MARINUS WILLETT. 1830. August 23d. At N. York, in the 91st year of his age, Marinus Willett, formerly Mayor of that city. Colonel Marinus Willett was born on the 31st of July, (O. S.) 1740, at Jamaica, Long Island, the youngest of six sons of Edward Willett, a respectable farmer in Queen's county. When young Willett was about sixteen years of age, he witnessed the lawless conduct of some pressgangs in seizing several American citizens, and taking them on board of some British ships then lying in the harbor of New York. The occurrence made a vivid impression on his youthful mind, and prepared him to lend a zealous support to any movements which promised to relieve the colonists from similar outrages. Within a short time afterwards, the preparations made in the colonies, for the conquest of Canada, excited his military enthusiasm, and having obtained a commission as second lieutenant in a colonial regiment, commanded by Colonel Delancey, in 1758, he joined the army under General Abercrombie, which was destined against Ticonderoga, and Crown Point. This expedition was rendered abortive by the skill of Montcalm, who repulsed their attack upon Ticonderoga, killing and wounding nearly two thousand of the British and provincial troops. To repair the disgrace of this bloody repulse, General Abercrombie detached Colonel Bradstreet, with 3,000 men, against Fort Frontenac (now Kingston.) ceeded in reducing the fort, but the men and officers under his command were exposed to severe fatigue, in marching through the wilderness, and conveying their baggage, ammunition, and artillery, from Fort Stanwix, where the troops assembled, to move directly upon Frontenac. Six days were consumed in moving from the head of Wood Creek to Oswego, from which place they were transported in lake craft to the place of their destination. Fort Frontenac was destroyed after its surrender, Aug. 27, and the troops were subjected to still greater fatigue in returning, being obliged to carry with them the valuable articles captured in the fort. From this exposure, one half of the detachment were rendered unfit for duty upon arriving at Fort Stanwix, and Lieut. Willett was confined there until the end of the campaign. The feeble state of his health in consequence of this expedition, prevented him from serving again during the French war; but this early initiation into the mode of warfare in a new country, was of great advan tage to him in a subsequent part of his career. Within a few years after the termination of the French war, the British government commenced that course of aggressions upon the rights of the colonies, which finally led to open resistance. In resolving upon this step, the American patriots were sensible of the entire want of preparation throughout the colonies, to carry on a war, and it was an object of some importance to prevent the removal of those arms and military munitions that belonged to the royLieutenant Willett, who had al government. When the news of behaved with great coolness and the battle of Lexington flew through courage in the assault upon Ticon- the country, the whigs in the deroga, was detailed on this expe- seaports of the middle and southdition. Colonel Bradstreet suc- ern states, formed themselves in juxta-position with the royal troops, and those provincial authorities that were still reluctant to abandon the connexion with Great Britain. In some of these places, the tories formed a strong party, and they were in some measure countenanced by a larger number of respectable citizens, who still hesitated to take any irrevocable steps. Such was peculiarly the state of things in the city of N. York, and when the British troops which garrisoned the city, were ordered after the battle of Lexington to join the army in Boston, with the view of preventing bloodshed, it was agreed to permit them to embark with their arms and accoutre ments. Mr. Willett was opposed to this agreement, and wished to detain the troops as prisoners. He was, however, overruled in this, and the troops were suffered to depart without molestation. The British commander, however, in addition to the arms of the soldiers, undertook to carry off with him several chests of spare arms belonging to the regiment. Willett, aided by several zealous whigs, determined to prevent it, and accordingly, when the regiment was on its line of march to the place of embarcation, Lieut. Willett arrested the baggage carts which were in front of the column, and by his prompt and energetic course, although opposed by the Mayor, and several influential whigs, finally succeeded in taking possession of the carts containing the spare arms; which were used in arming the first regiment raised by the state of New York. The war had now commenced, and three regiments being raised by New York, Lieut. Willett entered the one commanded by Col. McDougall, in which he was made second captain. He was appoint ed on the 28th of June, 1775, and on the 8th of August he embarked for Albany, to join the expedition under General Montgomery, destined against the British forts on Lakes George and Champlain. After the reduction of these places, Captain Willett was ordered to take command of St. John's, which post he held until January, 1776, when the term for which his men had enlisted expiring, he was relieved and returned home. The war now having assumed a threatening aspect, the army was put upon a different footing. Of the new regiments to be raised, New York was to furnish four, and of the third of these, Captain Willett was appointed Lieut. Colonel. At the opening of the campaign in 1777, Col. Willett was placed in command of Fort Constitution, where he remained until the 18th of May, when he was ordered to repair to Fort Stanwix. Upon his arrival at this place on the 29th of May, he found the fort in an untenable condition, and an incompetent engineer employed in repairing the works. His incompetency was soon discovered, and upon the suggestions of Colonel Willett, Colonel Gandevoort, the chief in command, ordered him to be arrested, and sent to head-quarters. In the mean time, dangers began to thicken around the garrison. Indians were discovered prowling about the fort, and several persons, who ventured beyond the protection of the works, were killed, and scalped. About the middle of July, one of the scouting parties was attacked, and it was thought necessary to use every ex. ertion to put the fortress in a state of defence, which was effected by the 1st of August. The next day a large supply of ammunition and provisions, together with a rein forcement of 200 men, arrived, and scarcely had the stores been conveyed into the fort, when the army which had been despatched by General Burgoyne, under Col. St. Leger, to reduce Fort Stanwix, appeared, and invested the place. The garrison, now consisting in the whole of 750 men, prepared to maintain the post, upon the successful defence of which, the safety of Albany and of Gates' army was thought to depend. On the 4th of August, the fire upon the fort was commenced by the enemy, and was continued during that and the next day. The morning of the 6th, two men arrived at the fort, informing the commander, that General Herkimer was raising the militia of Tryon county, with the view of raising the siege. Upon the receipt of this intelligence, it was determined to make a sortie upon the enemy's camp, in order to effect a diversion in favor of General Herkimer. A detachment of 250 men sallied forth for this purpose, under Col. Willett, and driving in the sentries, forced the camp where Sir John Johnson was stationed, dispersed the Indians, and took possession of the camp equipage and stores, which he brought into the fort. The sortie was completely successful, and without the loss of a man on the American side. While this attack was thus happily conducted, Gen. Herkimer, who was marching without proper military precaution, fell into an ambush, and was defeated with considerable loss; he himself being badly wounded, and dying from unskilful treatment, shortly after the engagement. The siege was now resumed, and a flag was sent to the garrison, threatening them with the terrors of an Indian mas sacre, in case of their refusing to surrender. This threat was treated with contempt, and as the defeat of General Herkimer, put an end to all expectation of relief from the militia, it was deemed advisable to despatch some person from the fort, to inspirit the country militia to make another attempt to raise the siege. Col. Willett was well known in that quarter, and with the view of relieving his companions from their dangerous position, he gallantly determined to attempt to pass through the enemy's camp, and to make his way through a pathless forest, to the settlements down the Mohawk river, which were about fifty miles distant. On the night of the 10th of August, accordingly, Colonel Willett, and Major Stockwell left the fort together, with no arms except spears, and without any provisions, except a few crackers and some cheese; made their way through an adjoining marsh; crossed the river undiscovered by the sentinels, and passed safely through the enemy's camp. They then continued their journey all the next day; slept on the ground, without even a blanket during the night, and the second day after leaving Fort Stanwix, about three o'clock, arrived at the German Flatts, where they were received by Colonel Weston. Here they were informed, that Gen. Learned was on his march with a Massachusetts brigade to relieve the fort. The next day, proceeding on, they met these troops, who, together with one of the New York regiments, all under the command of Gen. Arnold, hurried on to relieve Fort Stanwix. Before, however, they reached the place, the British army hearing of their approach, and not being able to induce Col. Gandevoort to surrender, suddenly abandoned the siege, and retreated into Canada. Col. Willett was now left in command of the fort, in which station he continued, except while visiting his family, until the following June, when he joined the army under Washington, and was present at the battle of Monmouth, where he acted as a volunteer aid to Gen. Scott, of Virginia. The next campaign, i. e. of 1779, he was with Gen. Sullivan, in his expedition against the western Indians. After he returned from that expedition, which was entirely successful, Col. Willett was stationed near Morristown, and occasionally acted in beating up the enemy's quarters, during the winter of that year. Towards the close of 1780, the New York regiments were reduced t two, and Col. Willett was ordered to take command of all the levies, and state troops raised to protect the northwest frontier of the state against the incursions of the tories and Indians, who were a SC vere scourge to the settlers on the Mohawk. Col. Willett had under his command less than 200 men, independent of the militia, who were scattered through the country, and yet with this small force, he contrived, by his untiring energy and devotion, to repel the enemy, and often inflicted a severe chastisement upon them in their predatory expeditions. In one of these under Colonel Ross, the tories and their savage auxiliaries, amounting in all to nearly 1000 men, were subjected to so heavy a loss, independent of the death of the famous partizan Major Butler, that they were unable to undertake any considerable expedition for the rest of the year (1782.) In the winter of that year he at tempted to surprise the British gar rison at Oswego; but failed from a mistake of the Indian guide, and retired without making an assault, with the loss of but one man, who was frozen to death. During this march the news of peace arrived, and Colonel Willett retired from the army, with the entire confidence of Washington, and the gratitude of the people of this state, to whom he had afforded adequate relief and protection. The estimation in which he was held by his fellow citizens, was manifested by their making him sheriff of New York, directly after the war, which office he held four years. Difficulties however still continued with the Southern Indians, and after the adoption of the federal constitution, President Washington determined to send a commissioner to induce them to enter into a treaty. Colonel Willett was accordingly selected to go into the Creek country, and after a long and fatiguing journey, not unattended with danger, through a wilderness filled with Indians, whose pacific disposition was doubtful, he arrived, attended by a German servant and an Indian guide, among the Creek settlements. Here he was well received, and finally persuaded them to send McGillivray and other principal chieftains to New York, where a treaty was made, which relieved Georgia from a war with the powerful tribes of southern Indians. After his return from the Creek mission, he was again appointed sheriff, which office he held for another term of four years. The same year, (1792) he was appointed Brigadier General in the army intended to act against the northwestern Indians. This appointment, however, he declined, thinking an Indian war ought to be avoided, and offered his services to mediate a peace, but the difficulties occurring shortly after in the city of New-York compelled him to remain at his post as sheriff. In 1807 he was appointed Mayor of the city, and in 1824 he was chosen elector of President and VicePresident of the United States, and by the electors afterwards made the President of the electoral college. He voted in favor of Mr. Adams, and at the subsequent election in 1828, his opinion of his fitness for his high station being strengthened, he was again placed upon the electoral ticket, which was supported by the administration party in the city of New York. That ticket did not succeed, and Col. Willett, who was then at a very advanced age, soon after became too much enfeebled to quit his mansion. A few months before his death he was attacked by a paralysis, and on the 23d of August, 1830, he yielded his patriotic and ardent spirit into the hands of his Maker, with the steadfast hope of a Christian, and the humble confidence of one whose life was devoted to the service of his country. Colonel Willett was one of the best specimens of the patriots of the revolution. In his character were combined traits of chivalric daring, gentleness and humanity which belonged to a less degene rate age. His courage and presence of mind were displayed not only at the head of his regiment, but in the lone and pathless wilderness, when surrounded by Indians, and sustained only by his own innate energies. He never shrank from danger nor responsibility, when the general weal required him to expose himself; and while in private life his integrity, frankness, and decision endeared him to his friends and acquaintance; his fear less intrepidity and self-devotion in the public service gave him a strong hold upon the affections of the community. KING OF NAPLES. 1830. Nov. 7. At Naples, aged 53, Francis Janvier Joseph, King of Naples and the Two Sicilies. He was born April 19, 1777, the son of Ferdinand the 4th (Infant of Spain,) by the Archduchess Maria Caroline, daughter of the Emperor Francis 1st. He succeeded to the throne Jan. 4, 1825, on the death of his father. Although he gave some promise of an improved government before he came to the throne, he showed no disposition in power to fulfil the expectations he had raised. He did not act the King of the Lazzaroni, or the buffoon, like his father; nor did he kill in his time so many wild boars and tunny fish; but he was not a better sovereign, though he had better tastes, nor less of a despot, though not so much of a Nimrod. It was a saying of the old King, that the people could only be governed by the three f's, meaning by that the initial letters of the three words, festa, forza, and furca, (or festivals, force, and the gallows); and though his late Majesty did not so cordially enjoy these means of power, he never thought of any better receipt for good government. King Francis was twice married; firstly, to his first cousin, the Archduchess Maria Clementina, daughter of the Emperor Leopold 2d. by whom he was father of Maria Caroline, the Duchess de Berri. This Princess having deceased, Nov. 15, 1801, he married secondly, by proxy, July 6, and in person, Oct. 6, 1802, another first cousin, the Infanta Maria Isabella, daughter of Charles 4th King of Spain, and sister to the present King Fer |