PRIVATEERING

. . .the American fleet of privateers numbered in the hundreds ~ John Frayler

legal piracy on the high seas

The fledgling Continental Navy was basically only a prick in the side of the mighty British warships, the most powerful Navy in the world. The Americans were able to level the playing field somewhat with the use of privateers, so named because they were privately owned and not part of any government's navy. Privateers were legally sanctioned to attack merchant vessels of an enemy country. While privateers were basically pirate ships in sheep's clothing, there were rules that needed to be followed.

Rule number one: The attacking ship must be commissioned by a specific government.

Rule number two: Only ships flying under an enemy flag could be attacked.

Rule number three: A portion of the profits went to the commissioning government.

Rule number four: Captured vessels, or prizes, were subject to court approval.

According to John Frayler, historian of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, "[e]ven before the United States declared itself independent from Great Britain the Continental Army began utilizing privateers to undermine British commerce and support the war effort."

By the fall of 1775, George Washington had gotten into the act, having schooners converted into small warships and sent out to "prey on British supply ships heading to Boston." The American Battlefield Trust maintains that, though Washington called these ships privateers, they didn't actually have the blessing of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia and "thus were essentially pirates under international law." The public, however, was thrilled with the idea and called the fleet "Washington's Navy."

In March 1776, the Continental Congress finally legalized privateers and began issuing commissions. In the beginning, privateering vessels were generally small, with no more than six guns with a crew of twenty-five men. By the end of the war, however, privateering had become so profitable that "the American fleet of privateers numbered in the hundreds..."

American privateers became important to the war effort since they captured goods that were in short supply, like firearms and other weapons. Even better, a portion of the sale of seized ships went to the American government. Since the Continental Navy remained relatively weak for the duration of the war, the privateers became "the de facto American Naval force." Privateering became so successful that some estimates credit these vessels with taking 16,000 British seamen as prisoners and capturing 3,386 British ships, with an estimated value of $66 million.

For all its success, privateering was a dangerous business. Over half of all American privateer ships were captured or sunk and the sailors aboard taken into captivity.

our privateering relatives

FRANCIS AND JONATHAN KIDDER

Our cousins Jonathan (3C6X) and Francis Kidder (3C6X) were brothers, both born in Billerica. In November of 1780, when Jonathan was twenty and Francis only fifteen, they were listed as crewmen for the ship General Pickering, under the command of Captain Jonathan Harraden. Cousin Jonathan Kidder had previously served as a fife in the Continental Army. A few months before his service on the Pickering, he was stationed in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Pickering was generally used as a merchant ship but the Massachusetts Court had given Captain Harradan special permission for his vessel "to behave as a privateer when occasion offered." Harraden turned out to be one of the more successful players. According to the New England Historical Society, he "carried many lucrative cargoes. . .and he captured numerous enemy merchant ships, making himself and his ship’s owners wealthy. He had many lucky escapes from larger warships and privateers." Haraden and his crews would eventually capture 60 enemy vessels and more than 1,000 men.

Unfortunately for our cousins, Jonathan and Francis, Harridan's luck ran out in February of 1781 with the brothers on board. The General Pickering was captured by the British in the Dutch Caribbean port of Saint Eustatius.

(1) Massachusetts (2) St. Eustatius

Haradan and his crew were eventually released. The war was nearing its end and the Kidder boys went back to Billerica where Francis died in 1796 at age 32. Jonathan took up the foreign trade business and lived for a while in the West Indies accumulating goods to bring back to Billerica. In 1800, while on another voyage, his ship was lost at sea. Jonathan was only 40 at the time of his death.

Note: Making living on the high seas was a dangerous proposition. A fairly high percentage of our seafaring relatives were lost at sea.

No further record of the General Pickering has been found since her capture. Plans are in the works, however, to build a full-sized replica of the ship. The completed vessel will be part of a year-round sail-training program along with several other historic ship copies. Below is a working drawing of the ship:

JOHN STICKNEY

Our cousin John Stickney (3C8X) was born in Newbury in 1739. When he bought half of a "dwelling house" in 1766, he was listed as a merchant. John, with his brothers William (3C8X) and Joseph (3C8X), marched on the alarm of April, 19 1775.

In August of 1780, John, along with another man, petitioned the Massachusetts Council to allow their privateering ship, The Rambler, to go to sea. The petition was granted and the Rambler went on to capture at least three prizes, the 16-ton sloop Adventure, the 30-ton schooner Favorite Hannah, and an unnamed 10-ton shallop.

At least one of the Rambler's captured ships was denied as a prize. In his memoir of the Stickney family, Matthew Adams Stickney (5C6X) maintains that "[d]uring the Revolution he (John) was engaged to some extent in privateering, and was the principal in the seizure of a ship which he claimed as being a good prize, but which was decided otherwise in the Court of Admiralty."

In addition to his privateering and merchant activities, Cousin John spent time compiling songs for a book he had published in 1774. The work was titled The Gentleman and Lady's Musical Companion: Containing, A variety of Excellent Anthems, Tunes, Hymns, &c. - Collected from the best Authors. We'll have more of John in a future post.

THE SILVER EEL

When the war broke out, many Nova Scotians were sympathetic to the Patriot cause. Over the years, however, their support waned as American privateers attacked more than 220 Nova Scotian ships in order to stop the flow of goods being sent to Loyalists in New England.

In 1778 an unnamed American privateer near Nova Scotia was captured and destroyed by a British schooner. According to Wikipedia, "[i]n 1778, the British schooner Hope destroyed a privateer ship at Canso. Prisoners were returned from Halifax to Boston on the Swift in September 1778. The Cartel Silver Eel took prisoners to Boston in October 1778." Three of our relatives were on the destroyed privateer. Samuel Ballard (6U), Dean Ballard and Tully Crosby (4C9X) were all eventually returned to New England. According to records found in Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors all three were on a "list of prisoners sent in the cartel 'silver eel' from Halifax to Boston to be exchanged. . ."

Note: I can't find any records for Dean Ballard but assume he's a relative of Samuel Ballard.

SAMUEL HILDRETH

The information I have on our cousin Samuel Hildreth (3C7X) came from Wikipedia. According to that site, Samuel was born in Townsend, MA in 1750. He took up the trade of cooper to earn enough money for medical training, finally setting up practice in Methuen, MA in 1776. He participated in the Burgoyne campaign of 1777 as a surgeon, even treating Hessian soldiers that fought for the British there.

In 1780, Samuel took a position as a physician on a privateer that shipped out of Salem. The vessel was captured by the British. Samuel, along with the rest of the crew, was taken as a prisoner to Quebec. In 1781, the prisoners were sent to Trois-Rivières.

(1) Quebec City (2) Trois Revières

In Trois Revières, Samuel learned French and eventually established a medical practice there. When his fellow captives despaired of ever being released, they came up with a plan to escape. Samuel went along with the plan. Though they managed to escape, all were shortly recaptured. This time, they were sent to "close confinement" in Montreal where some of the prisoners, including Samuel, came down with "jail fever." After over two years in Canada, Samuel and his fellow prisoners were finally released in November of 1882 and sailed for Boston.

ISRAEL HILDRETH

Our cousin Israel Hildreth (3C7X) was born in Dracut, MA in 1755. He first served on a privateer in 1775 when he was only 19 years old. As an old man, he related some of his adventures to his granddaughter Rowena (5C5X). Rowena's husband, Henry Reade, compiled these stories to add to a history of the Hildreth family he was writing. Reade wrote of Israel's first voyage:

During the very first engagement of the schooner Israel was on, the captain "cursed a gunner for flinching when his battering piece was fired." When Israel begged to take his place, the captain threatened to throw him overboard if he showed any sign of timidity. In spite of all his later accomplishments in life, Israel always loved to tell the story of "how steadily he applied that slow-match to the vent and never winked when the explosion followed!"

Another story Israel liked to tell was how he "by an audacious stratagem and simulated idiocy. . .escaped capture and death by a British man-of-war." Reade told the tale:

When their schooner was caught by a British frigate, the Yankee ship had no outward sign of arms and the crew was hidden below. But also hidden below was "valuable cargo, captured from British merchantmen." One mission was to keep the British from coming aboard and, even worse, from going below. Another was to "convince them that there was no one of the few countrified, stupid looking Yankees worth impressing into the naval service of his Britannic Majesty" Only the "lankiest looking" men were allowed above deck. Israel and a man named Ben did the talking to the British all the while fiddling on their violins.

"Schooner ahoy!" from the British. "Heave-to, or I'll sink you." No response from the Yanks and "a cannon ball richocheted some distance ahead of the schooner." Still fiddling, Israel "drawled out, 'Gosh!'" Again the demand to heave-to. "'Goshness!' ejaculated the surprised Israel, as he and the other idiots swung to the schooner. The British boarded the privateer. "Whither bound and what loaded with?"

Still fiddling, Israel responded with "Hey?" With the question repeated, Israel told the Brtish they were coming from Barbadoes bound for Newburyport and they had hoop stave and molasses on board. "What about the hold?" Still fiddling, "Hens and hens' husbands." The Englishman then "damned the whole outfit, spit on the deck" and returned to his ship.

True or not, I'm sure Israel's stories made great fun for the grandkids. We'll have more about Israel in a future post.

TRISTRAM DALTON

We'll hear about our cousin Tristram Dalton (3C8X), a member of the very first senate elected in the new United States, in our "Two Loyalists and a Patriot" post coming up next. But politics wasn't Tristram's only interest. He also dabbled in the profitable but risky business of privateering.

Note: Our cousins Cutting (3C8X) and Henry Lunt (5C6X) were on Tristram's ship Dalton when they were captured and sent to Mill Prison in England. We'll hear about them in a future post.

When another one of the ships that Tristram owned was captured by the British and its captain roughly treated, he turned to his friend John Adams for help. Below are excerpts from a letter Tristram wrote to Adams:

Newburyport May 25th. 1782

Sir

I beg leave to intrude upon a few of your important moments, in behalfe of William Armstrong, late commander of a. . .Brig, belonging to me. . .which vessel was captur’d the 3d Nov. last by a Cutter Privateer, belonging to the Island of Guernsey—whither Capt Armstrong and his company were carried, after being stripped almost naked, according to the custom of the privateer’s men from that Island. From thence They were sent to Portsmouth, and put on board a guard ship, called the Diligent, from that vessell most of them were order’d to Mill Prison, at Plymouth—but, by letters of March 7. 1782, from the chief Mate,1 who dates them in France, it appears Capt Armstrong, on his arrival in Portsmouth, was seperated from his own people, and put between decks of the Guard ship, with the British Seamen, and confined in Irons, on both legs, and not suffered to speak to one of his own men—no reason being given for this singular treatment.

Humanity, and Justice to a fellow Subject, demand my attention. I know not to whom, so properly, to apply, for investigating the cause of this singular treatment, and for relief to the unhappy Object of it. . .Being a young fellow of merit, and connected in my business, I feel anxious for his safety and welfare. . .

Enclosed is a Letter for Capt Armstrong, which I wish might be handed him, if it can be done with propriety. It is open for your inspection. I beg leave to acknowledge myself to be, with the greatest respect, and, if you please to permit, with the same sincerity of friendship which possessed my breast in our younger days, Your most obedient and very humble Servant

Tristram Dalton

Evidently, John Adams' aid wasn't necessary as we learn from Tristram's follow up letter to his friend:

Boston October 26th. 1782

Sir

I esteem myself greatly honor’d by the receipt of your Favor’s of the 18th August last—and much obliged by the attention paid to my request respecting Capt Armstrong who, soon after my writing, returned from a severe confinement, having made his escape—of which I immediately advised to prevent any further trouble in that affair.

I am, with the most respectful Regard And Affection, Sir Your obliged Friend & most humble Servant

Tristram Dalton

OTHER PRIVATEERING RELATIVES

Richard Richardson (5C6X) Boston, Brigantine Massachusetts, 1776. He was entitled to one share of prize money for ships taken.

Brothers Elkanah (5C8X) and John Crosby (5C8X) of Harwich, MA served on the privateer brigantine Lively. John later served as a landsman on the famed frigate Boston, built by our cousin Jonathan Greenleaf (4C7X) that we wrote about in our last post.

Family members I can't place:

Thomas Richardson was a carpenter.. He served on the brigadier General Gates and was on a list of men entitled to share prizes.

William Richardson served on the sloop Providence and was also entitled to share prizes.

Robert Richardson, Brigantine Terrible Creature, Mar 1778

William Baldwin, schooner Heyder Alley commissioned commander May 1782. In Dec. 1782, he was the commander of the schooner Thrasher