[Newcastle] June 11, 1776
Newcastle County on Delaware, ss.
The deposition of Mr. William Barry, mariner, aged about 27 years, taken before me the subscriber, one of the Justices in and for Newcastlecounty aforesaid, who deposeth and saith, That on or about the thirteenthday of March last, he left Cape Henlopen as mate on board the ship Grace, belonging to Philadelphia, and then bound for York river in Virginia, Captain Erwin commander. That on or about the seventeenth of said month, about twelve o'clock at noon, they espied a sloop towards the land, bearingfor them, having a jack in her shrouds, which the Captain supposed to be some American vessel with powder, inward bound, in distress, yet they still kept on their course. When the sloop came nigh, she hailed them, and ordered them to lower their topsails and come on board their vessel; but theymade all the sail they could in hopes to get off. The sloop then fired several shot at them, as they apprehended, with an intent to kill them; uponwhich the Captain of the ship hauled down the sails, and went on board them. That this deponent then up with the sails again to try to get off, butfired so he got wounded in his leg, and was forced to come to. And as they had no boat belonging to the sloop, there came a number of men backin their boat which the Captain had taken, and took them all prisoners on board the sloop, which was called the [John] Ord[e], a Second Lieutenant belonging to the Lord Howe, commanded by a certain Roebuck man of war, whose tender the sloop was.
They took the ship, and called her their prize. The crew were all (except the Captain) put in irons, though this deponent's leg was very sore; afterwhich they were all carried and put on board the said Roebuck man of warof forty-two guns, commanded by Captain Hammond, who was then lying inHampton road, and who strongly urged them to enter freely, which this deponent would not do, nor the Captain and some of the men, though othersof our men did rather than be kept in irons and ill used. However, after some time, they were taken out of irons and made to do ship's duty, whichall prisoners must do, with many insults and very bad usage. About threedays after he went on board said Roebuck, she came to cape Henlopen aforesaid, and, cruizing out and in there, took several vessels said to belong to the rebels in America, which they said was, by their orders, to be lawful prizes, though when their sailors asked when they would get their shares, they were abused by the officers, and told they must go to England first.
About three weeks after they came to cape Henlopen, there came three men one night, in a small boat from Lewistown shore, on board said vessel, and staid on board till about ten o'clock at night. The next night: when they came along-side, they reached up a small bag, which one of the men belonging to the ship told the deponent were letters, &c. Said three men were kindly received and entertained by the Captain and officers, but no prisoners permitted to speak to them. Said three men informed the people on board that they had, or that there were cattle, stock, &c, for them at Indian river, which the tenders endeavoured to get, but were prevented by [John] Barry's brig, as they called her, and a small schooner, but he was not in the tenders. When the three men went off in their boat, they rowed as far as the back of the light-house, as he could see, and were convoyed by one of the men of war's tenders. One of the people that came on board, as aforesaid, had a mark like a half-moon on, he thinks, his left cheek, and looked like a cut, a well coloured men; and had on, he thinks, a brown coat, and buckskin or other leather breeches, which man he would know again. Another of said men was pale looking, and wore blue clothes, he thinks, but is not certain.
About the first week in May the Roebuck, and Liverpool frigate, tenders, &c. came up Delaware river apiece, and sent some boats on the Jersey shore to try to get fresh provisions, of which there was great want on board, viz. of flesh, fowls, &c. and where they brought on board several cattle, which were very poor, but were greedily eat ー after which they proposed to go up the river for fresh water (of which they were in great want) and then afterwards, as he understood from the lower officers, they designed to go to Philadelphia and take it, if they could get past the chevaux de frise, but if they could not pass them, then to return and lay at Chester awhile ー As they came up the river, they fired several shots at vessels that were before them, and opposite Newcastle they fired two or three shot out of the bow guns at a small sail boat; that knowing the cruel disposition and threats of the men of war, he was in great pain for some acquaintances he had in Newcastle, but with the spy-glass perceived the doors and windows shut, and no smoke in the chimnies, and seeing many carts carrying off goods was in hopes they had fled.
On or about the eighth of said month (May) the row-gallies attacked the men of war, which the officers looked on with disdain, as apprehending they could do little damage to them; however the Roebuck had a deal of her rigging damaged, and some shot in her sides, and as she was endeavouring to get nigh the row-gallies, to sink and destroy them, she got into shallow water, so that she could not steer, and ran on the ground, on the Jersey shore, above or near Christiana creek's mouth. At night they expected the fireships and gallies down upon them, and as she lay and took such a heel they could not bring her guns to bear, and could not make any resistance in the Roebuck, but with small arms, there were therefore an anchor and twostream cables carried out to endeavour to get her off, and three boats werekept all night rowing round her, and often going nigh the gallies to watch their motions, as they were expected every minutes to come down on them;and as far as he could learn if they came and hulled them, they had orders to boats were ready, and then thefly on board the Liverpool frigate, to save their lives, for which purpose Liverpool was to retreat ー But about four o'clock in the morning they got the ship off, after which about forty men were employed in filling and stowing away fresh water of which they were scarce, though they had stove man[y] of their water casks, and also did notexpect the gallies would attack them again, as they thought they were much damaged; but as they attacked the men of war the second day with more courage and conduct, the Roebuck received many shots betwixt wind and water, some went quite through, some in her quarter, and was much rakedfore and aft, but the carpenters soon covered the most of the holes with whatsome called a plaster, which prevented her from receiving in the water, otherwise would have soon filled. During the engagement one man was killed a shot, which took his arm almost off. Six were much hurt and burned by an eighteen cartridge of powder taking fire, among whom was an acting Lieutenant, and several were hurt by splinters; but night coming on, and it being difficult to sight her guns in the night, and the gallies could not be seen, it was judged best to retreat, during which they ceased firing for awhile, and every man got a dram given him at his quarters, with directions for every man that was called by his name, to be ready to go ashore at Newcastle, under cover of the cannon, to plunder the town, and afterwards to burn and destroy it that night, but they were prevented by the row-gallies following to close. During the engagement the Captain ordered several of the guns to be loaded with round and grape shot, which were fired at the rebels (as the Captain and officers called them) who stood on the shore and banks. After the vessels had passed Newcastle they came to, in the bite below the town, that night to repair the rigging, &c. and next day the vessels went down to Reedy-Island, where Captain Hammond hailed the Liverpool, and ordered her to go in betwixt the island and the main, and destroy the town of Port-Penn (we heard drums beating ashore) accordingly he went, and soon after returned, and informed there was not depth of water to get nigh enough, and was afraid his vessel would get aground. Next day the vessels went to the capes, and came to anchor; the carpenters as yet still repairing the vessels, having taken, as he supposes, forty of the row-gallies balls out of the Roebuck, and some can not be come at.
On the eighteenth of May aforesaid, both vessels weighed from Whorekill road. The Liverpool stood to the northward, and, as far as he could learn, was to go or send to Halifax, for more ships and men to attack Philadelphia. The Roebuck (in which he was) went to Norfolk, and joined Dunmore's fleet there, after which they burnt and sunk six sail of sloops and schooners, being scarce of hands to man them, &c. And on the twenty-fourth of May the fleet went to Gwin's island, being eighty-two sail, most of which were prizes; and on the twenty-sixth landed on the island one hundred men of the fourteenth regiment, one hundred marines, one hundred and fifty inhabitants of Norfolk (by them called volunteers) and fifty seamen, and three hundred Negroes, which were all that could be spared from the vessels; and as he could learn they were to land the inhabitants taken on board at Norfolk, on the island, to refresh themselves and to get fresh stock of cattle, &c. being very scarce of such in the fleet, as some said they had not tasted any fresh meat for seven weeks. On that night there came three Negro men from the shore in a canoe, who were shaked hands with, and kindly received and entertained by the second Lieutenant and other officers. The Lieutenant went into the cabin and informed the Captain. he afterwards asked them if there would come more of their people on board, that if they did they would be well used. The Negroes said there would, he then asked them if there were any shirtmen or forces lying nigh. They told him there were none nigher than six miles. He then asked them if there were any cattle nigh the shore on the main, They said there was plenty; he then asked him if they thought there was any danger in landing to them, they said there was no danger. He then asked them if they could get some fowls that night for the officers, as they were badly off for some on board, they said they could get fowls and sheep. He then told them they should be well paid; and, besides, should be free when this disturbance was over, which he expected would be very soon, and then each of them should have a plantation of the Rebels land. After which one of the Negroes went and brought some fowls and geese, which this deponent heard making a noise coming up the side of the ship; and also brought his wife and two children, and another Negro man, of which he had told the Lieutenant before. And all taken by them are forced to do King's duty, and are not reckoned prisoners of war, but Rebels, and very ill used, as he told the Captain "A man had better curse father and mother, and be killed at once, than live such a life." This deponent still designed to make his escape, or die in the attempt; he accordingly slipt thro' one of the gun ports into the canoe which the Negroes had brought, cut the painter, and let her fall a stern; and about break of day got ashore on the main, after which he met a man who told him that the people in the country would take him up before he could get to the camp, and send him on board again, and that he had better return, but he would rather have taken his chance to die first. He arrived at the camp, and was kindly received by Colo. Churchill, and informed him of their design to land on the main for cattle, &c. and told him all that he knew, who sent immediately forty men and horses, and drove all the stock ten miles back in the country, and saved them from being carried off. After which he heard they had landed on the main, but being disappointed had burned some houses along shore, and further saith not.
Sworn before me Samuel Patterson, June 11, 1776.