Thomas M. Truxes » privateer

Bold Rhode Island Sloop Pillages Spanish West Indian Port, 1740

ttruxes — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 06:00:10 +0000

London [April 12, 1740]. By a Ship lately arrived from New-England, departed from Newport, we have the following Account: That Mr. Thomas Newton, Quarter-Master of the Virgin Queen, Capt. Hall, was returned home, having sailed from Newport in a small Sloop of 30 Tons, and 29 Men, with a Letter of Marque; they sailed for Hispaniola, to make a descent on a small Town called Port of Plate [Puerto Plata], where they anchored under the Fort pretending to be a Carracca Trader. There Design was to land that Night, and surprise the Town, but were prevented by the Inhabitants keeping a good Watch round the Bay and Fort, suspecting them to be Pirates.

The Governor being sick, and understanding they had a Surgeon on Board, sent to desire him to come and bleed him: Accordingly the Doctor, the Quarter-Master, and the Linguist, waited on him the next Morning, and informed him, that they had Flour and other Provisions to dispose of, and gave him an Invitation on Board, but being ill, he declined it; whereupon seven of the Sloop’s men marched up, surpriz’d and took the Fort; and after dismounting the Cannon, they went back to meet their Comrades that were expected on Shore, and then making up 19 in Number, they boldly march’d to the Town.

Before they came up the Spaniards were alarmed and got together in Arms, and fir’d on them; but they still advancing the Spaniards retreated, and they entered the Town, and plundered it of everything that was valuable, which amounted to £100 a Man. They lost only one Man in the Engagement, and killed three and wounded one of the Spaniards in taking the Fort. This was as bold an Attempt as was ever heard of.

[London] Weekly Miscellany, April 12, 1740.

Bold French Raid in New York Bay, 1704

ttruxes — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 05:00:15 +0000

Amboy [New Jersey], July 29 [1704]. On Wednesday last by an Express from Monmouth sent to his Excellency my Lord Cornbury, we were informed of a French Privateer that lay at Sandy-Hook, who the Night before had landed 24 Men at Never-Sinks, and plundered two Houses; upon which News Captain Hamilton ordered a strict Watch to be kept here, to prevent a Surprize; and on Thursday Night several Gentlemen came here, . . . who were passengers on Board of Captain Sinclaire that came from London, and were that Morning about four a Clock standing along the side of the Hook, when they saw this Privateer, whom they took to be an outward-bound Vessel from New-York; the Privateer fired two Shot at them, having English Colours out.

Captain Sinclaire endeavoured to get from him, and run his Vessel on shoar, but the Wind prevented him, a Man on shoar pull’d off his Shirt, and made Signs that the Privateer was a Rogue; upon which those Gentlemen got into the Boat and escaped, and took in Captain Sinclaire, who was extream ill, and landed at the Highlands of Neversinks, where was a strong Guard; his Mate stayed on board with some of the Seamen, endeavouring to get the Ship within the Hook, but could not, and so jumpt into the Water; he and Captain Perkin’s Son, swam on shoar, when within a Pistol Shot of the Privateer.

[London] Flying Post or The Post Master, March 10, 1705.

Navy Tender Takes on Spanish Privateer off Land’s End, 1740

ttruxes — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 05:00:17 +0000

London, June 10 [1740]. On the 8th Instant a Tender called the Lilliputian from being the smallest belonging to the Navy, took a Spanish Privateer off the Land’s End. She lay under Spanish Colours ‘till the Tender came up with her, and then, like Cowardly Rascals, (tho’ there were a great Number of Men on Board) they hoisted French, thinking that would protect them; but the Commander of the Lilliputian, knowing what she was, run up along side, ordered all his Men on Deck, double-arm’d, and gave them two hearty Volleys with their small Arms, and kill’d their Captain, and wounded several others, on which they struck directly; and she is since brought into Portsmouth.

[London] General Evening Post, June 10, 1740.

Channel-Islands Privateer in Action off the Coast of France, 1757

ttruxes — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:00:40 +0000

Extract of a letter from Jersey, dated on board the Charming-Nancy Privateer of that Island, Captain Winter, who has been out about three Weeks.

“We have brought in here a French Privateer of six Carriage Guns, 14 Swivels, and 50 Men; also a French Sloop loaded with Wheat and Peas; and a Brig from Bourdeaux to Nantz, laden with Wine and Flour, and six 12 Pounders, Guns and two Anchors for a Privateer; we took a Brig we had just Time to ransom; we afterwards chased three large Ships going into Bourdeaux River, who run up the Bank, called the Olive, two of which, in less than an Hour after were lost, and the Men went ashore in their Boats; the third, being about 400 Tons, our Boats were manned, and got her off the Bank, and proved to be a St. Domingo Man, laden with Sugar, Coffee, Cotton, and Indigo; but she was so damaged with striking on the Banks, that our Men could not possibly keep her free; upon which we brought her to an Anchor, and took out about 50 or 60 Hogsheads of Indigo; soon after which she sunk. And in the Interim a French Bark, taking us for a Man of War of the same Nation, that was assisting this Ship, came in close to us, tho’ we had English Colours, which she took for a Signal: This Bark we also made a Prize of; she is laden with fine Wine, Hams, Pitch, Oars, &c. All for the French King’s Account.

The Pennsylvania Gazette, June 2, 1757.

Admiral Cotes and British Naval Operations in the Caribbean, 1757

ttruxes — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:00:42 +0000

LONDON. “Extracts of two Letters from Vice-Admiral [Thomas] Cotes, Commander in Chief of his Majesty’s Ships at Jamaica, to Mr. [John] Cleveland, dated the 5th and 31st of December, 1757.

‘The 20th of November his majesty’s ship Assistance chaced a French privateer of 18 guns, and a schooner privateer with a prize, into Tiberon bay, on the west end of Hispaniola, where the French had a battery of five guns. The vessels hauled close to the shore, under cover of the battery; but it falling calm, capt. Weller, was obliged to tow in with his boats. The 21st he burnt the snow and schooner, sunk the prize, and dismounted all the guns on the shore. He had two men killed in the action, and his masts and rigging much damaged. The privateer snow was late the Duke Pacquet, taken in January last, commanded by one Palanqui, who has done great prejudice to our trade in this and the late war.

The 24th of November the Princess Mary returned from cruizing off Monte Christi, and brought in a Dutch ship loaded with sugar, coffee, and indigo, one of the fleet that sailed from Cape François under convoy of the French ships on the 13th of November. It appears by the confession of her men, that she carried out from Holland to Cape François, cannon, powder, shot, and other military stores, and was returning freighted with their produce. I have ordered her to be tried in the Admiralty court.

I sailed from Port-Royal, the 6th of December, with his majesty’s ships the Augusta and Princess Mary. The 13th I made the Augusta’s signal to chace off Cape Tiberon, who took a small French sloop loaded with sugar; and the French set fire to a large ship in the bay, to prevent her falling into our hands. She blew up before the Augusta’s boat could get on board. I have since been informed she mounted 16 guns, and had 65 men on board.

The 14th we took two French privateers with our boats, one of eight carriage and 12 swivel guns, the other of four carriage and eight swivels: Most of their men swam ashore.

By the prisoners I was informed, that a rich fleet was ready to sail from Port au Prince, under convoy of two armed merchant ships of 24 guns each. I directly sent a good sailing small sloop, that I have hired for a tender, to look into that port, who returned with an account, that eight loaded ships were come out of the harbour into the road, and lay, with their mizen top-sails loose, unmoored.

I immediately ordered the Augusta to stretch to the southward to guard the passage between the island of Guanava and Petit Guava, and I kept to the northward with the Princess Mary between the Guanava and Cape Nicolau. The 24th, in the night, the Augusta fell in with the French fleet, consisting of eight ships, a snow, and a brigantine, and by noon, next day, had taken the eight ships and the brigantine; the snow only escaped. I have sent capt. Forrest, with the prizes, to Jamaica, with orders to return to me directly, as I hope to meet the fleet that is expected at Cape François from Europe. The prisoners say the ships we have taken are the richest that ever sailed from Port au Prince.

The Hornet sloop has drove ashore and destroyed a French snow of 12 carriage guns, and taken a small schooner privateer off Cape Rose.’”

The London Magazine: Or, Gentleman’s Monthly Intelligencer, February 1758.

Slaves Defend British Slave Ship Against Spanish Privateer, 1740

ttruxes — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:00:47 +0000

“Williamsburg, in Virginia, July 10 [1740]. This Week arrived in York River, the Snow Seaflower, Capt. Edwards, (the former Capt. being dead) from Guinea, with 159 Slaves, consigned to Col. Braxton & Son. They met with a Spanish Snow, about 90 Tons, in Lat. 27, 17, No. Long. 67, 7, W. who hoisted a French Jack, and fired several Shot at them, and threatened if they did not immediately strike, they would give them no Quarter; the Capt. gave them the like Answer; and tho’ he had but 6 Sailors and a Boy, and none of them would stand by him but the Boatswain, yet he was resolv’d to make the best Defence he could, and accordingly fired a Broadside into the Privateer (which burst one of his own Guns,) he got up the Chest of small Arms, put Firelocks, Pistols, and Cutlasses into the Hands of some of the Negroes, whom he made to understand him, who fought so desperately in their Way, shooting, slashing, and throwing Fire into the Privateer, when they attempted twice to board him, that by their Bravery they sav’d the Ship and Cargo, and oblig’d the Privateer (who acknowledg’d he was fitted out in Hispaniola) to sheer off without doing any considerable Damage.”

Pennsylvania Gazette, July 30, 1740.