Deposition of John Tucker, Jeremiah Robinson, Elisha Robinson and Ebenezer Meigs

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We, the subscribers, testify and say, that on the 29th day of May, 1775, Captain Linsey, commander of a ship-of-war, then at Tarpaulin Cove, came with a number of armed men and landed on one of the Elizabeth Islands, called Reskatemeth, and came to the place where the men that owned part of the stock on said island were shearing their sheep, and demanded the sheep, saying and promising that he would pay for them, and give the full value of the sheep, or words to that purpose; but the owners of said sheep told him that they were unwilling to part with them, but if he would take them, they should not molest him, as most of the owners of the sheep were of the people called Quakers, and that they would not be concerned in defending themselves or their interest by force of arms, but would treat him with civility; but said Captain, with his men, took said sheep, and carried them away, some shorn, and many not shorn. The sheep were hurried away in such a manner that we could not take an account of the numbers with exactness, but according to the best of our judgment, the numbers and value of the sheep are as follow, viz:

Took from Joseph Tucker and Sons ninety-three sheep, value £68 8s˙, lawful money; took from Jeremiah Robinson, seventeen sheep, value £12 4s, 10d˙, lawful money; took from William and Elisha Robinson twenty-four sheep, value £14 8s˙, lawful money; took from Ebenezer Meiggs seventy-two sheep, value £51 15s˙ 6d˙, lawful money.

JOHN TUCKER,
ELISHA ROBINSON,
HEREMIAH ROBINSON,
EBENEZER MEIGGS.

BARNSTABLE, ss˙, May 31, 1775:

Then the above named Ebenezer Meiggs made oath to the truth of the above written, by him subscribed, and the above named John Tucker, Jeremiah Robinson, and

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Before me:
THOMAS SMITH,
Justice of the Peace.