Argo	(1) Commander Silas Talbot
Armed Sloop	14 April 1780-
Rhode Island Privateer Sloop	(2) Commander Oliver Bowen 12 December 1780-

Commissioned/First Date:	14 April 1780
Out of Service/Cause:

Owners:

(1) John Brown et al; (2) Jabez Bowen of Providence, Rhode Island

Tonnage:

100

Battery:

Date Reported: 12 December 1780 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 6/ Total: 6 cannon/ Broadside: 3 cannon/ Swivels:

Crew:

12 December 1780: 15 [total]

Description:

Officers:

Cruises:

(1) [Providence], Rhode Island to Providence, Rhode Island, -29 May 1780 (2) Providence, Rhode Island to Providence, Rhode Island, [June] 1780-[10] July 1780

Prizes:

(1) Sloop Surprize (Aaron Martin), [July] 1780

Actions:

Comments:

Rhode Island Privateer Sloop Argo was commissioned on 14 April 1780 under Commander Silas Talbot, her former commander when she was part of the Continental Army Squadron at Providence, Rhode Island. Her owners were listed as John Brown et al.¹

Argo returned to Providence from a cruise on 29 May 1780.²

Argo was at Providence on 15 July 1780, when Talbot advertised for a runaway slave, offering the seemingly extravagant reward of $400. The slave was probably a member of Argo’s crew.³

The small⁴ sloop Surprize (Aaron Martin)⁵ was captured, perhaps in early July 1780. She was bound from New Providence (Nassau), Bahama Islands⁶ [or Bermuda]⁷ to New York, New York with a cargo of limes, pineapples and other fruit.⁸ Surprize was sent in to Providence and arrived on 21 July.⁹ She was libeled on 19 August 1780 and tried 4 September 1780.¹⁰

Argo was re-commissioned on 12 December 1780 under Commander Oliver Bowen of Providence, Rhode Island. She was listed as being armed with six guns and having a crew of fourteen men. Her $20000 bond was executed by skipper Bowen and owner Jabez Bowen of Providence.¹¹

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¹ Sheffield, An Address Delivered by William P. Sheffield before the Rhode Island Historical Society, 61

² The Providence Gazette; And Country Journal, Saturday, June 3, 1780

³ The Providence Gazette; And Country Journal, Saturday, July 15, 1780

⁴ The Providence Gazette; And Country Journal, Saturday, July 22, 1780;  The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Wednesday, July 26, 1780

⁵ The Newport Mercury, Saturday, August 19, 1780

⁶ The Providence Gazette; And Country Journal, Saturday, July 22, 1780

⁷ The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Wednesday, July 26, 1780

⁸ The Providence Gazette; And Country Journal, Saturday, July 22, 1780;  The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Wednesday, July 26, 1780

⁹ The Providence Gazette; And Country Journal, Saturday, July 22, 1780

¹⁰ The Newport Mercury, Saturday, August 19, 1780

¹¹ NRAR, 229