Volume 9
Your much Esteemd favr I Recd by post, I find you did not enjoy the pleasing sensations that the Capturing the Fox occasiond so long as I did, for till last evg we in general thought she was not recaptured, I fully Join in Sentiment with you it had been prudent &Right in them to have come in with their Prize your reasons are the most Cogent for it, however its too late to mend, And as you... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
[Rhode Island] 24th July A Deserter who came in two days ago from Providence, reports that the Rebel Frigate Warren, Captain Whipple, having her full Complement of Men, Guns, & Stores, on board, intends to come down the first fair wind, in order to proceed to Sea. She is to be accompanied by a Brig of 14 Guns, two Callies, and a Fire ship. Three or four vessels appear at anchor near her at... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Yours of the 17th Ulto P. Capt [Samuel] Chew came to hand (and as I Expected) you Consider that I was not Authoriz'd by your former orders to buy a Brigtn Eight Months after without first Consulting you on that head —
The Case was Just this, I was Determin'd that so Good a Man as Capt Chew should not Remain Un Employ'd, and if you would not let him have a Vessell, I would let him have one on my... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Proceeded on our Voyage, the Wind fair, but light. In the Evening opposite to Little Egg Harbor. From this Time to Wednesday 29th, when we arrived off the Mouth of the Delaware, we had every Variety of good & bad Weather. The Transports, with the poor Soldiers, were tossed about exceedingly, & exposed at times to much Danger in running foul of each other. — When we arrived here, Capt.... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
We should have sailed this day had it not been for an alarm we had yesterday, which diverted the peoples attention from work: — About one o'clock we heard a smart firing of cannon, and soon after were informed that several vessels were off the beach, about four miles to the Southward of this place; we immediately mustered all hands, 15 in number, and marched with as much expedition as possible;... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Ordered that Capt Wright Westcott deliver from on Board the Sloop Scorpion to Capt Francis Bright for the use of the Brig Northampton the following Articles, to wit, twenty four half pikes, five round Grape shot ready made up, two Iron Crows, Copper Measures, eight Powder Horns, 20 Blocks, Boarding Graplins, four Lanthorns, Ladles & Tormentors, One Coil of Ratling, one pair of Steelyards, one... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
July 1777
Thursday 24th
Cape Henry SbE Willobys Point WbS
at 7 AM saw a Sail to the SSE, Weigh'd & gave Chace, at 8 AM the Thames in Chace, at 9 clean'd between Decks & left off Chace, not being able to work out of the Bay, against the Flood Tide, sent the Barge out after the Chace. Ditto Wear, at 2 PM saw a Strange Sail to the ESE, she made a Signal, and we answered it, at 6 PM came... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I beg leave to acquaint their Lordships that this comes by His Majesty's Ship Boreas, Captn Thompson, who with the Ostrich Captain [Peter]. Rainier is to proceed to England with the Trade from this Island, & to sail from Bluefields the 1st day of August together with the Hornet who is to go such a distance to strengthen the Convoy.
I have receiv'd your Letter of the 7th May by His Majesty's... Continue Reading
Date: 24 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
July 1777
Friday 25
At Single Anchor in Louisburgh Harbour
at Noon upon seeing a Sail in the Offing made a Signal for the Captain who was on Shore.
Fresh Gales with Hard Squalls at times, at 1 P: M: weighed and came to Sail & gave Chace fter the Sail in the Offing, Set Studding sails, discovered the Sail to be a Ship with long Royal Masts, and Royals, which made us imagine her to be a... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I am inform'd that two of the Prisoners Late belonging to the Fox which I forwarded her by Land from Wichcassett last week have been Negligently left behind in this place. —
I cannot help Expressing my astonishment on this Occasion at the conduct of those Gentlemen who had the care of the Prisoners —
Were our poor Countrymen who unfortunately fall into the hands of the Enemy no better guarded or... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
[Extract]
. . . Sunday last, We were alarmed at the Appearance of twenty four Sail of the Enemy's Ships, passing from N York thro' the Sound, & Showing themselves as standing for Fairfield, & in like manner at sundry other Places. — Capt [Robert] Niles in our Armed Schooner Spy, who was Ordered out for Discovery, was chased into New London Harbour. several Broad Sides with other random... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
It appears that the Maria and Carleton are sufficient for the Security of the Lake, and that all the other Ships shou'd be, disarmed and employed only as Shipsas burthen.
That four Tenders should be kept Armed for cruizing in. the Lake particularly on the East Shore, to examine the Bays, Creeks & Rivers, and prevent any Canoes or Batteaux from appearing in the Lake without Examination and... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Mr. Platt, from the committee to whom was referred the letters from the Captains Grenell and Hodge on the subject of appointing officers for the Continental frigates Congress and Montgomerie, reported a draft of a letter to the marine committee, which was read and approved, and is as follows, vizt:
Gentlemen — I am directed by the Council of Safety to inform you that your letter of the twenty-... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
This will inform you, the Enemys Fleet saild from the Hook this 23d inst in Consequence of which Genl Sullivan's & Lord Stirlings Divisions cross'd the North River by Genl Washington's Order, for Philadelphia this morning — But I must Confess I expect them back again.
The Enemy's Conduct is exceedingly Embarrassing to us. —They have for two weeks past been Collecting all the Seamen that have... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
July 1777
Thursday 24
Phillips borough ESE ¼ a Mile
at 9 A.M. the Boat Retd by which we receiv'd the fol lowing Provisns viz Bread 2 Casks Rum 1 Butter 2 Firkins receiv'd a New Deck Takle Talld at IO A.M. fired 2 four Pounders with round and Grape at a Party of Rebles at Phillips Burrough
Light Breezes and vble at 6 P.M. Weigh'd and row'd up the River at 10 P.M. Anchd with the Best Bower in... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . .The amazing advantage the Enemy derive from their Ships and the Command of the Water; keeps us in a State of constant perplexity and the most anxious conjecture. We are not yet informed of their destination, nor can any plausible conclusions be drawn respecting It — at least, not such as appear satisfactory. What renders the matter still more difficult & confused, is their extreme... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
The Marine Committee having represented that the extravagant prices now demanded for all kinds of materials used in ship-building, and the enormous wages required by tradesmen and labourers, render the building of the ships of war already ordered by Congress not only excessively expensive, but also difficult to be accomplished at this time, and that it appears, by information lately received,... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
On Friday between the hours of one and two o'clock, P.M. came to my house Miles Henry and William Dodge, formerly belonging to the Roebuck, and made the following report from due examination, viz. They came into Carson's [Corson] Inlet, situate between the Five Miles Beach and Peck's Beach, about sunrise, on Friday, and put into a small creek, by the name of Heake Fish, putting in at the west end... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I was Honoured with Your Lordships Letters by the Otter Yesterday, and sent Her of Smiths Island, and directed Captain Howe to join Me, and by his representation of the State his Ship is in,2 I am under the disagreeable necessity of sending Her away. His own Ill state of health, his second Lieut being absent, twenty Men at the Hospital, Forty Nine Sick on board, Seventeen short of... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Sir/ You will receive by Capt [Wright] Westcott [blank] lb Twine which is all we can send at present. There s a Quantity of Duck lately arrived at So Quay that we expect in Town every day out of which we intend to supply you with Topsails and shall send it up by the first Opportunity. — We have not as yet appointed a Lieutenant to your Ship hut shall do it as soon as we have a full. Board which... Continue Reading
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Pages
