Name of Vessel:

Minerva

Master of Vessel:

John Winning

Rig of Vessel:

Brigantine

Date of Capture:

[15 December] 1776

Place of Capture:

Captor:

New York Navy Sloop Montgomery

Home Port:

From What Port:

Anguilla, British West Indies

To What Port:

Cargo:

Salt

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Baltimore, Maryland

Into What Port:

Baltimore, Maryland

Date Arrived:

7 January 1777

Date Tried:

10 February 1777

Date Sold:

Released

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Brigantine Minerva (John Winning) sailed from Anguilla, British West Indies, and was captured by New York Navy Sloop Montgomery (Captain William Rogers), probably in December 1776. She was taken into the Chesapeake Capes and arrived at Hampton Road, with prize schooner Hannah and the Montgomery, on 3 January 1777. On 7 January she went up to Baltimore, with the other two. Minerva was laden with 3000 (or 3500) bushels of salt, and the cargo was immediately claimed by residents of Baltimore as their own property. Rogers was very unconvinced that she would be condemned. The prospects were not good when Rogers wrote to the New York Convention on 17 January 1777, enclosing the brigantine's papers. Rogers suggested appointing a local agent to help, or sending Tom Pierson, the agent in New York, down to expedite the trial. Meanwhile, New York Delegate to the Continental Congress and Marine Committeeman Francis Lewis interested himself in the case. By 31 January he had obtained and filed libels on the two vessels with trial set for 10 February 1777. As was surmised, brig Minerva was acquitted at her trial. On 7 April 1777 William Lux executed a bond in favor of John Winning for £250, so that Rogers could appeal the case.

[NDAR, VII, 987, 1071-1072; VIII, 158-159, 291-292, 426-427; New-Lloyd’s List [London], Tuesday, May 20, 1777]

Posted 29 July 2011

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