Nathanial Freeman
to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress1
Honble Gentlemen. in consequence of Complaint made to the Committee of correspondence of the Town of Sandwich by Messrs Simeon Wing and Jesse Barlow we have thought it advisable to represent to your Honours the circumstances of their Vessels being taken by Capt [John] Linsey of the Falcon & retaken by a Schooner from Dartmouth under command of Capt [Daniel] Egery, and to beg some advice and order of the Congress may be passed concerning it.
Mr. Wings Vessel commanded by his Son Thomas Wing has been ply'd as a wood Boat to carry wood to Nantucket from Sandwich for some years past and it hath been the usual practice for them to settle with the Custom House once a year the Officer of whom always gave them their Choice of paying twelve pence pr tripp on the whole at the years end and this hath been we find up[on] examining the Common practice with other vessels who have followed the same business at the same place — upon Capt Wings returning from Nantucket through the Vineyard Sound His Sloop was taken by a Barge from sd Capt Lindsey an indian Fellow on board of Wing informd Capt Lindsey of sd Barlows Vessel which had run in Cargo lately from the West Indies and was laden with Provisions in Buzzards Bay Bound thither again as he said Capt Lindsey employed Capt wings vessel putting 14 men on. board to proceed up the Bay and take sd Barlows vessel, which they carried off The master of this latter Vessel was taken with Wing being then on Board as a passenger, so that both vessels with all the Crew passengers &c were taken & proceeding to the Cove to Capt Lindsey — Mr Barlow made application to some people at Dartmouth who went with a Sloop one half of which Barlow ventured & took both Vessels and men with their arms &c and carried them into Dartmouth Messrs Wing & Barlow applyd to the Dartmouth People who took the vessels for them again the People offer'd them their vessels upon Wing paying them Eight Dollars and Barlows paying 10 Dollars, with which they complyd & Wing paid the money after which the Dartmouth people detained the Vessels till the Orders of Congress could be known, and now refuse to deliver up sd Vessels without Wing & Barlows paying 45 Dollars and giving Bond of a very extraordinary nature to indemnify sd Dartmouth People &c these are a true state of facts as nearly as we after examination of sd Wing & Barlow can ascertain and the sd Wing & Barlow thinking they ought to have their Vessels again without further difficulty desire the Committee of Correspondence of this town to lay the matter before you and pray your Orders hereon to which they profess their readiness to submit to & acquiesce in. We are your Honours [&c] the Committee of Sandwich.