Surprise (1813 Privateer)

''Surprise'' was a highly successful American privateer schooner. She was launched in 1813 and operated out of Baltimore. She captured over 40 British vessels during her brief career. In one case the capture followed a single-ship action. She was wrecked in April 1815, shortly after the end of the War of 1812.

Voyages

During the voyages below ''Surprise'' would often based out of Brest. From there she would go on cruises of six to eight weeks.

Voyage #1

Captain Clement Cathell commissioned ''Surprise'' on 14 March 1814. Under his command she captured some 12 British vessels.

*''Fidelity'', of North Shields, Hunter, master, was captured on 18 May, off Cape Clear Island, and burnt.
*''James & David'', Foreman, master, a brig, was sailing from Passages when captured on 18 May; ''Surprise'' put the crew of ''Fidelity'' on her too, and then gave her up to the crews, after first dismasting her; the Revenue Cruiser ''Beresford'' towed ''James and David'' into Baltimore, County Cork, that same day.
*''Fox'', Hore, master, a schooner, was captured on 16 May about 80 leagues south of Cork as she was sailing from Poole to Newfoundland; ''Surprise'' took off ''Fox''s most valuable cargo, put aboard the crew of a brig that ''Surprise'' had captured the previous day, and allowed ''Fox'' to proceed. ''Fox'' reached Cork on 18 May.
*''Hebe'', ship, of Leith, was sailing from Halifax to Bermuda with naval stores when ''Surprise'' captured her in March, and sent into North Carolina.
*''Kutusoff'', Turnbull, master, was sailing from La Guaira when ''Surprise'' captured her and sent the brig into Frankfort, Maine.
*''Margaret'', a brig, Omay, master, was sailing from Lisbon to Dublin when ''Surprise'' captured her on 27 May; recaptured ''Margaret'' that day or the next.''Lloyd's List''. Accessed 10 September 2016.
/ref>
*''Vivid'', brig, Ward, master, was sailing from Lisbon to Belfast when ''Surprise'' captured her on 27 May; recaptured ''Vivid'', which then arrived at Cork on 16 June
*''Fortitude'', brig, Touzeau, master, was sailing from Rio de Janeiro to Guernsey when ''Surprise'' captured her on 27 May; sent into Union River (Maine)
*1 unidentified vessel
*''Traveller'', of Lieth, Bishop, master, was sailing from North Bergen to Gibraltar when ''Surprise'' captured her on 8 May; on 11 May, recaptured her and sent her into Portsmouth.''Lloyd's List''
Accessed 10 September 2016.
/ref>
*''Argo'', ship, Sibson, master, was sailing from Dublin and Cork to Quebec when ''Surprise'' captured her on 5 September and sent her to America.List''. Accessed 10 September 2016.
/ref>
*''Lively'', Benn, master, was sailing from Miramichi 2when ''Surprise'' captured and burnt her on 5 September.

Voyage #2

Captain James Barnes commissioned ''Surprise'' on 16 August 1814. Under his command she captured some 21 British vessels.

''Surprise'' had only been out ten days from Rhode Island when she captured:
*''Queen Charlotte'', schooner, sailing from St. John's, Newfoundland to Halifax, burnt.''Lloyd's List''. Accessed 10 September 2016.
/ref>
*''Milnes'', ship, Read, master, sailing from Cork to Miramichi, burnt.
*''Endeavour'', brig (transport), was sailing from Sydney to St. John's, Newfoundland when ''Surprise'' captured her on 2 September at , and sent her to America. However, a frigate encountered ''Endeavour'' and chased her on shore near New York, destroying her.
*''Caledonia'', ship, M'Farlane, master, was sailing from Greenock and Cork to Quebec when ''Surprise'' captured her and sent to America. However, recaptured ''Caledonian'', and sent her into Halifax, where she arrived on 26 October. Still, ''Surprise'' had plundered ''Caledonia'' of 150 packets of her cargo.
*''Traveler'', brig, sailing from Pictou to Harbour Grace, given up to her crew
*''Eagle'', brig, was sailing from St. John's to Halifax, when ''Surprise'' captured and plundered her off Sable Island; ''Surprise'' gave ''Eagle'' up to her crew under cartel, and she arrived at Halifax on 6 September.
*, ship, of Hull, Stevenson, master, was sailing from London to Halifax when ''Surprise'' captured her on 8 September. recaptured her and sent her into St. John's, Newfoundland.
*''Eliza'', brig, Henly, master, was sailing from Prince Edward's Island to Swansea when ''Surprise'' captured her on 8 September off St Peter's Island.
*''Polly'', brig, Becket, master, from Cork to Miramachi, burnt; crew put on ''Eliza''
*''Willing Maid'', brig, Paterson, from London to Pictou, burnt; crew put on ''Eliza''
''Eliza'' arrived at Swansea on 17 October with the three crews.

*''Albion'', brig, sent into New York
*''Ann'', schooner, sunk
*''Charlotte Ann'', schooner, sent into Saco, Maine
*''Doris'', ship, burnt
*''Handy Maid'', brig, burnt
*''Prince Regent'', schooner, burnt; however, ''Regent'', Carr, master, from Portsmouth to Quebec, had been reported sunk by ''Surprise'', but she was reported to have arrived at Quebec on 22 September.''Lloyd's List'' №4924. Accessed 26 July 2019.
/ref>
*''Sally'', schooner, burnt
*''Wellington'', brig, cartel
*3 unidentified.

Voyage #3

Captain Samuel Barstow commissioned ''Surprise'' on 8 November 1814. Under his command she captured some ten British vessels.
*, Black, master, a brig of Greenock, had been sailing from Alicante to Newfoundland when the privateer ''Grand Turk'' captured her. recaptured ''Cossack'', only to have her fall prey to ''Surprise''. ''Surprise'' sent ''Cossack'' into Salem.
*''Forth'', brig, burnt
*''Good Intent'', divested, freed.
*''Hazard'', schooner, burnt
*''Lucy Ann'', schooner, cartel
*''Mary'', schooner, sunk
*''Nancy'', schooner, retaken
*''Sea Flower'', schooner, burnt
*: ''Surprise'' captured the schooner ''Star'' on 28 January 1815, after a single-ship action that lasted an hour. ''Star'' had a crew of 26 men and was armed with eight guns; she had one man killed and one wounded before she struck. ''Surprise'' had no casualties. ''Lloyd's List'' reported that ''Star'', Thompson, master, had been sailing from Batavia to London. ''Surprise'' sent ''Star'' into New York
*Schooner, cartel

Fate

''Surprise'' returned to New York about 6 March. She had been out four months (48 days from Brest) and had captured 11 vessels. She ran aground on 3 April 1815 in a storm at Manasquan. Fifteen of her crew drowned.

Notes

Citations

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Surprise (1813 privateer)
1813 ships
Ships built in the United States
Privateer ships of the United States
Maritime incidents in 1815