Arbuthnot (schooner)

At least three British ship's tender or privateer schooners bore the name ''Arbuthnot'' during the American Revolutionary War. They were probably named for Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot, who commanded the British Royal Navy's North American station at that time.

*One ''Arbuthnot'' was in company in 1778 with His Majesty's armed brig ''Cabot'', Edmund Dod, commander, when they captured the brigantine ''Deux Amis'', and recaptured the ship ''York''. At that time ''Arbuthnot'' was the property of the officers of . ''Arbuthnot'' became the prize of the American ships ''Argo'' and ''Fair American'' in April 1780. ''Argo'' was a Pennsylvanian privateer brig, commissioned on 18 March 1780 under Commander John Ridge of Philadelphia. She was listed as being armed with fourteen guns and having a crew of sixty men. ''Fair American'', under the command of Stephen Decatur, Sr., too was a Philadelphian privateer. She was listed as having a battery of sixteen guns and a crew of 130. ''Arbuthnot'' was armed with 14 guns.
*A second ''Arbuthnot'' sailed from New York on 16 October 1780 as part of a squadron attacking the James River. She was armed with 16 guns and was under the command of James Goodrich. On 1 October 1782, '' Lloyd's List'' reported that the privateer ''Arbuthnot'', of New York, had sent into Bermuda several prizes worth £10,000. Then on 24 January 1783, ''Lloyd's List'' reported that the "Arbuthnot Privateer, Messrs. Goodrich", had captured and brought in to Bermuda ''Nuestra Senora de los Dolores'', which had a crew of 104 men and which had carried 22 "double fortified 9 Pounders". She had been sailing from Havana to Cadiz with a cargo of sugar, indigo, and other goods, as well as 40,000 dollars. Capturing ''N.S. de los Dolores'' cost ''Arbuthnot'' nine men killed and 31 wounded.
*A third ''Arbuthnot'', of 10 guns, was under the command of Captain John Riddle and sailing from New York to Newfoundland when the Connecticut brigantine ''Minerva'' captured her on 24 June 1781.

One schooner that bore the name ''Arbuthnot'' was a warship. In 1781, the armed schooner ''Arbuthnot'', tender to , captured two American vessels that it sent into Halifax for adjudication by the Vice admiralty court there: ''Two Brothers'' (8 February), and ''Swallow'' (20 February).Vice admiralty court (1911), pp. 80 & 87.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Arbuthnot (schooner)
Individual sailing vessels
Schooners
Privateer ships of Great Britain
Brigs
Vessels captured by the United States Navy