Continuing from the 1925 book:
"During her three-year career she (the Defence) captured thirteen prizes, viz.:-
May 20, 1776, sloop "Life-Guard"
June 20, 1776, ship "Lord Howe"
June 20, 1776, ship "George"
June 20, 1776, brig "Annabelle"
July 1, 1776, brig "John"
Sep 22, 1776, ship "Sally"
(plus seven more in 1777 and 1778 but our ancestor was no longer part of the crew after January 1777).)
...and took prisoners aggregating over six hundred."
"A majority of the original crew of some 100 men came from Fairfield and Stratford, mostly recruited by Lieutenants Bartram and Smedley..." (followed by descriptions of service rounding up Tories).
"Shortly after this service the Defence sailed to New London for stores and then departed suddenly on a cruise, and next we find concerning her is contained in a letter from John Bradford of Boston on June 20th, 1776, wherein he says that the Brig Defence is in that port, after having taken two ships and a brig with 330 officers and men of the Highland Regiment. This appears to have been the initial combat of the Defence, and justice can only be done to the affair by reading over some of the accounts and letters. This event was perhaps about as daring a piece of work as ever happened in naval history on the Atlantic Seaboard."
NEXT: The momentus events of June 20,1776.
Emailed Sept. 25
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