yrics of Gaspee song kept raiders secret L

By KELLY SULLIVAN

In 1845, 47-year-old Providence judge and historian William Read Staples authored a book entitled “Documentary History of the Destruction of the Gaspee.” In the book, Staples included the lyrics to a song which had been written around 1773 about the previous year’s torching of the schooner. Allegedly, the tune had been very popular, sung all over town in the years that followed the Gaspee affair. Staples noted in the book that “the name of the author of this song is lost.”

In 1881, Wilfred Harold Munro authored the book “History of Bristol, RI.” The 32-year- old, who would become a history professor at Brown University as well as president of the RI Historical Society, reprinted the song, attributing it “to Capt. Thomas Swan of Bristol, who is supposed to have been one of the participants of the affair.” Although there is still mystery surrounding the events and participants of that historic evening, its commonly believed that Swan had been present after arriving in a boat with others from Bristol, all costumed in Native American garb.

In the possession of the RI Historical Society is an old printed copy of the song which lacks any attribution to an author. The words “Theodore Foster’s” have been handwritten at the top. At the bottom, some long ago person has written “If I remember, Swan was the author of the above – one of the sixty-four.” Also handwritten at the bottom are the words “Presented to the RI Historical Society by John Herreshoff.”

The name Theodore Foster (1752-1828) is that of a RI lawyer and politician who was also believed to have played a role in the burning of the Gaspee. It was around his death in 1828 when the printed song was first discovered among his personal papers and placed in the custody of the RI Historical Society. Sometime after 1837, the song was stolen from the archives.

The name John Brown Herreshoff (18411915) is that of a famous RI yacht builder and the president of Herreshoff Yacht Company. His great-grandfather was John Brown, the man believed to have been the ringleader of the Gaspee’s destruction. The printed song eventually ended up in Herreshoff’s possession and he later donated it back to the Society, the single sheet of aged paper seemingly having made its way through the hands of varied Gaspee patriots and their descendants.

The same year Herreshoff died, Emma Frances (Swan) Cottrell of Bristol was going through the effects of her father Samuel Osborn Swan who had died in 1905. Among his documents was a manuscript copy of the song. On the back of the manuscript, Samuel’s father Samuel (1801-1863) had written a note explaining that his own grandfather, Thomas Swan (1749-1805) had taken part in destroying the Gaspee and had written the song.

Five years after supplying much needed pieces to the puzzle that had stumped historians for years, Emma Swan died at the age of 59. She had been incinerating rubbish in her yard when her clothing became ignited and caused fatal burns over her entire body.

Did Thomas Swan pen the lyrics of the Gaspee song and have copies printed for each of the 46 raiders, omitting his name to avoid persecution and prosecution? According to the lyrics, even the utmost skill will never divulge the names of the patriots. Over the last 251 years, only 38 of “the sixty-four” have been unmasked.

The words to the song were as follows:

‘Twas in the reign of George the Third, our public peace was much disturbed By ships of war that came and laid within our ports to stop the trade In seventeen hundred seventy-two, in Newport Harbor lay a crew That played the part of pirates there, the sons of freeman could not bear Sometimes they'd weigh and give them chase, such actions sure were very base No honest coaster could pass by, but what they would let some shot fly Which did provoke to high degree those true-born sons of liberty So that they could no longer bear those sons of Belial standing there But 'twas not long 'fore it fell out, that William Duddingston, so stout Commander of the Gaspee tender (which he has reason to remember Because as people do assert, he almost had his just dessert) Here on the tenth day of last June, betwixt the hour of twelve and one Did chase the sloop called the "Hannah", of whom was Lindsey was commander They dogged her up to Providence Sound and there the rascal got aground The news it flew that very day that they on Namquit Point did lay That night about half after two, a "Narragansett Indian" crew? Being sixty-four if I remember, did make this stout coxcomb surrender And what was best of all their tricks, they in his britch a ball did fix They set the men upon the land and burned her up we understand Which thing provoked the King so high, he said "Those men shall surely die" So if he could but find them out, the hangman he'd employ no doubt For he's declared in his passion, he'll have them tried in a new fashion

Now for to find these people out that wounded William Duddingston

One thousand more he says he'll spare for those who say the sheriffs were Five thousand more there doth remain to just find out the leader's name He'll give one hundred pounds per man for every one of all that clan But let him use his utmost skill to find their names, he never will He cannot tempt those hearts of gold if he should offer fifty fold…”