George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 6, 10th edition.

‘ [417] are taken, I will hang them as pirates.’¹ Dudings-

Chap. XLVII.} 1772. June.

ton seconded the insolence of his superior officer, insulted the inhabitants, plundered the islands of sheep and hogs, cut down trees, fired at market boats, detained vessels without a colorable pretext, and made illegal seizures of goods of which the recovery cost more than they were worth²

On the ninth of June, the Providence Packet was returning to Providence, and proud of its speed, went gayly on, heedless of the Gaspee. Dudingston gave chase. The tide being at flood, the Packet ventured near shore; the Gaspee confidently followed; and drawing more water ran aground on Nauquit, a little below Pantuxet. The following night a party of men in six or seven boats, led by John Brown and Joseph Brown of Providence, and Simeon Potter of Bristol, boarded the stranded schooner, after a scuffle in which Dudingston was wounded, took and landed its crew, and then set it on fire.³ The whole was conducted on a sudden impulse;⁴ yet Sandwich who was spoken of for the place of Colonial Secretary of State, resolved never to leave pursuing the Colony of Rhode Island, until its Charter should be taken away.⁵ ‘A few punished at Execution Dock, would ’