The morale in Rhode Island in July l777 was very low. Newport
had been occupied by the British since December 1716 and the
colony had undergone a miserable winter with serious food and
fuel shortages. British General Richard Prescott insulted
Newport residents in every way possible. Soldiers were allowed
to get drunk, break into homes and steal. Quakers who refused to
take off their hats for any authority were accosted in the
streets by soldiers and their hats were knocked off. Anyone,
male or female, venturing out after dark was liable to be
accosted by drunken soldiers and brutalized. The news outside of
Rhode Island was gloom-ridden. Our troops were just beginning to
recuperate from the terrible winter at Valley Forge. General
Washington, fearful of weakening his small army, refused to
release troops to rid Rhode Island of the British. Rhode Island
privateers were having difficulties, the navy was bottled up in
Providence, and the powerful British fleet seemed fully in
control. The more pessimistic were al