Surprise

Posted by Bob Brooks on Tuesday 25th of September 2012 23:36

BWAS-1714, p. 290, errs in the date of capture. It was not 04 Dec but 22 Dec 1778 as in Barrrington's letter of "December 23, 1778, at night" he wrote as a postscript: ". . . this morning the squadron got possession of an American privateer of 18 guns, called the Bunker-hill, which at day break was discovered within reach of our guns. . . ." In Barrington's letter of 06 Jan 1779, he wrote: ". . . to replace the CERES, as the Bunker-hill privateer has the reputation of a fast sailer, (which her log-book confirms) commissioned her as a sloop in his Majesty's service, by the name of SURPRIZE (being expressive of the manner in which she came into to our possession) and appointed Lieutenant James, Brine, First Lieutenant of the PRINCE OF WALES, to be Master and Commander of her, with a complement of one hundred and twenty-five men. She mounts eighteen carriage and eight swivel guns."

Posted by Bob Brooks on Sunday 23rd of September 2012 17:54

BWAS-1714, pp. 290 & 335 gives two variations of an account for one vessel named the SURPRIZE, both accounts calling her the former privateer BUNKER HILL of Salem. The dimensions obviously in error given the extreme breadth being 22' 10" given a LoA of 96' 9" with the tonnage calculated on those stated dimensions. (A more realistic EB would have been 26'10" which calulates to 307 tons) The privateer BUNKER HIIL, 18 guns, Nicholas Ogilbe [Ogleby, etc.] was commissioned 04 Nov 1778 and mistaking the British fleet at St. Lucia on 04 Dec 1778 for the French fleet, was captured there, then commissioned 25 Dec 1778 and served in the Leeward Islands until just before paying off in England on 09 Nov 1782. The second SURPRIZE, Fireship, was in commission only a very short time, viz. 13 Mar to 27 June 1782, apparently commanded by Lieut Francis Pickmore, who would be promoted Commander on the latter date, 27 June 1782.