Name of Vessel:

Commerce

Master of Vessel:

Samuel Williams

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

7 July 1777

Place of Capture:

Off the Texel, The Netherlands

Captor:

HM Sloop Alderney

Home Port:

From What Port:

Charleston, South Carolina

To What Port:

Amsterdam, Holland

Cargo:

Rice, indigo

Tonnage:

300

Battery:

Crew:

15

Owners:

Prize master:

Lieutenant Disney

Prize crew:

16 [total]

Ordered Into:

London, England

Into What Port:

London, England

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

1777

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: The 300-ton ship Commerce (Samuel Williams) was bound from Charleston, South Carolina to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with a cargo of rice and indigo. Aboard as passengers were the former royal Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina and his family. On 7 July 1777 she was off The Texel where she was captured by HM Sloop Alderney (Commander Anthony Parrey). Parrey described her as a “fine new American Ship . . .” Her master and fourteen man crew (three of whom were impressed British prisoners) were removed and Lieutenant Disney and fifteen men went aboard as a prize crew. Commerce was escorted to Lowestoffe, then sent up to London, England. Williams later escaped and got to Paris, France in August 1777. She was tried and condemned in the High Court of Admiralty in 1777.

[NDAR, IX, 475-476; X, 981 and note; The London Gazette, Saturday, January 10, to Tuesday, January 13, 1778; HCA 32/295/9/1-25; HCA 30/715]