Angelica	Commander William Dennis [Dennison, Dannis, Davis]
Sloop-of-War [Brig/Sloop]	[April] 1778-31 May 1778
Massachusetts Privateer Brig

Commissioned/First Date:	[April] 1778
Out of Service/Cause:	31 May 1778/captured by HM Frigate Andromeda

Owners:

Adam Babcock et al of Boston, Massachusetts

Tonnage:

Battery:

Date Reported: 11 May 1778 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 18/ Total: 18 cannon/ Broadside: 9 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 31 May 1778 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 16/ Total: 16 cannon/ Broadside: 8 cannon/ Swivels:

Crew:

[June] 1778: 98 [total]

Description:

A brig with a figurehead of General Gates and a figure on the stern of a coiled rattlesnake

Officers:

(1) Lieutenant Ezekial Durfey [Durphey], -31 May 1778; (2) Master David Arnold, -31 May 1778; (3) Surgeon Thomas Burns, -31 May 1778; (4) Prize Master Nathaniel Fanning, -31 May 1778; (5) Prize Master David Bowers, Jr., -31 May 1778; (6) Captain of Marines [Prizemaster] Heathcote Muirson, -31 May 1778; (7) First Lieutenant of Marines Thomas Greenleaf, -31 May 1778

Cruises:

(1) Boston, Massachusetts to sea, 11 May 1778-31 May 1778-

Prizes:

Actions:

Comments:

Massachusetts Privateer Brig Angelica was a newly built vessel in May 1778.¹ Angelica was armed with sixteen guns.² She had “the Figure of Gen. Gates for her Head, and a Rattle-Snake wound up on her Stern.”³

She was commanded, in May 1778, by Commander William Dennis [ibid] (whose name is also given as Denison, Dannis, and Davis).⁴ Other officers aboard the Angelica were Lieutenant Ezekial Durfey (or Durphey),⁵ Master David Arnold,⁶ Prize Master Nathaniel Fanning, of Connecticut,⁷ Prize Master David Bowers, Jr. of Massachusetts,⁸ Surgeon Thomas Burns, possibly of Pennsylvania or Rhode Island,⁹ Captain of Marines (or Prizemaster) Heathcote Muirson, of New York,¹⁰ [Muirson letter] and First Lieutenant of Marines Thomas Greenleaf of Boston, Massachusetts.¹¹ Angelica was based in Boston.¹²

Angelica sailed from Boston on 11 May 1778. In the newspaper account she is referred to as a “Continental Brig, of 18 Guns, with the Figure of Gen. Gates for her Head, and a Rattle-Snake wound up on her Stern.”¹³ Evidently Angelica was delayed in Nantasket Roads for she continued recruiting. Nathaniel Fanning signed aboard on 25 May, which was the day she sailed.¹⁴  She had ninety-eight men aboard when she sailed.¹⁵

Within a day or two Angelica spoke a Salem privateer, but otherwise the cruise was uneventful until 31 May. Fanning takes up the story:

 “ . . . at noon . . .  we discovered a sail bearing SSE of us, the wind then being about N by E. Orders were immediately given by the captain to make sail for her; in a short time after we could perceive with our glasses that she was a ship standing by the wind to the eastward; at 1 PM saw that she was a long frigate built ship. All hands were now ordered to quarters and prepare for action; at 4 PM we were near enough to distinguish the chase from a Jamaica merchantman, which we at first view supposed it to be. In consequence of our being convinced that she was an English ship of war, we jibed ship and hauled on a wind to the westward, but too late as the ship immediately hove in stays, run out her guns, and gave us chase in her turn, and in about three quarters of an hour more she came along side of us and obliged us to haul down Yankee colours . . .”¹⁶

The British frigate was HM Frigate Andromeda (Captain Byrne), in which General Howe was returning home to England.¹⁷ She was five days out of Philadelphia. [ibis] The British reported Angelica was armed with sixteen guns and had ninety-eight men aboard when captured.¹⁸

Fanning tells the story of the prisoners aboard the Andromeda:

. . . The enemy soon . . .  conducted us on board the Andromeda, where we were all paraded on the quarter deck in presence of their great and mighty general, who asked us a number of insignificant questions; among which was “If we were willing to engage in his majesty’s service?” We having answered pretty unanimously in the negative, he then upbraided us with these words: “You are a set of rebels and it is more than probable that you will all be hanged on our arrival at Portsmouth.” The master at arms was then ordered on the ship’s quarter deck, who soon made his appearance. and under the pretence of searching our baggage for concealed knives; he, with some of his comrades, very dexterously conveyed our said baggage out of sight, so that we saw nothing of it, or any part thereof afterwards. This was the more astonishing as it was done under the general’s eye; who ordered us all to be confined in the ship’s hold. We soon began our march for this young hell upon the seas, and on our way we were ordered by some of the Jack tars to halt; who began to strip us, saying or rather accosting us with these words: “D—n my eyes, shipmate, but you have got a d—d fine coat there — fine hat — fine shoe buckles — fine jacket  — fine breeches etc.” but taking care to land these expressions with an oath. In short every thing that we then had was fine to them, and after saying: “Come come! ship mates these fine things will only be a plague to you, as the climate is very hot where you are bound,” (meaning the ship’s hold;) they then without any further ceremony fell to work and stripped us of our clothes. There happened at this juncture to pass by a midshipman, who said. “That is right lads, strip the d—d rebels, and give each of them a frock and trousers, those will be good enough for them to be hanged in.” We were, according to his orders, stripped, and after being furnished with frocks and trousers, we continued our march till we were shoved headlong into the aforesaid hell upon the seas! Two sentinels were then placed at the mouth thereof to prevent our running away! Here they kept us fasting during twenty hours, and then sent us our small pittance of provisions, which was no more per man per day than two thirds of the allowance of a prisoner of war: however, it was in vain we petitioned for redress to the captain of the ship, and to general Howe; they were deaf to our complaints, and answered that we were treated with too much lenity, being considered as rebels, whose crimes were of such an aggravated kind that we should be shewn no mercy. The enemy at about nine at night set the Angelica on fire. and she soon after blew up and the ship continued on her course for England.”¹⁹

Such treatment did not appeal to the surgeon, Thomas Burns. As Fanning relates, Burns tried to do something about these conditions:

 “The next day after being confined in the frigate’s hold, a plan was set on foot by our surgeon to make ourselves masters of her; this met with the approbation of all, to appearance; and we agreed to put it in execution on the third of June, at half past eleven at night, or to die in the attempt. However, in the meantime the surgeon had frequent conversations with the forecastle men and sentinels, who agreed all as one to join us. We had by this time pretty severely felt the effects of the heat in our confinement in the ship’s lower hold upon the haul up deck (a temporary one laying over the water punchions, ballast, &c.) as we were obliged from the excessive heat to go stark naked, only when we had occasion to go upon deck which we were allowed to do only one at a time, and once in twenty four hours. I have often, while confined in this young hell, being almost suffocated, crawled into the wings of the ship, and got my nose to the air holes before I could fetch breath. In fine, we all suffered so much here we were willing to be all cut to pieces in our intended attempt, rather than suffer in this dismal place any longer. The most of the ship’s crew at this time were so much affected with the scurvy, that we had no reason to expect any great opposition to obstruct us in our intended design; as we had some arms, cutlasses, &c. secretly conveyed down to us by persons who were in league with our surgeon.

“Our plan being now ripe for execution, and the surgeon having been upon deck the two preceding nights, by consent of those who kept sentinel over us they being in the plot; he had observed that the greater part of the watch were almost all the time fast asleep; so that it was very probable that we should not have met with a very warm reception. But an unforeseen casualty entirely frustrated our plan. About nine at night, on the third of June, when we were all prepared and in high spirits; having as we thought, arrived almost to the height of our wishes, as we saw nothing then to hinder our taking possession of the frigate. One Spencer, captain Dennis’ clerk, stole upon deck and made known to the general our plot; presently after the marines and sailors were all armed, and so great was the panic among both officers and crew that they were almost ready to believe that we were masters of their ship. However the lower hatches were immediately thrown on and barred down; and now it was that we began to think seriously that we should very soon die in a heap, as the heat became intolerable; and to complete our sufferings, orders were given by this great and mighty general to give us only as much provisions as would serve to keep us alive and to deal out to us no more water than half a pint per man per day; this was British humanity to a witness!²⁰

The captives were now worse off as concerned rations and water. But yet again Yankee ingenuity seemed to save them:

“However, as we were lodged upon the water casks, over which was laid a temporary deck, we, with a kind of proof glass got a sufficiency; but as to provisions it was next to none. However, as there was nothing but a partition of plank between us and the general’s store room, we fell upon an expedient to augment our stores; as we had frequently beheld the captain’s steward and general’s servants from between the shifting boards abaft the pump well, drawing off wines and other liquors, and only securing the bungs of each cask with their fingers; getting white biscuit out of one keg; neats tongues out of another; raisins out of another; hams out of a cask they were stowed in; mess beef out of tierces; and in fine, this store-room contained almost everything agreeable to the taste, and in great plenty. On the evening of the 5th of June, at 10 at night, one Howard, a native of Rhode Island, a bold and enterprising fellow, declared he would not that night close his eyes until he drank some Madeira wine; and that he would be the person who would run the hazard of losing his life in order to serve us all, if we could make a breach, so that he could get into the said store room. Accordingly we went to work and soon found that one of the shifting boards abaft the pump well was loose, and that we could ship and unship it as we pleased: when it was unshipped there was just room enough for a man to crawl into the store room already mentioned, which Howard no sooner saw than he improved the precious occasion, and in he went; and presently after desired one to hand him a mug or can, with our proof glass; a few minutes after he handed me back the same full, saying at the same time,  “my friends, as good Madeira wine as ever was drank at the table of an Emperor.” I took it from his hands and being very dry, I drank about one third of it, which was I judge about half a pint, and then gave it to my fellow sufferers The can thus went round merrily till we were all but Howard, what may be called decently drunk; and Howard, after having secured us some eatables of several kinds, and likewise putting the shifting boards in their place, retired to the general rendezvous upon the haul up deck. Thus we lived like hearty fellows, taking care every night to secure provisions, dried fruit, and wines for the day following, until the frigate came to anchor in Portsmouth, and that in pretty large quantities, without being beholden to our enemies’ bounty, and without their knowledge. However, that they might not suspect this conduct of ours, we used to snatch at the small pittance of provisions allowed us when they dealt it out to us as if we were half starved, and at the water they allowed us the same. On our way to England the frigate lost part of her crew with the scurvy; but as for us, the general, as well as the captain and his officers, were astonished on the score of our being all brave and hearty. The former even expressed himself in this manner; “What, are none of them d—d Yankees sick!” Somebody made answer. not one. “D—n them, (says he) there is nothing but thunder and lightning will kill them.” This was reported to us by the captain’s steward, and one of the general’s servants.”²¹

Andromeda arrived at Portsmouth with her prisoners on 2 July 1778.²² Fanning chronicles the arrival:

“At length on the last day of June, 1778, we arrived at Portsmouth, when the quarter masters were ordered down into the cable teers to see them clear, in order for letting go the anchors. But I had forgot to mention one circumstance relating to the sailors of the brig Angelica confined in the frigate’s hold; it was this; they got during our confinement as much old Jamaica spirits as they wished to drink, by boreing a hole through the bulk head upon the larboard side of the pump well, into a large butt which stood against the partition, and by means of quills drew spirits whenever they wanted.”

“But to return to the quarter masters. As soon as they came into the hold, upon the haul up deck, they began to accost us in this manner: “Well, ship mates, how have you fared the passage?” said one of them: “D—n my eyes, Bob, but these Yankees look d—d well; I guess they found their way into the general’s store room — what say you, Bob?”

“I don t know, Jack, but d—n me if I don t wish the devil had run a hunting with them all, before they had  popped themselves in our way; for blast my eyes but they have deprived us of many a good drink of Madeira, as well as old Jamaica stingo. Well Bob, I think the poor devils (as the general says) will soon die with the narrows, as the Irishman’s father did: -so d—d narrow that he could not get his head out!”²³

The next day the men were sent ashore, after more threats of hanging, and were examined by magistrates, from whence they were committed to Fortun prison.²⁴ On 7 July 1778 Arnold, Dennis, Durfey, Greenleaf, Bowers, Fanning, and Burns were committed to Fortun Prison at Gosport, near Portsmouth, England.²⁵ Davis and Burns evidently preferred to be elsewhere, for they escaped sixteen days later, 23 July 1778.²⁶ Durfey and  Greenleaf escaped, perhaps with their commander, perhaps later.²⁷ Fanning was exchanged on 2 June 1779.²⁸ Arnold was pardoned for exchange on 11 December 1779.²⁹ Muirson appealed to Benjamin Franklin for help in a letter dated 21 July 1778. He eventually escaped, receiving money from the American commissioners in France in September 1779.³⁰

The harsh treatment was not without effect, as twenty-five of the Angelica’s crew entered British service. Sixty-four of the crew  arrived at Forton on 6 July.³¹

Considering the capture of the Angelica on 31 May 1778, it is difficult to understand the £2000 Massachusetts bond taken out on 28 August 1778 by owner Adam Babcock and signed by Dennis and Babcock.³²

¹ Fanning, Nathaniel (ed. John S. Barnes), Fanning’s Narrative Being the Memoirs of Nathaniel Fanning an Officer of the Revolutionary Navy 1775-1783, Naval History Society: New York, 1912, 1

² Fanning, 1; Heathcote Muirson to Benjamin Franklin, letter, 21 July 1778 (furnished by e-mail from D.B. Ford)

³ The New-York Gazette; and The Weekly Mercury, Monday, June 8, 1778

⁴ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 85

⁵ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 98

⁶ Kaminkow, Mariners of the American Revolution, 6

⁷ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 105

⁸ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 29

⁹ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 44

¹⁰ Muirson to Franklin, 21 July 1778

¹¹ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 128

¹² The Massachusetts Spy: Or, American Oracle of Liberty [Worcester],Thursday,  September 24, 1778, datelined London, July 9, 1778

¹³ The New-York Gazette; and The Weekly Mercury, Monday, June 8, 1778

¹⁴ Fanning, 1; Heathcote Muirson to Benjamin Franklin, letter, 21 July 1778 (furnished by e-mail from D. B Ford)

¹⁵ The Pennsylvania Evening Post, Friday, October 9, 1778, datelined Boston, September 21, quoting from a London paper of July 9, 1778; Fanning, 1

¹⁶ Fanning, 1-2

¹⁷ The Pennsylvania Evening Post, Friday, October 9, 1778, datelined Boston, September 21, quoting from a London paper of July 9, 1778

¹⁸ The Pennsylvania Evening Post, Friday, October 9, 1778, datelined Boston, September 21, quoting from a London paper of July 9, 1778

¹⁹ Fanning, 2-3

²⁰ Fanning, 3-5

²¹ Fanning, 5-7

²² Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 74

²³ Fanning, 7-8

²⁴ Fanning, 8

²⁵ Kaminkow, Mariners of the American Revolution, 6; Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 29, 44, 85, 98, 128; Fanning, 8

²⁶ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 44, 85; “A Yankee Privateersman in Prison in England, 1777-1779,” in New England Historical and Geneaological Register, volume XXXI, 1877, Boston, p. 287

²⁷ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 98, 128

²⁸ Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 105

²⁹ Kaminkow, Mariners of the American Revolution, 6

³⁰ E-mail from D.B. Ford, 2 April 2009

³¹ “A Yankee Privateersman in Prison in England, 1777-1779,” in New England Historical and Geneaological Register, volume XXXI, 1877, Boston,  284

³² Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 75

Revised 10 April 2009