Changes

==The incident==

==The incident==

One night when the ''Gaspee'' lay hard aground, a band of Providence residents rowed out to confront the officers and crew.  Before the break of dawn, Lieutenant Dudingston was shot and His Majesty’s vessel burned to the waterline.   

One night when the ''Gaspee'' lay hard aground, members of the [[Sons of Liberty]]<ref>[http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/1772-gaspee-affair-rhode-islands-tea-party-ship-burned/ The 1772 Gaspee Affair, Rhode Island’s Own Tea Party (But the Ship Burned), Part 1]</ref>, led by John Brown and Abraham Whipple, rowed out to confront the officers and crew.  Before the break of dawn, Lieutenant Dudingston was shot and His Majesty’s vessel burned to the waterline.   

   

   

Previous attacks on naval vessels had gone unpunished.  In one case a customs yacht was actually destroyed (also by fire) with no administrative response.  But in 1772 the Admiralty would not ignore the destruction of one of its military vessels on station.  The American Department consulted the Solicitor and Attorney Generals who investigated and advised the Privy Council on the legal and constitutional punitive options available to them.  The Crown turned to a centuries-old institution to investigate, the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Previous attacks on naval vessels had gone unpunished.  In one case a customs yacht was actually destroyed (also by fire) with no administrative response.  But in 1772 the Admiralty would not ignore the destruction of one of its military vessels on station.  The American Department consulted the Solicitor and Attorney Generals who investigated and advised the Privy Council on the legal and constitutional punitive options available to them.  The Crown turned to a centuries-old institution to investigate, the Royal Commission of Inquiry.