Affidavit by Nathan Wood

Page v2:79

Wilmington Borough, ss.

Personally appeared before me, John McKinley, Esq., Chief Burgess of said Borough, Nathan Wood, who, being solemnly affirmed, doth declare and say, that he was lately a passenger on board George Taylor' s Shallop, at the time when, on her passage from this Borough to Philadelphia, she was brought to by a party belonging to the King' s armed Schooner Diana, Captain Graves commander; that on coming on board the Shallop, an Officer asked what was on board, and being answered by Taylor, only Rum and Limes, and the Officer demanding proper papers, Taylor immediately produced them. The hatch was then opened, and the hogsheads counted and compared, which agreeing with the papers, the Officer asked further, whether Taylor had not something more on board, or in the cabin, and in a very scoffing manner inquired whether he had not some Teas; Taylor replied, he was welcome to go into the cabin and see himself, assuring him at the same time that nothing was on board besides the Rum and Limes. Then the Officer and two Sailors went into the cabin and stayed some time, on which Taylor went to the cabin door and looked in; the Officer asked what he wanted; Taylor replied, I did not know there was any body in the cabin but you. The Officer then got into a violent rage, cursing and swearing in the most dreadful manner, and coming upon deck used many horrid imprecations and threats against Taylor, that he would kick him overboard, &c., for suspecting the King' s men, and still vaunting that he was a King' s Officer, at the same time striking and wounding Taylor, so that the deck was prodigiously besmeared with his blood. And this affirmant farther saith, that Taylor gave not the least provocation, but, on the contrary, both in his words and behaviour, showed the greatest respect and submission, and never resisted or attempted to touch the Officer. The Shallop coming abreast the Schooner, the Officer told Captain Graves, who was walking on the quarter-deck of the Schooner, that "this fellow has Limes and Rum on board;" whereupon the Captain immediately got into the boat with several sailors, came on board the Shallop, and, without any examination, highly approved of the conduct of the Officer in beating Taylor, (who, at that time, was leaning bleeding violently in the cockpit,) and said that if he had been on board he would have given him twice as much, and threatened to kick his teeth down his throat, and to take him on board the Schooner, and there to tie him up and whip him. The Captain then ordered four men into the boat to tow the Shallop along-side the Schooner, which had then drifted a small distance astern, but finding they could not tow her against the wind and tide, the anchor was ordered out; and the Captain asking for the papers, they were handed to him, and he having examined and found them authentick, ordered Taylor to go about his business, after having been detained nearly an hour and a half. And further this affirmant saith not.

NATHAN WOOD.
Affirmed this 1st day of April, 1775, before
JOHN McKINLEY.

Affidavit by Nathan Wood. [1775-04-01] Wood, Nathan; McKinley, John. [S4-V2-p0079] [Document Details][Complete Volume]