property, except a few legacies to charitable purposes. "An honest man's the noblest work of God." The first of the following inscriptions is from a large slab of Egyptian marble, placed by the side of Trinity Church. It was designed for the interior of the church, but no suitable place could be found within its walls. The monument of Mr. Clark, the inscription on which is given, is in the burying ground on the west side of Tanner street. D. 0. M. CAROLUS LUDOVICUS D'ARSAC DE TERNAY, ordinis sa Hierosolymitani Eques, nondum vota Professus a vetere et nobili genere apud Armoricus oriundos anus e Regiarum classium præfectis LIVIS, MILES IMPERATOR, de Rege Suo, et Patria, per 42 annos bene meritus, hoc submamore JACET FELICITER AUDAX naves Regias post Croisiacam cladem per invios VICENONIÆ fluvii anfractus disjectas e cæcis voraginibus improbo abore annis 1760, 1761 inter teta hostium detrusit avellit et stationibis suis restitiut incolumes anno 1762, TERRAM NOVAM in AMERICA invasit Anno 1772, renunciatus PRETOR ad regendas. BORBONIAM et FRANCIE insulas in GALLIA commoda totus incubuit. FEDERATIS ORDINIBUS pro libertate dimicantibus A REGE CHRISTIANISSIMO missus subsidis anno 1780. RHODUM INSULAM occupavit; Dum ad nova se accingsebat pericula. IN HAC URBE, inter FEDERATORUM ORDINUM ramenta et desideria, mortem obiit graven bonis omnibus et luetuosam suis die 15th X oris M. D. CCLXXX, annos 58. REX CHRISTIANISSIMUS, severissimus virtutis judex ut clarissimi viri memoria posterati consecratur, hoc momentum pronenclum jussit MDCCLXXXIII. To the memory of Doctor John Clarke, one of the original purchasers and Proprietors of this Island, and one of the Founders of the first Baptist Church in Newport, its first Pastor and munificent benefactor. He died on the 20th of April 1676, in the 66th year of his age, and is here interred. This monument was erected by his Trustees. Bristol, the shire town of Bristol county, is the ancient Pocanoket of the Indians. It is beautifully situated on a peninsula extending south into Narraganset Bay, equi-distant from Providence and Newport, being 15 miles from each. The population of the town is about 5000, and it has a good harbor and considerable commerce. The village is one of the most beautiful in New England, standing on a slope of ground gently rising from the bay, ornamented with fine shade trees and interspersed with highly cultivated gardens. It is a favorite place of retirement for persons of wealth, and has always been noted. for the elegance of its society. Bristol was settled in 1680. It suffered much in the revolution; in 1775, it was bombarded by a British squadron, and in 1778, the meeting house and all the most valuable dwellings were burnt. About two miles northeast from the court house is Mount Hope, distinguished as once being the residence of the celebrated King Philip, and the place where this unfortunate chieftain was killed, August 12, 1676. It is the highest land in this section of the country, being about 200 feet high. The following, relative to Philip's death, is from Hoyt's Indian Wars: Meanwhile the war continued in the southeast quarter of New England, under the desperate Philip; but the gallant Church and other officers gave him little rest. He was hunted and driven from his covert places, his chief men, wife and children killed or captured, but he still continued firm, and secreting himself with a small force in the recesses of deep swamps, refused to submit. At length an Indian, whose brother had been shot by Philip for urging him to make peace, brought intelligence to Captain Church, who was in Rhode Island, that the chief was in a swamp in Mount Hope neck, and Church immediately resolved to try his skill upon him. With a small company of English, and a number of friendly Indians, accompanied by several volunteer officers, he passed over to the main, and conducted by the Indian who brought the intelligence, soon reached the swamp, in which Philip was posted, with a considerable force; but darkness had now commenced. Perfectly acquainted with the ground, Church formed his men in extended order, placing an Englishmen and an Indian together, with orders to fire upon any who should attempt to escape from the swamp. Captain Golding, with a party, was to penetrate the swamp, and rouse Philip at the dawn of day. Having made this disposition of his troops, Church was giving further orders, when a shot whistled over his head, followed immediately after by a whole volley from Golding's party, on an advanced guard of the enemy, posted in the margin of the swamp. Day had now dawned, and Philip, on the report of the guns, seized his petunk, powder horn and gun, left the swamp, and ran toward two of Church's inclosing chain of men. An Englishman leveled his piece against him, but it missed fire; his accompanying Indian, more fortunate, with a quick sight, sent two balls through the body of the chief, one piercing his heart, which laid him dead upon the spot. The important intelligence was immediately communicated to Church, but he kept it to himself, intending to make it known after the remaining enemy were driven from their cover. A terrific voice immediately thundered from the swamp, Iootash! Iootash! It was from Annawon, Philip's chief captain, calling to his men to maintain their ground. The English then rushed into the swamp, and charging closely, threw the Indians into confusion; Annawon, with about sixty of his followers, made their escape, but one hundred and thirty were killed and captured. After the affair was over, Church communicated to his troops the death of Philip, and repaired to the spot where he lay. He had fallen upon his face in a muddy spot of ground, from which he was drawn, the head taken off, and the body left to be devoured by wild beasts. Thus fell this great chief, in a struggle, which, had it been in favor of a civilized people, by a civilized commander, and attended with success, would have immortalized his name. The view shows the appearance of Mount Hope, as seen from Mount Hope Bay, some six miles south from Fall River, Massachusetts. The most terrible and important conflict with the Indians in New England, took place in South Kingston, R. I. "Upon a small island, in an immense swamp, Philip," says Mr. Drake, in his History of the Indians, "had fortified himself, in a manner superior to what is common to his countrymen. Here he intended to pass the winter with the chief of his friends. They had erected about 500 wigwams of a superior construction, in which was deposited a great store of provisions. Baskets and tubs of corn were piled, one upon another, about the inside of them, rendering them bullet proof. It is supposed that about 3000 persons had here taken up their residence." The island above mentioned is now an upland meadow of some three or four acres, a few feet above the low meadow by which it is surrounded. Water still surrounds it in wet seasons. It was cleared for cultivation about 1780; charred corn and Indian implements are still plowed up. Lest Philip should increase his power, by an alliance with the Narraganset Indians, the English had made a friendly treaty with them in July, 1675. But notwithstanding this, in December of the same year, it was discovered that they were secretly aiding Philip's party. This determined the English to undertake a winter expedition against them. For this object, the colony of Massachusetts furnished five hundred and twenty-seven men, Plymouth one hundred and fifty-nine, and Connecticut three hundred; to all these were attached one hundred and fifty Mohegan Indians. After electing Josiah Winslow, governor of Plymouth colony, to he their commander, the whole party met at Pettyquamsquot. About sixteen miles from this place, it was found that the Narragansets had built a strong fort in the midst of a large swamp, upon a piece of dry land of about five or six acres. The fort was a circle of pallisadoes surrounded by a fence of trees, which was about one rod thick. On the 19th of December, 1675, at dawn of day, the English took up their march through a deep snow, and at four o'clock in the afternoon attacked the Indians in their fortress. The only entrance which appeared practicable was over a log, or tree, which lay up five or six feet from the ground, and this opening was commanded by a sort of a block house in front. The Massachusetts men, led on by their captains, first rushed into the fort, but the enemy, from the block house and other places, opened so furious a fire upon them, that they were obliged to retreat. Many men were killed in this assault, and among them Captains Johnson and Davenport. The whole army then made a united onset. The conflict was terrible. Some of the bravest captains fell, and victory seemed very doubtful. At this crisis some of the Connecticut men ran to the opposite side of the fort, where there were no pallisadoes; they sprang in, and opened a brisk and well directed fire upon the backs of the enemy. This decided the contest. The Indians were driven from the block house, and from one covert to another, until they were wholly destroyed or dispersed in the wilderness. As they retreated, the soldiers set fire to their wigwams (about six hundred in number), which were consumed by the flames. In this action it was computed that about seven hundred fighting Indians perished, and among them twenty of their chiefs. Three hundred more died from their wounds. To these numbers may be added many old men, women and children, who had retired to this fort as a place of undoubted security. "The burning of the wigwams, the shrieks of the women and children, the yelling of the warriors, exhibited a most horrid and affecting scene, so that it greatly moved some of the soldiers. They were much in doubt whether the burning of their enemies alive could be consistent with humanity and the benevolent principles of the gospel." From this blow the Indians never recovered. The victory of the English, though complete, was dearly purchased. Six of their captains, and eighty of their men were killed or mortally wounded; and one hundred and fifty were wounded and afterward recovered. About one half of the loss of this bloody fight fell upon the Connecticut soldiers. Pawtucket is a flourishing place four miles northerly from Providence, partly in North Providence and partly in Bristol county, Massachusetts. Population about 10,000. It is situated on both sides of the Pawtucket river-the dividing line between the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island-which has here a fall of about fifty feet, within a short distance, affording an extensive hydraulic power. The first cloth manufactory by water power ever established in this country, was commenced at Pawtucket in 1790, and for more than forty years this town held the first rank among the manufacturing places in New England. The manufactories here now are quite extensive, consisting of cotton goods, machinery, etc. The river is navigable for vessels as far as the village, and it has considerable commerce. Samuel Slater, the father of cotton manufactories in America, resided in this village for many years. He died at Webster, Massachusetts, greatly respected, April 20, 1835, aged 67. On the 10th of July, 1777, Colonel Barton, of Providence, executed one of the most bold and hazardous enterprises recorded during the revolution. The British general, Prescott, who commanded on the island, was quartered at this time about five miles from Newport, in a house yet standing, and it was Barton's design to pass over to Rhode Island, seize Prescott, and convey him to the American camp. Having selected about forty men of tried valor, with Quako, a colored servant of Gen. Prescott, for a guide, Barton embarked at about nine o'clock at night at Warwick Neck, on board his boats, when with muffled oars they crossed over to Rhode Island, between Prudence and Patience Islands. As they passed the south end of Prudence, they heard from the guard boats of the enemy the sentinel's cry, "All's well." On landing, the men were divided into several divisions, and proceeded with the utmost silence toward Prescott's quarters, passing the British guard house from eighty to one hundred rods on the left, and a company of light horse about the same distance on the right. The sentinel was seized, and Prescott was not alarmed until his captors were at the door of his bed chamber, which was fast closed. Quako, the guide, butted his beetle head through the panel of the door, and thus making an entrance, secured his victim. Barton, placing his hand on Prescott's shoulder, told him he was his prisoner, and that silence was his only safety. He, with Major Barrington and another officer taken, was hurried through a stubble field to the boat in waiting at the mouth of the creek. After safely passing under the stern of one British man-of-war, and under the bows of another, they safely reached Warwick Neck, where a coach was in waiting to convey Barton and his prisoner to Providence. "This General Prescott was a despicable character, and thoroughly abhorred by the people of the island. His constant habit while walking the streets, if he saw any of the inhabitants conversing together, was to shake his cane at them, and say, 'Disperse, ye rebels.' During one of his perambulations about the streets, he chanced to meet with one Elisha Anthony, a member of the Society of Friends, and one asking Friend Anthony, in passing, "why he did not take his hat off?" Anthony said, "It was against his principles to show those signs of respect to man.' Prescott hearing the observation, ordered his servant to knock off his hat, which he did; and they passed on, leaving the Friend, who very coolly picked up his broad-brim, and passed on. While he was prisoner, Prescott was taken to Windsor, in Connecticut. It is said that the landlord of the house where he stopped, brought him a dish of beans and corn (succatosh), at which he was so highly exasperated, that he threw them into his face, when the latter very deliberately wiped his face with his shirt sleeve, and left the room. He, however, soon returned, with a cow-hide, and the manner in which he applied it to his back was a striking caution." The brave Col. William Barton, who acted with so much intrepidity in capturing Prescott, was born in Providence, in 1750. Congress rewarded him for his revolutionary services, by a grant of land in Vermont, by the transfer of which he eventually became entangled in the meshes of the law, and in consequence he was imprisoned there for debt for many years. When LaFayette visited this country in 1825, as "the nation's guest," Barton, then an old man of 75 years, was lying in prison. LaFayette heard of it, paid his debt, and thus was he set at liberty. The gifted Whittier, in his noble protest against imprisonment for debt, indignantly refers to his imprison ment. "What hath the gray-haired prisoner done? God made the old man poor !" The following details of the military events in 1778, in the war of the revolution, upon the island of Rhode Island, are from Watson's Annals: France having acknowledged our independence, and embarked energetically in the war, all America was rejoiced and animated at the appearance of a French fleet of twelve sail-of-the-line, commanded by Count D'Estaing, off Sandy Hook, in the summer of 1778. In co-operation with Washington, an attack upon New York was supposed to be their object. In a few days, however, we were surprised by the approach of a detachment of 1,500 men from Washington's army, to Provi dence, where Gen. Sullivan then commanded. Suddenly the French fleet appeared off Newport; one or two British frigates were burnt, and the residue of the British fleet sought refuge in the harbor. At once, the whole country was all bustle and activity. The militia came pouring in from every quarter. Newport was the point upon which the storm was to fall, and all supposed that the royal army, of six thousand veterans, on Rhode Island, and the British fleet, were within our grasp. The American army was principally assembled at Tiverton, opposite Rhode Island. Our Providence companies, with which I had again mustered, also marched to that point. The army crossed over to the island, and amounted to about 10,000 men. Sullivan was an intrepid, although unfortunate officer. Generals Greene and LaFayette were also in command on the occasion. John Hancock was likewise present, in command of the Massachusetts militia. James Otis, a martyr to the cause of liberty, was there a strolling lunatic about the camp. The great and fervid mind, that first grasped the idea of independence, was then a melancholy ruin. The British retreated, and our army regularly invested the town. Gen. Sullivan received daily assurances that D'Estaing would enter the harbor, and land 3,000 troops, to co-operate with the American forces. The surrender of the British army seemed inevitable. Lord Howe, in the interim, appeared off the harbor with an inferior fleet, and D'Estaing pursued him out to sea, for the purpose of bringing him to action. On the ensuing day, there occurred one of the most terrific storms ever known at the season in this latitude. Both fleets were disabled and scattered. The French fleet gradually re-assembled at their former position. The ships were promptly repaired, and then, instead of prosecuting the siege, sailed for Boston, leaving the army to its fate. Sullivan remonstrated in violent terms, and LaFayette advanced every argument, and urged every expostulation, but the decision of the council of officers, convened by D'Estaing, was irrevocable. Had we been attacked at this moment of dejection and disorganization, with vigor and promptitude by the enemy, the capture of our whole army was almost assured to them. An immediate retreat was ordered, the British pursued, and an engagement took place near Quaker Hill. Our company was posted behind a stone wall, and attacked by a corps of Hessians. After a sharp action, the British withdrew, and during the night we effected our retreat to the main land, without the loss of our cannon or baggage. Our retreat was most opportune, as Gen. Clinton arrived the day after with 4,000 men, and a formidable fleet. The loss of the Americans in the engagement at Quaker Hill, in killed, wounded and missing, was 211—of the enemy, 260 |