Jolly Tarr	Commander George Cross
Sloop-of-War [Brig/Sloop]	4 October 1781-
Virginia Privateer Brigantine	(2) Commander Philip Turner 29 January 1782-

Commissioned/First Date:	4 October 1781
Out of Service/Cause:

Owners:

(1) John Banks et al of Richmond, Virginia; (2) Hunter, Banks & Co., of Richmond, Virginia

Tonnage:

Battery:

Date Reported: 4 October 1781 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 14/ Total: 14 cannon/ Broadside: 7 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 8 January 1782 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 29 January 1782 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 12/ Total: 12 cannon/ Broadside: 6 cannon/ Swivels:

Crew:

(1) 4 October 1781: 91 [total] (2) 8 January 1782: 25 [total] (3) 29 January 1782: 61 [total]

Description:

Officers:

Cruises:

Prizes:

(1) British Transport [unknown] Liberty, 8 January 1782, off the Virginia Capes

Actions:

Comments:

Virginia Privateer Brigantine Jolly Tarr was commissioned on 4 October 1781 under Commander George Cross. She was listed as being armed with fourteen guns and as having a crew of ninety men. Her $20000 bond was signed by Cross and by James Smith and John Banks of Richmond, Virginia.¹

Jolly Tarr sailed out of Beaufort, North Carolina on an out bound voyage in early 1782.² On 8 January 1782³ the Jolly Tarr captured the British transport Liberty, bound from Cork, Ireland to Charlestown, South Carolina, with a cargo of beef, pork, butter, flour, oatmeal, candles, and linen. Liberty was armed with six guns. At this time  Jolly Tarr was said to be armed with eight guns and to have had a crew of twenty-five men. The prize was taken into New Bern, North Carolina, where she had arrived by 18 February, 1782,⁴ but more likely by mid-January.

Jolly Tarr was re-commissioned on 29 January 1782 under Commander Philip Turner. Her battery was given as twelve guns and her crew as sixty men. Her new $20000 bond was signed by Turner and by “Hunter, Banks & Co.,” probably of Richmond.⁵

¹ NRAR, 361

² The Pennsylvania Evening Post, and Public Advertiser [Philadelphia], Saturday, February 16, 1782, datelined Richmond, January 25, 1782

³ The Pennsylvania Evening Post, and Public Advertiser [Philadelphia], Saturday, February 16, 1782, datelined Richmond, January 25, 1782; The Pennsylvania Evening Post, and Public Advertiser [Philadelphia], Monday, March 4, 1782. In most newspaper accounts the date of the capture is given as “8^th ult.” with a March date, making the capture in February 1782, and the Jolly Tarr’s commander is given as Turner. In the Richmond dateline of January 1782, the capture is noted, marking it as occurring in January 1782. However Turner was not commissioned until 29 January. In CBAR, 280 (citing the Maryland Journal, 12 March 1782) the capture is dated to November 1781, and the commander is given as Cross.  Cross was probably the commander of the Jolly Tarr when the transport was captured.

⁴ The Pennsylvania Evening Post, and Public Advertiser [Philadelphia], Monday, March 4, 1782

⁵ NRAR, 361

Posted 16 July 2008

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