Rebecca and Sally	Commander Thomas Russell
Schooner	24 June 1776-
Mary;and Privateer Schooner

Commissioned/First Date:	24 June 1776
Out of Service/Cause:

Owners:

James Calhoun and John McLure of Baltimore, Maryland

Tonnage:

25

Battery:

Date Reported: 24 June 1776 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside [swivels only] Total: Broadside: Swivels: six

Crew:

24 June 1776: 11 [total]

Description:

Officers:

(1) First Lieutenant Charles Wells, 24 June 1776-; (2) Second Lieutenant James Forbes, 24 June 1776-; First Mate Baxter Griffin, 24 June 1776-

Cruises:

(1) Baltimore, Maryland to St. Eustatius, Dutch West Indies [July] 1776

Prizes:

Actions:

Comments:

Maryland schooner¹ Rebecca and Sally (Thomas Russell), described only as a boat,² arrived at Indian River, Maryland in early May 1776 with five tons of gunpowder,³ imported from St. Eustatia.⁴ Russell was in Baltimore by 14 May. His vessel was described as a “fine Boat,” by one of the minor investors (Woolsey & Salmon).⁵

The Rebecca and Sally was commissioned as a privateer on 24 June 1776. She was reported as 25 tons, armed with six swivels and small arms, with Thomas Russell as commander, Charles Well as First Lieutenant, James Forbes as Second Lieutenant, Baxter Griffin as Mate, and a crew of eight sailors. The owners were James Calhoun and John McLure of Baltimore.⁶ Russell listed his address as Baltimore. Wells was from Philadelphia. Rebecca and Sally’s $5000 Continental bond was executed by Russell, Robert Purviance of Baltimore and John Davidson of Annapolis.⁷ Another cruise to St. Eustatia was in the planning stages.⁸ Some gunpowder was obtained from the Maryland Council on 1 July 1776.⁹

The Rebecca and Sally was probably the first privateer commissioned out of Maryland in the Revolution. The only further notice of either her seems to be on 14 April 1777, when she was cleared by the Maryland Council for a voyage to St. Eustatius. Her skipper at this time was John Thorpe, and her owners were listed as Charles Ridgely and others.¹⁰ Russell is heard from on 7 July 1777, when a Thomas Russell of Baltimore joins in a petition for a commission for a privateer schooner. He may not have been the same person as Rebecca and Sally’s commander.¹¹

¹ Archives of Maryland: Journal and Correspondence of the Maryland Council of Safety, January 1-March 20, 1777, 16:210

² NDAR, “Application for Continental Commission and Bond for the Maryland Boat Rebecca & Sally,” V, 715-716

³ NDAR, “Woolsey & Salmon to John Pringle,” V, 93-94

⁴ NDAR, “George Woolsey to George Salmon,” V, 606 and note

⁵ NDAR, “Woolsey & Salmon to John Pringle,” V, 93-94

⁶ NDAR, “Application for Continental Commission and Bond for the Maryland Boat Rebecca & Sally,” V, 715-716. See also NDAR, “List of Bonds given on issuing Commissions for Privateers in the State of Maryland, delivered into the Office,” X, 703-704. See also Archives of Maryland: Journal and Correspondence of the Maryland Council of Safety, August 29, 1775 to July 6, 1776, 11:510, and Force, American Archives, Series 4, 6:1474.

⁷ NRAR, 434

⁸ NDAR, “George Woolsey to George Salmon,” V, 606 and note

⁹ NDAR, “R Ridgely to Captain Francis Speake,” V, 718 and note

¹⁰ Archives of Maryland: Journal and Correspondence of the Maryland Council of Safety, January 1-March 20, 1777, 16:210

¹¹ NDAR, “Petition of James Williams for Maryland Letter of Marque Schooner Beggars Benison,” IX, 236

Posted 11 February 2009

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