USA > Rhode Island > A history of the destruction of His Britannic Majesty's schooner Gaspee, in Narragansett Bay, on the 10th June, 1772 > Part 9
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
The Deposition of Stephen Gulley.
The examination on oath, of Stephen Gulley, before the honorable commissioners, this 12th day of January, A. D. 1773.
Question-What is your name and occupation ?
Answer -- Stephen Gulley, is my name. and a husbandman, my occupation.
Q .- What age are you ?
A .- Aged forty-one years.
Q .- Where is your place of abode ?
A .- At Southfield, in the county of Providence, in the colony of Rhode Island.
Q .- Have you lately been on board any of His Majesty's ships ? What ship ? How long have you been on board ?
A .- That he has been on board His Majesty's ship. the Lizard, ever since Tues- day last ; and that he went voluntarily on board for his own personal safety.
Q .- What reason had you to suppose you was unsate ?
A .- On Monday night, the 5th inst., he went into the publie house, at the ferry, on Rhode Island side, where he sat down aud called for some drink, which they gave him : he then called for supper. and had it ; afterwards, he rose from the table and sat down near the fire-place, by the master of the house, when a man, unknown to him, came and sat down by his side. .
I asked where he was bound; he said to Newport. The man told him he would not get there ; he asked him for what reason he thought so : he replied. there were about twenty armed men in the road, one of them, with two brass pistols; who, he said, were come to take him alive or dead, to carry him back to Providence ; that he, said man, went out into the other room.
The landlord then spoke to the deponent, and told him he would give him a word of advice ; he said there were about twenty armed men, that said they would have him, the deponent ; and that he did not know but they would tear his house down, if he stayed there.
He then called his children, and, he believes, his wife, into the room, and gave them a strict charge to tell the men, if they inquired after this deponent, that he was gone out with the landlord, to talk together; and that this happened about eight o'clock, in the evening.
The landlord then told him he would show him a way where he might escape their hands, that they might know nothing where he was gone. The landlord then went with him about a quarter of a mile, he thinks from said house, in sight of a pond, and they then parted, the landlord first directing him to the road to Newport.
Q .- What do you know relative to the attacking and burning the Gaspee schooner, on the said 10th of June last ?
A .- As to my own knowledge, I know nothing about it; but that some time about the last of December last, he was told by Capt. William Thayer, of Mendon, in the Province of Massachusetts, that Saul Ramsdale, late of Mendon, who was a shoemaker, at work at Providence, at the time the Gaspee was burnt, told him and one of his sons, he knew who the persons were, who were concerned in that affair ; and that he, the said Ramsdale, was in company with them, before they went off from Providence, but did not go himself; upon which, this deponent went immedi- ately to Ramsdale, who was then at Mendon.
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
Hle found a young fellow with him ; but upon this deponent telling Ramsdale thaf he wanted a private conversation with him. the young man went away : this depo- nent then asked him about the burning of said Gaspee schooner, and whether he had any knowledge of that matter.
Ramsdale then asked him who told him that he, Ramsdale, knew any thing of that matter.
He told him he did not choose to say who gave him that intelligence ; he, said deponent, then told him, if he would give this deponent any intelligence about the burning the Gaspee schooner, he would be a good friend to him.
Ramsdale then told him he did know something about the thing; that he knew the heads of the gang that went down the river with that intention ; that he saw two men with guns under their arms : and one of thenr swore with a very high oath, that he would be revenged upon the affair he was going upon, before he re- turned ; and that he, the said Ramsdale, was picked for one of the gang to go with them; but being faint-hearted and discouraged, he did not go.
This deponent then asked him whether some of the Browns were not con- cerned.
Ramsdale answered yes; but does not remember that he mentioned his Christian name.
He, this deponent, then asked him how many in number there were ; if there were two hundred.
He said more.
He then asked him, if there were four hundred.
He said not so many.
He then asked him, if there were three hundred.
He said yes.
He then asked him, if there were any more.
He said yes ; something upwards.
Hle then parted with said Ramsdale, and this deponent then went to Boston. This deponent further saith, that he had been acquainted with said Ramsdale many years ; that he told said Ramsdale that he would be sent for, and Ramsdale begged he would not discover him. STEPHEN GULLEY.
Newport, 12th January, 1773.
Sworn to, before us,-
J. WANTON, DAN. HORSMANDEN, PETER OLIVER.
FRED. SMYTHE,
ROBT. AUCHMUTY,
The commissioners were of opinion, that it was necessary to issue a summens to Saul Ramsdale, William Thayer and Jo- seph Borden.
A summons was accordingly issued, and delivered to Samuel Clarke, who was sent off express, at 2 o'clock.
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
Wednesday, January 13, 1773.
The commissioners met, according to adjournment.
Present-Joseph Wanton, Esq., Daniel Horsmanden, Esq., Frederick Smythe, Esq., Peter Oliver, Esq., and Rober tAuch- muty, Esq.
Joseph Borden, of Portsmouth, inn-holder, pursuant to sum- mons, appeared before the commissioners, and was examined upon oath ; which examination, was taken in writing, and or- dered to be filed.
The Deposition of Joseph Borden.
Newport. s8.
Colony of Rhode Island. ? January 13th. 1773. -
Joseph Borden, of Portsmouth, in the county of Newport, in the colony of Rhode Island, &c .. landholder, of lawful age, appeared before the honorable commissioners for inquiring into the circumstances of burning the Gaspee. &c. ; and being sworn upon the holy evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth and saith :
That some time in the beginning of last week. a man came to his house, in Ports- month, who called himself Stephen Gulley; he appeared to be in liquor. and re- quested that he might have supper and lodgings, which the deponent told him he might have.
Before supper. he went from the deponent's house, in company with one Thomas Aylesbury ; and as they had both been noisy and used very bad language, the de- ponent fastened the doors of his house, in order to keep them out.
After some time. this Stephen Gulley returned, and knocked at the door : upon which, he let him in. and told him his supper was ready in the back room; and while he was eating his supper. Aylesbury returned, and said to Gulley, " My friend, I believe yon are upon some bad design, as I understood. by your talk. you are going to Newport to give information about the burning the Gaspee."
To which, Gulley replied, that ". It was noberly's business but his own."
Then Aylesbury told him, he would not get to Newport, as there were a number of Indians, with brass pistols. in the road, who would take care of him.
But this deponent in fact sayeth, that he did not know, neither has he any reason to believe, there were any Indians in the road leading to Newport : and the depo- nent supposed that Aylesbury told his story to Gulley, with no other design but to frighten him.
After Aylesbury left the room. Gulley asked the deponent what he should do ; and as he recollected Aylesbury was in liquor, and did not know but there might be some disturbance between him and Gulley. he, the deponent, told Galley there was a lower road that he might go in, by which he might avoid that which wyle- bury had told him the Indians were in : and if he would pay his reckoning. he would go and direct him to that road.
On which. he asked the deponent if he would not take a weapon with hinzs.
Whereupon. he replied, that he should not take a weapon with him, as he did not
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
believe any body would hurt him, the deponent, or the said Gulley ; and then im- mediately proceeded to show him the road, by going with him, as far as his barn, which is about twenty rods from the deponent's house ; and showed him a pond. near to which, was a road ; and directed him to take that road, and steer southward, till he came into the main road, which he would soon do. The deponent then left Gulley, and returned to his dwelling house, where he saw nobody but his own family, either in the house or about it. and every thing remained quiet.
And this deponent further saith, that while he was in the kitchen, soon after Gulley came to his house, and before Aylesbury had told Gulley he believed he was upon some bad design, he heard a person reading the King's proclamation for dis- covering the persons who burnt the Gaspee schooner ; upon which, Gulley said it was a fine reward, and he intended to have it; and the deponent believes that Aylesbury was then in the room ; and further, this deponent saith not.
JOSEPH BORDEN.
Sworn to, at Newport, the day and year before written, before us,- J. WANTON, FRED. SMYTHE,
DAN. HORSMANDEN. PETER OLIVER.
ROBT, AUCHMUTY,
Thursday, January 14, 1773.
The commissioners met, according to adjournment.
Present-Joseph Wanton, Esq., Daniel Horsmanden, Esq., Frederick Smythe, Esq., Peter Oliver, Esq. and Robert Auch- muty, Esq.
Aaron, the mulatto, appeared before the commisssioners, and was examined upon oath, relative to the burning the Gas- pee, which was taken in writing, and filed.
Deposition of the Negro Aaron Briggs.
The examination of Aaron, a mulatto, upon oath, taken this 14th day of January, A. D. 1773.
Aaron Briggs, aged eighteen years, or thereabout, declares, that at the age of five years, he was bound by the town of Portsmouth. an apprentice to Capt. Samuel Tompkins, of Prudence Island, until he should arrive at the age of twenty-four years ; from which time, until he went on boar:l the man-of-war, he was constantly in the service of the said Capt. Tompkins, as a laborer, on his farm.
That his master kept a two-mast boat, in which to transport his farm produce to market ; which was the only sail-boat within five miles of his master's farm, at the time the Gaspee was burnt.
That, at that time, one Remington, who lived about one mile from where the de- ponent lived, had a row-boat, large enough for six hands to row ; also, one Ephraim Peirce, at about a mile and a half distance, had a two-mast boat ; and that the sails of his master's boat, had been taken off some time before the night on which the Gaspee was burnt; and she leaked in such a manner, that she could not sail.
That a little after sunset, on the night on which the Gaspee was burnt. he left the
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
island of Prudence, but does not know the day of the week, or the day of the month ; that he went off the island in a little fishing-boat. of two oars, which boat lay just before the house ; that before sunrise, and about an hour after day-break. he returned to his master's house, from the shore where they landed the people be- longing to the Gasper : which shore, was about a mile above said Gaspee ; and the Gaspee about six miles from his master's house ; and that it was abont four or tive miles from his master's, to the place where they landed the Gaspee people ; that he found the oars in the boat, that he went off said island in.
That the reason he went off the island, was to carry the boat round to the east side of said island, to carry a man named Samnel Faulkner, a hired man. to Bristol the next night ; and that this young man told the deponent, that he would ask his master's leave, for that purpose.
That going round said island. at about half a mile from said shore of said island, he met a boat and one Potter, whose Christian name he does not know, and whom he, in company with Faulkner, abovenamed, had once seen on a wharf, at Bristol, and there heard him called by the name of Potter.
And further says, that said Faulkner told him, that that was the person who owned the rope-walk at Bristol, which they had been in ; that when he met said Potter, as above mentioned, he was in a boat which was rowed with eight oars; that the time he met the said Potter, was about half an hour after he, this deponent lett the island, and he, said Potter, was about five miles from Bristol : that there were eleven men in said boat ; said Potter was in the stern sheets; that the weather was cloudy ; that when Potter hailed him, they were about fifteen rods distant.
The first words Potter spoke, was by asking who was in that boat.
The deponent answered, he was in there.
Potter told him to come that way, he wanted to speak to him.
Upon which, he went to him ; and Potter told him he wanted this deponent to go up with him, about a mile, and that he would be back iu an hour.
This deponent said he could not ; he was in a hurry to go home.
To which, Potter replied, he must go with him.
The deponent answered. he could not ; he must go home, or his master would punish him : and this deponent then began to row away.
Potter told him he wanted this deponent to go with him, to fetch something down, which this deponent had forgotten ; and that he would pay him for so doing.
This deponent said he had rather go home, for if his master should miss him, he would say he w is out all night, and flog him.
Upon which, Potter said, there is no can't in the matter ; you must go along with me ; we shall be back in an hour ; and further said, give me your painter. you need not row, we will carry you up there.
Upon which, this deponent gave them the painter ; that he, this deponent, being in his own boat, was rowed up by Potter's boat, till they came within half a mile of the schooner.
Potter then said to this deponent, get into my boat ; that he got into the boat ; Potter then told him. they were going to burn the man-of-war schooner, and that he, this deponent, must go with him.
To which he replied, that it was hard for him to be brought there, where he might lose his life.
Potter then said, they were all upon their lives.
This deponent still repeated. it was hard for him to go.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
But Potter said he must go, now he was there ; that they would give him a wea- pon, and he must do as they did, knock them down, and not let them kill him. if he could help it, and gave him a handspike ; the rest were armed some with cutlasses, some with muskets: this happened at about 10 o'clock. at night.
Potter further told this deponent, that they expected sixteen or seventeen more boats from Providence.
In about an hour afterwards, they met eight boats, about halt a mile from the schooner, which appeared to be pretty full of people.
Upon their meeting, Potter and two men. called Brown by the people, whom this deponent did not know. talked abont how they shouhl board the schooner. One of these persons, called Brown, got into Potter's boat, on which they were hailed from the Gaspee, and told to stand off ; upon which, Brown said row up.
Immediately after, he, this deponent, saw the captain of the schooner come upon deck, in his breeches, and fired a pistol into one of the boats, and wounded one of the men in the thigh ; that he saw a man who was in the boat with Potter. and who was called Brown, fire a musket, which wounded the captain ; after which, there was no more firing ; but they instantly boarded the schooner ; that the captain of the schooner, when he was wounded, he thinks, stood by the foreshronds, upon the left hand side.
When they got on board, there were abont four of the schooner's men on deck, and the rest were coming up out of the hold ; and somebody said, " Knock 'em down and kill them ; no matter what you do with them."
That this deponent did not know the Browns, nor hear them called by their Christian names : and further declares, that it was John Brown, who shot the cap- tain ; and that he hath never seen either of the Browns since.
That after they got possession of the vessel, they took the hands belonging to the schooner, and threw them down the hold ; and this happened about 3 o'clock, in the morning.
Then the people searched the vessel, took the captain's papers, which he desired they would give him : but they refused, tore them, and threw them overboard. Then they took the Gaspee's people, tied their hands, and put them into the boat, and carried them ashore, this deponent going with them.
By the time they got half way ashore, the schooner was on fire ; that before they went ashore, a doctor, whom they called Weeks, from one of the boats, dressed the captain's wounds : that when they had landed the people, they untied their hands, and let them go, and the captain of the schooner they carried up to a house.
After they had landed the men, they put off to return, and Potter told them he would give him two dollars for what he had done, which he accordingly did: upon which, this deponent set off in his own boat, and rowed home ; that it was abont four o'clock, when they had landed the schooner's people : that it was a moonlight night, but sometimes clondy ; that soon after the people had boarded the schooner, they hoisted the top-sails, her head laying np towards Providence ; and he saw nothing further done to her, or her sails; that the schoooner, when they boarded her, was aground; that the person who aeted as surgeon. he thinks he has seen at his mas- ter's house ; but is not sure it was the same person.
This deponent further says. that the person to whom he first gave an account of the above affair of burning the Gaspee. was Capt. Linzee, of the Beaver.
Some time after the burning of the schooner, he went on board the Beaver, in his master's said boat ; that immediately upon his going on board. they put him in irons,
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
because they imagined he intended to run away from his master : it was about 10 o'clock. at night. when the deponent was put in irons, and was released about 10 o'clock, the next day. and then they were going to flog him.
After he was tied up to the mast, one of the Gaspee's men, called Paddy Alis, jumped up, and told the captain, that he thought he, this deponent, was one that was aboard the schooner Gaspee.
About this time, the deponent had said nothing about the burning of the schooner, nor had made no discovery relating to what he knew.
The captain asked the man if he was sure of it.
He said yes.
The captam asked what clothes he had on.
The man saidl two frocks.
Then the captain told the man to examine what clothes he had, which they found were two frocks.
There was no mention made of any other clothes. The next day, Paddy Alis, and the deponent, were called up before the captain. who asked Paddy if he was sure that this deponent was one concerned in the attack on the schooner.
He said yes.
HI. further asked him, if he could swear to it.
He answered yes.
That the captain then administered an oath to the said Paddy, upon the Bible, who swore that this deponent was there.
The captain then said to this deponent, " My lad, you see this man has declared you was there ; and if you don't tell who was there with you, I will hang you at the yard arm, immediately : and if you do. you shall not be hurt."
Upon which, this deponent told the captain all the heads that were there; the captain saying he did not want to know any thing about the poor people, but only the heads.
This deponent further says. that he never spoke to any of the Beaver's erew till he got on board ; that his master's boat, in which this deponent went on board the ship, his master went on board and received again ; that this deponent went on board said man-of-war with an intention not to return again to his master : that he, this depo- nent. never was christened, and that he should have told Capt. Linzee all he knew relating to the Gaspee, immediately upon his going on board, if they had not put him in irons.
The deponent further says, that the morning after the burning of the schooner, when he returned to his master's, he went to bed with two black servants, with whom he usually slept ; he lay there a little while, and upon his master's knocking, he got up, and went to fetch the cows.
That when he first returned to his master's house, he got in at a lower window, on the south-west part of the house, which opens into the middle room ; that during the whole transaction on said night the schooner was burnt, no man called this de- ponent by his name, or knew him.
his AARON X BRIGGS. mark.
Sworn to, this 14th day of January, A. D. 1773; at the council chamber, in New- port, before us-
J. WANTON, FRED. SMYTHE, PETER OLIVER
DAN. HORSMANDEN,
ROBT. AUCHMUTY,
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
The commissioners issued a summons for Patrick Earle, to appear before them, on Friday, the 15th inst., to give evi- dence of what he knows respecting the burning of the Gas- pee, &c.
The commissioners received a letter from Admiral Mon- tagu, acquainting them of his arrival at Newport.
Admiral Montagu to the Commissioners, S.c.
Newport, Rhode Island, ) 14th January, 1773. 1
Gentlemen :- At your request (although at a very unseasonable time of the year, and not in the manner I am directed by my instructions from my lords commission- ers of the admiralty), I am come to this place, and have hoisted my flag on board the Lizard.
I shall be glad, therefore, that you will inform me what service I can render to you, in the execution of your commission.
I flattered myself I had given Captain Keeler (the senior officer of His Majesty's ships here,) such orders as would not have required my attendance, until I was able to have come in a proper manner, with the ships under my command, and at a proper season of the year. I doubt not but that he would have faithfully put his orders in force, and have given you the same assistance I cau possibly do, now I am come.
I have ordered Aaron, the negro, to be brought to the wharf, agreeably to your summons, who will be delivered to your officer ; and I am to desire, when you have done with him, the civil officers may be directed to see him safe to the boat again:
I am, gentlemen, Your most obedient and humble servant,
J. MONTAGU.
To His Majesty's commissioners, at Newport.
The commissioners received from Admiral Montagu, the deposition of Patrick Earle, taken the 16th of July last, before a justice of the peace, in the town of Newport.
The commissioners adjourned till to-morrow morning, at 10 o'clock.
Friday, January 15.
The weather being extremely cold and violently stormy, the commissioners did not meet.
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GASPEE.
Saturday, January 16.
The commissioners met, according to adjournment.
Present-Joseph Wanton, Esq., Frederick Smythe, Esq., Peter Oliver, Esq. and Robert Auchmuty, Esq.
Patrick Earle, a mariner, on board His Majesty's ship, the Lizard, pursuant to summons, appeared before the commis- sioners, and was examined upon oath ; which examination was taken in writing, and ordered to be filed.
Deposition of Patrick Earle.
The examination of Patrick Earle, taken on oath. this 16th of January, 1773 :
Patrick Earle, of' full age, a mariner, on board His Majesty's ship the Lizard, commanded by Capt. Inglis, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith :
That he was a sailor on board the Gaspee schooner ; on the 10th of June last, when she was run aground on a spit of land, that between 1 and 2 cloek, the captain called all hands on deck ; and this deponent coming up with the rest of the sea- men, when he saw a number of armed men, with two or three muskets and clubs; that he saw those persons break open the arm-chest, and furnish themselves with cutlasses.
Soon after this, this deponent was knocked down with a club, and pitched into the hold; and in about a quarter of an hour, was called upon deck, where his arms were tied behind him, and shoved into a boat, which, with about six others, was laying alongside the schooner ; that as soon as the deck was cleared of all the officers and sailors belonging to the Gaspee, and put into the boats, they were rowed to a small village, towards Providence, about three miles distant from the schooner, where they were landed.
This deponent further saith, that Lieutenant Dudingston was placed in the stern of the same boat, in which he, the deponent, came on shore; and that he, in their passage to the shore, contrived to unloose his arms, and took an oar from a negro man, at the bow of the boat, whom he verily believes to be the negro Aaron, now on board the Lizard, and helped him to row the boat ; and that, to the best of his belief, it was about 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, when he, with the captain and the others, were landed.
This deponent also saith, that he well remembers, that while the persons were at- tacking the sailors on board the schooner, he heard the name of Potter mentioned.
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