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The American sloop-of-war the Providence, of twelve
Rhode-Island, October 8, 1776.
Account of the Cruise of the American Sloop-of-War Providence
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guns and seventy men, sailed from the Delaware the 21st of August, 1776. She cruised between the latitude of 39° and 33° north, and went to the eastward as far as the longitude of 50° west, having taken three prizes, a whaler and two West Indiamen, and having had a very narrow escape from an English frigate after a chase of six hours part of the time within pistol shot. On the 14th September, she bent her course for Nova-Scotia; and on the 20th had another affair with an English frigate, and in the course of an eight hours' chase, ridiculed the enemy and answered his broadside with only a single musket, although the Savage and Dawson' s brig were within a few leagues distance. She next day went into Canso and took three English schooners with a Scotch Tory' s flag, and, the day following, she took five sail of Jerseymen in Narrowshopk, and four more in Peter de Great: and it is remarkable, that though they were ten in number to one of the Providence' s men, they were so panick-struck that they not only gave up their ships but even assisted to rig and carry them out of their harbours. The Providence then proceeded to the westward, took another whaler on St˙ George' s Bank, and on the 7th of October arrived safe at Rhode-Island, having manned and sent in eight prizes, viz: six brigantines, one ship, and one sloop, and sunk, burnt, and destroyed eight more, viz: six schooners, one ship, and one brigantine; and finished her cruise in six weeks and five days.