Arrived the Hanover Packet, from Glasgow for the West Indies, who was taken in her Passage by the Lexington Privateer, who put on board her a Lieutenant and seven Men, and left three of the Crew belonging to the Hanover on board. Some Time after a French Vessel appearing, the Lieutenant took with him in the Boat two of his Men to go on board to get Necessaries; after their being gone some Time, the three Men belonging to the Hanover got Possession of the Arms, and declared to the Americans, if they made any Resistance they would put them to Death; they submitted. 2
1. Public Advertiser, London, April 19, 1777.
2. Lieutenant David Welch, prize master of Hanover, in a letter to Benjamin Franklin, July 6, 1778, wrote: "Sr I hope you doant reflect on me on the Acct of my Misfortune in regard of the Prias I lost comeing to Bordix," Franklin Papers, vol. 2, 65, HSP. The captured Americans were committeed in June 1777 to the recently opened Mill Prison, Plymouth. According to Herbert, A Relic of the Revolution, 249, they were "Nicholas Simpkin of Jersey; William Stearns, Maryland; Thomas Haley, England; Benjamin Locket, England; William Lane, Philadelphia, and John Gordon, Ireland."
