Name of Vessel:

Little John

Master of Vessel:

William Smith

Rig of Vessel:

Schooner

Date of Capture:

6 January 1777

Place of Capture:

21 miles southeast of Cape Henlopen, Delaware

Captor:

HM Frigate Pearl and HM Frigate Perseus

Home Port:

From What Port:

Mississippi River

To What Port:

Leeward Islands

Cargo:

Lumber, staves

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Antigua, British West Indies

Into What Port:

Antigua, British West Indies

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Schooner Little John was proceeding from the Mississippi River to the Leeward Islands when she was captured by an unknown American privateer. The Prize master was ordered to take her into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Little John was well on her way when she was sighted, at 0800 on 6 January 1777, twenty-one miles southeast of Cape Henlopen, by the British frigates stationed there. The windy weather made for a rough pursuit. During the chase Pearl lost a sailor overboard, who was drowned. A short time afterward Little John was run down by Pearl and Perseus.

[NDAR, VII, 872 and note; VIII, 82-83, 801-802, 1053-1063]