Name of Vessel:

Alexander

Master of Vessel:

Peter Ridge

Rig of Vessel:

Sloop

Date of Capture:

20 July 1777

Place of Capture:

2 miles northeast of Cape Henry, Virginia

Captor:

HM Frigate Emerald

Home Port:

From What Port:

Virginia

To What Port:

Martinique, French West Indies

Cargo:

Tobacco, flour

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

New York, New York

Into What Port:

New York, New York

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: Sloop Alexander (Peter Ridge), bound from Virginia to Martinique, French West Indies, with a cargo of tobacco and flour, attempted to break out of Chesapeake Bay with another vessel on the morning of 20 July 1777. They were sighted by HM Frigate Emerald (Captain Benjamin Caldwell), close inshore, at 0800. At 1000 Emerald made sail and chased. After firing twelve 6-pounders at the Alexander, Emerald took her prize at 1100. She was sent off for New York, New York on 21 July, with a prize crew. Alexander was tried and condemned. There are High Court of Admiralty records for this prize.

[NDAR, IX, 302-303 and 303 note, 310, 339; “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; HCA 32/266/5/1-2]