Hi All, I am interested in the history and crews of the above ships in the period 1770-1790. I believe that a member of the crew (possibly Captain of the Antelope) was Thomas CLOUSTON (1743-1795), born in Orkney, Scotland, Thomas died in Newbury Port, Mass. 10 August 1795. Thomas was disinherited by his family as a 'Hostile Subject of the crown' and the family lost touch with him, my 4x great grandfather inherited instead. Thomas resurfaced about 1920 and there are family stories of him being captured, brought to England and an escape back to the USA before he took command of the Antelope. I would like to try and prove the story. It could prove interesting - a first cousin of Thomas's father was Lieutenant Henry MOWAT R.N. who I understand took a dislike to Falmouth and various other places in the colonies. It someone could point me in the right direction please, I'd be grateful. Regards Peter ************************************************* Peter Clouston Claydon, England.

Pete-- > Subject: [A-REV] Brigs - Raleigh, Dalton and Antelope =snip= > I am interested in the history and crews of the above > ships in the period 1770-1790. If your are looking for the Continental Frigate "Raleigh" there are two muster rolls reproduced in "The New Hampshire Genealogical Record" which published for about seven years in the early 1900s. [v.3, p. 67] "Thomas Clouston, Volenteer; time of ebtry, Dec'r 3rd [1777 - the ship was then cruising or else already in France], time entered for, cruize,: wages per mo., $8; place of residence, Newbury; hair, light; [place of birth] North Brittain." [v.3, pp. 70-1] "A List of all Officers, Volunteers, Seamen, Marines, &tc on Board the Raleigh Frigate, Thomas Thompson, Esqr, Commander, in the Service of the United States of No America January 22d, 1778 ... [#] 17 Thomas Clouston Volunteer ..." =snip= > and there are family stories of him being captured, > brought to England and an escape back to the USA > before he took command of the Antelope. I would like > to try and prove the story. The Raleigh was captured off Wooden Ball Island in 1778. I don't know if a list of those taken prisoner survives. > It could prove interesting - a first cousin of Thomas's > father was Lieutenant Henry MOWAT R.N. who I > understand took a dislike to Falmouth and various > other places in the colonies. Careful! -- Henry Mowatt has been blamed for every perceived evil on the Maine coast. Mowatt was ordered by Vice Admiral Samuel Graves to burn every town north of Boston between Marblehead an Machias. In retrospect perhaps the towns were lucky that he only burned one of them. His autobiography was published in the Collections of the Maine Historical Society, Series II. If memory serves, it is in vol. 2 of this series. Mowatt rec'd his Lieutenant's commission in 1759 and in 1762 was given command of HM Armed Vessel 'Canceaux' then employed in the survey of the coast of Maine. In 1776 he took the 'Canceaux' to England and waited upon the king, complaining that he was being passed over for promotion by person's junior to him. He was given a promise for promotion to Master & Commander in America, the 'Canceaux' was loaded with the cannon for his new "sloop of war" to be and he returned to Halifax.. Mowatt had convinced the King or his cronies that there was a vessel at Boston suitable for conversion into a sloop of war; however, when the British evacuated Boston they abandoned this vessel at the docks. The next go was to survey the 'Lady Gage' as a possible conversion. She surveyed as too lightly timbered to carry the cannon. Finally, the Admiral bought the prize ship "Rittenhouse" (built & owned in Philadelphia) and converted into the sloop of war HMS 'Albany.' Finally in June 1776 he got his commission into the 'Albany.' This was his "flagship" during the defense agains the American fleet during the Penobscot Expedition. I don't know the exact details, but it appears that in the fall of 1783 Mowatt resigned his command and went to New York where he (again) sussessfully lobbied for promotion. He was given command of the sixth rate "La Sophia" a captured merchantman which had been brought into service. This made him a Post Captain. > It someone could point me in the right direction please, > I'd be grateful. You might want to spend some time going through the "Naval Documents of the Revolution" 10 vols to date,(Washington, DC: GPO for the Naval History Center, 1964- ). Vol. 1 & 2 cover the burning of Falmouth. I think in vol. 3, 4 & 5 which cover the 'Albany.' Vol. 7, 8 & 9 (I don't own vol. 10 but it, too, should apply) cover the 'Raleigh. Bob Brooks, retired downeast on the coast of Maine.