detailing the exposed condition of the colony with its 130 miles of coastline, two navigable rivers and a hostile fleet in its waters constantly plundering the islands and shores. Cooke enumerated the efforts made by the colony in its own behalf, but also asked for continental aid. Rhode Island declares independence In May 1776 Cooke won the election as governor of the colony, and at the same time the most noteworthy act of his tenure occurred. On 4 May the Assembly met in Providence and passed "the last important act in the colonial history of Rhode Island," the Declaration of Independence of the Rhode Island colony from Great Britain a full two months before the Declaration of Independence of the 13 colonies was signed in Philadelphia. This act repealed a previous Act of Allegiance to the Crown, and declared that the King's name and authority in this colony was void. The courts of law would no longer be considered the King's Courts, and all commissions and writs would no longer be in the name of the King, but instead in the name of the governor and company of this colony. The act was drawn by Colonel Jonathan Arnold, a descendant of Governor Benedict Arnold, and passed the Upper House unanimously, with only six dissenting votes in the Lower House. The phrase "God save the King" was now officially replaced with the phrase "God save the United Colonies." The first act following this local act of independence was to provide instruction to Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery, the colony's two delegates to the Continental Congress. In late July 1776 the legal title of the government was changed by the General Assembly to "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." The recording of the Assembly minutes closed with the words "God save the United States." Newport captured and occupied The August session of the Assembly was the last to be held in Newport for the next four years, with the pending occupation of Aquidneck Island (Rhode Island) by British Forces. In December 1776 seven ships and four frigates under the command of Sir Peter Parker appeared off Block Island and went up the sound to join a fleet of 70 transports with about 6000 troops, destined for Newport. Summons went out from the colony to as far as New Hampshire for aid. Women and children in seaboard towns had already been