Simeon Turner Master of the Sloop Race Horse in the wood and Lumber trade, saild from Salem in April last for Kennebeck River; soon after his arrival he heard of the attack made on the Kings Troops at Lexinton which threw the people into great Consternation, soon after it was reported that the Kings Ships for the future would Impress all Seamen wherever they were met with. on this report All his men left him which detain'd him at Kennebeck more than two months. at last he procured two that were not seamen to assist him to Navigate his Vessel, he saild from Kennebeck River the 1 1th Instant, and arriv'd off Salem Harbour the 15th where a Man of Wars boat came on board and order'd him to go to Boston under the care of Captn [George] Dawson with another Vessel. they arriv'd off the Graves two Leagues below the Light House the same evening. about 8 OClock Captn Dawson fir'd a swivel Gun & repeated it twice, but as he had no signal given him, he did not know the meaning; upon his firing the third Gun his boat came onboard, and told him the First Gun was for a signal to come too and the others was for him to obey the signal, on which he came too under Captn Dawsons Stern for that Evening, the next morning after they had pass'd the Light House Captain Dawson put a man on bor'd him the morning following he waited on Admiral [Samuel] Graves to know his pleasure; assoon as he began to speak the Admiral said God Dam you you was going to supply the Rebels at Salem with wood, he told him he did not choose to have any thing to do with Rebels, but chose rather to come to Boston than any where else if he could be permitted, but that he knew he was liable to be seiz'd if he came before he had a pass from the preventing Officer at Marblehead, that now he was at Boston if he could be suffer'd to dispose of his wood & return to Kennebeck river, to acquaint the Inhabitants that they may come to Boston without stoping at Marblehead and be free from an Impress he was very sure that many Vessels would Imediately come & supply the Army and Navy as well as the Inhabitants with Wood and Lumber. the Admiral Answer'd him, God Dam you I will make a prize of youー
Boston July 20th 1775
