The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Burning Of The Gaspee (6/10/1772) - Oct 23rd, 2003

bucklinsociety.net ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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The Burning Of The Gaspee

Joseph Bucklin fired a musket and hit a British military officer in an intentional attack on the English Navy. That shot caused the immediate surrender of the English Navy ship Gaspee. In short: Joseph fired the most important shot in the capture and burning of the ship Gaspee. Some call this shot the first shot in the American Revolution.

Historians accord various degrees of importance to the Gaspee Affair as pushing the American and English into the American Revolution. But there is general agreement historians that the shot fired by Joseph was the first time an American deliberately shot a specific English military man as a part of a deliberate attack --- planned by colony leaders --- on the English military forces.

Joseph's shot of the English military officer, and the destruction of the English ship were the first acts the English legal authorities formally labeled as treason and an act of war.

The Gaspee was an English revenue cutter, preventing smuggling and collecting taxes. When the Gaspee went aground, a number of men of the Providence area rowed out, and attacked the ship. Joseph Bucklin shot and wounded the English Navy captain, the attackers successfully boarded and overpowered the crew, the attackers took the English navy crew off the ship, and burned the Gaspee. The English Attorney General gave a legal opinion that it was "treason" and an "act of war". England attempted to find who was involved, and bring the attackers back to be tried in England. The colonists insisted that this violated the rights of Englishmen to be tried by a jury of their own vicarage. Although the attackers included many prominent men of Rhode Island, the people of Rhode Island successfully kept the identity of the attackers secret from the English until after the end of the Revolutionary War.

The Story

The Rhode Island 1772 attack on the British Navy's armed schooner Gaspee gives us insight into the thoughts and motives of the American colonists in the years immediately preceding the 1775 battles of Concord and Lexington. The men who led the assault on the King's ship Gaspee were not struggling farmers, or persons without land, apprentices, or unemployed sailors. The leaders of this assault were leaders of the Rhode Island colony: merchants, sea captains, and lawyers - some of them members of the General Assembly. The leaders were not acting on the spur of the moment, because of some immediate action of a tax collector. The attack was planned, by men who had thought about the structure of society and the relationship there should be between Rhode Island and the English in England.



The shooting of the English navy commander was not planned, but obviously taking 100 men to the Gaspee meant that the Rhode Island attackers expected the use of force to board the Gaspee.

After the attack, the English Attorney General joined with the English Solicitor General in London to give a formal opinion by the most senior law officials of the day that the attack was "treason" and an "act of war." Until then, each of the acts of violence or resistance by the colonists had not been so labeled by the English legal system. Little wonder that the Rhode Island governor feared that in retaliation to the Gaspee attack, there would be an invasion of the colony by the British troops then stationed in Boston.

Early in 1772 the British Government sent ships, including the Gaspee and Beaver, armed navy schooners, to Rhode Island with orders to assist the Revenue Officers of the colony in stamping out smuggling and illicit trade. Lieutenant Dudingston, Commander of the Gaspee, was an energetic young officer who detested what he called the 'piratical scum' that piloted their ships on the seaways of Rhode Island. It is true that the Rhode Island ship captains and merchants made a regular business of smuggling and otherwise ignoring the imperial English taxes on Americans importing goods. Among the 'piratical scum' were some of America's great sea captains: Abraham Whipple, Samuel Dunn, John Hopkins, Joseph Tillinghast, and Simeon Potter.


John Brown

Dudingston proceeded to make his ship an anathema to the seafarers of the colony. He stopped and searched all ships that entered Narragansett Bay, not pleasantly, but in a harsh manner intended to secure obeisance of his commands. The cargoes of two coastal ships were impounded, and, in probable violation of the law, he sent them, not to the local Rhode Island court for condemnation as smuggling ships, but to Boston for trial. Governor Wanton of Rhode Island sent a vigorous protest to Admiral Montague, Commander of the British North American Fleet and Dudingston's superior. In reply Wanton received an insolent letter threatening to hang anyone who might attempt to obstruct his officers in the performance of their duties. Governor Wanton then sent a letter of complaint to the Earl of Hillsborough, one of England's Secretaries of State.


Joseph Tillinghast

Meanwhile the interference with what the Rhode Island merchants thought of as lawful trade (and the English thought of as smuggling) continued, and the bitterness of the colonials mounted. Then fate, guided by Captain Benjamin Lindsey, gave the Rhode Islanders an opportunity to repay the pestiferous Lieutenant Dudingston.

About noon on June 9, Captain Lindsey, in command of the sloop Hannah, arrived at Newport from New York and after reporting her cargo at the Custom House, proceeded up the river toward Providence. The Hannah had cleared the Newport harbor when the Gaspee, like a watchdog, moved to intercept the Hannah.. Lieutenant Dudingston signaled the Hannah to hove to for boarding but Captain Lindsey did not obey. Either as a plan to ground the Gaspee, or on the spur of the moment, the response of Lindsey was to not stop, but rather flee and let the British pursue.

Pursue they did. All afternoon the two ships tacked back and torch against a northwest breeze. Lindsey's kept the Hannah out of cannon range of her pursuer. As they neared Providence, the American skipper, who knew these waters like the back of his hand, instead of fleeing sensibly, tacked his ship sharply to westward, clearing a long underwater sand-bar at Namquid Point, then in apparent confusion tacked further toward shore and lost headway. Lieutenant Dudingston headed the Gaspee straight toward his quarry, confident that a quick straight course would win the prize. With all sails set, the Gaspee plowed into the underwater sand bar and was firmly grounded.



The British sailors watched the Hannah turn and sail toward Providence. Captain Lindsey immediately went ashore and reported the plight of the Gaspee to John Brown, a member of one of the richest and most influential merchant firms in colonial America.

John Brown, several years before, had been grounded on this same point with the same moon and tide conditions. He knew that the English ship would be hard aground until flood tide - about three o'clock the next morning, and the night would be dark.

[SAMWolf]

Here was an opportunity to destroy the hated Gaspee. John Brown wasted no time. He instructed one of his shipmasters to collect eight of the largest long-boats in the harbor, to have the oars and row-locks well muffled to prevent noise, and to place them at Fenner's Wharf directly opposite the Sabin Tavern. The town crier, Daniel Pierce, was told to beat his drum through the streets, to cry out the situation of the Gaspee and to invite anyone who had a mind to destroy the nuisance to assemble in Sabin's Tavern.


Abraham Whipple

By nine o'clock in the evening, the large southeast room in the tavern was filled with resolute men, some of them with weapons. The crowd repaired to the waiting boats. They armed themselves additionally with barrel staves and paving stones. John Brown delegated one of his ship captains, Abraham Whipple to lead the expedition. A sea captain acted as steersman on each boat as they shoved off for the long row to Namquid Point seven miles away.

Whipple ordered the other boat captains that as they neared the objective, the boats should in a line abreast. This was a good naval tactic, because the night was dark and this minimized the possibility of passing the Gaspee in the dark. It also kept the fleet of longboats from straggling, and they all would be able to attack the quarry at one time. The line of boats crept cautiously toward Namquid Point, the oarsmen pulling hard to combat the incoming tide.

About midnight, the black bulk of the Gaspee was discovered by the boats. An alert sentinel on the navy ship saw them.

Lieutenant Dudingston confronts the Colonists

"Who comes there?” he cried. There was no response from the boats, which began to close in.

"Who comes there?" the sentinel challenged again. Again no response and the sentinel awoke the ship captain, Lieutenant Dudingston. Dudingston mounted the starboard gunwale in his nightshirt, carrying his sword.

Dudingston shouted to the boats to not come nearer or he would fire upon the boats. This threat was hollow, because the boats were coming at the ship at angles where the side mounted guns of the ship could not be brought to bear.

In response to Dudingston's shout, Captain Whipple shouted back: "I'm the sheriff of the County of Kent," "I have a warrant to arrest you - so surrender."

Joseph Bucklin fires a musket and hits Lieutenant Dudingston.

"All hands on deck. Tell the men not to take time to get dressed. Open the arms locker and hand out the weapons!" Dudingston ordered.

The English crew opened fire with their small arms. Dudingston used a stroke from his sword to stop the first colonist attempting to climb on board.

Joseph Bucklin, in one of the boats. asked his seatmate for a gun: "Eph, reach me your gun. I think I can kill that fellow!"

Joseph Bucklin took aim and fired. Dudingston fell. Bucklin burst out: "I have killed the rascal !"

Seconds later the attackers swarmed aboard the schooner and with fists and staves drove the crew below. Once on the deck, John Brown assumed command. The commander of the Gaspee was found to be seriously wounded and was carried to his cabin where he was attended by Dr. John Mawney, a member of the expedition, together with Joseph Bucklin. Dudingston had been shot in the groin, in the femoral artery, a painful ,and in that day usually a fatal, wound. The care given by Dr. Mawney saved the life of Dudingston (who later went on in the Revolutionary War to be promoted to rear admiral).

The Gaspee was ransacked and all letters, papers and records were collected and given to John Brown. The first rays of the morning sun were flushing the sky when orders were given to leave the schooner. The crew of the Gaspee was transported to Namquid Point and from there taken to Pawtuxet, where they were imprisoned in the cellar of a house. The wounded Lieutenant was lowered into a longboat and taken to Stillhouse Cove in Pawtuxet. Dudingston was carried to the home of Joseph Rhodes, where he was lodged and medical assistance given.

Meanwhile, the Gaspee had been set on fire and the other contingents of the expedition rowed toward Providence. The men in the boats saw the flames envelope the hull of the schooner and climb up the tall masts. A series of explosions sent burning debris high in the air. The flames had reached the powder magazines.

The Rhode Islanders had struck a blow against what they regarded as illegal or arbitrary acts, but the affair would not end there. The attacking party had arrayed themselves against the might of a great nation. With the shooting of the English Navy ship captain, who might die, they could expect the leaders of England to make every effort to punish them. Day was just breaking when the leaders of the colony took swift steps to protect the guilty.

First an effort was made to find out what the English crew knew about the attackers. Darius Sessions, Deputy-Governor of Rhode Island, a sea captain formerly employed by the Browns, called on the wounded commander of the Gaspee and offered him every assistance. Sessions tried to get a statement about the attack from the Lieutenant but was told that the affair must first be reported to his superior, Admiral Montague. The Deputy Governor, however, was successful in obtaining affidavits from three members of the Gaspee's crew, in which they disclaimed any knowledge of the identities of their assailants. Sessions sent a dispatch to Governor Wanton at Newport, formally reporting the grave incident and asserting that the names of the perpetrators were unknown to the English crew.. He also suggested that a proclamation be issued offering a large sum of money for the apprehension of the unknown culprits.

From that point on, the Rhode Island colonists protected the identities of the attackers. For example, a member of the expedition who had imbibed too freely and was strutting back and forth on Weybosset bridge, wearing Lieutenant Dudingston's cocked hat and bragging about his part in the affair, was quickly and firmly escorted to his home with a stern admonition to hold his tongue.

That concert of action to protect the attacking party actuated every official action of the Rhode Island government taken in the weeks and months following the destruction of the Gaspee. There was real fear that an angry English Government might declare martial law in the colony and send either troops or a naval force to occupy Newport and Providence. There was also the possibility that the King might revoke the charter.

Governor Wanton was a Rhode Islander, a wealthy merchant of Newport and a good friend of the Browns of Providence. To show that the local authorities could handle the matter themselves, the proclamation suggested by Darius Sessions was quickly enacted by the Assembly and Governor Wanton sent a copy of the Act to Admiral Montague with a conciliatory letter. However, he also sent a dispatch to London with a report condemning the revenue ships of the British Navy for arbitrary actions, while glossing over the Gaspee incident.

A letter was sent to Sam Adams for advice. He counseled union, "since an attack on the liberties of one Colony was an attack on the liberties of all.''

Instead of the drastic actions feared by the Rhode Islanders, King George the Third and his ministers appointed a commission to investigate to find any inhabitants of the colony who might have been involved in the destruction of the Gaspee. The commission was to report to the local courts which were to arrest any suspect and have him committed to the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in North America for transportation to England for trial.

[SAMWolf]

The attempt to use an old law of Henry VIII to send persons accused of treason to England for trial angered the colonists. The colonists used arguments familiar to Englishmen in the 16th century to argue that such old laws of the king were unconstitutional. They insisted on their rights as Englishmen to trial by a jury of their own peers in the county of the alleged offense. Expressing the American view of the law, Chief Justice Stephan Hopkins said:, "Then, for the purpose of 'transportation for trial, I will neither apprehend any person by my own order, nor suffer any executive officer in the Colony to do it."




Governor Wanton of Rhode Island

A black man named Aaron Briggs, the indentured servant of Samuel Tomkins of Prudence Island, was impressed by the English for service on the revenue schooner Beaver. A former seaman of the Gaspee remembered seeing him aboard on the night she was burned and notified the commander, Captain Linzee. On being questioned, Briggs admitted that he had taken part in the attack and implicated Captain Potter of Bristol, John Brown and his brother Joseph of Providence, Dr. Weeks of Warwick and a Richmond of Providence.

Captain Linzee immediately sent this information to Admiral Montague. The Admiral, in turn, sent a letter to Governor Wanton urging him to arrest at once the men named in Aaron's deposition. Instead, the Governor and the Rhode Island officials bent their minds and hands to protecting the men named by Aaron. For example, the colony quickly obtained affidavits from Briggs' master and two of his fellow servants to the effect that the servant Aaron had been on Prudence Island on the ninth and tenth of June and could not have been within miles of the grounded Gaspee.





Fear of the King's wrath must have cast a pall of gloom over many households in Rhode Island when it was learned that Aaron, the informer, was in the hands of the British Navy. Aaron Briggs was a threat to the anonymity of the guilty raiders, and Montague would like nothing better than an opportunity to send a large group of Americans to England' s hangman. Governor Wanton, of course, knew this and took desperate steps to wrest the informer from the custody of Captain Linzee. At his instigation, a judge of the Superior Court of Rhode Island issued a warrant to seize Briggs as a material witness in the destruction of the Gaspee. Wanton also sent a note to the commander of the Beaver urging him to respect the civil laws of the colony and turn his prisoner over to the Sheriff of Portsmouth. Linzee refused the request and would not allow that official to serve the warrant. About this time. Admiral Montague received a letter from the wounded Dudingston expressing fear that he would be in mortal danger if he divulged the identity of any of the raiders who stormed his ship. Dudingston was removed from Pawtuxet and carried in a litter to Boston while the Admiral expressed anger over the delay of the King's commissioners in "meeting to investigate the piratical act."


Wanted poster issued by Gov. Wanton for those reponsible for the burning of the Gaspee. Original from the RI State Archives courtesy of Gwen Stern, State Archivist, as displayed at the Warwick Public Library, May 2001. Note the scotch tape marks left by a previous State Archivist in a misguided attempt at repairing tears in the document.

After many delays, the commission finally met for the first time in Newport on January 5, 1773 --- almost seven months after the Gaspee was burned. Five of the six members appointed by the King were present. Member Montague, claiming official duties in enforcing all naval matters on the coast, sent a Captain Keeler to represent him. The commission refused to accept the Captain as a substitute commissioner and insisted that the admiral attend the meeting in Newport. This occasioned another delay. Montague finally arrived In Newport, complaining of the inconveniences.

Subpoenas were sent to many Rhode Island officials , and to many Rhode Island colonists, including all of the men accused by Briggs of participating in the attack on the Gaspee. The Rhode Island officials quickly traveled to Newport, protesting their horror at the lawless acts of the "Unknown" miscreants while declaring their utmost devotion to the "good King George" and the laws of England. The ordinary colonists and accused men also condemned the dastardly acts of the "Unknown and rebellious attackers, expressing their undying love for law and order --- however, they all found excuses to be unable to appear in person before the commissioners.


Kings proclamation Offering a Reward for the capture of the Gaspee attakers.

A witness sympatric to the English, one Stephen Gulley who implicated by hearsay a Providence shoemaker named Ramsdale, told the commissioners that while on his way from Providence to testify, he had been approached by a certain gentleman at a tavern near the Newport ferry. The gentleman asked him his business and warned him not to proceed to Newport. "There are twenty armed men covering the roads," the man told him, "and they will take you back to Providence either dead or alive." Gulley, in fear of his life, stole a row-boat and escaped to the British man-o-war Lizzard.

On January 19, Montague informed his fellow members of the commission that he must leave at once for Boston and asked them to recess until spring. The commission, however, held daily sessions until the twenty-ninth when they adjourned until the twenty-sixth of May. When they again met, there was not what we today would call an energetic investigation.



It was in this year, 1773, that Inter-Colonial Committees of correspondence suggested by Virginia, to combat and resist the idea of sending Americans to England for trial, were formed. This was the initial step towards colonial union and eventually toward a Colonial Congress.

Stephen Hopkins, Chief Justice of Rhode Island was asked by the commission to give a summary of the evidence that had been presented. He pointed out that the testimony of Aaron Briggs was questionable in view of the evidence presented by his master, and that the crew of the Gaspee had not described or implicated any specific Rhode Islanders.

On the twenty-third of June 1773, the commission closed its investigation. Their final report to the King stated that the Gaspee was destroyed by persons unknown. They accused Captain Linzee of obtaining Aaron Briggs confession by illegal threats of hanging. The one member of the commission who might have objected-to the finding was absent. Admiral Montague was in Halifax, Canada.



So ended the Gaspee incident. The "Gaspee affair" interested all the Colonies. An act of the smallest colony was a lesson and an inspiration for all.

Thus the "Gaspee affair" was instrumental in the formation of a Colonial organization capable of united action. Rhode Island had lead the way and the colonies had recognized the need for united action and the inevitable dissolution of union with England.

Less than two years after the Gaspee attack, the rebellion against the English rule burst into full flame at Lexington and Concord.

Additional Sources:

www.harwich.edu
www.angelfire.com/ny5/grandrepublican
gaspee.org
www.norfolk.k12.ma.us

[SAMWolf]

The incident placed Governor Wanton in an untenable position. Since Rhode Island elected its own governor, Wanton had to enforce the King's Regulations without offending the people who had put him in office. He solved his dilemma by offering 500 pounds reward for identification of the guilty parties. As expected, no one came forward with the names. Therefore one of the American colonists' first acts of defiance to the British Crown went unpunished.

[SAMWolf]

[SAMWolf]

Veterans Day 2003 - Attention Northern California
PDN News Desk ^ comwatch

Veterans Day is right around the corner. 

It's an opportunity for us to support our troops, our country and show appreciations for our local veterans. It's another way to counter the Anti-Iraq campaign propaganda.  Would you like to help?  Are there any VetsCoR folks on the Left Coast?  We have a school project that everyone can help with too, no matter where you live.  See the end of this post for details.

Three Northern California events have been scheduled and we need help with each:

 

Friday evening - November 7th Veterans in School (An Evening of Living History, A Veterans Day Ice Cream Social)

http://www.patriotwatch.com/V-Day2003c.htm

 

Saturday - 11 a.m. November 8th: Veterans Day Parade (PDN & Friends parade entry)

http://www.patriotwatch.com/V-Day2003b.htm

 

Sunday November 9, 2003 Noon to 3:00 PM Support our Troops & Veterans Rally prior to Youth Symphony Concert

http://www.patriotwatch.com/V-Day2003d.htm

 

Each of the WebPages above have a link to e-mail a confirmation of your interest and desire to volunteer.  These are family events and everyone is welcome to pitch in.  We'd really appreciate hearing from you directly via each these specific links.  This way, we can keep you posted on only those projects you want to participate in.

---

Veterans in School - How you can help if you're not close enough to participate directly. If you are a veteran, share a story of your own with the children.  If you have family serving in the military, tell them why it's important that we all support them. Everyone can thank them for having this special event.  Keep in mind that there are elementary school kids. 

Help us by passing this message around to other Veteran's groups.  I have introduced VetsCoR and FreeperFoxhole to a number of school teachers.  These living history lessons go a long way to inspire patriotism in our youth.  Lets see if we can rally America and give these youngsters enough to read for may weeks and months ahead.  If we can, we'll help spread it to other schools as well.

  Click this link to send an email to the students.

[snippy_about_it]

.......FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!

.......Good Thursday Morning Everyone!


If you would like added or removed from our ping list let me know.

[The Mayor]

Through prayer, finite man draws upon the power of the infinite God.

[snippy_about_it]

The Foxhole seems to be having trouble with our web-hosting site this morning and our pictures are not appearing. We hope this will be corrected soon.

We apologize for the problem but at least we have the text!

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning EGC.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Mayor. I need that coffee today.

Our web hosting site for pictures is down and my entire neighborhood lost electricity this morning, still wasn't back on when I left for work. ARRRRGGGHHH!

[aomagrat]

Today's classic warship USS Nebraska (BB-14)

Virginia class battleship
Displacement 14,948 Tons
Lenght 441' 3"
Beam 76' 3"
Draft 26'
Armament 4 x 12"; 8 x 8"; 12 x 6"; 12 x 3"; 4 21" tt.
Speed 19 Knots
Crew 812

USS Nebraska, a 14,948-ton Virginia class battleship, was built at Seattle, Washington, the last U.S. Navy battleship to be built by a West Coast shipyard for over a decade. Commissioned in July 1907, she performed her initial service in the eastern Pacific and joined the Atlantic Fleet's battle force in May 1908 upon its arrival in California waters after its long voyage around South America. Nebraska accompanied this "Great White Fleet" on the remainder of its World cruise, visiting ports in Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Japan and Ceylon before passing through the Suez Canal and transiting the Mediterranean Sea en route back to the United States.

After her arrival on the U.S. East Coast in February 1909, Nebraska was refitted, receiving a new "cage" foremast and other alterations. A second "cage" mast was installed in 1910. The battleship took a regular part in Atlantic Fleet activities over the next seven years, among them operations off Mexico in 1914 and 1916. When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Nebraska began active wartime service. Though she mainly performed training duty, she also cruised extensively in the conflict's last half-year. During May-July 1918, she made a voyage to South America to return the body of Uruguay's late Ambassador to his homeland. From September to November 1918, Nebraska helped to escort convoys bound across the Atlantic to the Europe.

In late December 1918, with peace restored, Nebraska began the first of four trips to bring U.S. servicemen home from France. This important work ended in June 1919, and the ship transited the Panama Canal to join the Pacific Fleet shortly thereafter. She remained in the Pacific until decommissioned in early July 1920, receiving the hull number BB-14 at about that time. USS Nebraska was sold for scrapping in November 1923.

[manna]

Present!

[snippy_about_it]

Wow, what a paint job!

Good morning aomagrat.

Glad to see your computer is un-toddler-ized. :)

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning manna.

[The Mayor]

How aggravating,try to enjoy the rest of the day..

[snippy_about_it]

SAM this is a great story.

From the Lindsey tricking Dudingston into follwing the Hannah and grounding the Gaspee into the sandbar, to the rounding up of colonists to attack the Gaspee in such a clever manner.

And then the fact that the entire colony protected everyone involved and never betrayed them to the British.

You can certainly see the seeds of revolution here, or really by 1772 I guess the budding plant.

If we could only be as bold today as a nation.

Thanks SAM. It was good even without the pictures.

[gridlock]

That's supposed to make it harder to see? I guess those Navy guys knew what they were doing, but that looks like it would stand out like a five ball on the middle of a green pool table...

[mark502inf]

One of the best stories yet! Thanks.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone!!