Cruise Orders for Massachusetts Navy Sloop "Winthrop" 1782.

Item Details

1782

Hancock, John (1737-1793), President of the Continental Congress; Governor of Massachusetts. ALS initialed “J.H.” and dated 8 July 1782 at Boston, with docketed integral address leaf; two 12 ¼ x 7 in. pages plus the integral address leaf.                                         

Governor Hancock's retained copy of his manuscript operational orders to Captain George Little, commanding the Massachusetts State Navy’s sloop Winthrop.  When Hancock drafted these orders the Revolutionary War was entering its final year, and although peace negotiations between the U.S. and Great Britain were being held in Paris, many Americans (including George Washington and John Hancock), were suspicious of further British incursions by both land and sea.  Hancock orders George Little to protect Massachusetts’ ships engaged in maritime trade and to engage any hostile ships threatening the coastline:

 "Having Appointed & Commissioned you to the Command of the Arm'd Sloop Winthrop belonging to this CommonWealth...you are hereby Order'd to Embrace the first favorable Weather and proceed with the Sloop under your Command to Sea upon a Cruise for the protection of the Sea Coast against the Enemies of these United States, whose Vessells if not Superior to you in Force you will use your best Endeavours to Take, Sink or Destroy, & should you be so fortunate as to Take any Prizes you will Send them into the Port of Boston...You will Take under your Convoy any Vessells that are ready & bound to the Eastward, particularly the Schooner bound to Machias with provisions for the Garrison, also the Sloop Roxbury Cap’n Bosworth with Provisions for Kennebeck River, & a Vessell bound to Frenchman's Bay, those Vessells you are hereby order'd to Take under your Convoy & See them safe to the Several Destin'd ports....You will be careful that the Regulations of the Common Wealth with respect to Arm’d Vessels be strictly adher’d to, & that good order & proper Discipline be preserv’d on board the Winthrop.

                I wish you an Agreeable & Successful Cruise, & am Your Friend & H…Serv’t.  J.H.

 The Winthrop’s first lieutenant was none other than Edward Preble, who would later gain fame commanding the U.S. Mediterranean squadron in the frigate Constitution during the Barbary Wars, 1805. Fifteen years earlier it had been as a shipmate of George Little that he received his introduction to war at sea on the Massachusetts frigate Protector, which was captured in 1781.  1st Lieutenant Little later escaped from captivity and Midshipman Preble was exchanged, but neither realized they were just starting their career together on the sea.  In 1782 Massachusetts fitted out the 12-gun sloop Winthrop, appointed Little to command her and Preble his first lieutenant.  John Hancock penned the orders above sending the Winthrop to convoy coastal trade while hunting for British quarry along the Maine coast.  When she returned to Boston nearly a month later she brought with her three prizes, the Defiance of 180 tons, the 90-ton brig Isabella and privateer sloop Swallow of Portsmouth, NH (earlier taken by a mutinous crew that was steering for the British settlement at Bagaduce [Castine].

 In a second cruise, Little, with the help of a boarding party led by Lieutenant Preble, cut out the privateer brig Merriam moored directly under the guns of Fort George at Castine, later returning to Boston with four prizes.  On 23 September 1782, the Boston Gazette printed: “Much praise is due to the Bravery and good Conduct of Capt. Little and his Crew for this spirited Enterprise and for the great Service they have rendered this Commonwealth in capturing these Privateers, that have for a long Time infested this Coast and taken many valuable Vessels from us.”  The Winthrop made two further cruises in late 1782 and early 1783.  When the war ended, she was the last of the Massachusetts Navy’s vessels in commission.  She was sold at public auction on the 4th of June of that year.

 Provenance:  Swann Auctions, 12 May 2005; private collection to present; document conveys with notarized affidavit attesting to authenticity of Hancock document.