British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Moïze (master Pierre Ragueneau)....

British New York Vice-Admiralty Court.

Captured ship: Moïze (master Pierre Ragueneau).

History: a French merchant ship (brigantine, 100 tons, 10 men, formerly a British ship taken by an American privateer on the Banks of Newfoundland, brought into Virginia, and sold to Duler, and needing extensive repairs) now bound from Machipongo, Virginia to Bordeaux, laden with tobacco; taken on 22 October 1778 about 30 leagues from the Capes of Virginia by HMS Perseus (George Keith Elphinstone commanding), and brought into New York.

Intended voyage: from the United States to France.

Court papers numbered CP 1-4:-

• [CP 1]: affidavit of papers brought in by the prize master James Rickie, midshipman, 28 Dec 1778;
• [CP 2]: libel in Advocate General at the relation of Elphinstone v The brigantine Le Moïze and her cargo, 28 Dec 1778;
• [CP 3-CP 4]: deposition of of Jean Belloche and Antoine de Coste, of Bordeaux, 29 Dec 1778.

Ship's papers and mail in transit, numbered SP 1-45:-

• SP 1: clearance bond for Bordeaux, Northampton, Virginia, 15 July 1778;
• SP 2: logbook;
• SP 3: fabric for the sails, 1778;
• SP 4: materials for the ship, 1778;
• SP 5: accounts of expenses of provisions and repairs for the ship, 4 October 1778;
• SP 6: logbook, March-July 1778;
• SP 7: logbook, July-October 1778;
• SP 8: logbook, October 1778;
• SP 9: sea protest by the crew: a British privateer forced them to stay longer in Machipongo Bay, so that bad weather [the hurricane of 12 August 1778] damaged the ship, 13 August 1778;
• SP 10: muster roll, 15 July 1778;
• SP 11: bill of lading 15 July 1778
• SP 12-SP 13: accounts of tobacco on board, 1778
• SP 14: deposition about the purchase of the brigantine George by John Baptist Duler, 1 April 1778;

SP 15-45 are letters, many between the owner Duler and the captain about repairs to the ship; it is unclear if all these letters were found on the Moïze:-

• SP 15: Barboutin ainé at Metompkin to Ragueneau, Machipongo, Virginia, 29 June 1778;
• SP 16: A Destinne, Marseilles to Captain Pierre Jeancard, 23 June 1778; to sell wine on his behalf on board the ship L'Utile;
• SP 17: Destinne, Marseilles to Pierre Jeancard, Cadiz, 13 July 1778; whale oil and fish trade at Miquelon;
• SP 18: Destinne, Marseilles to Pierre Jeancard, Cadiz 15 July 1778; war news about the evacuation of Philadelphia and D'Estaing abandoning Boston;
• SP 18A: copy of SP 17;
• SP 19: Duler to Ragueneau, Machipongo, 26 March 1778; cannot send him the requested articles as he does not have a cart driver; he should fire the crew if he does not have any work for them;
• SP 20: Duler, Accomack Courthouse to Ragueneau, 31 March 1778; on his way to go testify in court; sends him ropes as requested;
• SP 21: Duler, Accomack Courthouse to Ragueneau, 6 April 1778; has learned with mortification that Ragueneau had a shortage of provisions; will send letters to people who might help him;
• SP 22: Duler, Accomack Courthouse,to Ragueneau, 31 May 1778; sending money for materials and to pay the crew; tobacco trade;
• SP 23: Duler, Accomack Courthouse to Ragueneau, 5 June 1778; sending him tobacco;
• SP 24: Duler, Accomack Courthouse to Ragueneau, 8 June 1778; though oming to Machipongo tomorrow, is sending him money with this;
• SP 25: Duler to Ragueneau, 12 June 1778; sending him tobacco;
• SP 26: Duler, Accomack Courthouse to Ragueneau, 12 June 1778; have someone inspect the tobacco to make sure it is not spoiled;
• SP 27: Duler, Accomack Courthouseto Ragueneau, 13 June 1778; will receive tobacco from Abraham Outten;
• SP 28: Duler to Ragueneau, 14 June 1778, listing the tobacco he should have received;
• SP 29: Duler to Ragueneau, 16 June 1778, listing the tobacco he should have received;
• SP 30: Duler to Ragueneau, 16 June 1778; will come to Machipongo the next day to hire a crew;
• SP 31: Duler, Accomack Courthouse, to Ragueneau, 29 June 1778; sending him tobacco; s sending him tobacco;
• SP 32: Duler, Accomack Courthouse, to Ragueneau, 6 July 1778; will see by Barboutin's letter that he needs to testify at the courthouse;
• SP 32A: Barboutin ainé, Metompkin, Virginia to Ragueneau, 2 July 1778; Ragueneau and Labat have to come to the courthouse to testify about the loss of a ship so the owners can settle with their insurers;
• SP 33: declaration that Duler appointed Pierre Ragueneau as captain of the ship Le Moïze for the price of 2400 livres which Messrs Hirigoyen will pay as owners of the ship, 15 July 1778;
• SP 34: Duler, Accomack Courthouse to Ragueneau, 17 August 1778; will come to Machipongo to help in procuring food after he lost time thinking there was a privateer off the coast;
• SP 35: Duler, Metompkin, to Ragueneau, 21 September 1778; instructions for hiring a crew;
• SP 36: Duler, Metompkin to Ragueneau, 22 September 1778; instructions for hiring a crew; Curtis is saying that he wants to put Ragueneau under arrest and, therefore, Duler suggests that Ragueneau stays on board his ship;
• SP 37: account of expenses, with money received from Duler, 17 September 1778;
• SP 38: Gaudranbe, Marseilles to Merlino, Boston 17 June 1778; they gave a parcel to Captain Pierre Jeaucard, commanding the brigantine l'Utile. They have the highest interest in this expedition as they are close with the shipowner;
• SP 39: Labat to Ragueneau, Machipongo, sending him nails and canvas. The tar and tallow will follow soon;
• SP 40: Labat to Ragueneau, Machipongo; sending him a letter from Barboutin to give to a captain going to Martinique;
• SP 41: Laroque to his brother-in-law, 22 June 1778, sending him letters from his wife;
• SP 42: declaration of C Letellier that he embarked on the ship Le Bourbon de Nantes as a lieutenant, was married in Philadelphia and has been a widower for four years; now lives in Bordeaux and has only been to Virginia once five years ago;
• SP 43: Bernard & Jacques Texier, St. Eustatius to Doerner le jeune & Marc Never & Cie, Williamsburg, Virginia, 3 October 1778; the tobacco trade; rum, sugar and salt are in high demand; news of the Comte d'Estaing's siege of Rhode Island;
• SP 44: Vaugaver Marseilles, to Savage & Westmere, Edenton 15 June 1778; offers to help expand their trade.
• SP 45: calculations about money received from Duler and owed to Labat.

[Papers previously wrongly identified as Court papers: 1-4; Ship's papers: 5-50 (large pencil numbers): sorted and renumbered in 2025].