[16] On 31 March 1781, a British ship off Halifax, Nova Scotia captured Captain Amos Potter of the American privateer Resolution (6 guns, 25 men), while his crew escaped.

Over the next hours, the privateers rounded up the militia, under the command of John Ritchie and lieutenant-colonel Phineas Lovett, and disarmed and imprisoned them.

The privateers then pillaged the valuables from the whole town, taking silverware, provisions, furniture, bedding, clothing and so forth.

[24] They retreated to Goat Island and took prisoner both Thomas Williams, the senior ordinance storekeeper and commissary of provisions to the garrison at Fort Anne (and grandfather of Sir Fenwick Williams),[25] and John Ritchie who the Boston Gazette referred to as the "Governor of Annapolis.

[33] The Buckram rescued Captain Mowatt who was being chased by the American privateer close to Goat Island.