USA > Ohio > Biographical and historical memoirs of the early pioneer settlers of Ohio, with narratives of incidents and occurrences in 1775 > Part 11
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The day following this perilous night, when he had gained the open ocean, and thought all present danger past, he
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narrowly escaped capture by a seventy-four gun ship, which came directly across his course, but by superior management in sailing, luckily escaped. The damages to the rigging of the Providence, although considerable, were soon repaired, and the little frigate, with a flowing sheet, sped on her way to the port of Nantz, where she arrived in twenty-six days, being on the 26th of May, 1778.
On the voyage out, Capt. Whipple captured a British brig, laden with one hundred and twenty-five pipes of wine, nine tons of cork and various other articles, which arrived safe in port, near the same time.
The names of the officers who so nobly aided in sailing, and fighting the Providence, through that host of enemies, and may well be ranked among the most remarkable feats of bravery and daring, as well as nautical skill that took place during the war of the Revolution, were as follows : Thomas Simpson, first lieutenant, and soon after promoted to the command of the Boston frigate of twenty-four guns. Silas Devol, second lieutenant. He was the brother of Capt. Jonathan Devol, and the personification of bravery. In a year or two after, he was taken at sea, and perished miser- ably in the old Jersey prison ship, that den of wholesale murder to the Americans. Jonathan Pitcher, third lieuten- ant, George Goodwin, sailing master, William Jones, cap- tain of marines, and Seth Chapin, first lieutenant.
On the third day of their voyage out, the lieutenants and other officers presented a petition to Capt. Whipple, asking him to allow them to draw money for the purpose of purchasing proper uniform dresses, as without them they could not maintain the dignity of their stations, and as they say, " That all may appear alike, as brothers united in one cause." From this circumstance it would seem, that no regular uniform for the navy had yet been established by Congress.
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The appearance of the Providence in the harbor of Nantz, excited a great deal of curiosity, as few if any American frigates had visited that port. On landing, Capt. Jones was charged with the dispatches to the American ministers at the court of Versailles, and proceeded on his way to Paris. Dr. Franklin introduced him to the king and the principal courtiers, who received him with great polite- ness. His noble personal appearance, gentlemanly man- ners, and rich, showy uniform, made him appear to great advantage and highly creditable to the American nation. Owing to unforeseen delays and the cautious policy of the French court, it was as late as August before a cargo was provided and the return dispatches of the American minis- ters ready for Congress. Strange as it may appear, the Providence frigate, was loaded with clothing, arms and ammunition, like a merchantman. Capt. Whipple, although as brave as Cæsar, was not too proud to engage in any honest service, which would be useful to his country. He had spent years in the merchant line and felt not that repug- nance to turning his ship into a transport, so often expressed by the haughty Britons. The cargo was of immense value and more safe in a frigate than a common ship. On the 13th of July, he received notice from the American commis- sioners, B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, and John Adams, that they had ordered Capt. Tucker, of the Boston frigate, to join him on his return voyage. On the 16th, he received the follow- ing letter and order.
" PASSY, July 16th, 1778.
CAPT. WHIPPLE :
SIR: We have ordered Lieut. Simpson, to whom the com- mand of the Ranger devolves, by the destination of Capt. Jones, (John Paul,) to another service, to join you and obey your orders respecting his future cruises and voyage to America. We wish you to use all possible dispatch in
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getting to sea, with the Boston, Providence, and Ranger.
You are to use your utmost endeavors to take, burn, sink, and destroy all privateers of Jersey and Guernsey, and all other British cruisers within the command of your force, as you may have opportunity.
We are, sir, your most humble servants,
B. FRANKLIN, ARTHUR LEE, JOHN ADAMS.
P. S. You are to leave all the prisoners in such place and in the custody of such persons as Mr. Shwinghauser shall advise."
Mr. Shwinghauser was the naval agent for the United States, making purchases, &c .; a number of his letters are on file among Com. Whipple's manuscripts. From the time of the date of this letter, giving him the command of three public armed ships, he may fairly take the rank of commo- dore; although he was, in fact, entitled to that distinction while cruising in the Narraganset bay, in June, 1775, with the two armed sloops under his orders. On the 26th of Au- gust, having loaded the Providence with arms, ammunition, clothing, and copper, on account of the United States, and taken on board a number of passengers, ordered by the commissioners, he sailed for America, touching at the har- bor of Brest, where he was joined by the Boston and Ranger. On their voyage out, they took six prizes, but how many got into port, is not ascertained.
While on the banks of Newfoundland, in a dense fog, so common to that misty part of the ocean, he had a very nar- row escape from capture. The Providence being the lead- ing ship, for the purpose of notifying her consorts of her position, every five or ten minutes, a few blows were struck on the ship's bell. A British seventy-four gun ship, hearing the signal, bore up in the direction of the sound, and before
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the crew of the Providence had any notice of her approach, she was close along side. The first appearance of the frig- ate, with her ports all closed, and lying deep in the water, was that of a large merchant ship. On hailing the stranger, the captain, in the usual style of British naval officers, or- dered the "d-d rebel to strike his colors, drop under his stern, and send the boat aboard." It so happened, that his colors were not up at the time. Capt. Whipple at once saw his danger, and knew that nothing but a bold maneuver could save him. He, therefore, answered the hail, as if in- tending no opposition, " Aye, aye, sir." With a readiness of thought which none but a master mind can call to his aid, in emergencies which admit of no delay, his plan was instantly formed, and sending some men aloft, to busy themselves with the sails, and prepare for striking the col- ors, as if about to comply with the order, he, at the same time, passed the word below to make all ready for a broad- side, as he passed under the stern of the seventy-four. As he was rather slow in complying with the order to strike, it was repeated by the Briton in a still more commanding tone, threatening to fire into him. Whipple answered, rather peevishly, that "he could not haul down his colors, until he had run them up," at the same time swearing at the sailor for his bungling manner of performing the duty, having ordered him, when they were up, not to haul them down again, on pain of death. By the time the stars and stripes were fluttering in the breeze, the gunners were at their posts, the frigate had fallen off under the stern of the enemy, when, with a stamp of his foot on the quarter deck, the ports flew open, and a full broadside was fired into her cabin, the tompions of the guns going in with the shot, there being no time to remove them. When relating the incident in after life, the commodore used to say, he "heard a terri- ble smashing among the crockery ware in the cabin." The
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Briton suspecting no resistance, and being entirely unpre- pared for such an event, was utterly astonished, provoked, and confounded; but before he could make any preparation to avenge this " Yankee trick," the Providence was envel- oped in the fog, and out of sight on another tack. Whipple took good care not to tinkle his bell again, for some time, while his consorts being warned of their danger, by his broadside, escaped discovery, and all reached the harbor of Boston in safety. This, however, was' accomplished in al- most a miraculous manner, having to pass through a squad- ron of the enemy's ships, which were blockading that port. The cargo thus saved by the presence of mind, and bold stratagem of Com. Whipple, was of immense advantage to the country ; furnishing the army with several thousand stands of arms, ammunition, and clothing; articles of more value to the United States, at that time, than a ship-load of gold.
Soon after his arrival, which was the 13th of October, Capt. Jones went on to Congress with the dispatches, which were highly gratifying to that body. In November he re- ceived the following congratulatory letter from his excel- lency, Gen. Washington :
" HEAD QUARTERS, FREDERICKSBURG, Nov. 25th, 1778.
SIR : Maj. Nicholas handed me your favor of the 12th inst. I am greatly pleased with the gallant circumstance of your passage through the blockaded harbor, and much obliged to you for the detail of your voyage. It was agree- able to hear of your safe arrival with the valuable articles of your invoice. With my best wishes for your future suc- cess, I am, sir, your most humble servant,
GEO. WASHINGTON.
To Capt. Abraham Whipple, Esq., commander of the continental frigate Providence, at Boston."
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During this year the influence of the American commis- sioners at the court of France was so great, especially with the queen, who had taken so deep an interest in the welfare of the young republic, and especially in Dr. Franklin, whom, on all occasions, she treated with as much respect as she could her own father, that the king finally came out openly on the side of the United States, sending a fleet of men of war to the American coast, which entered the harbor of Newport, and forced the enemy from Narraganset bay. Before their departure they sunk several of their ships, to keep them from the hands of the French. Among them was Whipple's old antagonist, the Lark. Near the close of the war some of these frigates were raised by the ingenuity of Griffin Greene, Esq.
The winter following this never-to-be-forgotten cruise, was passed in refitting his vessel for sea, and in visiting his family. On the 9th of March, 1779, he received orders from James Warren and William Vernon, the navy board in the eastern department, to cruise with the Providence in Boston bay, for the protection of the navigation, and in quest of the enemy's cruisers, which were now numerous on the coast. On the 4th of April he returned to port, and re- mained until the 23d of June, when he again proceeded on a cruise with the Ranger and Queen of France under his command. On this occasion the following letter was ad- dressed to him, giving the outlines of the cruise, and the general orders to be observed while at sea :
"NAVY BOARD, EASTERN DEPARTMENT,
BOSTON, June 12th, 1779.
To ABRAHAM WHIPPLE, Esq., commander of the ship Providence :
Your ship being ready for the sea, you are to proceed with the ships Queen of France and Ranger, if the last be
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ready, on a cruise against the enemy. You being the su- perior officer, will, of course, command the whole: and ours will be, that they obey yours accordingly. You are to pro- ceed with these ships immediately, to the southerly parts of the banks of Newfoundland, and there to cruise ; and to the southward of said banks, as the most likely cruising ground to effect the double purpose of intercepting the enemy's outward-bound transports for New York, &c., and the home- ward-bound West India ships. You will keep that ground steadily, so long as is consistent with your security : taking care to alter your station, when you have reason to suppose, from your long continuance on that ground, or other circum- stances, that the enemy may have gained intelligence of you ; in which case you will proceed to such places as you and the commanders of the other ships shall judge most likely to answer the purposes of the cruise: taking care, also, at proper times, to be on the banks, so that any ships we may hereafter send to join you, may be able to find you. During your cruise you are to take, burn, sink, or destroy as many of the enemy's ships as may fall in your way, directing to the continental agent of any port, such prizes as you may think proper to send in. You are to take proper care of your ship and her stores, and to cause proper returns of the expenditures of all pro- visions and stores, to be made on your return. You will observe the greatest frugality and strict discipline on board, taking care at the same time to use your officers and men well, and your prisoners with humanity. You are to con- tinue your cruise as long as your provisions and other cir- cumstances will admit, and then return into this, or some other convenient port of the United States, leaving you at liberty, nevertheless, if on consulting the other com- manders, it shall be judged practicable to intercept the homeward-bound ships from Hudson's bay, to proceed for
10
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that purpose toward the end of your cruise; and if you meet with little success and your ships should remain well manned, you may, when your provisions are near expended, proceed and cruise in the West Indies during the winter: Mr. Stephen Ceronia at Cape Francois, or Mr. William Bingham at Martinico, continental agent, will supply you with the necessaries. On your way out you are to see this coast clear of the enemy's cruisers, and particularly range down the eastern shore, and if the Ranger do not sail with you, rendezvous at - for a few days, where she will join you. You are to return lists of your men and stores on board, and at the end of the cruise cause proper returns to be made of the expenditure. We wish you a successful cruise.
And are your servants, &c.,
J. WARREN, WM. VERNON."
In pursuance of the above orders he proceeded on to the eastern coast, to look for the enemy's cruisers, and spend- ing nearly four weeks in cruising on and off the coast of Newfoundland. He, on the 24th of July, fell in with the homeward-bound Jamaica fleet, of nearly one hundred and fifty sail, convoyod by a seventy-four gun ship and some smaller vessels. He continued with them for two days, under British colors, pretending to be ships from Halifax, joining the convoy. From the first prize captured by board- ing in the night, he got possession of the signals of the commodore, and made use of them to keep up the decep- tion. Some of the prizes were taken possession of by inviting the captain of the Jamaica ship on board the Hali- fax vessels, and while he was below, sending his boat with their own well manned to secure the balance of the crew, and man the ship with his own men, which was accom- plished without making so much noise as to attract the
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notice of the convoy. During the night each captured ship slackened sail and altered her course so much as to be out of sight of the fleet in the morning. At night the seventy- four carried a light at her mizzen-top, as a guide to the course to be pursued by the fleet. Whipple, taking advantage of this, hoisted one at his own mizzen, and thus decoyed seve- ral ships so far out of their course as to be beyond the reach of aid in the morning, and then took possession of them. . This could easily be done amongst one hundred and fifty sail, without their number being missed from the fleet. By these devices he managed to gain possession of ten large Jamaica ships, which were as many as he could man with American crews. Had he attempted their capture in an open manner, by daylight, he might have lost some of his own squadron, and taken less prizes, as he was unable to contend with the seventy-four gun ship with all his force. The merchant ships also carried a number of guns, and could have afforded considerable aid in beating him off. His object ever was, like a sensible man, to annoy the enemy as much as he could, with the least possible loss to himself, and gain by ingenuity what he could not do by open force. Eight of his prizes were brought safely into Boston harbor, while two were recaptured. They had on board six thou- sand hogsheads of sugar, besides ginger, pimento, and cotton, being valued at more than a million of dollars. The eight prizes were armed with an average of fourteen guns each, or one hundred and thirteen in the whole. Could these prizes have been sold at their real value, Com. Whipple's share would have been one-twentieth of this sum; the rules adopted by Congress in the distribution of prize money, allowing this portion to the commander of a squadron, and two-twentieths to the captains of single ships, of those cap- tured by them when on a cruise. Yet, from the impoverished condition of the country, and the scarcity of money, it is
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not probable he actually realized more than a moiety of the amount. He, however, received sufficient to greatly improve his present condition, which was actually that of a poor man. With the avails of this cruise he bought a handsome house and lot in Providence, and a fine farm in the neigh- boring town of Cranston.
On the 20th of November, he received the following order from the navy board :
" NAVY BOARD, EASTERN DEPARTMENT, BOSTON, November 20, 1779.
TO ABRAHAM WHIPPLE, Esq., commander of the ship Providence :
Your ship being now ready for the sea, you are, as com- manding officer, to take under your command the ships Bos- ton, Queen of France, and Ranger; and with them you are to embrace the first fair wind, and without any kind of de- lay, proceed to sea; and when the fleet under your com- mand are five leagues to the southward of the light-house, you are to open the orders inclosed, and follow the direc- tions therein given. If by any misfortune to you, the com- mand of the Providence should devolve on Capt. Hacker, now acting as first lieutenant, he will, as the eldest captain, take command of the fleet, and is to obey the orders given you. We wish you success, and are your servants, &c., WM. VERNON, J. WARREN."
What those sealed orders were, does not appear on rec- ord; but doubtless were for him to proceed with all expedi- tion, to Charleston, S. C., and place himself and fleet under the command of Gen. Lincoln, who was charged with the defense of that place. On the 23d of that month, he sailed, with the ships under his command, and when united with those at Charleston, formed the largest American squadron, under the command of one officer, ever assembled during
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the war. The voyage out was rough and tempestuous, and his ships received considerable damage; nevertheless, he reached the destined port on the 19th of December. On the 20th of January, being weary of inactivity, he applied to Gen. Lincoln for liberty to make a cruise of observation, and ascertain the position of the enemy's fleet, which had been looked for, a considerable time, on its way from New York, with the army of Gen. Clinton, to invest Charleston. On the second or third day out, he fell in with the British fleet, and took four of their transports, laden with troops, provisions, &c., but was himself chased back into port, by four ships of war; and in a short time after, the enemy commenced their preparations for a regular siege of the city. This was his last feat on the ocean; the brilliant sunshine of success, which had so long brightened his course, now set in clouds and gloomy disaster. Neptune, the ruler of the sea, had befriended him all his life, and when he forsook his service, and entered into battle on the solid land, his good fortune departed, and his beloved ships perished, or fell into the hands of the enemy. Amidst all his exposures and hair- breadth escapes in his numerous sea-fights, he was never wounded; but, like Washington, bore a charmed life, not to be destroyed by his enemies.
The defense of Charleston was the first attempt of the Americans to maintain a town against a besieging army ; and its disastrous termination taught them, when too late, that their unwalled, open cities, were poorly calculated for defense. The winter of 1780 proved to be one of great severity, even at the south, and the cold nearly as great as that common to the middle states. The sailors in Com. Whipple's fleet had been shipped for a six months' cruise in a southern latitude; and not knowing their final destina- tion, were entirely unprovided with clothing for the severe winter which followed. There was no clothing for them in
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the vessels, and no other resource to relieve their wants but from his own funds. The generosity of their commander toward sailors was unbounded; and to alleviate their suffer- ings, he advanced several thousand dollars from his own funds, to cover their shivering bodies in garments suited to the season. These supplies were delivered to the pursers of the several ships under his command, and the amounts deducted from their wages, as is customary in such cases ; and yet, from the subsequent loss of the fleet, and perhaps, also, the books of the pursers, he had not, in 1786, received a single dollar for this noble and generous expenditure in the cause of his country, nor did he ever obtain a tithe of the amount justly due him.
During the siege an almost daily correspondence was carried on with Gen. Lincoln, who constantly consulted him in the disposition of the ships for the defense of the city, and the annoyance of the enemy. A large number of these letters are on the files of his naval manuscripts, pre- served with much care; but as they relate to no very inter- esting or particular events, they will not be quoted, but the history of the siege given, as related by Dr. Ramsey. From the beginning to the end of this disastrous affair, Com. Whipple, with his officers and men, exerted themselves with untiring assiduity and the greatest gallantry, in defending the place, as well after the destruction of their ships as before. The batteries erected from the ship's guns on the banks of the Cooper river, and manned by their crews, were very an- noying to the besiegers, and prolonged the investment until the expenditure of their provisions threatened them with starvation, and did full as much toward their final surrender as the guns of the enemy.
"The British fleet, with their troops on board, six thou- sand in number, under the command of Sir Henry Clinton, sailed from New York on the 26th of December, 1779.
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Their outward course was boisterous and disastrous, losing nearly all their cavalry horses, and it was as late as the 11th of February, 1780, before they landed at the distance of thirty miles from Charleston. On the 29th of March, Clin- ton passed over Ashley river, and commenced erecting bat- teries for the siege of the town. Gen. Lincoln constructed lines of defense across Charleston neck, from Cooper to Ashley river. On the 12th of April the British batteries were opened. Their fleet under Admiral Arbuthnot, of eight ships, one a sixty-four, crossed the bar on the 20th of March, and anchored in 'five fathom hole;' while the fleet under Com. Whipple, composed of smaller vessels, being unable to prevent their crossing the bar at the mouth of the harbor, retreated up to Charleston, where his ships were disarmed, and the crews and guns of all the fleet but one, were put on shore to reinforce the batteries." Although sailors are the bravest of men, whether fighting on the land or the water; yet when on shore they are deprived of their favor- ite element, and lose that esprit de corps so peculiar to them on ship board. The commodore felt the want of sea room, and the fresh breezes of the ocean, by which to ma- neuver his ships, and to point his guns. When he reluct- antly abandoned his vessels and stepped on to terra firma, he was like an eagle with his wings clipped, unable to soar aloft, or pounce upon his prey; nevertheless, his men be- haved bravely, and did all they could for the defense of the town. "The fire of the British was much superior to that of the Americans ; the former having twenty-one mortars and royals, and the latter only two; while their battering cannon were much larger and more numerous, with three times as many men. During the siege Sir Henry Clinton received a reinforcement of three thousand men, making in all nine thousand land forces to oppose, while Gen. Lincoln had less than three thousand. By the 6th of May the
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provisions of the besieged were nearly exhausted, and the inhabitants of the town became clamorous with the Ameri- can commander for a surrender of the place, as they could sustain the siege no longer. On the 11th of May the town was surrendered, and the brave defenders became prisoners of war to a man who proved to be a very ungenerous enemy, and treated his captives with all the rigor so preva- lent at that period, when the Americans were considered as rebels, and not as common enemies, and, therefore, not en- titled to the usages of the laws of nations." On the final results of the siege, he remarks, "I faithfully exerted myself to promote the interest and honor of my country ; and al- though the town was surrendered, American honor was triumphant."
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