s no bloodshed. The crew of the "Liberty" was fairly surprised, and
made no resistance. The victorious citizens cut the sloop's cables,
and allowed her to float on shore near Long Wharf. Then, feeling sure
that their prey could not escape them, they cut away her masts,
liberated their captives, and taking the sloop's boats, dragged them
through the streets to the common, where they were burned on a
triumphal bonfire, amid the cheers of the populace.

But the exploit was not to end here. With the high tide the next day,
the hulk of the sloop floated away, and drifted ashore again on Goat
Island. When night fell, some adventurous spirits stealthily went
over, and, applying the torch to the stranded ship, burned it to the
water's edge. Thus did the people of Newport resist tyranny.

It may well be imagined that so bold a defiance of the royal authority
caused a great sensation. Prolonged and vigorous were the attempts of
the servants of the king to find out the rebellious parties who had
thus destroyed his Majesty's property. But their efforts were in vain.
The identity of the captors of the "Liberty" was carefully concealed,
and even to this day none of their names has become known. But, before
the people of Newport had done talking about this affair, another
outbreak occurred, which cast the capture and destruction of the
"Liberty" into the shade.

This was the affair of the "Gaspee,"--considered by many historians
the virtual opening of the revolutionary struggle of the Colonies
against Great Britain. The "Gaspee," like the "St. John" and the
"Liberty," was an armed vessel stationed in Narragansett Bay to
enforce the revenue. She was commanded by Lieut. Dudingston of the
British navy, and carried eight guns. By pursuing the usual tactics of
the British officers stationed on the American coast, Duddingston had
made himself hated; and his vessel was marked for destruction. Not a
boat could pass between Providence and Newport without being subjected
to search by the crew of the "Gaspee;" and the Yankee sailors swore
darkly, that, when the time was ripe, they would put an end to the
Britisher's officious meddling.

The propitious time arrived one bright June morning in the year 1772,
when the "Gaspee" gave chase to a Newport packet which was scudding
for Providence, under the command of Capt. Thomas Lindsey. The armed
vessel was a clean-cut little craft, and, carrying no heavier load
than a few light guns of the calibre