Joseph Barss (21 February 1776 – 3 August 1824) was a sea

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the

schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoo ...

Liverpool Packet ''Liverpool Packet'' was a privateer schooner from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, that captured 50 American vessels in the War of 1812. American privateers captured ''Liverpool Packet'' in 1813, but she failed to take any prizes during the four months bef ...

'' and was one of the most successful

privateer A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...

s on the North American Atlantic coast during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

Background

Born 21 February 1776 in

Liverpool, Nova Scotia Liverpool is a Canadian community and former town located along the Atlantic Ocean of the Province of Nova Scotia's South Shore. It is situated within the Region of Queens Municipality which is the local governmental unit that comprises all ...

to the son of sea captain

Joseph Barss Joseph Barss (21 February 1776 – 3 August 1824) was a sea Captain (nautical), captain of the schooner ''Liverpool Packet'' and was one of the most successful privateers on the North American Atlantic coast during the War of 1812. Backg ...

Sr. and Elizabeth Crowell. Barss' parents had married in 1773. They were one of the first families to settle in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Barss was the second of fourteen children. In 1798 the Barss family built one of the largest homes in Liverpool. The house still stands today and is part of the Lane's Privateer Inn.

Privateer activities

Barss gained experience as a privateer against the French in the 1790s, serving in several privateer vessels, as an officer in the ship ''Charles Mary Wentworth'' and in command the privateer schooner ''Lord Spencer''. The schooner sank after striking a reef in the West Indies but Barss and his entire crew survived to be rescued by other Nova Scotian privateer vessels. Barss briefly served as commander of the brig ''Rover'', a noted privateer vessel from Liverpool, Nova Scotia famous for its voyages commanded by Alexander Godfrey, another colonial Nova Scotian privateer.

War of 1812

In 1812, Barss took command of the ''

'', a captured

slave ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea coast ...

originally named the ''Severn'' and sometimes nicknamed ''the Black Joke''. Within a year, he had captured at least 33 American vessels. He was known for his excellent use of intelligence on American shipping movement, due in large part to his brother, John Barss. He was also known for his fair treatment of prisoners. In 1813, following pursuit by the schooner ''Thomas'' of

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on the Piscataqua River bordering the state of Maine, Portsm ...

, which ended in a short battle, Barss surrendered the ''Packet''. This defeat brought no embarrassment upon Barss, as the ''Thomas'' was over twice the size of the ''Packet'', not only in gross tonnage (143 tons vs. 67 tons) - but in firepower (12 guns vs. 5) and crew (80 vs. 45) as well. After several months of harsh imprisonment Barss was set free, paroled so long as he did not command a privateer vessel. He was briefly captured a second time during the war in command of a merchant vessel.

Personal life

In 1804, he married Olivia DeWolf, the daughter of judge

Elisha DeWolf Elisha DeWolf (May 5, 1756 – November 30, 1837) was a judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Kings County, Nova Scotia, King's County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1793 to 1799 and from 1818 to 1820. He was born ...

. After the War of 1812, Barss settled near Kentville, Nova Scotia. He had nine children and lived there the rest of his life.

Death

Barss died 3 August 1824 near Kentville, Nova Scotia. Barss is buried in the Oak Grove cemetery at Kentville.

Other

The

Stan Rogers Stanley Allison Rogers (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter. Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and ...

' song, "

Barrett's Privateers "Barrett's Privateers" is a modern folk song in the style of a sea shanty, written and performed by Canadian musician Stan Rogers, having been inspired after a song session with the Friends of Fiddler's Green at the Northern Lights Festival Bor ...

" may have taken some inspiration from the exploits of Barss, although the ship described in the popular song bore little resemblance to the sleek, fast lines of the ''Liverpool Packet'' and the inept Captain Barrett has no resemblance to the skilled and successful Joseph Barss.

References

* ''Under the Red Jack'', C.H.J. Snider, 1926 * ''Prize and Prejudice'', Faye Kert, 2000 * ''A Private War in the Caribbean: Nova Scotia Privateers 1793-1805'', Dan Conlin, MA Thesis, Saint Mary's University, Halifax

External links

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''

Lane's Privateer Inn - History

Heroes of the War of 1812
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barss, Joseph 1776 births 1824 deaths Canadian people of German descent People from Queens County, Nova Scotia People of New England Planter descent Colony of Nova Scotia people British privateers Canadian people of the War of 1812 War of 1812 prisoners of war held by the United States Canadian prisoners of war