Page:The Hessians and the other German auxiliaries of Great Britain in the revolutionary war.djvu/239

 Rh assured them that it was the duty and the wish of every British and Hessian soldier to protect all peaceable and innocent inhabitants.

The people of Newport were less satisfied with Major-general Prescott, Lord Percy's successor. They were not long obliged to suffer from him. The general had chosen for his headquarters a lonely house about four miles from Newport, and as much as a mile from the nearest troops. He relied for safety on a small guard and on a ship anchored not far from the house. On the night of the 10th of July, 1777, about midnight, a party of Americans under Colonel Barton landed from two whaleboats at Redwood Creek, crept across the fields to Prescott's headquarters, overpowered the guard, broke into the house, pulled the general and his aide-de-camp out of their beds, and made off with them without giving them time to dress. The boats safely ran the gantlet of the British shipping, and carried the captives to Providence.

The command now devolved on Major-general Pigot, and things went on in their old course. Constant expeditions were made to the neighboring islands, or to the mainland, for provisions or wood. At the end of July a party of women and children were sent to Providence, on account of the scarcity of food in Newport. I do not think, however, that the soldiers suffered severe privations. On the whole, the year 1777, and the first half of 1778, passed quietly away, though the Americans sometimes made as if they would attack the island. Meanwhile Burgoyne had taken Ticonderoga, had advanced on Albany, and had surrendered at Saratoga; Howe had taken