Name of Vessel:

William

Master of Vessel:

Peter Bontacon [Bonticou]

Rig of Vessel:

Sloop

Date of Capture:

19 January 1777

Place of Capture:

210 miles SE of Block Island, Rhode Island

Captor:

HM Frigate Unicorn

Home Port:

From What Port:

New Haven, Connecticut

To What Port:

Bordeaux, France

Cargo:

Flax seed

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

9 [total]

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

New York, New York

Into What Port:

New York, New York

Date Arrived:

23 January 1777

Date Tried:

1777

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Sloop William (Peter Bontacon [Bonticou, Buntager]) sailed about 17 January 1777, from New Haven, Connecticut bound for Bordeaux, France with a cargo of flax seed. She was captured by HM Frigate Unicorn (Captain John Ford) on 19 January, 210 miles southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island. Her crew of nine men was removed to the Unicorn and she was sent into New York, New York, arriving on 23 January. The crew was exchanged on 8 February 1777, except for two men, one of whom “. . . a native of this place [New Haven], having turn’d traitor to his country, and joined the enemy.” William was tried and condemned in the Admiralty court in 1777. In these records the master appears as “Bonticou.”

[NDAR, VII, 893, 1046, 1095, 1143, 1235 and note; VIII, 1053-1063; HCA 32/489/12/1-15]