Name of Vessel:

Absalom

Master of Vessel:

John Cales

Rig of Vessel:

Schooner

Date of Capture:

18 August 1776/30 August 1776

Place of Capture:

Off Martinique, French West Indies

Captor:

HM Frigate Seaford

Home Port:

From What Port:

To What Port:

Cargo:

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Lieutenant

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Antigua, British West Indies

Into What Port:

Antigua, British West Indies

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

10 October 1776

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: HM Frigate Seaford (Captain John Colpoys) was in patrol off Martinique, French West Indies on 18 August 1776 in hazy, rainy weather with fresh breezes. At 1400 she saw a sail to the west and chased. At 2100 Seaford brought to under the island. Three hours later she brought to a schooner, sending the lieutenant aboard and removing the master and crew. The next morning, at 1000, Seaford signaled the schooner to bear down and join her, upon which the French fort fired several shots at Seaford, to warn her away from the French shore.

On 30 August, Seaford was at sea in moderate and fair weather. At 0500 she stopped a schooner from Surinam bound to Newburyport, Massachusetts. The crew was removed and a petty officer and six men sent aboard. At 1000 she made sail with the prize.

Either one of these could be the schooner Absalom (John Cales), which was condemned in the vice-admiralty court at Antigua, British West Indies on 10 October 1776.

[NDAR, VI, 237-238, 380; XI, 124-130]