New-London, September 26.
Last Monday [September 22] a Fleet of twenty-one Sail of Shipping came out of Gardiner's Bay, and went down the Sound, bound to Newport, among which was 7 or 8 Ships.
The same Day a Ship,1 burthen about 200 Tons, Prize to Capt. Conklin [Joseph Conkling], arrived at Stonington: She was from the Bay of Honduras, bound to England; we hear she has 75,000 Feet of Mahogany and 30 Tons of Logwood on Board.
About an hour after the above Prize came to Anchor, Captain Conklin, (who was bound in) was chased by a Man of War and a Schooner of 12 Guns,2 belonging to the above Fleet; when the latter endeavouring to take a short Course and cut off Capt. Conklin from the Land, ran on Watch Hill-Reef, at about a Mile Distance from Capt. Conklin, who came to Anchor within Watch-Point; — a brisk Fire was kept up between the two Vessels for several Hours; — the Man of War came to Anchor just without the Schooner, in Order to protect her from Capt. Conklin. The Schooner remained in this Situation till the next Morning, when their People set her on Fire in the Hold, and were directly taken off in the Man of War's Boat. Several Articles were brought out of her by a Boat that went on board soon after she was quitted by her People; but the Boat tarried only a few Minutes, and immediately after they left her, the Magazine taking Fire, she blew up. Her Guns, it is said, will all be saved.3 One Man was found dead by the Side of the Vessel. Capt. Conklin received no Damage.
1. Amherst, Jacob Loran, master, was tried in New London County Maritime Court on November 4, 1777, Connecticut Gazette, October 10, 1777, and was ordered to be sold at Stonington on November 18, 1777, Connecticut Gazette, November 7,1777.
2. Conkling in the Connecticut privateer sloop Revenge was chased by H.M.S. Cerberus and armed schooner Admiral Parker, Newport Gazette, September 25,1777.
3. "All the guns which belonged to the Schooner, mentioned in our last to be burnt at Watch Hill-Reef, are saved together with her anchors, a number of neat small-arms, &c." Connecticut Gazette, October 3, 1777.