November 7

On November 7, 1776, Congressman William Ellery wrote to Rhode Island merchant William Vernon about the suffering in Newport with a British fleet stationed ominously off Newport: "If We succeed in the glorious Struggle in which We are engaged, and establish our Independency, perhaps the forfeited Estates in our Commonwealth may be apply'd to the Purposes of compensating the Sufferers. If they should, they will be no great Loosers in the End; and this ought to be a Motive particularly with them to exert themselves in the present War."