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Virginia Privateer Ship Marquis de La Fayette |
| Marquis de La Fayette |
| Sloop-of-War | Commander Joseph Meredith |
| Virginia Privateer Ship | 7 March 1781-[September] 1781 |
| Commissioned/First Date: | 7 March 1781/[October] 1780 |
| Out of Service/Cause: | [October] 1781/transferred to Rhode Island commission |
| Owners: | Willis Cowper & Co. |
| Tonnage: | 200 |
| Battery: | Date Reported: 7 March 1781 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 18/ Total: 18 cannon/ Broadside: 9 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 3 May 1781 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 12/6-pounder 72 pounds 36 pounds Total: 12 cannon/72 pounds Broadside: 6 cannon/36 pounds Swivels: Date Reported: 17 May 1781 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 18/6-pounder 102 pounds 54 pounds 2/3-pounder 6 pounds 3 pounds Total: 20 cannon/114 pounds Broadside: 10 cannon/57 pounds Swivels: Date Reported: [June] 1781 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 18/6-pounder 102 pounds 54 pounds 6/4-pounder 24 pounds 12 pounds Total: 24 cannon/132 pounds Broadside: 12 cannon/66 pounds Swivels: |
| Crew: | (1) 7 March 1781: 121 [total]
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| Description: |
| Officers: | (1) [First] Lieutenant John Cowper, [May] 1781-[September] 1781; (2) Pilot Ross Mitchell, [December] 1780- |
| Cruises: | (1) Nansemond River, Virginia to Providence, Rhode Island, 3 May 1781-[May] 1781
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| Prizes: | (1) Brig Three Sisters (Atkinson Wynne), [June/July] 1781
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| Actions: |
Comments:
Virginia Privateer Ship Marquis de La Fayette (Marquis Lafayette) was owned by the Cowper brothers of Suffolk, Virginia, who were doing business as Wills Cowper & Co. She was laid down and constructed within a half mile of Suffolk. Marquis de La Fayette was designed to carry twenty-six cannon: twenty on the gun deck and six on the quarter deck. Her construction progressed and her launching was scheduled for the middle part of October 1780.1
The day before she was to be launched (21 or 22 October 1780) an express rider arrived with news that a British fleet had arrived in Hampton Roads and that British troops were landing. Portsmouth was captured and two detachments advanced up the Nansemond River, one on each bank, planning to unite at Suffolk. The owners of the Marquis de La Fayette hastily launched the ship and then scuttled and sank her in eighteen feet of water, finishing only a half hour before the first British troops entered Suffolk. The British however, heard of the scuttled ship and raised her in a few hours, and she was taken down to Portsmouth. Her sails and rigging had been removed to a place about seven miles from Suffolk. On the night of the day she was raised the same detachment of British troops occupied the place where the rigging was stored, and remained for a time, but did not discover the ship’s equipment.2
At Portsmouth the British began to fit her preparatory to sending her to New York. The British commander, General Leslie, now received orders to evacuate Virginia immediately, which he did. Marquis de La Fayette was scuttled at Gosport (about November 1780). The owners had her raised again and she was taken up the Nansemond River. About the end of December 1780 she was nearly ready for sea when a second invasion arrived under General Arnold, followed by more British under Phillips.3
“It was at this juncture that Captain Meredith took command, and prepared for the enterprise in which he afterwards succeeded. Those who know what situation the country was in at that time will appreciate the difficulties which presented themselves to such an undertaking. The cavalry and infantry of the enemy were daily, and the artillery, occasionally, on the shores of the Nansemond, as high up as the head waters. It was most dangerous to remain a moment in the narrow waters, and accordingly the ship was moved near the mouth of be river, where it is wide; but this movement brought her in full view of the enemy*s ships. The entrance of Nansemond river is extremely difficult, and it was believed the enemy had not a pilot who could bring a ship of sufficient force to attack this ship in that river: They did not attempt it, but sent some boats in the night, which were discovered, and retreated without making the attempt.”4
Marquis de La Fayette remained in this perilous state, watching and being watched while Meredith prepared for his move. Men were recruited and a few guns placed aboard.5 The ship was now formally commissioned, on 7 March 1781 under Commander Joseph Meredith. She was listed as having a battery of eighteen guns and a crew of 120 men. Her $20,000 bond was signed by Meredith and by Thomas Fisher.6 Meredith was a resident of Hampton, Virginia. Among the other officers was a noted Hampton pilot, Ross Mitchell.7
By early May about forty men were aboard and twelve guns, all 6-pounders had been mounted.8 The son of the owner, John Cowper, had come aboard as [First] Lieutenant.9 From some increased activity among the British it was obvious that there was little time to spare if the Marquis de La Fayette was to escape.10
Lieutenant Cowper takes up the tale:
“To my best recollection, it was on the second or third of May that it was decided that on that night the attempt should be made, although the moon was advanced in her second quarter. In the morning Captain Meredith, with one of the owners, accompanied by a skillful Hampton pilot, named Ross Mitchell, went down in the ship*s barge to reconnoitre the position of the enemy*s ships. They were distributed nearly as follows: One ship of the line, a frigate, and a sloop of war lay under Newport Noose; two frigates and two sloops lay off Hampton bar, about half a mile from each other; three vessels of war were at the entrance of Elizabeth river, near Seawell*s point; and several vessels of war, of what description or number I do not now remember, were near Old Point Comfort. The transports and merchant vessels, about eighty to one hundred, were distributed in different parts of the road, and from whom nothing was to be apprehended, unless those higher up should give notice of our approach; which was also to be apprehended from the ships under Newport Noose. It ought to have been stated, that the orders were issued by Captain Meredith in the morning before he went down to the Roads. All spirits were forbidden to be used on that day. After entering Hampton Roads, the duty of the ship was to be carried on in a tone so low as not to be heard out of the ship. The guns to be loaded, but not to be fired without special order, even if we were fired into. Captain Meredith stated to his officers, that by not returning the fire of the enemy, we might pass for one of their own ships, and it might cease; but if we fired, our character could not be mistaken. He further stated, that upon entering the Roads, almost a dead silence must be observed. His plan was to get among the transports, as near to them as possible, and to keep one or more of them between him and the ships of war.”11
“All things being ready at dark, we got under way, with the ebb tide, and a moderate breeze at about w. n. w. and proceeded down. Having cleared the river the road pilot took charge, and a boat was ready to take off the river pilot, when the wind became light, and in a short time it was calm. This was an awful moment—to return was impossible, on account of the tide—nothing remained but to anchor. Captain Meredith was pacing the quarter deck, and with much anxiety looking northwest, when an officer came and said that all was ready to let go, and that the pilot notified that it must be done immediately, as the ship could not be commanded. Orders were given to let go the anchor, when Captain Meredith called out ‘stop.’ I was near to him and heard him exclaim, ‘I see the cloud from whence we shall have a wind.’ At this moment the higher sails began to swell, the top-sails bent, and immediately spread themselves to the breeze. Those who know how a north-wester comes on, will know what was the effect.”12
“We now entered fully into the roads. The first ships we passed were those under Newport Noose; we saw them very distinctly when the clouds did not obscure the moon. They probably did not see us, as they gave no signal to the ships below. We now approached the frigate that was highest up, and passed her at a distance of a quarter of a mile. We soon got among the transports, passing them most rapidly, and often so near as to hear the conversation on board. We were never hailed by one. It may be well imagined that with a strong ebb tide—wind sufficient—a fast sailing ship—a press of sail—and a smooth water—there was little time for observation; and I am certain that, by the time a gun could have been brought to bear, we should have been out of sight. The great danger was from notice being given by the ships above to those below.”13
“At length we passed the ships near Old Point Comfort, and began to feel easy, when we approached a very large ship anchor, near Willoughby*s Point. She hailed us, but no answer was given; and what she was we never knew—probably ship that had come in that afternoon, and anchored upon making of the ebb tide.”14
Within a short time the Marquis de Lafayette had cleared Cape Henry. Lieutenant Cowper lay down and slept soundly.15
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Contemporary view of the Nansemond River to Cape Henry water route, to illustrate Marquis de La Fayette's escape. From a 1779 sketch map. For a larger view click here. |
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Meredith now steered for the first port, and made for the Delaware. Early in the morning he made land a little south of Cape Henlopen. As Marquis de Lafayette approached the cape a large British frigate was sighted at anchor. She soon came to sail and gave chase. At 1600 she gave over the chase and Meredith bore away for Rhode Island, where he safely arrived.16
The Marquis de La Fayette was at Providence, Rhode Island in mid-May, fitting and manning for her next cruise. On 17 May 1781 her agent, John Brown, placed a newspaper advertisement for sailors. The advertisement stated that the Marquis de La Fayette was a “very likely and fast-sailing” ship of 200 tons, armed with eighteen 6-pounder and two 3-pounder guns. She was fitting for a three month cruise and was expected to sail about 15 June 1781.17
Perhaps in an effort to raise cash for the refitting of the ship, an advertisement appeared in the newspaper on 2 June 1781. One quarter share of the Marquis de Lafayette was offered for sale, at an auction to be held on 9 June. The quarter share would be sold in four lots, offering investors the chance to own one sixteenth of the privateer.18 On the day of the auction another advertisement announced the flight of a slave sailor aboard the ship. Ten silver dollars were offered for his return.19
At Rhode Island the ship was completely armed and fitted with eighteen guns, 6-pounders, in the main battery, with six 4-pounders on the quarter-deck. Her crew was recruited to 140 men and she then sailed to cruise off Charlestown, South Carolina. Within four miles of Charleston Bar a British brig of 400 tons was captured, with a cargo of dry goods, valued by Cowper at $350000.20 The valuable “brig” was the brigantine Three Sisters (Atkinson Wynne), which was later stated to be 200 tons.21 Another account of her capture states that she was from Liverpool, England, bound to Charlestown with a cargo of dry goods valued at *20000.22
Two other vessels were captured the same day. These were of “no great value.” One was stripped and burned and the other, along with the brig and the privateer, steered for Rhode Island.23 The second vessel was a large sloop, bound from St. Augustine, East Florida to Charlestown with a cargo of turpentine and sundries. All three vessels had been captured by 11 July 1782.24
The British had observed the proceedings off the bar. The Marquis de La Fayette stopped a “Flag” the next morning, and learned from her that two frigates and two sloops had crossed the bar afternoon of the day that the privateer had departed. On the second morning, before daylight, a large ship was seen under the Marquis de La Fayette’s lee. Meredith hailed the prizes and ordered them to haul to the eastward.25
“For the safety of his own ship Captain Meredith had no fear, from her superior sailing; but feared for his rich prize, a very dull sailor. He practiced a manoeuver which, I think, succeeded in preventing the enemy from knowing our size; for, had we presented the broadside, it would have shewn the disance between the masts; but we bore down upon him. There is reason to believe that we saw this vessel before we were seen, as it was nearly three quarters of an hour after we parted with our prizes before any movement was discovered by the enemy. Day was now breaking. The vessel was a large frigate, and was preparing for action. In the meantime, everything on hoard our ship was prepared to haul on a wind for running. As the morning advanced, we could no longer practice the imposition, and hauled our wind. The chase then commenced; our prizes were three or four miles to the eastward; the enemy did not notice them, or did not care for them. Our enemy proved to a better sailor than we expected, for, after getting into our wake—which Captain Meredith permitted, our ship, to do her best required the wind a little free—she kept even with us, or pretty nearly so, which induced us to go more large; but at that moment we made another ship to leeward, which it would be difficult to pass as we were then standing. The ship astern kept way with us and it was thought would have come up with us, if we hauled up a wind to avoid the ship to leeward. Captain Meredith was always prompt in his decisions, and determined to pass the ship to leeward, even if exposed to a broadside or two. This ship proved a very inferior sailer to her consort, and though she was almost in our path, she only gave us one fire from her broadside, and at the same time her consort opened upon us astern. Their fire did us little damage, and we were soon relieved from the ship last seen, who bore away, leaving us to her consort, who kept up the chase until four o*clock P. M. when, for the first time, we began to feel confident of our superior sailing. At sundown she gave up the chase. Next morning, we boarded another cartel, and from the prisoners we learned that the ships that had chased us were the Blonde and the Carysfort; the former a very fast ship.”26
Marquis de La Fayette was back from this cruise by 28 July 1781, when another recruiting advertisement was placed in the Providence newspaper. The advertisement noted that she had just arrived from a successful cruise. No exertions were to be spared to get her ready for sea again and she would sail by 10 August 1781.27 The Three Sisters was libeled on 28 July, and her trial was to be held on 13 August 1781.28
“After returning to Rhode Island, Captain Meredith proceeded on another cruise, which was cut very short by the following circumstances. Captain M. determined to look into the Chesapeake, and then proceed to Charleston and Savannah. On the 5th of September, 1781, being off Hogg Island, stood in to the south, and about meridian saw a fleet ahead, and to leeward; upon standing on, perceived it was a fleet of British ships of war, formed into a line of battle. Presently we saw a French fleet beating out of the Capes of Virginia. About 3 or 4 o*clock an action commenced. These were the fleets of De Grasse and Graves. About sundown, the French bore away for the Capes. It was this naval action, and the arrival of the Rhode Island squadron, which we also saw going in, that put an end to the hopes of Lord Cornwallis at York. The French, by the junction of Du Barras, from Rhode Island, with DeGrasse gave them a superiority which the British, in those seas, dared not face. All this time the British were between us and our friends.”29
“About dark we hauled off to the eastward, wind light, and so continued until daylight; when we saw two frigates, about two miles to leeward and abreast of us. Captain Meredith immediately tacked ship to the westward. It may be proper here to state that after our return to Rhode Island, under the impression that our ship required more sail, a change took place in sparring her. The foremast was sprung at the head in the early part of last cruise in chase; it was well fished, and answered very well; but it was taken out, the mainmast put in for a foremast, and a new mainmast procured. It is astonishing how these changes affected the sailing of the ship; and the very day we made the fleets, Captain M. had decided to return to Rhode Island, and take his old Virginia mast again. It is said that sharp vessels are easily put out of trim; and therefore, when they are found to sail well, beating everything they meet, it is not wise to try to make them sail better.”30
“Captain Meredith was afraid of a long chase, and tacked to the westward, being about twelve leagues from the land. The chase commenced, and we were in great danger, and must have been taken, if the headmost frigate had not so frequently rounded to, in order to give her broadside. This she was induced to do by our nearing the land. Captain M. now consulted his pilot, Ross Mitchell of Hampton, upon the soundings, and to know if he could anchor him, so as to be out of close gunshot of the frigate. He said he could. The necessary preparations were made, and the chase continued, until we got in three fathoms water, and an order was issued to let go the anchor, when the frigate hauled off, and made for the fleet. It was understood that they were the Iris and Richmond. We returned to Rhode Island, where Captain M. and the writer left her.”31
The Marquis de La Fayette returned from her cruise on 11 September 1781, arriving at Newport, Rhode Island. Meredith reported that he had observed the French and British fleets from 1400 until dark, on 5 September, but could not determine who had the best of the action.32 The privateer ship proceeded up to Providence, where Meredith left his command within a day or two.
The Marquis de La Fayette was refitted at Providence and re-commissioned there as the Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marquis de La Fayette (q.v.) under Commander James Munro.
1 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” in The Viginia Historical Register and Literary Advertiser, vol. II, nr. III, July, 1849, 146-155. Online. Reprinted nearly in full in Stewart, Virginia’s Navy of the Revolution.
2 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
3 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
4 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
5 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
6 NRAR, 384
7 Cross, A Navy for Virginia, 67
8 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
9 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
10 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
11 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
12 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
13 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
14 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
15 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
16 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
17 The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Saturday, May 19, 1781
18 The Providence Gazette and Country Journal, Saturday, June 2, 1781
19 The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Saturday, June 9, 1781
20 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
21 The Providence Gazette and Country Journal, Saturday, July 28, 1781
22 The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Saturday, July 21, 1781
23 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
24 The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Saturday, July 21, 1781
25 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
26 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
27 The American Journal And General Advertiser [Providence], Saturday, July 28, 1781
28 The Providence Gazette and Country Journal, Saturday, July 28, 1782
29 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
30 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
31 [Cowper, John], “The Ship Marquis Lafayette,” 146-155
32 The Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser [Boston], Thursday, September 20, 1781
| Posted 25 January 2012 |
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