Rhonda -- I don't mind your posting the "Cove of Corke" public reply. I replied because I was interested in learning where the sailed 6th April from Cove of Cork info came from. -----Original Message----- From: RC Brooks [mailto:rcbrooks@acadia.net] Sent: Friday, May 10, 2002 1:57 PM To: AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [A-REV] Cove of Corke This question was answered by the gentleman above from Maine on the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com concerning Cove of Corke. This is the information given by Bob Brooks that gave such wonderful information that I thought all on this list would benefit from: I ask if I could have permission to repost his message and this is what he had to say on Sent: Friday, May 10, 2002 1:57 PM The question was asked if there was a passenger list for British transport ships and I wanted you all to see the documentation and the list of ships this gentleman from Maine has been able to document. I am also on this list and it never ceases to amaze me how precise this gentlman posts his information and documents his information. The information is awesome!! Rhonda Houston ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This was the original question that sparked me to ask for permission: Can anyone tell me where I can find a list of the ships that left the Cove of Corke on April 6, 1776? And a list of the ships' passengers? Looking for information on a John Joyce, of Ireland, who was 24 years old at the time for whom I'd like to know what ship he was on and any further information. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John Joyce's diary begins: "April 6th Sailed from the Cove of Cork in Company with a large fleet for North America." I know know he went to Quebec in the convoy escorted by HMS Carysfort & HMS Pearl. I think he was either supercargo or crew on one of the transports. He reported the battles of Trois Rivieres (8 June 1776) and Valcour Island (11 October 1776). Just be advised that my reply only addresses the two convoys which left from Cork on 5 & 8 April 1776. HMS Juno (32 guns/220 men) & HMS Blonde (32 guns/220 men) left 7 April 1776 from Spithead [Portsmouth] with 20 transports carrying German troops and 8 ordnance storeships. The were joined at Plymouth by another 7 transports carrying the 21st regiment which arrived at Quebec on 1 June. There were 33 transports, 2 storeships and a hospital ship escorted by HMS Flora (32 guns/220 men) from the Clyde with the 42d (Black Watch) and two battalions of the 71st (Fraser's highlanders). Six troop transports were captured by the Americans (1 ship = 42nd; 5 ships =71st) largely because the convoy was sent to Boston which had been evacuated and the convoy became separated in a storm and, later, in the fog. In addition there were two very large convoys of the Hessians -- I think they totalled something like 107 sail. Then a large number of 1775 transports had been detained and made up the fleet which evacuated Howe's army from Boston to Halifax, then brought them from Halifax to New York. I think this number was around 120 sail. Then you had a few die-hard merchants tagging along trying to earn a profit on their private cargoes. Sorry, but you won't find what you'd like to find. Passenger lists for British transport ships simply can not be found today. There was no requirement to submit them to the government as as all the ships were leased, it is something kept by the lessor so anythin preserved would be inprivate papers. There were two convoys which sailed from Cork around 6 April 17761/-- HMS Greyhound (28) with 10 sail for Boston. "Officially" sailed 5 April.2/-- HMS Caryfort (28) & HMS Pearl (32) with 41 sail (or so) for Quebec. "Officially" sailed 8 April. Dates are precise but only when one understands the calendar in use because there is half-day difference between the sea calendar and the civil or land calendar. The sea calendar starts at noon and the civil calendar at midnight, 12 hours later. This means a landsman reporting a morning sailing on 6 April is the same the ship's log (sea calendar) recording sailing in the second half (morning) of 5 April. "Official" sailing dates always follow the date of embarkation and frequently predate physical departure from the inner harbor. I don't know exactly where they embarked but I suspect it was nearer Cobh (Queenstown) rather than all the way into Corcaigh (Cork). 1/-- SUMMARY HMS Greyhound was a a newly commissioned (21 Oct 1775) 6th Rate (28 gun/200 men) frigate. She sailed 11 Mar from Spithead to Cork but she put in at Plymouth where she departed 21 Mar 1776 and arrived at Cork on 23 Mar 1776. Greyhound "officially" sailed from Cork with her convoy for Boston on April 5th. Off course Boston had been evacuated before Greyhound's departure. Greyhound somehow heard of the evacuation and diverted to Halifax where she arrived the morning of 16 May. [London Gazette, issue of 13-16 April 1776] "Extract of a letter from Corke, April 6 . . . This day sailed from hence his Majesty's ship Grayhound, Capt. Dickson, with ten store ships, and vicuallers under her convoy, with troops, stores, &c., for Boston. Wind N.E." The vessels which sailed under the convoy of the Greyhound included: Ordnance Storeships: Elizabeth [John Toone, master] Russian Merchant Charming Sally Hope [Alexander Lumsdale, master, ----- Mather, owner, captured by Americans] Army Victuallers Waters Mars Sally Bell Howe with Naval Provisions Levant The above comes from an enclosure to a letter dated 18 April 1776 sent by First Secretary of the Admiralty Philip Stephens to Vice Admiral Molyneux Shuldham via HM Armed Vessel Canceaux. [Ref: UK/PRO, ADM2/551, f.457-65] The Hope, Ordnance storeship, was captured 17 May 1776 by Washington's schooner Franklin, Captain John Mugford. It was reported: ". . . She came out the fourth of April with nine Sail of transports, under convoy of a Frigate; I cannot learn any important intelligence by her; the Master says there are but about one hundred Soldiers on board these transports, and that they are laden with provision and warlike stores for the Kings Troops. . . ." [MGen Artemas Ward to G. Washington, 17 May 1776, Wahington Papers, Library of Congress] If John Joyce was in this convoy, he fit into one of three categories: (1)navy personel [Greyhound], (2) army personal [one of the 100 recruits set out], or (3) civilian [seaman or supercargo on one of the transports]. If Army personel, the he would have been assigned to one of the regiments stationed at Boston. In July 1775, those troops included: 1st Brigade: BGen Earl Percy 23rd, 59th, 44th and 4th 2nd Brigade: BGen Robertson 5th, 45th, 63rd, 35th 3rd Brigade: BGen Pigott 38th, 1st Bn Marines, 47th and 10th 4th Brigade: BGen Jones 18th, 65th, 49th, 2nd Bn Marines, 40th. 5th Brigade: BGen Grant 3rd Bn Artiullery, 43rd, 52nd & 22nd 2/-- SUMMARY HMS Caryfort, Captain Robert Fanshaw, was a 6th Rate (28 gun/200 men)frigate commisioned 13 Mar 1775. HMS Pearl, Captain Thomas Wilkinson was a new 5th rate (32 guns/220 men) frigate commissioned 8 Nov 1775. The smaller vessel had the senior captain which is why HMS Caryfort was the lead vessel. They officially" sailed 8 April and arrived at the Cul du Sac, Quebec, on 26 May (27 sail) and 27 May (2 frigates and 12 sail). Five sail, separated in the fog off Newfoundland, were missing on 29 May when Catain Fanshaw wrote his report to London. I believe that the seven regiments transported in this convoy were the 31st plus six of these seven regiments: 9th, 20th, 24th, 29th, 34th, 53rd, 62nd. The 21st regiment sailed earlier with Gen. John Burgoyne and his Brunswick and Hannau mercenaries The Speke, hospital ship, was orginally scheduled tohave sailed with that convoy. There are two lists of the vessels in the official convoy. The first, attached to Robert Fanshaw's 11 March 1776 orders [UK/PRO, ADM 2/100, f.477-80] include: "To carry the Six Battalions which are to be embarked at Cork." "Order'd to Cork from the River Thames" Providence (1st) Charming Sally Caesar Favorite [1st] Champion Lucretia Amitys Succession Sarah Kitty London Gale Rosseau "Ditto from Plymouth" Woodcock Christie Ostenbotten Speedwell "Ditto from Portsmouth. NB. The first Seven are lately returned from Gibraltar & the others from Minorca" Adamant Lively Fidelity Myrtle Favorite [2nd] Kent John King George Friendship Garland Henry Success's Increase Britannia [1st] Grace Lord North "Ordered to Cork from the River Clyde" Prince George Brilliant Sisters Britannia [2nd] "To take on board the 31st Regmt in the Clyde & then repair to Cork." "In the Clyde." Lilly (1st) Mermaid Patty Rainbow Hunter Morisinia Lilly (2d) Boyd "Order'd from the Thames to Cork.' Speke -- Hospital ship. The second list was attached to the 18 Apr 1776 Stepens to Shuldham letter cited above: Lucretia Rosseau Fidelity Caesar Britannia (1st) Kitty Britannia (2d) Favorite (1st) Henry Adamant Woodcock Sisters Ostenbotten Speedwell Favorite (2d) Gale Champion John Lilly (1st) Mermaid Rainbow Hunter Thetis Lilly (2d) Momimia Myrtle London Christie Charming Sally Grace Amity's Succession Success's Increase Garland Lively Friendship Elizabeth Kent Providence Patty Sarah King George. The Thetis was a victualler which sprung a leak and was supposed to have put into a Spanish port for repairs. She was part of the convoy under Commodore Peter Parker intended to capture Charlestown SC. The Speke, hospital ship, departed Cork later in a small convoy under HMS Ranger. If John Joyce was in this coinvoy, he probably was a member of one of the regiments. Each of these regiments was authorized 677 men, 60 women, 12 servants and 90 tons of baggage. I hope this helps narrow your problem. Bob Brooks, retired downeast on the coast of Maine Hope you enjoyed this! Rhonda Houston