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Massachusetts Privateer Ship Jack |
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| Jack [Saucy Jack] | Commander Nathan Brown |
| Sloop-of-War | 14 September 1779-August 1780 |
| Massachusetts Privateer Ship |
| Commissioned/First Date: | 14 September 1779 |
| Out of Service/Cause: | August 1780/Captured by the British in the St. Lawrence River |
| Owners: | [John Norris and Jonathan Mason of Salem, Massachusetts] |
| Tonnage: |
| Battery: | Date Reported: 14 September 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 14/ Total: 14 cannon/ Broadside: 7 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 14 September 1780 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 14/ Total: 14 cannon/ Broadside: 7 cannon/ Swivels: |
| Crew: | 14 September 1779: 76 [total] |
| Description: |
| Officers: |
| Cruises: |
| Prizes: | (1) Snow Jason (Charles Hoper), [October] 1779
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| Actions: |
Comments:
Massachusetts Privateer Ship Jack was commissioned on 14 September 1779 under Commander Nathan Brown of Salem, Massachusetts. She was listed as being armed with fourteen guns and as having a crew of seventy-five men. Her $1000 Continental and £4000 Massachusetts bonds were signed by Brown and by John Norris and Jonathan Mason, both of Salem.1
Jack made a fall cruise during which at least one prize was taken. The 120-ton snow Jason (Charles Hoper) was libeled in the Maritime Court of the Middle District on 15 November 1779, and tried on 8 December 1779.2
Perhaps on her second cruise the 80-ton brigantine Mary was captured. Mary was libeled on 13 March 1780 and tried on 19 April 1780.3
On her next cruise Jack, sometimes referred to as Saucy Jack, sailed with the Massachusetts Privateer Ship Franklin (Commander John Turner, Jr.). They captured a 2504 or 300-ton5 ship Eustace. She was bound to New York from London with a cargo of pork, flour, butter and dry goods. Her captors estimated the value of her and her cargo at £15000. Eustace was a British letter-of-marque and mounted twenty guns when taken.6 Eustace arrived at Salem on 25 April.7 Eustace was advertised for sale on 22 May 1780, with her sale to take place on 2 June 1780.
Following this capture Jack sailed off the approaches to New York and met the Pennsylvania Privateer Brig Fair American (Commander Stephen Decatur) and the Pennsylvania Privateer Brig Argo (Commander Peter Ridge). The trio captured the sloop Swallow (Stephen Snell), which was sent into New Jersey. Swallow was libeled in the Court of Admiralty on 17 May 1780, with her trial set for 8 June 1780.8
Fair American continued her cruise with the Argo parting company and the Jack rejoining. These two captured the 40-ton brig Nymph (David Hunter), outward bound from New York.9 She was formerly the privateer Neptune of Philadelphia. With the Nymph in company Fair American stood down toward Cape May, New Jersey, to discharge her prisoners, and was off the cape on 28 May.10 Nymph was also sent up to Philadelphia, where she was libeled on 1 June 1780, with her trial set for 22 June.11
Jack returned to Salem on 2 June 1780. The Boston Gazette of 5 June 1780 reported that the Saucy Jack had taken several prizes, and, together with a privateer from Philadelphia, had captured two vessels from New York bound to Bermuda with female passengers.12
On Jack’s next cruise she joined the Massachusetts Privateer Ship Junius Brutus (Commander John Leach) and the Massachusetts Privateer Ship America (Commander John Somes). The three met a convoy bound to Quebec, Quebec from London, England, and escorted by two British frigates. Despite the escort the privateers broke up the convoy, between them capturing ten vessels.13
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Jack under British colors, from a drawing by Jean Mullon. |
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Jack evidently ventured into the estuary of the St. Lawrence River. There, at an uncertain date16 she was captured by the British and taken into Quebec city as a prize. She was said to have fourteen guns at this time.17 Jack was taken into the Quebec Provincial Marine as a patrol vessel for the fisheries and the St. Lawrence River. A year later she was captured by the French, sold in Boston, and resumed her privateering activities.
1 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 189
2 The Boston Gazette, and Country Journal, Monday, November 15, 1779
3 The Boston Gazette, and Country Journal, Monday, March 13, 1780
4 The Continental Journal, Thursday, April 27, 1780
5 The Continental Journal, Thursday, May 22, 1780
6 The Boston Gazette, and the Country Journal, Monday, May 1, 1780
7 The Continental Journal, Thursday, May 22, 1780
8 The New Jersey Gazette [Burlington], Wednesday, May 17, 1780
9 The Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser [Philadelphia], June 3, 1780
10 “Extract of a Letter from on board the Fair American, commanded by Captain Stephen Decatur, dated Cape May, May 29th, 1780,” in The Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser [Philadelphia], June 3, 1780
11 The Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser [Philadelphia], June 3, 1780
12 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 275
13 The Pennsylvania Evening Post [Philadelphia], Monday, August 29, 1780, datelined Boston, August 10
14 The Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser [Boston], Wednesday, August 31, 1780
15 The Independent Ledger, and the American Advertiser [Boston], Monday, August 21, 1780
16 Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 38, gives the date of 14 September 1780. However, her loss is reported in The Independent Ledger, and the American Advertiser [Boston], Monday, September 18, 1780, only four days later. This makes the 14 September date very unlikely. A date in late August is much more likely.
17 The Independent Ledger, and the American Advertiser [Boston], Monday, September 18, 1780
| Posted 6 August 2010 |
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