Fair American	Commander John Smith
Armed Brig	[August] 1780-7 November 1780
North Carolina Privateer Brig

Commissioned/First Date:	[August] 1780
Out of Service/Cause:	7 November 1782/captured by HM Frigate Vestal

Owners:

George and William Wynns of Wiccacon, North Carolina, and others

Tonnage:

180

Battery:

Date Reported: [August] 1780 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 18/ Total: 18 cannon/ Broadside: 9 cannon/ Swivels:

Crew:

Description:

Newly built in the summer of 1780.

Officers:

Cruises:

(1) Edenton, North Carolina to sea, [15] September 1780-7 November 1780

Prizes:

Actions:

Comments:

North Carolina Privateer Brig Fair American was built in 1780 at Hare’s Mill, North Carolina. The 180-ton brig was owned, at least partly, by brothers George and William Wynns of Wiccacon, North Carolina. She was armed with eighteen guns and was placed under the command of Commander John Smith.¹

Fair American moved over to Edenton, North Carolina and loaded a cargo of tobacco. She sailed about the early or middle part of September 1780, bound for Bordeaux² or Nantes, France.³ Going along for the ride, and to visit France, was a half brother of the Wynns, Thomas.⁴ On 7 November the Fair American ran afoul of HM Frigate Vestal.⁵ All it took was one shot for the brig to heave to.⁶

The prize was taken into England. She was tried and condemned in the High Court of Admiralty, being noted as an American merchant vessel with a letter-of-marque.⁷

Thomas Wynn was released as a civilian and got to France. The crew was sent to Forton Prison. “Not long afterward, some of the crew of the Fair American joined a mass-breakout from an English prison and, in time, made their own way home.”⁸

¹ This information is from Parramore, Thomas C., Murfreesboro, North Carolina and the Founding of the American Republic 1608 - 1781, Ahoskie, North Carolina: Pierce Printing, 2002. It is quoted on a website about the Wynn Family: Sally's Family Place.

² From Parramore, Murfreesboro, by Sally's Family Place.

³ The Royal Gazette [New York], February 14, 1781, datelined London, November 11, 1781

⁴ From Parramore, Murfreesboro, by Sally's Family Place.

⁵ The Royal Gazette [New York], February 14, 1781, datelined London, November 11, 1781. The date is confirmed in Kaminkow, Mariners of the American Revolution, 223. According to the Parramore extract the date was 7 October 1780.

⁶ The Royal Gazette [New York], February 14, 1781, datelined London, November 11, 1781

⁷ HCA 32/328/3/1-16

⁸ Parramore, Murfreesboro, by Sally's Family Place.

Posted 22 May 2011

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