Aaron Mann of Providence was the commander of Sullivan’s Life Guard and his pension testimony offers us a first hand view of the American retreat on August 30, 1778. Mann had been serving as a soldier when needed beginning in 1775. He served in the Continental Navy in the ill fated Battle of Block Island. Next he was sent to Rhode Island (Aquidneck Island) to protect against British Captain James Wallaces’ raids around Narragansett Bay until the Americans had to flee the Island in December 1776 when the British invaded. He marched to Boston for the Battle of Bunker Hill and he took part in Spencer’s failed expedition in 1777.
From his testimony:
“In May or June 1778, then was got into a company called General Sullivan’s Life Guard – and I entered therein as a commander – Sullivan was quartered in Providence and I with him – I should think about through November 12 of 1778. I went on Sullivan’s expedition.”
He goes on to give a brief recounting of the Rhode Island Campaign. He went onto the island around the 12th of August. He talks about D’Estaing’s arrival and departure, and Lafayette’s efforts to persuade him back from Boston.
The part of his testimony that was most interesting to me was a description of the retreat. A portion of the Life Guard was to guard the retreat of the rear guard.
“Attached a portion of the life guard to guard the retreat of the rear guards and also make fires when lighted up through the camp to deceive the enemy. On this expedition I commanded the life guards – was wounded in my forefingers which were broke. Had Obadiah Brown one of my company killed. Israel Low of Providence wounded in the ankle. Antrum Fenner of Scituate wounded in the stomach and Charles Scot of Cumberland shot in his hip badly and made a cripple for Life.”
Because of his bravery in commanding the Guard during the retreat, Mann was appointed Captain on September 10, 1778. Records show Mann and the Guard at Tiverton through November 10 when the Guard may have been relieved of duty for a while.
In the book Spirit of ’76 Covell, who had listened to countless testimonies for pension applications, records that one of the Guard (Levi Lee) describes Mann in the action.
“..while in the act of flourishing his sword, he had one of his fingers shot away, but the only remark he made..was “the d eternal souls shoot pretty close. Don’t mind, my boys, stick to em.” Covell writes that Sullivan’s Life Guards were selected by Lafayette to cover the “rear guard” in the retreat and suffered badly in the action.
Resources
Christian McBurney’s book The Rhode Island Campaign has most of this story on page 181. I was able to see and transcribe Aaron Mann’s testimony through Fold3/Ancestry.com.
Spirit of ’76 in Rhode Island: or, Sketches of the efforts of the government and people in the war of the revolution. Together with the names of those … notices, reminiscences, etc., etc
portsmouthhistorynotes 