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British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Freedom (master John Clouston)...

Catalogue reference: HCA 32/335/9

What’s it about?

This record is about the British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Freedom (master John Clouston)... dating from 1777 Sep 16 in the series High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.

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Full description and record details

Reference
HCA 32/335/9
Date
1777 Sep 16
Description

British New York Vice-Admiralty Court.

Captured ship: Freedom (master John Clouston)

Capture history: an American armed brigantine, of the Massachusetts State Navy. (120 tons, 24 guns, 115 men) bound from Boston on a cruise; taken on 16 September1777 around 20 leagues E of Nantucket Island by HMS Apollo (Philemon Pownoll commanding), and brought into New York.

Intended voyage: a cruise from the United States.

Court papers numbered CP 1-2:-

  • [CP 1]: affidavit of papers brought in by the prize master, Samuel Landon clerk, 6 October 1777;
  • [CP 2]: libel in Advocate General at the relation of Pownoll v The armed brig Freedom and her apparel and furniture, 8 October 1777.

Ship's Papers numbered SP 1-4 (Massachusetts papers):-

  • SP 1: manuscript commission issued by 'The major part of the Council of the Massachusetts Bay in New England' to John Clouston as captain of the Freedom specifiying the brig had 12 guns and 100 men, signed by 16 of the Council of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, 4 June 1776;
  • SP 2: manuscript commission to Daniel Adams gent as lieutenant of the Freedom , issued by 'The major part of the Council of the Massachusetts Bay', signed by 15 of the Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay, 19 February 1777;
  • SP 3: resolution of the House of Representatives, State of Massachusetts Bay of the establishment of officers, seamen and marines to serve on board the armed vessels fitted out by this State; of their entitlement to specific shares of the proceeds of any captures; of their rations; of prize and prize agents; 8 January 1777;
  • SP 4: orders issued to Captain Clouston, from Samuel Phillips Savage, the War Office, Boston, 5 September 1777.

[Papers previously wrongly identified as Court papers: 1-2; Ship's papers: 3-7 (large pencil numbers): sorted and renumbered in 2025].

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Language
English
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Subjects
Topics
Shipping
International
Litigation
Army
Conflict
Weapons
Navy
Crime
Americas
Rationing
Armed Forces (General Administration)
Operations, battles and campaigns
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C13505873/

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Series information

HCA 32

High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers

See the series level description for more information about this record.

View series description

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

109,109 records

Within the department: HCA

Records of the High Court of Admiralty and colonial Vice-Admiralty courts

37,247 records

Within the series: HCA 32

High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers

12 records

Within the piece: HCA 32/335

Captured ships with names beginning with F. Described at item level

You are currently looking at the item: HCA 32/335/9

British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Freedom (master John Clouston)...

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