Related story: Sparking the Revolution

By Gerald M. Carbone
Journal Staff Writer

Former Sunday managing editor Tim Murphy does not have a poker face.

So, when I told him that I wanted 130 inches to write about American history, his face flashed skepticism. To his credit, he didn't kill the idea in its cradle. And he helped me pull it off.

I asked for the inches after I read the entire handwritten record of the torching of the HMS Gaspee in Rhode Island, compiled by the king's commissioners in 1773.

The commissioners did the reporting for me by interviewing witnesses, and sheriffs hired to deliver summonses, and the governor, and the victim. People in those days before video were very thorough with words, given to describing clothing, hair color and length, complexion, lighting. I loved reading that stuff.

In writing this story I was not using my own notes; rather, I was perusing notes written by other reporters. Somehow, my lack of investment in compiling the notes made it easier for me to objectively analyze the notes for the story.

While reading, I found myself really getting drawn into some of the subplots: The bickering between Rhode Island's governor and the English admiral; the tale of Aaron the slave (would the English give him safe harbor? Would the commissioners believe his tale?); the story of the guy who tried to rat out the Gaspee gang for a huge reward -- and nearly paid with his life.

These subplots infused humanity into the larger, historic tale of the burning of the ship, and I wanted to stitch them together.

So I did two things: I made a roster of the cast of characters, such as:

James Brenton: Accompanied sheriff on failed attempt to serve Capt. Lindzee papers for Aaron aboard the Beaver;

Capt. Keeler: Captain of the Mercury; delivered the proclamation; Montagu's intended proxy.

And I actually made an outline, one of the few times I've done that. This is the outline:

* LETTERs BETWEEN WANTON, DUDDINGSTON, AND J. MONTAGU to include Wanton's warning, the Famous Reid, and the Ft. George firing.

* REPAIRING DUDDINGSTON and burning the Gaspee

* KING GEORGE'S PROCLAMATION; HEAR `YE THE KING IS PISSED

* AARON'S TALE(S) bad blood continues; hearings delayed.

* JUST TRY AND COLLECT THAT 1,000 POUNDS depositions from Portsmouth

* THE COMMISSION'S CONCLUSIONS

The roster and the outline actually came in handy, particularly the outline. I found myself getting so deeply involved in the micro-details of each chapter that when I reached a chapter's end I couldn't remember how it was supposed to fit into the whole. Then I'd just look at my outline to remember why this led to that, which helped me resume writing a new scene.

It was neat.