List of ninety-five of the frigate Boston’s crew taken at Charleston onboard HMS Roebuck on 12 May 1780 as recorded in Roebuck’s Muster Book (ADM36/8643) transcribed by Joseph Ross in April 2023. Many thanks to Todd Braisted of The Online Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies at www.royalprovincial.com who graciously made available the materials necessary to transcribe this list. Unless otherwise specifically noted as paroled or entering British service and seven noted by + as entered on HMS Renown on 23 May 1780, all of the prisoners are recorded as entered on the HMS Renown on 24 May 1780. It is estimated that this list represents only approximately half of the Boston’s typical complement of 200 men and that the balance of her sailors, fifty marines and officers under the command of Captain Samuel Tucker and Captain of Marines Richard Palmes will be identified with additional research. A second list has been included with full Christian name to assist in internet browsing as most in the original are recorded in abbreviated form. Invariably errors in spelling are to be anticipated in transcribing eighteenth century script and the author welcomes corrections.
Departing Boston on 23 November 1779, a Continental Navy squadron consisting of the frigates Boston, Queen of France and Providence and sloop Ranger under the command of Commodore Abraham Whipple briefly cruised off Bermuda before arriving at Charleston, SC one month later to participate in the defense of the port city from threatening British forces. The vessels’ guns, munitions, gun crews and marines were removed to reinforce shore batteries and repulse the anticipated assault. After a six-week siege beginning on 1 April 1780, Major General Benjamin Lincoln surrendered Continental forces totaling over 5,200 soldiers and sailors on 12 May 1780. The 28-gun Queen of France was scuttled in the Cooper River during the siege, however the 30-gun Boston, 32-gun Providence and 20-gun Ranger were taken by the enemy and put into British naval service. While some militia and civilians were paroled and other prisoners housed at two barracks on the site of today’s College of Charleston and at the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon; the bulk of the approximately 2,600 Continental prisoners were confined on British ships. The Journal of William Jennison, Jr., a Marine officer attached to the frigate Boston, describes the sequence of events characterizing his experience, “March 24. Got our guns, powder and provisions out and put our provisions under the Exchange. March 25. Lieut. Deval was ordered to command a fort at Governor’s Bridge, to which I was attached. May 8. A flag from the enemy with a second summons. May 9. A flag was sent to the enemy with alterations to the articles of capitulation, but they were refused. May 11. A flag to the enemy accepting the terms offered. May 12. At 2 p.m. the British Grenadiers marched in and took possession of the Horn Work. Flags at all the forts were struck and the forts taken possession of by different parties of soldiers. June 10. Those of us who had been taken belonging to the sea service, were sent on board three vessels as cartels. June 23. We arrived at Chester below Philadelphia and were transported in a schooner to the city. Took lodgings on Spruce street until the 18th of July.”
Art’r Dunn, 15 May 1780, Parole
R’t Jackson, 15 May 1780, Parole
Dan’l Webber, 15 May 1780, Parole
Benj’n Kimball, 15 May 1780, Parole
Pat’k Murphy
Jn’o Tiliston, 19 May 1780, Parole
W’m Eddy
Pat’k Gore, 19 May 1780, Parole
W’m Hevens
W’m Baker
Jn’o McClure
Jn’o Miars
Jn’o Bradsford
Wal’r Miller
Ja’s Jones
Ja’s Walker
W’m Game, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Rob’t Horn
Jo’s Wing
Rob’t Ardison, 19 May 1780, Parole
John Fish
Benj’n Luce
Jn’o Fitzpatrick
Ja’s Stewart
Prince Coleman
John Wales
Sam’l Way
W’m Barns
Eli Bunker
Jn’o White I
Peter Ward, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Ezk’l Levaine
Peter Mitchell
Jn’o White 2
Rich’d Karey
W’m Farmer
Sam’l J. Harris, 19 May 1780, Parole
John Clark
Ja’s Clark, 23 May 1780, Sandwich Vol
Dav’d Sevane
Jn’o Warren +
Jn’o Chandler +
Jack Sevane +
Sam’l Johnson +
Ab’m Temple +
Jo’s Peek +
Sa’l Kiminway +
Jn’o Smith, 19 May 1780, Parole
Jn’o Martin
Eph’r Bennett
Jos’h Levine, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Is’l Barney
Tho’s Kitchinway, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Sam’l Gardner
Cato Egary
W’m Boston
Juby Kathanway
Jo’s Lorin
Jn’o Cowin
Rich’d Clark
Ja’s Jewell
Tho’s Jenkins, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
W’m Beatty
Geo’ Ayars
R’d Hughes, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Cato Franklin
W’m Gomen
Jn’o Watkins, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Cha’s Magnus, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
P’k McKelly, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Jerry Shaw
Rob’t Knights, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
P’k Sullivan, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
And’w Hanson, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Jo’s Wallis
Ja’s Burney
Sam’l Bell, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Prince Katch
Jack Brick
Jn’o Moore, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Tho’s Badkin, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Jos’h Pee, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Ely Purdee
Ez’ Harris
Ja’s Walker, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Dan’l Curley, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Jn’o Hogan
Jn’a Perry
Jn’o Hunter, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Man’l Seran
Ja’s Gordan
Dav’d Malcolm
Jn’a Spencer
Benj’n Warren
S’l Henmenwy
Arthur Dunn, 15 May 1780, Parole
Robert Jackson, 15 May 1780, Parole
Daniel Webber, 15 May 1780, Parole
Benjamin Kimball, 15 May 1780, Parole
Patrick Murphy
John Tiliston, 19 May 1780, Parole
William Eddy
Patrick Gore, 19 May 1780, Parole
William Hevens
William Baker
John McClure
John Miars
John Bradsford
Walter Miller
James Jones
James Walker
William Game, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Robert Horn
Joseph Wing
Robert Ardison, 19 May 1780, Parole
John Fish
Benjamin Luce
John Fitzpatrick
James Stewart
Prince Coleman
John Wales
Samuel Way
William Barns
Eli Bunker
John White I
Peter Ward, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Ezekiel Levaine
Peter Mitchell
John White 2
Richard Karey
William Farmer
Samuel J. Harris, 19 May 1780, Parole
John Clark
James Clark, 23 May 1780, Sandwich Vol
David Sevane
John Warren +
John Chandler +
Jack Sevane +
Samuel Johnson +
Abraham Temple +
Joseph Peek +
Samuel Kiminway +
John Smith, 19 May 1780, Parole
John Martin
Ephraim Bennett
Joseph Levine, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Israel Barney
Thomas Kitchinway, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Samuel Gardner
Cato Egary
William Boston
Juby Kathanway
Joseph Lorin
John Cowin
Richard Clark
James Jewell
Thomas Jenkins, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
William Beatty
George Ayars
Richard Hughes, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Cato Franklin
William Gomen
John Watkins, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Charles Magnus, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Patrick McKelly, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Jerry Shaw
Robert Knights, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Patrick Sullivan, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Andrew Hanson, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Joseph Wallis
James Burney
Samuel Bell, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Prince Katch
Jack Brick
John Moore, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Thomas Badkin, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Joseph Pee, 18 May 1780, Richmond Vol
Ely Purdee
Ezekiel Harris
James Walker, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Daniel Curley, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
John Hogan
Jonathan Perry
John Hunter, 17 May 1780, Romulus Vol
Manuel Seran
James Gordan
David Malcolm
Jonathan Spencer
Benjamin Warren
Samuel Henmenwy