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At Port Glasgow the Seventeenth day of September, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy seven Years,
In the Presence of Mr John Martine, Judge Admiral Substitute at Port Glasgow, Compeared Wm Marshall late Commanr of the Sloop Wolf of that Place, And voluntarily made Oath. That upon the Twentyth of June last he sail'd with the said Sloop from the Island of Jamaica loaded with Rum & Sugar along with the Fleet bound for Great Britain under Convoy of His Majs Ships Lively & Kent. That the Deponant kept Company with the Fleet until the Seventh of August when he was taken in latitude 49. .30 Longitude 11 By two American Privatiers, one called the General Mercer, James Babson, The other the Fanny, John Kendrick Master, Each mounting Fourteen Carriage Guns besides Swivels: That these two Privatiers were seen dogging the Fleet for four Weeks before he was taken and afterwards they Acknowledged they had done so. That the day after the Sloop Wolf was taken, the Two American Privatiers also took the Ships C[l]arendon and Hanover Planter both of London.2 At the time of their being taken they Could discover from the Main Top, fifty sail of the Fleet. That about four hours after the Wolf was taken every paper belonging to her Together with the Crew were taken out and carried on board the Mercer and the Sloop Manned by American Sailors with Instructions to carry her to Boston. Immediately after the London Ships were taken the Privatiers discontinued following the Fleet and made the best of their way with these two Prizes for Nantz in France w[h]ere they arrived on the 17th of August last.
And further maketh Oath That when he arrived in the Mercer in the River Nantz there were three American Vessels lying there, One of which he was informed was loaded with Tobacco — That the same Night on which they arrived, a Broker came on board and informed Captain Babson of the Mercer that no armed Vessels belonging to America were allowed to come there, And that he behoved to take care what he was about, upon which the Privatiers hauled in their Guns, unshiped their Swivels, and shut their Ports that they might have the appearance of Merchant Ships, And the names of the two London Ships, which were Painted on their Sterns were altered the same Night, One to the Hancock and the other to the Boston. The Cargoes of both which Ships were afterwards taken out and sold as American Property. That from the time he was taken to the Second of September Instant, he was close confined with his whole Crew on board the Mercer and not allowed the Liberty of Pen, Ink or Paper. That he was put on board a Dutch Vessel bound for Ostend and procured his Passage to Clyde where he arrived last night. That at the time he left Nantz the Privatiers were taking in large Quantities of Gun Powder. And this Deponant was credibly informed there were several Vessels building at Nantz for the Americans. And he knows that one Vessel of Sixteen Guns sailed the same day he arrived at Nantz under French Colours and mostly navigated by Americans. That there was another Vessel mostly clear to sail for South Carolina. Commanded by one John Hatter, mounting between twenty and Thirty guns, the Crew of which consisted of French & Americans, All which he declares to be [the] Truth as he shall Answer to God.
John Martine
