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Pennsylvania Privateer Schooner Rattlesnake |
| Rattlesnake | Commander Samuel Ball |
| Schooner | 1 February 1779- |
| Pennsylvania Privateer Schooner | (2) Commander John Craig
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| Commissioned/First Date: | 1 February 1779 |
| Out of Service/Cause: |
| Owners: | Joseph Carson & Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Tonnage: | 40 |
| Battery: | Date Reported: 1 February 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 6/ Total: 6 cannon/ Broadside: 3 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: April 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 6/2-pounder 12 pounds 6 pounds Total: 6 cannon/12 pounds Broadside: 3 cannon/6 pounds Swivels: six Date Reported: 3 May 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 12/ Total: 12 cannon/ Broadside: 6 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 28 May 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 3 March 1780 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 25 August 1780 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: |
| Crew: | (1) 1 February 1779: 36 [total]
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| Description: |
| Officers: | (1) First Lieutenant Alexander Dyer, 1 February 1779- |
| Cruises: |
| Prizes: | (1) [unknown] Mermaid (Snowball), [April] 1779
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| Actions: |
Comments:
Pennsylvania Privateer Schooner Rattlesnake was first commissioned on 1 February 1779 under Commander Samuel Ball of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was listed as having a battery of six guns and a crew of thirty-five men. Rattlesnake’s $10,000 bond was executed by Joseph Carson and Daniel Edwards, both of Philadelphia.1 Alexander Dyer of Philadelphia served as First Lieutenant of the Rattlesnake2 during her first commission.
Rattlesnake may have been the 40-ton schooner advertised for sale in April 1779. She was armed with six 2-pounders and six swivels. The sale was to be held on 28 April at Little Egg Harbor. She is described as sailing “remarkably fast” and as being ready for sea.3
At least one prize was captured during her first commission. Samuel Ball libeled the Mermaid (Snowball) on 16 May 1779. Her trial was to be held on 15 June 1779.4
Rattlesnake was re-commissioned on 3 May 1779, under Commander John Craig of Philadelphia. Her battery was increased to twelve guns and her crew raised to forty-five men. Her $5,000 bond was signed by Carson and Robert McCleay of Philadelphia.5
Rattlesnake’s third commission was obtained on 28 May 1779, with Commander David Mansfield, possibly of Philadelphia, as her new skipper. The battery was reduced to eight guns and the crew to thirty-five men. Carson and Edwards signed the $5,000 bond.6
On 20 July 1779 David Stevens, John Field, Abraham Davis and Robert Snell libeled the sloop Clinton (James Parke). Samuel Ingersoll, David Stevens and John Field libeled the schooner True Blue. Field was either in command of the Rattlesnake by this date or took command of her somewhat later. Trial for these prizes was set for 12 August 1779.7 Snell commanded the Pennsylvania Privateer Sloop Chance in May 1779, and Stevens was her former commander. Davis commanded the Pennsylvania Privateer Schooner Fly in June 1779. About this time Ingersoll commanded the Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Centipede. Which of these vessels was involved in the capture of these two prizes is not absolutely clear.
A new skipper, John Field, seemingly took charge of the Rattlesnake next. No commission seems to exist for Field. There is an advertisement, dated 7 August 1779, in the Pennsylvania Packet for the sale of the schooner Polly Sly, with her cargo of tobacco, and of the British Privateer Schooner Yankey Witch, with some other vessels, to be held on 17 August.8 Both Polly Sly (Isaac Royal Dentson) and Yanke Witch (John Atkinson) were libeled on 4 August by John Field and Stephen Decatur, with trial set for 13 September 1779.9 Decatur commanded the Pennsylvania Privateer Galley Retaliation in June 1779.
The pension application of William Wooley, provides a summary of this cruise: “He inlisted for four months and served all his time as a sailor on board the privateer vessel called the Rattlesnake which sailed from Egg-Harbour in the State of New Jersey, he thinks in the year 1780 or 1781. He recollects taking the British sloop called the Polly Sly, and another vessel called the Yankee Witch, a privateer. John Fields commanded the Rattlesnake - returned to Egg Harbour, when he was discharged.”10
On 4 September 1779 Field libeled the Recovery (Leonard Bowles). Her trial was set for 30 September 1779.11
Rattlesnake was again re-commissioned on 3 March 1780, under Commander William Treene12 (Greene),13 possibly of Philadelphia. Her $10,000 bond was executed by Carson and Joseph Hargan. The schooner’s battery and crew remained unchanged.14
Under Treen two prizes seem to have been captured. The sloop Hazard (Jacques Clamorgan) was re-captured. She was libeled on 15 March 1780, with her trial set for 23 April 1780.15 An advertisement dated 22 April announced the sale of the sloop Dispatch (or Speedwell), captured by Treen, on 4 May 1780 [note] Speedwell, alias Dispatch (James Robeson), was libeled on 28 April, with her trial set for 8 June 1780.16
A new commander, Robert Snell, seemingly took charge of the Rattlesnake about June 1780.17 On 27 June Snell libeled the schooner Betsey (James Campbell), as a re-capture. Her trial was to be held on 14 August 1780.18
Rattlesnake’s last commission was on 25 August 1780, Commander David Stephens [Stevens] of Philadelphia being the new captain. The battery and crew were unchanged. Rattlesnake’s $20,000 bond was signed by Stephens and Carson.19
About October 1780 Rattlesnake was in Chesapeake Bay and sighted a schooner. As Stephens approached the schooner she was deserted by the crew.20 The Americans discovered she was the Saturday-Night21, a Virginia built craft, measuring 3022 or 35 tons, with a cargo of tobacco aboard.23 She was libeled on 10 November 1780, with her trial set for 19 December 1780.24 The trial was postponed until 25 January 1781.25 Saturday-Night was sold before the trial. On 21 October 1780 an advertisement in the Pennsylvania Packet announced the sale.26
About the same time (October 1780) Rattlesnake re-captured the schooner Flying Fish. She was libeled on 10 November 1780, with her trial set for 19 December. This was also postponed until 25 January.27
1 NRAR, 431
2 http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/DENEWCAS/2003-02/1046449370
3 Nelson, William, ed., Documents Relating to the Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey, vol III, New Jersey Historical Society (John L. Murphy: Trenton, 1906, 254-255
4 The New Jersey Gazette, Friday, May 28, 1779
5 NRAR, 431
6 NRAR, 432
7 The Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser [Philadelphia], Saturday, August 7, 1779
8 Documents NJ, 3:547
9 Documents NJ, 3:562-563 from NJ Gazette, Aug 18, 1779
10 “Ancestors of Wendy Anne Mathis” http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/e/x/Wendy-M-Lex/PDFGENE7.pdf
11 The New Jersey Gazette [Burlington], Wednesday, September 8, 1779
12 NRAR, 432
13 Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 128
14 NRAR, 432
15 The New Jersey Gazette, Wednesday, March 29, 1780
16 The New Jersey Gazette, Wednesday, May 3, 1780
17 The only documentation linking Snell to the Rattlesnake is a monument in New Jersey: http://colrichardsomers.com/Documents/Chestnut%20Neck%20Dedication.pdf.
18 The New Jersey Gazette, Wednesday, July 5, 1780
19 NRAR, 432
20 The Pennsylvania Packet, Saturday, October 21, 1780
21 Scott, Austin (ed), Archives of the State of New Jersey: Documents Relating to the Revolutionary History of New Jersey (Second Series), V, State Gazette Publishing Co, Trenton: 1917, 170-171
22 Scott, Archives of the State of New Jersey, V, 122-123
23 The Pennsylvania Packet, Saturday, October 21, 1780
24 Scott, Archives of the State of New Jersey, V, 122-123
25 Scott, Archives of the State of New Jersey, V, 170-171
26 The Pennsylvania Packet, Saturday, October 21, 1780
27 Scott, Archives of the State of New Jersey, V, 122-123, 170-171
| Revised 22 February 2009 |
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