Betsey	Commander Benjamin Bradhurst
Armed Brig	17 November 1778-
Maryland Privateer Brig

Commissioned/First Date:	17 November 17778
Out of Service/Cause:

Owners:

William Pollard of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and others from Baltimore, Maryland

Tonnage:

70

Battery:

Date Reported: 17 November 1778 Number/Caliber  Weight     Broadside 2/ Total: 2 cannon/ Broadside: 1 cannon/ Swivels: three [and eight howitzers]

Crew:

17 November 1778: 13 [total]

Description:

Officers:

Cruises:

Prizes:

Actions:

Comments:

The 70-ton Maryland Privateer Brig Betsey was commissioned on 17 November 1778 under Commander Benjamin Bradhurst,¹ possibly of Baltimore, Maryland.² She was listed as having a battery of two guns, with three swivel guns and eight howitzers,³ and a crew of twelve men.⁴ Her owners are listed as William Pollard and others of Baltimore.⁵ Her $5000 bond was signed by Bradhurst and James Williams of Annapolis, Maryland.⁶

The Maryland Council had suspicions about the Betsey, then laying in the Eastern Bay and ready to sail. The commission for Bradhurst was delivered to Commodore Grason of the Maryland Navy, who was ordered, on 17 November, to send a Maryland Navy galley to search the Betsey. If she was found to have shipped excess provisions over and above those stated to be aboard on her application for a commission, she was to be seized. If everything was according to the application, then her commission was to be delivered to Bradhurst.⁷

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¹  Archives of Maryland: Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Maryland, April 1, 1778 through October 26, 1779, 21:240

² NRAR, 235

³  Archives of Maryland: Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Maryland, April 1, 1778 through October 26, 1779, 21:240

⁴ NRAR, 235

⁵  Archives of Maryland: Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Maryland, April 1, 1778 through October 26, 1779, 21:240

⁶ NRAR, 235

⁷ Archives of Maryland: Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Maryland, April 1, 1778 through October 26, 1779, 21:240