Papers of John Adams, volume 6
1778-08-26
Last Evening Arrived at this Port a prize Brig call'd the Archangel from Archangel for London taken by the privateer General Mifflin: Cap. Daniel M'Neil of Boston in Lat 72 North Long 25°East of London.1 The American Arms may truely be said to extend to the Poles. The views of having a privateer to Cruize in them Seas must be truely Partiotic. It can afford no other object than to destroy the British Whale Fishery from which no private benifit can result to indemnify the Charges. The Hudson Bay Ships dont fall within 20 degrees of that Station.
Since my last arrived a Boat from Boston belonging to Mr. Basmarin & Co. brought Accounts up to the 7th July which contain few if any Occurences other than already at your Hands. I have a paper of the 6th entirely barren.
Captain Ayres stil continues in a declining State. I have placed him in the Country to try if change of Air can Assist him the Doctor is of opinion he is too far gone.2
The Vessel is ready for Sea on the Shortest Notice. I have the Honor to be with due Respect Gentm. Your Most devoted Humble Servant,
That is, off the North Cape. Bondfield's surprise at the location of the capture is understandable in view of the general reluctance of privateers to cruise anywhere but in areas where enemy merchant ships were likely to be plentiful.
Daniel McNeill was an experienced and very successful privateer captain, who either commanded or held some interest in at least ten different vessels during the course of the Revolution. He later served in the United States Navy and acquired substantial real estate holdings in Boston (
DAB
; Allen, Mass. Privateers
, p. 148 and passim).
Ayres died in September (Bondfield to the Commissioners, 15 Sept., PPAmP: Franklin Papers).
1778-08-26
The General Mifflin Privateer Cap: McNeal arrived here yesterday. He sail'd from Portsmouth the 8th. of May last and has been for two months past cruizing in the North Seas, where, and at the mouth of the Channel, he made thirteen prizes, five of which he sunk. The rest he sent to America and this Kingdom, one of which is arrived in this port, (a french Brig loaded with suggars Coffee and Cotton from Guadeloupe) which he retook after it's being upwards of Eighty hours in possession of the enemy.1 As Cap: McNeil has got about fifty English prisoners on board, I request (being encharged with the care of his Bussiness) you will inform me, if they wou'd not procure the liberty of an equal number of our suffering Country Men now in England, and what wou'd be the means proper to be used to effect it. The important trust's of our Country, which you are invested with, will, I flatter myself, procure me your answer to this letter, without delay, in expectation of which I remain with truth Honorable Gentlemen Your assurd hl
The Isabelle, the subject of considerable controversy and correspondence among the Commissioners, McNeill, Moylan, and Sartine through October.