British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Little Sukey (master Thomas...

British New York Vice-Admiralty Court.

Captured ship: Little Sukey (master Thomas Norris, previously the mate, replacing the sick James Coburn).

Capture history: an American merchant ship (schooner, 25 tons, 5 men) bound from Philadelphia to Cap François, Saint Domingue, laden with flour, bread, bar iron; taken on 2 August 1782 in latitude 36°30'N, longitude 72°20'W by the loyalist privateer Tyger (Robert Wirling commanding), and brought into New York.

Intended voyage: from the United States to the Caribbean Islands.

Court papers numbered CP 1-3:-

• [CP 1]: affidavit of papers brought in by the prize master Benjamin Clark, 8 August 1782;
• [CP 2]: libel in Wirling v The schooner Little Sukey and her cargo, 8 August 1782;
• [CP 3]: monition, 8 August 1782.

[Decision: condemned, if no response to the monition by 29 Augst 1782].

Ship's Papers and mail in transit numbered SP 1-11 (Pennsylvania papers):-

• SP 1: ship's register, owners John Sullivan, Charles Miller, Jacob Kehm, 2 July 1782;
• SP 2: clearance bond, from Philadelphia to Cap François, 27 June 1782;
• SP 3: crew list and agreement, 2 July 1782;
• SP 4: owners instructions of Charles Miller, intially to James Sullivan who declined the voage, so amended to James Coburn, 28 June 1782;
• SP 5: owners instructions of Charles Miller to Thomas Norris, as Coburn is ill, 18 July 1782;
• SP 6: bill of lading by Charles Miller, 27 June 1782;
• SP 7: copy of a French letter from Anne de la Luzerne (French Ambassador to the US], Philadelphia, to M de Lilancourt [Governor of Saint Domingue] about William Marsall's complaint of piracy, 1 February 1782;
• SP 8: letter in poor French letter, from [Felix} de Miklaszewicz, Philadelphia, to M Lambert, merchant, Cap François, 1 July 1782; about a ship promised him [Miklaszewicz was just setting up as an owner of American privateers];
• SP 9: copy of business letter from Charles MIller, Philadelphia, to Messrs Faucher & Sherrett , enclosed in SP 10;
• SP 10: business letter from Charles MIller, Philadelphia, to Messrs Faucher & Sherrett, dated 30 Oct 1781, 12 Dec 1781, 22 Dec 1781 and 1 June 1782, enclosing SP 9, a duplicate;
• SP 11: business letter from Charles Miller, Philadelphia, to Messrs Stephen & Ange Ceronio [agents for Willing & Morris and for Congress], Cap François, 19 July 1782

[Papers previously wrongly identified as Court papers: 1-3; Ship's papers: 4-14 (large pencil numbers): sorted and renumbered in 2025].