Seafaring Sunday: Rising States Meets Terrible

Apr. 15th: Light Aires and Fair Weather: at 7 PM saw 2 Sails Bearing NbE: to the SoWard at 5 AM Saw a Sail on the Lee Quarter Ware and gave chase Sett all Sails & chase bore away and Set all Sails She could Perceived her to be a Brigg. At 9 saw a French Man of War to Windward She hoisted her Colours We hoisted ours we in full chase at 12 hoisted our colors and fired a Shot at the chase at 12 she hoisted American Colours fired several shots at her at noon she fired two stern Chaces at us, continued the chase.


Apr. 16th: Still in chase Fired several shots at her Chase struck her colours and Shortened Sail, we began to take in our Sails brought to as did the chase. Hoisted our Boat and sent an Officer on Board She proved to be an American Privateer Brigg called the Rising States, Capt Thompson Commander Carr, 12 six pounders eight of which she had hove overboard chased and 61 men She had taken three English vessels.

~ from the log of Captain Richard Bickerton, 74-gun HMS Terrible, 1777

Header: Continental Navy Jack c 1777 which may have been the “American Colours” spoken of by Captain Bickerton