HMS Roebuck Muster Roll of Ranger Men (May 1780)

List of seventy-one of the sloop Ranger’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, all of the prisoners are recorded as entered on the HMS Renown on 24 May 1780. It should be noted that sloop Ranger was taken into Royal Navy service and renamed HMS Halifax. It is estimated that this list represents only approximately half of the Ranger’s typical complement of 145 men and that the balance of her sailors, thirty-five marines and officers under the command of Captain Thomas Simpson and Lieutenant of Marines William Morris 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.”

Sam’l Hutchins

R’d Jakes

Jn’o Davies, 16 May 1780, Halifax Vol.

W’m Allerd

N’s Hardison

Edw’d Dartlin

Dan’l Pike

Jo’s Hunston

Jed’a Knox

W’m Hilton

Sol’n Hutchins

Tho’s Chandler

Tho’s Lord

Tho’s Allen

Benj’n Eatin

Roger McGeary

Jn’o Libbitt

Jo’s Goodin

Jn’o Hooper

Noah Ricker

Step’n Jones

Geo’ North

Jn’a Roberts

Jn’o Fifield

Abner Coffin

Elias Plower

W’m House

Dav’d Woodshrup

Pelitia Greeno

Jn’o Williams, 19 May 1780 Parole

Eb’n Watson

Ja’s Weymouth

Is’l Hanson

Tho’s Davies

Sam’l Levy

Dav’d Winton

Tho’s Fowell

Tho’s Bundington

Mich’l Horseman

Jn’o Seby

Nath’l Cobbitt

Jn’o Gowin

Ben Roberts

Ja’s Brotin

Dan’l Perkins

Benj’n Fishley

John Lord

Rich’d Harvey

Dan’l Neson

C’e Wentworth

Step’n Dixon

Benj’n Suit

Jos Wadwell

Em’l Pike

W’m Long

The’s Wiggings

Sam’l Staples

Tim’y Wentworth

Jn’o Junkin

Sam’l Hill

Ja’s Boyce

Jo’s Robbin

W’m Hart

Dav’d Mitchell

Tho’s Sprout

Rich’d Mulnae

Eskobod Burnett

Ja’s Holbert

Rich’d Tiner

Geo’ Hooper

Newp’t John


Samuel Hutchins

Richard Jakes

John Davies, 16 May 1780, Halifax Vol.

William Allerd

Nicholas Hardison

Edward Dartlin

Daniel Pike

Joseph Hunston

Jedidiah Knox

William Hilton

Solomon Hutchins

Thomas Chandler

Thomas Lord

Thomas Allen

Benjamin Eatin

Roger McGeary

John Libbitt

Joseph Goodin

John Hooper

Noah Ricker

Stephen Jones

George North

Jonathan Roberts

John Fifield

Abner Coffin

Elias Plower

William House

David Woodshrup

Pelitia Greeno

John Williams, 19 May 1780 Parole

Ebenezer Watson

James Weymouth

Israel Hanson

Thomas Davies

Samuel Levy

David Winton

Thomas Fowell

Thomas Bundington

Michael Horseman

John Seby

Nathanial Cobbitt

John Gowin

Ben Roberts

James Brotin

Daniel Perkins

Benjamin Fishley

John Lord

Richard Harvey

Daniel Neson

C. Wentworth

Stephen Dixon

Benjamin Suit

Joseph Wadwell

Emmanuel Pike

William Long

Theophilus Wiggings

Samuel Staples

Timothy Wentworth

John Junkin

Samuel Hill

James Boyce

Joseph Robbin

William Hart

David Mitchell

Thomas Sprout

Richard Mulnae

Eskobod Burnett

James Holbert

Richard Tiner

George Hooper

Newport John

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