For several years, some residents of Falmouth had protested British policy with Stamp Act riots and by stopping sugar shipments. The town voted to support the nonimportation boycott against British goods.
Falmouth's location on the coast made it vulnerable to British attack, so town officials were cautious about how active they wanted to be in protesting British policies.
But not everyone supported that position. Samuel Thompson and his Brunswick militia invaded Falmouth in May 1775, and took a hostage -- Lt. Henry Mowat, commanding officer of the British man-of-war, the Canceaux.
This letter from Jedediah Preble, representative of the Committee of Correspondence, to the Provicial Congress discussed the kidnapping on May 14, 1775 and Mowatt's release.
Both sides remembered the incident and neither was satisfied with the outcome.
