[Frigate Boston at sea]
Remarks on Thursday the 19th of Febry—1778
This 24 hours begins Very Pleasent & a Prosperous gale WNW my people Employd Clearing Ship & other necessary Duty att 6 AM Saw three Large Ships bearing East they Standing to the Northward I mistrusted they where a Cruzeing for me I hauld my wind to the Southward found they did not Persue I then Consulted my Offercers to Stand to the Northward after them we agreed in opinions Wore Ship Run one hour to the Northward then I Discoverd that one was a Ship Not Less than ourselfs one out of Sight to the Northward & the other appeared to me and offercers to be a twenty gun Ship1 the man att the mast head Cauld out a Ship on the weather Quarter—att that time the other two Under our Lee and Under Short Sail I then Consultted the HonbIe John Addams Esqr and my offercers what was best to do not knowing how my Ship may Sail one and all Consented to Stand to the Southward from them att 10 AM I then wore Ship to the Southward and Stood from them the two that were Under my Lee before I wore; Immediately wore and Stood affter me att 12 on Meridian Lost Sigh[t] of the Small Ship2 and the other3 was about three Leagues Under my Lee Quarter So Ends this 24 hours—
Lattd by OBs 41d:28m N
D, MH-H, Samuel Tucker Papers (fMS Am 812), vol. 6 (Log Book of Boston).
1. H.M. frigates Apollo (32 guns) and Mermaid (28 guns) and the prize ship Felicité. See Journal of H.M.S. Apollo, 19 Feb., below.
2. Prize ship Felicité.
3. H.M.S. Apollo.