More Ship Drama
A letter to THE George Washington . . . and what a letter it is! I'm so curious how word got back to Reuben Swain that his children were in danger. The Swains were adventurers and this one must have been the talk of the family for years to come. I will have to research further to find out what became of Obed Bunker and Elisha Swain and if any of their stories live on.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw4.037_0486_0489/?sp=4
To George Washington Esquire
General and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in America
Nantucket 7 mo 23rd 1776
Respected Friend,
Respected Friend,
I have desired the bearer Micajah Coffin to wait on thee to request thy Permission
for liberty to make a request to Lord Howe for the liberation of a son of mine and two sons in law that were taken about five weeks ago on their return from along and tedious whale voyage on the coast of Brazil one of my sons in law and my own son were in the Brig Speedwell Elisha Swain. The other son in law in the Brig Pembroke Obed Bunker and now supposed detained on board the Greyhound Ship of War Capt. Dixon -- the consideration and anxious concern that must attend parents and near relations who have there children and near connections placed in such disagreeable situations I hope will induce thee to suffer some mode of Application for there relief, which shall be accepted with gratitude as a favor done to thy respectful and assur ______. Reuben Swain
On 24 June HM Frigate Greyhound (Captain Archibald Dickson) was twenty-seven miles east of Sandy Hook. She had collected four prizes en route to Sandy Hook, but all parted on the morning of that day.13 Montgomery went out on patrol with the General Schuyler soon after, and they fell in with Greyhound’s prizes on 27 June.14 Two whaling brigs belonging to Nantucket,15 the Speedwell16 (Bunker)17 and the Pembroke,18 a schooner bound to Massachusetts from the West Indies (the Hiram)19 and a sloop with lumber, outward bound from Rhode Island (the Nonesuch, William Hefferman)20 were all recaptured. Valuable intelligence was recovered from the prisoners.21 All prizes were escorted into Fire Island where the prisoners were sent to headquarters under guard.22 The New York Marine Committee sent William Mercier, on 28 June, to take charge of the prizes. He was to unload the vessels, transporting their cargoes to Huntington by wagon, with the necessary papers for condemnation. The vessels were to be left at Fire Island for the time being, as it was unsafe to bring them around the east end of Long Island.23
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