120 THE FRENCH FLEET ARRIVES. CHAPTER XXII. 1778. FRENCH FLEET ARRIVES: OPERATIONS IN RHODE ISLAND. French fleet appears off Sandy Hook - Attack on British delayed - Fleet sails for Rhode Island - Sullivan's preparations to reduce Rhode Island - Disposition of the British garrison - Engagement between the French and British fleets- Armies overtaken by storm-Precarious situation of Sullivan - American officers beseech d'Estaing to remain — Fleet sails to Boston - Sullivan's general orders — Clamor against the French - Washington's letters to the various commanders — American army retires from Rhode Island - - Clinton's expedition against New Bedford and Fairhaven French fleet sails for the West Indies - Washington puts army in winter quarters — Labors of Baron Steuben - Naval operations. In July, 1778, when the British army arrived in New York, Charles Henri Théodat d'Estaing, Count d'Estaing du Saillans, appeared off the coast of Virginia with a French fleet, which had sailed from Toulon about the middle of April.* It was expected that the French fleet would find the British still in Philadelphia, but contrary winds had delayed it so long that the British had evacuated the city and marched across Jersey before the French fleet arrived. Ascertaining that the British had evacuated Philadelphia, the French commander sailed to the north, and on July 11 appeared off Sandy Hook.+ Lord Howe's fleet, which consisted of six 64's, three 50's, two 40's and some smaller frigates, had received early information of the movements of d'Estaing and knew of his arrival on the coast some days before he actually appeared off Sandy Hook. This timely warning enabled Howe to *Tower, Marquis de LaFayette, vol. i., pp. 399 400. Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., p. 647. make a judicious disposition of his forces for the defence of New York. For some time after the arrival of the French, unfavorable winds prevented a movement against the British fleet, but on July 22, the wind having changed, the French squadron got under way with the evident intention of making an immediate attack. When the ships arrived at Sandy Hook, however, the pilots expressed the opinion that the largest of the French vessels could not pass the bar, and they refused to undertake to carry them through the channel.* D'Es taing thereupon changed his plan and Sparks' ed. of Washington's Writings, vol. vi., pp. 9-12; Tower, Marquis de LaFayette, vol. i., pp. 417-420; Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, pp. 447-448; Ford's ed. of Washington's Writings, vol. vii., pp. 101, 104-106, 108, 110, 114; Gordon, American Revolution, vol. iii., p. 156. Mahan, however, says that there was plenty of water and that d'Estaing's assertion that he could not pass the bar was a mere subterfuge, his real reason being that Howe's position was better and the French fleet was therefore, at a disadvantage. See Clowes, Royal Navy, vol. iii., pp. 399-402. See also d'Estaing's and Hamilton's letters in Sparks, Correspondence of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 157-159, 160-161. PLANS TO REDUCE RHODE ISLAND. steered southward to the Delaware capes, where, upon his arrival, he changed his course and sailed for Rhode Island.* Arriving there on the 29th, he arranged with General Sullivan to attempt the reduction of that state. Sullivan had a detachment of Washington's army, and reinforcements constantly arrived from New England. For some time Sullivan had been preparing to reduce the British garrison at Rhode Island, and later Generals Greene and Lafayette were sent to assist him in subordinate commands.t General Pigott, the British commander, had been informed of the intentions of General Sullivan, and in order to impede the operations of the Americans, had dispatched two separate expeditions, one under Colonel Campbell, and the other under Major Eyre, into Providence Plantation. These expeditions destroyed a large quantity of naval and military stores, some galleys and armed sloops, and about 100 small boats which had been prepared for Sullivan's expedition. These losses considerably retarded General Sullivan's movements, and for several days after the French fleet arrived, the Americans were in no position to coöperate with them. Rhode Island consists of two parts Richman, Rhode Island, p. 228; Irving, Life of Washington, vol. iii., pp. 479–480. † F. V. Greene, Life of Greene, p. 107. See also his instructions to Lafayette, in Tower, Marquis de LaFayette, vol. i., p. 422; and to Greene and Lafayette in Sparks' ed. of Washington's Writings, vol. vi., pp. 8, 22. 121 connected by an isthmus, and has a number of small islands near it. On the west of the isthmus stands Newport, the chief town of the island, and between Rhode Island and the mainland lies the island of Conanicut. There are three entrances to Newport; one by the east or Seakonet Passage; another by the west of the island, between it and Conanicut, called the Main Channel; and the other, called the West or Narragansett Passage, which unites with the Main Channel at the east of Conanicut. The main body of the British troops under General Pigott, numbering about 6,000 men,* lay at Newport; on Conanicut Island were three regiments; a chain of redoubts defended the isthmus; and each of the three entrances was guarded by frigates and galleys, which upon the appearance of Count d'Estaing were destroyed to prevent them from falling into his hands. The French fleet blockaded all the various passages, several ships of war being stationed in the Seakonet and Narragansett passages, while the Main Channel was closed when the fleet anchored at its mouth. In this position the French fleet continued until August 8.† until August 8. When the Americans were in a position to coöperate with him, the French commander Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, p. 448. Sullivan estimated the force at 6,500. See his letter in Sparks, Correspondence of the Revolu. tion, vol. ii., p. 178. † On the conferences between the American generals and the French admiral regarding the plan of attack, see Tower, Marquis de LaFayette, vol. i., pp. 431-455. 122 OPERATION OF FRENCH AND BRITISH FLEETS. sailed toward the harbor, engaging the batteries on either side as he passed, and anchoring between Newport and Conanicut.* When Howe received information of the arrival of the French fleet at Newport, he immediately began preparations to destroy it. By this time Howe's squadron had been increased to eight ships of the line, five ships of 50 guns each, two of 40, four frigates, several fire ships, two bombs, and a number of smaller vessels.† On August 9 this fleet arrived at Rhode Island, anchoring off Point Judith, a short distance from the entrance of the Main Channel.‡ For several days after the arrival of the French the winds continued contrary, but on the morning of the 10th they suddenly shifted to the northeast, and the French commander was seized with a desire to measure ships with Howe.|| Accordingly, he went to sea in search of the British fleet, and soon discovered it. But upon seeing so formidable an armament advancing toward him, and being under the wind, which gave the French the weather-gage, Lord Howe declined an immediate engagement, and instead maneuvered in an endeavor to secure the weather-gage himself. The contest lasted throughout the day, the French admiral en * Tower, vol. i., p. 456 et seq. † Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, p. 450. F. V. Greene, Life of Greene, pp. 109-110. See Peabody, Life of John Sullivan, p. 98 et seq. deavoring to retain his advantage. Toward the close of the second day, when the fleets were about to engage, a violent storm separated the two fleets and dispersed and considerably injured many of the ships. As a result, there was no general action, but single ships of both fleets afterward fell in with each other, though neither side gained any important advantage from these minor engagements. As both fleets were in a crippled condition, Howe returned to New York and d'Estaing to Newport.* At this time Sullivan's army numbered about 10,000 troops, chiefly militia, and when the French commander sallied forth to intercept the British, Sullivan was prepared to take the field in coöperation with the French fleet.+ When Sullivan saw the French fleet depart, however, he realized that it would be useless to attempt hostilities until it should return. Furthermore, he feared that d'Estaing would become offended if the American army should not wait until he could be at liberty to participate in any movement. On the other hand, * Gordon, American Revolution, vol. iii., p. 159; Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. ii., pp. 212-214; Tower, Marquis de LaFayette, vol. i., pp. 461-465; Stedman, American War, vol. ii., pp. 27-31; Jones, New York in the Revolution, vol. i., p. 276; Johnson, Life of Greene, vol. i., p. 109. Heath's Memoirs, p. 175 (Abbatt's ed.); Lafayette's letter to D'Estaing in Tower, Marquis de LaFayette, vol. i., p. 440. About 1,500 troops under Greene and Lafayette had been sent by Washington. See Spark's ed. of Washington's Writings, vol. vi., pp. 28-37; Greene, Life of Greene, vol. ii., pp. 113-128. SULLIVAN BESIEGES BRITISH; FRENCH FLEET DEPARTS. 123 the American army could not long be kept together and it was necessary that the American commander begin active operations immediately. Upon learning that Sullivan was ready to take the offensive, Pigott withdrew his troops from Conanicut, called in his various outposts, and concentrated his whole army in an entrenched camp near Newport. The American army was then transported from the mainland to the northeast end of the island, and having taken possession of a fortified position which had been abandoned by the British, they marched toward Newport to begin the siege. On the 12th of August, before the siege was well under way, Sullivan's army was overtaken by the same terrific wind and rain storm which had created such havoc among the British and French ships. A great number of the tents were blown down, and fire-arms were rendered unfit for immediate use, and almost all the ammunition, of which 50 rounds had just been distributed to each soldier, was irreparably damaged. As the storm continued for three days and as they were without shelter, the soldiers suffered severely and large numbers of them perished.* After the storm had passed, the American army resumed the siege, but the absence of the French fleet placed * Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. ii., p. 214. See also Sullivan's letter of August 13 to Washington, in Sparks, Correspondence of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 175-178; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., p. 650. General Sullivan's army in a precarious situation as the British force at Newport could easily be increased. To the great relief of the Americans d'Estaing reappeared off the island on the evening of the 20th, but the joy of the Americans was of short duration, for upon his arrival d'Estaing informed General Sullivan that, agreeable to the advice of his officers, and in obedience to orders, it would be necessary for him to sail for Boston to repair his damaged fleet. He had been instructed to enter that port in case he should meet with disaster or find a superior British fleet on the coast. Now facing both situations (his fleet having been shattered and Admiral Byron having arrived with British reinforcements), he considered that the condition of affairs was exactly what had been contemplated in his instructions, and it was therefore incumbent upon him to take his fleet to Boston.* This action greatly irritated General Sullivan, who was convinced that the departure of the French fleet would ruin the whole enterprise. Both Greene and Lafayette in a personal interview besought d'Estaing to reconsider his determination and to stand by the Americans in the present situation; they explained to him the importance of the movement just begun, further saying that it was now so well advanced that there could be no Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, p. 452; Tower, Marquis de LaFayette, vol. i., pp. 466469. |