Name of Vessel:

L’Empereur

Master of Vessel:

Beruaa [Boruau] Durcourdroy

Rig of Vessel:

Brig

Date of Capture:

2 June 1777

Place of Capture:

Off Cape May, New Jersey

Captor:

HM Tender Ballahoo and HM Schooner Tender General Washington

Home Port:

From What Port:

Guadeloupe, French West Indies

To What Port:

Miquelon, French North America

Cargo:

Molasses, sugar, coffee, rum, wine, dry goods

Tonnage:

Battery:

Crew:

Owners:

Bassacre

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

New York, New York

Into What Port:

New York, New York

Date Arrived:

14 June 1777

Date Tried:

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: The French brig L’Empereur (Beruaa [Boruau, Bernard] Durcourdroy [Durcauday]) was bound from Guadeloupe in the French West Indies to Miquelon Island with a cargo of molasses, sugar, coffee, rum, wine, dry goods. She was owned by one Bassacre, and had an official pass to proceed to Miquelon aboard. At 0500 on 2 June 1777 L’Empereur was to the ENE of Cape Henlopen, Delaware when she was sighted by HM Frigate Roebuck (Captain Andrew Snape Hamond). Hamond sent his tender, HM Tender Ballahoo (Lieutenant Richard Brewer) in chase. At 0700 Hamond dispatched a second tender, HM Schooner Tender General Washington (Midshipman Rogers) to assist the Ballahoo. At 1600 Roebuck saw her tenders and the brig to the northeast. At 1730 Hamond made sail to go out of the bay and stood toward his tenders. Finally, at 2000 Roebuck spoke the Ballahoo. Brewer informed Hamond that the prize was captured. L’Empereur was sent to New York, New York, where she arrived on 14 June. L’Empereur was tried and condemned in the Vice-Admiralty court.

[NDAR, IX, 7 and note, 123-124; “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 32/320/2/1-19]