The Gaspee Affair of 1772
The Gaspee was supposed to stop smuggling in Rhode Island waters. Instead, it became the first British ship Americans burned in anger.
On June 10, 1772, the revenue cutter ran aground while chasing a suspected smuggler near Providence. Local colonists saw their chance.
They attacked the ship that night, shot the captain, and burned it to the waterline. The British government was furious but they never caught the culprits.
Here’s how this daring raid unfolded, and where you can visit the site of America’s first act of armed rebellion.
A Ship Notorious For Harassment
Lieutenant Dudingston started stopping ships as soon as he arrived in February 1772. His crew searched every boat moving through Narragansett Bay waters.
The Gaspee took cargo from ships that had already passed inspection in Newport. Dudingston even stopped boats carrying normal goods between Rhode Island ports.
Governor Joseph Wanton told Dudingston in March he was going too far. Dudingston refused to show any papers proving he had the right to search ships and kept stopping them anyway.
The Hannah Lures The Gaspee Aground
Captain Benjamin Lindsey sailed his boat Hannah from Newport toward Providence on June 9, 1772. His ship had already passed customs checks before leaving.
The Gaspee chased the Hannah, wanting to search it again despite its legal status. Lindsey refused to stop for what he saw as an illegal search.
Lindsey steered his smaller boat into shallow waters near Namquid Point. The Hannah passed safely over the sandbar while the bigger Gaspee got stuck as the tide went out.
The Meeting At Sabin’s Tavern
Captain Lindsey told John Brown about the stuck Gaspee when he reached Providence. Brown, a rich merchant hurt by the Gaspee’s actions, saw a chance to strike back.
Brown sent a man through town announcing a meeting at Sabin’s Tavern at 9 p.m. The tavern stood next to Fenner’s Wharf where boats could be launched.
Men packed the tavern that night, angry and ready to act. Some made bullets in the kitchen while others planned how to reach the stranded ship before high tide could free it.
Eight Longboats In The Darkness
John Brown got eight boats ready at Fenner’s Wharf. The men wrapped cloth around the oars to stay quiet during their approach.
About 60 men from Providence’s wealthy merchant families left just before midnight on June 9. John Brown and sea captain Abraham Whipple led the group.
Many men blackened their faces with soot or wore Indian-style headwear as disguises. They rowed quietly through six miles of dark water toward the stuck Gaspee.
Joseph Bucklin Fires The First Shot
Lieutenant Dudingston saw the boats coming around midnight. He leaned over the ship’s rail in his white shirt and called out, “Who goes there?”
Abraham Whipple said he was the Sheriff of Kent County. He ordered Dudingston to give up his ship, but the lieutenant refused.
Eighteen-year-old Joseph Bucklin stood up in one boat and borrowed a gun from Ephraim Bowen. He aimed at Dudingston’s white shirt and shot him in the arm and groin.
Boarding The British Vessel
After Dudingston fell wounded, the colonists climbed onto the Gaspee from all sides. They quickly took control from the surprised crew.
Dudingston thought he was dying and told his men to surrender. He ordered them not to fight back against the raiders.
The colonists tied the hands of sailors who had been sleeping below deck. Most crew members gave up without a fight when faced with so many armed men.
Treating The Wounded Lieutenant
John Brown told John Mawney, a young doctor among the raiders, to check Dudingston’s wounds. The lieutenant had been shot in his arm and lower body.
Mawney found Dudingston bleeding heavily from an artery in his leg. This serious wound needed fast treatment.
Joseph Bucklin, who had shot Dudingston, helped Mawney stop the bleeding. Their quick work saved the lieutenant’s life despite his bad injury.
Removing The Crew And Papers
The raiders carried Dudingston off the ship to a house in Pawtuxet. A local doctor took over treating his wounds.
Crew members were put into boats with their personal items. The colonists took them to shore and held them in a cellar.
John Brown and Abraham Whipple stayed on the Gaspee. They searched through Dudingston’s papers, taking documents that showed his orders and plans.
Setting The Ship Ablaze
As dawn neared on June 10, Brown, Whipple and the others prepared to destroy all evidence. They spread flammable materials throughout the wooden ship.
The men set fire to the Gaspee as they left in the last boat. Flames burned through the hull first, then spread to the two tall masts.
People on shore heard explosions when the fire reached gunpowder stored below. The Gaspee burned down to the waterline, leaving only charred remains.
A Colony Of Silence
News about the Gaspee’s destruction spread fast through Rhode Island towns on June 10. Many people had seen the flames and heard explosions during the night.
Local newspapers printed nothing about the attack. The press stayed silent to protect those involved.
Governor Wanton offered 100 pounds for information about the attackers. A Royal Commission spent almost a year investigating, but no colonist revealed who took part in the raid.
Visiting Gaspee Point, Rhode Island
Gaspee Point lies in Warwick, Rhode Island, along the western shore of Narragansett Bay. You can find the site and memorial marker at the end of Namquid Drive.
The annual Gaspee Days celebration offers the best experience, featuring colonial reenactments, parades, and the symbolic burning of a model ship. These events typically run the first two weekends of June.
Year-round, you can walk the shoreline where the raid occurred and view the monument. The area remains a public beach with free access.
Read More from WhenInYourState.com:
The post How Rhode Island colonists torched a British warship and got away with it in 1772 appeared first on When In Your State.