Frigates and Foremasts: The North American Squadron in Nova Scotian Waters, 1745-1815

222 Pages·2003·8.041 MB·English

by  Julian Gwyn

FRIGATES AND FOREMASTS
Studies in Canadian Military History
The Canadian War Museum, Canada’s national museum of military history,
has a threefold mandate: to remember, to preserve, and to educate. It does so
through an interlocking and mutually supporting combination of exhibitions,
public programs, and electronic outreach. Military history, military historical
scholarship, and the ways in which Canadians see and understand themselves
have always been closely intertwined. Studies in Canadian Military History
builds on a record of success in forging those links by regular and innovative
contributions based on the best modern scholarship. Published by UBC Press
in association with the Museum, the series especially encourages the work of
new generations of scholars and the investigation of important gaps in the ex-
isting historiography, pursuits not always well served by traditional sources of
academic support. The results produced feed immediately into future exhibi-
tions, programs, and outreach efforts by the Canadian War Museum. It is a
modest goal that they feed into a deeper understanding of our nation’s com-
mon past as well.
1 John Griffith Armstrong, The Halifax Explosion and the Royal Canadian
Navy: Inquiry and Intrigue
2 Andrew Richter, Avoiding Armageddon: Canadian Military Strategy and
Nuclear Weapons, 1950-63
3 William Johnston, A War of Patrols: Canadian Army Operations in Korea
4 Julian Gwyn, Frigates and Foremasts: The North American Squadron in Nova
Scotia Waters, 1745-1815
Julian Gwyn
FRIGATES AND FOREMASTS
The North American Squadron in Nova Scotia Waters,
1745-1815
© UBC Press 2003
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher,
or, in Canada, in the case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a licence from Access
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09080706050403 54321
Printed in Canada on acid-free paper
National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Gwyn, Julian, 1937-
Frigates and foremasts : the North American Squadron in Nova Scotia waters, 1745-1815 /
Julian Gwyn.
(Studies in Canadian military history)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN0-7748-0910-8
1. Great Britain. Royal Navy – History – 18th century. 2. Great Britain. Royal Navy – History –
19th century. 3. Nova Scotia – History, Naval – 18th century. 4. Nova Scotia – History, Naval – 19th
century.
I. Title. II. Series.
DA88.G95 2003 359'.00941'09033 C2003-905462-4
UBC Press gratefully acknowledges the financial support for our publishing program of the
Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP),
and of the Canada Council for the Arts, and the British Columbia Arts Council.
Publication of this book has been financially supported by the Canadian War Museum.
This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Canadian Federation for the
Humanities and Social Sciences, through the Aid to Scholarly Publications Programme, using
funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
UBC Press
The University of British Columbia
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Vancouver, BC v6t 1z2
604-822-5959 / Fax: [phone]
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To the memory
of the volunteers of the Royal Canadian Navy
and those merchant mariners who kept open the sea lanes
of the North Atlantic between 1939 and 1945
this book is dedicated.
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Tables, Maps, and Illustrations / ix
Preface / xi
1 The Siege of Louisbourg and Its Aftermath,
1745-55 / 5
2 The Halifax Squadron in Peace and War,
1755-75 / 27
3 Naval War with Rebel America, 1775-83 / 55
4 Short Peace and Long War, 1783-1807 / 81
5 Preying on American Commerce, 1793-1812 / 113
6 Maritime War with the United States, 1812-15 / 128
7 Conclusion and Epilogue / 153
Contents
Notes / 158
Glossary / 186
Bibliography / 189
Index / 199
This page intentionally left blank
Tables, Maps, and Illustrations
Tables
3.1 Vessels en route to or from Nova Scotia and libelled in New England prize courts, 1776-
83 / 79
5.1 Outcomes of known court judgments, 1793-1812 / 117
Maps
2 Area of conflict in North America, 1744-6
3 Nova Scotia
4 Coastline from Cape Breton to Virginia
Illustrations
103 “The Honest Sailor: Sir Peter Warren. His Majesty’s Hero Britain’s Great Delight, Calm in
a Storm, but Calmer in a Fight.” NMM neg. B3443
104 “Admiral Sir Charles Knowles.” Courtesy of the Portsmouth Athenaeum
104 “Captain Inglefield.” NMM A1031
105 “Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot.” NAC C-006775
105 “Vice Admiral Sir George Murray.” W. Say after C. Wolcott, NMM neg. B684E
106 “Vice Admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell.” G. Dawe after R. Bowyer, NMM neg. PU3094
106 “Captain Sir Philip Broke.” S. Lane, NAC C-041147
107 “The Expedition against Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, 1745.” Attributed to C. Bowles, NAC
C-001090
107 “George Island, Halifax, Nova Scotia, from logbook 406, Voyage of HMS Successful & HMS
Norwich to Nova Scotia & Virginia, 1754-1756.” Courtesy of ©The Mariners’ Museum, New-
port News, Virginia, PH1732
108 “A View of Louisbourg in North America taken near the Lighthouse when that City was
besieged in 1758.” Capt. Ince, engr. P.C. Canot, publ. T. Jefferys, NAC C-005907, W.H. Coverdale
Collection
108 “To the Captains, other Officers & Seamen who ... burnt the Prudent and who took the
Bienfaisant in Louisbourg Harbour about 1 o’clock in the morning of the 26th July 1758.”
R. Paton, engr. P.C. Canot, NAC C-007111
109 “Engagement of the HMS Milford and Cabot off the Nova Scotia coast, 1777.” NAC
C-040577
109 “Sir George Collier in the Penobscot, 14 Aug. 1779.” After T. Witcombe, engr. J. Baily, publ.
Joyce Gold for Naval Chronicle, vol. 32,Maritime Command Museum, Halifax, NS
110 “Capture of the Jack,2 July 1781, by the Astree and Hermione off Cape Breton.” After Rossel
de Cercy, engr. F. Dequeauville, publ. Mérigot, Paris, courtesy Beverley R. Robinson Col-
lection, United States Naval Academy Museum
110 “His Majesty’s Brigg Observer ... engaging the American Privateer Jack ... on 29th of May
1782 off the Harbour of Halifax.” Publ. R. Dodd, London, 1 Sept. 1784, courtesy Beverley R.
Robinson Collection, United States Naval Academy Museum
111 “A View of the Town & Harbour of Halifax from Dartmouth Shore.” J.F.W. DesBarres, NAC
NMC-015687
111 “The Careening Yard, Halifax, Oct. 5-25,1786.” J.S. Meres, in log of Pegasus, NAC C-002557
112 “View of the Naval Yard, Halifax, 1796.” G. Tobin, NAC C-150490, Peter Winkworth
Collection
ix