WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.240 Chapter one of the Capture of Fort William and Mary 2 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:09.560 by Charles L. Parsons. This is a LibriVox recording. All 3 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:14.039 LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information 4 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:19.719 or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by 5 00:00:19.800 --> 00:00:24.199 Robert Morrel, The Capture of Fort William and Murray, December 6 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:29.920 fourteenth and fifteenth, seventeen seventy four. Few events in the 7 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:32.759 history of New Hampshire have excited more interest or caused 8 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:36.159 more controversy than the successful attack upon Fort William and 9 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:40.719 Mary into Port Smith Harbour on December fourteenth, seventeen seventy four, 10 00:00:41.399 --> 00:00:44.679 the removal of the powder contained in its magazine on 11 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:47.799 the same afternoon, and the second capture of the fort, 12 00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:50.920 together with the small arms and other stores, on the 13 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:54.320 night of the following day. Too much has been written 14 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:57.679 that is not history, and many statements concerning these events 15 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:01.000 are generally accepted as facts which have had their rise 16 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:05.040 in the fertile imagination of some writer. Many articles have 17 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:08.079 appeared in the public press, but only a few really 18 00:01:08.120 --> 00:01:11.400 scholarly attempts have been made to determine the actual facts. 19 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:16.280 Throughout the year seventeen seventy four, the people of Portsmouth 20 00:01:16.359 --> 00:01:19.840 and Vicinity shared in full measure the unrests that was 21 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:23.959 felt throughout the entire country. Much sympathy was expressed for 22 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:27.079 the people of Boston, and the populace were beginning to 23 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:30.920 show signs of resisting the odious domination of the British ministry. 24 00:01:31.959 --> 00:01:34.879 The Assembly had shown a disposition to refuse to vote 25 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:37.760 the necessary supplies and men for Fort William and Mary. 26 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:41.239 In May, a message was sent from the Committee at 27 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:45.840 Portsmouth to the Committee at Boston, promising assistance in anything 28 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:50.400 agreed upon by the colonies. On June eighth, Governor Wentworth 29 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.400 dissolved the Assembly, which he had from time to time 30 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:57.280 adjourned to prevent action toward the appointment of delegates to 31 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:02.079 a provincial Congress. On July uy four, twenty seven, chests 32 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:05.480 of tea had been quietly brought into Portsmouth. A town 33 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:09.560 meeting was immediately called. The consignee was forced to export 34 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:12.000 the tea, and the vessel carrying it was kept under 35 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:16.840 guard until it finally sailed for Halifax. On July sixth, 36 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:21.400 Governor Wentworth ordered the sheriff to direct the committee of correspondents, 37 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:24.400 who had met to choose delegates for a General American 38 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:29.400 Congress to disperse and keep the King's peace. This they did, 39 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:32.439 but only to beat privately later in a tavern, where 40 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:36.759 they chose delegates to assemble in Exeter. On August twenty nine, 41 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:40.479 Governor Wentworth wrote the Earl of Dartmouth that the Assembly 42 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:44.080 had met in Exeter, and adds, I think this province 43 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.960 is much more moderate than any other to the southward, 44 00:02:47.319 --> 00:02:50.680 although the spirit of enthusiasm is spread and requires the 45 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:56.759 utmost vigilance and prudence to restrain it from violent excess. Again, later, 46 00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.439 Governor Wentworth reported the arrival of a second cons assigmon 47 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:03.879 of Tea, with the results similar to the first. On 48 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:08.560 November fifteenth, he reported continued discontent through the province and 49 00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:12.800 fears that disturbances will continue unless quiet is restored in 50 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:17.080 Massachusetts Bay. On December second, he wrote that there is 51 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:19.759 a growing unrest and a disposition on the part of 52 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:22.719 the people to follow all the resolves of the Congress 53 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:26.400 and to approve them fully. Thus, it will be seen 54 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:29.840 that when Paul Revere brought his message on December thirteenth, 55 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.000 seventeen seventy four, from the Committee in Boston to mister 56 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:37.159 Samuel Cuttz, of the Portsmouth Committee, announcing that troops were 57 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:40.400 to be sent to reinforce the fort, and bringing information 58 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:43.879 also of the removal of the military stores in Rhode Island, 59 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:47.599 and of the King's order in Council prohibiting the exportation 60 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:51.599 of gunpowder and military stores to America. The people were 61 00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:55.280 in a state of mind ready for revolt. Mister Cutts 62 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:58.439 immediately called the committee together, and they proceeded to plan 63 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.000 for the capture of the powder upon the following day. 64 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:06.240 Governor Wentworth seems to have had some intimation of what 65 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:10.080 might happen, for he sent word to Captain Cochrane, commanding 66 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:15.000 at the fort, to be upon his guard. In Wentworth's 67 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:18.439 report on the affair, however, he states that before any 68 00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:22.199 suspicion could be had of their intentions, about four hundred 69 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:26.639 men were gathered together. Certain it is that about twelve 70 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:31.560 o'clock on Wednesday, December fourteenth, all secrecy ended for members 71 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:35.000 of the Committee, accompanied by Drum and Fife, paraded the 72 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:39.439 streets of Portsmouth and called citizens together by order of 73 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:43.240 Governor Wentworth. The Chief Justice of the Province, made proclamation 74 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:46.800 that what they proposed was open rebellion against the King. 75 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.720 But they did not waver, and having finally gathered together 76 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:53.920 a company of their townsmen and such others as could 77 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:57.000 be obtained from the adjoining towns of Newcastle and Rye, 78 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:00.360 in all about four hundred men, they proceeded to Fort 79 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:04.120 William and Murray. There they were warned by Captain Cochrane 80 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:07.279 not to enter, and were fired upon both by cannon 81 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:11.120 and small arms. No one appears to have been injured, however, 82 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:15.160 and they immediately stormed the fort and easily overcame such 83 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:19.199 resistance as the one officer and five effective men could offer. 84 00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:23.000 Having captured the fort, they proceeded to haul down the 85 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:26.439 King's colors and then removed all of the gunpowder in 86 00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:30.399 the magazine, with the exception of one barrel. About one 87 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:33.360 hundred barrels of powder were so obtained, and these were 88 00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:37.199 sent up the Pascatawa to Durham that same evening with 89 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:39.680 a letter to General Sullivan, who had not been in 90 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:45.079 Portsmouth that day. On the following day, Thursday, December fifteenth, 91 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.759 seventeen seventy four, a party of men came from Durham 92 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:53.120 to Portsmouth, and that night, together with other citizens, under 93 00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:56.639 the leadership of John Sullivan, they again took the fort 94 00:05:56.680 --> 00:05:59.040 and carried off the lighter cannon and all of the 95 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:03.839 small arms. On Friday, a party under command of Captain 96 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:07.399 Nathaniel Folsom of Exeter came to Fort Smith and remained 97 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:10.399 on guard all day until in the afternoon, on the 98 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:14.360 rising tide, the arms were sent up the river. They 99 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:17.759 finally reached Durham, but only after many weary hours of 100 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:20.720 cutting through the ice which had just formed in the 101 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:23.839 branch of the Piscatawa which leads up to that town. 102 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:27.800 The main details of the proceedings of the three days 103 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:31.319 may easily be gathered from the following official documents and 104 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:35.079 letters of the time, which have fortunately been preserved to us. 105 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:41.079 On Wednesday, December fourteenth, seventeen seventy four, Governor Wentworth wrote 106 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:47.000 to Governor Gage as follows Portsmouth, New Hampshire, December fourteenth, 107 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:51.959 seventeen seventy four. Sir, I have the honor to receive 108 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:56.160 your Excellency's letter of the nineteenth incident with the letter 109 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:59.319 from the Secretary of State, which were both delivered to 110 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:03.800 me on Monday evening last by mister Whiting. It is 111 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:06.519 with the utmost concern I am called upon by my 112 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:09.920 duty to the King to communicate to Your Excellency a 113 00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:15.480 most unhappy affair perpetrated here this day. Yesterday in the afternoon, 114 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:19.399 Paul Revere arrived in this town, expressed from the committee 115 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:22.439 in Boston to another committee in this town, and delivered 116 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:26.160 his dispatch to mister Samuel Kutts, merchant in this town, 117 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:30.360 who immediately convened the committee of which he was one, and, 118 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:34.399 as I learned, laid it before them this day before 119 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:37.839 any suspicions could be had of their intentions. About four 120 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:41.279 hundred men were collected together and immediately proceeded to His 121 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:45.480 Majesty's castle William and Mary at the entrance of this harbor, 122 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:50.600 and forcibly took possession thereof, notwithstanding the best defense that 123 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.079 could be made by Captain Cochrane, whose conduct has been 124 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:57.600 extremely laudable, as your Excellency will see by the enclosed 125 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:01.680 letter from him, and by violents carried away upwards of 126 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:05.720 one hundred barrels of powder belonging to the King, deposited 127 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:09.319 in the castle. I am informed that expresses have been 128 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:12.639 circulated through the neighboring towns to collect a number of 129 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:16.319 people tomorrow or as soon as possible, to carry away 130 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.879 all the cannon and arms belonging to the castle, which 131 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:23.639 they will undoubtedly affect, unless some assistance should arrive from 132 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:27.399 Boston in time to prevent it. This event, too plainly 133 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:31.120 proves the imbecility of this government to carry into execution 134 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:36.000 his Majesty's Order in Council for seizing and detaining arms 135 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:40.120 and ammunition imported into this province without some strong ships 136 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.559 of war in this harbor. Neither is the province or 137 00:08:43.639 --> 00:08:47.159 custom House treasury in any degree safe if it should 138 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:49.799 come into the mind of the popular leaders to seize 139 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:53.919 upon them. The principal persons who took the lead in 140 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:58.159 this enormity are well known. Upon the best information I 141 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:01.879 can obtain. This mishift originates from the publishing of the 142 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:05.360 Secretary of State's letter and the King's Order in Council 143 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:09.399 at Rhode Island prohibiting the exportation of military stores from 144 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:13.519 Great Britain, and the proceedings in that colony in consequence 145 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:17.000 of it, which have been published here by the forforementioned 146 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:21.159 mister Revere, and the dispatch brought before which all was 147 00:09:21.240 --> 00:09:27.360 perfectly quiet and peaceable. Here I am, etc. Signed Jay Wentworth, 148 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.919 the report of Captain Cochrane to Governor Wentworth, referred to above, 149 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:36.720 dated the fourteenth of December seventeen seventy four, reads, May 150 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:41.480 it please your Excellency, I received your Excellency's favor of yesterday, 151 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:45.759 and inobedience thereto kept a strict watch all night and 152 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:48.480 added two men to my usual number, being all I 153 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:53.120 could get. Nothing material occurred till this day one o'clock, 154 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:55.879 when I was informed that there were a number of 155 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:59.039 people coming to take possession of the fort, upon which, 156 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.720 having only five I have effective men with me. I 157 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.159 prepared to make the best defense I could, and pointed 158 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:08.399 some guns to those places where I expected they would enter. 159 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:12.200 About three o'clock the fort was beset on all sides 160 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:15.360 by upwards of four hundred men. I told them, on 161 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:19.240 their peril not to enter. They replied they would. I 162 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:22.480 immediately ordered three four pounders to be fired on them, 163 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:25.639 and then the small arms, and before we could be 164 00:10:25.720 --> 00:10:28.799 ready to fire again, we were stormed on all quarters, 165 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:31.759 and they immediately secured both me and my men and 166 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:35.200 kept us prisoners about one hour and a half, during 167 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.840 which time they broke open the powder house and took 168 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:41.200 all the powder away except one barrel, and having put 169 00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:44.159 it into boats and sent it off. They released me 170 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:48.399 from confinement, to which I can only add that I 171 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:51.000 did all in my power to defend the fort, but 172 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:54.200 all my efforts could not avail against so great a number. 173 00:10:55.039 --> 00:11:01.240 I am your excellencies, et cetera, Signed John Cochrane. On 174 00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:06.000 Thursday the fifteenth of December, Governor Wentworth ordered thirty effective 175 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:08.919 men to be enlisted or impressed for the protection of 176 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:12.120 Fort William and Mary without result, as the following will 177 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:18.360 testify Province of New Hampshire. To Captain John Dennett and 178 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:22.080 the Commissioned Officer of the First Regiment of Militia in 179 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:27.240 the Province of New Hampshire. Gentlemen, you are, without delay, 180 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:31.080 out of your several companies, to enlist or impress thirty 181 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.120 effective men to serve His Majesty as a guard and 182 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:37.919 protection to his Fort William and Mary at Newcastle, and 183 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:41.600 make return immediately to me of your doings therein, with 184 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:44.960 the names of the person so enlisted, et cetera, that 185 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:48.200 provision may be made for their being regularly placed in 186 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:51.879 the said garrison. For all which this is your warrant. 187 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:58.080 I am, gentlemen, your friend et cetera. Theodore Atkinson, Major General, 188 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:01.879 dated at Port Port Smith on the fifteenth of December 189 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:07.279 seventeen seventy four, twelve o'clock at noon. Endorsed on the 190 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:11.840 back of the foregoing order, is the following. Pursuant to 191 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:15.759 the within warrant. We have paraded the streets, caused the 192 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:18.720 drums to be beat, in proclamation to be made at 193 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:22.759 all the public corners, and on the place of parade, 194 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:26.440 no person appearing to enlist. We wait for further orders. 195 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:34.440 John Dennett, James Stooley, Commanding Officer, Portsmouth, fifteenth December, six 196 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:40.399 o'clock PM. On Friday. Governor Wentworth wrote to General Gage 197 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:43.759 a further report, dated Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the sixteenth of 198 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:49.320 December seventeen seventy four. On Wednesday last after twelve o'clock 199 00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:53.399 and insurrection suddenly took place in town and immediately proceeded 200 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:59.320 to His Majesty's castle, attacked, overpowered, wounded and confined the captain, 201 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:03.919 and thence took away all the King's powder. Yesterday numbers 202 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:08.480 were assembled, and last night brought off many cannons et 203 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:12.679 cetera and sixty muskets. This day the town is full 204 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:16.519 of armed men who refused to disperse but appeared determined 205 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:21.159 to complete the dismantling of the fortress entirely. Hitherto the 206 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:25.320 people have abstained from private or personal injuries. How long 207 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:28.240 they will be so prevailed on? It is impossible to say. 208 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:33.240 I most sincerely lament the present distractions which seemed to 209 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:36.039 have burst forth by means of a letter from William 210 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:40.799 Cooper to Samuel Kuttz, delivered here on Tuesday last PM 211 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:44.519 by Paul Revere. I have not time to add further 212 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:49.519 on this lamentable subject. On December sixteenth, a gentleman in 213 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:55.279 Portsmouth wrote to a gentleman in New York the following letter, Portsmouth, 214 00:13:55.320 --> 00:14:00.399 New Hampshire, December sixteenth, seventeen seventy four. We have been 215 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:03.080 in confusion here for two days on account of an 216 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:06.799 express from Boston informing that two regiments were coming to 217 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:10.360 take possession of our forts. By beat of drum. Two 218 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:13.919 hundred men immediately assembled and went to the castle, and 219 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.960 two gondolas, who on their way were joined by one 220 00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:20.600 hundred and fifty more, and demanded the surrender of the fort, 221 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:24.519 which Captain Cochrane refused, and fired three guns, but no 222 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:29.080 lives were lost, upon which they immediately scaled the walls disarmed. 223 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:32.159 The captain and his men took possession of ninety seven 224 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.879 barrels of powder, put it on board the gondolas, brought 225 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:38.240 it up to town and went off with it some 226 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:42.360 distance into the country. Yesterday the town was full of 227 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:45.840 men from the country who marched in force. Chose a 228 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:48.720 committee to wait on the governor, who assured them he 229 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:52.879 knew of no such design as sending troops, ships, et cetera. 230 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:56.679 This morning I hear there are a thousand or fifteen 231 00:14:56.759 --> 00:15:00.240 hundred men on their march to town. The govern Diven 232 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:03.120 and the council sat yesterday on the affair, and are 233 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:06.679 now meeting again. The men who came down are those 234 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:11.200 of the best property and vote in the province. Another 235 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:15.879 gentleman in Portsmouth, writing on Saturday December seventeenth, gives also 236 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:18.840 the main facts in the case, but he states that 237 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.879 the powder was sent up to Exeter, which may have 238 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:24.600 been reported at the time, but which is shown to 239 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:28.039 be incorrect by the letter of General Sullivan published in 240 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:32.519 the New Hampshire Mercury of May seventeen eighty five. He 241 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:36.519 also magnifies some of the other facts. The letter, however, 242 00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:42.039 adds its testimony to the main occurrences of the week. Portsmouth, 243 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:48.120 New Hampshire, December seventeenth, seventeen seventy four. On Wednesday last 244 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:52.000 a drum and fife pervaded the streets of Portsmouth, accompanied 245 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:56.240 by several committeemen and the Sons of Liberty, publicly avowing 246 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:59.399 their intention of taking possession of Fort William and Murray, 247 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:03.360 which were was garrisoned by six invalids. After a great 248 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:06.759 number of people had collected together, they embarked on board 249 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:11.519 scows boats et Cetera, entered the fort, seized the gunpowder, 250 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:15.120 fired off the guns, and carried the powder up to Exeter, 251 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:19.600 a town fifteen miles distant. The quantity was about two 252 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.879 hundred to two hundred and twenty barrels. The day after, 253 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:26.480 while the Governor and Council were assembled in the council chamber, 254 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:30.080 between two and three hundred persons came from Durham and 255 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:33.320 the adjoining towns, headed by Major Sullivan, one of the 256 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:36.679 delegates of the Congress. They drew up before the council 257 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:40.399 chamber and demanded an answer to the following question whether 258 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:43.639 there were any ships or troops expected here, or if 259 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:47.360 the Governor had wrote for any they were answered that 260 00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:50.720 his Excellency knew of no forces coming hither, and that 261 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:54.080 none had been sent for, upon which they retired to 262 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:57.039 the taverns. And about ten or eleven o'clock at night 263 00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:59.960 a large party repaired to the fort, and the Dia 264 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:03.720 said they carried away all the small arms. This morning 265 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:07.640 about sixty horsemen accoutered came into town by eleven o'clock. 266 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:11.640 Their intention, it is suspected, is to dismantle the fort 267 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:14.920 and throw the cannon, consisting of a fine train of 268 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:19.119 forty two pounders, into the sea. In a letter to 269 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:23.720 the Earl of Dartmouth, dated Portsmouth, twentieth December seventeen seventy four, 270 00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:29.599 Governor Wentworth gives most complete account and says, on Thursday, 271 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:34.240 the thirteenth Instant, in the afternoon one Paul Revere arrived, 272 00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:37.000 expressed with letters from some of the leaders in Boston 273 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:41.279 to mister Samuel Kutt's merchant of this town. Reports were 274 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:43.799 soon circulated that the fort at Rhode Island had been 275 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:48.160 dismantled and the gunpowder and other stores removed up to Providence, 276 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:51.640 and an extract of the circular letter directing the seizure 277 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.920 of gunpowder was printed in a Boston newspaper of the 278 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:58.440 twelfth in consequence, as I have been informed of the 279 00:17:58.519 --> 00:18:01.160 said letters having been commute unicated to the House of 280 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:05.039 Assembly at Rhode Island, and it was also falsely given 281 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:07.720 out that troops were embarking at Boston to come and 282 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.000 take possession of William and Mary Castle in this harbor. 283 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:15.319 These rumors soon raised an alarm in the town, and 284 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:18.359 although I did not expect that the people would be 285 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:21.599 so audacious as to make any attack on the castle, 286 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:24.680 yet I sent orders to the captain at the fort 287 00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:29.160 to be upon his guard. On Wednesday the fourteenth, about 288 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:32.160 twelve o'clock, news was brought to me that a drum 289 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:35.279 was beating about the town to collect the populace together 290 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:38.160 in order to go and take away the gunpowder and 291 00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:42.359 dismantle the fort. Immediately sent the Chief Justice of the 292 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:45.440 province to warn them from engaging in such an attempt. 293 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:48.400 He went to them where they were collected in the 294 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:51.480 center of the town, near the townhouse, explained to them 295 00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:54.640 the nature of the offense they proposed to commit, told 296 00:18:54.680 --> 00:18:57.759 them it was not short of rebellion, and entreated them 297 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:01.400 to desist from it and disperse. But all to no purpose. 298 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:05.160 They went to the island, and being found there by 299 00:19:05.240 --> 00:19:08.920 the inhabitants of the towns of Newcastle and Rye formed 300 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:12.000 in all a body of about four hundred men, and 301 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:15.160 the castle being in too week a condition for defense. 302 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:18.759 As I have in former letters explained to your Lordship, 303 00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:22.680 they forced their entrance in spite of Captain Cochrane, who 304 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:25.519 defended it as long as he could, but having only 305 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:30.079 the assistance of five men, their numbers overpowered them. After 306 00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:34.000 they entered the fort, they seized upon the captain, triumphantly, 307 00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:37.680 gave three huzzahs, and hauled down the King's colors. They 308 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:41.000 then put the captain and men under confinement, broke open 309 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:45.000 the gunpowder magazine and carried off about one hundred barrels 310 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:48.359 of gunpowder, but discharged the captain and men from their 311 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:53.960 confinement before their departure. On Thursday the fifteenth, in the morning, 312 00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:57.599 a party of men came from the country accompanied by 313 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:00.680 mister General John Sullivan, one of the the New Hampshire 314 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:03.880 delegates to the Congress, to take away the cannon from 315 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:07.960 the fort. Also, mister Sullivan declared that he had taken 316 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:12.160 pains to prevail upon them to return home again. And said, 317 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:15.839 as there was no certain intelligence of troops being coming 318 00:20:15.880 --> 00:20:18.880 to take possession of the castle, he would still use 319 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:23.680 his utmost endeavors to disperse them. While the town was 320 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:26.440 thus full of men, a committee of them came to 321 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:30.039 me to solicit for pardon or a suspension of prosecution 322 00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:33.960 against the persons that took away the gunpowder. I told 323 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:36.880 them I could not promise them any such thing, but 324 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:40.519 if they dispersed and restored the gunpowder, which I earnestly 325 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:44.000 exhorted them to do, I said, I hoped his Majesty 326 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:47.200 may be thereby induced to consider it an alleviation of 327 00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:51.680 the offense. They parted from me in all appearance perfectly 328 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:54.680 disposed to follow the advice I had given them, and 329 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:58.279 having proceeded directly to the rest of their associates, they 330 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:01.880 all publicly voted about five o'clock in the afternoon near 331 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:05.240 the townhouse to return home, which it was thought they 332 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:08.200 would have done, and it was also further expected that 333 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:11.960 the gunpowder would have been restored by the morning. But 334 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:15.119 the people, instead of dispersing, went to the castle in 335 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:18.720 the night, headed by mister Sullivan, and took away sixteen 336 00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:23.279 pieces of cannon about sixty muskets and other military stores, 337 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:26.160 and brought them to the out borders of the town 338 00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:31.960 on Friday morning, the sixteenth. Mister Folsom, the other delegate, 339 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:34.720 came to town that morning with a great number of 340 00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:37.599 armed men, who remained in town as a guard till 341 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:39.799 the flow of the tide in the evening, when the 342 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:43.319 cannon were sent in gondolas up the river into the country, 343 00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:47.200 and they all dispersed without having done any personal injury 344 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:51.440 to anybody in town. They threatened to return again in 345 00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:54.880 order to dismantle the fort entirely, and to carry off 346 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:58.920 or destroy the remaining heavy cannon about seventy pieces, and 347 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:02.119 also to seize a upon the province treasury, all of 348 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:04.680 which there was reasonable ground to fear they would do 349 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:08.720 after what they had already done. But on the gunpowders 350 00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:12.319 being taken away, I wrote to General Gage and Admiral 351 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:16.039 Graves for assistance to restrain the boisterous temper of the people, 352 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:21.440 upon which the Admiral ordered the armships Canso and Scarborough here, 353 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:24.640 and they arrived, the former the seventeenth and the latter 354 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:28.079 on the nineteenth, in time to prevent the further dismantling 355 00:22:28.119 --> 00:22:31.799 of the fort. Further On, Governor Wentworth says, the government 356 00:22:31.880 --> 00:22:34.960 has no power to bring the offenders to punishment, no 357 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:37.680 jail would hold them long, and no jury would find 358 00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:40.759 them guilty. For by the false alarm that has been 359 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:44.000 raised throughout the country. It is considered by the weak 360 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:47.119 and ignorant who have the rule in these times and 361 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:51.799 act of self preservation. Again, he says, I tried to 362 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:56.759 dissuade them by the civil authority sheriff, magistrates, etc. And 363 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:59.519 did all I could to get the militia raised, but 364 00:22:59.640 --> 00:23:05.039 to no purpose. Under date of December twentieth, seventeen seventy four, 365 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:08.559 a gentleman in Boston, writing to a mister Rivington of 366 00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:13.839 New York, says, on Monday the twelfth instant, our worthy citizen, 367 00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:17.799 mister Paul Revere, was sent express from only two or 368 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:21.039 three of the committee of correspondents at Boston, as I 369 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:24.759 am creditably informed of whom no number under seven are 370 00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:28.400 empowered to act, to a like committee at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 371 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:31.599 informing them as it is said that orders have been 372 00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:34.720 sent to the governors of their provinces to deliver up 373 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:39.079 their several fortifications or castles to general gage, and that 374 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:42.160 a number of troops had the preceding day embarked on 375 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:45.720 board transports with a designed to proceed and take possession 376 00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:49.920 of said castles, that in consequence thereof the House of 377 00:23:49.960 --> 00:23:52.480 Assembly of Rhode Island had caused the fort to be 378 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:57.400 dismantled and the guns, ammunitions, etc. To be removed to Providence. 379 00:23:58.759 --> 00:24:02.079 Upon receiving this until diligence, the Committee at Portsmouth was 380 00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:04.880 called together to advise what was to be done in 381 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:08.200 so alarming a crisis. But not having a full meeting, 382 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:11.799 nor able to determine upon any measures proper to be taken, 383 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:15.200 they concluded to defer the matter till the next day, 384 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:18.559 when a fuller meeting of said committee was expected. But 385 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:22.319 two or three warm zealous members, having the good of 386 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:25.559 their country at heart more than the others, in thinking 387 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:30.000 any further deliberation on so important an affair unnecessary, gave 388 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:32.839 out their order early the next morning for the drums 389 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:35.559 to be beat to raise volunteers to go and take 390 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:39.599 the King's fort. With difficulty, a number of men were 391 00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:42.759 persuaded to convene, who proceeded to the fort, which is 392 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:46.680 situated at Newcastle, an island, about two miles from the town, 393 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:50.319 and being there joined by a number of the inhabitants 394 00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:54.160 of said newcastle, amounted to near four hundred men. They 395 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:57.680 invested the fort, and, being refused admittance by the commander 396 00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:00.160 of it, who had only five men with them, and 397 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:03.480 who discharged several guns at them, scaled the walls, and 398 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:07.559 soon overpowered and pinioned the commander. They then struck the 399 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:11.039 King's colors with three cheers, broke open the powder house, 400 00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:13.880 and carried off one hundred and three barrels of powder, 401 00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:19.359