Name of Vessel:

Rebecca

Master of Vessel:

Joseph Bell

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

6 July 1777

Place of Capture:

two miles northwest of Insterhull, in the Mull of Cantire

Captor:

Massachusetts Privateer Ship General Mifflin

Home Port:

From What Port:

Liverpool, England

To What Port:

Limerick, Ireland [New York, New York]

Cargo:

Salt [Dry goods]

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Tobias Oakman

Prize crew:

9 [total]

Ordered Into:

Morlaix, France

Into What Port:

Morlaix, France

Date Arrived:

25 July 1777

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Massachusetts Privateer Ship General Mifflin (Commander William Day), in early July 1777, was near the northern entrance to the Irish Sea. On 6 July the privateer was two miles northwest of Insterhull, in the Mull of Cantire. The ship Rebecca (Joseph Bell), bound from Liverpool, England to Limerick, Ireland with a cargo of rock salt (or to New York with dry goods). Rebecca was owned in Workington. A prize crew of eight men, under Tobias Oakman, was put aboard and she was ordered to the first convenient port in France on 8 July. Rebecca arrived at Morlaix on 25 July. The prize was met by Captain Henry Johnson of the Continental Navy Brig Lexington. He went aboard and explained to the prize master that the waters were hot in France for American prizes just then. The name Rebecca was painted out and the name Baltimore painted on the ship's stern. Mate Joseph Dixon was taken aboard the Lexington for safekeeping, and was kept there two weeks. After 27 July the “Baltimore” was moved around to Groix Roads. Meanwhile part of Rebecca's cargo was sold and, on 25 August 1777, she sailed with a French captain and crew for places unknown.

[NDAR, IX, 483-484 and 484 note, 490-492, 638-639; X, 920-921 and 922 note, 976-977 and 977 note]

Revised 20 January 2009