Commodore Whipple and Captain Rathbone Capture 11 British Ships

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Autograph Letter Signed, 2p. quarto, July 2, 1813, Boston, addressed to John Marston, with fine content, in most part: “...I will inform you of all the circumstances...respecting the capture of part of the Jamaica Fleet in 1779, byt he United States Frigate Providence, 32 Guns Com. Whipple, The Frigate Queen of France 28 Guns, Capt. John Peck Rathbone & the Sloop of War Ranger 18 Guns, Capt. Simpson. I was then a midshipman on board the Queen of France...about the middle of July, being on teh Banks of N.F. Land lying too in a very thick fog, we heard signal guns and at intervals the sound of Ship bells, striking the hour, from which we suppos’d ourselves not far from a fleet. About eleven o’clock the fog began to clear away & to our surprise found ourselves nearly along side a large merchant ship and soon after we discovered that we were in a fleet of about 150 sail, under convoy of a 74, several frigates & sloops of war. We instantly bore down on the large ship & hail’d her & was inform’d that the fleet was from Jamaica bound to Lond. The English ship hail’d us, we answer’d his majestys Ship Arathensa from Halifax on a cruise, & inquir’d if he had seen any Rebel privateers. The Englishman answer’d that several had been driven out of the fleet. Capt. R. then requested him to come on board which he did immediately when to his perfect astonishment he found himself a prisoner. Capt R. then sent one of his own boats & the English Ships Boat, both well manned and took quiet possession of her, without exciting the smallest alarm in the fleet, tho’ many of them were nearly within hail, while the capture was making. He then went alongside another large Ship & captured her in the same manner. Soon after the capture of the second ship Com. W. came along side, & ordered Capt. R. to edge way out of the fleet as speedily as possible, as we should inevitably be discovered and overpowered by superiour force. Capt. R. then pointed to the two large ships which were his prizes. The Com. at first disapproved of this conduct, but was prevailed on by Capt. R. to stay in the fleet all day & capture as many as possible, in the same cautions manner as he had done & to leave the fleet as soon as it was dark. Eleven ships were captured in the course of the day, and no alarm given to the enemy & we arrived safe in Boston with the following Eight ships, three being retaken by the English & carried to Halifax. Holderness, Fort William, Friendship, Thetis, George, Blenheim, Neptune, and Dawes...” Fine.

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