Name of Vessel:

Concord

Master of Vessel:

James Lowrie

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

3 December 1775

Place of Capture:

30 miles out of Boston Harbor, Massachusetts

Captor:

Continental Army Schooner Lee

Home Port:

Greenock, Scotland

From What Port:

Greenock, Scotland

To What Port:

Boston, Massachusetts

Cargo:

Dry goods, clothing, wine, coal

Tonnage:

200-300

Battery:

2x2

Crew:

Owners:

Crawford, Anderson & Co.

Prizemaster:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Marblehead, Massachusetts

Into What Port:

Marblehead, Massachusetts

Date Arrived:

3 December, 1775

Date Tried:

18 April 1776

Date Sold:

25 May 1776

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Concord (James Lowrie) was captured after an action with an eight gun tender escort. Brought into Marblehead on the morning of 3 December 1775, and immediately ordered to Beverly, where she got aground going in. Taken thirty miles off Boston after a hard passage of ten weeks and five days. Cargo valued at £3606.9.7 (£5000 by the shippers) by Washington on 4 December. Since the vessel did not come under the guidelines for captures, Washington asked Congress what was to be done with the vessel, and ordered her secured until that body had pronounced its opinion. She was still aground on 5 December, but had been unloaded and refloated. Congress was considering the validity of her capture on 8 December. Washington wanted the clothing for the Army and it was being forwarded by 11 December. British cruisers were ordered to destroy the vessel, if possible, on 12 December. On 19 December, Congress changed the rules, allowing the Concord to be tried. On 17 January 1776 five of the Concord’s crew were allowed to enlist among the crews of the Continental Army schooners. On 26 January the captain and any of the crew who wished to proceed to England were allowed to depart. Libeled 26 February 1776. Sold for £930 before 11 June 1776.

[Maclay, History of American Privateers, 64-67; NDAR, II, 1245-1247, 1258-1259, 1260, 1282-1283 and 1283 note, 1284 and note, 1322; III, 5-6 and 6 note, 45, 46-48 and 48 note, 64-65 and 65 note, 81-82 and 82 note, 84-86 and 86 note, 110, 145 and note, 171 and note, 181, 209, 497 and note, 506 and note, 533, 598-599, 713 and note, 832-833 and 833 note, 834-835 and 835 note, 991 and note; V, 470-471; Clark, GWN, 231, 232]

Revised 10 August 2009