Name of Vessel:

Favourite

Master of Vessel:

Christopher Yeoman

Rig of Vessel:

Brigantine

Date of Capture:

[25 November] 1776

Place of Capture:

Captor:

New Hampshire Privateer Schooner McClary

Home Port:

From What Port:

New York, New York

To What Port:

England

Cargo:

Tonnage:

260

Battery:

2x2

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Into What Port:

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Date Arrived:

[1 December] 1776

Date Tried:

29 January 1777

Date Sold:

13 February 1777

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: New Hampshire Privateer Schooner McClary (Commander Joshua Moore) returned to port about 17 February 1777, having taken one transport brigantine. This was probably the British Transport Brigantine Favourite (Christopher Yeoman), about 260 tons, bound to England from New York, New York. Favourite had parted from her convoy in bad weather before she fell in with the privateer. As Favourite had no guns aboard Yeoman was unable to defend the brig and she was easily captured. Favourite seems to have arrived at Portsmouth about 1 December 1776. Favourite’s libel, dated 3 January, was published in the Portsmouth newspaper on 7 January, with the trial to be held on 29 January. The brig was advertised for sale on 11 February 1777, with the sale to be held on 13 February. She was listed as measuring 260 tons, and was said to be less than three years old. At the same time were to be sold two 2-pounders, which were probably stowed away in the Favourite. Favourite had been sold for about £2300 by 24 February 1777. Yeoman was back in England by 1 April 1777, when Favourite’s owner protested the loss. The British Navy Board interviewed Yeoman before ordering the owners paid for the loss of the transport.

[NDAR, VII, 1226 and note, 1273-1274; VIII, 761 and note; The Freeman’s Journal, or New-Hampshire Gazette [Portsmouth], Tuesday, December 3, 1776; February 11, 1777]

Posted 10 August 2011

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