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Minerva Connecticut Navy Brig [Hall]

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Minerva Connecticut Navy Brig [Hall] Minerva Captain Giles Hall Armed Brig 3 August 1775-26 January 1776 Connecticut Navy Brig Commissioned/First Date: 3 August 1775 Out of Service/Cause: []26 December 1775/decommissioned and returned to owner Tonnage: 108, 113 Battery: Date Reported: Number/Caliber Weight Broadside Total: Broadside: Crew: (1) 2 August 1775: 1 []total (2) 1 September 1775: 42 []total (3) 1 October 1775: 62 []total (4) 1 November 1775: 64 []total (5) 1 December 1775: 50 []total (6) 1 January 1776: 3 []total Description: Officers: (1) First Lieutenant Thomas Horsey, 3 August 1775-8 September 1775; (2) First Lieutenant James Hopkins, 8 September 1775-19 December 1775;(3) Second Lieutenant James Hopkins, 3 August 1775-8 September 1775; (4) Second Lieutenant Jehiel Tinker, 8 September 1775-14 September 1775; (5) Second Lieutenant Thompson Phillips, 14 September 1775-19 December 1775; (6) Master William Plummert [ Plymert, Pluymort] , 22 August 1775-17 December 1775; (7) First Mate William Warner, 24 August 1775-26 December 1775; (8) Second Mate John Cotton, 12 August 1775-26 December 1775; (9) Pilot Richard Dickerson, 16 September 1775-25 December 1775 Cruises: (1) Rocky Hill, Connecticut to Middletown, Connecticut Comment on this or any page at our ©awiatsea.com-posted December 2020 --1-- (2) Middletown, Connecticut to New Haven, Connecticut, []7 December 1775-13 December 1775 (3) New Haven Connecticut to Rocky Hill, Connecticut, - []25 December 1775 Prizes: Actions: Comments: On 1 July the Connecticut General Assembly resolved “that two vessels of a suitable burthen be immediately fitted out and armed with a proper number of cannon, swivel guns & small arms and furnished with necessary warlike stores and well officered and manned for the defence of the sea coasts in this colony under the care and direction of his Honr the Governor and Committee of Council appointed to assist him in the recess of the General Assembly, who are hereby authorized and directed to procure, furnish and employ the same accordingly.”1 The governor and “Committee of Council” constituted the Connecticut Committee of Safety. On 2 August the Committee of Safety selected a 108-ton brig belonging to Captain William Griswold of Weathersfield as the first vessel approved by the Assembly. 2 The Governor and Council met again the following day. They determined that “a certain brig called the “Minerva ” belonging to Capt. Griswold and now lying in Connecticut River at Rocky Hill, is one proper vessel to be employed for the service aforesaid, and do therefore agree and resolve to take up and employ sd Brig in the service of this Colony as aforesaid during such term as sd Assembly or this committee shall find needful to employ her in sd service; and do hereby appoint Titus Hosmer & Ezekiel Williams Esqr and Capt. Giles Hall a committee to take up and retain said brig in the service aforesaid, to finish the contract for the hire and charter of sd brig and execute proper writings, to cause the same to be justly approved with all her furniture and tackle proper to be retained and used as an armed vessel and make a proper inventory thereof.” Hosmer, Williams and Hall were to “furnish, prepare and provide all necessary additional sails, rigging and furniture and also all proper & necessary ship stores and provisions, and furnish from the Colony stores as far as may be, the necessary cannon, swivels, small arms, pistols, shot, powder, &&c. c…” 1 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:15-16 2 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:17 Comment on this or any page at our ©awiatsea.com-posted December 2020 --2-- They were to be given further directions from time to time by the Governor and Council. The Committee of the Pay Table was directed to draw on the Treasurer for the “sums of money as they shall find necessary to enable them to accomplish the service aforesaid ; and they to render their account of their disposition and disbursement thereof to the General Assembly, or to the Governor and Committee.”3 Giles Hall was appointed as “Captain and commander” of the Minerva , at the pay rate of £7 per month. Thomas Horsey of Derby, Connecticut was selected as the Minerva ’s First Lieutenant, at £5 per month. James Hopkins was appointed as Second Lieutenant, at £4 per month. A steward and a cook were appointed and the brig was authorized a carpenter and a pilot. The complement was established at forty sailors and forty “soldiers or marines” exclusive of officers. Hall was to enlist the crew as volunteers, allowing one month’s advance pay. He was also appointed as pay master for the crew. The Governor and Council agreed to pay 4 shillings per month per ton for the charter of the Minerva , and that the colony would “risque the vessel . .,” in other words, reimburse the owner if she was lost or damaged in service. The committee fitting out the Minerva was also to seek the rest of the warrant officers and recommend them to the Governor and Council. 4 The brig was soon moved to Middletown to be fitted out, and when examined proved to be a 113 ton vessel, and thus, the flagship of the Connecticut Navy. 5 Connecticut was also fitting out a smaller vessel, the Spy . On 24 August, to further the fitting out of the two vessels, the Governor and Council ordered Deshon “be directed forthwith to put the cannon, small arms, pistols, and every warlike implement now at N. London, suitable and proper for armed vessels, into proper order and condition for immediate use, and on receiving advice from Capt Hall of the larger armed vessel fitting at Middletown, shall be at or near Saybrook ready to receive them, to send them to him there and deliver on board his Brig. But if it shall appear there is not a sufficient quantity for both vessels, that they be properly proportioned between them.”6 The Committee of Safety received a letter from Hosmer, Williams and Hall on 24 August. They nominated various officers for the Minerva , including the bearer, William Warner (as First Mate). They had been unable to find a Gunner, and “praying that the bearer (Warner) going to Providence may inlist a Gunner there, as they cannot obtain one, and also sailors &c. It is agreed that he may do so if not disagreeable to Governor Cooke to whom the Governor is desired to write 3 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:17-18 4 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:18-19 5 NDAR, “Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut, to Nicholas Cooke, Deputy Governor of Rhode Island,” 1:1220 6 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:20 Comment on this or any page at our ©awiatsea.com-posted December 2020 --3-- by sd Warner proposing it to him &c., which was done.”7 Trumbull wrote to Cooke the same day, explaining Warner’s mission. Trumbull noted that the fitting out of armed vessels could be a common good to both colonies and noted that the Minerva measured 113 tons. He also mentioned that another vessel, of 42 tons, was being fitted out. Trumbull wanted to know Cooke’s thoughts about recruiting Rhode Island sailors for the Connecticut crews. 8 On 8 September 1775 Horsey declined his appointment, so Hopkins was promoted from Second to First Lieutenant and Jehiel Tinker was appointed to be Second Lieutenant along with other officers. The Council of Safety approved these changes on the recommendation of Minerva ’s fitting out committee and also approved the issue of supplies. 9 A number of warrant officers were appointed, including William Plummet []Plymert as Master, and William Warner as First Mate. Benjamin Cranston of Providence, Rhode Island, was warranted as the Gunner. The Council also ordered that the Minerva be “supplied with 5 bbs. of powder and ball suitable from N. London to be delivered at Saybrook, and 300 weight of lead from Weathersfield.”10 It is clear that the Minerva was nearing the end of her conversion and fitting out process. As of 13 September 1775, the expense of fitting out was £530. 11 On 14 September the officers were commissioned. Tinker had declined to serve, so Thompson Phillips was appointed Second Lieutenant. 12 Plummert was warranted as Master, with Warner as First Mate. All the other warrants were also issued. 13 Powder for the vessel was received on 19 September 1775. 14 The muster roll of the Minerva reveals much information. The first entry is for Captain Giles Hall, dated 2 August 1775. One man enlisted on 10 August, and Second Mate John Cotton came aboard on 12 August. First Lieutenant James Hopkins joined on 14 August, along with two other men. Over the next week seven men enlisted in the crew. On 22 August Master William Pluymort came aboard, and on 24 August First Mate William Warner came aboard. Twenty-seven other men had 7 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:21 8 NDAR, “Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut, to Nicolas Cooke, Deputy Governor of Rhode Island,” 1:1220 9 NDAR, “Minutes of the Connecticut Council of Safety,” 2:48 10 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:21 11 NDAR, “Ezekiel Williams to Thomas Seymour and Oliver Ellsworth,” 2:88 12 NDAR, “Minutes of the Connecticut Council of Safety,” 2:97 13 Middlebrook, History of Maritime Connecticut , 1:21 14 NDAR, “Lieutenant James Hopkins * Receipt for Powder for the Connecticut Brigantine Minerva ,” 2:150 Comment on this or any page at our ©awiatsea.com-posted December 2020 --4-- enlisted by 31 August, for a total crew of forty-two. 15 In September 1775 twenty-one men joined the Minerva , including Second Lieutenant Thomas Phillips on 14 September and Pilot Richard Dickerson two days later.
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