever rendered him a
favorite with his officers arid soldiers.
It will be found in the course of these
pagesj that he became the object both
of admiration and of individual attach
ment to most of the celebrated, men j
.both natives and foreigners, who figur
ed in the American revolution ; and
there are Jiving witnesses who have
heafd the late Geri. Hamilton' declare,
that he wanted nothing but an educa
tion to have made him the first man in
ithe United States. , Gen. Hamilton no
doubt' meant, with the exception of the
commander in chief, and uttered him
self with his characteristic .warmth,
not a little heightened by individual
feeling ; for Greene's quick eye had
first marked him out fr futurexele
brity. . -. .Vv - r
" - .; ; ' AN ACCOUNT rp'
Of the late intended Insurrection among
a portion of the Blacks of 'Charleston,
South-Carotina.; ,. ' V
. CONCLUDED. ' -J
Under letter (A.) in the appendix,
the punishment aUahed to' the offence
for wh ich the prisoners ' Were tned, appears-
in the account ; it itvtti be found m
the Register of August 31.1 V k-t
A negro man testified as follows: I
knov Peter, he belongs to Mr. JamesPoy
as ; , in May: lasty Peter and myself met in
Legarc street, aV the co'pner of Lambol
! Against thirwitnessjtbe Conrt had not
a tittle of testimony s he consented without
hesitation to become tt witnessi ;'nd to give
all the informatiari ,'bf possessed j a pjedge
havinc: been previously" mven-. him by the
Cocirt; that he should hot he irostcuted, nor j
hi name revealed. ' l'- .iv - i
integrity and moderation; No jealous
street, where the; following conveition
took place He nsked me the news-T re
welti'if yu'can find any one p'tus-
will you join ? ; I asked him, do vou
.mea n f tic said , w hyj, to brea k t he yoke.;
Ii Vephed T 'don't know.. j;JJe askecLme,
supppe you were to hear that the whites,
were going to kilhypuVbuld you defend
yourself?; I replied I'd tr'y to escape,
lie asked, have you lately seen Denmark
Yesey,- ancL has he spoken to you particu
larly; I,aid -.np.V.Yll".hctsafl .M
$hats allippvv y bnt ap iio::
morrow aftei knocking' wiahd I
Win tell you more ! ; We then parted. "' I
met him tlie, next day; according to 1 ap -pointme.nt,
when he said tomfywe intend
W see, if we cao't do something for our
selves, We can'-t .five so. . I "asked .him,
where. he woyld get men? He said we'll
find them fast enough; we have got e
nough, we expefct men from country and
town. Bt, how; said I,' will you manage
it. Why, we wilPgire them notice, said
he, and they will march down and camp
round the city. jrBut what, said V will
they do for arms. He answered, they will
find arms enough, they fall bring dowh
their. h"oe, axes,&c. I sai, that . won't
do to fight with here. He said, "stop ! let
us get candidates fro on . town ; with arms,
and wo will then take the Guard-House
anL Arsenal in town, the Arsenal on the
Nepk and the Upper .Guard-House andj
supjjiy uic touiiiry jjcoj-ucwhu uruis.
How, said I. vill you approach those Ar
senals,' &ic, ; for they are guarded ? Yes,
said he, I kriow thjit, but -"what are these
gua rtls, one.man here, and one" man there,
we let a man pass belb'crus., . Well, sajd,
lbut hov will, the black people 'from' the'
country, 'and those from the islands, knoW
when you. are "to begin, or hoy Will you
get the town people together. VV hy, said
he, we Will have phiyer meetings at night.
aiid there notify them -when to start", and
when the clock strikes twelve, all must
move. But, said I, the Whites jif the back
country,1 Virginia, &c; when they hear,
the newi, will turn to, and kill yott'all,
and besides, you may he. betrayed. Well
said he, what of that, if. one gets hanged,
we; will rise at that minute - We then left
his shop, and walked towards Broad st
when he said, I want you to take notice
of all,the shops and. stores in town with
arms in them, t take down ' their numbers
and give them to me. , I said, I will see
to it and then we parted. ' v v -:
About the 1st of June, I saw in the pub
lic papers a statement that the white peo
ple were going to iKiild missionary houses
for the blacks, which I carried and shew
ed to Peter, and said, see the " good they
are going to do for us ; when he said,
What of lhat? Have vou not heard, that
on the 4th of July, the whites are going to
create a false alarm' of fire, And every
black thatc6"mes out will'be kilted in or,
der to thin them ? Do you ' think they
would be so-barbarous? -(said I) Yes!A(said
he) I do1 ! I fear i ill ey have a. kiio'ivlge
of an janny 'from San . Domingond: thf-y
would bp right to 'Mo it ; to prevent us
joining that army if it should march to
vwrits thi? land! I was then very much
alarmed. We then parted, and' I saw no
more of - him tilt the guards' were very
strict, (about a fortnight ago.) At that
time I saw Peter and Ned Bennett stand
ing and talking together; at the corner of
Lambol and Legare-strects. They cross
ed over and metme by Mrs. Myles', and
Ned Behne.tt said to me-rdid you hear
what those boys were taken" up for the
other day r I replied, "$$6 1 but some say
it was for stealing. Ned , asked me if I
was sure I had never said any thing to the
whites about what Peter Poy as had spoi
ken ta me about ? I replied,' No ! Says
Peter Vou never did? No ! I answered.
Says Ned to me How do you stand ?:. At
which I struck the tree box with my knuc
kles and! said, as firm as' this box I'll ne
ver say one wdrd againsiypu. Ned then
smiled and nodded his head, and said
That will do! when we all separated
Last. Tuesday or Wednesday week, Peter. I
said to me l ou see, my iaa, now tne
white people have got the windwaid of us ?
You wpn'tsaid I, be able to do any thing.
Q, yes.1, (he said) We wilf tiy George we
are oblige to! He said, all down this way
oughto; meet and have a col lection to
pn rchase N powder.' What, said I, is
the; use of powder -the whites? '.-cjn fire
three times to our once. He said, but .'wi
be such a "dead time pf the night iheyiv&nl
know what is the matter rjand ourj horse
evmianies will go about'the streets and
prevent, the-whites from assembling. I
asked him where; will you" get horses f
Why, said he, there are) many butcher
boys with horses; and there are the live
ry stables, where, we .have several Candi
da tel"; .and the waiting men belonging. to
the wnitepeople of 'thehorse Companies,
Will be "told to tkker away their; master's
horses. He asked me. if my master Was
not a horseman.? 'I said,' Yes ! Has he pot
got arms in his.hbuse ;I;answeredf4 Yes !
Can't they be got at? I said, Yes! Then
(sid he) it is g-to.nttVetbei--sJI:-askV
ed wha V was the plari llWhy , said he, af
ter we have taken the arsenal and QuMf4
Housef then we wiUsetrthe. own Vbn fife
in VdifferCTt ' arid us ihe whites
comout ye will slay thelmf ;w were,
to' set fire to the town first the man in the
phed.'Tione that I know or Hp said y ptV,
George ! we can't live so. . I repVedtinw
wilK'we" do He ' 8aKMe -:cikyery
steeple wohld give the alarm Wsoon.i I-; .
am the Cpptaift, said be, to take tHe ldw-"-
aavance aiittie aistance neaci, ana it hrr
could only tagripaihis threat he was ti
gone milt, for his sword was, very sharp t
he had sharpened it, ' and had made it sa
sharp, it had -cut" his nger, . which; he
showed me. . As iioi'-the Arsenaron'tha
Neck, he said, that it was gone as sure a? -
fate.Vrf B enneti. would '. manasre it ha ' '
pith ;Mr'oejom!W'counry.'an.Me
tee would, land & take th Upper-Guard? ff
Housed I theiji "said, then this, thing seems
trucr.r My mansaid he,; Gd hvs a hand
m tinve have been meeting, for four year' -L '
and nve arte not yet betraved. I told hi ml V -
pie from. the. back, country and Virginia.
&c. He said that the bKcks, would col-; 'I
lect so numerous froih the Country, two if
need not fear thej w
partsfor when wfehaveOhce gotheity
we-cari keep them: all out; lie asked if
r l had told myoys.T said'no; Then said.
fhe, you shoul&ild it; forced Bennett has ; . ;
his people pretty Welt 'ranged; r But sajd, r -
lie, taKe care ana don'trmenrwri it to those
waiting men who receive presents of old ' '
coats;&C' from their masters, or ihctflV
betmus. I r Will speak to; theni.'.We
rtiien parted, and l have pot since con vers
J ed with him. $ j He said the ri itiz wasrtd
take pla6e last Sunday rright, (16thv June).
.That any of the 'colored people" who slid
a word about this: mat thr would be killed
by the others iThe Httle rnan who can9 6 V
be killedi shot or, taken is named Jack, -& ,
Giillah Negro. iPeter; said there was a
iFrenchCompapyv m towhvbf three huh-. ,
dred men fully armeil that he was , to see -Monday
Cell, about expediting the rising. 4
I know that . Mngp went often to Mr.
Paul's o see Edwin, but don't' know if he
uii.q wiui w iiiiam. f reter saia ne naa
a sword, arid I ought to get one. He said
he h id got a letter from the country ; I
think from St. Thomas', from a Inegrb
man who belonged td the Captain bfra
militia company, who said he could easily.
get, the key of' the house where the com
pany's arms were put after muster, and v
take them all out, and help inhat Way.
'lliis business originates altogether With,
the African Coiigregdtibnxn whichPeter
is a leader. When Rennet's ' Ned asked ,
about those taken up, lie alluded particu-
larly to Mr. Panl's, William,' andt askect V
me if I said any thing to nibf about i t. i
hie voluntary'ttnfa of RoLZAt ih-
' the Court, fndae afier his trial, b'zti be ;
'I I khow Denmark Veseyvon tone occa Jv V
"sion he asked mel what news ? I told hinii;
none., He replied, we are free, but thi ;
the white people here Won'tjletus be'so?; .
and the only way is, to raise up nd fight
the whites. Iwerit to his house one night
to learo,i where the, meetings were. held. ,
I never, conversed on this r subject 'with,
Batteau or Ned. f .Vesey told me he , was '
the leader in this plot. T never convef- 1
ed -: either With Peter- driyiihgo. ? Vese
induced me tojoin. ,When I wenfc to Ve-;
$ey's fyoiise, there was a meeting' there, ' "
the room Was full of people, but none of
them: white. That night, at Vesey 's, , We
determiried io haye arm niade, and each,
man to' put in twelve and a half cents to
wards that v piirpoew VlThough Veseys
room wasj full,' X did hot. know ' one indi-
vidual therein At this meeting, .Ve'sey said
we were o ( take, the uardrHouse y-aridV
Magazines,' to jjet arms ; '" that, we- ought to
rise up against the Whites to get our liber .
tie. . He was the first to rise up and speak, .
arid he read to us from the Bible. howhe
children of Israel wert delivered oul iofE- )
gypt from bondage i he said, that the ns- s
ing would take place last' .Sunday night .
week, (theieth June) and thai Peter Poy-
as was one. i
(U.)' ,v- ,:i
Examination ofSjLLranegro womarp
, belonging to,:Aleander Howard, t .
. j know Jesse, an) heard him' speak' se
yeral times about it ; one day in particu
lar he Was anxious- to see ,his brother,
Vhq has my mothers. for his wife. &X wait
ed tin til hej came, iwhen they conversed 1
together. ' Jesse' said he had got a- horse
to go into the country, to bring dp wn men
to fight the white.people ;that h was V
allowed to pass by two partiesof the pa
trol on the roadi but that a, third party
had brought htm back; and that; if there
were but fiveAinen like him, they .would
destroy the city4; This waion fast Sun
day week.' (the 16th, June) he said, jhat
beforer:3 o'clock that night,' '41 the white .
people Woutd be killed That, if any per- -
son vinformed,or;would. notjom An the
fight, such person would be killed or poi'
soned , He frequently came into the yard
to see his brother, and 1 threatened to bin
form", if he came there, and spoke in that
- i
way, to get us all into trouble. Ave never
had any quarrel ; f ' - . ,
&iaitin'$i:Lwn Cane'gro'.marifie
V.k r lontrinr to Mr. Forrester, s . ; ,;
VI know Jesse ; het met ; me' last. Suoday j
weejC'ioiw June; wuiik. w
Mty- street, "as Was toniing Into Jo wn ;
he said, he was gbiog to get a hone to g :
into the country. From whii t .my master
had told me the Thursday ' before, I dis. V
trusted bis errand, arid gavehim a caun- . -qu?
Wheti, as, t wa golh Oowo JiiuU
. rContviued Ott 4tA tUfTCJ '
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