American Theatre from June 1, 1777, to July 31, 1777
I received the honour of your orders & instructions of the —— [12th of April] by Capt. [Cornthwaite] Ommaney the [20th] of May, to the senior officer here. I acquainted you by letter of [17th May] by his Majs Schonr the Gaspee, of my arrival at Quebec, & inclosed my orders from the Lords of the Admiralty; & informed you of my instructions till I should have the honour of receiving... Continue Reading
Date: 1 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
John Dobie the bearer, shew'd me the instructions you gave him, he had Enter'd Several in consequence there on but as the Warren Wanted Seamen as she was making ready to proceed on her Cruize, Capt [John Bur roughs] Hopkins Apply'd to the Legislature for liberty to Press men, &: accordingly he Obtain'd leave he therefore has press'd a Number of men, Dobie had enter'd, for you he has... Continue Reading
Date: 1 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have been desired by Zephaniah Platt, Esqr. to let the Convention know what I think of fitting out the sloop Montgomery on another cruise. I think that she is too small to cruise, as most of the enemy's ships of value will be of too much force for her to take; and as she is obliged to carry al most as many officers as a larger sized vessel would, it makes the pay come very high for so small a... Continue Reading
Date: 1 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
May [June] 1777
Friday 23
[Sunday 1]
[off Cape Henlopen]
A.M. at 8 weig'd and gave Chace to 3 Sail to SE at 10 Saw two Sail to the Southw'd tack'd &at I half past brought too for them at 11 Spoke the Brune and a Brig her Prize, Rec'd 14 Prisoners from the Brune, at Noon made Sail and gave Chace to 2 Sail to the NE. Light House WbN 5 Lgs.
First pt Fresh Gales and fair, latter light Airs P.... Continue Reading
Date: 1 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
June 1777
Monday 2d
halfway Rock NNE 5 or 6 Leagues
at 5 modt and hazey saw a sail to the Etward at 6 hoisted the Barge out and sent her manned and Armed wh the Lieut on board a sloop ½ past she got on board at 8 Halfway Rock NBW 2 Leagues at 9 up fore sails and hove too at 10 filled and made sail saw 3 sail at 11 halfway Rock NNE 4 or 5 Leags found The above Sloop to be from Cammden, in... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Yours of the 28th of May has just come to hand & the Board of War are very uneasy that you have not been able to procure a Crew for the Ship Union, which they suppose is compleatly loaded & in other respects ready for Sea, They therefore direct you to go immediately thro' the whole Eastern Country, if necessary, & get a sufficient number of Hands for your Ship on the best Terms you... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Capt. Clouston, in a Brig belonging to this State, has taken six Prizes, and was left in chase of a Seventh the 16th of April; the 6th Prize, laden with Salt, Bread, &c.bound from Topsham, in England, to Newfoundland, is arrived at a safe Port; as is also a Brig bound from London for Guinea, laden with Arms, Powder, Cordage, &c.1 A Snow from Newfoundland, for London, with Fish... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
A Gentleman who arrived in town last evening from New-Haven, in forms us, that on Tuesday last, a privateer from Stratford was cruizing under Long-Island, when she spied a sail coming out from the main nearly opposite, bearing her course to the Westward; she immediately armed a whale-boat and sent in quest of her; but night coming on, and the wind being unfavourable, she gave up the chace. While... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
After being out four weeks from Glasgow, I fell in with two transports with troops; one was the Archer, Coats commander; she mounted eight four pounders, and had 150 soldiers on board. The other the Prince George, Fairholm, with 120 soldiers on board. Two days before I spoke with them, they had an engagement with a schooner privateer of 12 carriage guns, who got off from them, but has done a... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Saturday last the Brig Charter-Street, Capt. [Andrew] Rogers, was sent in here by his Majesty's Sloop of War the Falcon, Captain [Thomas] Windsor, from St. Eustatia for Boston, with Salt, &c. taken the 10th of May in Lat. 28.30.1
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . we hear from South Carolina 7 Sail of french Vessels are Arrived their loadd with goods on Private acct. Dispatches are Arrived to Congress. the Contents not yet known, only that they are Armd Ships. one of 20 guns with Dry goods from oald France. General washington has now a prity good Army. and Many passing through this place, Dayly, to him. we here a general Ingagement is Dayly Expected... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
May [June]
1777
Saturday 24
[Monday 2]
[off Cape Henlopen]
A.M. at 5 Saw a Brig to the ENE & Sent the Ballahoo in chace of her, at 7 Sent the Ballahoos Prize after the Chace. First pt Modt & fair, latter fresh Gales and Cloudy P.M. at 4 Saw the Tenders and the Brig they went in chace of to the N.E. ½ past 5 weigh'd & Stood to'd them at 7 Stood into 5 fath. at Overfalls, & brat... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Capt [John] David's Galley 2 is wanted on a Piece of Service, he wants Men, and says you have some at Baltimore belonging to your Galley. You will put them into Capt David's, or as many of them as can be spared, and they will soon again be returned to you. You are also to be attentive to, and have a particular Care taken of the Men who will be left sick at Balti more by Capt David,... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Your sundry favours P: Capt. Moseley were delivered to Us by him, tho' he was unfortunate enough to lose the Vessel & Cargo; when he got within a few days sail of our Coast, he was taken by a Boston Privatier fitted out to cruize against British Vessels & he could not convince them she belonged to Americans; in attempting to carry her into Boston (where had she arrived she must have been... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
The Scooner Franklin, Capt. Green, laden with Arms, &c. was chased ashore upon the Caicos Bank, by an English Frigate, on the 12th of May last; as was also the Sturdy Beggar Privateer of Baltimore. The Privateer was got off, but the Scooner not. But Capt. Glanbury, of Virginia, seeing the Scooner the next Day, went to her Assistance, saved part of the Cargo, took off the People, and has... Continue Reading
Date: 2 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Tuesday 3d
[June, 1777]
39 .. 33N Latd
52-40W Longd
Employd in the Cabin altering & mending the Topsails — nothing worth Notice —
this 24 hours moderate weather we unttock'd our sheat Anchr & Laid him on deck Put the Stream & Kedger into the hold, to Lighten the Ship by the head; Capt Manley came & dined with me Titles & honours I despise them both — but such a favour must... Continue Reading
Date: 3 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I take the Liberty, of acquainting you that in obedience to Orders from the Honble the Marine and Secret Committees of Congress, bearing date the 9th ulto, I immediately repaired here in Order to proceed in the French Ship Amphitrite from hence to Charlestown South Carolina and thence to France, the intention of the Secret Committee was first to avail of this Ships Guns and Men to make a Cruizing... Continue Reading
Date: 3 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . Capt Hines in your Spy Sehr arrived has Not discovered any thing on his Crews, Neither has he Seen our fleet Sence yesterday week at which time they where Standing to the Estward, the Spy will Sail again in two hours, Should be glad you would Send Me for the Spy Sehr two Barrills pork & four Barrills Bread, your Ship Gural [Gruel] I hope is Saft at Falmouth, as She had a fine Winddown... Continue Reading
Date: 3 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Petition of Jerathmeel Peirce setting forth That he has fitted & manned the Schooner Harlequin James Dennis Commander for a Cruize against the Enemies of America praying that said Dennis may be commissioned as Commander of said Schooner Ordered That the Prayer of said Petition be granted & that a Commission be issued out to the abovementioned James Dennis as Commander of said Schooner —... Continue Reading
Date: 3 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . I have communicated to the Admiral the Paragraph in your Lord ships Dispatch No 5, respecting a proposed Diversion upon the Coasts of Massachusetts Bay, and I have the Honor to inform your Lordship, we have been sensible of the Advantages arising from that Mode of distressing the Enemy, but in this Instance we agree in Opinion, it. is not practicable, without interfering materially with... Continue Reading
Date: 3 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9