Diary of Dr. Ezra Stiles1
Last Eveng the story of the burning of Weymouth was contradicted. Gen. [Thomas] Gage it seems sent some armed Schooners to steal Hay in Stacks at Weym[uth] — the p[eo]ple opposed their landing and fired upon and beat them off, and set fire to the stacks of Hay. —
The week before last Capt. [John] Lindzee of the Falcon Sloop of War took two Sloops near the Viny[ar]d without any reason. The p[eo]ple of the Eastwd mand out 2 Vessels, retook the Sloops, and carried them into Fairhaven in Dartmo[uth] 13th Inst. with 14 of Capt. Lindzees' hands, 3 of whom wounded w[ho]m w[i]th a Doctors mate they kept there and sent off the rest to Taunton. —
This afternoon a Train of above 90 Soldiers headed by Capt. [John] Topham and Capt. Tew marched from the Courthouse down the Parade and then thro' the main street &c. beating up for Volunteers for the American Army. This is their first public Appearance — Capt [James] Wallace and other Officers of the Man o' War dined on shore when the Train passed. The Tories were greatly mortified to see the daring Boldness of the Rebels as they called them. The Tories had said that the Men o' War would fire the Town if any Soldiers were raised in it. But there was no molestation.