Name of Vessel:

Creighton

Master of Vessel:

George Ross

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

26 June 1776

Place of Capture:

In the Florida Gulf

Captor:

Massachusetts Privateer Sloop Yankee

Home Port:

From What Port:

Antigua, British West Indies

To What Port:

New York, New York (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Cargo:

Rum

Tonnage:

200

Battery:

2x4-pounders

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Boston, Massachusetts

Into What Port:

Cape Ann, Massachusetts

Date Arrived:

7 July 1776

Date Tried:

30 July 1776

Date Sold:

16 August 1776

Action:

Yes

Recaptured:

No

Comments: British Transport Ship Creighton (George Ross), 200 tons and armed with two 4-pounders, sailed from Antigua bound for the British Army at New York (or Halifax) with a cargo of rum. The crew was substantial and was increased by having a midshipman and three sailors from HMS Experiment aboard as passengers. There was, however, only twelve rounds of shot aboard. On 26 June 1776, at 31°00´N, 68°30´W the Creighton met Massachusetts Privateer Sloop Yankee (Commander Henry Johnson). A sail was sighted “in the grey of the morning,” and Yankee gave chase, coming up to her about 0900. As Yankee came up Creighton commenced firing and discovered that one cannon was useless due to a broken carriage. The other cranked off eleven shots, deterring Johnson not at all. When Yankee was alongside with guns loaded, Creighton surrendered. Ross took his papers aboard Yankee. The master, part of the crew, and the Experiment's sailors were placed aboard the Yankee,  and a prize crew put aboard the Creighton. The prize master was given the usual orders, and the three vessels (Yankee, Zachariah Bailey, a previous prize, and Creighton) made sail in company. About 29 June the two prizes parted company and made for Massachusetts.

On 3 July 1776, at 36°40´N, 65°00´W, the British prisoners seized the Yankee in an insurrection. The American crew was then secured below decks, some being put in irons. On 31 July the Yankee was off Dover, England, where the British sent word to the Admiralty of their arrival.

Meanwhile, the two prizes appeared off Salem on the morning of 7 July 1776, when Massachusetts Navy Sloop Tyrannicide (Captain John Fisk), patrolling off that port, spoke them. They both put into Cape Ann the same day. They were both libeled on 11 July and tried on 30 July. One observer thought that the combined value of the ships and cargo would exceed £30,000. On 17 July some of the passengers petitioned to be allowed to leave for England, with the mates of the two ships and part of the crews. The petition was granted on 7 August 1776. Creighton was purchased by William Ross, on 16 August 1776. He was a passenger on the Zachariah Bayley, and planned to use her to return to England. A number of other prisoners were also allowed to depart in the vessel, renamed William, which sailed about 1 October 1776.

[NDAR, V, 960; 969 and note, 969-970 and 970 note, 970-971, 1006 and note, 1026 and note, 1026-1027 and 1027 note, 1072-1073, 1083, 1110-1111 and 1111 note; VI, 303 and note, 516-517, 517-518, 522, 529-531 and 531 note, 538-539 and 539 note, 548, 554 and note, 675-676 and 676 note, 881 and note, 998-999, 999-1000 and 1000 note, 1000, 1339 and note; VII, 1117-1118; Faibisy, A Compilation of Nova Scotia Vessels . . ., in NDAR, X, 1201-1210]

Revised 10 August 2009