Bunker Hill (1778 ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Massachusetts |
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| Name | Bunker Hill |
| Namesake | Battle of Bunker Hill |
| Owner | Bartholomew Putnam and Jacob Ashton |
| Commissioned | May 1778 |
| Homeport | Salem, Massachusetts |
| Captured | December 1778 |
 Kigdom of Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Surprize |
| Acquired | October 1778 by capture |
| Fate | Sold 1783 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 222 63⁄94 (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 22 ft 10 in (7.0 m) |
| Depth of hold | 16 ft 10 in (5.1 m) |
| Sail plan | Sloop |
| Complement |
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| Armament |
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The Bunker Hill was a special kind of ship called a privateer sloop. It was first put into service in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. This ship went on two voyages, and during these trips, it captured three enemy vessels. However, on its second voyage, the British Royal Navy captured the Bunker Hill near Saint Lucia.
After its capture, the Royal Navy decided to use the ship themselves. They renamed it HMS Surprize. The ship then served in the Caribbean Sea. It even helped capture two important places, Essequibo and Demerara, in March 1781. Later, in 1782, the HMS Surprize sailed back to Britain. The Royal Navy sold the ship in 1783. It's possible that the French Navy bought it after that.
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The Bunker Hill's Adventures
The Bunker Hill was a privateer ship from Massachusetts. This meant it was a private ship, not a navy ship, but it was allowed to attack and capture enemy ships during wartime. It was like a legal pirate ship, but for its own country!
First Voyage of the Bunker Hill
In the middle of June 1778, the Bunker Hill began its first voyage. It was led by Commander Edward Rolland. The ship returned to port on September 26, 1778. During this trip, it managed to capture one enemy ship. This captured ship might have been a brig (a type of sailing ship) named Mary.
Second Voyage and Capture
On October 27, Commander Nicholas Ogelbe took charge of the Bunker Hill. He set sail from Salem, Massachusetts, on December 2. His plan was to sail near Barbados and look for enemy ships.
Just two days later, the Bunker Hill captured a schooner (another type of sailing ship) called Delaware. This ship was carrying flour from Quebec to New York. Commander Ogelbe sent the captured Delaware back to Salem. The Bunker Hill then captured another ship later on.
On December 22, the Bunker Hill sailed into Grand Cul De Sac Bay near Saint Lucia at night. The crew made a mistake in their navigation. They thought they were joining the French fleet, which was anchored nearby. But when morning came, they realized they were actually very close to the British fleet!
The Bunker Hill was within range of the British cannons. The ship had no choice but to surrender. British boats quickly took control of the ship before any French ships could get involved. The British Admiral, Samuel Barrington, decided to keep the Bunker Hill. He knew it was a very fast ship, and he had just lost one of his own ships, Ceres, to the French.
HMS Surprize
Admiral Barrington renamed the captured Bunker Hill to HMS Surprize. He did this to celebrate how cleverly his fleet had captured the ship.
On December 25, 1778, the Royal Navy officially put HMS Surprize into service. Admiral Barrington promoted Lieutenant James Brine to be the ship's new commander. On January 6, 1779, Barrington paid about £1017 for the Bunker Hill. He made sure the HMS Surprize had a crew of 125 sailors. He also arranged a prisoner exchange: the crew of the Bunker Hill were traded for the crew of the captured Ceres.
On April 3, 1779, HMS Surprize captured an enemy ship named Elizabeth.
In December 1779, Commander George Day took over from Brine as the ship's commander. He sailed HMS Surprize to the Leeward Islands on December 25.
Capturing Essequibo and Demerara
On February 27, 1781, HMS Surprize and another British ship, HMS Barbuda, arrived at Demerara. These ships had been sent by Admiral Lord Rodney. In March, the two ships accepted the surrender of the Dutch colonies of Demerara and Essequibo.
Just before they arrived, six British privateer ships had already attacked Essequibo and Demerara. They had captured sixteen Dutch ships and basically forced the colonies to surrender. So, HMS Surprize and HMS Barbuda helped finalize the capture.
Around April 1782, Commander William Miller became the new commander of HMS Surprize. In August, the ship was at Antigua getting its hull covered in copper. This was called "coppering" and it helped protect the ship's wood from worms and made it sail faster.
What Happened to HMS Surprize?
The Royal Navy stopped using HMS Surprize in November 1782. They then sold the ship on January 16, 1783, for £550.
It is thought that the French Navy might have bought the ship after this. If so, it would have been known as the Surprise in the French fleet. This French Surprise was eventually taken apart in Rochefort in 1789.
