Name of Vessel:

Restoration

Master of Vessel:

Robbins

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

19 July 1777

Place of Capture:

Off the Azores Islands

Captor:

Connecticut Navy Ship Oliver Cromwell

Home Port:

Bristol, England

From What Port:

Quebec, Quebec

To What Port:

Oporto, Portugal

Cargo:

Ballast

Tonnage:

Battery:

10 guns

Crew:

14 [total]

Owners:

Prize master:

Midshipman Sherman Lewis

Prize crew:

7 [total]

Ordered Into:

[Bedford, Massachusetts]

Into What Port:

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Date Arrived:

September 1777

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

Yes

Comments: Ship Restoration (Robbins), in ballast, was en route from Quebec to Oporto, Portugal in July 1777. Off the Azores Islands, on 18 July, Robbins fell in with an American privateer of ten guns which he fought off, even though he only had a crew of fourteen to man his ten guns. The next day, Restoration was captured by Connecticut Navy Ship Oliver Cromwell (Captain Seth Harding). Robbins was removed and placed aboard a French ship, which landed him at Bordeaux in August. Restoration was ordered to America, under Midshipman Sherman Lewis as prize master  but never made it. HM Frigate Ambuscade (Captain John Macartney) was on patrol 117 miles southwest Sambro Lighthouse on 3 September 1777, when the Restoration was seen, chased and captured. The prize crew of seven men were removed, and a mate and four men put aboard to take her to Halifax. Restoration was condemned at Halifax on 1 October 1777.

[NDAR, IX, 609, 869-870 and 870 note, 879 and note, 906-907 and 907 note; XI, 184-185 and 186 note]

Revised 20 January 2009