Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 9 AMERICAN THEATRE: Jun. 1, 1777–Jul. 31, 1777 EUROPEAN THEATRE: Jun. 1, 1777–Sept. 30, 1777 AMERICAN THEATRE: Aug. 1, 1777– Sept. 30, 1777 Part 3 of 5 United States Government Printing Office Washington, 1986 Electronically published by American Naval Records Society Bolton Landing, New York 2012 AS A WORK OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS PUBLICATION IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. EUROPEAN THEATRE From June 1,2777, to September 30,1777 EUROPEAN THEATRE From June 1,1777, to September 30,1777 SUMMARY A letter written from Dublin" in July noted: "Our trade with Waterford, Corke, Belfast, and Derry, is entirely at a stand, in consequence of the swarms of American privateers which infest our coast." Similar cries of alarm and pleas for convoy protection came from other port cities in Ireland, England and Scotland. While all American raiders were called privateers, a three ship Continental Navy squadron, with Captain Lambert Wickes as senior officer, was wreaking par- ticular havoc on British merchant shipping. Gustavus Conyngham was once again at sea from Dunkerque in the newly outfitted Continental Navy cutter Revenge. Silas Deane wrote to Robert Morris that Conyngham's exploits had made him "the terror of all the Eastern Coast of England & Scotland." The Royal Navy countered the serious American assault on Britain's trade by increasing the number of patrol areas and ships assigned to search, capture, or destroy missions. This stepped-up effort had its effect. Mill Prison at Plymouth, and Forton Prison, Portsmouth, received increasing numbers of rebel seamen. Increasing use of French ports by American armed vessels, and the presence of their prizes in those ports, led to a storm of protests by Lord Stormont, British Ambassador to France. To give the appearance of responding positively to English complaints, King Louis XVI issued edicts restricting American activities in the ports of his kingdom. As a consequence, prizes began to be diverted to Spain. The American Commissioners in Paris, considering the current political climate, ordered the Reprisal, Wickes, and Lexington, Captain Henry Johnson, to sail for the United States. But two days out of Morlaix on his homeward passage, Johnson encountered H.M. cutter Alert. After a close hot engagement Lexington sur- rendered, and Captain Johnson was sent a prisoner to Mill Prison. 368 EUROPEAN THEATRE 1 June (Sunday) Sir, You will receive herewith Letters for Mr Eyries &c at Havre du Grace which on your arrival deliver; if the Anonyme, is gone, you will loose no Time, in following her to Nantes, and on your going on board take a Care- ful Inventory of her Stores, inquire her Age, & Ascertain her just Value which You are immediately to send Me, an Account of, leaving the Copy, of the Letter You may write, with Mr Williams of Nantes that he may for- ward a duplicate of it to Me, in case the original fail - Mr Williams will procure a Cargo for the Anonyme in which you will embark, as a passenger for the West Indies to which she must appear to be destin'd, but before you sail the Captn must sign Orders to be directed by You in every thing You will stand as far North as to fall in with Portsmouth in New Hampshire if possible, & make the first safe port to the East of Rhode Island unless by speaking with any American or others you receive advice to the Contrary. You are to be very cautious, who you speak to at Sea, & avoid speaking with them if possible - should you be drove off the New England Coast either by Contrary Winds or the Enemy, advise you, to endeavor for North or South Carolina, & on your Arrival, deliver the Letters given you to the persons to whom they are directed and attend their Orders Wishing you all possible Success I am Sir [kc.] Silas Deane Paris 1st June 1777 P.S. YO; are to be particularly careful that no Lettr or paper, fall into the hands of the Enemy, to prevent which keep the whole always ready for sink- ing in Case of Accident, Your Journey being altered for Nantes, you will attend the above Instructions excepting what relates immediately to Havre -2 1. B. F. Stevens, ed., Facsiiniles of Manuscripts in European Archives Relating to America 1773- 1783 (London, 1889-1895), No. 167. Hereafter cited as Stevens, ed., Facsimiles. 2. Hynson immediately passed this information to his British contact. See Hynson to Lieutenant Colonel Edward Smith, June 3. Gentlemen Nantes June 1. 1777. Being appointed by the Honble The Commissioners of the United States at Paris to receive and dispatch all Expresses coming from and going to america, I have the honour to send you by the Mere Bobie Capt Charles Gluyo de la Cheonaye sundry Letters & packets which will be delivered to you in a leaden Box under my Seal. As the Gentleman who has contracted to furnish these Packet Boats is to provide one every month, I hope in that time to send you another; I therefore beg leave to observe that the one following may bring the answers to the present dispatches, and so on in course. I mention this at the desire of the Gentleman that there may be as JUNE 1777 . 369 little detention as possible, but ,of this you are the best judges, and as in these operations the public Service is the great object, whatever measures are most proper will of course be taken. If the Vessell arrives in Boston she will come to the address of my Father, if at Philadelphia to Richard Bache Esqr, if in another port I must beg the favour of you to deliver the inclosed Letter to some merchant in whom you have confidence for the Sale of her Cargoe, and the purchase of one in return; I have given the necessary directions as to dispatch that she may be ready to return as soon as you shall please to order. Exclusive of the Cargo on Accot of the proprietor I have shipped twenty Bales of Broad Cloth &c agreeable to the inclosed Invoice and Bill of Lading, which are to be secured on accot of Congress and disposed of as they shall order. The Invoice expresses only the Number of Bales because I have not the particular accot of their contents, they come to me at different Times and as they arrive here I am to ship them in such ways as circumstances will permit. I have the honour to be with the greatest Respect Gentlemen [&c.] Jona Williams Jr Capt [Alexander] Wilson in a Ship from Carolina2 on Accot of the Massa- chusetts State is safe arrived here with 1250 Casks of Rice 1. Papers CC (Letters from William Bingham and Others, 1777-82), 90, 561-64, NA. 2. Duc de Chartres. Hond Sir Nantes June 1. 1777 - This will be handed to you by Captain Charles Gluyola Cheonaye of the Mere Bobie who come to America with public Dispatches. The Cargoe on board agreeable to the Inclosed Invoice is to your address to be sold as soon as possible for Ready Money only and the amount to be Returnd in the same Vessell if it is possible to vest it in any Goods that will answer this Market or (in failure of such goods) in hard money - The best articles are Tobacco, Rice, Indigo Flaxseed Beaver, and furrs of other Kind, Bees wax Cotton, hides Deerskins Calf & mutton do Starch, salt Pork, Mohagony, cow horns Deer horns Ivory and any other Articles that will probably answer this Market &c &c I fear it will be difficult to find such Articles with us at a price that will answer, as the best of them Tobacco &c must come with as much hazard to Boston as to Europe, but some of them perhaps may be found with you from the prizes that have been brot into our port - I am desired to limit the price but at this distance it is almost imposible you have however a price current at foot which may serve as some Regulation. if you cannot load her in Return to advantage observing to keep her in the best trim for sailing and to give her the Utmost dispatch put on board her as many white Oak Staves for hogsheads pipes &c of the best quality that can be procured, as she will contain and indeed if you put other goods on board, whatever Surplus room there may be may be so fill'd up. the Staves must be fitt for water and wine casks and not for dry hogsheads - The Gentn 370 EUROPEAN THEATRE who owns this cargo is Monsieur Le Ray de Chaumont a Very Rich Mer- chant at Paris who has the American cause much at heart- and has on Various Occasions given us very Important assistance Doctor Franklin lives in one of his houses and Looks upon him as one of his best Friends besides which I myself have personally Received very great civilities from him and hope to Reap great advantage from his acquaintance and the Kind partiallity he has honor'd me with. for these Reasons I cannot too strongly Recommend your most particular Attention to his Interest and the greatest possible dispatch I have written to the [Secret] Committee on this Subject2 and agree- able to Mr Chaumont desire have observ'd that as Regular packets are in future to be dispatch'd once a month the answer to these Letters this brings may be Returnd in the one that shall follow and this Plan once Enterd upon each packet boat nead be detaind but a short time in port.