Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 59

NEW PROVIDENCE August 31st 1741

_S'r_

This waits on You with a bill of Exchg. Inclosed drawn by Capt. Thomas Frankland on his Brother Messrs. Henry Frankland and Lightfoot, Merch'ts in Boston for 540 NE Cur'y, being part of the prize taken by Us and Sold att publick Vandue, the Sale of which Amounts to 763 Ps. 8/8 which was the half we Received for Salvage, the Vessell belonging to some of his Majesty's Subjects of Great Britain or Ireland, besides one Negro Man Fransis...o...b.. Name who was one of the Capts. belonging to that Comp'y of Negros and Mollattos that used the English so barbarously att the retaken of the fort att St. Aug'ne, also a Mollatto named Aug'ne. The other two taken by us were Cleared and Remain still prisoners of War. We have Sold the old Negro Capt. for 34 ps. 8/8 which is to be Added to the above half. the Mollatto we have still on board.

I dont doubt by [now?] you've Received mine by the way of the way of So. Car. Inclosed in a Letter to Mr. Henry Collins in which I Acquainted You of an Unfortunate Accident, that happened to Us by thunder having Split Our Mast and broke through both our Sides and shoud infallibly have Sunk had it not been for the Kind a.s.sistance of Capt.

Franklands men Com'r of the _Rose_ Man of War. The damage that will Accrue thereon will amount att Least to 100 Ps.

8/8.

We Gott our mast fisht and are in hopes it will Serve our Cruize, having Gott all things ready to Sail we Intend it in a day or two, And am with my kind Services to all friends

Your very hum'le Serv't.

B.N.

To John Freebody:

[Footnote 65: (Charles) Henry Frankland, afterward Sir Harry Frankland, and celebrated under that name because of the romantic story of Agnes Surriage, recounted in Dr. Holmes's poem, _Agnes_. An elder brother of Capt. Thomas Frankland, he had come to Boston in the spring of this year as collector of the port, and soon became one of the most picturesque magnates of the place. Nason, _Sir Charles Henry Frankland_, pp. 9-29. His a.s.sociate was Robert Lightfoot, a prominent merchant. _Pubs. Col. Soc. Ma.s.s._, VII. 91.]

_Tuesday 1st._ The Lieut. and Mr. Stone went this morning to the Westward to Gett a pilott and brought one with him but how he'll prove the Lord knows, the wind Coming to the W'ward differed[66]

Sailing this day.

[Footnote 66: Deferred.]

_Dr._ _The Comp'y of the Sloop Revenge to the Owners_ _Cr._

To her first Outsett By Cash Recd of Mr.

Brot. from folio 9 1698. 6.3 Moon 137. 5.

To Sugr. 108 at providence 7. 4. By a bill of Exchge. for 540.

By cash pd by the 62 M. 8. 2.

To Rum 48 Ga. at do. 32. 8. By a bb. of tarr. 2.14.

To Cash pd. Stowe 19.11.6 By 3 mens Share of the To prison fees for Nego. provisions Expended 16. 4.9 and M.[67] 4.19. By Ballce. due P Compy.

To Jno. Wright frock 1072.11.

and trowsers 1. 7.

To the Storedge of the provce. 7. 4.

To a bb. pork 5.17.

---------- ---------- 1776.16.9 1776.16.9 ---------- ----------

On board the _Revenge_ SE per P Vezian QMr.

[Footnote 67: Negro and mulatto.]

_Wednesday 2d._ This morning att 8 AM. Weighd Anchor having our pilott on board, Capt. Richd. Thompson.[68] The Man of War's barge with their Lieut. Came on board to Search Our hole to See we did not Carry any of his hands with Us. Saw a Sloop Coming in but did not Speak with her.

s.h.i.+pt Seven hands, Viz. James Jennings, Jno. Arnold, Nath'll Gwinn, Richd. Righton, James Hayes, Thos. Fryer and Saml. Nixon. Every body in their Statu Quo. the Capt. Ordered them some punch to drink to their Wives and Misstresses they had left a sh.o.a.re.

[Footnote 68: Brother of John Thompson the councillor, mentioned above. Bruce, p. 418.]

_Thursday 3d._ Fine Moderate Weather, att 10 AM. had a Vandue att the Mast of the plunder taken in the prize which was Sold to the Value of 50 Ps. 8/8 and 2 Rials.

List of the People on Board the Revenge.

---------------+-------+------++------------------+-------+------ Names Quality Shares Names Quality Shares ---------------+-------+------++------------------+-------+------ Benj'n Norton Com'r. 2-1/2 Brought Over 36-1/2 Wm. Stone Lieut. 1-1/2 Thos. Colson Mar'r. 3/4 Elisha Luther Mas'r. 1-1/2 Wm. Ramsey do. 3/4 Peter Vezian Cap. 1-1/4 Jno. Taylor do. 3/4 QM. Math'as Sollom do. 3/4 Wm. Blake Doctor 1-1/2 Thos. Grigg do. 3/4 Ralph Gouch Boats'n 1-1/4 Benj'n Blanchard do. 3/4 Jno. Griffith Gun'r 1-1/4 Bryan McKeneys do. 3/4 Jno. Gillmore Mate 1-1/4 Joseph Frisle do. 3/4 Robt. Little Carp'r 1-1/4 Jno. Smith do. 3/4 Duncan McKenley C Q Mr. 1 Saml. Kerby do. 3/4 Jams. Ogleby Gun'rs Peter McKincking do. 3/4 Mate 1 Saml. Henderson do. 3/4 Jere Harman Mar'r 1 Tim. Northwood do. 3/4 Foelix Burn do. 1 And'w Warden do. 3/4 John Webb do. 1 George Densey do. 3/4 Alex'r Henry do. 1 James M'Gown do. 3/4 Wm. Higgins do. 1 Gideon Potter do. 3/4 Jas. Barker do. 1 Saml. Bourdett do. 3/4 Rich'd Righton do. 1 Nath'l Gwinn do. 3/4 James Hays do. 1 Flora Burn do. 3/4 James Avery do. 1 James Welch do. 3/4 Tulip May do. 1 Jno. Brown do. 3/4 Thos. Fryer do. 1 Wm. Jackson do. 3/4 Jno. Waters do. 1 Jos. Marshall do. 3/4 Jno. Vanderhyde do. 1 Quinton Sommerwood do. 3/4 Jno. Arnold do. 3/4 Jno. Elderidge do. 3/4 Jno. Evergin do. 3/4 Wm. Frisle do. 3/4 Rich'd Norton do. 1 Ephraim Read do. 3/4 Ned Almy Cook 1 Evan Morgan do. 3/4 Dan'l Walker C. Mate 3/4 Jno. Holmes do. 3/4 Joseph the S'v't 1/4 Jno. Bennett do. 3/4 Aug'ne pris'r Jno. Wyld do. 3/4 James Jennings Mar'r. 3/4 Hump'y Walters do. 3/4 Saml. Nixon do. 1 Wm. Austin do. 3/4 _Revenge_ Sloop 14 Jno. Swan do. 3/4 ------ ------- 36-1/2 74-3/4 ------------------------------------------------------------------

_Abstract of the Shares of the Revenge._

Officer draws 13-1/4 Shares Whole Share men 19-3/4 [18 ] do.

Men fitted by the Owners 28-1/2 [29-1/4] do.

Owners for fitting out 9-3/4 do.

Sloop 14 The Lieu'ts Man Jos. 1/4 ------ 85-1/2 [84-1/2] Shares

N.B. Saml. Nixon to pay 1/2 of a 1/4 Share for a Gun and Cartouch.

Jno. Hayes to pay 1/4 of 1/4 of do. for a pistoll.

_Sundry Accts. from Folio II. Dr. to the Owners._

To the foot of that Acct. for Ozenbrig 37. 5.6 To Ditto for Cash Lent 14.10.

To Humphry Walters for 5 yds. Oz'g. 1. 2.6 To Timothy Northwood for do. 1. 2.6 To John Elderidge for do. 1. 7.

-------- 55. 7.6 N.E.C.

_Arms ... Dr. to the Owners._

To 40 Guns att R.I. By 39 Guns to the people.

To 40 pistoll at do. By 1 to make a monkey.[69]

To 40 Cutla.s.shes at do. By 1 broke by the Thunder.

To 19 Guns att N.Y. By 38 Pistols to the people.

To 15 Cutla.s.shes at do. By 38 Cutla.s.shes to do.

To 15 pistolls. By one to Ephraim Read a pistoll.

By one pistoll to Benjn. Blanchard.

59 Guns } 41 do. By one to Jno. Arnold.

55 pistolls } 42 do. By one do to Joshep Marshall.

55 Cutlashes } 39 do. By one Cartouch box to do.

[Footnote 69: A monkey-block, perhaps.]

_Remains in the Gunners Care._

18 Guns. By 10 Guns pistolls and Cutla.s.ses.

13 pistolls. By 1 do. to Ephraim Read.

16 Cutlashes. By 1 Given the prisoners who 2 pistols broke. Satt them ash.o.a.re.

By 1 broke by Accident.

_Friday 4th._ Moderate Weather till 4 AM., then hawld down Our Main Sail and scuded under Our foresail to Gett Clear of the Keys, the Wind blowing very hard.

_Sat.u.r.day 5._ Att 4 PM. brot. too under ballast[70] main-Sail. it blew a meer hurricane. provisions Expended Since the 5 Aug'st: 7 bb. of beef, 2 bb. pork, 3 tierces of bread, 5 bbs. of flower.