Naval Documents of The American Revolution, Volume 1 ... - Ibiblio

mighty secrets relative to the designs of the Congress:
letters, we hear, have been sent to Boston.
AUGUST 1775 1087
The gentlemen and the
1. The brig Catherine, Timothy Pearce, master, from Hispaniola, whose cargo was bought for
the army in Boston, and the vessel liberated, Graves's Conduct, Prize List, MassHS
Transcript.
2. The sloop with both sugar and molasses, was the Cherry, Amos Monson, master. Both vessel
and cargo were bought for the army in Boston. The identity of the second sloop,
with molasses only, has not been determined, as she was not proceeded against in Boston
Admiralty Court, Graves's Conduct, MassHS Transcript.
3. The rifleman story was an idle rumor. The Machias account is a garbled version of the
taking of the Margaretta.
4. Benjamin Hichborn and Captain White.
[Lebanon] Monday, 7. Aug 1775.
Mr [Benjamin] Huntington, one .of the committee appointed at the last
meeting, reported that he had not yet found a very proper and suitable small
vessel to be fitted out as a runner and cutter &c.
After much discourse about the matter of arming the same &c., he with the
other committee [were] directed to make further inquiry kc. and report.
Cap. [Robert] Niles (appointed at the last meeting to be captain of said
small vessel) was present and accepted to take the command of her &c.
The news of 3 or 4 men of war and 8 or so other ships appearing off New
London, yesterday morning, being bro't by express the same day, we are now
further informed by Col. Huntington &c., that they are bearing to Fishers Island,
supposed with a design to take the stock, &c.
1. Trumbull and Hoadley, eds., Connecticut Records, XV, 114.
Dear Sir New London Augst 7th 1775 -
This last Evening & Yesterday we have been much alarm'd by the Appearance
of Nine Ships and 3 Other Top Sail Vessells who were the best part of
Yesterday beating between the Gull Islands and this Harbour, but now find they
are all att Anchor to the East ward in Fisher Island Sound and beleive they Intend
Robbing that Island of what little Stock is Remaining, their, wich is only Milch
Cows, Store Sheep & working Oxen, the others that were In Case to Kill were
taken of[q the Day before, and by a Boat from Plum Island I find the Inhabitants
Intend to take of[f] the P~incipal part t.heir, and have Assembled Six or
Seven hundd Men att Montaug to Guard their Stock so that I beleive they will
have none, that will be so fatt as to Disagree with their Stomachs - we have the
Miletia of the County in Readiness to Receive them In Case t.hey are a Mind to
make a tryall on the Main -
am very Glad to hear you have got the birth of Commissary General - is
their Nothing I Can let you have, West India Goods you know I am never without,
and what is the Moast you Can obtain for [from] me if I deliver you Flower
att Providence or the Camp, I t.hink I Could git that Article to Providence as well
as any Man in this Colony - have had a Boat Constantly Plying between hear and