''Alfred'' was the merchant vessel ''Black Prince'', named for
Edward the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), known as the Black Prince, was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Edward III of England. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, succeeded to the throne instead. Edward n ...
and launched in 1774. The
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United Colonies and United States from 1775 to 1785. It was founded on October 13, 1775 by the Continental Congress to fight against British forces and their allies as part of the American Revolutionary ...
acquired her in 1775, renaming her ''Alfred'' after
9th century
The 9th century was a period from 801 (represented by the Roman numerals DCCCI) through 900 (CM) in accordance with the Julian calendar.
The Carolingian Renaissance and the Viking raids occurred within this period. In the Middle East, the H ...
English monarch
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great ( ; – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who both died when Alfr ...
, and commissioned her as a 24-gun
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...
. During the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, the ''Alfred'' participated in two major
naval operations; the
battles of Nassau and
Block Island
Block Island is an island of the Outer Lands coastal archipelago in New England, located approximately south of mainland Rhode Island and east of Long Island's Montauk Point. The island is coterminous with the town of New Shoreham, Rhode Isl ...
. The
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
captured her in 1778, took her into service as HMS ''Alfred'', and sold her in 1782. She then became the merchantman ''Alfred'', and sailed between
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
.
''Black Prince''
''Black Prince'' was built at
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
in 1774. No record of her builder seems to have survived, but it is possible that John Wharton may have constructed the ship. She was owned by Willing, Morris & Co., a merchant trading firm operated by
Thomas Willing
Thomas Willing (December 19, 1731 – January 19, 1821) was an American merchant, politician and slave trader who served as List of mayors of Philadelphia, mayor of Philadelphia and was a delegate from Province of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania to t ...
and
Robert Morris
Robert or Bob Morris may refer to:
:''Ordered chronologically within each section.'' Politics and the law
* Robert Hunter Morris (1700–1764), lieutenant governor of Colonial Pennsylvania
* Robert Morris (financier) (1734–1806), one of the Foun ...
.
John Barry served as the ship's only master during her career as a Philadelphia merchantman. Launched in the autumn of 1774 as relations between the
colonies
A colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule, which rules the territory and its indigenous peoples separated from the foreign rulers, the colonizer, and their '' metropole'' (or "mother country"). This separated rule was often or ...
and the
mother country grew increasingly tense, the ''Black Prince'' was fitted out quickly so that she could load and sail to
Bristol
Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
on the last day of 1774. It did not return until April 25, 1775, six days after the
Battle of Lexington
The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot militias from America's Thirteen Co ...
.
Fearing that American commerce would soon be interrupted, her owners were eager to export another cargo to England, so they again raced to load and provision her. ''Black Prince'' sailed on May 7, this time bound for London. She did not reach that destination until June 27. The ship left the
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...
on August 10 but encountered contrary winds during much of her westward voyage and finally returned to Philadelphia on October 4. While the ship had been abroad, the
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Boston, Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peri ...
had been fought, the other colonies acting in
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
had pledged to support
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
in its struggle for freedom, and
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
had taken command of the
American Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...
besieging British-occupied
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. Moreover, private correspondence, between shipowner Morris, and his trading partner, Richard Champion of Bristol, was brought from England on ''Black Prince'' to members of the Continental Congress. It reported that the British Government was sending to America two unarmed
brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...
s heavily laden with gunpowder and arms.
This intelligence prompted Congress on October 13 to authorize the fitting out of two American warships, one of 10 guns and the other of an unspecified size, to attempt to capture these ships and divert their invaluable cargoes to the ill-equipped soldiers of Washington's army. Congress decided, on October 30, to specify the second vessel as being 14 guns and to add two more ships to the navy, one of 20 guns and the other slightly larger but not to exceed 36 guns. One of the ship's owners, Morris, was a member of the Marine Committee when that committee acquired the ''Alfred''. A second ship, also owned by Willing Morris & Co. became the ''Columbus'' at the same time.
USS ''Alfred''

The Naval Committee of the Continental Congress purchased ''Black Prince'' on November 4, 1775, renaming her ''Alfred'' after 9th century English monarch
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great ( ; – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who both died when Alfr ...
four days later, and ordered her fitted out as a
man-of-war
In Royal Navy jargon, a man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a powerful warship or frigate of the 16th to the 19th century, that was frequently used in Europe. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually rese ...
. Her former master, John Barry, was placed in charge of her rerigging;
Joshua Humphreys was selected to superintend changes strengthening her hull, timbers, and bulwarks as well as opening gunports; and Nathaniel Falconer was made responsible for her ordnance and provisions. Soon four other vessels joined her in the Continental Navy: , , , and
sloop .
Esek Hopkins
Commodore (rank), Commodore Esek Hopkins (April 26, 1718February 26, 1802) was a Continental Navy officer and privateer. He served as the only commander-in-chief of the Continental navy during the American Revolutionary War, when the Continental ...
, a veteran master of merchantmen from
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, was appointed commodore of the flotilla. ''Alfred'' was acquired on December 3, 1775, Capt.
Dudley Saltonstall
Commodore Dudley Saltonstall (September 8, 1738 – 1796) was an American naval officer, privateer, merchant and slave trader who served in the American Revolutionary War. He is best known as the commander of the naval forces of the 1779 Penobsco ...
in command, and became Hopkins'
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
. On the same day ''Alfred'' became the first vessel to fly the
"Flag of America" (precursor to the
U.S. flag
The national flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating red and white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-point ...
). The
ensign
Ensign most often refers to:
* Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality
* Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank
Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to:
Places
* Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada
* Ensign, Ka ...
was hoisted on the
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
by Lieutenant
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-born naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Often referred to as the "Father of the American Navy", Jones is regard ...
and documented in letters to Congress.
The new fleet dropped down the Delaware on January 4, 1776; but a cold snap froze the river and the bay, checking its progress at
Reedy Island
Reedy Island is a small island in the middle of the channel of the Delaware River near its mouth on the Delaware Bay in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is about east of Port Penn, Delaware and southwest of Salem, New Jersey.
The island was the lo ...
for some six weeks. A thaw released Hopkins' warships from winter's icy grasp in mid-February, and the fleet sortied on 18 February for its first operation. The
Marine Committee had ordered Hopkins to sail for
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond, and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's Point near whe ...
to attack British warships which were harassing American shipping in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
waters; then to render similar service at
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
; and, finally, to head for Rhode Island waters. He was given the discretion of disregarding these orders if they proved impossible and planning an operation of his own. However, by the time his ships broke free of the ice, growing British strength in the
Chesapeake Chesapeake most often refers to:
*Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian
*Chesapeake Bay
*Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula
Chesapeake may also refer to:
Populated places In Virginia
* ...
prompted Hopkins to head for the
West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
. Knowing that the American colonies desperately needed gunpowder, he decided to attack the island of
New Providence
New Providence is the most populous island in The Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. On the eastern side of the island is the national capital, national capital city of Nassau, Bahamas, Nassau; it had a population of 246 ...
in the
Bahamas
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of its population. ...
to capture a large supply of that commodity as well as other military supplies reportedly stored there in great quantity.
A fortnight after leaving the
Delaware capes
Delaware Bay is the estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the northeast seaboard of the United States, lying between the states of Delaware and New Jersey. It is approximately in area, the bay's freshwater mixes for many miles with the saltwat ...
, on the morning of March 3 Hopkins arrived off
Nassau
Nassau may refer to:
Places Austria
* Nassau (Groß Sankt Florian), incorporated village of Groß Sankt Florian
Bahamas
*Nassau, The Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas
Canada
*Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upp ...
and captured Fort Montague in a bloodless
Battle of Nassau
The Raid of Nassau (March 3–4, 1776) was a naval operation and amphibious assault by American forces against the British port of Nassau, Bahamas, during the American Revolutionary War. The raid, designed to resolve the issue of gunpowder sho ...
, in which
Continental Marines
The Continental Marines were the Amphibious warfare, amphibious infantry of the Thirteen Colonies, American Colonies (and later the United States) during the American Revolutionary War. The Corps was formed by the Continental Congress on Novem ...
under Capt.
Samuel Nicholas
Samuel Nicholas (1744 – August 27, 1790) was an American Marine and military officer who was the first officer commissioned in the United States Continental Marines (predecessor to the United States Marine Corps) and by tradition is conside ...
joined Hopkins' sailors in America's first amphibious operation. That evening, Hopkins issued a proclamation which promised not to harm "... the persons or property of the inhabitants of New Providence ..." if they did not resist. The following morning, Governor
Montfort Browne
Montfort Browne (ca. 1735 –1785) was a British Army officer and Tory, and a major landowner and developer of British West Florida in the 1760s and 1770s. He commanded the Prince of Wales' American Regiment, a Loyalist regiment, in the Ame ...
surrendered
Fort Nassau but only after he had spirited away most of the island's gunpowder from New Providence to
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Jacksonville, the city is on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spani ...
.
After Hopkins stripped the forts of their guns and all remaining ordnance, ''Alfred'' led the American fleet homeward from Nassau harbor on
St. Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (), is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Chri ...
, March 17, the same day that British troops were evacuating Boston. On April 4, during the homeward voyage, Hopkins' ships captured the six-gun British
schooner
A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...
''Hawk'' and the eight-gun
brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...
. Shortly after midnight on April 6, Hopkins encountered the 20-gun
''Glasgow''. That British
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...
—which was carrying dispatches telling of the British withdrawal—put up
a fierce and skillful fight which enabled her to escape from her substantially more powerful American opponents. At the outset of the fray, fire from her cannon cut ''Alfreds tiller ropes, leaving Hopkins' flagship unable to maneuver or to pursue effectively. The American ships did attempt to chase their fleeing enemy, but after dawn ''Glasgow'' disappeared over the horizon and safely reached
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...
. When ''Alfred'' and her consorts put into
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the outlet of the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, which empties into Long Island Sound. The cit ...
on April 8, the Americans were at first welcomed as heroes. still, many of the officers of the American squadron voiced dissatisfaction with Hopkins, and he was later relieved of command.
''Alfred'' was inactive through the summer for a number of reasons, but high on the list of her problems were want of funds and a shortage of men. On August 7, Capt. John Paul Jones, who had helped to fit her out as a warship and had been her first lieutenant on the cruise to New Providence, was placed in command of the ship. She departed
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
, on October 26, 1776, in company with
''Hampden'', but that vessel struck a "sunken rock" before they could leave
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. S ...
and returned to Newport. Her officers and men then shifted to sloop ''Providence'' accompanying ''Alfred'' to waters off
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island (, formerly '; or '; ) is a rugged and irregularly shaped island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
The island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although ...
which they reached by mid-November. There they took three prizes: on the 11th, the
brigantine
A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts.
Ol ...
''Active'', bound from
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
to
Halifax with an assorted cargo, the next day, the armed transport ''Mellish'', laden with winter uniforms for British troops at
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
; and, on the 16th, the scow ''Kitty'', bound from
Gaspé to
Barbados
Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
with oil and fish.
Because of severe leaks, ''Providence'' sailed for home soon thereafter and ''Alfred'' continued her cruise alone. On November 22 boats from ''Alfred'' raided
Canso, Nova Scotia
Canso is an unincorporated community and former incorporated town in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Canso lies on the far north eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia at the mouth of Chedabucto Bay. It was incorporated as a town ...
, where their crews burned a transport bound for Canada with provisions, and a warehouse full of whale oil, besides capturing a small schooner to replace ''Providence''. Two days later, ''Alfred'' captured three
colliers
Collier or colliers may refer to:
Coal industry
* Collier, coal miner or coal merchant
* Colliery, coal mining and selling; or a coal mine
*Collier (ship), a bulk cargo ship which carried coal
*Charcoal maker, in colonial United States and also i ...
off
Louisburg, bound from
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
to
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
with coal for the British Army and, on November 26 captured the 10-gun
letter-of-marque
A letter of marque and reprisal () was a government license in the Age of Sail that authorized a private person, known as a privateer or corsair, to attack and capture vessels of a foreign state at war with the issuer, licensing internationa ...
''John'' of Liverpool. On the homeward voyage, ''Alfred'' was pursued by
HMS ''Milford'' but managed to escape after a four-hour chase. She arrived safely at Boston on December 15 and began a major refit.
Captain Elisha Hinman became ''Alfred's'' commanding officer in May 1777. She did not get underway until August 22 when she sailed for France with USS to obtain military supplies. En route, they captured four small prizes, including brig "Sally" on September 28. They reached
L'Orient on October 6, and on December 29 sailed for America. They proceeded via the coast of Africa, where they took a small sloop, and then headed for the West Indies, hoping to add to their score before turning northward for home. On March 9, 1778, near Barbados, they encountered British warships and .
When the American ships attempted to flee, ''Alfred'' fell behind her faster consort. Shortly after noon the British men-of-war caught up with ''Alfred'' and forced her to surrender after a half an hour's battle.
HMS ''Alfred''
Her captors took ''Alfred'' to
Barbados
Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
where she was condemned and sold. The Royal Navy purchased her and took her into service as HMS ''Alfred'', a sloop of 20 guns. The Admiralty sold her in 1782.
''Alfred''
''Lloyd's Register'' for 1789 shows an ''Alfred'', of 400 tons (bm), built in Philadelphia, with master "Delamore" and owner T. Seale. Her trade is listed as London – Jamaica. Unfortunately there are no readily available interim or later issues of ''Lloyd's Register'' so her history as a merchant vessel is unclear.
See also
*
List of ships captured in the 18th century
Naval engagements were common throughout the 18th century and often involved the capture of enemy vessels. The captured vessels were typically renamed and incorporated into thseizingnation's naval fleet. Merchant ships were also seized and, at ...
Notes
References
External links
*
USS ''Alfred''at Schooner Man
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfred (1774)
1774 ships
Age of Sail merchant ships
Captured ships
Ships built in Philadelphia
Frigates of the Continental Navy
Sloops of the Royal Navy
Three-masted ships