I don't expect we shall go from this Place these six weeks, as there is a great deal wanting to be done to the ship before she will go to sea again. It seems probable to me that she will be ordered directly back to America, as soon as may be. In the meantime I am,
With the greatest sincerity & respect,
Your humble servant,
E. Green.
Please to present my best regards to Susy [ [1], & love to your little children, & salutations to all enquiring Friends.
Mr. Nathaniel Cooper, of Dover,
New-Hampshire,
New-England.
Dr. Green continued in the Ranger until her return to Portsmouth in October, 1778, when he left her, and returned to Dover.
When the Ranger was refitted in the following spring, under the command of his friend, Capt. T. Simpson, he rejoined her as surgeon, and sailed in her on a cruise in company with the Warren, 32 guns, Commodore J. B. Hopkins, and Queen of France, 28, Capt. J. Olney; the latter a French ship, which had been purchased at Nantes for the American government.
While on this cruise, in March, they captured a privateer schooner of 14 guns, and on the 6th of April the schooner Hibernia, of 8 guns and 45 men, and the next morning, off Cape Henry, six more of a fleet of nine vessels, viz.: the ship Jason, Capt. Porterfield, 20 guns, 150 men; ship Maria, letter of marque, 16 guns, 80 men, cargo of flour, &c.; and brigs Prince Frederick, Patriot, Bachelors John, and schooner Chance, all laden with stores for the British army. Among the prisoners taken was a Colonel Campbell, and twenty-three army officers of lesser rank, on their way to join their regiments at the south. [ [2] ] All these vessels were brought into Portsmouth, N.H., three weeks after the squadron sailed from thence.
On another cruise, the Ranger, still commanded by Simpson, in company with the Providence, 28, Commodore A. Whipple, and Queen of France, 28, Capt. J. P. Rathburn, [ [3] ] on the 17th of July, 1779, when on the Banks of Newfoundland, fell in with the Jamaica fleet, homeward bound, consisting of one hundred and fifty sail, convoyed by a ship-of-the-line, and several cruisers, and succeeded in capturing eleven large ships, of seven to eight hundred tons, three of which were re-taken; but seven of them, whose cargoes were estimated to be worth $1,000,000, were brought safely into Boston. All Boston was alarmed at the sight of the little continental squadron and its prizes,—ten large ships standing directly into the harbor,—believing them to be a British fleet. The buildings were covered with spectators. The cargoes, consisting of rum, sugar, logwood, pimento, &c, were delivered one half to the government and one half to the captors. [ [4] ]