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New Hampshire Privateer Schooner McClary |
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| McClary [McClarey] |
| Armed Schooner | (1) Commander Robert Parker |
| New Hampshirer Privateer Schooner | 2 September 1776-[5] November 1776 |
| New Hampshire Privateer Brigantine | (2) Commander Joshua Moore
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| Commissioned/First Date: | 2 September 1776 |
| Out of Service/Cause: | 6 February 1778/captured by HM Frigate Unicorn |
| Owners: | (1) Jonathan Loring Austin of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; (2) Joshua Wentworth et al of Portsmouth; (3) Jacob Treadwell & Co. of Portsmouth; (4) Robert Furnis et al [possibly of Portsmouth] |
| Tonnage: |
| Battery: | Date Reported: 2 September 1776 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 6/ Total: 6 cannon/ Broadside: 3 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 17 May 1777 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 2 September 1777 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 28 January 1778 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 6 February 1778 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: six |
| Crew: | (1) 2 September 1776: 61 [total]
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| Description: | Topsail schooner. |
| Officers: |
| Cruises: | (1) Portsmouth, New Hampshire to sea and return, [5] September 1776-31 October 1776
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| Prizes: | (1) Schooner Neptune (Thomas Fuller), near the Newfoundland Banks, [15] September 1776
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| Actions: |
Comments:
New Hampshire Privateer Schooner McClary was first commissioned on 2 September 1776 under Commander Robert Parker of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She was reported as being armed with six guns and having a crew of sixty men. Her owner was listed as Jonathan Loring Austin of Portsmouth. McClary’s $5,000 bond was signed by Parker, Thomas Martin and George Turner, all of Portsmouth.1
Parker took the McClary out to sea in early September 1776, steering for the area around the Newfoundland Banks. Soon after sailing he fell in with two small fishing schooners and captured them. 2 Schooner Neptune (Thomas Fuller)3 was a 504 or 65-ton vessel.5 She had a cargo of fish, salt,6 and oil.7 Schooner Glasgow (John Cabot),8 about 359 to 50 tons,10 Glasgow, with a cargo of fish, oil11 and salt,12 was en route to Guernsey from the Newfoundland Banks.13 Both schooners were ordered in to Portsmouth, where they arrived about 6 October 1776.14 Both were libeled on 9 October and tried on 29 October.15 More important were three prizes captured in October 1776.
British Transport16 Ship17 Hero18 (Charles Harford19 or Hartford20) a large21 280-ton22 “fine River built” craft,23 was en route to Quebec24 from Jamaica25 with a cargo of 51626 hogsheads of rum27 for the British Army in Canada.28 Arriving off the St. Lawrence, Hartford was unable to get up the river29 because of contrary winds,30 and bore away for New York.31 Off the Newfoundland Banks, at 43°N,70°W, Hero fell in with the McClary, which captured Hero. She arrived at Portsmouth, New Hampshire with the McClary on 31 October 1776.32 Among the cargo of rum were two special casks, one for Carleton and one for Burgoyne.33 One of these was eventually presented to George Washington.34 The vessel and cargo were estimated at £20,000 value.35
Ship36 Live Oak37 (Mompelson Duncan;38 Lesley),39 about 16040 to 180 tons, was bound from Honduras to London, England, with a cargo of logwood and mahogany.41 Captain Duncan had died on the passage42 and command was taken over by First Mate Lesley. On the Newfoundland Banks, the ship was captured by McClary. She was ordered into Portsmouth, arriving on 1 November 1776.43 The vessel was considered old,44 being built in the Carolinas in 1774,45 but in good condition.46 Her estimated value was £2500.47
Brigantine48 Three Friends49 (Thomas50 Russell),51 140 tons,52 was en route from St. Eustatia to Ireland53 with a cargo of sugar54 and coffee.55 Near the Newfoundland Banks,56 Three Friends fell in with the McClary with the usual result.57 The prize was ordered into Portsmouth, arriving on 1 November 1776.58 She was described as “well found.”59
Following this cruise, Commander Parker “refused” to sail again in the McClary. Parker had probably been approached about commanding a much larger privateer then under construction at Portsmouth.60 The owners selected Joshua Moore (of Kittery, Massachusetts (Maine) as the new commander, apparently in haste, as they wanted the successful prize-taker back at sea quickly. By 10 November Moore was installed and the McClary was expected to sail soon.61 McClary sailed from Portsmouth about 20 November 1776.62
Moore took her far out into the Atlantic. On 15 December 1776 he fell in with Rhode Island Privateer Sloop Charming Sally. The two exchanged greetings then sailed together for a short while. At 1500, about 34°12'N, 42°W, a sail was sighted and chased. McClary caught up with her first and took possession. About 1900, when Charming Sally’s boat came up to the prize, the New Hampshire men refused to let the Rhode Islanders aboard, or claim any part of the prize. The prize was the snow Resolution (Francis Bernard or Burnett), from Newfoundland to the West Indies with a cargo of fish. The master and six men were removed and the Resolution ordered to Portsmouth. But she never got in, sinking three days later. The prize crew and prisoners took to the long boat, and were picked up a week later by a vessel bound from America to Martinique.63 McClary returned to port about 17 February 1777, having taken one transport brigantine.64 This was probably the British Transport Brigantine Favourite (Christopher Yeoman), about 260 tons, bound to England from New York.65
Moore now apparently departed his command. McClary’s second official commission was issued on 17 May 1777, under Commander Thomas Dalling of Portsmouth. Her battery was increased to eight guns, and her crew was reduced to fifty men. Her owner was listed as Joshua Wentworth and others, all of Portsmouth. McClary’s $5,000 bond was signed by Dalling, Wentworth, and Jacob Treadwell of Portsmouth.66
McClary was described at this time as a “Topsail Schooner” with eight guns in a report filed by a British spy. She sailed from Portsmouth on 22 May 1777, supposedly bound for the English Channel or the Portuguese coast.67
McClary was thus at sea in June and July 1777. Dalling again went out to the area around the Newfoundland Banks. Dalling spoke with Massachusetts Privateer Active (Andrew Gardner) and Speedwell (Jonathan Greely), part of the force that broke out with Commodore John Manley, at 43°04'N, 45°30'W (London longitude).68 At least three prizes were captured on this cruise.
Brigantine Jane (John Decaen), an 80-ton vessel, and brigantine Two Sisters (William Waterman), 50 tons, arrived in Portsmouth.69 Brigantine Thetis (John Russel [Russell]), 50 tons,70 with a cargo of green fish and salt, arrived in Portsmouth on 7 July 1777.71
The third commission (2 September 1777) issued to the McClary identified her as a brigantine, indicating a change from her previous schooner rig.72 Her new commander was Joshua Stackpole73 (or Stacpole) 74 of Somersworth, New Hampshire. McClary retained the same battery and crew. Her owner was listed as Jacob Treadwell & Co. of Portsmouth, and her $5,000 bond was signed by Stacpole, Treadwell, and Samuel Sherburne of Portsmouth.75
During the ensuing cruise, on 10 October 1777,76 the schooner Susannah (Matthew Wood) was captured and sent into port.77 This vessel’s cargo was claimed by residents of New Hampshire, leading to a long and difficult prize case.78
Schooner or brigantine Susannah [Lusanna] (Matthew Wood) sailed from England on 21 August 1777. Aboard was a cargo to which some New Hampshire residents had a claim. On 10 October 1777 Susannah was captured by New Hampshire Privateer Brigantine McClary (Commander Joshua Stackpole). The vessel was libeled on 11 November 1777. Both cargo and vessel were claimed by Elisha and Isaiah Doane and James Shepherd. The trial was held on 16 December 1777 and the vessel condemned. The claimants requested an appeal to the Continental Congress, which was rejected, but appeal to a superior New Hampshire court was allowed.79 The superior court upheld the verdict of the admiralty court on 1 September 1778 and the brigantine was ordered sold. The proceeds of £33,957.10.3 1/2 were given to the captors on 8 October 1778. Despite being forbidden to appeal to Congress, the claimants did so, which resulted in a tangled legal mess that was not untwined until 1794.80
A fourth commission was issued to the McClarey (note change in spelling) on 28 January 1778, under Commander John Gregory of Portsmouth. McClary’s crew and battery remained the same. Her owner is listed as Robert Furnis and others, without an address (but probably Portsmouth). Her $5,000 bond was signed by Thomas Martin, Jacob Treadwell, and Gregory.81
McClary sailed soon after this commission from Portsmouth, bound to the West Indies.82 On 6 February 1778 she was about eighty-four miles northeast of Nantucket South Shoal, Massachusetts (or off St. Georges Bank). Around 1000 McClary was sighted to the northeast by a patrolling British ship, HM Frigate Unicorn (Captain John Ford). Unicorn began chasing in moderate, cloudy weather. At 2000 Unicorn fired several shots at the McClary, which hove to. According to the Unicorn’s log she was bound out from the Piscataqua River on a cruise. The crew was removed and a prize crew of eight men, under a petty officer went aboard.83
McClary arrived at Newport, Rhode Island on 15 February. She was noted there as having eight guns and six swivel guns, and a crew of fifty-one men.84
The prize was sent into New York, New York. Howe’s prize list of 30 October 1778 indicates she was owned by Jacob Tredwell & Co. She was libeled on 15 April 1778 in the Vice Admiralty court at New York and was condemned on 8 May 1778.85 She appears in the court records as McLeary.86
1 NRAR, 381
2 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101, see also “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57
3 NDAR, “Libels in New Hampshire Admiralty Court Against the Prize Schooners Glasgow and Neptune,” VI, 1172-1173
4 NDAR, “Libels in New Hampshire Admiralty Court Against the Prize Schooners Glasgow and Neptune,” VI, 1172-1173
5 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
6 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
7 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
8 NDAR, “Libels in New Hampshire Admiralty Court Against the Prize Schooners Glasgow and Neptune,” VI, 1172-1173
9 NDAR, “Libels in New Hampshire Admiralty Court Against the Prize Schooners Glasgow and Neptune,” VI, 1172-1173
10 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
11 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
12 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
13 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
14 NDAR,”The Freeman’s Journal, Saturday, October 12, 1776,” VI, 1230-1231
15 NDAR, “Libels in New Hampshire Admiralty Court Against the Prize Schooners Glasgow and Neptune,” VI, 1172-1173
16 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
17 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101; “A List of British Prisoners...,” VII, 1066-1067;”Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
18 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
19 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810
20 NDAR, “A List of British Prisoners...,” VII, 1066-1067; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
21 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
22 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
23 NDAR, “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57
24 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101; “Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810
25 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810; “A List of British Prisoners...,” VII, 1066-1067; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
26 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
27 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
28 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
29 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
30 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
31 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
32 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
33 NDAR, “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple, VII, 101
34 NDAR, “Jacob Treadwell to Major George Gains,” VIII, 930 and note
35 NDAR, “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57
36 NDAR, The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
37 NDAR, The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
38 NDAR, The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
39 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
40 NDAR, “John Langdon to Robert Morris,” VII, 59-60
41 NDAR, The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
42 NDAR, The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
43 NDAR, The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
44 NDAR, “John Langdon to Robert Morris,” VII, 59-60
45 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, December 3, 1776,” VII, 353-354
46 NDAR, “John Langdon to Robert Morris,” VII, 59-60
47 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
48 NDAR, “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101; “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, December 3, 1776,” VII, 353-354; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274. Also referred to as a snow (NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note) and a ship (NDAR, Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810)
49 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, December 3, 1776,” VII, 353-354; Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
50 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
51 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810
52 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, December 3, 1776,” VII, 353-354; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
53 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101; “Whitehall Evening Post, Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28, 1776,” VII, 809-810; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
54 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101; “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
55 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
56 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
57 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note; “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 56-57; “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
58 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, November 5, 1776,” VII, 46 and note
59 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Tuesday, December 3, 1776,” VII, 353-354
60 NRAR, 420
61 NDAR, “Colonel Pierse Long to William Whipple,” VII, 101
62 NDAR, “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 271-272
63 NDAR, “Journal of Dr. Jonathan Haskins, Surgeon of the Rhode Island Privateer Sloop Charming Sally,” VIII, 527-528 and 528 note
64 NDAR, “John Langdon to William Whipple,” VII, 1226 and note
65 NDAR, “Accots of Prizes condemned in New Hampshire,” VII, 1273-1274
66 NRAR, 381
67 NDAR, “A List of the Ships &c: at Portsmouth in New-Hampshire, May the 22d. 1777,” VIII, 1016-1017
68 NDAR, “The Freeman’s Journal, Saturday, July 19, 1777,” IX, 298
69 NDAR, “Libels Filed Against Two Prize Brigantines in New Hampshire Maritime Court,” IX, 206-207
70 NDAR, “Libel Filed Against Prize Brigantine in New Hampshire Maritime Court,” IX, 231
71 NDAR, “Continental Journal, Thursday, July 10, 1777,” IX, 255
72 NRAR, 381
73 Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 293
74 NRAR, 381
75 NRAR, 381
76 NRAR, 82
77 NRAR, 55-56
78 NRAR, 55-56, 60, 61, 82
79 NDAR, “New Hampshire Maritime Court Decree Concerning Lusanna,” X, 743
80 NRAR, 55-56, 60, 61, 82
81 NRAR, 381
82 NDAR, “Diary of Frederick Mackenzie,” XI, 362 and 363n3
83 NDAR, “Journal of H.M.S. Unicorn, Captain John Ford,” XI, 297 and note. See also NDAR, “Extract of a Letter from Bedford, dated March 19,” XI, 710 and note.
84 NDAR, “Diary of Frederick Mackenzie,” XI, 362 and 363n3
85 NDAR, “Journal of H.M.S. Unicorn, Captain John Ford,” XI, 297 and note
86 HCA 32/401/9/1-7
| Posted 29 January 2011 |
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