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South Carolina Privateer Sloop Swift |
| Swift | (1) Commander Charles Morgan |
| Armed Sloop | 17 August 1776- |
| South Carolina Privateer Sloop | (2) Commander Francis Morgan
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| Commissioned/First Date: | 17 August 1776 |
| Out of Service/Cause: | [15] June 1777/wrecked on the Bahama Banks |
| Owners: |
| Tonnage: |
| Battery: | Date Reported: Number/Caliber Weight Broadside
Total: Broadside: Swivels: |
| Crew: |
| Description: |
| Officers: |
| Cruises: | (1) Charlestown, South Carolina to sea, [15] May 1777-[15] June 1777, with the South Carolina Privateer Sloop Vixen |
| Prizes: |
| Actions: | (1) Action at New Providence Island, 1 June 1777 |
Comments:
Charles Morgan, possibly the owner of the merchant sloop Swift, applied for permission to load the sloop with rice and tobacco for export from South Carolina on 6 February 1776.1 Swift was in the Stono River on 12 February, when permission was given.2 On 17 August 1776, Charles Morgan received a privateer commission for the sloop, the first one issued by South Carolina.3 This Morgan was soon replaced by Francis Morgan, who also soon left the vessel.4 On 22 November 1776, Andrew Groundwater was commissioned to the Swift,5 apparently being transferred from the Peggy.6
About 7 May 1777 the South Carolina Privateer Sloop Vixen (Commander Downham Newton) sailed from Charleston,7 probably in company with the Swift.
About 15 May 17778 HM Schooner9 Tender Comet,10 ten guns (formerly McDonogh’s packet)11 arrived at New Providence, Bahama Islands. The tender began making a nuisance of itself, capturing a French sloop which had put into New Providence in distress, a ship from New London loading with salt at Harbor Island, and a local schooner, the Industry (Jonathan Spooner), suspected of being American owned but registered in New Providence.12 Newton and Groundwater learned that the tender had arrived about a week later.13 On 1 June 177714 the two privateers raided the harbor in an attempt to cut out the Comet. The Comet’s crew anchored the tender under the guns of the fort,15 then got into the fort and opened fire on the privateers.16 The two commanders exchanged shots with the fort, but what appeared to be a 16-gun warship17 was seen off the island, coming up,18 so they broke off the action and sailed.19 In reality, it was the 32-gun HM Frigate Aeolus (Captain Christopher Atkins) coming up, an even better reason to make off.20 The prizes were to sail for Jamaica on 10 June21, but left with the Comet on 17 June. After patrolling around the islands, Aeolus sailed to the north at the same time.22
Soon after leaving New Providence (perhaps about 15 June), Vixen was in company with the Swift near the Bahama Banks. A gale blew up and Swift ran onto a rock or reef. The heavy surf began to break her up, but Groundwater and his crew got aboard the Vixen, which continued the cruise with a double crew.23
1 NDAR, “Minutes of the South Carolina Council of Safety,” III, 1154-1155
2 NDAR, “Minutes of the South Carolina Council of Safety,” III, 1238
3 NDAR, “Commission of Captain Robert Cochran as Commander of the South Carolina Brigantine Notre Dame,” VI, 212 and note. In the note the editors state that commissions were issued on 17 August to Charles Morgan of the Swift and to Andrew Groundwater of the sloop Peggy. It is certainly not clear whether these were appointments in the South Carolina navy, or as privateer commissions. The judgement is by subsequent events, the Swift being a privateer. In Coker, Charleston’s Maritime Heritage, the commander is listed as Francis Morgan. On p. 300 he lists, in order, the commanders as Charles Morgan, Francis Morgan, and Andrew Groundwater.
4 Coker, Charleston’s Maritime Heritage, 300
5 NDAR, “Privateer Commissions Granted by Governor John Rutledge of South Carolina,” VII, 467-468
6 NDAR, “Commission of Captain Robert Cochran as Commander of the South Carolina Brigantine Notre Dame,” VI, 212 and note; “Privateer Commissions Granted by Governor John Rutledge of South Carolina,” VII, 467-468; Coker, 300
7 NDAR, "Declaration of Don Rafael Jose de la Luz," IX, 113 and note
8 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 19, 1777," IX, 146 and note
9 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 23, 1777," IX, 159-161
10 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 30, 1777," IX, 192-195
11 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 1IX, 1777," IX, 146 and note
12 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 19, 1777," IX, 146 and note; Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 23, 1777," IX, 159-161. The ship was the Adventure, with a cargo of salt; the French sloop was either the Hornett (salt and rum) or the Numbrell (salt), and the schooner might have been the Dolphin. Industry appears to have been released by the British. NDAR, “A List of Rebel Vessels, Taken by the Squadron, of His Majesty’s Ships & Vessels, under my Command at Jamaica, between the 21st day of December 1775 and the 26th day of February 1778.—,” XI, 448-453.
13 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 19, 1777," IX, 146 and note
14 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 23, 1777," IX, 159-161
15 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 23, 1777," IX, 159-161
16 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 19, 1777," IX, 146 and note
17 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 19, 1777," IX, 146 and note
18 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 30, 1777," IX, 192-195
19 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 19, 1777," IX, 146 and note
20 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 30, 1777," IX, 192-195
21 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 23, 1777," IX, 159-161
22 NDAR, Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 30, 1777," IX, 192-195
23 NDAR, "South Carolina and American General Gazette, Thursday, June 19, 1777," IX, 146 and note; Gazette of the State of South-Carolina, Monday, June 23, 1777," IX, 159-161
| Posted 22 February 2011 |
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