Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 10 AMERICAN THEATRE: Oct. 1, 1777–Dec. 31, 1777 EUROPEAN THEATRE: Oct. 1, 1777–Dec. 31, 1777 Part 2 of 5 United States Government Printing Office Washington, 1996 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. 26 OCTOBER 1777 '297 Hucheson by name, who commanded her. They had orders from Cunningham to carry her to Martinique and declare her up to Bingham the Rebel agent there. Hav- ing secured all these people in Goal and ordered them %*" allowance out of the King's Stores, I now wait for your Lordships Instructions in what manner I am to dispose of them farther In my humble opinion they ought on no account to be set at liberty, but either to be kept prisoners here or sent under confinement to England. In case the latter mode is adopted, It is necessary for me to mention that none of the Men of War will take them from me, unless they have particular orders from home to do it- I am informed that most of the Prisoners belonging to the Oliver Cromwell, after I had delivered them up to the officer who convoyed the Fleet from hence, were dis- tributed on board the homeward bound Merchant Men, and were set at liberty on their arrival in England by the Masters of the Vessels who had the Charge of them, in stead of being delivered up to a Magistrate to be secured till his Majestys pleasure should be known I need not observe that releasing the Rebel Prisoners in this man- ner, must only serve to prolong the War, Whereas ifwe were to keep all the people we take onboard their Vessels, Their Trade, their Fishery, and their Privateering wou'd soon be at an end, for as our Cruizers pick up their shipping very fast, we should in a short time have all their Seamen in our hands. I have the honor to be [kc.] Macartney P.S Inclosed I send Hutchesons answers to the Standing Interr~gatories,~in con- sequence of which if not contradicted by other Evidence I shall release Leverick & Gelle, two of the prisoners.- L, UkLPR, C.O. 101/21, 91-92. Addressed at foot of first page: "Lord George Germain." Written in left margin offirst page: "[Copy] to the Admiralty." Docketed: "SL.George'sGrenada/25'": October 1777./Lord Macartney./(No. 41.)/R 121hJany 1778./(1 Inclosure.)/Entd.." 1. The British privateer Reuenge was commanded by Daniel Campbell. See below, 7he Gazette ofthe State ofSouth Carolina, December 2,1777. The Continental Navy cutter Reuenge, Gustavus Conyngham, cap- tured the brig Venuson 3Aug. After removing the prisoners from Venus, Conyngham placed John Hutchin- son on board as prizemaster. NDAR 9: 562, 600. 2. On 2 May, 1777, the Continental lugger SurFe, Gustavus Conyngham, captured the Prince ofor- angepacket while she was en route from Harwich, England, to Holland. When Conyngham sent the prize to Dunkirk, vigorous British protests compelled Comte de Vergennes to arrest the American and his crew. Shortly thereafter the French released Conyngham and returned Prince oforange to her owners. For doc- uments related to the affair, see MAR 8 and 9. 3. See NDAR 8: 999,1029, for the capture of the Pennsylvania privateer ship Oliver Cromwelland the disposal of the prisoners ashore at ~renada. 4. See Deposition ofJohn Hutchason, Prize Master of the Brig Venus, above at 17 Oct. October 26 (Sunday) [Boston, between 14 and 26 October 17771 . by which means I have got the Ship * ready for the Sea (there being nothing to take in at this present time but the Sea provisions the powder & a few Small Stores)-yet for want of money we are Obliged to put off the discharged men with Tears in their eyes & are unable to Enter new men haveing no money Either to pay the former or ingage the Latter 298 AMERICAN THEATER The incessant Complaints I am Obliged to hear of those poor men who want their wages, & the poor women whose husbands are in Captivity while they & their children are Starveing-is Verey discourageing circumstances, and must in the end be fattal to the Service for Gods Sake, &for your own Sake &your countrys be pleased to take Some Steps whereby those complaints may be redress'd wishing you health & evrey blessing I am Sir LB, MHi, Hector McNeill Letter Book. Addressed at foot: "To The HonbIcJno Hancock." The first part of the letter is missing. 1. The date is approximate, being based on its placement after 14 Oct. at the end of the letter book and on content. On 26 Oct. the Continental Marine Committee wrote the Navy Board of the Eastern De- partment, acknowledging a letter from McNeill in which he said that he expected to man the Boston de- spite obstructions and difficulties. See the letter from the Continental Marine Committee below. 2. Continental Navy frigate Boston. [Extract] Poughkeepsie 26th October 1777 2 o'clock P.M. Dear Sir, . .The Situation of the Enemy being very different from what you must have supposed at the Time of writing me will of Course occassion some Alteration in the Measures you proposed to pursue against them. On the 23d their Fleet fell down from Saagertjes where they had for some Time lay to Kingston, came too there that Evening & next Morning came under Sail passed down the River & the last Account I had of them yesterday were out of sight from New Windsor but this not in such Manner as to be depended on tho I believe it to be true. It appears to me essentially necessary that we shoud take some Post on the River where we may be able to prevent the Enemy's getting above us with their Shippingwith- out great Difficulty. This with the Artillery mentioned in Col. Malcom's Letter I think may be effected at the Cheveaux Defrize near New Windsor or perhaps at Fort Con- stitution ' & the lower down the River the better. I am clearly of Oppinion the Enemy will not Attempt any Thing Capital up the River since the Object which induced them to venture up it, is by your Important Successes over Genl. Burgoyne's fmny, (on which happy Occassion I most heartilly congratulate you) now at an End. I am [kc.] Geo. Clinton Public Papers of George Clinton 2: 481-83, no. 885. Addressed in the original: "To the Honble/Major Genl. Gates." Docketed in the original: "Dr Letters to Genl Gates & C0ll/Lamb./26'~ Octob' 1777." N-Ar, George Clinton Papers, box 9, doc. 885. 1. Saugerties, across the river from Livingston's Manor. 2. In 1778 another chain was laid across the Hudson from West Point to Fort Constitution. JOURNAL OF H.M. BRIGDILIGENT, LIEUTENANT THOMAS FARNHAM Octr 1777 [off Puloples Isld.] Sunday 26 at 10 AM Weighd and Stood Down the River in COthe Gally2 at Noon Past Fort Montgomery Steering Down the River 26 OCTOBER 1777 299 The first Part Fresh Breezes & Cloudy Middle & Latter attended with Rain at 4 PM Joind H M Gally the Spitfireand Armed Sloop Hotham and FriendshipTransport at 8 Came too Small Br in 6 fm off Phillips's farm in CO.the Spitfire & Dependance Gallys D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/4163. 1. Pollepel Island. 2. Dependence. JOURNALOF H.M.S. MERCURY,CAPTAIN JAMES MONTAGU October 177'7 Employed turning down the River Sunday 26 [AM] at 7 Weigh'd and Came to Sail down the River at 9 An- chor'd off Plank Point' in 8 PnS.Water At an Anchor off Plank Point Fresh breezes and Cloudy at Noon Weigh'd and Came to Sail, bringing up the Rear of the Fleet at 6 [PM] Anchor'd off Spiken devel Creek2with the Bi. BL Anchor, the Fleet still continueing their Course for New York, except the Crane & Spitfire Galley's D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/600. ' 1. Verplanck Point. 2. Spuyten Duyvil Creek. JOURNALOF H.M. SLOOPRAVEN, COMMANDER JOHN STANHOPE October 1777 Laying off Pecks Kill in the North River. Sunday 26 (AM) at 3 passed Terry Town a Transpi. a Ground with 3 Gal- lies at Anchd alongside ' at 7 came too with the small Bower in 7 fm.water little above Spite Dive1 Creek2 found riding her[e] his Majestys Ship Mercury & 2 Transports came on board Captn. Stanhope with the people in the flatt boats and from the Tender D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/771. 1. H.M. galleys Crane, Dependence, and Spitfire. 2. Spuyten Duyvil Creek. 3. Sloop tender Hotham. October 1777 At a Single Anchor of Fort Montgommery and Clinton Sunday 26 at 8 AM the Transports came down the River with the Mercury, and all the Troops came off from Fort. Montgommery and Clin- ton, at 10 Fird a Gun and made the Sign' to get under way, do. came to Sail with the Transports and Small Craft at Noon Stoney point WNW, and Planks pt East AMERICAN THEATER Sailing down the River Stoney point WNW and Planks point East Do.W" [Modt,and hazey] at 8 PM Anchd.with the S B in 7 fm. and veerd to a whole Cable, Polers Hook2WSW, the old Church EbN % N D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/972. 1. Verplanck Point. 2. Paulus Hook. COPY Sir I had the Honor of proceeding by your Orders with the Troops under my Com- mand on the 151h.Ins': and destroyed all the Enemys Vessels and Houses till our Ar- rival off Esopus on the 17thz and upon my Reconnoitring the Rebel Situation there, I perceived a Battery of 5 Pieces of Cannon with a Breast Work lined with Troops; and also a Work with nine Pieces more, It being proper for me to proceed further up the River, to get every Information possible relative to General Burgoynes Situa- tion, I found it absolutely necessary to dispossess the Rebels of Esopus, in order to Secure my Communication with Fort Vaughan,%nd to prevent the Enemys assem- bling there in Force to harrass me on our Return-Soon after landing the Troops, they dispersed the Rebels and took their Cannon, but they retired into the Town,3 and fired out of the Houses, which was a very sufficient Reason for destroying it, but I had a much greater Inducement as the Congress and Mr.Clinton had taken Refuge there that Morning and its being a Town notorious for harbouring the most rebel- lious People in that Part of the Country.