Name of Vessel:

Zachariah Bayley [Zachariah Bailey]

Master of Vessel:

James Hodges

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

22 June 1776

Place of Capture:

In the Florida Gulf, 29°54´N, 70°30´W

Captor:

Massachusetts Privateer Sloop Yankee

Home Port:

London, England

From What Port:

Jamaica, British West Indies

To What Port:

London, England

Cargo:

Rum, sugar, cotton, wool, pimento, fustic

Tonnage:

300

Battery:

2x6-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:

Action:

Yes

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Ship Zachariah Bayley (James Hodge), 300 tons and three decks, sailed from Jamaica bound to London, with rum, sugar, cotton, wool, piemto and fustic in her cargo, and a number of passengers, including a retired British general and his wife. On 22 June 1776, in the Gulf of Florida, at 29°54´N, 70°30´W, she fell in with Massachusetts Privateer Sloop Yankee (Commander Henry Johnson). As Zachariah Bayley was armed with two 6-pounders, Hodge chose to fight. After a brief resistance he surrendered. Johnson took the master and part of the crew aboard the Yankee, put a prize crew aboard the Zachariah Bayley, and gave them orders to keep company with the Yankee. If separated the prize master was to make for Boston, Marblehead or Cape Ann. Yankee then resumed her patrol.

On 26 June, at 31°00´N, 68°30´W British Army Transport Ship Creighton (George Ross) was captured. The master, part of the crew, and some sailors who were passengers 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 Bayley, 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. Zachariah Bayley was purchased by the owners of the Yankee and converted into a large privateer named the Boston.

[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, 516, 517, 517-518, 538-539 and 539 note, 548, 675-676 and 676 note, 922 and note; VII, 299-300 and 301 note]

Revised 10 August 2009