Account of the destruction of the British armed sloop Liberty at Newport, Rhode Island (RLC.Ms.591)

This collection includes an anonymous letter, dated July 21, 1769, written to Benjamin Edes (1732-1803) and John Gill (1732-1825), printers of the Boston Gazette. This letter describes the destruction of the Sloop Liberty by the townspeople and makes plain the high tensions that preceded the American Revolution. At the head of the letter: "Please to insert the following in your next Gazette and you'll oblige." This letter was not published in the Boston Gazette and was most likely returned to its writer. Also included in this collection are a typewritten transcription of the letter and commentary regarding the historic event described within the letter.

According to an article published in Newport history in Spring 1976, it was suggested that this letter was actually written by William Ellery (1727-1820), signer of the Declaration of Independence for Rhode Island.