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New Hampshire Privateer Brig Scorpion |
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| Scorpion | (1) Commander John Stockell [Stokell] |
| Armed Brig | 14 June 1782-September 1782 |
| New Hampshire Privateer Brig | (2) Commander Richard Salter
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| Commissioned/First Date: | 14 June 1782 |
| Out of Service/Cause: | November 1782/captured by HM Frigate Amphion |
| Owners: | Ichabod Nichols et al of Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Tonnage: |
| Battery: | Date Reported: 14 June 1782 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: September 1782 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 8/ Total: 8 cannon/ Broadside: 4 cannon/ Swivels: |
| Crew: | (1) 14 June 1782: 16 [total]
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| Description: |
| Officers: |
| Cruises: | (1) Portsmouth, New Hampshire to the West Indies and return, June 1782-August 1782
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| Prizes: |
| Actions: |
Comments:
New Hampshire Privateer Brigantine Scorpion was commissioned on 14 June 1782 under Commander John Stockell of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Scorpion was listed as having a battery of eight guns and a crew of fifteen men. Her $20,000 bond was executed by Stokell, Eliphalet Ladd of Exeter, and James McClure of Exeter.1 Scorpion presumably made a round trip to the West Indies, returning about August 1782.
The Scorpion was again commissioned, about September 1782, under Commander Richard Salter, being listed as having a battery of eight guns and a crew of twenty men.2 Richard S. Tibbits of Portsmouth served aboard as one of the mates. Andrew Sherburne, who later wrote his Memoirs, served as the boatswain aboard the Scorpion.3
Scorpion was bound on a voyage from Portsmouth to the French West Indies with a cargo of lumber. From there she was to proceed to Virginia with West Indies goods, load with tobacco, and then sail for France. Sherburne said she sailed soon after with eighteen hands aboard.4
About five days out Salter was “descried by one of his most gracious Majesty’s frigates, which chased us from ten, A. M. to three, P. M. under what the sailors would call a stiff and increasing breeze, and though our brig was an excellent sailer, she rather gained upon us. We were, therefore, obliged to heave off our deck load, and then very easily escaped her.”5
The Scorpion put into Guadeloupe, in the French West Indies, but Salter didn’t like the market there, and decided to sail over to the island of Montserrat, taken by the French in February 1782.6 Scorpion sailed from Guadeloupe about 20 October 1782,7 in the morning. About 0800 or 0900 Scorpion was chased. Sherburne reported:
“as we went out of the bay, we discovered a brig which had concealed herself behind a point of land. She appeared to be in rather a careless situation, until we had got so far from the harbor, that she could intercept our retreat; she then began to make sale and gave us chase. We had a fresh breeze, and were running almost before the wind; the masts and spars of each vessel would about bear all the sail we could crowd upon them. It was an eventful period with us, for we saw that she was determined to come up with us, and we had every reason to believe she was an enemy, and that she had too many guns for us. I presume there never was a fairer chase.”8
“Our pursuer was the brig Bee, mounting sixteen guns, and reputed a very fast sailer. She was within a mile of us when the chase began, and after having chased us several hours, a heavy squall, (in which she was obliged to douse a considerable number of her sails) brought her within forty rod of us, yet she did not fire a gun. We had as many hands as were necessary to work our vessel, and I question whether there was ever a vessel worked in a more masterly manner. The same squall which struck the Bee, in turn struck us also; but we having had opportunity to observe its weight and effect upon the privateer, were better prepared for it. We being in complete readiness every man having a perfect knowledge of his business we took in our studding-sails, clewed up our topgallantsails, and let run our top-sails, jib and stay-sails, and immediately commenced setting them again. The Scorpion now left the Bee as fast us the Bee had gained on the Scorpion in the time of the squall.”9
The Bee continued the chase all through the day. In the afternoon Scorpion approached Montserrat. Sherburne continues:
“The Bee, notwithstanding, daringly continued her chase even into the harbor of Montserrat. The Bee kept French colors flying during the whole chase; but I am not certain whether we showed any colors. We ran as near the shore as we durst, and let go our anchor. She came within a hundred yards of us, wore ship and hailed us. While laying under our stern, broadside too, she had opportunity to have done us considerable injury, by raking us; but her commander had the humanity and generosity to refrain from injuring us, except to affrighten us, and more especially the French pilot and his boats crew, who by this time had got on board, and seeing the Bee laying broadside to us, her ports up and guns out, were in expectation of receiving a broadside.”
“Some of them jumped below and others fell upon their faces, crying out ‘foutre d’ Anglais.’ The Bee stood to sea again, under all the sail she could set. The fort immediately commenced firing upon her, but she seemed to bid them defiance, by hauling down her French colors and displaying the English flag, and made her escape without receiving any injury.”10
Salter disposed of his cargo as planned and picked up a cargo of rum. On 4 November 1782, Salter sailed from Montserrat,11 bound to Alexandria, Virginia.12 Sherburne recounts the voyage:
“We met with nothing extraordinary, until we came near the coast of Virginia, we then experienced a dreadful gale of wind, in which we felt ourselves in jeopardy. We got down our top gallant yards and masts, and settled our top masts about the middle of the day; about midnight the gale abated. In the morning, we had little wind but a heavy sea; and we discovered three large ships within a few miles of us, and perceived that they had experienced, the effects of the gale as well as ourselves. We had no doubt that they were British men of war. They, as well as ourselves, got up topmasts, &c. They made sail, and gained upon us; the wind was light; the sea abated; but there was a very heavy swell.”
“Our vessel being much smaller than any of them, by pitching at every swell, deadened her way. They gained upon us quite fast. We very much feared we should fall into their hands. We were disposed to use every effort to escape them. We got out our long oars at about eight in the morning, and rowed all day; we did not leave off even to eat. Our pursuers did not gain much upon us after twelve o clock. When night came on, the wind increased to such a degree that our oars were no longer to be employed to advantage. We made all sail we possibly could, intending to stand on our course until ten o clock, and then heave in stays, hoping thereby to avoid our pursuers. At ten o clock we had quite a fresh breeze, and our Captain concluded to stand on until twelve. At twelve o clock we hove about, and kept a bright look out until one, supposing that we had completely escaped our pursuers; and indeed we had, but they were not our only enemies.”
“At two o clock we fell in with his Majesty s ship Amphion of forty guns. We were standing directly for each other. As soon as we discovered her, we hove about; but all our endeavors to escape her were abortive, for we were within musket shot. It is said of the ancient Amphion, that by the music of his harp he built the city of Thebes. The music of the modern Amphion,13 though not charming, was powerful: although she failed to bring us to by firing muskets, the discharge of a few of her heavy cannon accomplished her object. We were then within two days sail of our port, and we had fancied ourselves almost safe, but our hopes of a prosperous voyage were now all blasted; our property gone, and we had no other prospect than that of taking up our quarters on board the old Jersey prison ship, in New-York harbor.”
“This was now the third time I had fallen into the hands of the enemy. I had but just escaped with my life from the two preceding imprisonments, and my prospects were more dubious than they had been before. It was now about the middle of November, 1782, about one year from the time I was released from the Fairy, in Plymouth sound. It being night, the sailors plundered us of every thing we did not hold fast in our hands. Our Captain, Mr. Tibbits, and three others continued on board the Scorpion, which was afterwards cast away, but I believe no lives were lost.”
“Thirteen of us were put on board the Amphion, and put down in the cable tiers under two decks, where we found near a hundred of our countrymen, who had fallen into their hands. We were very much crowded, and having nothing but the cables to lay upon, our beds were as hard and unpleasant as though they were made of cord wood, and indeed we had not sufficient room for each to stretch himself at the same time. After about two weeks, (in which time we had a violent storm,) we arrived at New-York, and were put on board that wretched ship, the Jersey.”14
HM Frigate Amphion put a prize master and eleven men put aboard as a prize crew.15 The Scorpion was sent off to New York. On the night of 22 November 1782 a gale drove the Scorpion ashore on Absecom Beach, New Jersey. The rum was saved but the vessel was lost. The British prize crew was rounded up and sent to Philadelphia.16
1 NRAR, 456
2 Winslow, Richard E., III, “Wealth and Honour” Portsmouth During the Golden Age of Privateering, 1775-1815, Portsmouth: The Portsmouth Marine Society, 1988, page 57.
3 Sherburne, Andrew, Memoirs of Andrew Sherburne: A Pensioner of the Navy of the Revolution, Providence: H. H. Brown, 1831, page 104. http://ia600402.us.archive.org/23/items/sherburnememoirs00sherrich/sherburnememoirs00sherrich.pdf
4 Sherburne, Memoirs, 104
5 Sherburne, Memoirs, 104-105
6 Sherburne, Memoirs, 105
7 Winslow, Wealth and Honour, 57, from the log of a Captain Shackford.
8 Sherburne, Memoirs, 105
9 Sherburne, Memoirs, 105-106
10 Sherburne, Memoirs, 105, 106
11 The Boston Gazette and The Country Journal, Monday, December 23, 1782
12 Sherburne, Memoirs, 107
13 HM Frigate Amphion (Captain John Bazely), 38 guns.
14 Sherburne, Memoirs, 107-109
15 The Boston Gazette and The Country Journal, Monday, December 23, 1782
16 The Boston Gazette and The Country Journal, Monday, December 23, 1782
| Revised 13 October 2011 |
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