It is said that the General Monk had captured sixty American vessels in two years.
A Relic of Two Revolutionary Captains: Bill of Lading for John Barry Signed by Joshua Barney.
From the original at the Lenox Library.
Did space permit, many other brave deeds of the privateers might be given. Of especial interest, though of small moment in their immediate effect upon the war, was the work done in whaleboats along the coast and especially upon Long Island Sound. The adventures of these brave—they were often even reckless—men lived in the tales told at the firesides long after the Revolution, and stirred the hearts that in another war were to emulate the deeds of this one, and with a success that astounded the natural enemy of the struggling young nation.
But if all the tales may not be repeated here, something may be told of what these Yankee privateers accomplished. In the following quotation from Dodsley’s “Annual Register” for 1778 is found a statement made in Parliament regarding this work up to the end of 1777. It says:
“The number of vessels belonging to Great Britain and Ireland, taken by ships of war and privateers belonging to the said colonies, amount to 733.—That of that number, it appears that 47 have been released, and 127 retaken; but that the loss on the latter, for salvage, interest on the value of the cargo, and loss of a market, must have been very considerable.—That the loss of the remaining 559 vessels, which have been carried into port, appears, from the examination of merchants, to amount at least to 2,600,000 l.—That of 200 ships anually employed in the African trade, before the commencement of the present civil war, whose value, upon an average, was about 9,000 l. each, there are not now forty ships, employed in that trade, whereby there is a diminution in this branch of comerce of 160 ships, which at 9,000 l. each, amount to a loss of 1,440,000 l. per annum.—That the price of insurance to the West Indies and North America, is increased from two, and two and a half, to five per cent with convoy; but without convoy, and unarmed, the said insurance has been made at fifteen per cent. But generally ships in such circumstances cannot be insured at all.—That the price of a seaman’s wages is raised from one pound ten shillings, to three pounds five shillings per month.—That it appears to this committee, that the present diminution of the African trade, the interruption of the American trade to the West Indies, and the captures made of the West-India ships, have greatly distressed the British colonies in the West Indies. That the numbers of American privateers, of which authentic accounts have been received, amount to 173; and that they carried 2,556 guns, and at least 13,840 seamen, reckoning 80 men in each ship.—And that, of the above privateers, 34 have been taken, which carried 3,217 men, which is more than 94 men to each vessel.”
“The Howes Asleep in Philadelphia.”—A Caricature Drawn forth by the Doings of Revolutionary Privateers.
(The cow represents British commerce; while the American cuts off her horns, a Hollander milks her, the Frenchman and Spaniard help themselves to the milk, the British merchant wrings his hands in despair, and the British Lion sleeps through it all. In the background are the two Howes asleep, and the Eagle high and dry, the rest of the fleet being nowhere visible.)