Name of Vessel:

Johnson

Master of Vessel:

Richard Jones

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

19 August 1777

Place of Capture:

Captor:

Massachusetts Privateer Schooners Active and Speedwell and Massachusetts Navy Brig Massachusetts

Home Port:

From What Port:

Liverpool, England

To What Port:

New York, New York

Cargo:

Salt

Tonnage:

300, 340

Battery:

12x6; 6x6, 4x4, four cohorns, two swivels

Crew:

35

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Boston, Massachusetts

Into What Port:

Boston, Massachusetts

Date Arrived:

31 August 1777

Date Tried:

7 October 1777

Date Sold:

9 January 1778

Action:

Yes

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Active (Commander Andrew Gardner) and Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Speedwell (Commander Jonathan Greely) were at sea in August 1777. On 19 August the two privateers encountered the British Privateer Ship Johnson (Richard Jones), a large vessel of 300 or 340 tons, armed with twelve 6-pounders, or six 6-pounders and four 4-pounders, four cohorns and two swivels. Aboard Johnson were thirty-five men “and boys.” She was bound from Liverpool to New York with a cargo of salt. Johnson sighted the two schooners about 0600, together with another sail to the north. Jones held his course. Jones soon discovered the sail to the north was a French vessel and then hauled as close as possible to the wind. The schooners came up about 1200 and engaged the British for about forty-five minutes at long range, only a few shots passing over Johnson. They then ran south out of gun range and prepared to board. About 15:15 they came up again, one on each quarter and engaged for about thirty minutes. While this skirmish was underway Johnson saw another sail coming down before the wind. Jones decided to see what vessel it was before striking. When the schooners sheered off he steered for the stranger, which proved to be the Massachusetts Navy Brig Massachusetts (Captain John Fisk). The schooners chased, continuing to fire: Johnson had only slight damage and one man wounded. Massachusetts came alongside, fired a single broadside, and Johnson struck. Massachusetts had sighted the three vessels in the afternoon and chased. By 1600 Fisk had made out that the two schooners attacking the ship. As the Massachusetts came closer the two schooners fell astern and the Johnson tacked toward the Massachusetts. At 1700 the Massachusetts was alongside the Johnson. One broadside from Fisk's guns brought the British to surrender. The prize was valuable, being worth between £6000 and £7000. Johnson was sent in to Boston, arriving there on 31 August. She was libeled on 18 September 1777 and 2 October 1777, with trial set for 7 October. The Massachusetts General Court, pending the outcome of the trial, resolved to use four of Johnson’s 6-pounders on the Massachusetts Navy Brig Hazard, then fitting out.

On 12 December 1777 the owners (Nehemiah Somes, Eleazer Johnson, Thomas Melvill and John Hinkley) petitioned the General Court again. The Massachusetts Board of War was offering the owners the value of the four 6-pounders from the Johnson in cash; the owners preferred the value in the other cannon. The General Court agreed with the owners on 15 December. On 9 January 1778 the Massachusetts Board of War ordered Johnson sold to George Williams for £4050.

[NDAR, IX, 862 and note, 867 and note; X, 15-16 and 16 note, 105-106, 106, 200-201 and 202 note, 470, 594, 711-712 and 712 note; XI, 74-75 and 75 note; Allen, Naval History of the American Revolution, i, 237 from Fisk’s report]

Revised 21 September 2008