On June 15, 1789, Abraham Whipple wrote a letter to George Washington, the United States
Senate and the House of Representatives. The following links are to
facsimiles of most of the eleven pages of a copy of a letter made two months earlier, on
August 14, 1789. (Submitted to the Whipple Website by Ralph W. Lange [ralsal@eriecoast.com].)
Providence Aug.14th 1789
Sir
I beg leave with sentiments of the greatest
deference and
respect to your Excellency and the Honorable Senate; and House of
Representatives of the United States to Submit the under written
Transcript from my Memorial laid before the Honorable Congress of
the United States in June 1786 to wit.
On the Fifteenth of June 1775 while Sir James Wallace with
the Rose British Ship of War and a number of tenders lay in Naraganset Bay, I was appointed by the Legislature of the Colony
of Rhode Island to the command of a Sloop of 12 Guns and a tender
of Six, in order to clear the Bay of the Enemys Tenders and open a Communication
to the Sea for the numerous Vessels which had long
been block’d up in our Harbour and River. By my exertions, on the
first day of my command, I had the good Fortune to take one of the
British Tenders and clear’d the Bay of the remainder, whereby the
principal part of our home ward bound Vessels arrived Safe without
Opposition, and the Day became memorable for the first shot that
was fired on the Water in Defiance of the British Flag, which I
Ventured to do at no small Hazard, from a sense of my Country
wrong’d and at a time when no other Man in the Colony would under-
take the Hazardous Business lest he should be destined to the
threatened Cord [Hangman's Rope].
I continued cruising in our Bay and Rivers until the 12th of
September 1775 during which period I had a number of Actions with
Vessels of superior Force, which were productive of advantages to
America, and served to convince our Enemies that her Sons wanted
not Spirit to defend their just Rights even against a very formidable Power, and under almost every
discouragement. I was then
ordered by the Colony to go to the Island of Bermuda in order to seize on the Gunpowder in the British Magazines there, but
although it had been carried off previous to our arrival, I ran
great risque of being Captured, there being at the time two
British Ships of War at that Island. On the 9th of October I
returned to Rhode Island, and continued cruising in the Rivers and
Bay until the 9th of December when I received orders from Congress
to proceed with the Sloop under my immediate command to Philadelphia. On my arrival Congress Honored me with the Command of the
Ship Columbus and placed me under the orders of Commodore Hopkins.
On the 17th of February after having been froze up in the
Delaware we sailed on an Expedition against New Providence. Soon
after our arrival there in March, we invaded and took the Fort.
(the circumstances attending which are well known.) possessing Ourselves of 450 Tons of Cannon Shot and Shells; articles then
much wanted for the defence of this Country, which were applied to
its use and were of Signal Service on various occasions. On my
return from the Expedition I took several of the Enemys Vessels,
amongst which was a schooner of Twelve Guns; Here permit me to
remark that I have never received a Farthing of Prize Money either
for Artillery Ammunition etc. or Vessels taken on the Expedition,
Although our Success did not answer my wishes and expectations yet
I was happy after the closed investigation at Philadelphia, that
my Conduct was so far approved that Congress directed me to resume
the Command of their Ship.
On the 10th of August following, I ran the gauntlet amidst the
Enemy got to Sea and soon after took five Sugar Ships two of which
arrived at Boston and Portsmouth the other three were retaken. On
my return to Providence on the 8th of October I found that Congress
had further distinguished me with the Command of the Providence
Frigate then fitting for Sea at Newport.
On the 7th of December the British Fleet and Army arrived at
Newport, a circumstance which obliged me for the Preservation of
the Ship, to run up the River, where we lay part of the time
completely Man’d until March 20th 1778. I then received orders to
fit and proceed to Sea, to carry Dispatches to France.
On the 30th of April at Night, got under Sail, and ran out of
the Bay in a Shattered condition having not only had a Severe Conflict with the Lark British Frigate, which had been fitted and
manned purposely to take me in which. I disabled her, but sustained
part of the Fire from seven other Ships of War which I was obliged
to pass. After narrowly escaping a British Ship of the Line the
next day at Sea. I arrived at Nantz, the port of my destination in
26 Days carrying in with me a British Brig laden with Wine. Having
delivered the Dispatches of Congress to their Commissioners at the
Court of France, I received their orders to repair my Ship and to
take in Copper, Arms, Ammunition, and cloathing, and then to
proceed to Brest, there take under my command the Boston Frigate,
and the Ranger Sloop of War, which I did accordingly. And by
their orders Sailed the 26 Day of August for Boston, where we
arrived most seasonably for the Continent on the 13th of October,
having captured three Prizes on the Passage.
The 9th of March 1779 I received orders from the Navy Board in
the Eastern Department to cruise in Boston Bay for the Safety of
the Navigation, and in quest of the Enemys cruisers, and returned
the 4th of April Following, there lay until the 23rd of June, when I
again received orders from the same Board to proceed on a cruise
with the Ranger, and Queen of France under my command. On the 24th
of July we fell in with, and followed the Jamaica Fleet, and by
various Maneuvers took Ten of them having on board 6000 lbs. of
Sugar and Rum, bailed Ginger, Pimento, and Cotton. Eight of these
Prizes (mounting 118 Guns) we carried into Boston. On the 23 of
November the three Ships being repaired I received orders from
Congress to proceed to Charleston in South Carolina, for the
purpose of Co’operating with General Lincoln in the defense of
that Capitol. The Season being tempestuous the Squadron under my
Command (consisting of 4 Ships) arrived considerably damaged on
the 18th of December.
On the 20th of January 1780 by the consent of General Lincoln,
I sailed on a Cruise of observation, fell in with the Enemy Fleet
from New York, and took four of them. Being chased into the Harbor
by four British Ships of War, we then sent our whole force and
strained every nerve for the defense of the Town. The particulars
of the Siege with the Struggles and Sufferings of the Army and
Navy need not be restated, they must be well known to Congress as
they are to the World. I Shall only observe, that I faithfully
exerted myself on this interesting occasion to promote the
interest and honor of my Country and tho the town was surrendered,
American Honor triumphant. My men having been Shipped for a Six
Month Cruise in a warm climate and my Vessel destitute of
cloathing, these unfortunate fellows were reduced to the greatest
distress from the ferocity of the memorable inclement Winter of
1780. Feeling for their Misery which I have not the language to describe I purchased cloathing and necessary Stores for the
Several Ships and delivered the same to the respective Persons,
the people were by this means relieved at my expense, and the
whole amount of what they received was stopped out of their Wages.
Yet I have never been reimbursed a single farthing. On the 12th of
May the Capitulation took place and we all became Prisoners of
War, I agreed with the British Admiral for all our Parole engaging
that the Seamen and Marines should be exchanged. The last of June
we arrived at Chester Pennsylvania, great Numbers of my People
languishing under the Small Pox and a variety of other diseases, I
hired a house for their reception and accommodation at my own
particular Expense, whereby I am persuaded many usefull lives were
preserved to this Country. I remained Two Years, and Seven Months
as a Prisoner when I was at last exchanged for Captain Gayton of
the Romulus a 44 Gun Ship, during which Time as I was deprived of
the power of doing business for my support, I suffered heavily in
my Finance which in addition to my dispersements for my Country,
in the cause of Justice and Humanity, became very scanty and
precarious opening a gloomy prospect of their entire Dissolution
without leaving a Wreck behind.
Thus having exhausted the means of supporting myself and
Family, I was reduced to the sad necessity of Mortgaging my little
Farm, the Remnant I had left, to obtain money for a temporary subsistence. This little Farm is now gone having been sued out of
Possession, and turned into the World with my Wife and Children,
destitute of a House or Home, that I can call my own or have the
means of living. This calamity has arisen from these two Causes,
First from my disbursing large sums in France and Charlestown for
the service of the United States.
In France I expended to the amount of 360 French Guineas, a
large part of that sum was appropriated to the pay of a company of
Marines, the other part for sea stores to accommodate a number of
Gentleman Passengers sent on board by the commissioner, to take
passage for America for which I have never been recompensed. And
secondly my having served the United States from the 15th of June
1775 to December 1782 without having received a Farthing of Wages
or subsistence since Dec. 1776. My advances in France and
Charlestown Amount to near 7000 dollars in Specie exclusive of
interest the repayment of which, or a part of it might be the
happy means of regaining the Farm I have been obliged to give up,
and snatch my Family from Misery and Ruin.
And further that in June of 1786 I wrote fully to Congress on
the subject requesting a speedy settlement which they forthwith directed and thus was found due to me the sum of Eight Thousand
Three Hundred and twenty Dollars which I received in final
settlement and from necessity for the support of my Family have
since Disposed of the greater part of them at the rate of 2/6 on
the pound, where by I realized but one Eight part of what was due
to me from the States for my service and expenditures in their
Behalf, and am at present out of Business and in no way of
supporting myself and Family but by exhausting the small Remainder
of my Property, in which case I must be intered destitute in some
future period when the Debilities of old age may render me unfit
for business, and myself and Family become the Victims of Poverty
and Distress.
To prevent which as well as to serve my Country on every
occasion I earnestly wish some Appointment in the Naval Department
under the new Government of the United States, in which case I
doubt not of giving such satisfaction as shall gain the approbation of the Authority under whom I may hold such an appointment. And
altho at present I am an Inhabitant of a State who has not as yet
acceeded to the new Constitution of the States, I consider myself
not a citizen of any particular State but as a Citizen of the
States at large and Sincerely wish for the Good of the particular
State in which I at present reside that they would as speedily as
possible Join in Union with the Sister States.
And Altho this State does not at present approve of the
present Federal Government, yet this is not the case with every
individual in the State. It may not be improper for me just to
observe that from an inviolable attachment to my Country and my
wishes for its prosperity and Dignity, I have ever been friendly
to the Principles on which the present Government is founded, And
am conseiory that the Consideration of its salutary consequences
to the Country will be a Sufficient Inducement to cause my utmost
exertion in its behalf, and should there be a necessity of a Naval
Establishment of any kind, I should think myself happy in receiving
an Appointment there in which would be gratefully Accepted by your
Excellencys very. Respectful and Devoted Humble Servant
Abraham Whipple
Copy of a Letter sent to your Excellency June 15 1789
His Excellency George Washington President of the United States
