Marlborough Rhode Island Ship [Babcock] Rhode...Babcock steered down Sekonnet Passage but got...

Marlborough Commander George Wait Babcock

Frigate 11 December 1777-8 September 1778Rhode Island Privateer Ship

Commissioned/First Date: 11 December 1777Out of Service/Cause: 8 September 1778/re-commissioned in Massachusetts

Owners: John Brown of Providence, Rhode Island

Tonnage: 250

Battery: Date Reported: 11 December 1777Number/Caliber Weight Broadside20/Total: 20 cannon/Broadside: 10 cannon/Swivels:

Date Reported: 26 December 1777Number/Caliber Weight Broadside20/Total: 20 cannon/Broadside: 10 cannon/Swivels:

Date Reported: 7 March 1778Number/Caliber Weight Broadside24/including four 6-poundersTotal: 24 cannon/Broadside: 12 cannon/Swivels: four cohorns and some swivel guns

Crew: [ ]11 December 1777: 126 total[ ] [ ]late December 1777: 91 total

Description:

Officers: (1) First [ ]Lieutenant James Eldred 11 December 1778-; (2)

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Second Lieutenant Franci [ ]s Bradfield, 11 December 1777-;(3) Third Lieuten [ ]ant N. Brown, 11 December 1778-; (4)Master J. Peters, [ ] 11 December 1777-; (5) Prize MasterIchabod Holloway, [ ]11 December 1777-; (6) Prize MasterJohn Bissel [ ]Bissell , [ ]11 December 1777-; (7) Prize Master[ ]Mate Cleveland, [ ]11 December 1778-; (8) Prize Master S.Kelly [ ]Kelley , [ ]11 December 1777-; (9) Captain of Marines

[ ]Christopher Brown, 11 December 1777-

Cruises: (1) Swansea, Massachusetts to Fall River, Massachusetts, 23December 1777-23 December 1777

(2) Fall River, Massachusetts to Tarpaulin Cove, Martha’sVineyard, Massachusetts, 24 December 1777-25 December1777

(3) Tarpaulin Cove, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts toHolmes Hole [ ]Bedford , Massachusetts, 26 December 1777-26December 1777

(4) Holmes Hole [ ]Bedford , Massachusetts to Martha’sVineyard, Massachusetts, 29 December 1777-29 December1777

(5) Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts to the French fort onthe Île de Gorée, Senegal, 2 January 1778-9 February 1778

(6) Île de Gorée, [ ] Senegal to the Île de Los, Guinea, 15February 1778-20 February 1778

(7) Îles de Los, Guinea to Spry Harbor, Nova Scotia, 27February 1778-26 May 1778

(8) Spry Harbor, Nova Scotia to [ ]Boston , Massachusetts, 30May 1778-22 June 1778

Prizes: (1) Schooner Sally (William Moore), 18 February 1778, off[ ]the Cogon Kogon River, Guinea

(2) Schooner Fort Rose (Richard Roberts), 19 February 1778,[ ]in the Cogon Kogon River, Guinea

(3) Sloop [ ]unknown , 20 February 1778, off the Guinea coast

(4) Shallop [ ]unknown , 20 February 1778, at Île de Los,


Guinea

(5) Schooner Betsey, 20 February 1778, at Île de Los, Guinea

(6) Shallop [ ]unknown , 21 February 1778, at Île de Los,Guinea

(7) Brig Pearl (Peter Branker), 24 February 1778, near theÎle de Los, Guinea

(8-21) Six shallops, a sloop, two schooners, and fiveunidentified small craft, all taken at Île de Los, Guinea

(22-23) Barge and schooner [ unk ]nown , 4 March 1778,[ ]captured near Cape Grand Mount, Guinea now Liberia

(24) Ship Kitty (John Fisher), 4 March 1778, near Cape[ ]Grand Mount, Guinea now Liberia

(25) Ship Fancy (William [ or ]J. Allenson), 6 March 1778,[ ]near Cape Mesurado, Guinea now Liberia

(26) Sloop [ ]unknown (Ireland Grace), 11 March 1778, in the[ ]Bassaw River, Guinea now the St. Johns River, Liberia

(27) Ship John (James Ogilvie), 10 May 1778, at 37E38NN,59E01NW

(28) Brig Sally (Thomas Clouston), 30 May 1778, off thecoast of Nova Scotia near Spry Harbor

Actions: (1) Action in Sakonnet Passage, Rhode Island, 25 December1777(2) Action at the Île de Los, Guinea, 20 February 1778

Comments:

The 250-ton Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough (Commander George Waith Babcock) wascommissioned on 11 December 1777; was owned by John Brown of Providence, Rhode Island,1

1 NDAR, “Journal of H.M. Sloop Kingsfisher, Commander Alexander Graeme,” 10: 805 and note. Maclay, History of American Privateers, 116, indicates she wasa Massachusetts vessel. Sheffield, An Address Delivered by William P. Sheffield before the Rhode Island Historical Society, 60, gives the date of commission as 30December 1777.


Sakonnet Passage detail, from

the Blaskowitz map of 1777.

mounted twenty guns2 and had a crew of 125 men.3 Babcock was a nativeof Exeter, Rhode Island.4 She sailed from Swansea, Massachusetts on 23December and anchored for the night at Fall River. On the 24th she cameto sail. Babcock steered down Sekonnet Passage but got aground. After athree hour delay while getting afloat, Marlborough continued her passage.HM Sloop Kingsfisher (Commander Alexander Graeme) was anchored inSekonnet Passage, further down the bay.5 Christmas Eve was cold, clearand dark night: a hard frost and a northwest wind. About midnight, theMarlborough and the brigantine Peggy and Betsey6 (Stephen Clay),7 randown the passage. HM Galley Alarm sighted the pair and opened fire. ThePeggy and Betsey stood too close to the shore and ran aground on thenorth point of Fogland. Marlborough got clear.8 At 0100 on Christmas Daythe Fogland Ferry fired on the Marlborough. Down river, Kingsfisher’screw heard the sound and saw the flashes of several guns being fired fromthe Fogland Ferry battery. Graeme was alerted to a “Rebel vessel” comingdown the passage. Kingsfisher came to sail and ran toward the Americanheld shore. At 0200 the dim outline of a ship was seen in the passage: theMarlborough. Kingsfisher got up all sail and fired a bow chaser at theprivateer, which returned three shots as she swept past. By 0230 Graemenoted the “Chase leaving us fast.” She was nearly out of sight by 0300.Kingsfisher proceeded to the mouth of Sekonnet Passage and anchored at

2 NDAR, “Journal of H.M. Sloop Kingsfisher, Commander Alexander Graeme,” 10: 805 and note; “Advertisement for Seamen for the Rhode Island Privateer ShipMarlborough,” 10: 813 and notes

3 NDAR, “Journal of H.M. Sloop Kingsfisher, Commander Alexander Graeme,” 10: 805 and note

4 Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 215


6 NDAR, “Diary of Frederick Mackenzie,” 10: 805-806 and 806 notes

7 NDAR, “Diary of Frederick Mackenzie,” 10: 813 and note; “Journal of H.M. Sloop Kingsfisher, Commander Alexander Graeme,” 10: 823 and note



0400, but Marlborough was long gone.9 Commenting on this escape, Mackenzie said it was notsurprising, as Kingsfisher was a “remarkly bad Sailer, and the Rebel vessels are generally light andclean when they attempt to go out . . .”10

Marlborough, meanwhile, had continued out to sea, and was at Tarpaulin Cove, Martha’s Vineyardby Christmas night, where she anchored. The next day she sailed to Holmes Hole [ Woods ]Holeseeking sailors.11 An advertisement for sailors was placed in the Providence Gazette on 27 December,noting that the Marlborough was laying at Bedford, Massachusetts. She had “fought Her way outby the British Ship and Galley at Fogland . . .” According to Babcock she would have capturedthe Kingsfisher had she been fully manned.12 She returned to Martha’s Vineyard on 29 Decemberon the same errand. Babcock sailed on his cruise on 2 January 1778.13

Babcock sailed for the coast of Africa. During the passage smallpox broke out on board. Babcockhad members of the crew who had not had the disease inoculated. As the Marlborough approachedthe Canary Islands, the inoculated persons began breaking out. Other crew members werecomplaining with the symptoms of smallpox.14 On the afternoon of 28 January at 1400 the lookoutssighted the island of Palma in the Canary Islands twenty-one miles away to the south.Marlborough steered south passing between the islands of Palma and Gomera. As the evening beganthe islands of Fuerteventura and Tenerife were also sighted.15

Marlborough continued her voyage to the African coast. At 1500 on 31 January she crossed theTropic of Cancer. According to the log, the crew had “Considerable Sport two of the men dressdin Tarpaulins Come to Demand the Bottle and pourd when All those that never Crossd it had topay Or the Captain to give a recipt for them to be pd. at first port . . .” The sport wasinterrupted by the sight of breakers ahead of the ship. The crew wore ship but struck on a shoal.Marlborough hauled off and found herself in a shallow bay. After consulting the map, Babcockfound he was in Bahia de San Cipriano.16

Marlborough hauled off to the north, sounding as she went, and the weathered a headland givenas Carnassarro in the log. This is the modern Cabo Barbas. A comment entered in the log book




12 NDAR, “Advertisement for Seamen for the Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough,” 10: 813 and notes


14 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 817-828. This is the ““Journal of A Voyage in theGood Ship Marlborough George Wt: Babcock Commander Bound On A Five Months Cruize Against the Enemies Of The United States of America from Rhode IslandKept by John Linscom Boss. Captns: Clerk.—.” NDAR prints extracts of this interesting document.

15 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 817 and 828 notes 1-3

16 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 817 and 828 notes 4-6. There are numerous variantnames for geographical features on this coast. Bahia de San Cipriano is now in the disputed territory of Western Sahara.


Modern photograph of the Île de Gorée, Guinea.

reflects the state of mind of the crew after this near disaster: “ this happy Deliverance of GodHapened On the Coast of Barberry where Lives the Cruel Moors.”17

Marlborough began sailing down thecoast to the south. At 1100 on 9February 1778 the French fort on the Îlede Gorée, Senegal, was sighted. In themid-day Babcock doubled Cap-Vert andhauled into Gorée Bay, flyingContinental Colors. At 1430 Babcock waspreparing to go on shore when a boatwas seen approaching. The LieutenantGovernor of the fort, Charles-Joseph-Bonaventure Boucher, and a Frenchmerchant skipper came aboard. TheFrench merchant reported that he hadcome from the Gambia River two weeksago and there were no British there.Boucher told Babcock that two American

frigates, Raleigh and Alfred, had been there on 6 February and had already sailed for home. Thevisitors went ashore honored by a three gun salute.18

The weather was clear on 17 February as Marlborough was sailing southerly off the coast ofGuinea. At 1300 she was about thirty miles out to sea, when the masthead lookouts sighted a sailunder the land. Babcock gave chase closing the land. At 1800 Marlborough anchored as the tidewas now running against the ship. At dark the chase disappeared from sight. At 0600 on the 18ththe barge was hoisted out. Another sail was seen, standing to the north. First Lieutenant JamesEldred was sent with ten men in chase. Marlborough raised sail and stood in toward the coast. At1000 the tide drew the ship into a bay where Babcock anchored. 19

The new day was clear and pleasant. Marlborough’s crew awaited the results of Eldred’sexpedition. At 1300 the sail and the barge were seen, standing down toward the privateer. An hourlater the prize and the barge came down under Marlborough’s lee. The barge took Babcock overto the prize. She was the schooner Sally (William Moore), armed with six 1-pound guns. Moorewas a fountain of local intelligence. According to Moore there was a snow, owned in London butunder French colors, and some other vessels, laying at the Île de Los. One of the islands, knownas Factory Island [ now Île Kassa, ]Guinea contained a “rich factory.”20 This was the post operated

17 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 817 and 828 note 7. Cabo Barbas is in the modernWestern Sahara.

18 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 817-818, and 828 notes 8-9, 829 notes 10-14. Theselocations are in the modern Senegal.

19 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 818-819 and 829 notes 15-18

20 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 819 and 829 note 19


by Andrew, French and Company of London, England.21 There was also a schooner gone up theCogon River to trade.22

Intrigued by this intelligence, Babcock determined to raid the factory. He offered Moore the chanceto co-operate with the Americans: & “the Captain Made him some fair Offers to pilot us if heprovd true But if the reverse he Shoud fare Bad Whereupon He promisd to Assist us to the Bestof his knowledge.” Babcock sent his clerk, John Linscom Boss, aboard to inventory the cargo. Bossfound eleven Africans aboard, of which three were slaves. There was also assorted trade goods andfirearms. These were carried aboard the Marlborough. An officer’s conference decided to send thebarge and Sally up the river, which mounted eight 1-pounder guns. At 1500 six more swivel gunswere mounted on the Sally. At 1600 the schooner and barge got underway, with Eldred havingreceived eleven more men to reinforce his crew. Moore went along as pilot.23

Boss wrote in the logbook “All night we remaind in Suspence but at 5 AM we Saw flashes of guns& heard the report of several we hoisted a Lanthorn and fird a Signal gun . . .” At 0600 Sallyappeared with the prize in company. She was the schooner Fort Rose (Richard Roberts) withtwelve Africans, three of whom were slaves. She had a cargo of the same type of goods as theSally. All the prisoners were brought aboard and Prize Master Ichabod Holloway and five men anda boy went aboard as the prize crew. Prize Master John Bissel was sent to the Sally with the samenumber of men as the prize crew. Both prize masters were ordered to follow the Marlborough. At1000 the little squadron got under way, standing southeast. Boss commented that “ . . . Bothtenders which will be of great Service to us in the rivers.”24

Babcock steered southeast for Factory Island. At 1800 Cap Verga, was sighted twenty-one milesaway as the Marlborough sailed down the Guinea coast with all sail set. Babcock shortened sail forthe night. At 0500 on 20 February he raised all sail again and, at 0830 the Île de Los were sightedfifteen miles away. At 1000 Babcock heard several guns fired. The two tenders were called in andall the men removed, except for two in each vessel. Marlborough was now running in toward theland.25

At 1300 a sail was sighted to he southeast. The sail turned toward the Marlborough and soon cameup with her. Both vessels were near the land. The sail was a small 5-ton sloop with five freeAfricans aboard. Her cargo was clothing, tobacco and guns. The prisoners were removed and oneCleveland, either a Prize Master or one of the Mates, and one other crewman were sent aboard asthe prize crew. At 1500 Marlborough entered the harbor at Factory Island, flying her Continentalcolors. Babcock saw a French ship (the Seine) and a sloop with French colors, a schooner and

21 NDAR, “From the Jamaica Gazette,” 12: 318 and 318 notes 1-3


23 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 819

24 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 819, 829 notes 20-22

25 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 819-820, 829 notes 23-26


Modern map of the Îles de Los, Guinea. Factory Island is to the right, and is now Île Kassa.

several small craft, none of which were showing colors. A barge made its way towards theMarlborough, flying British colors, but soon turned back towards the land, after seeing theAmerican colors. Marlborough fired several guns at her to no effect.26

Babcock moved Marlborough up to within a quarter mile of the village and anchored. He put aspring on Marlborough’s cable. Meanwhile the schooner Fort Rose was running near the shore andwas fired on by a cannon and small arms. Prize Master S. Kelly ran alongside a shallop and puttwo men aboard her, who cut her cable and brought her under Marlborough’s lee. About 1700 theMarlborough came to action, bombarding the village. She fired for about an hour. Babcock thensent Prize Master Holloway with six men and the barge to cut out a schooner anchored nearby andunder British fire. Clerk Boss went with him and they took the schooner unopposed. At 1900 theprize schooner, the Betsey, was brought out and anchored under the Marlborough’s lee. Betsey had

26 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 820, 829 notes 27-29


a cargo of dry goods and was considered a rich prize.27

At 2000 Babcock sent fifty well armed men unde Captain of Marines Christopher Brown into twoschooners and the barge. The mission was to land and secure the village and factory. They“Landed Safe March Up to the Houses, Placing Centinels att Every Advantageous Post— theBlacks Sculking & firing. Causd &us to keep up a Constant fire from the 2 Schoners Small armson Shore.” At 0400 on 21 February the Marlborough warped up closer to the shore, within pistolshot. According to Boss: “there was Killd on Shore 1 Black & 1 french Boy, By the Centinels andSom wounded which was done in the Dark Whilst they were sculking. About and not Answering

&the Centinels haild them and so was fird Upon as Foes c—.”28

At 0700 the plundering began. Boss describes it thus in the log book: “All hands making Readyto Receive the Effects on Board. those &on Board Stowing things away those on Shore SendingCases of Ginn pipes of ginn Powder arms and Dry goods of Various kinds— att 11 AM a BlackCalld King Tom Came on Board to Settle the Pallavre as they Call it. Offering to Assist us withhis men Which the Captain Accepted with. Brought Severall Prissoners from Shore. all handEmployd Different ways . . .”29 Again Boss wrote: “those on Shore putting goods of all kinds inthe Boats & Shallops Others on Board Stowing away the goods as they Came on Board. theCaptain went on Shore. Settled the Pallavre with king tom Engaged him with his men to fillwater for us the Captain wrote to the factors on Shore that was gone Back to the Negroes town,Informing them if they woud Surrender all English property in their hands he woud treat themwith honour. & Leave their Craft, and Buildings Unmolested, but if not—he Shoud Burn. Sink. &Destroy Wherever he was resisted according to his Orders. Agreeable to Which one T. Hereford& Stephen Harmond of Rhode-Island Came on Board both traders. begging to Save their House& Effects (the Captain assurd them he woud.) they went Ashore . . .”30

When a small shallop appeared in sight Babcock dispatched the Sally, under Prize Master Kelley,to chase her down. The shallop’s crew abandoned her and Kelley returned with some ivory, smallarms and the shallop’s sails. Meanwhile Babcock was informed that the factors had crossed to themainland and would not “Acquiece with the Captains Offers,” King Tom and his men came aboardto get empty water casks. King Tom also “Engagd to keep Back the Blacks that attempted toplunder as they was in Danger of Being Shot from our Centinels—.”31

On 22 February Babcock set his sailing master, J. Peters, to stowing the goods aboard theMarlborough. Prize Master Holloway was tasked with outfitting the schooner Betsey to voyageto America, as she was intended to carry more goods in her. Boss reported in the log that the

27 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 820, 829 note 30



30 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 820-821, 829 note 33



holds were filled with “Ginn in Pipes Cases rum. Camwood. Ivory, arms in Chests, &c Dry Goods&of Several Kinds Stow’d in the Store Room .” King Tom’s men returned with the filled water

casks.32 The next day was very similar: men ashore loading goods and men in the ship stowinggoods. At 0800 a small craft was seen going to the mainland. The barge pursued her, and firedupon her, but to no particular purpose. An hour later Babcock went ashore and found more goodsin a small craft ashore. Babcock then gave Moore the schooner Sally “. . . finding that he was true

[ ]to What he Said and a Man of his Word— Also his Grometas servants —.”33

By the morning of 24 February the Marlborough was stuffed and the loading operation ceased at0800. The master of the French ship Seine, Saloman Prevoit, came aboard with Babcock. Babcocktried to purchase a sloop from Prevoit, to load more goods from the shore, but Prevoit would notsell. Some more goods were loaded in a shallop and the schooner Betsey. At sunset theMarlborough’s men cleared her decks, loaded and primed all her guns and unmoored the ship.

At 1600 a sail was seen to leeward, which the lookouts reported as a brig. Babcock was ashore butwas hastily recalled by Lieutenant Eldred. Aboard Marlborough all hands turned out to raise sail.Babcock ordered Holloway in the Betsey and Bissell in the Fort Rose to stay behind and “Keepthe Blacks from Plundering and to Protect the Craft. which we Leave Behind.” MeanwhileMarlborough’s crew discovered the anchor was stuck in a rock. The solution was to waste no time:the cable was cut. But by now it was dark.34

At 0600 Marlborough was underway after the chase. At 1100 a small sloop was sighted under themainland but ignored. At 1300 the chase was steering north and Babcock was steering west withthe wind at the south. Babcock could see that he couldovertake the chase. Marlborough now stood after the chase, with all hands going to quarters. At1600 Marlborough came up with the chase and “the Captain hail’d her and Orderd her to Strike,which they Immediately did Without a Gun being fird on either Side.” Babcock sent his FirstLieutenant, James Eldred and Second Lieutenant Francis Bradfield with a boarding party. Thebarge returned with part of the brig’s crew and her master. The prize was the brig Pearl,mounting eight guns and four cohorns with a cargo of camwood, ivory, rice, and gum. Her master,Peter Branker, reported she was owned in Liverpool, England and was bound for that port. Pearlalso had a Letter-of-Marque commission.35 Pearl was a 130-ton brigantine, built in Liverpool in1764, repaired and ten guns added in 1776, and owned by Gregson and Co.36

Marlborough bore away for the Île de Los, with the Pearl in company. En route Prize MasterHolloway joined with a small shallop which had been captured in a bay. A cable was removed


33 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 821 and 829 note 36-37

34 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 821-822 and 829 note 38-41


36 NDAR, “From the Jamaica Gazette,” 12: 318 and note 1-2


from the shallop. At 1900 Marlborough anchored offshore from the small village on Factory Island.Babcock and Branker went aboard the Pearl to get her papers. After returning an hour later, theprisoners were secured and sentinels set on the privateer.37

The next day at 0700 ten men were sent ashore to cut wood. At 0900 Master J. Peters broughttwo anchors from the shore. Betsey was sent over provisions and water, to prepare her to “beready to Sail with us.” All the dry goods aboard the Betsey were removed to the Marlborough.The wood cutting party returned at 1300. Two hours later the Marlborough received a gift fromthe French captain Prevoit: casks of water.38

At 0800 on 26 February the prisoners were given provisions and water and loaded into twoshallops which were then released. A shallop was given to Richard Roberts, formerly the masterof the Fort Rose and he was presumably released. At 0900 Marine Captain Brown went ashorewith “15 Men Well Arm’d in Order to Bring another &Load of wood to Burn the Town Stores&c agreable to the Captains Orders & Instructions—as it was English Property. and As they wou’dnot Capitulate with Us Upon Honourable Terms— att 10 AM the Buildings were all in flames .. .” A shallop was sighted to leeward, escaping to the mainland. Bissel in the Fort Rose was sentin chase, but without success.39

Marlborough again sent provisions to the Betsey. At 1500 a canoe was seen escaping to themainland. “Lieut. Eldred went with our Barge to Cut her off. &they gott within gun Shot firdon her. Butt the Canoe going the fastest they gave Up Chace— on their Return of the MenSnapping a Gun. it Catched a Cartridge which Communicated to Several Cartridge Boxes & BurntLieut: Eldred. Legg & Schorch’d 1 Man.” Babcock made a deal with Prevoit in the evening sellinghim tobacco and four slaves for dry goods.40

At 0400 on 27 February Babcock fired a gun to signal his fleet to get underway. By 0600 theMarlborough was steering to the south, followed by the prize brig Pearl, the prize schooner Betsey,the prize schooner Fort Rose, and a sloop and a schooner given to the prisoners, and a few othercraft. Because of their good conduct, Babcock gave William Moore (formerly master of the Sally)and Richard Roberts (formerly master of the Fort Rose) two schooners. One schooner was sunkashore, two shallops were given to the traders and two shallops were sold to Prevoit. In his logBoss commented on leaving the Île de Los: “Leaving the Isle De Loss, and the factors to Lamenttheir Misconduct. in not Saving the Town by Surrendering the town and all EnglishProperty in their hands when the Captain wrote them a very Entreating Letter—.” The tideforced the two bigger craft to be towed out, and by 1000 all were at sea.41 Captain Branker,







formerly captain of the Pearl £, estimated that the British loss at the post was 70,000.42

At 1300 Marlborough saw a sail to windward. Babcock ran down to the Pearl and had all boatstaken in. Then she stood after the chase to windward. At 1800 the Île de Los was sighted eighteenmiles away to the northwest. As darkness fell the Marlborough took in sail.43

At 0500 on the morning of 28 February on the schooner Fort Rose was close to the Marlborough.At 1100 the Pearl and the Betsey were so far to windward that they were soon out of sight.Marlborough continued on her cruise to the south.44

By the afternoon of 4 March 1778, Marlborough was forty-two miles NNW of Cape Mont, Guinea[ now Grand Cape Mount ] Liberia . Marlborough anchored overnight and then sailed again notingshe was six miles southeast of the Gallinas River [ now in Sierra Leone). At 0900 two small craftwere sighted coming towards the Marlborough from the shore. The first was a barge with oneEnglish man, six servants and four slaves. Marlborough sent her barge after the second, a schooner.She had two English men, eight servants and nine slaves aboard. “we took them on Board. and

&put the Major part in Irons for our own Security so proceeded for Cape Mont—.”45

At 1400 Marlborough’s men spotted a sail anchored under the land. Babcock stood down towardthe anchored vessel, clearing for action en route. At 1600 Marlborough came up with the anchoredvessel, ran under her stern and anchored. Babcock ordered her to strike her colors as he did so,which the vessel did immediately. Babcock sent over First Lieutenant Eldred and Second LieutenantBradfield with six men to take possession. The barge returned with the captain and twenty-fivemen as prisoners. The prize was the ship Kitty (John Fisher) with a cargo of dry goods, nineweeks out from Liverpool. She was a letter-of-marque mounting fourteen guns. Kitty measured160 tons, had been built in Liverpool in 1769, and mounted ten 4-pounders, according to othersources. At 1700 Babcock and Fisher boarded the Kitty to retrieve her papers. Babcock found thatFisher had destroyed her commission. The prisoners were transferred to the shallop, from whichthe sails were removed, and anchored at a small distance from the Marlborough. They were givenprovisions. Aboard the Marlborough, all the male slaves were put in irons, and sentinels were setat each hatchway.46

Marlborough, her prize and the schooner Fort Rose, and the shallop with prisoners, sailed at about0400 on 6 March, bound for Cape Mesurado, Guinea [ now in modern ]Liberia Some local chiefscame aboard and stayed the night, but left the next day. Babcock boarded the prize and other

42 NDAR, “From the Jamaica Gazette,” 12: 318 and 318 notes 1-3






vessels to give out orders for sailing to leeward. A black king named Robin Gray had come aboard.He was en route to Cape Mesurado. From him Babcock heard there was a slaver there, all loadedand ready to sail for the West Indies. Gray’s canoe was sent ashore but he was kept aboard togo to the cape. At noon an observation made Marlborough’s position as 6E40NN.47

Marlborough steered southeast under a northwest wind, and again cleared for action as she sailed. At 1700 she came up with the anchored ship. Just as before Marlborough ran under her stern whiledemanding and getting an immediate surrender. Marlborough anchored a short distance from theship and sent First Lieutenant Eldred with six men to take possession. Eldred sent back twenty-eight prisoners, including two free blacks, back to the Marlborough. At 1800 Babcock boarded theprize. She was the Fancy, a letter-of-marque mounting sixteen guns. She had three hundred slavesaboard, as [well as ivory and rice. Other sources indicate she was commanded by William or ]J.Allenson, 200 tons, mounting eight 6-pounders and six 4-pounders, and built in Liverpool in 1773.48

On 7 March Babcock re-supplied the prisoners on the shallop. When water boats returned to theFancy from the shore, these were captured and the water added to Marlborough’s store. A canoeof free blacks arrived. Babcock visited the Fancy and returned. Second Lieutenant Bradfield wassent to the Fancy with twelve men and two boys. Prize Master Bissell was sent to the Kitty withseven men, two boys and two slave men and two slave women. The mate of the prize ship wasreturned to the Kitty as a prisoner. These two prizes were ordered to prepare for sailing. Themajority of the prisoners were given boats and released, “we having on Board as many Prisoners

&as we thought Ourselves with— Having mand the 4th: Prize out of 91 Men Boys—.”49

Finally, carpenters went aboard the Fancy and removed four 6-pounders and four cohorns fromthat ship. These guns were remounted in the Marlborough, bringing her up to twenty-four guns,four cohorns and assorted swivels. Several black kings came onboard, to the tune of theboatswain’s pipe. Allenson and other prisoners were given provisions and discharged. Babcockplanned to sail in the morning.50

At 0700 on 8 March Marlborough weighed anchor. She sent a few items to the Fancy, and thefleet got underway at 0800. A round of cannon was fired, followed by the fleet. At 0900 fivecanoes arrived with fruit, which was purchased by Babcock. At 1100 the fleet was six milessoutheast of Cape Meserado. The noon observation gave her position as 6E19NN.51

At 1500 Marlborough anchored and her fleet with her. The black kings went ashore to get wateraccompanied by Paul Cross, who had acted as a pilot ever since the Marlborough had arrived at







Factory Island. The carpenters overhauled Fancy’s rudder, and then Marlborough’s.52

At 0800 on 9 March the blacks again brought fruit, which was paid for by tobacco. Babcockswitched some articles between ships and transferred some people between vessels while the fleetawaited the return of the watering party. When they did return the news was not good: “att 2P.M 1 of our Boats Returned from the Shore with Mr. Cross & the Black Kings. who Told us thatthe Barge with the water C &asks in was Lost on Barr, two Blacks Drownd— att 5 P.M theBlacks Kings went on Shore in a Canoe—.” There were personnel problems too. “att 6 PM theBoatswain Behaved So Bad. on Board the fancy. Abusing the Doctor & Officers on Board our Ship& for which Reason the Captain Orderd him on the Kitty Capt Bissel— att 7 P.M Capt BissellCame on Board and took John Finn the Boatswain on Board his Ship.”53

At 0400 on 10 March all hands were turned out as the fleet prepared to sail. More canoes camefrom the shore with goats, fowl and fruit, which were purchased for tobacco. At 0800 the fleetgot underway. The Fancy lost her anchor when the cable broke. At 1000 Babcock sent anotherhand over to the Fancy. The “Black Kings” left and Marlborough fired a three gun salute to them.At noon Cape Menserado was nine miles away to the northeast. About this time the Kitty departedthe fleet, steering for America. The noon position was recorded as 6E21NN.54

Marlborough and the remaining fleet were steering to leeward. At 1300 a sunken boat was seento windward with a man in her. A boat and the schooner Fort Rose were dispatched to her. Bosscommented on the result: “She provd to be our Barge that was Sent on Shore to fetch water.there was a Black on Board. Call the Duke of Marlborough, which they Suppos’d was DrownedWhen She was Over Sett on the Barr. But If Sum Providenc Directed Us to Deliver as well as tof i n d o u r





Old map of the coast of West Africa from the Îles de Los to Cape Mesurado, covering modern Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. This whole length

of coast was where Marlborough made her cruise.

Boat. Which we wanted very much. the Schooner Brought the Barge Along Side. threw the waterout of her and att 5 P.M the Capt Sent Lieut Brown With her on Board Capt Bradfield as he hadno boat, and to gett an Exact Account of the Number of Slaves . . .”55

At 0400 on 11 March the Marlborough bore away from the land. At 0600 Lieutenant Brownreturned aboard with his count of the slaves, 310, aboard the Fancy. Babcock sent written ordersto Bradfield to sail for one of the southern United States or for the French West Indies. The Fort



Rose was brought alongside and sent some provisions, tobacco and brass kettles aboard. Five 3-pounders were removed from the schooner. She was then given “to Mr Paul Cross with a Coppyof A Commission for his Services Since we left the Isle de Loss Serving us as a Pilot. Ever sincewe Came from that Place and Doing all in his Power in time of Chace . . .” Marine CaptainBrown was taken ill with a fever on this day.56

At 1400 the Fort Rose came alongside and took leave of the Marlborough. As the Fort Rose boreaway a canoe was seen coming from the shore and going alongside the Fort Rose. Shortly afterthe Fort Rose fired a gun and bore down for the Marlborough. Babcock laid to and waited. Crosstold Babcock the the canoe had brought intelligence that a sloop and boats had gone up the BassawRiver, Gu [ ]inea now the St. Johns River, Liberia during the morning. Marlborough hauled herwind and stood for the river. At 1600 the sloop and the boats were sighted. Boss takes up thetale: “took in Sail. att 5 PM we Clewd Up top Sails. and Came to Anchor Within Gun Shott ofthe Sloop & Boats in 7 fathom of Watter. handed all Sails. Putt a Spring on our Cable. fird 2 gunsatt the Sloop, and then the Captain Sent Lieut Eldred. with A flagg to Demand the Surrender ofthe Sloop att ½ past 5 P.M. the Boat Returned with one Mr. Richards with a few Lines from theMaster of the Sloop. Begging to know the Captain of Capitulation. He then wrote by My N.Daggett an Answer Having Understood that She was a Small Sloop, not worth being troubledwith. that if he woud Surrender Up his Sloop and Boats. Immediately after our going further toLeward. he Shoud have his sloop, girls, &. Grometas, if not he must abide by the Consequence. wekept Mr. Richards on Board. Dispatchd Mr. Daggett with the Lines to Demand a CategoricalAnswer—we Soon Saw the Boat [ ]Retu r ning. She Came on Board with the Captain Ireland Grace& his girls. who Concluded to Surrender on the Terms that was wrote. the Lieut. Brought. out twoof the Boats with White Men and grometas. Put Some water and provisions into them & Anchordthem a Little Distance from the Ship. we firing a gun as a Signall was answerd by the SloopUnder the Command of Mr. Daggett So we past the night.”57

At 0500 on 12 March the Marlborough got underway with the Fort Rose and the sloop and boats.At 0900 Babcock removed every thing of value from the sloop. Babcock thought it would be bestto be rid of the prisoners, who were all discharged into the sloop and released. At 1100 Bassaw[ now Buchanan or Grand Bassa, ]Liberia was seen to the northeast twelve miles away. The noonposition was given as 5E36NN.58

The final parting of the Fort Rose took place at 1600, the schooner steering north and theMarlborough to the south running along the shore. She was accompanied by a longboat with fourprisoners from the Fancy. The next day, 13 March, Marlborough stood in for the shore. At 0700a canoe came alongside. They brought intelligence that a sloop that Babcock had been searchingfor had sailed to leeward three days before. Some other canoes came out to trade, but returned to


57 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, Commander,” 12: 827 and 830 note 83; 831 note 84



shore without trading. The noon position was given as 5E10NN.59

At 1400 Babcock called a captain’s conference. Boss says: “att 2 P.M. after a Consultation of thePrincipal Officers. it was Concluded Upon. that our water and Provisions was Expending very fast.and no hopes of getting more also a time of the year Very Dangerous on this Coast. Therefore itwas unamously Agreed on to Proceed Directly for N. America.” He gives their position as twelvemiles southwest of Sestos Rock [ now Cestos Rock off Cestos Point, ]Liberia . According to the logthere were seventy-five men and boys and eighteen slave men and boys and nine girl slavesaboard.60

After parting from the Marlborough on 28 February, Pearl proceeded to sea, heading for Americaor the West Indies. Around the end of April 1778, the Pearl feel in with two British letter-of-marque vessels, the 200-ton ship Alexander (J. Baine), fourteen guns, and the 200-ton ship Nancy(Archibald McLarty), twelve guns. Pearl was easily recaptured and brought in to Port Royal,Jamaica on 6 May 1778.61

On 10 May 1778 Marlborough was well out at sea, at 37E38NN, 59E01NW. She was steeringsouthwest under clear weather with moderate breezes. A sail was seen on the weather bow.Babcock raised all sail to pursue. At 1400 another sail was seen on the lee bow. Marlborough setout after the sail to leeward. At 1800 she came up with the chase, which bore down on herhoisting English colors “to our Joy.” When Babcock ordered them to strike they immediately didso. First Lieutenant Eldred went aboard with a party and took possession. She was the ship John(James Ogilvie), mounting eighteen guns, four of which were wooden fakes. John was bound fromLeith, Scotland with beef, pork, flour, hams, cheese, sugar, and porter. Marlborough saw anothersail to leeward and chased. This vessel turned out to be French.62 John had been built in Americain 1772, and was bound to Jamaica in the British West Indies. She measured 230 tons and mountedtwo 6-pounders and ten 4-pounders.63

By 26 May Marlborough was off the coast of Nova Scotia, in company with her prize ship John.Babcock was unsure of his exact position and was working through small offshore islands. At 0800three small sail were seen down under the land. Marlborough manned her barge and sent FirstLieutenant Eldred off to investigate. At 1100 they appeared, standing toward the Marlborough:three schooners with “Continental Colours Up.” The schooners were all armed with eight swivelsand a twenty-five man crew, and were six weeks out from Salem, Massachusetts. From theschooners Babcock learned, “to our Sorrow,” that he was sixty miles to the east of Halifax, NovaScotia. Marlborough needed a harbor and borrowed a pilot from ne of the schooners. At 1500 she



61 NDAR, “From the Jamaica Gazette,” 12: 318 and notes 1-4

62 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, 12: 323 and 324 notes 1-3

63 Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, 1777-1778


anchored in Spry Harbor, Nova Scotia. Babcock, fearing Marlborough would run out of provisions,got some out of the John.64

On 30 May Marlborough was at sea, about nine miles southwest of Spry Harbor. Her position was62E36NW. At 0500 the privateer saw a sail to starboard, close upon her. At 0600 Marlborough fireda gun and the chase hove to. She was the brig Sally, out of Newburyport, Massachusetts, andbound for Bilbao, Spain. Sally sailed from Newburyport on 25 May under Thomas Clouston, witha cargo of tobacco and lumber. Sally had been captured by HMS Raisonable on 27 May andordered in to Halifax with Midshipman William Wallace as prize master. Marlborough removed thesix-man prize crew and sent Third Lieutenant N. Brown and six men aboard as a prize crew.Marlborough chased a second sail in the afternoon to no effect.65

The first reports of Marlborough’s raid along the African coast appeared in the Providence Gazetteon 30 May. Reports from the West Indies noted the arrival there, about April 1778, of the prizeschooner Betsey, with a cargo of arms, brass kettles, tobacco and beads. Also noted was thecapture of the Pearl, and the landing of men on the island of “Delos,” from which a large amountof dry goods was removed. Babcock also took and destroyed a number of “Drogers,” fishing craft,on the coast.66

Marlborough was at Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard on 8 June. She sailed from there early inthe morning, but was warned by a boat that the British frigate Unicorn was in Vineyard Sound.Babcock turned back at once and was back in Edgartown by the afternoon. The nexy dayMarlborough sailed again at 0300. She had a scout boat running ahead, and got to Bedford inDartmouth, Massachusetts.67 Other notes suggest she got in to Hyannis, Massachusetts on 9 June.68

Babcock brought in some prisoners. On 9 June the Rhode Island Council or War ordered BrigadierGeneral Ezekiel Cornell of the militia, to get an account of the prisoners. The prisoners were,apparently, in Cornell’s care at this time.69 The Providence, Rhode Island newspaper reported hersafe arrival in port on 13 June 1778, with two prizes, ship John and brig Sally.70

Marlborough arrived in Boston (either Providence or Boston) before 22 June 1778.71 The raid made

64 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, 12: 453 and notes 1-4

65 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock, 12: 482-483 and 483 notes 1-4

66 NDAR, “The Providence Gazette and Country Journal, Saturday, May 30, 1778,” 12: 483-484 and 484 notes 4-7. The schooner is identified in the note as theFort Rose, but this is not correct, as the Fort Rose was released at Guinea and given to Paul Cross. The schooner was probably the Betsey.

67 NDAR, “Log of Rhode Island Privateer Ship Marlborough, Captain George Wait Babcock,” 13:54 and notes

68 NDAR, “Rhode Island Council of War to Brigadier General Ezekiel Cornell, Rhode Island Militia,” 13:63-64 and 64 note

69 NDAR, “Rhode Island Council of War to Brigadier General Ezekiel Cornell, Rhode Island Militia,” 13:63-64 and 64 note

70 NDAR, “The Providence Gazette; and Country Journal, Saturday, June 13, 1778,” 101 and notes

71 The Connecticut Gazette [ ] New London , Friday, July 10, 1778, datelined Boston, July 2


a huge impression in America. The “press release,” no doubt a public letter, was reproduced inmany American papers. The Marlborough claimed twenty-eight vessels were taken as prizes. Sixof these were manned and sent into port, but only three had arrived. Among the six was a largeGuineaman with three hundred slaves aboard, which was sent into South Carolina. A ship with drygoods, wine and porter was brought in, as was a brig with provisions. The remaining prizes weresunk or destroyed.72 The brig with provisions was the Sally; the ship was probably the John.

On 18 June 1778 Babcock libeled the 200-ton ship John (James Ogilvy) in the MassachusettsMaritime Court for the Middle District. He also libeled “sundry merchandize, firearms & powder”taken from the British on the high seas. Trial was set for 10 July.73 The cargo of the John waslisted as sugar, cheese, pork, beef, flour, pork, oatmeal, porter, claret, sherry, wines, etc. Thegoods removed from the prizes were geneva, small arms, ivory etc.74

On 8 September 1778 he was re-commissioned to the Marlborough with a Massachusetts[commission. See Massachusetts Privateer Ship Marlborough]

72 'Dunlap s Maryland Gazette, or, The Baltimore General Advertiser (Baltimore, Maryland), June 30, 1778, datelined Providence, June 13

Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 215, from the Providence Gazette of 23 June 1778

73 Independent Chronicle, Thursday, June 18, 1778

74 Connecticut Journal, Wednesday, June 24, datelined Boston, June 18


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