Captain Thomas Simpson and the ship Ranger arrived at Portsmouth on 15 October 1778 in company with Continental Navy frigates Providence and Boston and three prizes taken during the transatlantic crossing after having departed Brest, France on 21 August 1778. The ship-of -war Ranger underwent a refit between mid-October 1778 and 24 February 1779 when the Ranger again departed Portsmouth to rendezvous with Continental Navy ships Warren and Queen of France. The three departed Boston on 13 March 1779 under the command of Captain John B. Hopkins. Cruising down the Atlantic seaboard, the squadron took their first prize, the 10-gun privateer schooner Hibernia on 6 April 1779. The following day, the Continental Navy ships fell into an enemy fleet and captured seven more prizes: the 20-gun ship Jason; 16-gun ship Maria; brigs Patriot, Prince Ferdinand, John, Batchelor and the schooner Chance. The Queen of France returned to Boston with Maria, Hibernia and three of the brigs on 20 April 1779 while the ship Ranger returned to Portsmouth about the same time. The ship Ranger again left Portsmouth on 18 June 1779 to cruise in company with the Providence and Queen of France. Cruising again off the Newfoundland Banks during mid-July, the little squadron fell in with the Jamaican fleet of about 150 ships undetected in the dense fog of early morning. Masquerading as British vessels, the three American warships sailed amidst the enemy fleet all day dispatching boarding parties manning small boats. Taking eleven prizes while not firing a shot or raising any alarm, the Continental Navy vessels and their prizes slipped away from the fleet under the cover of night. Eight of the prizes were sent into Boston accompanied by the Providence with their aggregate cargo valued over one million dollars. The ship Ranger again returned to her home port at Portsmouth where yet another re-provisioning was done.
No muster roll of the Ranger’s last crew has yet been located although from the pension records, clearly at least one survived the War for Independence. According to the testimony of 1st Lieutenant Elijah Hall found in pension applications, the rolls of Ranger’s first cruise “are lost or mislaid”. However, a number of the pensioners refer to a roll of the Ranger in the possession of 1st Lieutenant Elijah Hall between 1818 and 1820 when they filed their applications for a pension. The pension application #S23909 of Benjamin Shute includes a sworn statement by Hall referring to the “original roll now in my possession.” Another statement by Hall refers to the list in his possession of the “Officers & People” of that vessel “made at Charleston”. In addition, the pension application #W-750 of William Hilton includes an 11 March 1835 letter signed by the first Commissioner of Pensions James L. Edwards which indicates the War Department Pension Office confirmed the seaman’s service on the Ranger based “on the roll of that ship in this office”. It is possible the roll earlier in Lieutenant Hall’s possession made its way to the Pension Office. This alphabetized list includes alternate spellings in parentheses, followed by pension application number, state pension was processed through, their rate or quality on the ship, hometown if identified, dates of service and assorted comments found in the pension records.
Barsham Allen, S29581, MA, Mariner, Wells, put on prize Blenheim, fell in hole in 11/1779, “hurt himself badly”, lost two fingers and broke shoulder
Simeon Applebee, S16608, MA, Marine, Berwick, 10/79-5/12/80
William Blunt, W23633, NH, Seaman, Portsmouth, 10/11/77-5/12/80, married to Polly Fernald sister of Amos Fernald
James Boyce (Boice), S36920, NH, Marine, 10/79-5/12/80
James Chesley, W15996, NH, Marine, Barrington, entered at Pepperell’s Cove in Portsmouth Harbor 11/1778, put on 16-gun Jason and brought into Boston
Abram Cook, W23840, MA, Marine Drummer, Lebanon, Fall 79- 5/12/80, also served in war of 1812
David Corson, S22696, NH, Seaman, Milton, went also on Julius Caesar under Nathaniel Bentley
John Davis, S45718, NH, Seaman, Kittery, 10/16/79-5/12/80
John Fifield, W17500, NH, Sergeant of Marines, Milton, 10/79-5/12/80, formerly on Hancock when captured
Thomas Garland, W15901, NH, Marine, Middletown, 5/24/79-9/79
James Gooch, S22268, NH, Captain’s Clerk, Portsmouth, 9/77-5/12/80, made Purser 6/79 at Boston, formerly Captain’s Clerk on frigate Raleigh under Thompson
Ezra Green, S4303, NH, Surgeon, Dover, 6/77-10/79, Commission at Fort under Col. James Read 1/1/1776
Elijah Hall, 1st Lieutenant
Isaac Hanson, W2616, NH, Marine/Seaman, Dover, 6/5/79-5/12/80, enlisted 1st as Marine, Seaman on 2nd Cruise, on Saratoga under John Young afterward
Samuel Hill, W21317, MA, Seaman, Eliot, 10/20/79-5/12/80
William Hilton, W7750, MA, Seaman, Cornville, 10/9/1779-5/12/80, “Master of the Main Top”
Samuel Holbrook, W16605, NH, Seaman
John Hooper, according to Andrew Sherburne
Solomon Hopkins, S35422, ME, Seaman/Quartermaster, Saco, 7/78-5/12/80, entered at Brest, escaped to NC from Charleston
David Horsom, S31142, MA, Berwick, 8/79-Fall 1779, continued from Boston, put on 1st prise taken, 3 weeks later retaken, carried to West Indies
Samuel Horsom, S31134, MA, Seaman, Berwick, 4/1/79-10/79, served as “waister on the main deck” left at Boston
Solomon Hutchins, S10891, MA, Marine/Coxswain, Kittery, 10/77-10/78 & 10/27/78-5/12/80, put on prize, captured, taken to Halifax, rejoined vessel
John Jenkins (Junkins), W1616, NH, Mariner, York, 10/79-5/12/80
Stephen Jones, W766, MA, Seaman, Berwick, 10/79-5/12/80, later entered on ship Alexander under Thomas Simpson, Captain
Benjamin Libbey, W22967, MA, Seaman, Berwick
Samuel Libbey, S37178, NH, Marine, Berwick, 6/18/79-5/12/80
Elias Lord, W21582, MA, Marine, 1779-5/12/80
Thomas Lord, Cooper, according to Andrew Sherburne
William Morris, S37261 & W21824, MA, Lieutenant of Marines, Scituate, 7/78-5/12/80, ordered on Alliance from 11/81 to 5/82, killed at St. Claire 1793
Samuel Odiorn, S36710, ME, Kittery
Samuel Palmer, W23383, NH, Sergeant of Marines, Rochester, Fall 1778-Winter 1779
Pierce Powers, W24264, NH, Midshipman/Masters Mate, Dover, 10/77-5/12/80, right arm shot off, amputated above elbow, died 6/29/80 of Yellow Fever on way home
Benjamin Quint, S45091, NH, Mariner
John Raynes, S45094, NH, Captain’s Clerk, Portsmouth, 10/20/79-5/12/80
John Ricker, S11290, NH, Sergeant of Marines, 10/77-4/28/79 & 8/79-5/12/80, 1st Orderly Sergeant of Marines then Midshipman, in charge of Marines after Wallingford’s death, discharge from Simpson in file
Maturen Ricker, S19052, MA, Seaman, Berwick, 8/79-5/12/80
Noah Ricker, R-8791, NH, Marine, Berwick, 9/1/79-5/80, put on prize Dolphin 1/80
Charles Roberts, Boatswain (Bosun), in 1779, according to Barsham Allen & Andrew Sherburne
George Roberts, W22105, NH, Mariner, Middletown, 9/77-10/78 & 4/79-11/79, discharged at Portsmouth
Joseph Roberts, S16519, NH, Marine, Rochester, 9/1/79-5/12/80
Michael Ryan, S45133, NH, Seaman, 9/77-10/78 & 2/79-5/79
Andrew Sherburne, S42225, NH, Boy/Seaman, 4/79-5/12/80, entered as “a lad” “waiter to an officer” 1st to Mr. Charles Roberts, Boatswain, later Mr. Pierce Powers, Master’s Mate
Benjamin Shute, S23909, NH, Corporal of Marines, 9/28/79-5/12/80
Thomas Simpson, Captain
William Stacy, S37446, MA, Marine/Seaman, 9/77-10/78 & 4/79-11/79, Fore Top Seaman under Daniel Wise
Mark Staples, W22297, MA, Kittery
Richard Tyney, S41277, NH, Seaman, 10/19/79-5/12/80
Joseph Wardwell, W22496, ME, Volunteer Seaman, Frankfurt, 9/28/79-5/12/80
James Weymouth, S29540, NH, Seaman, Portsmouth, 5/29/79-5/12/80, half uncle of Andrew Sherburne, captured at Charleston
Timothy Weymouth, half uncle of (but like a brother to) Andrew Sherburne, captured at Charleston
Daniel Wise, W22635, MA, Seaman, Kennebunk, 3/1/79-1/80, Captain of Fore Top, Captured on Prize brig Dolphin
David Woodsum, W26088, MA, Marine, Berwick, Noah Ricker “in my mess”,“Mr. Morris Capt of Marines”