On July 30, 1776, Captain Bigelow arrived at New London from the West Indies, with five tons of powder. Both vessels were chased by the Cerberus frigate, but had the good fortune to get in safely. Later, Captain Bigelow was taken (July, 1777) and carried into the West Indies. On July 15, 1776, the sloop Commerce, Captain Waterous of New London, was taken in her passage from Montserrat to St. Eustatia. Captain Waterous, who arrived home July 23d by way of Nantucket, reported that but very few northern vessels escaped the vigilance of the British cruisers. A New London dispatch dated Dec. 27, 1776, stated that Captains Goodwin and Howard, who sailed from New London for the West Indies for gunpowder, "three weeks ago," were both taken and carried into New York by the British. There were doubtless others, but the nature of their errands. was probably such that those responsible for the safety of their ventures deemed it more prudent to withhold clearances, arrivals or captures from the public gaze. In 1776 the Governor and Council of Safety were the recip ients of complaints from many parts of the State concerning the lack of salt, a commodity sorely needed both as a public and private necessity. At the May, 1776 session of the General Assembly this matter was considered of such serious importance that an Act was passed establishing a bounty payable by the State to any person or persons who would erect salt works and vats and produce the first 500 bushels of good merchantable salt, and a graduated bounty for the succeeding 500 bushels. The inducements offered by this Act to produce this necessity received considerable attention by the inhabitants but by no means sufficient to supply the pressing needs of the people. The Council of Safety, therefore, at their meeting of October 2d, voted Instructions to Captain John Deshon of Groton as agent for the state, to impress the schooner Hannah & Elizabeth, a prize taken by Capt. Robert Niles, and to take up and appraise 500 tons more of vessels from about 60 to 100 tons burthen, good sailers and well found, and see them suitably manned and provisioned and suitable for cargoes of salt to be purchased at Captain Deshon's discretion, direction, and place of destination. Said vessels to be guarded by an armed vessel. The whole to be done with the greatest secrecy and dispatch. Charter parties were therefore effected and arranged for with Capt. Deshon in behalf of the State and many vessels were thus impressed for this service, some of which were successful on their voyages while others suffered capture and destruction. Among the vessels thus chartered for this important duty were the following, and the Islands of the West Indies were quite generally chosen as the most likely markets where the salt could be obtained. Hannah & Elizabeth, schooner, Ebenezer Colfax, master, Jan. Charter: 1, 1777, New London to Cape Francois. Joshua Palmer, mate. Boston Packet, sloop, Elias Lay, master, March, 1777. Charter: Ranger, sloop, David Latham, master, 1777, from New London William, schooner, Nicoll Fosdick, master, February, 1777, Lucy, sloop, Richard Reynolds, master, Dec. 16, 1776, New Charter: London to West Indies. Prudence, sloop, Allyn Stillman of Wethersfield, master, Apr., Charter: 1777, New London to West Indies. (Capt. Stillman returned with his cargo, but was compelled to put into Bedford, Massachusetts Bay. Later he employed Reuben Hadlock to pilot him at a cost of £36 from Bedford to Wethersfield, July 31, 1777, per voucher of Capt. Deshon on file. He secured his salt at St. Martins. Later he was captured and carried into New York. William, sloop, 78 tons, Asher Fairchild, master, Oct., 1777, Charter: New London to West Indies. Polly, sloop, Isaac Champlin, master, 1777. New London to Charter: West Indies. Charter: Oliver, schooner, 81 tons, Joseph Bulkley of Wethersfield (Rocky Hill), master, Nov. 23, 1776, New London to West Indies (St. Thomas). Taken by the Amazon frigate, near New London, March 21, 1777. Patty, sloop, Theophilus Stanton, master, 1777, New London to West Indies. Capt. Stanton returned Nov. 13, 1777, much shattered from a combat with British ship of 14 guns. Catherine, sloop, William Davison of New Haven, master, Apr. Charter: 7, 1777, New London to West Indies. Polly, sloop, James Lamphier, Jr., master, 1777, New London Charter: to West Indies. Betsey, schooner, James Lamphier, Jr., 1776, New London to Charter: West Indies. Hero, sloop, James Latham of Groton, master, March 4, 1777, Charter: New London to West Indies. Capt. Latham was captured by the British frigate Juno in Lat. 37. Long. 50. Taken March 12, 1777, while on voyage to West Indies for salt and carried into Newport. (Maritime Court Vice Admiralty, Newport.) Protest was made by Capt. Latham, Apr. 14, 1777. Olive, schooner, 80 tons, Jehiel Tinker of East Haddam, mas Charter: ter, Nov. 6, 1776, New London to West Indies. Betsey, sloop, Elizur Goodrich of Wethersfield, master, Oct. 26, Charter: 1776, New London to Mary Galante, W. I., with beef, flour, pork, etc., to return with salt. Capt. Goodrich was captured by a British Privateer and carried into Tortula. Little Joe, schooner, Giles Latham of New London, master, Charter: 1777, New London to St. Eustatia for salt. Returned safely with his cargo. Betsey, ship, William Packwood of New London, master, 1777, Charter: New London to St. Eustatia for salt. Returned Aug. 8, 1777 with 3000 bushels of salt. The New London Gazette of Aug. 7, 1778 states that the Betsey, Capt. Packwood, bound in from South Carolina, was taken by a British frigate off Montauk Point. They scuttled the Betsey and set her on fire. Some of these chartered vessels were equipped in a meagre way, for defence, while on these perilous voyages, but were not recognized by Letters of Marque and Reprisal or recorded as such by either State or Continental authority, Their service, however, was none the less hazardous, and as records and accounts show, some were unfortunate enough never to return. The data and details of their services and accounts are on file at the State Library in Hartford. The Congress, as is hereafter shown, made preparations for privateering early in April, 1776, almost a year after actual hostilities began ashore; so that, notwithstanding any individual action on the part of the colonies toward sea warfare that had been provided for, and in some localities actually performed, as in Connecticut (see Minerva, Spy and Defence), the Continental establishment undoubtedly deferred the adoption of this method until the exigency became so urgent that it was the only course to pursue in order to defend itself. Then it was that the colonies began to enact similar laws to strengthen the cause and course laid down by the Congress, for in "Unity there was Strength," as the history of it has proven. Patience and long suffering had been endured in southwestern Connecticut by many ardent patriots for some time, even prior to the skirmish at Lexington. The overbearing spirit of Tory against Whig formed an open raw sore that was a constant irritant, so that when the Congress did recognize the rebellion at sea in the spring of 1776, it offered to those Connecticut mariners on Long Island Sound the longed-for opportunity of retaliation. Plans were immediately set in motion to that end, and the first private armed vessel to take advantage of the Congressional edict in Connecticut, without waiting for the General Assembly to ratify, confirm and enact a similar one, was fitted out at Fairfield, and allowed by the Governor and Council of Safety, April 15, 1776, as shown by their vote to "furnish Captain Grinell, Thaddeus Burr, Esq', Samuel Broom, and Major David Dimon of Fairfield, with 500 pounds weight of powder, to set forth an armed vessel against the enemies of America." The open warfare against the Tories, who were compelled to flee to Long Island, is perhaps partially at least described in the letters of Capt. Seth Harding of the brig Defence written to Gov. Trumbull while that vessel lay in Black Rock harbor at Fairfield in May, 1776 (see Appendix-Defence Correspondence). The results of Capt. Harding's observations are also shown in the many court actions brought against the Royalist, on file in the Fairfield County Court records. Next to New London, the harbor of "Black Rock" at Fairfield was considered the best anchorage ground on the Connecticut coast,. as shown in the correspondence of the Council of Safety presented at their meeting of Feb. 16, 1776; and the first commissioned privateer sloop, the Game Cock, was recruited there, and left on cruise up the Sound, May 13, 1776. She carried a battery of 6 carriage guns and a crew of 50 people under the command of Capt. Lemuel Brooks of Norwalk, but unfortunately, was captured by the British frigate Cerberus a few days later and carried into Newport (q. v.) Applications for Privateering commissions by this time began to be presented to the Governor, accompanied with requisitions for guns and other warlike material. The iron furnacesof Salisbury had begun operations under Col. Joshua Porter as overseer, so that by the last of May, 1776, the colony was prepared to cast, and the desired ordnance consisting of all sizes, from swivels to 18 pounders and larger, with the various sizes of shot was gradually forthcoming, as was also the production from the powder mills of Elderkin and Wales at Windham. |