Channel. Finally, between the western coast of Conanicut island and the main land is found a third arm of the sea, known by the name of the western, or Narraganset passage. The town of Newport is situated upon the western shore of Rhode Island Proper, opposite to the island of Conanicut. At a short distance from the town, to the northeast, rise a chain of hills which stretch almost across the island from the eastern passage to the Main Channel. The English had fortified these heights with much care, in order to cover the town against an attack from the Americans, who were likely to approach by the north part of the island.

General Pigot prepared himself for an able and vigorous defence. He very prudently recalled the garrison of Conanicut island, and concentrated his forces about Newport. He also withdrew into the town the artillery and the cattle. The posts that were dispersed in different parts of the island, and especially the soldiers who occupied the northern point, were ordered to fall back upon the town as soon as they should discover the enemy's approach. The part of the town which looked towards the sea was fortified with extreme diligence; vessels of transport were sunk in such places as might obstruct the approaches by water to the most important batteries, the rest were burned. The frigates were removed higher up for safer moorings. But to provide for the worst, they were stripped of their artillery and stores. The seamen belonging to the vessels sunk or destroyed, were employed to serve the artillery of the ramparts; a service they well understood, and greatly coveted.

Meanwhile, the count d'Estaing, on his departure from Sandy Hook, after standing to the southward as far as the mouth of the Delaware, changed his course and bore to the northeast upon Rhode Island. He arrived the twenty-ninth of July at Point Judith, and anchored with the most of his ships just without Brenton's Ledge, about five miles from Newport. Two of his vessels went up the Narraganset passage, and cast anchor. to the north of Conanicut. Several frigates entered the Seaconnet passage; the English on their approach set fire to a corvette and two armed gallies which had been stationed there. During several days the French admiral made no attempt to penetrate the Main Channel, in order to attack the town of Newport, as it had been concerted with the Americans. This delay was occasioned by that of the reenforcements of militia which general Sullivan expected, and which were deemed essential to the security of the enterprise. Finally, the eighth of August, all the preparations being completed, and the wind favorable, the French squadron entered the harbor of Newport, and coasting the town, discharged their broadsides into it, and received the fire of the batteries on shore; but little execution was done on either side. They anchored a little above the town, between Goats Island and Conanicut, but nearest to the latter, which was already occupied by the Americans.

The English, in the meantime, finding they could not save several frigates and other vessels of less force, concluded to burn them.

The next day, general Sullivan, who had moved from Providence down to that part of the main land which bears from the east upon Rhode Island, crossed the Seaconnet passage at Howlands Ferry, and landed with all his troops upon the north end of the island. It appears that this movement was highly offensive to the count d' Estaing, who expected to have been the first to set foot on shore in the island. General Sullivan hoped that the attack would now be delayed no longer, when the same day, the ninth of August, signals announced the whole squadron of lord Howe, who, on receiving intelligence that Rhode Island was menaced by the French, had hastened to the succour of general Pigot. Notwithstanding the reenforcement he had lately received, he was still inferior to his enemy, considering the size of his ships, and their weight of metal. His squadron, though more numerous, consisted of only one ship of seventy-four, seven of sixty-four, and five of fifty guns, with several frigates. He hoped, however, that fortune would offer him an occasion to join battle with the advantage of wind, or of some other circumstances. And certainly if, from the time he had taken the resolution of moving to the relief of Rhode Island, the winds had not retarded his progress, he would have arrived at the very moment when the French squadron was dispersed in the different channels formed by the adjacent islands; in which case he would have had all the chances of victory in his favor. But his passage was so difficult, that he was unable to arrive till the day after that in which the count d'Estaing had put himself in safety with all his fleet in the Main Channel.

Having carefully examined, as well the nature of the places, as the position of the French ships, and having also communicated to the same end with general Pigot, the British admiral concluded that there was no hope left him of succouring the town, especially as the winds continued contrary. The harbor was so situated, the entrance so narrow, the apparatus of defence in the island of Conanicut so formidable, that the enterprise could not have been attempted, not only by an inferior squadron, as was that of Howe, but even by a greatly superior force, without temerity. For the same cause, if the French admiral, agreeably to the plan concerted with Sullivan, had been disposed to persist, and not to quit his station until he had afforded that general all the cooperation in his power, there is good reason to believe that the town of Newport would have fallen into the hands of the allies.

But the count d'Estaing, like a true Frenchman, full of ardor and impatience, upon a change of wind to the northeast, in the morning of the tenth, was seized with an impulse that he could not master, to profit of this circumstance to sail out of the harbor, in

order to attack the enemy. He accordingly stood out to sea, in search of the British fleet. Admiral Howe, on seeing so formidable an armament advance to engage him, and being under the wind, which gave the French the weathergage, declined coming to action, and manœuvred with great ability in order to gain that advantage for himself. A contest ensued for it, which lasted the whole day; the French adiniral striving to retain it with equal eagerness. The wind still continuing on the eleventh unfavorable to the British, Howe resolved notwithstanding to meet the enemy. He therefore formed his squadron so that it could be joined by three fire-ships, which were towed by the frigates. The French also disposed their ships in order of battle, and the moment already approached that was to decide which of the two powerful adversaries should remain master of the American seas. But at the same instant, a strong gale cominenced, which, soon after increasing, became a violent storm. The tempest, which lasted forty-eight hours, not only separated and dispersed the two fleets, but did them so much damage, that they were both rendered unfit for action, and compelled to put into port to repair. The French squadron suffered even more than the English, especially in their masts and rigging. The Languedoc, of ninety guns, the admiral's ship, lost her rudder and all her masts. Floating in this condition, at the mercy of the currents, she was met by the English ship Renown, of fifty guns, conmanded by captain Dawson, who attacked her with so much vigor and dexterity, that had not darkness interposed, together with the gale, which had not yet sufficiently abated, she must inevitably have struck; as she could only use seven or eight of her guns. Some French ships appeared with the return of day. They bore down upon captain Dawson, and gave chase, though without being able to come up with him. But they at least delivered their admiral from the imminent peril to which they found him exposed.

The same day, the English ship Preston, of fifty guns, fell in with the Tonnant, of eighty, with only her mainmast standing. He attacked her; but was compelled by the coming on of night, to discontinue the engagement till next morning, when the appearance of several French ships constrained him to withdraw. The British squadron returned to Sandy Hook and New York, for the purpose of refitting; the repairs were pushed with the greatest diligence. The French recovered the harbor of Newport.

In the meantime, general Sullivan, though impeded by bad weather, and other difficulties which had retarded the arrival of his stores and artillery, had advanced very near to Newport. He already had occupied Honeymans Hill, and was engaged with great activity in constructing batteries. The besieged were not wanting to themselves; they erected new fortifications and new batteries, to answer those of the Americans. But notwithstanding their efforts, if the count d' Es

taing, on returning from his more prejudicial than useful enterprise upou the sea, had chosen to cooperate with the Americans, it is certain, that the position of general Pigot would have been excessively critical.

Assailed on the one side by the Americans, the English could not have hoped to defend themselves, if the French on the other, in addition to the fire of their ships, had landed, as they easily might have done, a strong detachment on the southern point of the island, in order to assault the left flank of the town, which was known to be the weakest. But the count d' Estaing had very different intentions. He despatched a letter to Sullivan, informing him that, in pursuance of orders from his sovereign, and of the advice of all his officers, he had taken the resolution to carry the fleet to Boston. His instructions were, it is true, to sail for that port if his fleet should meet with any disaster, or if a superior British fleet should appear on the

coast.

The injuries sustained by the storm, and the information which had been received that Byron had arrived at Halifax, were considered as producing the state of things contemplated by the instructions of the ministry. The Americans, convinced that the departure of the count d'Estaing would be the ruin of the expedition, added entreaties to remonstrances, in order to dissuade him from so fatal

a measure.

Generals Greene and La Fayette besought him that he would not, by persisting in his resolution, abandon the interests of the common cause they represented to him the importance, to France, as well as America, of the enterprise commenced; that it was already so well advanced as to leave no doubt of success; that it could not be relinquished in its present stage without shaming and disgusting the Americans, who, confiding in the promised cooperation of the French fleet, had undertaken it with alacrity, and made incredible exertions to provide the requisite stores; that to be deserted at so critical a moment would furnish a triumph to the disaffected, who would not fail to exclaim, that such was French faith, and the fruit of the alliance; that the successive miscarriages of the Delaware, of Sandy Hook, and finally this of Newport, could not but carry to its height the exasperation of minds. They added, that with a fleet in so shattered a condition, it would be very difficult to pass the shoals of Nantucket; that it could be repaired more conveniently at Newport than at Boston; and finally, that its present station afforded advantages over Boston for distressing the enemy, while in the event of the arrival of a superior fleet, it would be no more secure at Boston than at Newport. All was fruitless. The count d'Estaing got under sail the twenty-second of August, and three days after came to anchor in the harbor of Boston.

Whatever is to be thought of this resolution of d' Estaing, which, it appears, was not only approved, but even strenuously recommended by his council, it is certain that it made a violent impression upon the minds of the republicans, and excited loud clamors throughout America. The militia, who with so much zeal bad hastened to join Sullivan in Rhode Island, finding themselves thus deserted by their allies, immediately disbanded, so that the besiegers were reduced in a short time from about ten thousand men to not more than half that number, while the force of the enemy consisted of six thousand

veterans.

In so abrupt a reverse of fortune, and seeing the allied fleet retire, while that of the enemy approached, the American general soon determined to fall back upon the main land, and evacuate the island entirely. He began the twenty-sixth of August to pass his heavy · artillery and baggage towards the northern point of the island, and on the twenty-ninth he put himself in motion, with all the army. Though warmly pursued by the English and Hessians, he rejoined his van without loss. But the enemy coming up in more force, there ensued a very hot affair in the environs of Quaker Hill, in which many soldiers fell on both sides. At length, the Americans repulsed the English with admirable resolution. In the night of the thirtieth, the corps of Sullivan recovered the main land by the passages of Bristol and Howlands Ferry. Such was the issue of an expedition, undertaken not only with the fairest prospect of success, but which had been carried to the very threshold of a brilliant termination. The American general made his retreat in time; for the next day general Clinton arrived with four thousand men and a light squadron, to the relief of Newport. If the winds had favored him more, or if general Sullivan had been less prompt to retreat, assailed in the island by an enemy whose force was double his own, and his way to the continent intercepted by the English vessels, his position would have been little less than desperate. His prudence received merited acknowledgments on the part of Congress.

Admiral Howe having refitted his ships with astonishing despatch, stood out to sea, and sailed towards Boston. He hoped to arrive there before his adversary, and consequently to intercept his retreat thither, or at least to attack him in the outer harbor. He arrived, indeed, on the thirtieth of August, in the bay of Boston. But he was unable to accomplish either the one or the other of his designs; the count d'Estaing was already in port; and the batteries erected by the Americans upon the most commanding points of the coast rendered all attack impracticable. The British admiral, therefore, returned to New York, where he found a reenforcement of several ships, which rendered his fleet superior to that of the French. He availed himself of this circumstance, and of the permission he had received some time before, to resign the command to admiral