The Alphabetical List of 278 Officers and Men of the Frigate Confederacy captured on 14 April 1781 is derived from the rolls of the HMS Orpheus (ADM 36/10099) and HMS Roebuck (ADM 36/8644), as well as the Jersey Prison Ship (ADM 36/9578) transcribed at the National Archives in Kew, England by Joseph and Joshua Ross in February 2014. The list has been edited to offer a complete spelling of the abbreviated Christian name and includes various derivations of names in brackets from entries in all three British vessels, as well as other sources. The list has also been annotated to include rate or quality if known in parenthesis. Rate and qualities are largely taken from a crew list of frigate Confederacy dated 3 November 1780 contributed by William M. Irvine of Philadelphia and published on pages 438-9 of “The Era: An Illustrated Monthly Magazine of Literature and of General Interest” (1901). According to Captain Seth Harding’s testimony in the Confederacy Prize Court Records (HCA 32/298) taken on 23 April 1781, the 942-ton 36-gun frigate Confederacy was carrying 290 officers and men along with six passengers when captured by the Roebuck and Orpheus under the command of Andrew Snape Douglas and John Colpoys respectively. Captain Harding testified that his crew was partly recruited at Philadelphia and partly at Cape Francois which explains all deviations in the crew list recorded in November 1780 to April 1781. Harding further testified that the vessel was loaded with a cargo of dry goods, sugar, coffee, tea and other merchandize shipped by “Mr. Lawrence Agent for the Congress at Cape Francois for and on Account of the United States of America, except [for] some Private Adventures belonging to the officers of the said Frigate.” His final admission to the Prize Court was “that he destroyed several Papers after the said Frigate struck to his Majesty’s said ships.” Interestingly, one of two documents confiscated in the capture and still remaining in the British National Archives collection is Seth Harding’s original commission as Captain in the Continental Navy dated at Philadelphia on 25 September 1778.
Francis Ayre
John Aikens [Akins, Aitkins] (Seaman)
William Allen
Dotter Andrews
Jonathan Andrews
John Appleby (Seaman)
John Barren
Joseph Bartrum [Bartram, Bartrump, Bertram] (Midshipman)
Ivory Basset [Bassett, Bastin] Marine
Robert Basto (Seaman)
Benjamin Beebe [Beeby, Bevey]
Joshua Beebe [Beevy, Beevey] (Landsman)
James Bethy (Seaman)
Gordon [Gurdon] Bill (Lieutenant of Marines)
Cato Black (Marine)
John Bogart
Jesse Brade [Breed] (Midshipman)
John Bradford
John Brady (Marine)
Michael Brady (Seaman)
James Bryan [Brien] Seaman
John Bryan #1 [Brian] (Landsman)
John Bryan #2 [Brian] (Marine)
Aaron Brooks (Marine)
Charles Brooks (Seaman)
John Brown (Boy)
Merrit Brown (Seaman)
Thomas Brown (Marine)
Thomas Brown (Seaman)
John Buck [Bucks] (Seaman)
Francis Burrage [Burridge] (Landsman)
Alexander Burch [Burt] (Landsman)
Joshua Buffum (Seaman)
Alexander Campbell
James Campbell (Boy)
Lewis Kale [Kail]
George Capstick (Seaman)
Thomas Carleton [Carlton] (Landsman)
Anthony Carner [Carney]
John Cary [Carey] (Boy)
Richard Casey
William Cassady [Cassidy] (Marine)
Britton Chapman (Midshipman)
Benjamin Chittington
Henry Christie [Christy, Christian] (Surgeon’s Mate)
Mitchell [Ignatius M.] Clements
Edward Cleveland [Cleaveland] (Landsman)
John Cohollon [Cohauling, Cohanting] (Marine)
Thomas Collett (Marine)
James Collins [Collings] (Steward’s Mate)
Thomas Condon [Conden]
Stafford Condon [Congdon]
Robert Connor (Boy)
Mathias Craft [Boatswain]
James Creighton [Chreighton, Craton] (Marine)
William Crispin (Carpenter’s Crew)
Levi Culver [Culve, Culvi] (Marine)
James Cummins [Cowins, McCowan, McCawen] (Seaman)
James Dailey [Daily] (Marine)
Christian Daniel
Eleazor Darby [Elisa Dalby, Dolby] (Gunner)
John Davis [Davies]
Samuel Davies [Davies] (Acting Surgeon’s Mate)
John Davidson [Davison]
Nathaniel Dawson
Mons. Democaux
Mons. Demoux
Charles Denieb
James Devereux [Devericks, Deverix] (Boy)
Samuel [John] Deverick
John Diamond
Henry Ditto [Dittoe]
Nathan Dorsey (Surgeon)
Robert Douglas [Douglass] (Master-at-Arms)
Peter Doyle (Landsman)
William Doyle
Pierce Drinkwater
David Dumerou
Peter Durfey
Thomas Edgar
Andrew Edwards (Seaman)
John Effrern (Seaman)
Caraway Egan [Hagan]
James Emanuel [Emmanuel] (Seaman)
Lewis Evans (Carpenter’s Mate)
Thomas Ferdino [Vandivo]
Daniel [Dennis] Finn
Samuel Foote
John Founds (Seaman)
John Fowler
Thomas Foy [Foye]
David Freeman
John Freeman (Marine)
Edward Gilbertson (Landsman)
Henry Gillinger (Seaman)
William Godfrey [Godfrie] (Gunner’s Yeoman)
John Gallard [Gollard, Gullard] Cook
Andrew Gordon (Marine)
James Gordon (Marine)
Peter Grant
William Grant
John Green
Ebenezer Greenough [Grenough, Greenock] (Seaman)
Stephen Gregory (3rd Lieutenant)
George Griffy (Seaman)
John Grigg
Robert Grome
Simon Gross (1st Lieutenant)
John Gruness [Grunness, Garnass, Gournass] (Seaman)
George Gilchrist [Guilchrist]
James Hall (Seaman)
Richard Halley
John Haley (Landsman)
John Hamilton [Hambleton]
Josiah Hand (Marine)
Peter Hanscourt [Howcourt]
Seth Harding (Captain)
Thomas Harris (Boy)
John Hart (Seaman)
James Harvey (Seaman)
Peter Hayes [Haynes, Heynes] (Drummer)
Charles Hatmore
Benjamin Hazard (Volunteer)
Absalom Hendricks [Henricks]
Thomas Hill
Samuel Holt (Captain of Marines)
Conrad Hoffman [Huffman, Hoofman] (Marine)
Jesse Hunt (Landsman)
Robert Hunt
Turtle Hunter (Seaman)
Black Jack #1 [Jack Negro] (Boy)
Black Jack #2
John Jack (Seaman)
John James (Seaman)
Solomon Jenkins
James Johnson #1 [Johnston]
James Johnson #2 [Johnston]
Peter Johnson [Johnston]
Samuel Johnson [Johnston] (Gunner)
William Johnson #1 [Johnston] (Seaman)
William Johnson #2 [Johnston]
Jacob Jones [Johns] (Landsman)
John Jones #1 (Seaman)
John Jones #2 (Seaman)
John Jones #3
Patrick [Peter] Kelly (Seaman)
William Kennedy
John Knight (Seaman)
Jeremiah [Jedidiah] Knox (Seaman)
Gustaf Frederick Kjellman [Kyelman]
Charles Land (Marine)
Henry Land (Surgeon’s Mate)
David Latham (Volunteer)
Jacque LeCerfe
Thomas Lee
Richard Lee (Marine)
John Lilling
John London
Ezekiel Lotts [Letts] (Cabin Steward)
Philip Lovitt [Lowett]
Thomas Lowe
Skipper Lunt
John Linton [Lynton] (Seaman)
Ezekiel Lyons (Cooper)
Edmund Mando [Titus Mendo] (Landsman)
James Maxwell (Marine)
John Maxwell (Steward’s Mate)
Patrick McAllister [McCaslaster, McCollister] (Marine)
Caleb McCulley [Caleph McCollough]
Daniel McDonald (Landsman)
William McGloughlan [McGlaughlin] (Seaman)
Henry McGuiness [McGuinness, McGinnis] (Landsman)
George McKenzie [McKinzie]
Francis McLane [McLain, McClean] (Marine)
James McMichael [McMickle]
John Merrell
Jacob Miller
William Miller (Seaman)
George Montgomery (Marine)
John Montgomery (Seaman)
James Moore
Thomas Moore (Carpenter)
Ariah Morehouse [Rial Mourehouse, Moorhouse] (Midshipman)
Henry Morgan
Christopher Morrell [or Warrell]
James Morton (Boatswain)
John Mowles (Seaman)
James Moyland (Seaman)
Patrick Murphy [Murfey] (Marine)
Brian Murray [Murry, Murphy] (Carpenter’s Crew)
Keile Myres [Cale Myers, Mires] (Marine)
William Nelson
Joseph Nichols (Seaman)
Henry Norris (Boy)
William Nourse (Midshipman)
Patrick O’Hara [O’Harra] (Marine)
James [John] Oldsmith
John Parker (Seaman)
Jonathan Perkins
David Phipps (2nd Lieutenant)
James Pine (Seaman)
Louis Pinot
William Potter (Seaman)
Thomas Powell (Seaman)
William Raleigh
Edward Randall (Landsman)
Thomas Raydon (Seaman)
James Richards (Acting Midshipman)
James Reiley [Riley]
Philip Riley [Reiley] (Marine)
Alexander Rieve (Seaman)
John Rieves [Reives]
John Rigby (Seaman)
Joseph Rigo [Rigou, Rigow] (Boy)
Charles Robertson [Robinson]
George Robertson [Robinson] (Seaman)
John Robertson [Robinson] (Steward)
Philip Robson (Seaman)
John [Peter] Roger
James Ross (Seaman)
John Ross (Seaman)
William Ross (Seaman)
Benjamin Rothrock [Rothors, Rotters] (Armorer)
Patrick Rowland [Rowlin]
John Rowley [Rowly]
John Sachell [Satchell] (Boy)
Jonathan Sachell [Satchell] (Coxswain, Quartermaster)
Joseph Sampson
Robert Saunders [Sanders]
Christopher Scott (Seaman)
Peter Seville [Leville]
Patrick Shannon (Carpenter’s Crew)
Jeremiah Shaw
Jesse Sipp (Boy)
Jack [John] Smith (Marine)
William Smith #1 (Marine)
William Smith #2
Thomas Smithson
Samuel Salmon [Soloman] (Seaman)
Thomas Spencer (Barber)
Joshua Spriggs
William Stanley [Stanly] (Marine)
Daniel Stedham
John Steel (Seaman)
William Still (Seaman)
Joseph Stroud
Patrick Sullivan
John Sweeney [Sweney, Swiney] (Marine)
John Tanner [Turner] (Sailing Master)
John Taylor (Landsman)
David Thomas (Seaman)
John Thomas
John Thompson (Seaman)
Joseph [Jacob] Tobin (Seaman)
John Trevor [Trever] (Seaman)
John Truman
Oliver Tucker
Terence Turner [Terime Tweney]
George Vanblacken (Seaman)
Thomas Vick (Seaman)
John Raydon Walker (Seaman)
Samuel Walker (Quartermaster)
Robert Warnick [Warnock] (Boy)
Christopher Watmon
John Watson #1 [Whatson] (Seaman)
John Watson #2
Nellum Wells
William Wells [Wills] (Carpenter’s Crew)
Lloyd Wharton (Acting Midshipman)
Thomas Wharton (Seaman)
Felix Wibert
John Williams #1 (Marine)
John Williams #2
Richard Williams
Joseph Windsor
Edward Wood (Boy)
Mons. Wuorbore
John Young (Midshipman)