Name of Vessel:

Mary

Master of Vessel:

William Jones

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

19 November 1776

Place of Capture:

At 27°N, in the West Indies

Captor:

Connecticut Privateer Sloop American Revenue

Home Port:

From What Port:

St. Christopher’s, British West Indies

To What Port:

Liverpool, England

Cargo:

Tonnage:

150

Battery:

6x

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

New Bedford, Massachusetts

Into What Port:

New Bedford, Massachusetts

Date Arrived:

12 December 1776

Date Tried:

22 April 1777

Date Sold:

Action:

Yes

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Connecticut Privateer Sloop American Revenue (Commander Samuel Champlin, Jr.) took the first prize of her patrol on either 19 November or 21 November 1776. This was the 150-ton ship Mary (William Jones). Mary was a slave trader, and was described as a “light Guineaman.” She was bound to Liverpool, England from St. Christopher’s in the British West Indies when she met the American Revenue at 27°N. Jones had six guns aboard the Mary and put up a short fight before striking. When Jones told Champlin that Mary had parted with sixteen sail the day before, Champlin went off in pursuit.

A number of Mary’s crew enlisted in the American Revenue, before the prize was sent in. Mary made New Bedford, Massachusetts on 12 December 1776. From New Bedford the prize crew traveled to New London. Since some of them were original crew members of the Mary and had helped bring her in they were due their wages. On 17 March 1777 they signed a receipt stating that they were each paid $100 in lieu of wages and prize money for service on the guinea ship Mary (William Jones) and the American Revenue. A passenger on the Mary petitioned for his release on parole on 28 March. Mary was libeled on 3 April 1777 and tried on 22 April.

[NDAR, VII, 528; VIII, 67-68 and 68 notes, 210, 211, 215-216, 262]