Resolution Massachusetts Schooner [Doane Spooner Trusk Porter

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Resolution (1) Commander Levi Doane Schooner 12 March 1779- Massachusetts Privateer Schooner (2) Commander Shubael [] Shuball Spooner 1 December 1779- (3) Commander Samuel Trusk [] Trask 8 April 1780- (4) Commander Amos Potter 31 March 1781-May 1781 (5) Commander William Morgan 18 May 1781-

Commissioned/First Date: 12 March 1779 Out of Service/Cause: 19 April 1783/commission recalled-end of hostilities

Owners: (1) Ebenezer Woodward of Boston, Massachusetts; (2) [ Ebenezer Woodward and Levi Doane of Boston, Massachusetts] ; (3) Jonathan Nutting et al of Boston, Massachusetts; (4) Ebenezer Woodward et al of Boston, Massachusetts; (5) Ebenezer Woodward and Jonathan Nutting, both of Boston, Massachusetts

Tonnage:

Battery: Date Reported: 12 March 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 4/ Total: 4 cannon/ Broadside: 2 cannon/ Swivels:

Date Reported: 6 June 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 4/1-pounder 4 pounds 2 pounds Total: 4 cannon/4 pounds Broadside: 2 cannon/2 pounds Swivels: six

©awiatsea.com-posted May 2020 --1-- Date Reported: 1 December 1779 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 6/ Total: 6 cannon/ Broadside: 3 cannon/ Swivels:

Date Reported: 8 April 1780 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 6/ Total: 6 cannon/ Broadside: 3 cannon/ Swivels:

Date Reported: 31 March 1781 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 6/ Total: 6 cannon/ Broadside: 3 cannon/ Swivels:

Date Reported: 18 May 1781 Number/Caliber Weight Broadside 6/ Total: 6 cannon/ Broadside: 3 cannon/ Swivels:

Crew: (1) 12 March 1779: 26 [] total (2) 1 December 1779: 26 [] total (3) 8 April 1780: 26 [] total (4) 31 March 1781: 26 [] total (5) 18 May 1781: 26 [] total

Description:

Officers: (1) First Lieutenant Amos Potter, 8 April 1780-31 March 1781; (2) First Lieutenant Nathaniel Plimpton, 31 March 1781-; (3) Master William Morgan, 31 March 1781-18 May 1781; (4) Prize Master Peter Moorefield, 8 April 1780-; (5) Prize Master Nathaniel Plimpton, 8 April 1780-31 March 1781; (6) Prize Master Jeremiah Connell, 8 April 1780-

Cruises:

©awiatsea.com-posted May 2020 --2-- Prizes: (1) Bilander/Snow Industry , May 1779

(2) [][] unknown unknown , May 1779

(3) [][] unknown unknown , May 1779

(4) Schooner Experience (John Batis), May 1779

(5) Schooner Abigail (John Grover), May 1779

(6) Schooner Eleanor (Nathaniel Goodwin), June 1779

(7) Slo op [] unknown , November 1779, with Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Black Snake

(8) Schooner Sally [ Sophia ][} (Munick), May 1780

(9) Schooner Good Intent (Peter Hiram Biyden []Blyder ), []May 1781

(10) Schooner Sally (James Chaffie), [] May 1781

(11) Sloop Fox (David Garrat), October 1781

(12) Sloop Hope (James Patterson), December 1781, with Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Free Mason

(13) Sloop Nancy (Michael Haffren), December 1781

(14) Schooner Two Sisters , 15 March 1782, off Pearl Island, Mahone Bay

(15) Schooner Two Friends (Preble), March 1782

(16) Schooner Ranger (Elisha Hopkins), March 1782

(18) [][] unknown unknown , 25 June 1782

(19) Brigantine [] unknown , February 1783

(20) Sloop Peacock (Ebenezer Porter), April 1783

Actions: (1) Action with unknown ship, [] 5 May 1781 (2) Raid on Annapolis-Royal, August 1781

©awiatsea.com-posted May 2020 --3-- Comments:

Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Resolution was commissioned on 12 March 1779 under Commander Levi Doane of Boston, Massachusetts. She was listed as being armed with four guns and as having a crew of twenty-five men. Her $5000 Continental and £4000 Massachusetts bonds were signed by Doane and by Ebenezer Woodward, Gawen Brown and John Brown, all of Boston. 1

A report in the Boston newspaper, on 7 June 1779, mentions that the Resolution has returned from a cruise, having captured five prizes: a bilander, which had arrived in port; another, which had arrived at an “Eastern” port; one with a cargo of coal; and two more with provisions. The Resolution was armed with four 1-pounder carriage guns and six swivel guns. Resolution arrived in port on 6 June. 2

Two of the above vessels, the schooners, were libeled in the Massachusetts Maritime Court of the Middle District on 15 July 1779. These were the 30-ton schooner Experience (John Batis) and the 30-ton schooner Abigail (John Grover). The trials were to be held on 3 August 1779. 3 On 21 June 1779 an advertisement appeared in the Boston paper for the sale of the “The good Snow INDUSTRY . . . lately Captured by the Schooner Resolution.” This is likely to be the “bilander” mentioned above. The sale was to be held on 23 June. 4

A schooner with a cargo of “braziery” ware, captured by the Resolution , arrived at a “safe port,” probably Boston, on 17 June. 5 This was probably the schooner Eleanor , an 80-ton vessel under Nathaniel Goodwin, libeled on 30 August 1779. 6

A 50-ton sloop, captured by Doane, with the Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Black Snake (Commander James Phillips), was libeled in the Massachusetts Maritime Court of the Middle District on 29 November 1779. Her trial was to be held on 8 December 1779. 7

Resolution was re-commissioned on 1 December 1779, under Commander Shubael (or Shuball) Spooner of Boston. She was now listed as having a battery of six guns and a crew of twenty-five men. Her $5000 Continental and £4000 Massachusetts bonds were signed by Spooner, Woodward, and Doane. 8

1 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution , 256

2 The Independent Ledger, and the American Advertiser [] Boston , Monday, June 7, 1779

3 The Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser [] Boston , Thursday, July 15, 1779

4 The Boston Gazette and the Country Journal, Monday, June 21, 1779

5 The Connecticut Journal [] New Haven , Wednesday, June 30, 1779, datelined Boston, June 24

6 Massachusetts Archive Contents List here .

7 The Boston Gazette and the Country Journal , Monday, November 29, 1779

8 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution , 256

--4-- Resolution was again commissioned on 8 April 1780, under Commander Samuel Trusk (or Trask) of Boston. She was now listed as having a battery of six guns and a crew of twenty-five men. Her new $5000 Continental and £ 4000 Massachusetts bonds were signed by Trusk and by Woodward and Jonathan Nutting of Boston. 9 Amos Potter served aboard as First Lieutenant. 10 He was described as age 22, five feet eleven inches tall, with a dark complexion. 11 Prize Master Peter Moorefield was aboard on a cruise that sailed after 10 October 1780. He was described as age 27, five feet nine inches tall, with a dark complexion.12 Another Prize Master was Nathaniel Plimpton, described as age 25, five feet ten and a half inches tall, with a daek complexion. He was from North Carolina. 13 The third Prize Master was Jeremiah Connell, described as age 35, five feet six inches tall, with a dark complexion. 14

Schooner Sally (or Sophia; Munick), 30 tons, was captured on the subsequent cruise. She was bound from Halifax to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, with a cargo of potatoes, oats, flour and hay. Sally was tried on 25 July 1780 in the Massachusetts Maritime Court of the Middle District. 15

Resolution was again commissioned on 31 March 1781 under Commander Amos Potter of Boston. Resolution was listed as having a battery of six guns and a crew of twenty-five men. Her $20,000 bond was executed by Potter, Woodward, and Jonathan Nutting of Boston. 16 Nathaniel Plimpton moved up to Lieutenant for this cruise. 17 William Morgan served aboard as Master. 18 Moorefield continued aboard as Prize Master. 19

On 14 May 1781 the Boston Gazette reported on Resolution ’s ensuing patrol. On 10 May the schooner returned to port, with an interesting story. A schooner had been captured with a cargo of dry goods. Resolution continued her patrol, hanging around the area of Halifax. She fell in with a ship of between 400 and 500 tons, armed with twelve 4-pounders and a crew of twenty-three

9 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution , 256-257

10 Howe, Beverly Privateers , 432

11 MASSRW, 12:619

12 MASSRW, 10:939

13 MASSRW, 10:468

14 MASSRW, 3:899

15 Faibisy, “A Compilation of Nova Scotia Vessels . . .,” in NDAR, 10:1201-1210

16 NRAR, 437; Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution , 257

17 MASSRW, 10:469

18 Howe, Beverly Privateers , 430

19 MASSRW, 10:939

©awiatsea.com-posted May 2020 --5-- men, three of whom were sick. She was bound from London to Halifax with a cargo of “English” goods. When Resolution sighted the ship there was a dead calm, so the schooner rowed up to her. When the master of the ship hauled and asked where she was from, Potter told him Halifax. The British master then asked if two ships had arrived there, naming the vessels. Potter assured him they had arrived. The British master then invited Potter aboard. Potter answered that he would come, but his boat was leaky. The Englishmen dispatched his boat, with the second mate and his boatswain aboard. These were entertained on the Resolution and returned to their ship, but without Potter. The Englishman then invited Potter aboard for the night. Potter agreed, and a second time the boat was dispatched. As the boat approached Potter told his men to lay the schooner aboard the ship, and, as soon as he had set foot on her, to board and carry the potential prize. Unfortunately, the English boatswain overheard the conversation. He kept quiet and Potter returned in the boat. As soon as he was aboard the British vessel the boatswain cried out “A Traitor.” The ship prepared for action and an engagement followed. The ship shot off Resolution ’s foremast and drove her off. Potter was carried into Halifax. 20

Resolution returned to port on 10 May, having captured a schooner with a cargo of dry goods. 21 This was likely the 60-ton schooner Good Intent (Peter Hiram Biyden []Blyder ), sailing out of Halifax with a cargo of dry goods. She was libeled in the Massachusetts Maritime Court of the Middle District, on 25 June, and tried on on 17 July 1781. 22 Morgan also libeled the same day, the schooner Sally , 50 tons, James Chaffie. 23

Resolution was re-commissioned on 18 May 1781 under Commander William Morgan of Boston, with the same battery and crew. Morgan and the two owners signed the new $20,000 bond. 24 This commission was obtained while Morgan was still at sea with Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Cato . When Morgan returned to port he assumed command of the Resolution and sailed for Nova Scotia, with Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Reprisal (Commander John Curtis), about August 1781. The privateers arrived at Annapolis-Royal, landed, and captured the fort, the commander of the fort, its garrison, and the “Governor of Annapolis.” The fort’s nine 18-pounders and 9-pounders were destroyed. Six or seven soldiers were taken as prisoners and the officers paroled. The governor was exchanged for Potter, the former commander of the Resolution . He arrived at Boston from Halifax on 23 September 1781. On 21 September 1781 Resolution returned to port. 25

On 12 November 1781 Morgan libeled the 45-ton sloop Fox (David Garrat) in the Middle District

20 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution , 257

21 The Providence Gazette and Country Journal , Saturday, May 19, 1781, datelined Boston, May 14

22 Faibisy, “A Compilation of Nova Scotia Vessels . . .,” in NDAR, 10:1201-1210; The Boston Gazette and the Country Journal , Monday, June 25, 1781

23 The Boston Gazette and the Country Journal , Monday, June 25, 1781

24 NRAR, 437; Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution , 258

25 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution , 258, from the Boston Gazette of 24 September 1781

This Resolution is probably the one that assisted Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Free Mason (Commander Noah Stoddard) in the capture of the 100-ton sloop Hope (James Patterson) in December 1781. Hope was libeled in the Maritime Court of the Middle District on 3 January 1782, with her trial set for 8 January 1782. 27

Morgan captured the 40-ton sloop Nancy (Michael Haffren) about December 1781. She was apparently sent into Boston and libeled there on 21 January 1782. Trial was set for 12 February 1782 in the Maritime Court of the Middle District. 28

Morgan libeled the schooner Two Friends (Preble), and against the schooner Ranger (Elisha Hopkins) on 15 April 1782. The trials were to be held on 30 April. 29 Ranger was bound from Bermuda to Liverpool, Nova Scotia with a cargo of molasses, lemons, sugar and salt. 30

About June 1782 Resolution was off the coast of Nova Scotia, in Chaleur Bay. Here she captured a schooner owned by a Scotsman who lived on the bay. The schooner was sailed to the Scotchman’s “store,” which was plundered and the goods loaded aboard the schooner. Not long after the British Privateer Ship Jack appeared and re-captured the schooner. The Jack took her into Halifax. Following this episode Resolution was sailing off the Nova Scotia coast, where she captured a vessel on 25 June. 31

On 26 March 1783 a brigantine captured by the Resolution , with a cargo of rum and salt, arrived at Boston. 32

Morgan libeled the sloop Peacock (Ebenezer Porter), 20 tons, on 24 April 1783. 33 Peacock had a cargo of flour and fish and was tried and condemned in the Massachusetts Maritime Court of the

26 The Boston Gazette and the Country Journal , Monday, November 12, 1781

27 The Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser [] Boston , Thursday, January 3, 1782

28 The Boston Gazette, and The Country Journal , Monday, January 21, 1782

29 The Boston Gazette , and the Country Journal, Monday, April 15, 1782

30 Faibisy, “A Compilation of Nova Scotia Vessels . . .,” in NDAR, 10:1201-1210

31 AVCR, 94

32 The Pennsylvania Journal, and the Weekly Advertiser []Philadelphia , Wednesday, April 9, 1783, datelined Boston, March 27

33 The Independent Chronicle, and the Universal Advertiser []Boston , April 24, 1783; The Boston Gazette and the Country Journal , May 5, 1783

34 Faibisy, “A Compilation of Nova Scotia Vessels . . .,” in NDAR, 10:1201-1210