Sloop New-York.
About the first of November, 1813, having added a little to my small
capital by my late adventure in the Rover, and feeling eager to add
more, again trusting to the smiles of fickle fortune, I purchased a
small sloop called the New-York, of 28 tons burden. Soon after I sold
one-fourth of her to Messrs. T. B. & A. Cook, merchants in Catskill, and
one-half of her to two merchants in the city of New-York. They
considered it a kind of lottery adventure. One of the new owners in
New-York had correspondents in Norfolk, Virginia, who informed us of the
high prices of Northern produce in that city, and the situation of the
English squadron in Lynhaven Bay, and advised us to procure a small
vessel of light draught of water, and that by sailing in over a shoal
called the Horse-shoe, in a dark night, we might avoid coming in contact
with the enemy's fleet.
The American coast was closely blockaded by the English vessels, but
heavy gales of wind frequently drove them off the coast for a short
time, which offered some chance of making passages by keeping near the
land.
The high prices of Northern produce in Southern markets held out great
inducements to shippers to engage in exporting it. Our correspondents
at Norfolk, stated potatoes to be worth one dollar and fifty cents per
bushel; onions, sixteen dollars per hundred ropes; salt, two dollars and
fifty cents per bushel, and cheese twenty-five dollars per cwt.
We loaded the sloop with four hundred bushels potatoes, two hundred
bushels salt, three thousand four hundred and fifty ropes onions, and
eight thousand six hundred pounds of cheese; all shipped on the joint
account of the owners.
I was to purchase and sell the cargo, and when I arrived at Norfolk was
to buy three or four old brigs or schooners, load them with coal, and
when a favorable opportunity occurred by the enemy being driven to sea
by the wind, send them to New-York. Vessels could be purchased in
Norfolk at that time for one-third of their real value in time of peace;
and the price of coal in New-York was three or four times as much as in
Norfolk.
My wages, as master, was one hundred dollars per month, and I drew
one-fourth of the profits of the whole concern.
On the 14th of November I sailed from New-York and proceeded to Sandy
Hook, where I discovered an English frigate close in with the land, in
chase of an American schooner, which she compelled to run ashore near
Shrewsbury. I sailed into Mosquitto Cove, and took shelter among some
thirty American gun-boats, the crews of which went as volunteers to
protect the wreck of the schooner from being plundered by the English
frigate, which they accomplished.
After tarrying two days at Mosquitto Cove, we weighed anchor and
proceeded to sea, keeping as near the land as we could without being in
danger of running aground, until we were some distance south of Cape
Henlopen, when a violent gale of south-east wind commenced, and with our
utmost exertions we succeeded in running into the bay.
Here I ascertained that my pilot, whom I had taken much pains to obtain,
and who at the time I employed him had informed me he was well
acquainted with that coast, had deceived me; he now for the first time
informed me that he knew nothing of the different shoals and inlets on
the Southern coast. I had now no alternative but to run by chance and
keep a sharp look out for breakers. My little sloop was literally buried
under water. The gale kept increasing until near night, when she struck
upon a shoal. She thumped terribly, and almost every sea was breaking
entirely over us when a seaman exclaimed, "She is bilged, a plank has
come up from her bottom." On examination we found it was the shoe of her
keel. We tried the pump and found we could keep her free of water by
pretty hard labor. Soon after, she thumped over the shoal into nine feet
water, where she did not strike so often, and remained there until dawn.
At daylight we cast out the anchors and succeeded in getting her into
three or four fathoms water.
We then commenced repairing damages in the best manner we could. Her
false keel had been broken and had swung across her main keel, which we
could not repair. We then made sail for Chesapeake Bay and arrived that
day about sun-set, without any material mishap.
Soon after, a light easterly wind sprung up, and we made sail for
Norfolk. After entering the bay the wind slackened. About 11 o'clock in
the evening it became a dead calm, with a thick fog: a strong tide set
in, which prevented my going out to sea again. Soon after midnight we
heard the cry, "Past 2 o'clock, and all's well," which I afterwards
ascertained proceeded from His Britanic Majesty's ship Dragon, 74 guns,
commanded by Commodore Barry, lying at anchor in the bay.
We continued drifting into the bay until about sunrise, when a light
breeze sprung up and dispersed the fog, and we found ourselves drifting
directly towards an English 20 gun brig called the Sophia, and the Acton
of 16 guns, both lying at anchor within a mile of us. We were soon
boarded from the Sophia, and we and our baggage taken on board of her.
The brigs then got under weigh and proceeded up the bay, taking my sloop
in tow, and anchored at the mouth of the river Severn.
During the next night they fitted out an expedition of four or five
boats, and sent them up the river to cut out two or three of our vessels
which were lying in the harbor, but they soon returned without
accomplishing their design, having only obtained a quantity of plunder.
They told me the inhabitants gave them a warm reception, by firing from
behind trees and fences, and caused them to abandon the vessels. They
weighed anchor the next morning, and after cruising about the bay, again
took their station near Watt's Island. Here they made their rendezvous
for some time; the officers occasionally going on shore, some days
cruising about, and returning to the usual anchorage at night. They
procured an abundance of cattle, sheep and poultry from the Island, and
in about nine or ten days captured eight old schooners loaded with
flour, from the Rappahannock, and bound to the Eastern markets. They
sailed from there and anchored in Lynn Haven Bay, where we were sent on
board the commodore's ship Dragon. I found twelve American captains
prisoners on board the commodore's ship, who had been captured by the
Squadron. The prizes which they had taken were small old vessels, some
of which they stripped of their rigging and sails and set on fire; some
parted their cables in a gale of wind and drifted to sea, my vessel
among them. But my sloop, the New-York, and one or two others were
afterwards towed back by the frigate and sent to Bermuda.
The American captains were quartered with the petty officers, such as
midshipmen, captain's clerks, &c. and were treated with gin, segars, &c.
and passed their time very jovially in telling stories, bragging of our
naval engagements, &c. I must here tell a story related to me by one of
the officers of the Dragon.
He said the Americans ought to be damned if they did not make an admiral
of one Captain Turner, who commanded a Baltimore schooner. He said that
while they were blockading the coast of France they captured him and his
schooner; they put a prize-master and crew on board, and the crew of the
schooner were put on board the Squadron, except Captain Turner and the
cook, who remained on the schooner, which was ordered to sail for
England. The next day Turner succeeded in getting the prize-master and
crew drunk, killed the prize-master and part of the crew, and confined
the remainder. He then returned to France with his vessel, shipped a new
crew, and put to sea again. One morning they discovered from the
Squadron, a schooner in company with two frigates, being between the
schooner and the land. The Dragon steered directly for the schooner,
while the frigates steered in different directions, to prevent the
schooner from going back again into port. The Dragon by setting all her
light sails was fast coming up with her, and commenced firing her bow
guns, to which the schooner paid no attention. They soon came within
musket-shot and fired a number of volleys which riddled the schooner's
sails. The captain of the Dragon then gave orders to cease firing, as he
considered it cold-blooded murder. On coming within a few rods of the
schooner they saw but one man on board, and standing at the wheel. When
within a short distance he suddenly put down her helm, which brought her
broad side across the ship's bow, intending that the ship should run
over her. But the ship's helm was immediately put up, which caused her
to strike the schooner near the bow and brought her alongside of the
ship. They then hailed, "What schooner is that?" To which the man at the
helm replied, "The Prize, Captain Turner, the very man you are looking
for." On boarding the schooner, they found the crew all below, except
the captain, who said he did not wish to expose his crew to their fire.
He said the excitement was great on board the ship: that all the
officers signed a petition to mitigate Turner's punishment.
While we were lying in Lynn Haven Bay, the Dragon had captured a small
vessel, put on board of her a cannonade or short nine-pounder, a
quantity of small arms, and called her the "Snap Dragon." They sent her
out in pursuit of plunder and slaves, about one hundred and fifty of
whom were captured as runaways from their masters. But on one of the
expeditions of the Snap Dragon, she was captured by the Americans,
having thirty men on board, and the prisoners sent to Baltimore. Soon
after an exchange was agreed upon by which the prisoners of the Snap
Dragon were exchanged for the Americans on board the ship. When the crew
of the Snap Dragon were brought on board the ship we were all
discharged, which caused no little rejoicing among us. We then returned
to Baltimore, took leave of each other and made our way to our
respective homes.