oard their ship, disabled the English
vessel, and then dismissed her. Within a few days she was taken by two
British letters-of-marque, and headed for New York. During her passage
thither she was re-captured by the "Hazard" and "Tyrannicide," armed
vessels in the service of Massachusetts, and taken into the port of
Boston. By direction of the Board of War she was ordered into the
charge of Capt. Johnson, and was unloaded on the 21st of June. The
Board of War reported to the Legislature that there were thirty-four
Negroes "taken on the high seas and brought into the state." On the
23d of June [1780] the Legislature ordered "that Gen. Lovell, Capt.
Adams, and Mr. Cranch, be a committee to consider what is proper to be
done with a number of negroes brought into port in the prize ship
called the[594] Lady Gage."[595] On the 24th of June, "the committee
appointed to take into consideration the state and circumstances of a
number of negroes lately brought into the port of Boston, reported a
resolve directing the Board of War to inform our delegates in Congress
of the state of facts relative to them, to put them into the barracks
on Castle Island, and cause them to be supplied and employed."[596]
The resolve passed without opposition.

"CLXXX. _Resolve on the Representation of the Board of War
respecting a number of negroes captured and brought into
this State_. Passed June 24, 1779.

"On the representation made to this Court by the Board of
War respecting a number of negroes brought into the Port of
Boston, on board the Prize Ship Victoria:

"_Resolved_, that the Board of War be and they are hereby
directed forthwith to write to our Delegates in Congress,
informing them of the State of Facts relating to said
Negroes, requesting them to give information thereof to the
Delegates from the State of _South Carolina_, that so proper
measures may be taken for the return of said Negroes,
agreeable to their desire.

"And it is further _Resolved_, that the Board of War be and
they hereby are directed to put the said Negroes, in the
mean time, into the barracks on Castle Island in the Harbor
of Boston, and cause them to be supplied with such
Provision and Clothing as shall be necessary for their
comfortable support, putting them under the care and
direction of some Prudent person or Persons, whose business
it shall be to see th