Volume 8
On our passage from New York hither, we retook a vessel bound to the West Indies, on board of which an American privateer had put ten hands, and ordered her for Boston. A Master's Mate and twelve hands were sent from us to her, and the Americans were brought back. The Mate had orders to follow us to Antigua; but two days after he lost sight of us in a gale of wind; three days afterwards he fell... Continue Reading
Date: 8 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The 12th February last I wrote You by the Killingsworth Hired Transport: Thomas Bowditch Master, who put into this Island in distress, and being Refitted I ordered her to proceed without loss of time to Deptford. I now transmit a Duplicate of the same, and in addition thereto, am also to desire You will be pleased to lay before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the accompanying Inclosures... Continue Reading
Date: 8 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
at present I have not prospect of Selling the Ship Paris, as there is So many prize Ships brought in here By the Americans & Sold for very Little, as good Ships as mine has been Sold for two hundred Johann[es] & that price will not do when considerd the price She Cost in America; have already purchas'd One hundred & thirty fire arms, Sev[e]n thousand Weight of Lead; thirty thousand... Continue Reading
Date: 8 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I wrote you this Morning and expected an answer I should be glad to know the reason why I am made a Prisoner. I came here as a Cartel suposed by the faith and Law of Nations, not to be violated, this I think a very great one; putting a Guard on board which has taken the Vessel into their possession ー I hold myself and the Crew your Prisoners and will not proceed till this matter is honorably and... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have in my hands a paragraph of a Letter from the hon William Ellery Esqr one of our Delegates in which he says Mr [Joseph] Vesey 2 has given a Scandalous Account of my behaviour on the 2nd January, by a Letter which he wrote to the Marine Committee in Respect to the affair of the Diamond Frigate when She was ashore to the Southward of Warwick Neck ー Should be glad if you will assist... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I receiv'd a Request from General [Joseph] Spencer to Stop any Intelligence from going to Newport by Water ー these are therefore to direct that the Sloop Providence immediately go down and Anchor in some convenient place this Side of Conimicutt point, and Stop all Boats or other Craft from passing without General Spencer's Order for it as late as this day ー it will be best to make her Men up to... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
You are hereby Requested to order your Barge mann'd and Equip'd, and put a good Officer in her, and Order her to reconnoitre down the River as far as they can do it with Safety, and make his Rendezvous onboard the Sloop Providence whenever he thinks proper ー She is to Stop any Boat or Craft that may be going down the River without General [Joseph] Spencer's Orders as late as this clay ー I am Sir... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
9th [March, 1777]: The greatest part of last night we have had a breeze from the southwest, this morning the sea is as smooth as a mill pond, not a breath of air to be felt on the deck, our course being all becalmed, but what is very remarkable, there is a considerable breeze aloft, all our upper sails being full and the vessel going three or two and a half knots thro the water, this is a... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have just received a Letter from Mr [William] Hooper by which I have the pleasure to find you had got safe to Baltimore before he left it . . . I have been informed Three Prizes have lately Arrived at Newbern, one of them it seems was bound from London to St Augustine and being maned chiefly by New England Men, the Crew took the Vessel from the Captain and brought her in to this State, it is... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
it is with Satisfaction that I Can acquaint you of my arrivel here on the Eighth Instant I have Done my utmost Endeavors for to get to the northward but it was not in my power the weather proved so Very Bad after I got as far to the nord as Hatterass I was obligd to Send of [stand off] as far as the Lattd of 28 and finally Got in here after being out thirty odd Days as the Vessel provd Very leaky... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have received your (Secret and Confidential) Letter of the 4th December last. And in pursuance of their Lordships, directions to give them the earliest information of what I may observe or learn concerning any Preparations making at the French Islands &ca I have thought it necessary to send home express His Majesty's Sloop Hawke.
At present the French have only three Frigates in these Seas... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I am to desire you will please to acquaint my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I have received your two Letters of the 14th November covering Intelligence from Lord George Germaine's Office: P Extracts of Letters his Lordship had received from Mr George Walker, and Lord Macartney.
In respect to the first That the American Rebels were meditating an Expedition against.the Island of... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Our ship has been detached with Captain Hammond [Andrew Snape Hamond], and his little squadron, to range the coast down as far as South Carolina, from whence we proceeded to this place to refit. Our first and most profitable station was off the Delaware, where we fell in with the Lexington, Capt. Hallock, of 16 guns, belonging to the Congress; but as it blowed extremely hard, we had only time to... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Gentlemen I take this oppertunity of Wrighting to Let you know of my Alive! [arrival] here. I arivd here the 8th feby times was Very dull Here when I Arrivd and Remain So Still I Sold my Lumber for 210 Livers and fish for 33/ thier is 5 Livers pr Ct Duties out of that: Warlike Stores is Very Scarse Except powder Small arms from 50 Livers to 100/ and Scarsely Aney to be Had Rushey [Russian] Duck... Continue Reading
Date: 9 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
March [1777]
Sunday. 9
Do [Halifax Lighthouse] N46.46Wt 49 Leags
Light Airs & foggy at 5 P M Saw the Land from NNE to NNW ½ past saw a sail to the No standing to the Wt ward Do gave Chase
Monday. 10
at 9 AM Brot too the Chase She provd to be a Schooner Belonging to Salem from Cape Nichola Mould (Hispaniaola) Laden with Molasses 2 Bore away for port Rosoway the prize in... Continue Reading
Date: 10 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The Court meets next Wednesday when it is generally thought the Embargo will be taken of[f] was we going to return I think we might get Liberty there is a Brigt Arriv'd here last Saturday from Cape Francois wh says Marketts in general was but indifferent Fish 30/ that the French sent all his Cargo down to Jamaica where every thing was very high he says that there had been a Privateer fitted out... Continue Reading
Date: 10 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The petition of John Bradford humbly Sheweth, that the petitioner, as Continental Agent, has Fitted the Schooner Lee with fifty men ー and ten Carrage Guns, for a Cruise Against the Enemy; and that Captain John Skimmer has the Command of her, But the Lee being Lately Commanded by Capt Daniel Waters, who has given her up, the petitioner prays the Honble Board to Grant a Commissn to John Skimmer for... Continue Reading
Date: 10 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The prize ship Venus, from Jamaica, ladened with rum, sugar, cotton, &c. taken by Capt. Pierce in a Providence privateer, was unfortunately cast away lately on Great Trip, Nantucket shoals: and the people, twenty-one in number, providentially saved their lives by taking to the boat.
We have authority to assure the public, that by some late arrivals from France, we have the strongest... Continue Reading
Date: 10 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
A Rebel Privateer Schooner, of 10 Guns, and 45 Men, has been brought in here since our last, by his Majesty's Ship the Amazon, Maximilian Jacobs, Esq; Commander: She was taken in the Sound dogging some Transports bound to the Eastward.
Date: 10 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
10th [March, 1777]: We kept during last night in shoal water, constantly heaving the lead and seldom finding more than 8 or 9 fathom, sailing about 2 or 3 mile an hour, the water very smooth, our upper sails drawing but our lower ones becalmed. In the morning the land appeared to be 6 or 8 mile off; about nine o'clock we perceived a little behind us a schooner which soon gave us chase. We crowded... Continue Reading
Date: 10 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
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