Name of Vessel:

William

Master of Vessel:

Jesse Harding

Rig of Vessel:

Brig

Date of Capture:

27 [28] January 1777

Place of Capture:

216 miles northeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

Captor:

HM Frigate Solebay

Home Port:

From What Port:

Môle Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Domingue, French West Indies

To What Port:

Boston, Massachusetts

Cargo:

Molasses

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Officer

Prize crew:

[6] [total]

Ordered Into:

St. Augustine, East Florida

Into What Port:

St. Augustine, East Florida

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Brig William (Jesse Harding) was en route from Môle Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Domingue, French West Indies to Boston, Massachusetts with a cargo of molasses. Meanwhile, HM Frigate Solebay (Captain Thomas Symonds) had sailed from New York, New York on 21 January, escorting two transports to St. Augustine, East Florida, and eventually to Jamaica, British West Indies. On 27 January 1777 Solebay was 216 miles northeast of Cape Hatteras. At 1200 the British lookouts sighted a sail to leeward and chased. At 1230 one gun and a volley of small arms was fired at the William and she surrendered. An officer and some men went aboard as a prize crew. She was sent into St. Augustine, East Florida.

[NDAR, VII, 1047-1048 and 1048 notes; “The following is a List of Vessels seized as Prizes, and of Recaptures made, by the American Squadron, between the 27^th of May and 24^th of October, 1777, according to the Returns received by Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Howe,” in The London Chronicle, Tuesday, December 2, to Saturday, December 6, 1777 [date of capture is given here as 28 January 1777]]