What were the raids on
Fort William and Mary? (complete essay)
I. Sources of Names of Participants
The
following is a list of participants in the attacks on
The depositions of William and Mary participants were first made readily available in Paul Wilderson's article, The Raids on Fort William and Mary: Some New Evidence, Historical New Hampshire (the magazine of the New Hampshire Historical Society, hereinafter HNH) Vol. XXX, No. 3, (Fall, 1975), pages 185 through 202. The originals are held by the Public Records Office of the British National Archives in London as document CO5, 939 (Records of the Colonial Office, Board of Trade and Secretaries of State of America and the West Indies Series, Original Correspondence 1606 - 1822, New Hampshire Subseries - Original Correspondence of Secretary of State, 1774 - 1775). In 1977, Wilderson added further to the available body of knowledge on the raids on Fort William and Mary by identifying Governor John Wentworth’s description of the events in John Wentworth's Narrative of the Raids on Fort William and Mary, HNH, Vol. XXXII, No. 4 (Winter, 1977), pp. 228 - 236.
In
addition to the depositions and Wentworth’s narrative, post-war writings of General
John Sullivan and the recollections of 101 year-old millworker Eleazer Bennett
identify participants from
(1) The list of individuals contained in John Sullivan’s letter to Ebenezer Thompson published in the New Hampshire Spy dated March 17, 1789 [reprinted in Charles L. Parsons’ The Capture of Fort William and Mary, December 14 and 15, 1774, a reprint of a paper delivered at the 77th Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Historical Society, printed by the William and Mary Committee of the New Hampshire American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, March 1974, p. 21; See also Parsons’ discussion of participants at pp. 22 – 25];
(2) Verifiable conclusions drawn from Sullivan’s 1785 account of his raid found in Isaac W. Hammond, ed. New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, John B. Clarke, Public Printer, Manchester, NH (1890) [Provincial and State Papers, Miscellaneous provincial and state papers, 1725 – 1800], Vol. XVIII, pp. 748 – 750 (referencing the involvement of Sullivan’s three clerks); and
(3)
An obituary of Eleazer Bennett appearing in the Congregational
Journal of February 18, 1852. Another
Bennett account appears in Thomas Coffin Amory’s The Military Services and
Public Life of Major General John Sullivan of the American Revolution Army,
Wiggin and Lunt,
Only a fraction of the participants in the raids can be identified from readily available sources. It is likely that heretofore-unknown sources of information exist which note particular individuals' involvement in the raids. The following list is by no means an exhaustive compilation of the names of the hundreds (probably more than 1,000) individuals who were involved in the actions of December, 1774.
Of
the names on the following list, a number are clearly loyalist sympathizers.
2 are “impressed men” whose sympathies are unclear.
At least 10 are probably, but not certainly, duplicate names. Some individuals listed stood more or less “in
reserve” as members of armed cavalry and infantry units. In any event, the list below contains the names
of about 100 individuals who served in the patriot cause during
II.
Use of the Participants List and Citations Therein
The following list provides:
(A) The name of the individual, usually as spelled in the source material cited;
(B) The individual's town of origin, if noted
in the source material or if determined with reasonable accuracy from other sources.
Due to border adjustments or generalization of locale, references to
(C) Notes on the person's role in the attack and, in some cases, additional verifiable information of interest concerning the individual; and
(D) The source in which reference to the actions of the individual may be found. The names of some of the individuals can be found in sources in addition to those noted.
Items of particular uncertainty are noted with a question mark “(?)”
Twelve depositions are known to have been taken by order of the Royal Governor concerning the events at the fort. They are the depositions of:
William Torrey, the individual who spoke to Paul Revere on December 13, 1774, HNH, Vol. XXX, No. 3 (Fall, 1975), pages 186 - 187, referred to in the below list as “Torrey Dep.”
John Parker, the Rockingham County, NH, Sheriff, HNH, pages 187 - 188, referred to below as “Parker Dep.”
Captain John Cochran, officer in command of the fort, concerning the incident of December 14, 1774, HNH, pages 188 - 192, referred to below as “Cochran Dep. I.”
Captain John Cochran, concerning the incident of December 15, 1774, HNH, pages 192 - 194, referred to below as “Cochran Dep. II.”
Isaac Seveay, soldier of the fort, concerning the incident of December 14, 1774, HNH, page 195, referred to below as “Seveay Dep I.”
Isaac Seveay, concering the incident of December 15, 1774, HNH, pages 196 - 197, referred to below as “Seveay Dep. II.”
Benjamin Rowell, soldier of the fort, concerning the incident of December 14, 1774, HNH, page 197, referred to below as “B. Rowell Dep. I.”
Benjamin Rowell, concerning the incident of December 15, 1774, HNH, page 198, referred to below as “B. Rowell Dep. II.”
Samuel Rowell, soldier of the fort, concerning the incident of December 14, 1774, HNH, pages 198 - 199, referred to below as “S. Rowell Dep.”
Ephraim Hall, soldier of the fort, concerning the incident of December 14, 1774, HNH, pages 199 - 200, referred to below as “Hall Dep. I.”
Ephraim Hall, concerning the incident of December 15, 1774, HNH, pages 200 - 202, referred to below as “Hall Dep. II.”
John Griffiths, soldier of the fort, concerning
the incidents of both December 14 and 15, 1774, HNH, page 202, referred
to below as “
Years
after the event, John Sullivan recalled rallying 30 or 40 men from
Eleazer
Bennett, a 101 year-old mill worker whose recollections appear to confuse the
events of December 14 with those of December 15, identified a number of
Wilderson’s John Wentworth’s Narrative of the Raids on Fort William and Mary, HNH, Vol. XXXII, No. 4 (Winter, 1977), pp. 228 – 236, which sheds additional light on the events at Fort William and Mary and identifies several added participants, is referred to below as “Wentworth Narrative.”
In
about 1824, elderly Gideon Lamson of
III.
PARTICIPANTS LIST
| Name | Town
of Residence | Role in the Attack | Source Reference |
| Adams,
John (Rev.) | | Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 | Sullivan
List |
| Adams,
Winborn | | Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15; Note: | Bennett
List |
| Amozeen ______ | Likely | Enters fort Dec. 14 . Note: This is likely one of the "Amozeens" (also spelled “Amazeen”) named below. | B. Rowell Dep. I |
|
Amozeen, Christopher |
|
Takes cannon, Dec. 15 |
Cochran Dep. II |
| Amozeen, Ephriam | | Enters | Cochran Dep. II; Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. II; S. Rowell Dep. |
| Amozeen, John | | Enters | Seveay Dep. I, II; B. Rowell Dep. II; S. Rowell Dep. |
|
Amozeen, Joseph |
|
Enters |
Cochran Dep. II; Seveay Dep. I, II |
|
Atkinson, Theodore (Esq.) |
Native of |
Loyalist Chief Justice of NH |
Torrey Dep. |
|
Ayres, Joseph (Shoemaker) |
|
Takes powder Dec. 14 |
Cochran Dep. I |
|
Barkley (Barclay), Andrew,
Lt. |
Likely |
Captain of frigate HMS Scarborough
that responded to |
William B. Clark, ed. Naval
Documents of the American Revolution, US Government Printing Office, Washington,
DC, Vol. I, p. 37 (Letter of Wentworth to Adm. Graves) |
|
Batson, John |
|
Enters |
Cochran Dep. II: Seveay Dep. I |
| Batson, Nathaniel | | Attempted
abduction of Cochran, Dec. 14; Enters | Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I, II; B. Rowell Dep. II; Hall Dep. I |
|
Batson, Nathaniel, Jr. |
Likely |
Enters fort Dec. 14 |
Seveay Dep. I |
| Batson, Stephen | | Attempted abduction of Cochran, Dec. 14; Breaks open powderhouse with crowbar, Dec. 14; Takes cannon, Dec. 15 | Cochran Dep. I, II; Seveay Dep. I, II; B. Rowell Dep. I, II; S. Rowell Dep.; Hall Dep. I,II; Griffiths Dep. |
| Bell, Abendego ("Abendigo") | New Castle | Enters fort Dec. 14 and 15; Threatens to knock Soldier Hall's "brains out" on Dec. 14 | Seveay Dep. I, II; B. Rowell Dep. I; Hall Dep. I; S. Rowell Dep I |
| Bell, Benjamin | New Castle | Disarms Soldier Benjamin Rowell, Dec. 14; Takes cannon, Dec. 15 | Cochran Dep. II; B. Rowell Dep. I; Hall Dep. I |
| Bell, Matthew (Capt., Mariner) | New Castle | Attempted abduction of Cochran, Dec. 14; Enters fort Dec. 14. Note: Bell was the son of the former captain of the fort, Thomas Bell. | Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep I; Hall Dep. I (probably) |
| Bell, Mesech | Likely New Castle | Enters fort December 14 | Griffiths Dep. |
|
Bell, Mesech ("the third"; Cooper) |
New Castle |
Volunteered to defend fort (voluntarily pressed into service) , Dec. 14; Note: Conceivably planted by the rebels. |
Cochran Dep. I |
| Bell, Mesech, Jr. | Likely New Castle | Pummels Soldier Seveay, Dec. 14 | Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I; S. Rowell Dep.; Hall Dep. I |
| Bell, Thomas | New Castle | Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: Bell was the son of the former captain of the fort of the same name. | Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I; S. Rowell Dep. |
| Belligham, John, Sr. | Portsmouth | Takes powder Dec. 14 | Cochran Dep. I |
|
Bennett, Eleazer |
Durham |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 |
Bennett List |
|
Blunt, John |
New Castle |
Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: Son of the former town minister; A sea captain. |
B. Rowell Dep. I; S. Rowell Dep. |
|
Brown, Joseph (?) |
Rye |
Possible involvement in one
or more of the raids. Involvement undocumented,
but other evidence may suggest participation of unknown nature.
Rye men are known to have participated and Brown, Joseph Parsons and Mark
Randall were chosen by Rye in 1770 as “committeemen to stand by the Sons of Liberty.” |
Langdon Parsons, History
of the Town of Rye, NH, Rumford Printing Co., Concord, NH (1905), p. 255,
257 –258. |
| Bryant, Jeremiah (Mr.) | Newmarket | Part of three man committee of Dec. 15 | Cochran Dep. II; Seveay Dep. II; B. Rowell Dep. II; Hall Dep. II |
|
Chadbourn, Benjamin (Blacksmith) |
Portsmouth |
Takes powder Dec. 14 |
Cochran Dep. I |
| Champney, Richard (Shopkeeper) | Portsmouth | Waits at gate as Langdon and White enter, Dec. 14; Enters and guards Cochran Dec. 14 | Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I |
|
Chase, John |
New Castle |
Takes cannon, Dec. 15; Note: Son of the New Castle town minister |
Hall Dep. II |
| Chase, Stephen | New Castle | Takes powder Dec. 14; Enters fort on December 15. Note: This is very likely the son of the New Castle town minister of this name, rather than the minister himself. | Cochran Dep. I; Seavey Dep. II; B. Rowell Dep. I; S. Rowell Dep.; Hall Dep. II |
| Chesley,
Alpheus | Durham | Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 | Bennett
List |
| Chesley,
Jonathan | Durham | Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 | Bennett
List |
|
Clapp, Supply (Capt.) |
Portsmouth |
Enters fort December 14; Note: Later NH’s Commissary General. |
Griffiths Dep. |
|
Clark, Andrew (Mariner) |
Portsmouth |
Takes powder Dec. 14 |
Cochran Dep. I |
| Clark, Samuel | New Castle | Attempted abduction of Cochran, Dec. 14; Enters fort Dec. 14 | Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I; Hall Dep. I |
| Cochran, James | Londonderry, NH | Loyalist father of the captain of the fort who confronted invaders on December 15. | Role described
in Wentworth Narrative, p. 236; Name of Cochran's father is found
in Lorenzo Sabine, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution,
Little, Brown & Co., Boston (1864), Vol. 1 at 320. See also
“Adventure of Captain James Cochran,” Portsmouth Journal, November
8, 1845, p.2, col. 2. |
|
Cochran, John (Capt.) |
Assigned to the fort at New Castle |
Loyalist captain of the fort; Note: Assigned to fort since 1771. Originally from Londonderry, NH |
Throughout depositions and narratives. |
| Cochran, Sarah | Living at the fort at New Castle | Wife of Captain of the fort; Loyalist combatant ; Note: Resided with her husband and children at the fort. Originally from Portsmouth area. | Cochran Dep. I; Wentworth Narrative p. 231. |
|
Colefax, Robert |
New Castle |
Enters fort Dec. 14 and 15 |
B. Rowell Dep. I, II |
| Cottwald, John | "from the country" | Takes cannon, Dec. 15 | B. Rowell Dep. II |
|
Cutts, Samuel (Esq.) |
Portsmouth |
Patriot Committee member contacted by Revere on December 13 |
Torrey Dep. |
|
Dame, George |
Portsmouth |
Takes powder Dec. 14 |
Cochran Dep. I |
|
Davis, Aaron |
Durham |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 |
Sullivan List |
|
Davis, Micah |
Durham |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 |
Bennett List |
|
Demeritt, John |
Durham/Madbury |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15; Note: Reputedly brought powder
to NH troops in MA |
Bennett List |
|
Dennet, John |
Portsmouth |
Enters and guards Cochran, Dec. 14. Note: There were two John Dennets in Portsmouth. It is uncertain whether this is the same John Dennet as below. |
Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I |
|
Dennet, John |
Portsmouth |
Called upon by the Governor
to raise the provincial militia in response to the attack of December 14. Note:
There were two John Dennets in Portsmouth. It is uncertain whether this is the same John
Dennet as above. |
Nathaniel Bouton, compiler, New Hampshire Provincial
Papers, Orren C. Moore, State Printer, Nashua, NH (1873), Vol. VII, p. 421 |
| Dennet, Nathaniel | Portsmouth | Takes powder Dec. 14; Takes cannon, Dec. 15 | Cochran Dep. I, II; Seavey Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. II |
|
Dixen, William |
Portsmouth |
Takes cannon, Dec. 15 |
Cochran Dep. II |
|
Drown, Samuel (?) |
Portsmouth |
Uncertain. Drown (the half brother of Thomas Pickering)
may have been involved in the December 14 raid and purportedly had some involvement
in the care of the powder during or after Dec. 14. |
Charles
W. Brewster, Rambles About Portsmouth (1st Series), facsimile
reproduction of the 1873 edition by New Hampshire Publishing Company, Somersworth,
NH, in collaboration with Theatre by the Sea, Portsmouth, NH (1971), (“Ramble
XLV”), pp. 220. Note: Brewster’s account of the attack,
obtained from Drown’s family, is not generally reliable. See also
Parsons’ The Capture, p. 25. |
|
Durgin, [Eliphalet] (Lt.)
|
Durham |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 |
Sullivan List. Note: First name provided in Crackel and Andresen,
HNH, Vol. XXIX, No. 4 (Winter, 1974), footnote 66, page
225. |
|
Eaton, Jonathan |
(?) |
Enters on December 14; Note: Possibly the same individual identified as Jonathan Yeaton below |
S. Rowell Dep. |
| Fenton, John (Esq.) | Plymouth, NH; Portsmouth and formerly
Charlestown, MA | Justice of Peace; Took soldiers’ oaths/depositions regarding raids; Magistrate who attempts to restore order; Note: Loyalist provincial assemblyman; former captain of the regular British Army; Colonel of a Grafton County regiment of provincial militia. | Torrey Dep. |
| Folsom, Nathaniel | (?) | Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: It is unclear if this is the (General) Nathaniel Folsom of Exeter who appeared with a large body of infantry and cavalry on December 15 or instead an additional reference to his son (from Portsmouth; see below), who was also named Nathaniel. It is almost certainly one of the two. | Seveay Dep. I |
| Folsom,
Nathaniel | Exeter | Arrives
in Portsmouth with infantry and cavalry on Dec. 15, acting as a guard and reserve
for Sullivan’s raid. Note: Continental Congressman and Revolutionary War
general. | Wentworth
Narrative, p. 234 |
|
Folsome, Nathaniel (Shopkeeper) |
Portsmouth |
Waits at gate as Langdon and White enter, Dec. 14. Note: The son of Nathaniel Folsom of Exeter |
Cochran Dep. I |
|
Footman, Thomas |
Dover |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 |
Sullivan List |
|
Foy, John |
Rye (?) |
Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: A John Foy lived at Frost’s Point in Rye, just across Little Harbor from New Castle, in 1805. See Langdon Parsons’ History of the Town of Rye, NH, Rumford Printing Co., Concord, NH (1905), map following p. 292. See also id, p. 352. It is uncertain whether this is the Foy who was a participant, since Rowell’s deposition does not identify Foy’s town of origin. |
B. Rowell Dep. I |
|
French, Peter |
Durham |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 |
French is noted in Crackel
and Andresen’s article, HNH, Vol. XXIX, No. 4, p. 225, as
listed by Sullivan. He is apparently identified
by virtue of the fact that in Isaac W. Hammond, ed. New Hampshire
Provincial and State Papers, John B. Clarke, Public Printer, Manchester, NH
(1890) [Provincial and State Papers, Miscellaneous provincial and state papers,
1725 – 1800], Vol. XVIII, pp. 748 – 750, Sullivan notes the presence of his three
clerks. Those clerks were Peter French,
Alexander Scammell and James Underwood. See Parsons’ The Capture,
p. 25. Parsons suggests that French may also have been listed in one version of
Bennett’s account. |
|
Frost, George |
New Castle |
Enters on December 14. Note: This may be either the George Frost who married the daughter of the fort’s former commander, Thomas Bell, or the uncle of this George Frost (also from New Castle and named George), who later served in the Continental Congress. |
S. Rowell Dep. See also L. Parsons’ The Capture, p. 25 |
|
Furnald, John (Coppersmith) |
Portsmouth |
Takes powder Dec. 14 |
Cochran Dep. I |
|
Furnell, William |
Portsmouth |
Takes powder Dec. 14 |
Cochran Dep. I |
|
Gains, George |
Portsmouth |
Enters fort Dec. 14. May also have been present on the 15th |
Seveay Dep. I; Hall Dep. I; Griffiths Dep.; Bell’s History of Exeter, p. 240. |
|
Gilman, Israel (Esq.) |
Newmarket |
Takes cannon, Dec. 15 |
Cochran Dep. II |
|
Giddinge, John (Dr.) |
Exeter |
Captain of armed company called
to Portsmouth on December 15/16 as Sullivan removed the cannon. In reserve, probably not involved in physical
removal of cannon. |
Bell’s History of Exeter,
pp. 240 – 241 |
|
Gilman, Nicholas |
Exeter |
Captain of armed company called
to Portsmouth on December 15/16 while Sullivan removed the cannon.
In reserve, probably not involved in physical removal of cannon. Note: Like John Langdon, Gilman was later a signer
of the United States Constitution. |
Bell’s History of Exeter,
p. 240. Identified by Lamson in 1824 as
“Col.” See id. |
|
Gilmore, James (Capt.) |
Durham |
Takes cannon, Dec. 15 |
Cochran Dep. II; Seveay Dep. II |
|
Grant (Capt.) |
(?) |
Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: Since both “Captain Grant” and “John Grant” are noted in the same deposition, either Seveay inadvertently referred to Grant twice or “John Grant” and “Capt. Grant” are two different people. It is conceivable that the captain is Peter, although Hall Dep. I refers to John as “captain.” |
Seveay Dep. I |
| Grant, John (Capt.) | Portsmouth | Enters fort Dec. 14; Disarms Soldier Hall | Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I; S. Rowell Dep.; Hall Dep. I |
|
Grant, Peter, Jr. |
(?) |
Enters fort Dec. 14 |
B. Rowell Dep. I |
|
Griffin, John |
Durham |
Sullivan raid of Dec. 15 |
Bennett account in Amory’s
Life of Sullivan, p. 295 |
|
Griffiths, John |
Assigned to the fort at New Castle |
Loyalist soldier “on duty” on Dec. 14 and “in the fort” on Dec. 15: Note: Length of service at fort not stated |
Griffiths Dep. |
|
Hackett, James |
Exeter |
Captain of armed infantry
company of 50 or 60 men called to Portsmouth on December 15/16 as a guard while
Sullivan removed the cannon. In reserve,
probably not involved in physical removal of cannon. "Note: Hackett, a shipbuilder,
built John Paul Jones' "Ranger," the frigate "Raleigh" and
the ship of the line "America" " |
Bell’s History of Exeter,
pp. 240 – 241; Referred to by Lamson as “Col.” in 1824. See id.
|
|
Hall, Ephraim |
Assigned to the fort at New Castle |
Loyalist soldier on duty on Dec. 14 and 15; Note: At fort since July 1774 |
Hall Dep. I, II |
|
Hart, Edward |
Portsmouth |
Enters fort December 14 |
Griffiths Dep. |
|
Jackson (Capt.) |
Possibly Portsmouth |
Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: May be the same person as Daniel Jackson. Daniel Jackson was a sea captain. |
Seveay Dep. I |
|
Jackson, Daniel |
Portsmouth |
Enters and guards Cochran, Dec. 14; Note: May be the same person as “Capt. Jackson.” Daniel Jackson was a sea captain. |
Cochran Dep. I |
|
Jones _____________ |
Portsmouth |
Forces Soldier Seveay down, Dec. 14 |
Seveay Dep. I |
| Kenny, Benjamin | New Castle | Enters fort Dec. 14 and 15; Note: Likely the same person as Benjamin Kinny. | B. Rowell Dep. I, II; S. Rowell Dep; Hall Dep. I; Seveay Dep. II |
|
Kenny, Richard |
New Castle |
Enters fort Dec. 14 |
B. Rowell Dep. I; Hall Dep. I |
|
Kenny, Richard, Jr. |
New Castle |
Enters fort Dec. 14 and 15 |
B. Rowell Dep. I, II |
| Kinneer, (“Kennier,” “Kenneer”) John | New Castle | Enters fort Dec. 14 and 15 | Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I, II; S. Rowell Dep.; Hall Dep. I, II |
|
Kinny, Benjamin |
Probably New Castle |
Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: Likely the same person as Benjamin Kenny. |
Seveay Dep. I |
|
Ladd, Eliphet (?) |
Exeter |
Uncertain. Captain of infantry
company detailed to Portsmouth on “to take cannon, etc.” Note: Ladd does
not appear in Lamson’s account but is referred to in a note in Bell’s History
of Exeter (with Hackett and Giddinge) quoting an account presented by Exeter
to the State. Bell suggests that the bill
(date not identified) refers to the attack on Fort William and Mary, but (depending
upon its date) it is possible that it refers to the May 30/31 1775 raid on Jerry’s
Point. |
Bell’s History of Exeter,
p. 241 |
| Lambert, Benjamin | New Castle | Enters fort Dec. 14; Takes cannon, Dec. 15 | Cochran Dep. II; S. Rowell Dep. |
| Lamson,
Gideon | Exeter | Member of
cavalry unit (likely Folsom’s) detailed to Portsmouth on December 15/16 as Sullivan
removed the cannon. In reserve, but not
at the fort. | Bell’s History
of Exeter, p. 240 –241 |
| Langdon, John (Merchant) | Portsmouth | Leader of Dec. 14 raid; enters with White for parley with Cochran; Enters and guards Cochran, Dec. 14. Langdon reported to Portsmouth on the progress of Sullivan’s raid of the 15th and may have gone out to the fort at some point on that date or the morning of the 16th. Note: Later a NH Governor, US Senator, signer of the US Constitution, the Continental Congress’ agent for maritime affairs in NH and the 1st president pro tempore of the US Senate. | Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I; S. Rowell Dep.; Hall Dep. I; Griffiths Dep.; Bell’s History of Exeter, p. 240. Note: The version of Bennett’s account found in Ballard Smith’s generally questionable article in Harper’s Monthly indicates that Langdon and Pickering went to New Castle with Sullivan on the 15th. |
| Langmead, Henry | New Castle | Attempted abduction of Cochran, Dec. 14; Enters fort Dec. 14 | Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I; Hall Dep. I |
| Libbey, George | Portsmouth | Enters fort Dec. 14 | Seveay Dep. I |
|
Locke, Elizah |
Rye |
Private citizen visiting fort on business, pressed into service by Cochran, Dec. 14. Note: The name is as spelled in the transcription of the deposition. Locke’s name was probably “Elijah.” He may have been planted by the rebels. See Donald Hayes, “Pressed into Service at Fort William and Mary: Was Eliza Locke of Rye a Patriot, a Tory or Hapless Bystander?” The New Hampshire Minuteman (newsletter of the N. H. Society of the Sons of the American Revolution), Vol. 15, No.2 (May 2003), p. 1. |
Cochran Dep. I |
| Long, Pierce (“Pierse”)(Capt., Mariner) | Portsmouth | Waits at gate as Langdon and White enter, Dec. 14; Enters and guards Cochran, Dec. 14. Note: Later a Continental Congressman | Cochran Dep. I; Seveay Dep. I (probably); Griffiths Dep. |
| MacKay, Benjamin (Sadler) | Portsmouth | Waits at gate as Langdon and White enter, Dec. 14; Enters and guards Cochran, Dec. 14 | Cochran Dep. I; Seavey Dep. I |
| McClary, Andrew (Capt.) | “from the country” [Epsom] | Part of three man committee of Dec. 15. Note: Killed by a cannon ball at Bunker Hill. McClary was the ranking New Hamsphireman killed in that battle. | Cochran Dep. II; Seveay Dep. II; B. Rowell Dep. II; Hall Dep. II |
| McDonogh, Thomas | Native of the British Isles | Loyalist private secretary to Governor Wentworth | Torrey Dep. |
|
Mathes, Benjamin |
Durham |
Supplied gundalow for Sullivan’s
Durham men to proceed to Portsmouth on Dec. 15 but, being too old, did not accompany
them. |
Bennett account in Amory’s
Life of Sullivan, p. 295 |
|
Mead, Stephen |
Portsmouth |
Takes powder Dec. 14 |
Cochran Dep. I |
|
Mitchell, David (Capt.) |
New Castle |
Enters fort, Dec. 14; Takes cannon, Dec. 15 |
Cochran Dep. II; Seveay Dep. I, II; B. Rowell Dep. I, II; Hall Dep. II; Griffiths Dep. |
| Mowat(t)
, Henry (Lt.) | Scotland | Captain
of armed ship HMS Canceaux that responded to Portsmouth from Boston after
raids; Note: In October 1775, Mowat burned Falmouth (Portland)
Maine to the ground; In the 1779 Penobscot
Expedition, he was instrumental in dealing America its most crushing naval defeat
of the Revolutionary War at Castine (Bagaduce) ME. | See generally
Andrew Wahll, ed. The Voyage of the Canceaux, 1764 - 1776 (abridged
logs), Heritage Books, Bowie, MD (2003); John E. Cayford, The Penobscot Expedition,
C & H Publishing Co., Orrington, ME (1976).
|
| Neal, William | New Castle | Enters fort Dec. 14 | Seveay Dep. I |
|
Norton, Nathaniel |
Durham |
Sullivan
raid of Dec. 15 |
Sullivan List |
|
Palmer, John |
Portsmouth |
Hauls down the King's colors from the fort on December 14, 1774; Takes powder Dec. 14; Takes cannon Dec. 15; Note: Son of Thomas Palmer. |
Cochran Dep. I, II; Seavey Dep. I, II; B. Rowell Dep. I, II; S. Rowell Dep.; Hall Dep I, II; Wentworth Narrative, p. 231. |
| Palmer, Thomas (Capt.) | Portsmouth | Orders Soldier Seveay to his knees and "snaps pistol" at the soldier, Dec. 14; Note: Father of John Palmer. | Seveay Dep. I; B. Rowell Dep. I; Hall Dep. I (probably); Wentworth Narrative, p. 231) |
| Parker (Capt.) | Probably Portsmouth | Enters fort Dec. 14; Note: Likely Capt. Robert Parker, below. | Seveay Dep. I |
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Parker, J |