Jeremy Belknap, whose History of New Hampshire was written some
years before its publication, and who was a contemporary and
friend of Sullivan and Langdon, gives us the following account,
which, in spite of criticisms upon it, will bear the closest
scrutiny, and is essentially accurate as are most of the accounts
of that first historian of New Hampshire.
Belknap's History of New Hampshire (1812), Vol, II, p. 288:
An order having been passed by the King in Council prohibiting
the exportation of gunpowder and other military stores to
America, a copy of it was brought by express to Portsmouth at a
time when a ship of war was daily expected from Boston with a
party of troops to take possession of Fort William and Mary, at
the entrance of the harbor. The committee of the town with all
possible secrecy and dispatch collected a company from that and
some of the neighboring towns ; and before the Governor had any
suspicion of their intentions, they proceeded to Newcastle and
assaulted the Fort. The Captain and his five men (which was the
whole garrison) were confined, and one hundred barrels of powder
were carried off. The next day another company went and removed
fifteen of the lightest cannon, and all the small arms, with some
other warlike stores, which they distributed in the several towns
under the care of the committees. Major John Sullivan and
Captain John Langdon distinguished themselves as leaders in this
affair. It was transacted with great expedition and alacrity,
and in the most fortunate point of time, just before the arrival
of the Scarboro [sic] frigate and Canseau sloop, with several companies
of soldiers, who took possession of the Fort and of the heavy
cannon which had not been removed.
The governor put the five men who belonged to the fort on
board the ship of war to be reserved as evidences in case of a
prosecution of the offenders for high treason ; and having
consulted council in this and the neighboring Province, thought
it his duty ; that he might prevent any charge of misprision of
treason against himself; to dismiss from public trust, all those
persons concerned in the assault of the fort, who had held any
office under the government and concerning whose proceedings he
had authentic testimony. He also issued a proclamation,
commanding all officers, civil and military, to assist in
detecting and securing the offenders and exhorting all the people
to beware of being seduced by the false arts and menaces of
abandoned men.