January 1778 Sunday 11
Moor'd as before. [in Rhode Island Harbor] [AM] empd: receiving a new Cable from the Grampus, and 10 Punchns of Bread from one of the Victuallers. Moor'd as before. [in Rhode Island Harbor] First part modt: & fair Wr: middle & latter parts strong Gales & Squally with Snow, and Rain, at 3 PM weigh'd our small Br: Anchor in order to see it was clear, when in endeavoring to clear it, we drove alongside of the Chatham, at 6 PM got clear, & recd: orders from Lord Howe to get under Way, the Advance Ships firing Signal Guns as an Alarm to prevent some Rebel Vessels from making their Escape out of the River, at 10 slip'd our Cable ⅌ Signl: from the Eagle, & came to Sail, at ½ past 10 saw a Sail & gave Chace, fir'd a Number of Guns with round & Grape & small Arms at the Chace,1
Monday 12
at 2 AM run her on Shore near Stoney Town,2 Tack'd Ship & stood to the Eastwd: at 7 AM saw the Chace (which was an arm'd Brigg)3 within some Breakers & another arm'd Vessel within her,4 at 8 saw 2 Sail5 to the Eastwd: gave Chace, at 10 they ran ashore under a Fort on Point Judith, which fir'd at us, Tack'd Ship. after returning them a few Guns. [off Point Judith, R.I.] Modt: & clear Wr: at 6 PM abreast of Secunnet Passage, stood off & on all Night
D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/1017, fol. 230.
1. Probably, sloop Hawke, Stutely Williams, master, 30 tons burthen, mounting no guns, with a crew of 7 seamen, bound from New London to South Carolina, with 2 hogsheads of fish, which cleared from Providence on 31 Dec. 1777. R-Ar, Maritime Papers, Outward and Inward Entries, 1776-87, p. 60
2. Stonington, Conn.
3. Brigantine Industry, Isaac Field, master, 30 tons burthen, mounting 4 guns, with a crew of 12 seamen, bound for South Carolina, with 52 barrels of cider, which cleared from Providence on 3 Jan. R-Ar, Maritime Papers, Outward and Inward Entries, 1776-87, p. 61.
4. Possibly, brigantine Britania, Josiah Haynes, master, 40 tons burthen, mounting no guns, with a crew of 7 seamen, bound for Surinam, with 60 hogsheads of tobacco, 1,500 feet of pine boards, 3,000 hoops and 92 shaken casks, which cleared from Providence on 22 Dec. 1777. R-Ar, Maritime Papers, Outward and Inward Entries, 1776-87, p. 61.
5. Probably, sloop Sally, Daniel Aborn, master, 20 tons burthen, mounting no guns, with a crew of 6 seamen, bound for St. Croix, with 20,000 hoops and boards, 500 red oak staves, &c., which cleared from Providence on 3 Jan., and brigantine Sally, John Voce, master, 50 tons burthen, mounting no guns, with a crew of 5 seamen, bound for South Carolina, with 23,000 feet pine boards, which cleared from Providence on 5 Jan. R-Ar, Maritime Papers, Outward and Inward Entries, 1776-87, p. 61.
