Name of Vessel:

[unknown]

Master of Vessel:

Rig of Vessel:

Schooner

Date of Capture:

5 June 1777

Place of Capture:

Indian River, Delaware

Captor:

HM Tender Ballahoo and HM Schooner Tender General Washington

Home Port:

From What Port:

Indian River, Delaware

To What Port:

West Indies

Cargo:

Ballast

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Into What Port:

Date Arrived:

Date Tried:

[burned]

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: At 0800 on 4 June 1777 HM Frigate Roebuck (Captain Andrew Snape Hamond) was anchored off Cape Henlopen, Delaware. At 0900 three strange sails were sighted out to sea. Hamond dispatched HM Tender Ballahoo (Lieutenant Richard Brewer) and HM Schooner Tender General Washington (Midshipman Rogers) after the three sail. At 1600 the Ballahoo returned to the Roebuck. Brewer informed Hamond one of the three vessels being chased had run into Indian River, Delaware. The General Washington was laying to off shore. Hamond sent off his boats to assist the tenders, and then got under way in the Roebuck to chase two sail to the southeast. At 2000 the Ballahoo informed Hamond that the two vessels being chased were the tender General Washington and a prize captured by HM Sloop Merlin. Roebuck anchored off Indian River soon after and sent the cutter and yawl after the vessel that had run in there. Ar 0400 on 5 June Hamond sent the Ballahoo in, and, at 0800 sent the General Washington. The tenders and boats found three schooners in the anchorage. One was bound from Indian River to the West Indies with a cargo of tobacco and beeswax. She was described as a new vessel. A second schooner had a cargo of shingles, and was also bound to the West Indies. A third schooner, also bound to the West Indies, was in ballast. All three schooners were burned by the British. At 1600 the Ballahoo returned to the Roebuck.

[NDAR, IX, 36-37 and 37 note; “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]