Captain THOMAS MORRIS, Sloop NEPTUNE, bought of WILLIAM KELLY & Co.

Cape Nicola Mole, April 2, 1776.

I, Samuel Perkins, of New-Haven, in the County of New-Haven, in the Colony of Connecticut, in New-England, depose and say: That on the second day of August last I sailed from said New-Haven on board the Sloop Polly, (of which I was then master,) owned by Michael Todd and John McCleave, of said New-Haven, bound on a voyage to Martinico, in the West-Indies. The cargo on board of said sloop consisted of twenty-one oxen, three horses, twenty-six thousand three hundred and a half hoops and staves, two thousand bunches of onions, with a quantity of hay, corn, oats, poultry, provisions, and a number of small articles which I cannot now recollect; that on the third day of said August, being off southwest from Block-Island, I was fired upon by the Kingfisher sloop-of-war, commanded by Captain Montagu, and in a few minutes boarded by the Kingfisher’s boat, loaded with armed men, who in a few minutes forced me and my crew into the boat, and carried us on board the Kingfisher. After they had taken possession of my sloop, they towed her into Boston, where we arrived the seventh of said August. The cattle and other articles on board were taken possession of, and sold by order of Admiral Graves. After they had stripped the sloop of her sails, anchor, and other rigging, they set her up at vendue, and I suppose sold her, as they absolutely refused delivering her up to me, alleging that I was on a voyage to get powder; which was, in fact, the case; my getting powder being made by the Governour of Connecticut the condition of his dispensing with the embargo on the exportation of cattle.

I, Samuel Perkins, further depose and say, that the account made out, and attested to under oath, by Messrs. Todd and John McCleave, on the 15th instant, before Samuel Bishop, Jun., Esq., is an account of the cargo which was taken as aforesaid by said Kingfisher sloop-of-war. And further this deponent saith not.

SAMUEL PERKINS.

New-Haven, December 27, 1775.

NEW-HAVEN, December 27, 1775:

Personally appeared Samuel Perkins, the above deponent, and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing Deposition.

Before SAMUEL BISHOP, JUN., Justice of Peace.

An Account of Sloop POLLY’S Cargo, SAMUEL PERKINS Master, and value of said Vessel, taken the 3d of AUGUST, 1775, on her passage to the WEST-INDIES for Powder, by permission of his Honour the Governour, and carried to BOSTON by the KINGFISHER Sloop-of-War, JAMES MONTAGU Commander, owned by MICHAEL TODD and JOHN McCLEAVE, of NEW-HAVEN.

Personally appeared Messrs. Michael Todd and John McCleave, and made solemn oath that they were owners of the aforesaid sloop, and that the same was taken in manner above-mentioned, and having the above cargo on board, being estimated by their best judgment in manner above said.

Before SAMUEL BISHOP, JUN., Justice of Peace.

Wellfleet, January 26, 1776.

SIR: Being informed that you are one of the Committee appointed by the honourable the Continental Congress to receive an estimate of all losses, seizures, &c., by the King’s Troops or Navy, &c., we take this opportunity of informing you of our misfortune, and have enclosed you a well authenticated account thereof; and are, with the greatest respect, sir, your humble servants,

HEZEKIAH DOANE & Co.

To the Honourable John Adams, Esq.

I, Elisha Doane, Jun., Master of the Schooner Hannah, burden about ninety-five tons, belonging to Hezekiah Doane, Esq., & Co., do testify and say, that, returning from a whaling voyage in said schooner off the back of Cape-Cod, on the seventh day of September last, was boarded and taken by the man-of-war, the Savage, commanded by Captain Bromage, and carried into Boston, contrary to my inclination, and there detained until I had an opportunity of making my escape, and left my vessel there in the hands of the enemy, and have not seen or heard from her since; which schooner, with her appurtenances, (exclusive of whaling craft,) was worth at that time, according to the best of my judgment, four hundred pounds, lawful money.

ELISHA DOANE, JUN.

EASTHAM, January 26, 1776:

The above-named Elisha Doane, Jun, personally appeared before me, one of his Majesty’s Justices of Peace in the County of Barnstable, and made oath to the above-written Deposition.

JOHN ATWOOD, Justice of Peace.

I, Elisha Mays, of lawful age, do testify and say, that, on the seventh day of September last, returning from a whaling voyage in Schooner Hannah, owned by Hezekiah Doane, Esq., and commanded by Elisha Doane, Jun., off Cape-Cod, discovering a man-of-war, myself, with several others, took the boat, and went on shore. After that, I saw the man-of-war’s boat board said schooner, and saw said schooner stand away for Boston. And further saith not.

ELISHA MAYS.

EASTHAM, January 26, 1776:

The above-named Elisha Mays personally appeared before me, one of his Majesty’s Justices of Peace for the County of Barnstable, and, after being duly cautioned, made oath to the above-written Deposition.

JOHN ATWOOD, Justice of Peace.

I, Simon Newcomb, of lawful age, do testify and say, that, as I was going from Wellfleet to Salem in a small schooner, burden about twenty-five tons, loaded with oysters, on the twenty-fifth day of July last, off Race-Point, we were boarded and taken by a boat from a man-of-war