screaming; precipitately leaving their houses, especially those whose husbands were not at home, and widows hurrying their goods into countrymen’s carts, never asking their names, though strangers, and carrying their children either out of Town, or up to the south end, according to the greater or less irritability of their nerves. Some persons bed-rid, or in childbed, were hastily removed, with no small danger of their lives. Several gentlemen of the Town, who could attend it, and I among the rest, immediately repaired to Colonel Thompson’s camp; and after obtaining leave of the advance guard, were permitted to speak with him. We endeavoured to persuade him to deliver up the prisoners, by all the rational arguments we could think of, but he appeared inflexible, and even furious. Here and there one in the Town (none but Tories however) were at first for rescuing the prisoners by our Militia; but the general voice of the Town was to observe a strict neutrality, excepting persuasives and arguments.

Colonel Phinney, of Gorham, Colonel of the Minute-Men, being in Town, and fearing a rescue, or for some other reason, sent out for his men, I suppose without asking the advice of any body; and soon afterwards sent word that they need not come into Town. Night was coming on, and the weather cool and windy, which endangered the health of some of the gentlemen, at least in the open field. It was therefore agreed by Colonel Freeman and his advisers, at the desire of Mowat, and by the free consent of Thompson, that the company of Cadets should escort the party and the prisoners to Mr. Marston’s, in order that a consultation might be further held there. The two companies remained embodied before the door. Colonel Thompson remained unwilling to deliver up the prisoners, insisting much that Divine Providence had thrown them into his hands, and that it was open and settled war between the Colonies and Britain. But he was more and more convinced that the whole force of the Town was against him, and found himself disappointed of a reinforcement that he expected to meet him here; so that by about nine o’clock in the evening he was much cooled; and the prisoners giving their parole that they would deliver themselves into his hands at nine the next morning, General Preble and Colonel Freeman pledging themselves for them, he consented to set them at liberty. Upon which Mowat, having expressed his gratitude to the Town in strong terms, went aboard, and dismissed a number of our people, whom the master had, during the afternoon, caught in boats and made prisoners. But when Colonel Thompson’s men found that he had given Mowat his liberty, they were hard to pacify. Not only Colonel Phinney’s Minute-Men, but most of the Militia from Gorham, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, and Stroudwater, in the whole amounting, it is said, to six hundred, came into Town before morning, highly enraged at Captain Mowat’s being dismissed, and seemingly determined to destroy his ship. Wednesday morning, when it was found that Mowat would not deliver himself up, the Army took and made prisoners of General Preble and Colonel Freeman, threatening to treat them in the same manner as they would treat Mowat, if they had him. Even their children were not permitted to speak with them, and they had no dinner that day. All the officers of the companies then present agreed to resolve themselves into a Committee of War; and after some hesitation they admitted the officers of our companies on the Neck, into the Committee; in which Committee a vote was passed by a considerable majority, that Captain Mowat’s ship ought to be destroyed. In the next place they appointed a Committee out of their number, to consider in what manner it should be done. This Committee have not yet reported as I can find; but they have proceeded to call men before them who were suspected of being Tories, to question them, to draw promises from them, and especially to draw money and provisions from them. The Reverend Mr. Wiswal delivered himself up very willingly, and seemed rather impatient till they had him with them; saying to some that passed by his door, he was ready to die at any time, as he knew he was in a good cause—the cause of the church of England.

The Committee interrogated him concerning his political principles. He declared an abhorrence of the doctrine of passive obedience and non-resistance, and that he thought Great Britain had no right to tax America internally; but as to the late Acts of Parliament, he had not examined them, and did not choose to give his opinion concerning them.

Old Mr. Wyer had a file of men sent after him, who, holding a pistol to his breast, forced him to go before the Committee; and when there he was interrogated whether he had said, “the Militia ought to rescue Captain Mowat” to which he answered in the affirmative; also, whether he did not think it an imprudent speech? to which he answered, yes; also, whether he were of the same mind now? He answered, no, as matters are circumstanced; then whether he would say any thing again against the body of men in Town? He said, no. The Committee soon agreed to dismiss him, and one of them said he was not worth their notice. He thanked the gentlemen for their civility, made a low bow, and departed. Captain Steward called to the crowd before the door, to make way for Mr. Wyer, and told them out of the window the Committee had dismissed him as unworthy of their notice.

Captain Pote was fetched before the Committee, without making any resistance, though he had made formidable preparations to defend himself. It is reported that the Committee made him give them, for the benefit of the body, about fifty Pounds, (old tenour,) in cash and provisions, and that they have bound him in a bond of two thousand Pounds, to appear at the Congress of the Province, and give an account of himself to them. They taxed General Preble some barrels of bread and a number of Cheeses, and two barrels of rum for each company then in Town, which he readily gave them, Wednesday afternoon, in value about ten Pounds, lawful money. Wednesday evening they made out a bill of one hundred and fifty-eight Pounds, lawful money, against Preble and Freeman, to satisfy the body for their time and trouble in the expedition; but I hear they have dropped that demand.

Yesterday morning they entered the house of Captain Coulson, and they use it as a barrack. The men made so free with a barrel of New-England rum, which they found in the cellar, that some of them were quite, and others almost drunken.

Between meetings yesterday, Calvin Lombard, being raised with liquor, went down to the water side and fired a brace of balls at Mowat’s ship, which penetrated deep in its sides. The fire was answered from a fusee on board, but with no aim to do execution. Captain Mowat immediately wrote to Colonel Freeman to deliver up Calvin, and to raise the militia to dispel the mob from the country, as he called them, assuring him that otherwise he must fire upon the Town. This threw the Town again into a panick, but we had, notwithstanding, a pretty full meeting in the afternoon.

Yesterday they hauled Captain Coulson’s boat up to the house, where it remained till just now, three quarters after twelve, when near a hundred men hauled it up through the streets and into Captain Pearson’s back lot, down almost to the Cove. It is reported that Mowat sent word, or wrote on shore last evening, that he had bought that boat of Coulson, and paid for it, and that if it were not returned immediately, or speedily, he would fire upon the Town. He doubtless saw it hauled away just now, but he has not fired as yet; and here I sit writing at my desk in the old place, being fully convinced that Mowat never will fire upon the Town, in any case whatever. My house is turned into a kind of barrack. Several have removed bedding and other goods into it. We are full at nights. I don't know why people think themselves so safe here, unless it be because my wife is not yet much affrighted.

This morning the Committee sent to Deacon Titcomb for one hundred pounds of bread, who returned for answer that he had no bread but what he wanted for himself; but if the company would go out of Town immediately, he would give it them. Colonel Phinney promised that he would do his utmost endeavour to get them out of Town to-day; therefore the bread was delivered.

Friday, 3 o’clock.—They have just hauled another boat over to Back Cove, and left it with the former. The boat belongs to the ship. They have this day carried off Mr. Tyng’s Bishop, a piece of plate said to be worth five hundred Pounds, (old tenour,) and his laced hat; but they say