European Theatre from June 1, 1777, to September 30, 1777
I have the honor to inform you that having 44 Barrels of oil, 19 Slabs of marble, 5000 Packages of figs, 25 thousand of Soap and 2000 olives to put in oil, on board,2 I had gone to take the vessel out of the Harbor and to go and anchor in a roadstead a league from here, where I was planning in two days to take the remainder on board, but at the moment when we were casting off M.... Continue Reading
Date: 30 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
In consequence of the intelligence of the number of ships taken lately by three American privateers on our coasts, as mentioned in the Cumberland Packet [inserted in our last],2 a general meeting of the Merchants of Whitehaven has been held, when a petition was drawn up and sent off to the Lords of the Admiralty, requesting a vessel of force to be stationed in the channel in order to... Continue Reading
Date: 1 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I think it my Duty to transmit to your Lordship the following Intelligence.
About half an hour ago a Vessel arrived here from St Malo, the Master is with me and sais he left here [there] two Privatiers one of 16. Guns & a Cutter, they give it out there that they have taken 16. Prizes and sunk four Colliers, after taking out their Men — further says that they were chased by one of our Men of... Continue Reading
Date: 1 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have received this instant the good news that l'Amphitrite, after a tedious passage of 85 Days, has arrived at Portsmouth 17 leagues to the north of Boston. The whole Crew was pushed to the brink of their strength and courage. They are now well. It is Capt. Heraud, commanding l'Mercure, and arrived from Boston in 23 Days who posted this good news on the 28th June on his arrival at Nantes.
Le... Continue Reading
Date: 1 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Mr Montaudouin set of[f] this Morning with my Letters relative to the Captures made by Capts Weeks Johnson & Nicholson Since which the prize master who has come in here has arrived to town2 there is but one prize arrived at painbeof & her Cargo is not known her papers being distroyed she has Cork & hides betwen Decks but we are yet unacquainted with what is in her Lower... Continue Reading
Date: 1 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
As to publick news you will hardly believe me when I tell you, but I assure you it is an absolute fact, that, within these ten days, two American privateers have taken no less than nine merchants ships in our bay, and that too within view of the people on shore, who not only heard the report, but even sometimes saw the fire of their cannon.
Date: 2 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Capt. R. and myself are just returned from our Tour to the Coast of France. — In our Passage to Guernsey we fell in with a Rebel Privateer of 12 Guns and IOSwivels. We were in Mr. Tucker's Yacht of this place with four Men only. As soon as the Enemy came within Gun-shot, she poured in a Broadside on us; one of the Shot struck a Bowl of Punch out of Capt. R.'s Hand, went through the Flap of my... Continue Reading
Date: 2 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I am sorry to inform Your Lordship, that the Mercury a French Ship just arrived from Boston has brought certain Advice of the safe Arrival of the Amphitrite: She reached Portsmouth in New England the 30th of April. It is said that these two Ships the Amphitrite and Mercury, had on hoard no less than thirty thousand Stand of Arms four hundred Tun of Gun Powder, five thousand Tents, and sixty four... Continue Reading
Date: 2 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
July 1777
Wednes 2d
Cape Ortigal S20W 15 Leas
at 8 a SI to the Swd set Miz Top SI & Gave Chace read the articles of War & Punished 2 Men for Fighting —
First Part Fresh Breazes & Clear W: Latter Light Breazes & Hazey W. ½ past 4 PM Fired a Shot and brought too the Ship 3 Friends Robt Cook Master from So. Carolina to Nantz 2 Took Possession of her
Date: 2 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Admiralty Office
3d July 1777.
Abstract of Advices lately received respecting Privatiers which have gitted out or refitted, in the Ports of France; or which have arrived at, or sailed from, some of those ports.
Dates of the Advices
From Whom reced
Nature of the Advices
5 May 1777
Sr Stanr Porten
That one Cunningham had sailed from Dunkirk in an Irish Wherry of 100 Tons... Continue Reading
Date: 3 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
(Copy)
I was at Martinique from the 21st of April to the 6th of May, I had heard before I went there much of the protection given by the French at that Island to the American Privateers; and was astonished to find that there had been no exaggeration in the Reports.
Neither myself nor any part of my Family was permitted to land untill an Officer called a Visitor was found to Conduct us to the... Continue Reading
Date: 3 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that the Cutter, the Greyhound,2 has this day taken her Guns on board, amounting to 14. four Pounders, as also a large proportion of Shot & Grape Shot. The Guns were not mounted but put directly into the hold with their Carriages, & this Embarkation was made without any particular precautions or secrecy whatever. I have likewise the... Continue Reading
Date: 3 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . Capt Wicks in the Reprisal Capt Johnson in the Lexington & Capt Nicholson in the Dolphin cutter have been on a months Cruize up St Georges Channel & Round Ireland they have made Eighteen prizes Seven of which they Sunk one they gave to the Prisoners two Smugglers they Returned to their Captains & Eight they Sent to the first port they could make in either France or Spain of... Continue Reading
Date: 3 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
The Letters from Your Excellency to No 107 have been received and laid before The King.
The proper representations made by Your Excy to the french Ministers with respect to the Cutter fitting out at Dunkirk; the Artillery and military Stores collecting for the use of the Rebels, and the several causes of Com plaint given by their Governors in the West Indies, meet with His Majesty's approbation... Continue Reading
Date: 4 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Letters from Dunkirk mention, that an affray happened last week be tween some of Capt in Cunningham's American crew and the English sailors belonging to a Deal cutter, in which two men were desperately wounded. The next day the English and Americans, having armed themselves with cutlasses, prepared for a general engagement, without the walls of the town; but several of the rioters being secured... Continue Reading
Date: 4 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I desire you will acquaint my Lords Commissioners of the Admty, that I arriv'd here this day in His Majestys Ship, under my Command, having seen only one American Vessel, during the Cruize, a Schooner Privateer of eight Guns, which we chac'd under the Isle of Oleron, and I have since heard she went into Bourdeaux and has remained there ever since. My Letter of the 8th of June would inform their... Continue Reading
Date: 4 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
4th [July] this [day] recd Intelligence that Mr Phinehas Smith Our Sailing Master & Jona Knowlton Carpenter to the Doltin [Dalton] made an Elopement from the Royal Hospital — A fleet of 40 Sail of Merchtn Put into the Sound in Consequence of a Head wind, (Bound to America) this Day 12 Months the United States of America Declar'd Independent which they've Supported one year. God send they Ever... Continue Reading
Date: 4 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Yours of the 30th Ulto and 1st Inst are before us. Mr Morris were he present has not the least right to any direction of Capt Weekes or his prizes, & less so to Johnson or Nicholson, they are continental property, &are immediately under our direction, by the Express orders of Congress, and under no other persons.
Inclosed you have a letter to Capt Weekes and to Capts Johnson & ... Continue Reading
Date: 4 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I wrote you the 28th June advising of my Safe arrival at this Port also informing of the Success of our late Cruize & have now the Pleasure to Acquaint you of the Safe Arrival of Captain Johnston in the Brig Lexington at Morlax, I have wrote him & desired if he is not well Situated there to get a good Pilot & Come up here — I should be very Glad if you would let me know where you... Continue Reading
Date: 4 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
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