Name of Vessel:

Nancy

Master of Vessel:

John Lowrie

Rig of Vessel:

Ship

Date of Capture:

9 July 1777

Place of Capture:

Off Charleston, South Carolina

Captor:

HM Frigate Perseus

Home Port:

London, England

From What Port:

Old Harbor, Jamaica

To What Port:

London, England

Cargo:

Rum, sugar and wine

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

[10] [prize crew]

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

New York, New York

Into What Port:

New York, New York

Date Arrived:

29 August 1777

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: South Carolina Privateer Sloops Vixen (Commander Downham Newton) and General Washington (Commander Hezekiah Anthony) were patrolling north of Havana, Cuba, in the Florida Straits, on 1 July 1777, looking for the homebound Jamaica convoy. They found it that day, over 100 sail, escorted by four British warships. For the next four days the two privateers dogged the fleet, despite the General Washington being chased on two different occasions. Finally, on 5 July, the two picked off a straggler. The prize was ship Nancy (John Lowrie), bound from Old Harbor, Jamaica to her home port of London. Nancy had a valuable cargo of rum, sugar, and wine aboard. Commander Andrew Groundwater (former skipper of the South Carolina Privateer Sloop Swift, who had been rescued by Vixen when his vessel foundered) was assigned as prize master, with a prize crew of about nine men.

On 9 July, HM Frigates Brune, Perseus, and Galatea were patrolling off the entrance to Charleston harbor. At 0400 a two sail were sighted in the northeast, one of which was the Nancy. Both Brune and Perseus gave chase, Perseus being close enough to open fire at 0600. Nancy surrendered immediately and her prize crew was removed to the Perseus. By 1100 the frigates made sail again, keeping the Nancy with them. On 18 July she was sent off for New York, where she arrived on 29 August 1777. The American prize crew was kept prisoners aboard the Perseus. Several weeks later they either escaped or were released in Chesapeake Bay. Groundwater arrived in Charleston on 28 September 1777. This prize was credited to Brune (Captain James Ferguson) in Howe’s prize list.

Nancy was tried and condemned as a recapture in the New York Vice-Admiralty Court in 1777. She appears there as the Nancy (George Laurie).

[Coker, 88; NDAR, IX, 252 and note, 252-253 and 253 note, 287-288, 303, 310-311 and 311 note, 703-704; “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 32/405/25/1-2]