''Badger'' was launched in Liverpool in 1775. She made one voyage as a
slave ship in the
triangular trade in enslaved people. New owners renamed her ''Molly'' in 1778 and sailed her as a
West Indian. In 1779 she repelled an American privateer in a sanguinary
single ship action
A single-ship action is a naval engagement fought between two warships of opposing sides, excluding submarine engagements; called so because there is a single ship on each side. The following is a list of notable single-ship actions.
Single-shi ...
. Her owners renamed her ''Lydia''. While trading with Tortola she captured one or two
prizes. ''Lydia'' was herself captured in 1782.
Career
''Badger'' first appeared in an online copy of ''
Lloyd's Register'' (''LR'') in the volume for 1776.
[''LR'' (1776), Seq.No.M464.]
/ref>
Captain Peter Potter sailed from Liverpool on 9 September 1776. ''Badger'' acquired captives at the Cameroon River. She arrived at Dominica on 8 June 1777 with 386 captives. She sailed for Liverpool on 1 August, and arrived there on 4 October 1777.
The British Admiralty had given notice in April 1777, that they were ready to issue letters of marque for privateers against the Americans. In March 1778, Great Britain broke off relations with France.
Captain Thomas Cragg, of ''Molly'', acquired a letter of marque on 13 February 1778.
Captain Mark Seddon acquired a letter of marque on 10 February 1779. On 2 August ''Molly'', Seddon, master, sailed from Tortola in company with ''Prosperity'', Mandeville, master, of , a vessel bound for London, and a vessel, and two days later parted from them in a gale of wind.Fo'csle
The forecastle ( ; contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) is the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or, historically, the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters. Related to the latter meaning is the phrase " be ...
and quarterdeck
The quarterdeck is a raised deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship. Traditionally it was where the captain commanded his vessel and where the ship's colours were kept. This led to its use as the main ceremonial and reception area on bo ...
. After an hour-long engagement, the privateer sailed off. ''Molly'' had five men killed, including Captain Seddon, and seven wounded. ''Molly'' arrived at Liverpool on 18 September.[
Her owners renamed ''Molly'' to ''Lydia''. Captain William Fell acquired a letter of marque on 26 November 1779.
''Lloyd's List'' reported in January 1781 that as ''Lydia'', Fell, master, was on her way from Leverpool to the Leeward Islands she ran ashore on the Burbo Bank in the Liverpool Bay. She was gotten off but she had sustained considerable damage and had to go back to Leverpool to discharge and refit.
In June ''Lloyd's List'' reported that ''Lydia'', Fell, master, had taken a ship of 300 tons that had been sailing from Piscateague to Tenerife. The prize came into Londonderry. The captured vessel, ''Prosperity'', and her cargo of lumber, came into Leverpool in July.
In October, ''Hannah'', from Boston, arrived at Leverpool. She was a prize to ''Lydia''.
]
Fate
On 15 My 1782, ''Planter'', Corbett, master, arrived at Leverpool from Tortola and reported that ''Lydia'', Fell, master, had been captured.
Citations
References
*
* {{cite book , last=Williams , first=Gomer , year=1897 , title=History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade , publisher=W. Heinemann
1775 ships
Liverpool slave ships
Age of Sail merchant ships of England
Captured ships