Newport Artillery in 1842 Federal Hill and Chapachet.

At the early hour of one o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, May 18th.,1842, many of the people of Newport were aroused from their slumbers by the firing of cannon and heat of drums; an express having arrived from Gov. King to Col. William B. Swan, of the Newport Artillery, with orders to muster his company without delay and embark for Providence in a steamboat which had heen dispatched for that purpose. The order was promptly obeyed, and a part of this company with a few volunteers, numbering officers and privates, thirty-eight men, and two field pieces, were soon on the way to Providence, where they arrived at about eight o'clock, having stopped at Bristol, taking from that place the Bristol and Warren Artillery company's. The landing was at India Point. A few of the officers and a number of the men belonging to the Newport Artillery, did not on that morning answer to their names at roll-call; some of them when warned postively refused to appear, others excused themselves on political grounds, conscientious scruples and sickness, while others, who would have appeared, were too far away to hear the signals, which by special orders, werr the firing of cannons. The summons was from the Governor of the State of Rhode Island, who called upon them as good citizens, to aid in suppressing an embryo rebellion against the lawful authority of the State of Rhode Island, under the leadership of Thomas W. Dorr, who, with about two hundred men, had, with stolen cannon and other war material, assembled on Federal Hill; a commanding position on the west side of the city of Providence. In years previous to this event in the history of Rhode Island, there had been quite a rivalry among the several military organizations as to which one of them; without much reference to the date of their Charters; was entitled to the right; known among military men as the post of honor as well of danger; but at this particular time, when the object for which they were assembled was for a matter of far greater importance than a "dress parade;" there were no eager aspirants for that position. When Col. Swan, at the head of his command entered South Main street, a part of the military company's of the city of Providence were in open order drawn up to receive them. Between these lines, followed by the troops from Bristol and Warren, the tlnrty-eight men with their two field pieces marched, escorted by the Providence First Light Infantry, commanded by Col. William W. Brown. The column continued its march to the bridge, which it crossed, and entered Westminster street as far as Orange street, through which it passed into Weybosset street, and when near City Hotel a halt was ordered. After a short rest; the troops forming a line along the curbstone; Col. Brown, approaching Col. Swan, said, "The right belongs to you Sir." Col. Swan assured him that he was aware of it, and immediately formed and marched the Newport Artillery past the Providence First Light Infantry. The march was now resumed, and it was at this moment that Col. William Blodgett, of Providence, commander of the division, was seen marching by the side of Col. Swan, and when Federal Hill was reached, a halt was ordered, during which it was arranged, as a precautionary and doubtless strictly military measure, that all the troops, except the Newport A rtillery, should take positions near the foot of the hill while the fate of that company was pending, who, from the threats made by Dorr and his men, were marching to certain destruction. Dorr's guns loaded nearly to the muzzle with ball, and scrap-iron obtained at machine shops, were pointed towards the road which they were to ascend, and every man knew what might he expected. At this critical moment, when Law and Order, and Anarchy and Disorder, were trembling in the balance; Col. Blodgett, said to Col. Swan, "Will your men falter?" Col. Swan answered "No !" and instantly gave the order, " Forward men." They alone with their cannon, amid the jeers and insults of a cowardly mob, marched up the hill to within a short distance of Dorr's battery. This was the first exhibit, and a brave one; that Mr. Dorr and his followers had thus far witnessed, of even the slightest attempt on the part of the authorities of the State of RhodeIsland, by an aggressive movement; ( before this all had been submissive, ) to frustrate their evil designs against its laws and institutions, — now represented by men who had come determined to maintain them at all hazards. In front of them, in battle array, stood Dorrs army, some of the men with lighted matches in their hands standing; near their guns, waiting for the order to fire, which their commander did not give, for the reason that he and his men saw before them proof quite positive, that there might be " blows to take as well as give" and rather than try the issue, sought refuge in the teachings of that old and true maxim; "discretion is the better part of valor," they were anxious for, and did propose a peaceable settlement, Not far distant from the two forces there soon appeared several persons in consultation, and prominent among them was Gov. King. Barrington Anthony, a supposed ambassador from Dorr's camp was also there. After quite a lengthy parley between these parties, it was made known to the soldies then present, that the Dorrites had, through their ambassador, promised to return the cannon and other stolen property, then in their possession, belonging to the State, and become good "Law and Order abiding citizens. In view of the vain boasting's indulged in by Mr. Dorr and his warriors, of the valiant deeds they were ready to perform in defense of their cause, it was an inglorious surrender of everything, except the principle for which they had unlawfully contended. Shortly after this very satisfactory arrangement was said to have been made between the authorities of the State of Rhode Island and its rebellious subjects, the Newport Artillery by order of Col. Blodgett, marched to Providence First Light Infantry Armory, where they remained until night, when they performed picket duty near the Arsenal. Nothing having occurred during the night to disturb the quiet of the people of Providence, who, from what we ourselves witnessed, were greatly alarmed; the Newport Artillery returned to Newport the next day, arriving about 3, P. M. For only a day and a half did this campaign last, and happily ended without bloodshed. From that time up to June 24th., the whole State of Rhode Island, particularly the northern part of it, was seriously disturbed by the greatly exaggerated rumors of what Mr. Dorr, with an ill appointed force, of, perhaps five or six hundred men, armed and unarmed, with the very doubtful promise of five thousand others, composed of the very lowest dregs of the city of New York, might possibly attempt. Their headquarters were at a rudely constructed fort on Acotes Hill in the village of Chepachet. After the return of the Newport Artillery from Federal Hill, it was immediately reorganized; Col. William B. Swan still in command, Charles D. Weeden, Lieut.Colonel William A. Coggeshall, Major; all delinquent officers and men, who failed to appear on the morning of May 18th., were stricken from the rolls, and, within a month, by new accessions of the best material in the town, with a few volunteers, the company numbered one hundred and twenty-five men. On Friday morning, June 24th., 1842, Col. Swan received orders to appear with the Newport Artillery, in the city of Providence, without delay, and within two hours they embarked from Long Wharf in a steamboat sent for that purpose; stopping at Bristol and Warren for other troops; arriving in Providence about 6 P. M. Quarters were furnished in Providence First Light Infantry Armory. Saturday, June 25th., by order of Major General, Anthony, all the troops in the city; about fifteen hundred; were ordered to appear on Benefit street, in the afternoon, for inspection. At 3 P. M., the Newport Artillery marched from their quarters to the place appointed, taking their position on the right. The troops took up the line of march to Smith's Hill, where they were inspected and reviewed by Major General McNeal, and then dismissed to await further orders. At 9 P. M. the Newport Artillery and the Providence First Light Infantry were ordered to SmithsHill, from thence they moved about one and a half miles from the city of Providence, on the road to Chepachet; sentinels having been placed in advance, the main body took possession of two barns and a bleachery. Nothing of importance occurred during the night; in the morning the two company's returned to the city. On Sunday, June 26th., at one P. M. Col. Swan received orders to be in readiness to march to Scituate, ten miles from Providence, on the following morning - Monday. Under his command were the Newport Artillery, Bristol Artillery, Capt. Pearce, and Warren Artillery, Capt. Fessenden; to be accompanied by a troop of Cavalry under command of Gen. Gibbs, numbering in all, about three hundred and fifty men, and five field-pieces; the three company's armed as Infantry. They arrived at Scituate about 5 P. M., where they encamped. The night was dark and stormy, rain falling in heavy showers, during which a part of the command was sent on an expedition in search of a rebel camp, winch was not found. Soon after midnight the whole command leaving; Scituate started for Chepachet, where their advance guard, composed of men drawn from the Warren troops, arrived a few minutes past 8 A. M., meeting the scouts from Col. Brown's division, who had preceded them about ten minutes. The main body of both divisions arrived shortly after, both of whom had learned from prisoners taken on the road, that Dorr and his troops had fled from the fort on the afternoon of Monday June, 27, some twelve hours previous to their arrival in the village. The Newport Artillery was quartered in the village church, the Bristol Artillery, in a large dwelling opposite Sprague's tavern, and the Warren Artillery in the mansion of Col. Atwell. At 5o'clock P.M., Gen. Stedman's brigade arrived in the village from Foster, bringing with them a few prisoners. At the same hour a number of the troops; returned to Providence by way of Greenville. On the morning of Wednesday, June 29th., all the troops in the village were making preparations for leaving, except the Newport Artillery, which was directed to remain at their quarters until recalled. Finding themselves honored with the duty of protecting the rear of the returning army, they immediately placed sentinels on the road leading to Woonsocket, and also to Thompson, Conn., and no man allowed to leave the camp without a pass. At 11 o'clock, the guard reported that a body of insurgents was approaching the village, on the Woonsocket road; directly the drum beat to quarters, the men stood to their arms, matches lighted and everything arranged to give them a warm reception. Being stopped by the guard, they were found to be from Slatersville and had come to offer their services to the government. This being made known to the Colonel, the order was given to stark aims and dismiss the company. An hour later a body of infantry was seen marching into the village on the Scituate road, the company was again called to arms; and a messenger sent to ascertain who they were, reported them to be the Burrillville and Foster volunteers, upon which the company was again dismissed. At 2.30 P. M., the Newport Artillery received orders to report in Providence, sixteen miles distant, where they did not arrive until late in the day, taking up quarters in the Tockwotten House. The next morning they returned to Newport, arriving at 12 o'clock. The second division of State troops under command of Col. William W. Brown, left the city of Providence at a later hour than did that under Col. Swan, having a nice turnpike all the way instead of a rough country-road over which the first division had to march. They encamped at Greenville, where they remained until about midnight, when they commenced their march towards Chepachet. Their scouts led by Col. George Rivers; who went in carriages, readied the fort on Acotes Hill at about 8 o'clock on the morning of Tuesday, June 28th. This leader of the scouts was seen by Henry Lord, an unarmed man, and the Only one in the fort, who went down the hill to meet him. Col. Rivers asked him, "Will they fire?" Mr. Lord answered "No! there are no troops in the fort." Col. Rivers then went up the hill; a few scouts following, gave three cheers and took possession of the fort. There was no resistance for there were none to make any. On the near approach of the State troops a very large number of the people of Chepachet; particularly the women and children, terror stricken, fled, they hardly knew whither, leaving everything behind them; the doors and windows of their houses wide open, and food on their tables spread for the morning meal left when only slightly partaken of. Police arrangements by the different commands were entered upon and at once commenced the search for persons known or suspected of having belonged to Dorr's army; much the greater number of them however, were either running away or secreting themselves; an endeavor shared by those who were; unfortunately for them, taken captive on the roads leading from Chepachet. There were a hundred or more prisoners taken in and around the village, and the next day, when ready to leave that place, their arms were pinioned behind them with bed-cord passed from one man to the next, tying each platoon together from eight to ten abreast. In this humiliating condition they were escorted to Providence, sixteen miles distant, on a hot summer's day, by troops under command of Col. Brown, and when that city was reached (so the official account says), they were occasionally halted and exposed to the scorn and derision of the crowds which thronged the streets. At many points in this triumphal march, this gallant escort was from many a door and window greeted with the waving of handkerchiefs, and smiles of welcome from hundreds of mothers and daughters, who looked upon these men as having saved them from the vile assaults of a ruffian soldiery, who, as an incentive to deeds of violence, were promised the "Banks and Beauty of Providence." in some places along the route, fair hands, with fairer flowers, profusely decorated Col. Brown and his soldiers. That something laughable often attends even the most serious affairs in which people willingly or unwillingly engage is pretty well known, and to show that "the Dorr War," was not entirely exempt from such incidents, we quote the following untruthful, and in its fullest sense, bombastic order in relation to the assault and capture of the fort and village of Chepachet. "Orders, No. 54, Headquarters &c. June 28th, 1842. The village of Chepachet and fort of the insurgents were stormed at quarter before 8 o'clock this morning, and taken with about one hundred prisoners, by Col. William W. Brown; none killed, and no one wounded, &c." A most ridiculous story. Dorr's fort, so called, on Acotes Hill, as a military position was wholly untenable; its front, facing the principal road leading to Chepachet, is high and commanding, but its rear was unprotected and easily assailable. A breast-work of earth was slightly thrown up, but insufficient to protect the men. There were seven iron cannon, three and six pounders, badly mounted on ox cart wheels and axles, and no other armament, except a bent bayonet and a few rusty pikes, with some cannon cartridges and ball in a waffon. There were a dozen or more tents standing, the marquee having been burned down, the fire still smouldering. There was not a soldier in the fort. Thisis a true statement of the condition of the fort on Acotes Hill, and its equipments on the morning of Tuesday, June 28th., 1842, falsely said in orders No. 54, to have been stormed and taken on that day. Thomas W. Dorr, and his followers abandoned the fort on Acotes Hill on the afternoon of Monday June 27th., and the original letter stating that fact was intercepted and in possession of Gov. King and council and suppressed by them from Monday evening until Tuesday forenoon, as set forth in the official account. The intercepted letter. Glocester, R. I., June 27, 1842. To the publishers of "The Express," Providence, R. I. Having received such information as induces me to believe that a majority of the friends of the Peoples Constitution disapprove of any further forcible measures for its support; and believing that a conflict of arms would therefore, under existing circumstances, be but a personal controversy among different portions of our citizens, I hereby direct that the military here assembled be dismissed by their respective officers. T. W. Dorr, Commander-in-chief. The above letter was handed to its rightful owners at noon on Tuesday, June 28th., and permission given to publish it. Its circulation did much to allay the intense excitement then prevailing in the city. It was also, an assurance that this most miserable attempt to subvert the government of the State of Rhode Island had utterly failed. Source: Narrangansett Historical Register, 1889, Transcribed by C. Anthony