Venus	Commander George Wait Babcock
Sloop-of-War Brig	11 June 1781-16 July 1781
Massachusetts Privateer Ship

Commissioned/First Date:	11 June 1781
Out of Service/Cause:	16 July 1781/captured by HM Frigate Danae

Owners:

Thomas Harris et al of Boston, Massachusetts and John Brown of Providence, Rhode Island

Tonnage:

120

Battery:

Date Reported: 11 June 1781 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 10/ Total: 10 cannon/ Broadside: 5 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 16 July 1781 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 12/ Total: 12 cannon/ Broadside: 6 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 16 July 1781 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 16/ Total: 16 cannon/ Broadside: 8 cannon/ Swivels:

Crew:

(1) 11 June 1781: 81 [total] (2) 16 July 1781: 83 [total]

Description:

Officers:

(1) [First Lieutenant] John Towars, 11 June 1781-16 July 1781

Cruises:

(1) Boston, Massachusetts to sea, -16 July 1781

Prizes:

Actions:

Comments:

Massachusetts Privateer Ship Venus was commissioned on 11 June 1781 under Commander George Wait Babcock of Providence, Rhode Island. She was listed as having ten guns and eighty men in her crew,¹ and measured 120 tons.² Venus was bonded for $20,000 by Babcock, Thomas Harris and Jonathan Harris, both of Boston,³ and John Brown of Providence, Rhode Island. Venus was built ay Weymouth, Massachusetts in October 1780.⁴ At the time of his commission Babcock was said to be age 29, 5'10" tall, with a light complexion.⁵ John Towars served aboard the venus as an officer in an unspecified capacity, perhaps as a lieutenant. He was said to be age 36, 5'6" tall, with a dark complexion.⁶

Venus was at sea in July 1781, outward bound on a cruise to the area of the Newfoundland Banks.⁷ About mid-July, Venus was near Cape Race, Nova Scotia, where she was sighted by HM Frigate Danae.⁸ Danae, with HM Frigate Surprize was escorting a convoy from St. Johns, Newfoundland to Halifax, Nova Scotia.⁹ According to the captain’s log of the Danae, 16 July, “Fresh Breezes and a thick Fog. repeated the Fog Signal every half hour. at 6 [0600] heard a firing of Guns in the NW Quarter made Sail & gave Chace at 7 D. brot her too. proved to be an American privateer of 12 Guns. the Venus from Boston Capt Babcock. Hove the Cutter on board of the prize.”¹⁰

Babcock and the Venus were taken into Halifax where Venus was condemned. The British reported that Venus had a crew of eighty-three men and was armed with sixteen guns. She was brought into Halifax.¹¹ Babcock was soon exchanged, as he arrived at Boston in a prisoner cartel on 13 August 1781, with most of his crew.¹²

¹ NRAR, 486

² Claghorn, Naval Officers of the American Revolution, 11

³ NRAR, 486; Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 316

⁴ AVCR, 89

⁵ MASSRW 1:393

⁶ MASSRW 15:886

⁷ Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 316; AVCR, 89

⁸ McManemin, Captains of the Privateers, 107

⁹ The London Gazette, Tuesday, October 16, to Saturday, October 20, 1781

¹⁰ Log of the Danae, from McManemin, Captains of the Privateers, 107

¹¹ The London Gazette, Tuesday, October 16, to Saturday, October 20, 1781

¹² The Pennsylvania Gazette [Philadelphia], Wednesday, August 29, 1781, datelined Boston, August 16

Posted 23 December 2009

web counter