Naval History of the American Revolution - Chapter XI



CHAPTER XI
NAVAL OPERATIONS IN 1779

Taking into account the heavy losses of the last two years, the 
Continental navy still showed vigor at the opening of 1779 and rendered 
valuable service during the year. The British, in spite of their naval 
superiority, were not free from solicitude as to the possibilities of the 
American sea forces. Admiral Gambier reported that there were at Boston 
December 6, 1778, fifteen vessels of war, including five Continental 
frigates, and January 10, 1779, he wrote: "A Report prevails that one 40, 
four 32, one 28, and two 20 Gun Ships of the Rebels sailed about ten days 
ago from Boston; this Circumstance if true is very alarming, not only on 
Account of the probability of their falling in with our victuallers, but 
on Account of the present reduced numbers of our Ships, and they much 
divided, the Coppered Frigates could not without the greatest danger from 
Ice have been kept on this part of the Coast during the Winter Season." He 
wrote later, on the authority of a privateer, that three frigates had 
sailed from Boston January 18, "in order to Cruise off the Chesepeak," and 
that they had been seen ten days later, off the Delaware capes (Brit. Adm. 
Rec., A.D. 489, Nos. 19, 22, 25, December 20, 1778, January 10, February 
3, 1779.) His information in regard to both these sailings was obviously 
incorrect.

A few new Continental vessels went into commission or into active service, 
the most important of which were the frigates Alliance and Confederacy, of 
thirty-two guns each; the first was built in Massachusetts, the other in 
Connecticut. The Confederacy was a hundred and thirty-three feet long, 
with an extreme breadth of thirty-five feet, six inches, and was designed 
to carry twenty-eight guns on the main deck, six on the quarter deck, and 
two on the forecastle. These ships, which had been authorized by Congress 
two years or more before, encountered the usual difficulties and delays in 
getting ready for sea. The Marine Committee in their efforts to expedite 
matters issued many orders which, owing to slow communication and 
uncertainty as to the condition of vessels and the state of affairs in 
distant ports, were frequently modified or changed. On February 10th it 
was arranged that the Confederacy, Captain Harding, then at New London, 
should make a short cruise in Long Island Sound with two vessels of the 
Connecticut navy. Later she was to join the Queen of France in a cruise 
along the Atlantic coast, in which the Ranger was to take part. Captain 
Olney of the Queen of France, the senior officer, was ordered to "sweep in 
the first place this coast from the Southward of Cape May to the Bar of 
Charles Town and afterwards to Cruize in such Latitudes and Longitudes 
which are best calculated to give the greatest aid and protection to the 
Trade of Delaware, Chesapeake and Charles Town, and as often as 
circumstances and the safety of your Ships will admit of it, you are to 
enter the mouths of Delaware and Chesapeake for the purpose of destroying 
the small Armed Vessels from New York that lurk about the Capes to the 
certain destruction of almost every Merchantman that sails; you are at the 
same time to be extreamly cautious in continuing in any of these places so 
long as to render yourself a certain Object for the pursuit of the enemy. 
If in the Course of this Cruize you should meet with the Deane or the 
Confederacy or both of them, it is our orders that you and they proceed on 
this Cruize in Company, under the command of the Superior Officer, to 
execute these Orders; and least you should be seperated by Storms or other 
circumstances, it would be advisable to establish such Private Signals 
that when the Ships meet again they may be known to each other as friends. 
The great delay, expence and trouble in manning the Ships for Sea has 
induced this committee to direct and Order you to continue this Cruize as 
long as your Provisions and other circumstances will admit . . . The 
superiority of the Naval force of the enemy on this Coast and the 
misfortunes that have heretofore happened to some of our Ships will, we 
trust, make you extreamly vigilant and active; the confidence we repose in 
your fidility, courage and good conduct gives us every reason to hope for 
a successful Cruize. Most of the Armed Vessels from New York are inferior 
in force to yourself, which will put it in your power to aid the Trade of 
the Southern States by destroying many of them and thereby to render not 
only essential service to the Public, but to add to the honor and 
reputation of your own character. You are to keep these Instructions a 
profound secret and when the state of your Provisions requires, you will 
return into the Port of Philadelphia or some convenient one in the Bay of 
Chesapeake." (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 195, 196, 197 (to Olney, to Governor 
Trumbull, to Harding, and to Navy Board, Boston, all dated February 10, 
1779). The measurements of the Confederacy are taken from Wolcott MSS., 
February 12, 1777.)

A little later, orders were sent to the Navy Board at Boston to get the 
frigate Providence ready for sea immediately and again for her to cruise 
on the Atlantic coast. Then these orders were transferred to the Warren, 
and later still the committee decided to hold the Warren in port and fit 
out the Providence for a four months' cruise; and then to send the Boston 
to the southern coast. Apparently in accordance with this last order, the 
Navy Board at Boston instructed Captain Tucker, April 6, to proceed with 
his ship, the frigate Boston, in company with the sloop Providence, on a 
ten days' cruise in Massachusetts Bay and along the Maine shore and then 
to go south. It does not appear that any of these instructions were, at 
the time at least, carried out precisely according to the intentions of 
the Marine Committee. The delay in fitting out the Confederacy was so 
great that the committee determined to relieve Captain Harding from 
command, should he be found responsible. That frigate did not get to sea 
until the end of April (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 200, 201, 204, 206, 210 
(February 21, 26, March 9, 21, 26, April 27, 1779, to Navy Board, Boston), 
207 (April 17, 1779, to Harding), 211 (April 27, 1779, to Deshon); Tucker 
MSS., April 6, 1779; Boston Post, May 8, 1779.)

Meanwhile the frigates Deane, Captain Nicholson, and Alliance, Captain 
Landais, sailed together from Boston January 14. Pierre Landais was a 
French naval officer of experience, having sailed around the world with 
the famous navigator Bougainville; he had embarked in the American cause 
and on the recommendation of Silas Deane had been appointed a captain in 
the Continental navy. The Alliance was bound to France and parted with her 
consort on the third day out (Publ. R. I. Hist. Soc., viii, 258; Wharton, 
ii, 387; Stevens, 1552.) The Deane soon captured an armed ship of the 
enemy which was sent back to Boston. "Last Thursday," February 4, a 
newspaper announces, "arrived in this Harbour the ship Viper, taken by 
Capt. Samuel Nicholson, in the Continental Frigate Deane; she is a letter 
of Marque fitted out at Liverpool, mounting 16 Guns and 75 Men . . . Capt. 
Nicholson took and burnt a ship belonging to London in ballast from New 
York to Cadiz." The Deane cruised about four months, most of the time in 
the West Indies. While there she fell in with the Continental ship General 
Gates, which had sailed from Boston in December and had taken several 
prizes. The Deane returned to the United States and went into Philadelphia 
April 17 (Publ. R.I. Hist. Soc., viii, 258, 259; Boston Post, February 6, 
May 1, 1779; Adams MSS., April 10, 1779, Vernon to Adams.)

The Ranger sailed from Portsmouth for Boston February 24 and the same 
evening anchored in Nantasket Roads. The frigates Warren, Commodore John 
B. Hopkins, and Queen of France, Captain Olney, and the Ranger, Captain 
Simpson, having finally got ready for sea, sailed from Boston March 13. 
The log of the Ranger, under date of April 6, says: "At 6 A.M.," being 
sixteen miles east of Cape Henry, "saw 2 sails, gave Chase to one of them; 
at 1/2 past 6 the Warren and Queen of France hois'd English Colours and 
fired a gun to Leeward, as did we, which she answered and bro't too at 7. 
We brought too, found her to be the Hibernia, a Schooner of 10 guns, a 
british Privatier; sent 2 of Our People on Board to help man her and now 
She remains in Concord with us." The next morning, at 1/2 past 5 saw a 
Fleet of 9 sails to the N. E., at 6 made sail and gave Chase, at 8 Tack'd 
Ship [by] Signal and made all the Sail we could, alow and aloft; found we 
gained on the Fleet, our Consort the Warren out sailing us all." In the 
afternoon: "Pleasant gales and fair weather. The Warren, Queen of France & 
Our Selves in Chase of the Fleet; at 4 P.M. came up with" them. Hopkins 
reported to the Marine Committee April 18 that on the 6th "we fell in with 
the armed schooner Hibernia from New York, with 45 men, which we took; and 
on the 7th at 4 o'clock A.M. in latitude 36.40 discovered two fleets, one 
to leeward consisting of ten sail, the other to windward, of nine sail. We 
gave chace to the windward-most, and at about two o'clock took seven sail, 
consisting of the following vessels, viz.: Ship Jason, Capt. Porterfield, 
mounting 20 nine and six pounders, 150 men, convoy to the fleet bound from 
N. York to Georgia, having passengers on board as per the enclosed list; 
Ship Meriah, a letter of marque mounting 16 six pounders, 84 men, very 
richly laden with provisions, dry goods and accoutrements for a regiment 
of horse; Brig Patriot, brig Prince Ferdinand, brig John, brig Batchelor, 
schooner Chance, laden with provisions and goods for the army, to a very 
large amount. As soon as they were manned we thought best to stand to the 
eastward, having had intelligence of a large number of armed vessels being 
off Chesapeak and Delaware Bays." Among the passengers on board the Jason 
were a colonel, a lieutenant-colonel, two captains and two lieutenants. 
The Ranger's log for the 9th says: "Jogging under easy sail, to keep our 
little Fleet together." April 10: "The Patriot being a heavy Sailer, the 
Warren at 7 took her in tow." Hopkins's report continues: "On the 16th 
instant I arrived in this port [Boston], having parted with the fleet on 
the 11th in a thick fog. The next day the Jason arrived, which is a very 
fine ship; also the schooner at Portsmouth, which is a very valuable 
vessel. Several vessels are now in sight, which I hope is some of the 
fleet. By the activity of Captains Olney and Simpson we manned the fleet 
in four hours." (Penn. Gazette, April 28, 1779.) The Queen of France 
arrived in Boston several days after the Warren and Jason, bringing in 
with her the Maria, Hibernia, and three brigs. The other two prizes were 
taken into Portsmouth April 21 by the Ranger. The Jason and Hibernia were 
afterwards fitted out as privateers and made successful cruisers. The 
Ranger returned to Boston harbor in June and anchored again in Nantasket 
Roads (Boston Gazette, April 19, 26, 1779; Boston Post, May 22, July 31, 
1779; Log of the Ranger.)

The Marine Committee were greatly pleased with the results of this cruise, 
sent a congratulatory letter to Hopkins, and proposed to purchase the 
Jason and Hibernia and take them into the naval service; but a more 
thorough knowledge of all the circumstances caused a change of sentiment. 
May 20, the committee wrote to the Navy Board at Boston: "Since ours of 
the 4th instant we are favoured with yours of the 28th Ultimo, whereby we 
find there is reason to conclude that Captain Hopkins has violated his 
Orders by returning into Port when he should have continued to Cruize and 
by not sending the Prizes he took into the nearest Port; and we find also 
that Captain Olney has acted contradictory to your Orders by comeing up to 
Boston when you had expressly required him to remain with his Ship in 
[Nantasket] road. We now direct that you immediately order a Court of 
Inquiry to inquire into the Conduct of those Two commanders during their 
late Cruize, and afterward if necessary a Court Martial. lf you find the 
prosecution of that business will produce any delay in getting the Ships 
again to Sea, it is our desire that you suspend the said Commanders and 
put in others, and in that case we recommend Captain Saltonstal and 
Captain Rathbourne to be appointed in their room. We deem it highly 
necessary for the good of the service that the orders of your Board should 
be obeyed by all Officers of the Navy under your direction, and we desire 
that you will cause Courts of enquiry to be held, when it is your Opinion 
the good of the service requires it, on the conduct of such Officers as 
may disobey your Orders or in any other manner may misbehave. We highly 
disaprove of Captain Hopkins sending an Officer to this place with a 
Letter contrary to the Orders of your Board, which disobedience of Orders 
in this as well as in other instances were unknown to us when we wrote him 
a Letter of approbation; and we consider it very injurious to the service 
for the Officers to get themselves appointed Agents for their men as well 
as dishonorable to such Officers." As a result of this exercise of 
discipline Captains Hopkins and Olney were suspended from the navy and 
they seem never again to have held any command in the Continental service. 
Captains Saltonstall and Rathburne were appointed to command the frigates 
Warren and Queen of France. The sequel will suggest a doubt as to whether 
the change in the case of the Warren was to the advantage of the country 
(Mar. Com. letter Book, 213 (to Hopkins, May 4, 1779), 210, 213, 215, 216, 
222 (to Navy Board, Boston, April 27, 30, May 20, 26, June 21, 1779); 
Adams MSS., May 25, 1779, Vernon to Adams.)

After a successful cruise in the West Indies the Continental cutter 
Revenge, Captain Conyngham, sailed north and arrived at Philadelphia 
February 21, 1779. Here the Revenge was sold, but the purchaser fitted her 
out as a privateer and Conyngham was put in command again, under his 
Continental commission of May 2, 1777. In April the Revenge was captured 
by the British frigate Galatea and taken into New York. Conyngham was sent 
to England in irons and treated with great severity. He was accused of 
piracy on the ground that his cruise in the Surprise in the spring of 1777 
preceded the date of his commission. His first commission, dated March 1, 
1777, had been taken from him at Dunkirk and sent to Versailles. Search 
was made for this earlier commission, but without success (This commission 
has come to light within a few years and is in the possession of James 
Barnes, Esq., of New York.) Franklin's assurance, however, that it had 
existed apparently resulted in some amelioration of Conyngham's treatment. 
He was removed to Plymouth and in November, 1779, after several 
unsuccessful attempts, he escaped from Mill Prison with about fifty 
others. He proceeded first to London and thence found his way to Holland 
(Penn. Mag. Hist. and Biogr., January, 1899; Outlook, January 3, 1903; 
Hale, i, 342-350; Almon, viii, 340; Maryland Journal, March 2, 1779; Penn. 
Gazette, August 4, 1779; Mar. Com. Letter Book, 201, 217 (March 10, June 
2, 1779); Archives de la Marine B8 16 (Avril, Novembre, 1779)

About the first of the year the sloop Providence, Captain Rathburne, took 
five prizes, all of which seem to have arrived safely in port. One of 
these was a ship from Glasgow which had been taken by an American 
privateer, retaken by the British, and then captured again by the 
Providence. Early in April the Providence was ordered to make a short 
cruise in Massachusetts Bay and along the coast of Maine in company with 
the frigate Boston. Later she was sent south of Cape Cod. May 7, at nine 
o'clock in the morning, while cruising off Sandy Hook, the Providence, now 
commanded by Captain Hacker, was seen from the British brig Diligent, 
whose captain, testifying at his court martial, says that about noon, "as 
soon as I had taken measures for fighting him on the Larboard side, the 
side his Boom was of, he Gibed & luffed across." The Diligent luffed and 
received two broadsides and two volleys of musketry before returning the 
fire of the Providence. "Not an officer except myself unhurt, being 
deserted by the remains of my Crew except seven, five of them wounded . . .
Masts, Rigging & Hull cut all to pieces," was forced to surrender to the 
Providence. The Diligent carried twelve three- pounders and fifty-four 
men; the Providence, according to this English captain, six six-pounders, 
six fours, two twos, and eighty-three men. The Americans lost four killed 
and ten wounded; the British, eleven killed and nineteen wounded. The 
Diligent was taken into the Continental naval service (Boston Post, 
January 16, 1779; Independent Chronicle, January 21, 1779; Penn. Packet, 
May 25, 1779; Maryland Journal, June 1, 1779; Adams MSS. April 10, May 25,
1779; Tucker MSS., April 6, 1779; Brit, Adm. Rec., Courts Martial, No. 
5311 (August 21, 1779)

In the spring the frigate Boston, Captain Tacker, in response to the 
instructions of March 26, came south to Chesapeake Bay and on April 27 was 
ordered to Delaware Bay. The Confederacy, after long delay, sailed from 
New London April 29, and a month later was in Delaware Bay. Meanwhile the 
Deane had arrived at Philadelphia from the West Indies April 17. The plans 
of the Marine Committee, which required frequent modification to suit the 
exigencies of changing circumstances, were defined for the moment in their 
letter of May 20 to the Navy Board at Boston. "We have lately had 
sufficient reason to lay asside the expedition intended against the enemys 
force on the Coast of Georgia, and the service the frigate Providence was 
intended for, is supplied by another Ship; therefore it is now our 
intention to place our collected Naval force in such a manner as to 
accomplish the double purpose of intercepting the enemies outward bound 
Transports for New York from Great Britain and Ireland & the homeward 
bound West India Ships. But if the Providence & Ranger should be ready for 
Sea more than a fortnight before the other Ships, that then you order 
those Ships to proceed to Cruize for the above purpose, marking out to 
them their Cruizing ground in such a manner as there may be the greatest 
possible certainty of being joined by the other Ships as soon as they 
shall be ready." (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 206, 215 (to Navy Board, Boston, 
March 26, May 20, 1779), 209 (April 21, 1779), 211 (to Tucker, April 27, 
1779); Boston Post, May 8, 1779.)

The Deane, Boston, and Confederacy being all in Delaware Bay by the end of 
May, a cruise along the Atlantic coast was planned for them by the Marine 
Committee. Instructions for the Boston and Confederacy were dated June 2. 
To Tucker the committee wrote: "The Ship Boston which you command and the 
Frigate Confederacy, Captain Harding, being now ready for Sea, they are 
directed to Sail in company with each other on a Cruize upon this Coast 
from the Latitude of Forty to thirty-five degrees and to take, burn, sink 
or destroy as many of the enemys Ships or Vessels of every Kind as may be 
in their power. The Prizes you will Order into the nearest and safest 
Ports, addressed to the Continental Agents in those Ports. And as this 
Committee have received authentic intelligence that a number of the enemys 
Privateers are Cruizing near the Latitude of 36, in expectation of falling 
in with a fleet of Merchant Vessels bound from the West Indies . . . it is 
their first Object to frustrate the designs of the enemy by Capturing or 
destroying their Vessels and to afford every aid and assistance in their 
power to the inward bound Merchantmen." They were also to give their 
attention to two British frigates said to have been sent out from New York 
"to cruize upon this Coast . . . and we need not remind you how greatly it 
would redound to your reputation and the honor of the American flag to 
capture or destroy these ships. You are to continue cruizing for the space 
of three weeks from your Departure from the Capes of Delaware," and then 
return to Delaware Bay for further orders. "As the Object of this Cruise 
is to take or destroy the enemys Privateers or small ships of war and give 
every aid and assistance to the Merchant men, the Committee direct you to 
confine yourself strictly to the Latitudes above mentioned and to such 
Longitudes as are best calculated to answer that purpose. But if from 
circumstances it should happen that the Public Service necessarily 
requires you to exceed those Limits, then you are at liberty to do it. The 
Ship General Greene, Captain Montgomery, belonging to the State of 
Pennsylvania, now in this Bay, will have Orders from His Excellency 
President Reed to act in conjunction with you during this Cruize. Captain 
Harding will be furnished with a Copy of these Instructions and will be 
directed to Obey your Orders as Senior Officer. It is expected that before 
you put to Sea you will fix with him a proper System of Signals for the 
Ships under your command. The Confidence we repose in your Courage and 
good Conduct gives us every reason to hope for a Successful Cruize." (Mar. 
Com. Letter Book, 218 (to Tucker), 219 (to Harding, June 2, 1779) Ten days 
later, the frigate Deane being ready for sea, essentially the same orders 
were sent to Captain Nicholson. In case he should fall in with the Boston 
and Confederacy, he was to cruise in company with them, returning to the 
Delaware capes by July 1. "When joined to those Ships, you, being the 
Senior Officer, will have under your direction three fine frigates, which 
we doubt not will be judiciously managed and we recommend to you to 
cultivate strict harmony with the Commanders of those Ships as being 
essentially necessary for the Public good." (lbid., 221 (to Nicholson, 
June 12,1779) Few details of this short cruise have been preserved. A 
number of captures seem to have been made, the most important of which was 
the British privateer ship Pole of twenty-four guns, taken by the Boston 
(Tucker, ch. vi; Penn. Gazette, June 16, 1779; Boston Gazette, July 5, 
1779; Tucker MSS., June 28, 1779, Nicholson to Tucker.)

On the 18th of June the frigates Providence, Commodore Whipple, and Queen 
of France, Captain Rathburne, and the Ranger, Captain Simpson, sailed from 
Boston on a cruise to the eastward. The log of the Ranger records the 
capture of a vessel July 20 and another the next day; they were both from 
Jamaica. A midshipman on the Queen of France gives an account of falling 
in with a Jamaica fleet of a hundred and fifty sail one morning about the 
middle of July near the Banks of Newfoundland in a dense fog. Nothing 
could be seen, but the sound of signal guns and ships' bells indicated the 
presence of a fleet. When the fog lifted, about eleven o'clock, the Queen 
of France found herself close by a large merchant ship from whom it was 
learned that the fleet was under convoy of a seventy-four and several 
frigates and sloops of war. Under the pretense of being a British frigate 
the Queen of France sent a boat to the English ship and quietly took 
possession of her, and then took another ship in the same manner. 
Commodore Whipple at first feared discovery and capture by the convoy, but 
was induced to remain in the fleet all day with his squadron. No alarm was 
excited among the Englishmen, and eleven ships were taken in this way by 
the Americans. They succeeded in getting away at nightfall without 
arousing any suspicion. Andrew Sherburne, a seaman on the Ranger, gives a 
somewhat different account of this affair. He says: "Our little squadron 
was in the rear of the fleet and we had reason to fear that some of their 
heaviest armed ships were there also ... No time was to be lost. Our 
commodore soon brought to one of their ships, manned and sent her off. 
Being to windward, he edged away and spoke to our Captain. We were at this 
time in pursuit of a large ship. The Commodore hauled his wind again and 
in the course of an hour we came up with the ship, which proved to be the 
Holderness, a three decker mounting 22 guns. She struck, after giving her 
several broadsides. Although she had more guns and those of heavier metal 
than ourselves, her crew was not sufficiently large to manage her guns and 
at the same time work the ship. She was loaded with cotton, coffee, sugar, 
rum and alspice. While we were employed in manning her, our Commodore 
captured another and gave her up to us to man also. When this was 
accomplished it was nearly night; we were, however, unwilling to abandon 
the opportunity of enriching ourselves, therefore kept along under easy 
sail. Some time in the night we found ourselves surrounded with ships and 
supposed we were discovered. We could distinctly hear their bells, on 
which they frequently struck a few strokes, that their ships might not 
approach too near each other during the night. We were close on board one 
Of their largest armed ships and from the multitude of lights which had 
appeared, supposed that they had called to quarters. It being necessary to 
avoid their convoy, we fell to leeward and in an hour lost sight of them 
all. The next day the sky was overcast and at times we had a thick fog. In 
the afternoon the sun shone for a short time and enabled us to see a 
numerous fleet a few miles to windward, in such compact order that we 
thought it not best to approach them. We were however in hopes that we 
might pick up some single ship. We knew nothing of our consorts, but were 
entirely alone. Towards night we took and manned out a brig. On the third 
morning we gained sight of three ships, to which we gave chase and called 
all hands to quarters. When they discovered us in chase, they huddled 
together, intending as we supposed to fight us. They however soon made 
sail and ran from us; after a short lapse of time we overhauled and took 
one of them, which we soon found to be a dull sailer. Another, while we 
were manning our prize, attempted to escape, but we soon found that we 
gained upon her. While in chase a circumstance occurred which excited some 
alarm. Two large ships hove in sight to windward running directly for us 
under a press of sail. One of them shaped her course for the prize we had 
just manned. We were unwilling to give up our chase, as we had ascertained 
from our prize that the two other ships were ... unarmed. We soon came up 
with the hindmost, brought her to and ordered her to keep under our stern, 
while we might pursue the other, as our situation was too critical to 
allow us to heave to and get out our boat. The stranger in chase of us was 
under English colors; we however soon ascertained by her signal that she 
was the Providence frigate, on board of which was our commodore. This 
joyful intelligence relieved us from all fear of the enemy and we soon 
came up with our chase . . . We now ascertained that the strange ship, 
which was in chase of our first prize, was another of our consorts, the 
Queen of France." Three of the eleven prizes taken from the Jamaica fleet 
were afterwards recaptured, but the other eight, worth with their cargoes 
over a million dollars, were brought safely into port when the squadron 
returned to Boston about a month later. Whipple received the 
congratulations of the Marine Committee (Clark, i, 94; Memoirs of Andrew 
Sherburne, 21-23; Boston Gazette, September 27, 1779; Log of the Ranger; 
Mar. Com. Letter Book, 229, 233, 234 (August 24, September 7, 1779), 238 
(to Whipple, September 19, 1779).

The Massachusetts brigs Tyrannicide, Captain Hallet, and Hazard, Captain 
Williams, did most of the cruising on behalf of their state in 1779, and 
with some success. The Hazard was in the West Indies early in the year, 
and on March 12 sailed from Martinique in company with the Continental 
ship General Gates, Captain Waters. On the 16th, off St. Thomas, the 
Hazard captured the privateer brigantine Active, from Antigua, after a 
"smart action for 35 minutes, yard arm and yard arm." (Independent 
Chronicle, April 8, 1779.) The Active carried eighteen four-pounders and 
ninety-five men; she lost thirteen killed and twenty wounded. The American 
loss was three killed and eight wounded. The prize arrived safely in port. 
The Hazard also fought with a British ship of fourteen guns and eighty 
men, but did not succeed in capturing her. After having taken several 
prizes in all, Captain Williams returned to Boston in April. The General 
Gates returned about the same time and soon afterwards was sold out of the 
Continental service (Mass. Archives, cli, 271, cliii, 133, 150, 167, 208; 
Boston Gazette, February 22, April 12, 1779; Clark, i, 90; Publ. R. I. 
Hist. Soc., viii, 259; Massachusetts Mag., July, 1908; Mar. Com. Letter 
Book, 208, 219 (April 19, June 7, 1779)

Meanwhile the Tyrannicide had sailed from Nantasket Roads, March 9, for 
Martha's Vineyard, but encountered a gale off Cape Cod and ran off to the 
southward. March 29, in latitude 28° 30' north, longitude 68° 25' west, 
the British privateer brig Revenge of Grenada, carrying fourteen carriage 
guns, six- and four-pounders, four swivels and two coehorns, and sixty 
men, was seen "at 4 o'clock P.M. about 4 leagues to windward coming down 
upon us. Upon which," says Captain Hallet, "I cleared ship and got all 
hands to their quarters ready for action, then stood close upon the wind, 
waiting for her till about half past six P.M., when she came up and 
hailing me, asked where I was from. I told them from Boston. I asked them 
where they were from and was answered, they were a British cruiser from 
Jamaica. I immediately reply'd that I was an American cruiser, upon which 
they ordered me to strike, but finding me not disposed to gratify their 
desires, they run up under my lee and saluted me with a broadside. Without 
loss of time I returned the compliment and dropping astern got under their 
lee, where our fires were so warm from below and from our tops and the 
shots so well directed, we dismounted two of their guns, drove the men 
from their quarters, and compelled them to strike to the American flag. 
The engagement lasted one hour and a quarter, during which we were not 
half pistol shot distant and some part of the time our yards were locked 
in with theirs." (Boston Gazette, April 19, 1779.) "I had Eight men 
wounded, only two of which are Bad; amongst the wounded are my first 
Lieut. & Master. I intended to man her and keep her as a Consort during 
the Cruise, but having twenty wounded Men on board, of my own men & 
prisoners, I thought it Best to send her home, with all the wounded men on 
board under the Care of the Sergeon's Mate." (Massachusetts Mag., April, 
1908.) The Revenge lost eight killed and fourteen wounded. She arrived 
safely in Boston and the Tyrannicide followed April 25, having captured 
two other vessels, one of them a fourteen-gun ship (Mass. Rev. Rolls, 
xliv, 408; Boston Gazette, April 19, 26, 1779; Roston Post, May 1, 1779; 
Clark, i, 91.)

Captain Williams, on his return to Boston in the Hazard, was met with 
certain charges brought against him by the Board of War, the nature of 
which is not stated. He was exonerated, however, by a joint committee of 
the General Court, and a few days later that body passed a resolve 
renouncing all claim on the part of the state to the privateers Active and 
Revenge "in testimony of their approbation of the spirit and good conduct 
of the said" Williams and Hallet and their officers and men. The Active 
was purchased by order of the General Court and taken into the 
Massachusetts navy. She was put under the command of Captain Hallet and in 
June was ordered on a cruise (Mass. Court Rec., April 20, 23, June 11, 
1779; Boston Gazette, April 26, 1779; Massachusetts Mag., October, 1909.)

In May the Hazard and the Tyrannicide, now commanded by Captain John 
Cathcart, were ordered to cruise in company alongshore, "first in the 
Vineyard Sound, then round the Island of Nantucket . . . to clear the 
Coast of the Picaroons that infest them." (Mass. Archives, cli, 467, 468.) 
A party of British and tories had recently raided along the south shore of 
Cape Cod, and Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket; in September a proclamation 
was issued by British officers threatening the people of Nantucket with 
hostilities if they did not observe strict neutrality. In the Sound the 
Massachusetts vessels fell in with the Continental sloop Providence and 
brig Diligent and early in June, in Buzzard's Bay, were joined by the 
Continental sloop Argo, Captain Talbot. June 15, Cathcart wrote to the 
Board of War that at half past eight that morning the Tyrannicide and 
Hazard chased a ship and brig, which "hove too for us & hauld up their 
Courses, upon which I spoke Capt. Williams & we agreed to Engage them, he 
to take the Ship & I the Brig, upon which I pass'd the Ship & gave her two 
Broadsides & then ran along side the Brig & after exchanging 6 or 7 
Broadsides she struck, the Ship in the mean time having struck to Captain 
Williams." (Mass. Archives, cliii, 229.) The brig was a letter of marque 
mounting twelve six-pounders; she got safely into New Bedford. The ship 
was a recapture, having been taken by two British privateers. Meanwhile, 
in order to insure continuous protection, the General Court had, on June 
11, directed the Board of War to arrange a series of cruises in rotation 
by the different vessels of the state navy along the eastern and southern 
shores of the state (Mass. Court Rec., April 15, June 11, 1779; Mass. 
Archives, cliii, 219, 224, 229, 230; Boston Post, April 10, 1779; 
Independent Chronicle, April 15, 1779; Boston Gazette, October 11, 1779; 
Almon, viii, 268-271; Clark, i, 92.)

The Connecticut navy lost its two most important vessels in 1779. In March 
the Defence was wrecked on the shore of her native state. The Oliver 
Cromwell, Captain Parker, sailed from New London June 3. On the morning of 
the 6th, Parker saw a sail and gave chase. Half an hour later he saw four 
other sail, three of them large ships. He then hauled close and one of the 
ships chased the Cromwell, the others soon joining in on signal from the 
first. They showed English colors and gained fast. "We found," says 
Parker's report, "that Fighting would be Inevitable. Therefore ordered the 
Ship to be Cleared and all hands to Quarters in good Season. Att about 
half after Ten A.M. we Began to play upon the Enemy with our Stern Chases 
and as She Closed up with us verry fast, in order the better to make use 
of our lee guns, we Shortened Sail by halling Down the Stay Sails and 
keeping before the wind. A pretty warm Action Ensued for about the Space 
of one hour, in which we had two men killed and one Mortally wounded, Two 
Slightly wounded. The Consequence of our keeping before the wind while 
Engaging (a Circumstance that could not be avoided) Brought the Enemies 
other Ships Close up with us verry fast; and as we found we had 
Considerably Disabled our Antagonist By Shooting away his main Topmast, we 
again halled our wind to the Northward, Thinking thereby to out sail him 
so much, before he could Repair his Damages, as to bring on night and if 
we could not avoid him, we hoped at least to have Seperated him from his 
other Consorts." The Cromwell drew away from her antagonist, but by half-
past two in the afternoon the English ship had repaired damages and 
renewed the chase. She gained fast and soon came up under the Cromwell's 
lee quarter. Meanwhile the other ships had also gained. "We were under the 
Necessity of Shortening our Sail and keeping before the wind again, in 
order to Enable us to fight our lee guns. The Action began again about 3 
P.M. and Continued till a little after 4 Do. In this last action we had 
two men wounded; one had his Right arm and Collar bone broke by a 
Splinter, the other a flesh wound in the thigh by a nine pound shot. The 
Damages Done to the Ships Hull were Inconsiderable. She had her main and 
fore Stays Shott away, with one or two of her main & Mizen Shrouds, her 
main and fore Braces, and a nine pound shot through the head of her Mizen 
mast. By which time the Delewar Frigate and Union Privateer were closing 
up with us so fast, we found no Possibility of avoiding a Contest with 
Treble our force. Both officers and men appeared to be Brave and 
undaunted. I had a short Consultation with my Principal Officers. We hoped 
we had Done our Duty, we hoped we had Done Enough to Convince our Enemies 
as well as Others that we Dare oppose them and, as we then thought, with 
Spirit too, though on Disadvantageous Terms." (Trumbull MSS., ix, 237.) 
The Oliver Cromwell then lowered her colors. She was taken into the 
British service and her name was changed to Restoration (Trumbull MSS., 
ix, 93, 95, 237; Papers New London Hist. Soc., IV, i, 39, 41, 42; Boston 
Gazette, September 20, 1779.)

Lieutenant-Colonel Silas Talbot, after his capture of the Pigot in 1778, 
was employed in protecting the Rhode Island coast from the ravages of the 
enemy's privateers, which did great damage along shore. The Pigot was 
taken into the Continental service and seems to have sailed in company 
with Talbot, who commanded a sloop called the Argo, mounting twelve six-
pounders. He captured six privateers, some of them of superior force to 
the Argo, and a number of merchantmen. One of his prizes was taken from 
him by three brigantines from Philadelphia. A letter from Providence, 
dated August 10, says: "This moment an express arrived from New London 
with an account of the gallant, intrepid Talbot's taking [the] infamous 
villain Stanton Hazard, in a Brig of 14 guns out of Newport, after a short 
action. Talbot was in a small sloop [the Argo] of 12 guns, and had an 
inferior number of men on board to the Tory privateer, which was fitted 
out on purpose to attack & take Talbot's sloop." (Boston Gazette, August, 
16, 1779.) Hazard was a loyalist, a native of Rhode Island, who had made 
himself obnoxious to the people of that vicinity. September 17, Congress 
made Talbot a captain in the Continental navy (lbid., September 6, 20, 
1779; Boston Post, October 2, 1779; Talbot, ch. iv; Pap. Cont. Congr., 37,
193, 197, 201, 209 (November 4, 11, 1779, February 28, 1780); Mar. Com. 
Letter Book, 256 (January 25, 1779)

Oliver Pollock, the commercial agent of Congress at New Orleans, had 
supervision of naval affairs on the Mississippi River and was authorized 
to commission both vessels and officers for the Continental service and 
for privateers. In commissioning and fitting out vessels and in otherwise 
executing the orders of Congress, Pollock was encouraged and assisted by 
the Spanish governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, who was very 
friendly to American interests. In 1778, Pollock purchased the ship 
Rebecca, one of several prizes taken on the Mississippi by a party of 
Americans under Captain James Willing, who had come down the river from 
Ohio. A year later this vessel, renamed the Morris, had been armed with 
twenty-four guns, fully manned, under the command of Captain William 
Pickles, and ready for sea, when she was unfortunately destroyed by a 
hurricane, August 18, 1779, and eleven of her crew were lost. Governor 
Galvez then provided an armed schooner for the use of the Americans; this 
vessel seems also to have been called the Morris, or Morris's tender. 
Pickles cruised in this schooner and "Captur'd in Septr. a Vessell of very 
superior force in Lake Ponchetrain, after a very severe conflict." (Pap. 
Cont. Congr., 50, 9 (September 18, 1782); Sparks MSS., xli, 42.) The prize 
was a British sloop called the West Florida. She was fitted out by Pollock 
and under the command of Pickles cruised on Lake Pontchartrain during the 
fall and captured a British settlement. The surrender of the British posts 
on the Mississippi to Galvez soon followed. Later the West Florida 
assisted the governor in the capture of Mobile and then proceeded to 
Philadelphia, where she was sold out of the service (Pap. Cont. Congr., 
19, 5, 193 (July 10, 1780), 37, 251, 535, 537, 541 (January 20, June 7, 
November 20, December 5, 1780), 50, 1-13, 66, 77-81, 97, 120-125; Jour. 
Cont. Congr., July 10, December 8, 1780; Sparks MSS., xli, 7, 10, 16, 22, 
23, 36, 41, 42; Penn. Gazette, June 7, 1780; Almon, ix, 359-365; Stopford-
Sackville MSS., 122; Paullin, 307-311.)

Through Commodore Collier, commanding a squadron in Chesapeake Bay in the 
spring of 1779, came the intelligence that "Capt. Henry, R. N., Senior 
Officer in Georgia, reports in letter dated April 16, 1779, from Savannah, 
Ga., that 2 Rebel Galleys, Called Congress and Lee, former of 1 18 Pounder 
and one 12 in her Prow, two 9 pdr and 2 Sixes in her Waste & manned with 
100 Men; the other with 130 French & carrying one 12 and one 9 Pdr. in her 
Prow, 2 fours and 2 one Pounders besides swivels in her Waste, attacked H. 
M. S. Greenwich & Galleys Comet, Thunder & Hornet off Yamasee Bluff, & 
that action ended with Capture of Rebel galleys." This was a death-blow to 
the Georgia navy, and its revival was made impossible by British control 
of the waters of that state until the end of the war (Brit. Adm. Rec., 
Captains' Letters, No. 1612, 2 (May 22, 1779); Almon, viii, 298; Paullin, 
461.)

Admiral Gambier sailed for England April 5, and the day before his 
departure, Collier "received a commission as Commodore and Commander-in-
Chief of the King's fleet in America." Of the condition of this fleet he 
complained, saying that "the weak enfeebled state of the ships, both in 
point of numbers and of men, give me the most painful sensations. I 
ardently wish to prove myself deserving of the great trust I am honoured 
with, by the most spirited exertions." These exertions were first directed 
towards Virginia, "the province which of all others gives sinews to the 
rebellion from its extensive traffick. (Stopford-Sackville MSS., 125, 126 
(Collier to Germain.) The British fleet, which sailed May 5 from New York 
for Chesapeake Bay under Collier's command, consisted of the sixty-four 
gun ship Raisonable, the Rainbow of forty-four guns, "the Otter, Diligent 
and Haerlem, sloops, and Cornwallis galley, together with several private 
ships of war and twenty-two transports having on board" about two thousand 
troops under General Mathew. The Diligent must have been captured before 
the squadron arrived in Chesapeake Bay. "At sunrise" on the 10th, says 
Collier, we saw some rebel ships and vessels in Hampton Road with their 
sails loose, who, as soon as the tide admitted of it, got under weigh and 
ran up Elizabeth and James rivers; our fleet also weighed and the 
Raisonable anchored shortly after in Hampton Road, her great draught of 
water not admitting of her going further with conveniency. I immediately 
shifted my broad pendant to the Rainbow and proceeded with the fleet up 
Elizabeth river, till a contrary wind and the ebb tide obliged us to 
anchor. The next morning being calm prevented the ships from moving with 
the flood, on account of the narrowness and intricacy of the channel." The 
troops advanced, however, nearly to Portsmouth, supported by a galley and 
two gunboats; and a breeze springing up, the ships soon followed. The 
American fort on the river was evacuated. Much property was destroyed and 
many vessels were seized by the British, others being saved from the same 
fate by destruction at the hands of the Americans. The Otter and a number 
of other small vessels were sent up the Chesapeake. "The movements of this 
little squadron were so judicious that the enemy were much harrassed and 
distressed; they destroyed many vessels and captured others." (Almon, 
viii, 290, 291, 293 (Collier to Clinton, May 16, and to Stephens, May 17, 
1779) In a later report Collier says: "The fort was raz'd, the season'd 
timber for ship building burnt, the buildings and storehouses of the 
finest yard on this continent underwent the same fate; the sufferings of 
individuals I endeavoured to prevent all in my power and in general 
happily succeeded, and by it I hope have procured many friends to the 
royal cause." (Stopford-Sackville MSS., 129.) Collier wished to remain 
longer and to keep possession of this valuable naval station, but General 
Mathew insisted that their orders required their return to New York. The 
two large men-of-war and the transports thereupon sailed out of the bay, 
leaving the others to continue their depredations. A hundred and thirty 
American vessels were destroyed or taken as well as a vast amount of 
property on shore (Almon, viii, 289-295; Penn. Gazette, June 9, 1779; 
Town's Detail of Particular Services in America, 76-87.) Richard Henry 
Lee, writing June 26 to William Whipple of the Marine Committee, says of 
the operations of these smaller vessels, left in the bay: "They have 
already burnt several private houses and one public warehouse with between 
2 & 300 hhds of Tobo. and carried off much plunder & many negroes. Soon as 
they see the Militia gathering they embark and go to another unguarded 
place. They have 6 Vessels: Otter, 16, Harlem, 12 Guns, King's Vessels; 
Dunmore, 16, Schooner Hammond, 14, Lord North, 12 Guns, & Fin Castle, 2 
three pounders. The 4 last are [Goodrich's] Pirates. They say the orders 
are to burn and destroy all before them; an Eastern Man whom they had 
captured . . . escaped from them when they were burning the Warehouse and 
gave us the above account of their force, which is confirmed by others. 
They land between 60 & 70 men when they mean to do mischief." (Penn. Mag. 
Hist. and Biogr., January, 1899.) Lee requests the Marine Committee to 
send two frigates into the bay, a force sufficient, he says, to destroy 
the enemy's fleet. The Marine Committee had already issued orders for the 
purpose. As early as the previous November and again in January they had 
expressed a desire to capture or destroy "the infamous Goodrich," and June 
25, Captain Nicholson of the Deane was "directed to proceed in company 
with the Frigate Boston from the Capes of Delaware into Chesapeake Bay and 
on your arrival there, at Hampton or any Other way, endeavour to Obtain 
the best intelligence if any of the enemies Ships of war or Privateers are 
in the Bay, and if you find there are and of such force as you are able to 
encounter, you are to proceed up and attack them . . . taking or 
destroying as many of the said Vessels as may be in your power." (Mar. 
Com. Letter Book, 223.) The Confederacy was ordered up to Chester to 
prepare for other service, but on July 2 was directed to cruise ten days 
longer with the Deane and Boston. Accounts of this service in Chesapeake 
Bay are lacking, but that it was performed may be inferred from Lee's 
letter of August 8 to Whipple, saying: "We are much obliged to the Marine 
Committee for their attention. I see the frigates have taken and sent in 
two prizes, vessels of war." (Penn. Mag. Hist. and Biogr., January, 1899; 
Mar. Com. Letter Book, 187, 193 (to Navy Board, Boston, November 16, 1778, 
January 9, 1779), 223, 224, 225 (to Nicholson and to Harding, June 25, 
July 2, 1779); Penn. Gazette, August 4, 1779.)

Upon the return to New York, May 29, of the British fleet from Chesapeake 
Bay, says Collier, "I found Sir Henry Clinton on the point of setting off 
on an expedition up the North River and I immediately determin'd on 
assisting in it, carrying with me the Raisonable, Camilla, Vulture, three 
row galleys and two gunboats with the transports and troops." This 
excursion up the Hudson resulted in the capture of Stony Point and other 
successes, which induced Collier to observe: "I hope I may now say with 
some confidence that rebellion is thrown on its back and that this 
campaign will be the last of this unnatural civil war." (Stopford-
Sackville MSS., 129 (Collier to Germain, June 15, 1779) Stony Point, 
however, was very soon recaptured by the Americans. About this time also 
the British sloop Haerlem was captured by an American privateer. The 
attention of the British was next directed towards Connecticut, where 
their trade in Long Island Sound was harassed by small privateers and 
armed boats. "The land forces," says Collier's report of his expedition 
against them, "consisting of 2600 men commanded by Major-general Tryon, I 
caused to be embarked in transports, and sending the Renown, Thames, Otter 
and two armed vessels to block up New-London and the East entrance of the 
Sound, I proceeded on the 3d [of July] from New York by the way of Hell 
Gates with his Majesty's ships Camilla, Scorpion, Halifax brig and Hussar 
galley, together with the transports, and on the 5th landed the army in 
two divisions at the town of Newhaven, which after an irregular resistance 
from the rebels, was taken possession of by us together with a small fort 
at the entrance of the harbour, which latter we destroyed, after spiking 
up the guns, as also many warehouses filled with stores &c. together with 
several vessels and whale boats. The number of killed, wounded and missing 
on our side amounted to fifty-six; that of the rebels we are unacquainted 
with, but suppose the numbers considerable. We embarked the troops without 
loss and two days afterwards our flat boats, covered by the galley and gun 
boats, landed near Fairfield, though opposed by the militia and some 
continental troops; the rebels firing from the windows and tops of houses 
occasioned the band of loyal refugees to set several of them on fire, 
which communicating to others, burnt the whole town and also several whale 
boats. The troops embarked from thence without molestation and the third 
day following they were landed again in three divisions at the town of 
Norwalk, which, for the treacherous conduct of the rebels in murdering the 
troops from windows of houses after safeguards were granted them, was 
destroyed, together with five large vessels, two privateer brigs on the 
stocks and twenty whale boats." The small town of Greenfield was treated 
in the same manner (Almon, viii, 295, 296, 299, 355, 356; Town, 90-98; 
Clark, i, 110.)

The instructions of the Marine Committee, of June 25, required Nicholson, 
after disposing of the enemy in Chesapeake Bay, to sail at once with the 
Deane and Boston "on a Cruize in which you are to Choose such Station as 
you think will be best to Accomplish the double purpose of intercepting 
the enemies outward bound Transports for New York from Great Britain and 
Ireland and the homeward bound West India Ships. We are of Opinion that 
between the Latitudes of 36 and 41, and 100 Leagues to the Eastward of the 
Island of Bermuda will be your best Cruizing ground, but in this we do not 
mean to restrict you, leaving you to exercise your own Judgment, which 
probably may be assisted by information Obtained in your Cruise." This was 
to continue until the middle of September, or longer if their provisions 
lasted, and then they were to return to Boston. "We have ordered the 
Continental frigates at the Eastward to Cruise for the same purposes you 
are now going on and we think it very probable that you will fall in with 
them. In that case you or they or any of them are hereby directed to 
Cruise in Company under the command of the Senior officer, and should you 
be joined by any of those frigates and find by any intelligence you may 
Receive of the situation of the enemys Sea force at Bermuda that it will 
be adviseable to make an attempt on their Shipping, we recommend your 
undertaking it . . . We now wish to draw your attention to the execution 
of the business before you. The great Expence and dificulty that attends 
the fitting and manning of our Ships must make you and every Commander in 
Our service fully sensible how much they Should exert themselves to employ 
them usefully while at Sea. This consideration we hope will have due 
weight in your mind and will call forth such active and prudent behavior 
as will be of Essential Service to your Country and add to your own 
reputation and the honor of our Flag." (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 223.)

The Deane and Boston sailed out of Chesapeake Bay, July 29, in company 
with two ships of the Virginia navy and a convoy of merchantmen, from whom 
they soon parted. A successful cruise of about five weeks was made by the 
two frigates, during which they captured eight prizes, including four New 
York privateers; but the most important were the ships Sandwich and Thorn, 
each of sixteen guns. The former was a packet carrying as passengers a 
number of army officers; the Thorn was a sloop of war. The frigates 
arrived at Boston, September 6, with two hundred and fifty prisoners, 
including a lieutenant-colonel, a major, and three naval captains. 
Nicholson received the congratulations of the Marine Committee (Boston 
Post, September 11, 1779; Boston Gazette, September 13, 1779; Penn. 
Gazette, September 22, 1779; Tucker, 119-121; Mar. Com. Letter Book, 237, 
238 (to Navy Board, Boston, and to Nicholson, September, 18, 19, 1779)

On September 21 and 22, the Marine Committee instructed the Navy Board at 
Boston to fit out the Deane, Boston, and Queen of France as quickly as 
possible for important service at Charleston, South Carolina. Shortly 
afterwards Admiral Arbuthnot at New York received information from Boston 
which led him to believe that these vessels were fitting out for an attack 
on the British post in Penobscot Bay (Stopford-Sackville MSS., 147 
(Arbuthnot to Germain, October 10, 1779) November 10, orders were sent for 
the frigates to sail at once. The Deane, perhaps because she could not be 
made ready in time, was subsequently detached from this duty, and the 
squadron, as finally made up under the orders of the Eastern Navy Board, 
November 20, consisted of the frigates Providence, Boston and Queen of 
France, and the Ranger, with Commodore Whipple in command. They set sail 
from Nantasket Roads, November 23, and cruised to the eastward of Bermuda. 
An officer on board the Providence wrote home that three days out from 
Boston they "met with a severe gale of wind, which lasted about 30 hours, 
in which time we sprang our mizen-mast; the Ranger shared the same fate 
and the Boston sprang the head of her mainmast. On the 5th [of December] 
we took a privateer brig of 12 guns called the Dolphin." (Independent 
Chronicle, February 24, 1780.) The destination of the squadron was not 
made known until they had passed Bermuda. They finally arrived at 
Charleston December 23 (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 239, 245 (to Navy Board, 
Boston, September 21, 22, November 10, 1779); Tucker MSS., November 20, 
1779; Log of Ranger; Penn. Mag. Hist. and Biogr., April 1891, journal of 
Lieutenant Jennison; Tucker, ch. vii.)

On August 24 the frigate Confederacy was ordered on a short Cruise off the 
Delaware capes, keeping a lookout for the privateer Eagle of Philadelphia, 
expected from St. Eustatius. September 3 the Confederacy was again ordered 
up to Chester, and on the 17th received instructions for a voyage to 
France, taking as passenger the French minister, Gerard. The Eagle was a 
ten-gun brigantine sailing under a Continental commission in the West 
Indies. Whether or not she returned to Philadelphia at this time is 
perhaps uncertain, but she was in the West Indies in November and on 
attempting to get into St. Eustatius was headed off and chased by six 
British privateers. She took refuge under a fort on the Dutch island of 
Saba, but was cut out and captured by the privateers, taken to Nevis and 
condemned by a British admiralty court, in violation of the neutrality of 
Saba (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 230, 231, 235 (to Harding, August 24, 
September 3, 17, 1779); Pap. Cont. Congr., 44, 325-397 (June 12, November 
13, 16, 25, 30, December 14, 1779, January 18, 20, March 21, 23, 1780); 
Massachusetts Spy, February 10, 1780.)

In the orders of September 17, sending the Confederacy to France, Captain 
Harding was instructed to make the best of his "way to any Port which the 
Minister may think proper to direct and on your passage you are carefully 
to avoid coming to action with any vessel of equal or superior force. Your 
Ship being entirely designed for the Accomodation of the Minister, yon are 
in all things, as far as may be, to comply with his wishes and to treat 
him with the respect due to his character." On his arrival in France he 
was to report to "his Excellency Benjamin Franklin, Esqr., Minister 
Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of Versailles." After 
refitting his ship, he was to take on board "such Stores for the use of 
these States as may be offered by the Agents in France, so as not to 
incommode your vessel as a Ship of war, and when you have received the 
Orders of our Minister, you are immediately to make the best of your way 
back to this port or into Chesapeake Bay . . . If you can procure A Set of 
good 18 Pounders when in France and you are of Opinion that the 
Confederacy can bear them, you are at liberty to mount them and put those 
you have now on Deck into your hold. We desire you will be careful of the 
Confederacy, her Materials and Stores and that you will not delay any time 
unnecessarily in France, but be diligent for dispatch." Under the same 
date the committee wrote to Franklin of the expected visit of the 
Confederacy to France (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 235, 236.) October 17, the 
Confederacy still lying at Chester, Harding received orders to take on 
board another distinguished passenger, John Jay, with his family. Jay had 
been appointed minister to Spain (lbid., 242.)

The Confederacy sailed soon after this and cleared the Delaware capes 
October 26. In relating the story of this eventful voyage, Harding says 
that on November 7 at five o'clock in the morning, in latitude 41° 3' 
longitude 50° 39', "the ship unfortunately lost her Bow Sprit, Fore Mast, 
Main Mast and Mizen Mast," in a gale. Six hours were passed in cutting 
away the wreck of spars, sails, and rigging, "after which all hands were 
imployed in clearing the Ship and preparing to get up Jury Masts, which 
would have been done with the Assistance of my Officers, who behaved 
themselves exceedingly well on the Occasion, in a Very short time, but the 
next day about 7 Oclock A.M. in addition to our misfortune found the 
Rudder to be gone, at least the head of it Wrung in such a manner that 
rendered it entirely useless, in which situation we lay Tossing and 
Drifting with the Wind and Current, making use of every Opportunity to 
secure the Rudder and Refit the Ship in order to proceed on her intended 
Passage till the 23d November." During this time the ship had drifted 
eastward to longitude 48° 28'. "I, with the advice of Mr. Jay and Mr. 
Gerard, Call'd a Council of my Officers Relative to the Ship's proceeding 
on her intended passage, who unanimously agreed that it would be very 
imprudent to approach the Coast of Europe in the situation she was then 
in; that it would be impossible for the Rudder to survive a hard Gale of 
wind without increasing the Leake very much, which was Occationed by the 
Rudder's Striking against her Stern post; that if we should be 
Necessitated to part with it, should undoubtedly be thrown into Various 
Difficultys, in Consequence of which the Ship might Founder; that if we 
should be attacked by a Gale of Wind inshore, we must inevetably be Cast 
on Shore, and perhaps the greater part of us if not the whole fall a 
sacrifice to our own folly; and that if we should loose any of Sparrs or 
Rigging we had none to Replace them; that in the situation the ship was 
then in, thought it most prudent to proceed to the West Indias. After 
which I Consulted Mr. Jay & Mr. Gerard the latter declining to give any 
Opinion on the Subject, the former gave his Opinion that the sentiments of 
the Officers Corresponded with his and that their advice ought in his 
opinion to be followed." (Pap. Cont. Congr., 78, 11, 487 (Harding to 
President of Congress, December 30, 1779)) Thereupon the ship was brought 
to Martinique, arriving at St. Pierre December 18. The two ministers 
continued their passage to France in a French frigate (Boston Post, 
February 19, 1780; Boston Gazette, February 21, 1780; Papers New London 
Hist. Soc., IV, i, 61.)

In the fall of 1779 a change was made in the administration of Continental 
naval affairs by placing them in charge of a smaller executive board. John 
Brown, secretary of this new body, in a letter to the Navy Board at Boston 
says: "Congress having dissolved their Marine Committee did by A Resolve 
bearing date the 28th of October ... Constitute a Board of Admiralty and 
Appointed three Commissioners not members of Congress, together with two 
Members of Congress and A Secretary, to whose management All Affairs 
Relative to the Continental Navy are committed, subject nevertheless to 
the controul of Congress." Instructions and suggestions concerning various 
matters are given in the letter. "As to the Continental Armed Vessels 
still remaining at Boston, you are hereby authorized and directed to send 
them out on a cruize in such Latitudes as you may think will be most 
likely to annoy the enemy by Captures." (Mar. Com. Letter Book, 249 
(December 10, 1779)

Captain Manley, after his release from imprisonment and acquittal by court 
martial for the loss of the frigate Hancock, took command of a Boston 
privateer, the twenty-gun ship Cumberland. In December, 1778, he sailed 
for the West Indies, but after a short cruise was captured by a British 
frigate and taken into Barbadoes. With other prisoners he soon escaped, 
seized a sloop, got to Martinique and thence to Boston in April, 1779. In 
June he took command of the ship Jason, recently captured by a Continental 
squadron and fitted out as a privateer with eighteen six-pounders and a 
hundred and twenty men. The Jason sailed June 19 and off the Isles of 
Shoals was chased and nearly captured by a British frigate and brig. She 
was saved by a violent thunder squall, which, although it dismasted her, 
drove the British vessels out to sea. A seaman on the Jason wrote in his 
journal: "When the squall struck us it hove us all aback, when we clued 
down. In ten seconds the wind shifted on our starboard beam and shivered 
our sails. In a few seconds more the wind shifted on the starboard quarter 
and struck us with such force that hove us on our beam ends and carried 
away our three masts and bowsprit. She immediately righted and the squall 
went over." (Narrative of Joshua Davis, 4.) The crew then insisted upon 
going into port to repair damages, but Manley, having quelled the 
mutinous, succeeded in having masts stepped and the ship completely re-
rigged at sea in thirty-six hours; the new masts he procured at 
Portsmouth. He then continued his cruise. Off Sandy Hook, July 23, he fell 
in with two British privateer brigs of sixteen and eighteen guns. "The 
enemy hove upon the wind with his larboard tacks on board, run up his 
courses, hoisted his colours and gave us a broadside. Our Captain ordered 
the sailing master to get the best bower anchor out, so that the bill of 
it should take into the fore shrouds of the enemy. It was quickly done. 
The Captain ordered the helm hard a-port, which brought us along side. The 
anchor caught their fore rigging. Our Captain then said: 'fire away, my 
boys.' We then gave them a broadside which tore her off side very much and 
killed and wounded some of them. The rest all ran below, except their 
captain who stood on the deck like a man amazed." The brig was then 
boarded and quickly captured. "When we got disentangled we bore away for 
the other privateer, that began to run from us. We gave her a few shot 
from our bow chasers and she hove too." (Narrative of Joshua Davis, 6, 7.) 
The second brig then also surrendered. The British lost thirty killed and 
wounded; the Jason three wounded, one of them mortally. The prizes were 
brought safely into Boston Harbor. Fearing that his men would desert if he 
went up to the town, Manley procured stores at Hull and then continued his 
cruise. After escaping a British frigate off Nantucket Shoals with a large 
fleet of merchantmen under convoy, which he ran into in a fog, Manley 
cruised to the eastward. Off Newfoundland he captured an English brig. 
Here the Jason was chased by the British frigate Surprise, of twenty-eight 
guns and two hundred and thirty men. The frigate overhauled the Jason 
about eleven o'clock in the evening of September 30 and fired a broadside. 
"Our captain would not let us fire until they got abreast of us. They gave 
us another broadside, which cut away some of our running rigging and drove 
some of our men from the tops. We gave them a broadside which silenced two 
of her bow guns. The next we gave her cut away her maintopsail and drove 
her maintop-men out of it. Both sides continued the fire until one 
o'clock. Our studding sails and booms, our sails, rigging, yards, &c. were 
so cut away that they were useless. Lanterns were hung at the ship's side, 
between the guns, on nails, but they soon fell on deck at the shaking of 
the guns; which made it so dark that the men could not see to load the 
guns. They broke the fore hatches open and ran below. Our captain sent the 
sailing master forward to see why the bow guns did not keep the fire up, 
but he never returned. The captain then sent the master's mate on the same 
errand and he never returned. It was therefore thought needless to stand 
it any longer and the captain took the trumpet and called out for 
quarters." (Davis, 11, 12.) The Surprise lost fifteen killed and thirty 
wounded, the Jason five killed and a few wounded. Manley was taken to St. 
John's, Newfoundland, and afterwards sent to Mill Prison, England, where 
he remained more than two years (Independent Chronicle, March 4, 1779; 
Boston Gazette, March 8, November 29,1779; Boston Post, July 31, 1779; 
Essex Inst. Coll., January, 1909.)

The private armed ship Hampden, of twenty-two guns, Captain Thomas 
Pickering, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the early spring of 1779 was 
returning from a cruise in European waters, having sent four prizes into 
France, when on March 7, at ten o'clock in the morning, in latitude 47° 
15' north, longitude 28° 31' west, a sail was sighted. The Hampden gave 
chase. At five in the afternoon both vessels showed their colors. The 
stranger was a large ship carrying twenty-six nine-pounders and eight 
fours; at dusk she was lost sight of, but at daylight was seen again. "At 
7 A.M. came under her lee quarter within hail, hoisted continental colours 
and gave her a broadside. She kept all her guns hous'd till just before we 
fired, altho' we could tell her ports thirteen of a side, a very great 
distance apart; she return'd the broadside without any damage, with twenty-
four nine pounders and eight four pounders and had the advantage of a spar 
deck to cover her men. Being a beautiful large ship with two tier of cabin 
windows we knew her to be an East Indianian and of much superior force, 
but supposing they were badly mann'd, were determined to fight her as long 
as we could. The engagement continued till half past Ten, close alongside, 
when finding our three masts and bowsprit very badly wounded, our 
starboard main shrouds totally gone, our rigging and sails cut to pieces, 
our double headed shott expended, and near twenty of our men killed and 
wounded, were obliged to our grief to leave her a mere wreck, her masts, 
yards, sails and rigging cut to pieces. Having ourselves only the foresail 
which we could set to get off with, the sheets being cut away, were 
obliged to use our tacks. During the action our brave and worthy 
commander, Capt. Pickering, was killed." One other man was killed and 
seventeen wounded, two of them mortally. The Hampden arrived at Portsmouth 
April 20 (Continental Journal, April 20, 1779; Independent Chronicle, 
April 22, 1779.)

The ship General Mifflin, Captain McNeill, after cruising more than a year 
in European waters, returned in February to Boston, having taken thirteen 
prizes. She was also successful in home waters during the year and fought 
an engagement with a sloop of war (Boston Gazette, February 15, October 
25, 1779; Boston Post, February 20, 1779.) The sixteen-gun ship General 
Pickering, Captain Haraden, of Salem, cruised successfully all the year, 
many of her prizes being armed vessels; among them a fourteen-gun brig 
named the Hope. In a letter to Timothy Pickering, dated Cape Henlopen, 
October 1, 1779, Haraden says: "I left the Capes at Sundown on Tuesday 
last and at Sunrising on Wednesday Morning I discovered Two sail to the 
windward. The Winds being light I hove out two Draggs to keep my Ship from 
going ahead and made all the Sail I could, as though I was running from 
them. They both gave Chace and at 5 p.m. they got nigh enough to discover 
that I was a Cruising Vessel. They both hove about and haul'd their Wind, 
I immediately hove about after them, they crowded all the Sail they could 
and Rowed at the same time. At sundown the Wind breezed up a little and as 
Night came on, I kept Sight of them with my Night Glass; at 8 P.M. they 
parted, one stood to the Northward & the other to the Southward. I kept in 
chace of the largest and at 9 P.M. She Hove about, being to the Windward; 
as she past me I hail'd her, but had no answer. Then I gave her a 
Broadside, but without any effect that I could perceive; then I Tackt Ship 
and gave her another Broadside and hail'd her. She answered from N. York. 
I Order'd her to haul down the Colours, which they Obey'd instantly; very 
peaceable people, like the Hope, though they Had 14 6 & 4 pounders and 38 
Men. She proves to be the Royal George Cutter, a Letter of Marque out of 
New York last Tuesday Morning bound to the West Indies and was in Company 
with a Sloop of 8 Carriage Guns from the same place, she being Clean & a 
Fast Sailor got off clear, while I was in Chase of the Cutter." (Pickering 
MSS., xxxix, 179.) In October, off Sandy Hook, the Pickering engaged three 
letters of marque at once - a fourteen-gun ship, a ten-gun brig, and an 
eight-gun sloop. After an action of an hour and a half she captured all 
three and took them into port (Penn. Gazette, September 29, 1779; Maryland 
Journal, December 7, 1779; Boston Post, December 18, 1779; Boston Gazette, 
December 20, 1779.)

The sloop Eagle of New London with other privateers captured three vessels 
early in the year and in May she took several more. Having manned these 
prizes, the prisoners on board the Eagle outnumbered her crew and took 
possession of her. They then murdered all the crew, except two boys, and 
took her into Newport (Boston Gazette, May 17, 31, 1779; Boston Post, May 
22, 1779; Papers New London Hist. Soc., IV, i, 10.)

The British sloop of war Thorn, brought into Boston as a prize by the 
frigates Deane and Boston in September, was fitted out as a privateer; she 
was ship rigged and carried eighteen six-pounders. Captain Daniel Waters 
of the Continental navy, who had served in Washington's fleet in 1776, was 
put in command of the Thorn; there were too few regular ships to give 
employment to all the Continental officers and it was common for them to 
sail in privateers. The Thorn sailed on a cruise in December. The journal 
of the first lieutenant relates that on the 24th at four o'clock in the 
afternoon, the wind being light, two armed brigantines were seen about 
four miles to windward. The Thorn stood off "in order to draw them within 
shot. At 7 P.M. almost calm, our ship in order, men at their quarters and 
in high spirits for engaging. Calm all night. The next morning, December 
25, at 6 A.M. the two brigs were on our larboard beam about two miles 
distant, light breezes from the west; they, to appearance, were making 
preparations for engaging. At 9 A.M. the wind sprung up from the S. W.; 
made sail for them in as good order as circumstances would admit. At 10 
A.M. Came up with the sternmost, as she was the heaviest, and he hailed: 
From White Hall, and ask'd Capt. Waters what right he had to wear the 13 
stars in his pendant. Capt. Waters answered: I'll let you know presently; 
then shifted our ensign and gave her a broadside within pistol shot, which 
she returned, as did the other brig on our weather bow. A warm engagement 
commenced on both sides for about two glasses, when the largest brig laid 
us on board on our weather quarter, whilst the other amused us on our 
weather bow, who kept up a regular fire; but she upon our quarter was soon 
convinced of her error, receiving such a warm and well directed fire from 
our marines and seeing his men running about deck with pikes in their 
backs instead of their hands, were undoubtedly glad to get off again. But 
soon shot alongside again and renew'd his cannonade with surprising 
spirit, but after two or three broadsides, was obliged to haul down what 
remained of his colours. There must have been great slaughter, as the 
blood was seen to run out of the scuppers. The other brig seeing her 
consort had struck, made what sail she could to make her escape, but they 
found us as ready to follow as she was to run, after Capt. Waters had 
ordered the captured brig to follow. This engagement lasted about four 
glasses. Capt. Waters received a wound in his right knee about one glass 
before the first struck. At 3 P.M. came up with the other, after firing 
several chace shot thro' her quarter, when with reluctance they hauled 
down their colours. Capt. Waters ordered me on board to send the officers 
on board the Thorn & immediately make sail for the other brig, which was 
making from us. Fresh breezes and cloudy weather. At 8 P.M. the Thorn hove 
to, losing sight of the chace." (Boston Gazette, February 21, 1780.) The 
next morning she was nowhere to be seen, but many oars, spars, and other 
wreckage were discovered floating and it was supposed that she had sunk. 
Subsequently it was learned that under cover of the night she had managed 
to escape. These two brigs were privateers from New York; one, the 
Governor Tryon, which escaped, carried sixteen guns - twelves, sixes, and 
fours - and eighty-six men; the other, the Sir William Erskine, carried 
eighteen six- and four-pounders, and eighty-five men. The Thorn lost 
eighteen killed and wounded, the Erskine twenty. Upon learning of this 
exploit, John Adams, then in Paris, sent to the French "minister a Boston 
Gazette of 21st February, in which is a relation of a glorious combat and 
cruise of my countryman Captain Waters, of the Thorn . . . There has not 
been a more memorable action this war, and the feats of our American 
frigates and privateers have not been sufficiently published in Europe. It 
would answer valuable purposes, both by encouraging their honest and brave 
hearts and by exciting emulations elsewhere, to give them a little more 
than they have had of the fame they have deserved. Some of the most 
skillful, determined, persevering and successful engagements that have 
ever happened upon the seas have been performed by American privateers 
against the privateers from New York, and have seldom been properly 
described and published even there." (Wharton, iii, 650, Adams to Genet, 
May 3,1780.) January 13, 1780, the Thorn fell in with the British ship 
Sparlin of eighteen guns, bound from Liverpool to New York, and captured 
her after an action of forty minutes. The American loss was one killed and 
two wounded, the British lost three killed and ten wounded. The Thorn 
brought the Erskine and Sparlin safely into Boston, arriving in Nantasket 
Roads February 17, 1780 (Boston Post, February 19,1780; Boston Gazette, 
February 21, 1780. For further information about privateers and their 
prizes in 1779, see Boston Gazette, January 18, February 15, March 8, 22, 
April 26, June 14, August 2, September 27, October 4, 18, November 29, 
December 13, 20, 1779; Boston Post, February 6, April 10, May 1, 22, July 
3, 10, October 2, 1779; Independent Ledger, May 10, October 11, 1779; 
Penn. Gazette, May 12, September 29, October 6, 1779; Penn. Packet, May 
20, August 10, October 14, December 25, 1779; Maryland Journal, January 
12, 1779; New York Packet, October 21, 1770; Papers New London Hist. Soc., 
IV, i, 9-16; Proc. U. S. Nav. Inst., June, 1911; Maclay's Moses Brown, 
chs. vi, vii, viii; Barney, 77-80; Clark, i, ch. vii; Williams, 245; 
Pickering MSS., xvii, 267. For cruise of a Now York privateer, see Amer. 
Hist. Rev., January, 1902.)