| Back to I |
 |
Rhode Island Privateer Sloop Independence |
| Independence | (1) Commander Jabez Whipple |
| Armed Sloop | 24 July 1776- |
| Rhode Island Privateer Sloop | (2) Commander John Tillinghast
|
| Commissioned/First Date: | 24 July 1776 |
| Out of Service/Cause: | 14 May 1777/sold out of service |
| Owners: | Nicholas Cooke et al |
| Tonnage: |
| Battery: | Date Reported: 23 November 1776 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: |
| Crew: |
| Description: |
| Officers: | (1) Prize Master Edward Woodman, 24 July 1776-; (2) Prize Master Charles Edmondson, 24 July 1776- |
| Cruises: | (1) Providence, Rhode Island to Providence, Rhode Island, 24 July 1776-6 September 1776
|
| Prizes: | (1) Ship Aurora (Gregor McGregor), 14 August 1776, at 31°51′N, 57°45′W
|
| Actions: | (1) Action with Friendship, [5] November 1776 |
Comments:
Rhode Island Privateer Sloop Independence was commissioned on 24 July 1776 under Commander Jabez Whipple. Her owners were listed as Nicholas Cooke et al.1 In November 1776 she was said to be armed with eight guns.2
The same day that he received his commission, at 1500, Independence weighed anchor at Providence. Whipple “Seluted my oners” by firing a gun and then proceeded down the river. At 1600 the sloop passed the Continental Navy Ships Alfred and Columbus, anchored off Patuxent. The crew “Gave them thre Chers” in passing. Whipple sailed into Narragansett Bay and anchored off the south end of Prudence Island at midnight.3
At 0400 the Independence weighed anchor and sailed down to Newport, arriving at 0800. The crew were put to work fixing the rigging and guns. Whipple went ashore and purchased some necessary items that had been forgotten at Providence. In the afternoon he sailed for Bristol Ferry with light winds and calm weather. At midnight the Independence anchored off Costers Harbor. She sailed again at 0500 on 26 July and anchored off Bristol Ferry at 1400. Whipple went ashore and purchased some plank, and received a barrel of gunpowder. One of his hands was put ashore sick, and the Independence sailed for Fogland Ferry. Both wind and tide moved against the sloop and she anchored a mile below Common Sense Point. The next day, 27 July, was calmer. At 0400 Independence weighed anchor, broke out her sweeps, and rowed to Howland’s Ferry. Independence anchored there and watered and performed other last minute tasks. At 1100 the wind came up and she sailed for Fogland Ferry, anchoring there at 1600. Whipple put all hands to work getting ready for sea, “as I thought proper to Be in sum Redness as you Enformed me their was a menesterel Sloop of ten guns on the Cost.”4
At 0400 on 28 July all hands were called on deck. One sailor scrambled up to the mast head to look out to sea. He immediately called out two sail in the distance, a ship and a sloop. The ship was some distance away, the sloop was closer. She stood in toward the Independence until she was about two gun shots away, then put about and stood away. The ship edged in closer toward the Independence, when the sloop turned again and stood in for Whipple. He “Cald all hands to Qrters Loded all fore and Aft.” Independence made sail and stood out to the sloop, and spoke her. She was a friend, the Rhode Island Privateer Sloop Montgomery (Commander Daniel Bucklin) and her prize, the brig Harlequin.5
Independence put one sick hand on the Montgomery and then began beating out of the bay. Wind and tide were against her, but she fot as far out as Sunken Rock. One of the British frigates was seen standing in for Gay Head, so Whipple put about and anchored for the night inshore. [****]Two brigs were seen coming in and Whipple sent his boat to speak them. One was the brig Mary, a prize of the Rhode Island Privateer Sloop Diamond (Commander William Chase). The other was a prize of Captain Warner’s. [****]6
At 0400 on 29 July Independence made sail and proceeded to Martha’s Vineyard, arriving at Holme’s Hole about 1800. When she arrived Whipple found the Massachusetts Navy Brig Massachusetts anchored there. Independence anchored for the night. The next day the sloop watered and signed three more hands aboard, including a prize master. The weather was making up a storm, with thunder and lightening, and a heavy swell offshore.7
At 0600 on 31 July Independence came to sail and stood out to sea. At 1200 she was north of Sandy Point, Nantucket, with little wind and the tide running against the sloop. At 1600 a schooner was sighted, coming over the shoals. As she came near the sloop, Independence raised her colors and hailed the schooner. No reply was forthcoming, but the schooner hauled her wind, so Whipple’s men broke out their sweeps and began rowing. When Independence fired a shot at her, the schooner’s crew tumbled into the boat and left her. The Independence boarded the schooner and found only the master aboard, with a cargo of household goods bound for Nantucket. She was carried to anchor at Sandy Point, and given up to her master. Two brigs were sighted and a boat was dispatched to investigate them, but both were friendly vessels. Independence anchored for the night.8
Independence sailed from Sandy Point at 0400 on 1 August 1776 and stood out to sea. At 1000 there was a brief stop to fish, followed by a pleasant sail outbound.9 At noon on 4 August the sloop was at 38°55′N, 63°57′W, in pleasant weather and smooth seas.10 Two days later, on 6 August, at 1100 Independence sighted two sail and gave chase. It was a mistake, for these were a British warship and her tender. Whipple immediately put about and the British began chasing. At noon, Whipple made his position as 36°N, 62°13′W. He was drawing away from the warship in the heavy seas, “but the Sloop Gains upon us all hands to Qarters.” At 1800 the sloop quit chasing and stood down toward the warship. Independence steered east.11
The next day the Independence was sailing along in pleasant weather with light winds. A sailor named Beniman Syms, “raysing a muteny . . . peleg hoxey master Gave a Frapping & found it to Be the Method to take -”12 Two days after punishing Syms, on 9 August, Independence sighted three vessels. She began chasing in the morning and came up with one, a sloop, in the afternoon at 1800. They were friendly vessels, the Connecticut Privateer Sloop Broome (Commander William Nott) and two of her prizes.13
As dawn broke on 14 August it had been two weeks since Independence had sailed from Sandy Point. Perhaps to work off tension, or to just take a break, Whipple records “at 6 Am all hands imploid a Dancing,” but she made sail at the same time. The dancing was certainly over at 0700, when the lookout called out a sail standing towards the Independence. Whipple came up with her at 1100, and brought her to.14 A boarding party discovered she was the 210-ton15 ship Aurora (Gregor McGregor), bound from St. Vincent’s in the British West Indies16 to Glasgow, Scotland,17 with sugar, rum,18 cocoa,19 and indigo.20 Three passengers were also aboard the Aurora. McGregor was removed to the sloop and Edward Woodman and ten men were sent aboard as the prize master and the prize crew. Independence’s noon position was 31°51′N, 57°45′W. As Whipple said in the journal, “So Ends the Days Work.”21
The next day, with the Aurora still in company, two ships were seen standing to the northeast, at 0600. Independence gave chase. At 1000 one was made out as “a Ship of force,” and the pursuit was broken off. The weather was squally with rain, so Whipple rejoined the prize at 1400.22
On 21 August Whipple’s lookout sighted a brig to windward running down toward the Independence. She got close aboard the sloop before she noticed the American privateer. Whipple brought her to, and made her come under his stern. Her skipper, John Lightbourn, came on board with his papers.23 She was the 146-ton24 brig Fanny, bound from Antigua in the British West Indies to London, England with a cargo of sugar, rum, oil,25 indigo, and limes,26 and a crew of eight men.27 Fanny had sailed from Antigua on 31 July.28 Whipple’s noon position was 33°48′N, 60°01′W. At 1800 Whipple sent Charles Edmondson aboard as prize master, with a copy of Whipple’s commission.29 The next day, a sail was sighted to the east, at 0600, and chased. At 0800 Independence fired four shots at her, but the stranger would not heave to. A closer inspection showed she was a brig mounting twelve guns, so Whipple broke off the chase and returned to his prizes.30 There were a large number of passengers aboard the Fanny: two women and an infant child, two gentlemen and one servant.31 Two passengers from the Fanny were brought over to the sloop in the afternoon.32
The next few days brought bad weather, with squalls and rough seas. Despite seeing other vessels and attempting to chase them, the weather prevented any contact.33 On 25 August Independence spoke with the Fanny, and Edmundson informed Whipple that he had seen a sloop in chase of the Aurora. They were sighted from the masthead steering northeast about 1100. The weather was still heavy squalls with large seas.34 The weather continued bad, with rain, squalls, and heavy seas. On 28 August Whipple spoke the Fanny, which had a man “Very Much hirt” aboard. Whipple sent over the surgeon to care for him.35
The weather now began to moderate. At 0600 on 1 September 1776 the lookouts saw five sail to windward, and, at 1000, three sail to leeward, steering south. Independence spoke with one of them. They were fishermen, ten days out of Nantucket. Independence was about sixty miles east of that island. She turned south and sailed with the fishermen and the Fanny, in pleasant weather and a smooth sea.36 The next day Independence crossed the shoal known as the “Great Ripp” and steered toward the land, sighting the land at 0600. At 1800 she anchored, in company with her prize, a French sloop, and a prize brig belonging to the Continental Navy Brig Cabot.37 On 5 September Independence sailed over to Tarpaulin Cove, where she anchored. Some soldiers came aboard and Whipple took the time to fill some casks with fresh water.38
Independence sailed up the Sakonnet Passage later in the day, with the Aurora and the Fanny in company.39 Independence arrived in Providence40 with her prizes on 6 September.41 Both prizes were libeled on 14 September, with trial set for 1 October 1776.42 An advertisement for the sale of the Fanny and Aurora was published on 5 October, with the sale to be held on 9 October. Aurora was described as a “stout built, extremely well found,” and measuring 220 tons. Fanny, 130 tons, was said to be “Bermuda built, esteemed a prime Sailer, a new Vessel, and exceedingly well found.”43
On 26 September Lightbourn, master of the Fanny, petitioned Rhode Island Governor Nicholas Cooke for permission to load a small vessel with corn and flour for the use of the inhabitants of Bermuda, and to transport himself and his former passengers there. Permission was readily granted.44 One of the passengers, Edward Brickwood, was not content with this arrangement. He petitioned the Rhode Island Assembly, on 26 October 1776, for permission to leave for Great Britain, by any means available to him. Again, this was granted by the Assembly.45 These arrangements seem not to have worked out. On 15 November 1776, Lightbourn, his two mates, a cook, and two apprentices, were allowed to proceed to England in the brigantine Triton, after signing a form of parole. Brickwood also signed the same parole and was to sail in the Triton.46 Lightbourn was back in Bermuda by 23 February 1777, where he officially protested the capture of the Fanny.47
An advertisement in the Providence newspaper on 2 November 1776 notified the crew of the Independence that they could collect their prize money for all the prizes taken in the first cruise.48
Whipple seems to have left the Independence after her first voyage. He was succeeded by John Tillinghast, although no commissioning documents seem to have survived.
In the early part of November 1776, Tillinghast and the Independence were at sea. The sloop fell in with the 300-ton British Navy Transport, the victualler Friendship49 (Samuel Broomstone50 [Bromstone]),51 en route from Cork, Ireland to New York, New York with a cargo of beef, pork, butter, oatmeal, flour, bread, peas, gunpowder, cannon shot, and cordage. The transport mounted sixteen guns, 3-pounders and 4-pounders, and eight swivels. She had about thirty men aboard, including a sergeant, corporal and eleven soldiers. Broomestone decided to fight and the Independence began an action that lasted twenty minutes. Tillinghast, whose only advantage probably lay in the size of his crew, closed in and boarded the Friendship. A short but vicious fight followed on the deck before the British were driven from their quarters, leaving Broomstone alone on the deck. He surrendered. The British lost three killed (the sergeant and two privates) and seven men wounded (including Broomstone). Tillinghast was wounded, shot by a musket ball. Three other Americans were wounded and two killed.52
While this fight was going on two sail had come up to support the Friendship, a fourteen gun ship and a brig mounting eight swivel guns. After exchanging a few broadsides with the Independence, the ship sheered off. The brig never got involved. Independence and her prize got into Providence53 by 21 November. Friendship’s trial was held on 9 December 1776.54 Ten men from the Friendship were sent to Newport for exchange on 1 February 1777.55 The loss of the Friendship was reported in the London newspapers on 4 January 1777.56
On 10 May 1777 an advertisement announced the sale of the Independence, to be held on 14 May.57
1 Sheffield, An Address Delivered by William P. Sheffield before the Rhode Island Historical Society, 59
2 NDAR, “Providence Gazette, Saturday, November 23, 1776,” VII, 250-251
3 NDAR, “A Journal of A Voig kept by Jabez Whipple Captn of the Armed Sloop the Independence Boun on a Cruse with Gods permishon this 24 Day of July 1776-,” V, 1301-1302 and 1302-1303 notes
4 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, V, 1301-1302 and 1302-1303 notes
5 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, V, 1301-1302 and 1302-1303 notes
6 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, V, 1301-1302 and 1302-1303 notes
7 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, V, 1301-1302 and 1302-1303 notes
8 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, V, 1301-1302 and 1302-1303 notes
9 NDAR, “Journal of the Rhode Island Sloop Independence, Captain Jabez Whipple,” VI, 2
10 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 48
11 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 79
12 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 93. In other words, the master of the Independence, Peleg Hoxey, gave Syms a “Frapping.” According to Nathaniel Falconer’s Dictionary of the Marine of 1780, frapping was “the act of passing three, four, or five turns of a cable round the hull, or frame of a ship, in the middle, to support her in a great storm, when it is apprehended that she is not strong enough to resist the violent efforts of the sea.” Syms was seemingly wrapped tightly in a rope or cable.
13 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 129
14 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 181 and 181-182 notes
15 NDAR, “Libels of Commodore Esek Hopkins and Captains Jabez Whipple, John Warner, and William Rhodes Against Various Prize Vessels,” VI, 820-821
16 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 181 and 181-182 notes
17 NDAR, “Libels of Commodore Esek Hopkins and Captains Jabez Whipple, John Warner, and William Rhodes Against Various Prize Vessels,” VI, 820-821
18 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 181 and 181-182 notes
19 NDAR, “Libels of Commodore Esek Hopkins and Captains Jabez Whipple, John Warner, and William Rhodes Against Various Prize Vessels,” VI, 820-821
20 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 706 and notes
21 Whipple’s Journal in NDAR, VI, 181 and 181-182 notes
22 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 194
23 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 250-251 and 251 notes
24 NDAR, “Libels of Commodore Esek Hopkins and Captains Jabez Whipple, John Warner, and William Rhodes Against Various Prize Vessels,” VI, 820-821
25 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 250-251 and 251 notes
26 NDAR, “Libels of Commodore Esek Hopkins and Captains Jabez Whipple, John Warner, and William Rhodes Against Various Prize Vessels,” VI, 820-821
27 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 263 and note
28 NDAR, “Protest of Samuel Lightbourn, Master of the British Brigantine Fanny,” VII, 1270
29 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 250-251 and 251 notes
30 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 263 and note
31 NDAR, “Petition of Samuel Lightbourn and Others to Return to Bermuda,” VI, 1004 and note
32 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 263 and note
33 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 280, 291
34 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 299 and note
35 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 332
36 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 638-639
37 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 649
38 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 706 and notes
39 Whipple’s Journal, in NDAR, VI, 706 and notes. In the note it is implied that there was a sloop prize in company with the Independence, which is incorrect.
40 NDAR, “Commodore Esek Hopkins to the Continental Marine Committee,” VI, 770 and note
41 NDAR, “Providence Gazette, Saturday, September 7, 1776,” VI, 731 and note. The note again incorrectly states that a prize sloop accompanied the Independence.
42 NDAR, “Libels of Commodore Esek Hopkins and Captains Jabez Whipple, John Warner, and William Rhodes Against Various Prize Vessels,” VI, 820-821. See also “Libel of Captain Jabez Whipple Against the British Brig Fanny,” in NDAR, VI, 780.
43 The Providence Gazette; and Country Journal, Saturday, October 5, 1776
44 NDAR, “Petition of Samuel Lightbourn and Others to Return to Bermuda,” VI, 1004 and note
45 NDAR, “Petition of Edward Brickwood to the Rhode Island Assembly,” VI, 1420-1421
46 NDAR, “Permission Granted to British Prisoners in Rhode Island to Depart for Great Britain,” VII, 165-168
47 NDAR, “Protest of Samuel Lightbourn, Master of the British Brigantine Fanny,” VII, 1270
48 NDAR, “Providence Gazette, Saturday, November 2, 1776,” VII, 17-18
49 NDAR, “Providence Gazette, Saturday, November 23, 1776,” VII, 250-251
50 NDAR, “British Prisoners Sent to Newport for Exchange,” VII, 1079-1080
51 NDAR, “List of All the Vessels Cargoes &c Brought into the Port of Providence and Libelled Tried and condemned in the Maritime Court AD 1776-,” VII, 642-647. She was libeled on 21 November by Tillinghast.
52 NDAR, “Providence Gazette, Saturday, November 23, 1776,” VII, 250-251
53 NDAR, “Providence Gazette, Saturday, November 23, 1776,” VII, 250-251
54 NDAR, “List of All the Vessels Cargoes &c Brought into the Port of Providence and Libelled Tried and condemned in the Maritime Court AD 1776-,” VII, 642-647. She was libeled on 21 November by Tillinghast.
55 NDAR, “British Prisoners Sent to Newport for Exchange,” VII, 1079-1080
56 NDAR, “London Chronicle, Thursday, January 2 to Saturday, January 4, 1777,” VIII, 508
57 The Providence Gazette; and Country Journal, Saturday, May 10, 1777
| Posted 20 March 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|