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Captains of George Washington’s “Little Fleet” of Privateers Deny Captured British Muskets for Continental Army Use !

From John Hancock’s Personal Retained Files Ex: The Hancock-Chase Collection, with Docket Handwritten by John Hancock Himself

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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.

August 12, 1776-Dated Revolutionary War Period, extensive Autograph Letter Signed, “J(ohn) Bradford” to John Hancock, two pages (written on three sides with Docket), both pages having a large ornate “L. V. GERREVINK” watermark within the laid period paper, measuring 12.75” x 7.75”, Boston, Fine. This attractive Naval Content Letter also mentions General Washington and names some early Privateer ships. It is written in rich brown ink and ends with John Bradford’s bold signature and flourish below. The first page sheet is cleanly separated along the horizontal centerfold, yet is complete, well written, being easily readable. This historic ALS appears to be a potential easy archival repair if desired, having only some short fold edge splits from handling as shown. The bold Handwritten Docket on the 3rd page panel is written by the then acting Continental Congress President, John Hancock’s own hand, reading: “John Bradford / Augt 12. 1776.” (not signed by Hancock yet written by him with Hancock’s famous flourish below).

An important content letter reporting on current Revolutionary War Naval activity via private communication. Here, General George Washington’s appointed Naval Prize Agent at Boston, John Bradford, writes to then serving President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, reporting on the activities of Six of Washington’s duly appointed Privateers. In doing so, Bradford is forced to relate that Privateer Captains Glover and Harding chose to sell badly needed captured British muskets to private individuals, instead of delivering them for military use to the American Continental Army! In reading this letter of correspondence, one can almost see the writer, John Bradford, squirming as he tries to put the best face on this very bad event. This Letter reads, in part:

“ .... In regard to the arms Mr. Glover sold his brother. That matter, I presume is remedied by Colonel Glover having marched with his regiment to York ... I believe sir, you misapprehend in regard to Captain Harding having retained any considerable number of the Scotch arms for his own use. He only interested himself in favor of the gentlemen here who were the purchasers ...”

Continuing, Bradford uses the ludicrous excuse that the two captains were intimidated into selling the arms. Perhaps even more ludicrous is Bradford’s claim that he supposed everything to be all right because the buyers promised to return the weapons if they were later asked to!

“ ... Such was their importunity that it was next to impossible to refuse them ... I thought I had guarded against every inconvenience by their promise to return them (the guns), but alas, I found they had imposed on my Credulity ... I wrote to his Excell’y General Washington on the subject, ... saying that if they were called for, the Gentlemen would return them. I received an answer from last post from that amiable gentleman (meaning Washington) very politely conceding to their retaining (the weapons) ...”

Being more than happy to change the subject, Bradford now reports more on the “Little Navy”.

“ .... I hope to have the pleasure in my next to acquaint you sir, with the arrival of some of the Continental Prizes, the Hancock and Franklin being on their cruise in pursuit of Jamaica ships. The Lynch is returned without success. The Warren and Lee sailed Saturday ... I have not yet been able to come at the invoices of all the goods on board the (captured British) ship Peggy, (with) Mr. Glover sending them forward to the General, though I’ve wrote to Judge Pickering to know if he has all the invoices. He promised me to bring all that was lodged to him to Boston ... General Ward will be sending some muskets forward to York soon, as I have furnished him with 27 partly out of the Peggy and some I got repaired of the former stock from the Scotch ships ... I am under the necessity again to mention the pressing occasion I have for money, having purchased a cargo of 10,000 Dollars for the Brig ... I have sent forward to head quarters so great a part of the stores of the Scotch ships and the Continent, having no more interest than 9/16 in one and 11/16 in the other ... no great (amount) will remain with me ... I have a long time since advanced all my own money and have borrowed 600 (pounds) from my friends.”

Correspondence between John Bradford in Boston and John Hancock in Philadelphia during this period would have been significant for several reasons. During the early stages of the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Navy played a crucial role in securing American interests and challenging British naval dominance. Overall, a highly valuable Revolutionary War Naval Letter directly relating to the military history of the war in its finance and supplies provided by the Captains of General George Washington’s “Little Fleet” of American Privateers, as related directly to President John Hancock by John Bradford.

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 of December 9, 2003 Lot 73 to the current consignor.
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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