1440 =. 
| 
gagements with the Cerberus frigate; 
the fuft for the protection of the veffels 
under my command, and the fecond for 
the prefervation of a vellel from St, 
Domingo, laden with naval ftores for the 
Congrefs. In the courfe of my fervice 
between Bofton and New York, I had 
alfo many actions with fhips of war un- 
der the command of Lord Howe; but on 
thefe, as on former occations, I was ena- 
ble to preferve my cenvoy, and I at length 
arrived fate in the Delaware, Auguf 1, 
1776. 
On the eighth of the fame month, the 
Prefident of the Congrefs prelented me, 
in perfon, with the commiflion of Captain 
in the Marine of the United States ; this 
was the firft granted by Congrefs fince the 
declaration of independence, which took 
place on the 4th of July of that fame 
ear. 
Orders had been given for the conftruc- 
tion of thirteen frigates ; but, as none of 
them were yet ready, I proceeded to fea 
alone, on board the Providence, which 
was a veifel of but {mali force, as the car- 
ried no more than feventy men, and 
twelve {mall cannon. When in the 
neighbourhood of Bermudas, we fell in 
with the Solebay, and her convoy, from 
Charleftowa ; fhe was a thirty-two-gun 
frigate, and formed part of the fquadron 
under Admiral Parker. I was of courfe 
defirous of avoidmg an engagement with 
fuch fuperior force; but, as my officers 
and men infiited that it was the Jamiaca 
fleet, and, as it was neceflary to command 
by means of perfuafion at this epoch of 
the war, the rcfult was a ferious engage- 
ment during fix hours, which, towards the 
clofe, was carried on within piftol fhot. A 
defperate manceuire was the fole refource 
left me ; I attempted this, it fucceeded, 
and I was fortunate enough to diftngage 
myfelf. 
A fhort time after this, I took feveral 
prizes, and then failed towards the coaft 
of Nova Scotia, on purpofe to deftroy the 
whale and cod fifheries in that neighbour- 
hood. When near Sable Ifland. we fell 
in with the Milford frigate, carrying thir- 
ty-two guns, with which it was inpof- 
fible to avoid an engagement. A can- 
nonade accordingly took piace, from ten 
o’clock in the morning until fun-fet; but 
the engagement wasneither fo clofe nor fo . 
hot as that with the Solebay, and I at 
Jength efcaped by pafling through the 
flats, and entered a little harbour next 
day, where I deitroyed the fifhery and 
vertels. 3 
_ After this, T fet fail for He Madame, 
Account of Paul Fores. 
[ Sept. 1, 
where I made two defcents, at the fame 
time deftroying the. fifheries, and burning 
all the veflels I could not carry away with 
me. Having accomplithed this, I retuine 
ed to Rhode Ifland, after an abfence of © 
fix weeks and five days from the Dela- 
ware; during this imterval I had taken 
fixteen prizes, without including thofe de- 
ftroyed. . 
The commander in chief, who had re- 
mained all this time in harbour, now 
adopted a plan propofed by me, and which 
confitted, LN 
t. In the deftru€tion of the enemy's 
fifheries at Ile Royale; and 
2. Of reftoring to liberty more than 
300 American prifoners detained there in 
the coal mines. Three veflels were def- 
tmed for this fervice, the Alfred, the 
Hampden, and the Providence; but the 
Hampden having received confiderable da- 
mage in confequence of running on a rock, 
could not accompany me. I, however, 
embarked on board the: Alfred, and, tak~ 
ing the Providence by way of confort, I 
fet fail, and on the 2d of November, 1776, 
made prize of a vefiel from Liverpool, and 
focn after the Mellifh, a large armed vef= 
fel, having two Britifh naval officers on 
board, and a captain belonging to the 
land fervice, with a company of foldiers. 
This fhip was carrying tenthoufand com-. 
plete fets of uniform to Canada, for the. 
army pofted ‘there under the orders of. ' 
Generals Carleton and Burgoyne. sa 
The Providence having now left the 
Alfved during the night, without the leait 
pretext whatever, I remained alone, and 
that too during the ftcrmy feafon, on the 
enemy’s coaft; but, notwithftanding this, 
and that Iwas alfo greatly embarraffed with 
my prifoners, I refolved not to renounce 
my project. I accordingly effeéted a de- 
fcent, deftroyed a tran{port of great value, 
and alfu burned the magazines and build- 
ings deftined for tie whale and cod fifhery. 
In addition to this, [ took three tranf- 
ports and a vellel laden wjth ling and 
furs, near I/e Royale; thefe prizes “were 
elcorted by the Flora frigzte, which hap- ' 
pened to be ata {mall diffance, but which 
was concealed from us by afog. Having 
taken a privateer from Liverpool, mount- 
ing fixteen guns, in the courfe of next 
day, I inflantly returned with my prizes” 
towards the United States; but, when in 
the latitude of Bofton, fell in with the 
Milford. frigate, which I unwillingly en=_ 
gaged. Towards night, however, I placed 
the Alfred between the enemy and my 
prizes, and having given the neceflary m- 
ftructions to the Jatter, to make for the 
neareft - 
