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July 1, 1776 John Bradford Reports Infighting & Mutiny Among George Washington’s Continental Navy Privateers

ALS From John Hancock’s Personal Retained Files Ex: The Hancock-Chase Collection with Docket by John Hancock’s Own Hand

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(JOHN HANCOCK) (1737-1793), Docket Signed by his Hand, while serving as President of the Continental Congress from May 24, 1775 to October 30, 1777, (later from November 23, 1785, to June 5, 1786); His bold signature on the Declaration of Independence has become an iconic symbol of American Independence and synonymous with the word “Signature”.

JOHN BRADFORD (1729-1803). American naval officer and Patriot who served as the Acting Naval Prize Agent at Boston during the American Revolutionary War responsible for overseeing the disposition of Prizes and their cargoes Captured by American naval vessels in the waters around Boston, as the capture of enemy vessels was an important source of revenue and supplies for the American Patriot cause.

July 1, 1776-Dated Revolutionary War, written Three Days Prior to the Signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, Historic Naval Content Autograph Letter Signed, “J(ohn) Bradford” as Boston Continental Naval Agent, to the currently serving Continental Congress President, John Hancock, 4 pages, (2 sheets written on both sides), each measuring 9.5” x 7.5”, About Fine. Easily readable, some splitting along the horizontal folds reinforced with archival tape. One small hole along a fold of second sheet. Part of a laid period paper watermark is evident at top portion of the first page. Signed in bold brown ink with the signature of “J(ohn) Bradford” with his flourish below. Docket on the final page is penned by John Hancock in his familiar own handwriting.

This exceptionally important extensive and highly detailed letter, comprising four pages of incredible early Revolutionary War Naval content, in which the Boston Continental Naval Prize Agent, John Bradford, is forced to inform President John Hancock and the Continental Congress of the American naval situation of infighting between the Privateer fleet’s captains, as well as the deepening dissatisfaction among their crews, which is reaching a potentially explosive situation. These disputes would have been of little significance if they were not having a tangible negative impact on America’s winning the war against the British at sea. This letter contains historic current secret dramatic intelligence conveyed by John Bradford. It reads, in part:

“... Duty obligates me to acquaint you with the situation I found our Little Navy in ... I found the captains all at variance, each taxing the other with being a thief and a robber, and all open mouthed against Ayers for being a coward ... The unhappy disputes among those captains has been the means of losing two transports, owing to a dispute between the Captains Water and Burke ... (who) were vulgar enough to quarrel on the Sabbath morning within the hearing of their boats crews on a wharf at Marblehead and would have come to blows had not people prevented it. Two sail appearing, Burke went out and gave chase, came up to them and engaged them for a very considerable period of timed, whilst Waters looked on as an idle spectator. For want of his assistance the ships were lost to us ... The sailors are uneasy. They complain they’ve been Chous’d out of their prize money by the agent Col. Glover, being told that their shares were trifling and have got them for a fourth part of their real value ...”

At this time the demand for seasoned privateer crews was extremely competitive, and any perceived slight, particularly concerning wages, could make crews vanish overnight. Recognizing this hazard, and in the hope that the various Privateer Captains in Washington’s “Little Navy” could be compelled to cooperate, President Hancock, acting on behalf of the Continental Congress, had given Bradford a letter placing him in authority over the entire fleet. Bradford relates how these arrangements, as set forth in John Hancock’s letter, met with immediate opposition from the successful Privateer Captain Colonel Glover. Bradford’s letter continues:

“... When those prizes were brought in he came to Boston and immediately used all the rhetoric he could muster of to endeavor to persuade me that my appointment was to superintend over the whole, but that they were still to act as before ... It was after my appointment (as agent) the powder ship was taken, so were the two prizes which were carried into Lyn ... The fleet which has been parading before our harbor is (I believe) gone off ... The Governor called the Committee of Safety together and conferred with the person who had command of the ships, but he refused moving without the consent of Captain Biddle, who was out on a cruise ...”

As if things were not yet bad enough, Bradford is obligated to give Hancock still more bad, and almost “mutinous” news, in part reading: “... I am sorry to acquaint you sir that the fleet have carried their trophies off with them, for Friday last they sent a boat ashore to the Lighthouse Island and carried off the pendant and jack that was fixed to our staffs ... Our people saw them from the forts, but thought it best not to fire on them ...” These were almost certainly the flags taken from the British, which were being used to lure unwary merchant ships, who were unaware of the British evacuation of Boston, under the cannons of the forts and force them to surrender. Incidents such as these help to explain why, despite their many successes, the Continental Congress would feel compelled to dissolve Washington’s privateer navy in 1777.

Provenance Ex: The Hancock-Chase Collection, formerly housed at the National Museum of American History. Accompanied by its original accounting numbered file folder from that collection’s archive; EAHA Auction December 9, 2007 Lot 69 to our current consignor.
John Bradford's naval career began during the French and Indian War, where he gained experience serving in various capacities aboard American privateer vessels. His knowledge of maritime affairs and his seafaring skills made him a valuable asset to the American cause when the Revolutionary War broke out.

During the early stages of the American Revolution, John Bradford was appointed to serve as an officer in the Continental Navy. He demonstrated his leadership and bravery in numerous naval engagements against British forces along the Eastern Seaboard. Bradford's exploits at sea earned him a reputation as a skilled and daring naval commander. One of Bradford's most notable roles during the war was his service as George Washington's acting Naval Prize Agent at Boston. Correspondence between John Bradford in Boston and John Hancock in Philadelphia during this period would have been significant for several reasons:

Strategic Coordination: Correspondence between John Bradford, who was involved in naval affairs in Boston, and John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress based in Philadelphia, would have facilitated strategic coordination between naval operations and broader military efforts. This coordination would have been essential for planning naval campaigns, coordinating supply routes, and addressing logistical challenges.

Intelligence Sharing: The exchange of correspondence would have involved sharing intelligence about British naval movements, troop deployments, and other crucial information relevant to naval operations. This intelligence would have informed strategic decision-making and helped the Continental Navy anticipate and respond to British actions effectively.

Resource Allocation: Correspondence between Bradford and Hancock would have involved discussions about resource allocation for the Continental Navy, including funding, supplies, and personnel. This would have been vital for ensuring that the Continental Navy had the necessary resources to carry out its missions effectively and compete with the well-funded and powerful British Navy.

The correspondence would have also involved discussions about naval policy, including issues such as privateering, naval strategy, and diplomatic efforts to secure foreign support for the American cause. John Hancock, as President of the Continental Congress, would have played a key role in shaping naval policy and providing guidance to naval commanders like Bradford.

Correspondence between Bradford and Hancock would have served as a means of communicating naval victories, setbacks, and challenges faced by the Continental Navy. This information would have been crucial for maintaining morale, rallying support for the navy, and addressing any issues that arose during naval operations.

Overall, correspondence between John Bradford in Boston and John Hancock in Philadelphia would have been vital for coordinating naval efforts, sharing intelligence, allocating resources, shaping naval policy, and maintaining effective communication during the critical early stages of the American Revolutionary War.

As the Acting Naval Prize Agent at Boston, John Bradford would have been tasked with a range of duties, including:

Bradford would have been responsible for receiving captured enemy vessels and their cargoes, assessing their value, and determining the appropriate course of action for each prize. This could involve selling captured goods, distributing them among the crew of the capturing vessel, or forwarding them to the Continental Congress or other authorities.

Bradford would have been involved in legal proceedings related to captured prizes, including adjudicating claims by crew members of capturing vessels for shares of prize money and defending against any challenges to the validity of captures by enemy vessels.

Bradford would have overseen the sale or other disposition of captured enemy vessels and their cargoes, ensuring that the proceeds were properly accounted for and distributed according to legal requirements and established procedures.

As part of his duties, Bradford would have maintained detailed records of all prizes captured and their disposition, including inventories of captured goods, sales transactions, and distributions of prize money.

Bradford would have worked closely with naval commanders operating in the waters around Boston, providing them with guidance on prize law and procedures and ensuring that captured prizes were handled in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Overall, John Bradford's role as acting Naval Prize Agent at Boston was crucial for ensuring that the American naval forces operating in the region could effectively capitalize on their successes against British and loyalist vessels, both in terms of financial gain and securing valuable supplies for the American cause during the Revolutionary War.
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