American Colonies during the Revolutionary War. 55 



In the "Historical (.Collections of Georgia," by the Rev. George 

 White, p. 276 (New York, 1855), the author mentions Capt. Samuel 

 Stiles,* and says : "It is said that the Bermudians being in a starv- 

 ing condition, stole the government powder from the magazines and 

 sold it for provisions, and that Mr. Stiles was the person who 

 arranged the trade and carried off the powder." 



Mr. White also states that Capt. Stiles was engaged, during the 

 war, in importing powder from the West Indies, both for Congress 

 and for the colony of Georgia. 



The gunpowder mentioned in the minutes, quoted above, was 

 recorded as having been imported by Capt. Ord in the " Lucy." 

 But one of Capt. Ord's descendants, Mr. DeLancey Cleveland, says 

 that according to family traditions the powder taken from the maga- 

 zine Avas brought away in the " Retaliation." Capt. Ord received a 

 commission from the Continental Congress, Dec. 4, 1776, as a priva- 

 teer in command of the brigantine " Retaliation," of 90 tons, armed 

 with 14 guns, and manned by 100 men. His commission, a copy of 

 which I have at hand, is now in the possession of Mr. Cleveland. It 

 Avas signed " By order of The Congress, John Hancock, President." 



As no commissions to privateersf were granted by Congress or the 

 Colonies up to 1776, according to the best authorities, Capt. Ord was 

 not a privateer in 1775, though he doubtless had a commission and 

 official orders of some kind — perhaps from the Governor of Pennsyl- 

 vania. J There is no evidence that his vessel, the " Lucy," was armed 

 at that time, though it was then usual to arm even mercantile vessels 

 for defence. It is not improbable that the name of the vessel might 

 have been changed from " Lucy " to " Retaliation " when it was 

 put in commission as a privateer, but there is no evidence of this. 

 The latter indicates a name given after hostilities had begun, and 

 perhaps after the loss of a vessel by capture, but Capt. Ord is said 

 to have owned more than one vessel during the war. 



* According to Mr. White, Capt. Stiles came to America aboiit 1769, and 

 owned a plantation in Bryan County, Ga. When the war broke ont his family 

 was in Bermuda, but he early joined the cause of the Colonies. He was present 

 at the siege of Savannah. 



f The first resolution of Congress in regard to giving commissions to priva- 

 teers seems to have been on March 23, 1776. 



ij: It is a tradition among his descendants that Capt. Ord fitted out this expe- 

 dition at his own expense. Mr. De Lancey Cleveland informs me that the fam- 

 ily tradition is not very positive as to the name of the vessel. 



