Zanga	Commander Arthur Crawford
Sloop-of-War [Brig/Sloop]	10 July 1777-
Massachusetts Privateer Brigantine

Commissioned/First Date:	10 July 1777
Out of Service/Cause:

Owners:

Perez Morton, Benjamin Hichborn et al of Boston, Massachusetts

Tonnage:

Battery:

Date Reported: 10 July 1777 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 16/ Total: 16 cannon/ Broadside: 8 cannon/ Swivels: Date Reported: 11 September 1777 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 16/4-pounder      64 pounds  32 pounds Total: 16 cannon/64 pounds Broadside: 8 cannon/32 pounds Swivels:

Crew:

10 July 1777: 111 [total]

Description:

Officers:

Cruises:

Prizes:

Actions:

Comments:

Massachusetts Privateer Brigantine Zanga was commissioned on 10 July 1777 under Commander Arthur Crawford of Providence, Rhode Island. Zanga was listed as being armed with sixteen guns and as having a crew of 110 nen. Her $5000 Continental bond was signed by Crawford and by Perez Morton and Benjamin Hichborn, both of Boston, Massachusetts.¹

She was being fitted out in the fall of 1777. Her principal owner, Perez Morton, petitioned the governor of Massachusetts for a certificate of good intentions to be presented to the governor of Connecticut, without which he could not buy cannon in Connecticut for the Zanga. At this time it was planned to arm Zanga with sixteen 4-pounders. The certificate was issued on 11 September 1777.² Crawford had previously commanded Rhode Island privateer Hawke.³

¹ Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 330

² NDAR, “Petition of Perez Morton to the Massachusetts Council,” IX, 909 and note

³ NDAR, “Providence Gazette, Saturday, June 7, 1777,” IX, 47

Revised 30 May 2009

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