Name of Vessel:

Molly

Master of Vessel:

Samuel Servant [Servent]

Rig of Vessel:

Sloop

Date of Capture:

21 December 1775

Place of Capture:

Hampton Roads, Virginia

Captor:

Virginia Navy Schooner Liberty

Home Port:

From What Port:

Turk’s Island, British West Indies

To What Port:

Norfolk, Virginia

Cargo:

Salt

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

William Turner, Archibald Brown and James Woddrop [Wardroop] of Norfolk.

Prizemaster:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Hampton, Virginia

Into What Port:

Hampton, Virginia

Date Arrived:

21 December, 1775

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Virginia Navy Schooner Liberty (Captain James Barron) was on patrol on 21 December 1775. According to the report an express arrived at Williamsburg on the night of 21 December with the news that Barron had captured three vessels, two with salt amounting to 4600 bushels, and a British tender going to the Eastern Shore, manned by fifteen black sailors under a Captain Collett. When the express had left Hampton he was said to be in pursuit of a second tender. The two salt vessels captured were the sloop Swallow (George Burwell) and the sloop Molly.

An express from Hampton on the morning of 22 December, informed Williamsburg that Barron had taken a tender with sixteen men aboard, and a vessel belonging to two Norfolk Tories, with 2400 bushels of salt aboard. Some other vessels with salt were taken before. By the express it was learned that Barron took two vessels with salt, one of 2400 bushels, one of 1200 bushels, and a tender with 17 men aboard. Apparently, that day (22 December), Barron took a second tender, with several slaves aboard. This tender was in pursuit of a vessel just arrived with salt, which was also captured, and both were brought into Hampton.

What had happened was something like this. On 21 December Liberty had gone out after two vessels seen in Hampton Roads, which turned out to be sloops with cargoes of salt. By the fact that they were said to have 2400 and 1200 bushels of salt aboard, they can be identified as sloops Swallow and Molly. These were brought into Hampton. Both these vessels were at Hampton on 30 December 1775.

Sloop Swallow (George Burwell) had cleared out from Hampton in ballast about 1 September 1775, bound for Tortuga. There she loaded salt, sailed on to Turk’s Island, and loaded more salt. Most of the cargo belonged to Hector M’Allister of Norfolk. The vessel was mostly owned by Burwell. On 5 January 1776 the Virginia Convention determined that the cargo of the Swallow was imported in accordance with the Continental Association, but the conduct of the owner, Hector M’Allister, should be inquired into by the Committee of Safety.

Sloop Molly (Samuel Servent [Servant]) cleared out at Hampton with a cargo of grain on 10 September 1775, and sailed about 20 September for Antigua. She arrived at Nevis, then went to Turk’s Island and loaded salt.¹ She sailed from there for Norfolk.² The sloop and most of her cargo belonged to William Turner, Archibald Brown and James Woddrop [Wardroop] of Norfolk. Woddrop an active Tory, serving in Lord Dunmore’s forces. The Virginia Convention made no further determination in it’s report on 5 January 1776.

[NDAR, III, 210, 219, 220, 227-228, 309, 643-645]

Revised 10 August 2009