Name of Vessel:

Betsey

Master of Vessel:

Matthew Ray

Rig of Vessel:

Brig

Date of Capture:

5 October 1776

Place of Capture:

Off the coast of Portugal, near Lisbon

Captor:

Massachusetts Privateer Schooner True Blue

Home Port:

London, England

From What Port:

London, England

To What Port:

Lisbon, Portugal

Cargo:

Tonnage:

120

Battery:

Crew:

7 [partial]

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

[Massachusetts]

Into What Port:

[Massachusetts]

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

17 December 1776

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: On 5 October 1776, Massachusetts Privateer Schooner True Blue (Commander William Coles) captured the ship Anne of Burntisland (Andrew Ray), which had sailed from Cork, Ireland on 27 September 1776. She was captured between six and nine miles off Burlins, near Lisbon, Portugal, at 1000. At 1800 the True Blue captured the brig Betsey (Matthew Ray), owned in London, England and bound from there to Lisbon. She had already taken aboard the pilot when she was captured. The weather turned to a fresh gale, so Coles and his prizes ran right out to sea until 7 October, when the weather was much better.

The True Blue lay to, and the two prizes were ordered to send their boats to the privateer. Boarding parties went to each prize and “fell to plundering the prizes of provisions, and all the ships stores they could take out of them.” The Americans put Strutland and twelve of his crew, and Matthew Ray and six of his crew, as well as the Portuguese pilot, aboard the Anne of Burntisland. “The Captain of the privateer had previously given a letter to Capt. Strutland, making a present of my ship to the two captains and me, equally amongst us, a copy of which letter I have sent you, as they would not trust me with the original. I know this disaster will surprize you as much as it did me, having no notion that any American privateers were so far to the eastward.” The British later reported that the privateer had eight guns and twelve swivel guns. The Anne of Burntisland was off the Downs by 19 October, from where Andrew Ray reported to his owner. Betsey was sent off to America.

Betsey safely arrived in America. She was libeled on 28 November 1776, being noted as 120 tons, with her trial set for 17 December 1776. Betsey’s capture was reported in London on 28 February 1777.

[NDAR, VII, 704 and note; The Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser [Boston], Thursday, November 28, 1776; New-Lloyd’s List, Friday, February 28, 1777]

Posted 21 August 2011

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