Piece
Transferred to ADM 1/8998
Catalogue reference: ADM 1/8766/75
Transferred to ADM 1/8998
Item
Folios 537-538: Robert Murray, HMS Asia, Chatham. States the case of John Smith,...
Catalogue reference: ADM 1/2138/222
What’s it about?
This record is about the Folios 537-538: Robert Murray, HMS Asia, Chatham. States the case of John Smith,... dating from 1800 Dec 18 in the series Admiralty, and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department: Correspondence and Papers. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
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Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- ADM 1/2138/222
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1800 Dec 18
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Description (What the record is about)
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Folios 537-538: Robert Murray, HMS Asia, Chatham. States the case of John Smith, whom he describes as an 'American free mulatto' serving aboard the Asia. When they were recently in Chesapeake Bay, blockading two French frigates under the command of Commodore Barney, Smith went ashore and was able to procure a certificate showing that he was an American citizen born in Norfolk, Princess Ann County, Virginia. Captain Murray reports he was apprehensive that if he contested the case, the local magistrates would realise that the squadron had a lot of other American seamen on board. He applied to Colonel John Hamilton, the British Consul at Norfolk, and together they persuaded Smith to return to the ship voluntarily so that he would be able to draw the wages due to him, which he desired in order to purchase his mother's freedom. This was on the understanding that Captain Murray would secure his discharge once they returned to England. Asks the Admiralty to order Smith's discharge.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Former department reference (Former identifier given by the originating creator)
- Cap M261
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C19953368/
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Series information
ADM 1
Admiralty, and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department: Correspondence and Papers
See the series level description for more information about this record.
Catalogue hierarchy
Over 27 million records
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
2,473,747 records
Within the department: ADM
Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
136,264 records
Within the series: ADM 1
Admiralty, and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department: Correspondence and Papers
225 records
Within the piece: ADM 1/2138
Letters from Captains, Surnames M. (Described at item level).
You are currently looking at the item: ADM 1/2138/222
Folios 537-538: Robert Murray, HMS Asia, Chatham. States the case of John Smith,...
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