USS ''Franklin'' was a 6-gun

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 ...

of 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 ...

. She was named for

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

. ''Franklin'' was originally a Marblehead fishing vessel fitted out by order of Colonel

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 ...

in 1775. She was part of the fleet of schooners under Commodore

John Manley John Paul Manley (born January 5, 1950) is a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the eighth deputy prime minister of Canada from 2002 to 2003. He was Liberal Member of Parliament for Ottawa South from 1988 to 2004. ...

that captured numerous British vessels. In October 1775, ''

Hancock Hancock may refer to: Places Places in the United States * Hancock, Iowa * Hancock, Maine * Hancock, Maryland * Hancock, Massachusetts * Hancock, Michigan * Hancock, Minnesota * Hancock, Missouri * Hancock, New Hampshire ** Hancock (CDP), New H ...

'' and ''Franklin'' were ordered to intercept two

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 as they arrived in the

St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawren ...

from England. But the two schooners instead sought easier quarry off

Cape Canso The Strait of Canso (also Gut of Canso or Canso Strait, also called Straits of Canceau or Canseaux until the early 20th century) separates mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island, in eastern Canada. It is a channel approximately 27 kilometer ...

where five prizes of dubious legality were taken. They also raided Charlottetown settlement without regard to orders to respect

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

property. The story of their illegal actions reached General Washington who dismissed both ship commanders and returned their prizes to Canadian owners with apologies. On May 17, 1776, commanded by Capt.

James Mugford James Mugford (May 19, 1749 – May 19, 1776) was a captain in the Continental Navy. Life and naval career Mugford commanded the schooner ''Franklin'' in the Continental Navy, serving through 1775 in John Manley's squadron off Boston. He capture ...

, the ''Franklin'' surprised and captured the British ordnance ship, ''Hope'', which was headed to Nantasket Roads in

Boston Harbor Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, located adjacent to Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the Northeastern United States. History 17th century Since its dis ...

carrying 1,500 barrels of gunpowder, 1,000 carbines and other material. Mugford ran ''Hope'' to shore at or near Boston to offload the cargo, which was badly needed by the Continental Army. Then, on May 19, ''Franklin'' set sail again in company with a privateer, ''Lady Washington'' under Captain Cunningham. With the tide against them, Mugford anchored for the night near Nantasket, Massachusetts. At daybreak thirteen launches from the British fleet approached, anxious for revenge for the taking of the ''Hope''. The Americans managed to sink five launches on approach, then, in close combat in which Mugford was killed by a musket ball, the ''Franklin'' was run ashore to set up defenses, after which the launches were repelled. The British lost seventy of about 200 men, and Mugford was the only American killed in the engagement. ''Franklin'' was returned to her original owner later in 1776.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin (1775) 1775 ships Schooners of the Continental Navy