A common practice that gained traction in America in the 1700's was for newspapers to issue accounts of when and where ships were departing and arriving in ports. This practice, an age-old concept mostly started through word of mouth for women waiting to hear the fate of their sea bound lovers, acts as excellent documentation to the past. The Captains listed below were in news articles in a Philadelphia paper. The captains are listed next to the ship they were on when the article was issued. Some captains were merchants, bringing desired goods from Europe and the West Indies to the settlers on the new world. Others were part of the British Navy and patrolled the waters, capturing enemy ships and their goods. All of them touched many different corners of the earth yet all of them have one thing in common: they sailed the trade route through Cape Henlopen and many set their boots down on Lewistown soil. It is important to note that Cape Henlopen was also spelled Hinlopen or referred to as Cape James.
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Many Captains listed were Privateers: A person who sails under a nation’s or state’s “Letter of Marque” for the sole purpose of capturing prizes (ocher ships) selling the ship and cargo to make a profit for the men and crews. Only vessels of the enemy are fair game. Privateers sailed two types of vessels: one was well-manned for attacking and capturing the enemy’s vessel the other was primarily a cargo ship.
Captain Gamble- January 1770
Captain Gamble wrote a letter to the Pennsylvania Gazette describing winter in Delaware waters as, "continuing beyond imagination for severity". He explained that as he came around the Cape, he was in so much ice the ship would not go onward. He continued to tell that he saw Captain Johnson of the Brigatine James had been driven onshore of Cape Henlopen by the ice and many Pilots were trying to free the ship.
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Sturdy Beggar- Captain Troup- December 1758
Captain Troup was an American privateer. The Sturdy Beggar had 26 guns and a rumor of 200 mates aboard. Troup certainly danced the line between Privateer and Pirate as he often took whatever he wanted from weaker ships passing him by. He was reported off Cape Henlopen aboard the Sturdy Beggar "on the hunting order" for the ship Prince Edward, which was a ship of the British Navy. He also sailed a ship named the Royal Hester.
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Captain Luech- 1770
Near Cape Henlopen and an hour after sunset, Luech observed two planets infront of the sun, one much larger than the other. He saw these planets both an hour after sunrise and sunset at which he says they partly took away the reflection of the sun which appeared as dull as the moon. This lasted an entire week.
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Queen of the May-Captain Chancellor- March 1771
While rounding the tips of Cape Henlopen wind, snow and rain ripped the cables from the ship during the night, her beams fell turning the ship sideways where passengers held on to save themselves. A deck hand fell in and drowned, the Captain and an apprentice perished with cold and fatigue. The rest of the passengers onboard managed to hold on until reaching shore.
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Brigatine Polly - Captain Williams - February 1753
Captain Williams attempted to approach Philadelphia in the winter of 1753. However he was met with fierce weather as he approached Cape Henlopen and was forced to wait out the weather on the ocean before entering into the bay and continuing on to Philadelphia.
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Surinam- Captain Valance -June 29 1772
Valance from the West Indies sailed upon a privateer ship named the Black Prince in the 1750’s, and during this time period, along with partner Captain Holland captured two ships the L’Emerald and the La Volante. The L’Emerald was loaded with sterling coffee and spices while the Emerald had a large cargo of gold which the crew threw overboard as Valance took over the ship. Later in life Valance sailed on a Brigatine called the Mars which was driven ashore along Cape Henry.
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Unity- John Buchanan- January 1771
Captain Buchanan sailed the war ship Goodrich in 1781 where he came across a rebel ship from Spain off of Cape Hatteras, the fleet chased Buchanan for quite a distance, rumored to have a treasure “infinitely exceeding value” on board. As Buchnanan reached Cape Henlopen he came across another rebel ship St. James and they engaged in a fight. Buchanan lost his rigging and the main mast was badly damaged. Buchanan had 3 men perish in the fight but was heralded as heroic in the Pennsylvania Gazette.
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Captain Richard Budden – March 18th 1771
Budden sailed the Philadelphia Packet, a merchant ship that brought European goods to many shops-including the Crown and Three Pearls on second street and Drugs to Robert Bass Apothecary on Market Street- Phila. He frequented Philadelphia and Wilmington with his cargos. In 1771 Captain Budden ran his vessel ashore on Lewistown to escape a dangerous storm (the same listed under Captain Chancellor above). He also sailed the Myrtilla (London) (1758) The Mercury (1784) Budden brought the bells to Christ Church In Philadelphia, stories say that every time he entered port the church rang the bells.
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Majestys Brigatine- Captain Archibald Kennedy - April 1757
Captain Kennedy was enlisted by the crown for wartime efforts. He became a prosperous captain in the British navy earning over £250,000 in prize money during the French and Indian War. In 1760 he was awarded a Sterling Plaque for his engagements with the French Frigates on his ship the Flamborough. He captured a French East India Ship in spring of 1762 with 173 men and women on board surrendered without a fight. He was quoted as treating the captives with the “greatest tenderness and humanity”. In 1768 he was in Philadelphia with a Majesty Ship, Coventry. Kennedy, who would become the 11th Earl of Cassilis, married the beautiful Ann Watts.
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King George Privateer- Captain Arnold - Nov 1756
Captain Arnold was an English privateer, listed as sailing through Cape Henlopen in 1756. A few years prior in 1748, he engaged in an attack with five French enemy privateers. After three hours Arnold sunk the largest vessel, captured two smallers ones, ran one aground and the last one escaped.
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Beulah- Captain Ritchie- 1754
It took Captain Ritchie 23 days to reach Cape Henlopen from London.
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Brigatine Porgy- Captain Baffet ( Basset) - June 26 1761
Captain Basset sent a letter received in August 1761 detailing that his brig was tore to pieces by a 12-gun French Privateer Sloop, South East of Cape Henlopen. He stated the enemy "Frenchman hoisted his bloody flag and fought under it the whole time" with a 120 men crew. Basset stated that a great number of shots went through the ships side and his sails and rigging were shredded like ribbons. Only one man was wounded on his crew.
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London Packet- Captain Cook - December 1767
Captain Cook was returning from a passage to Barbados when he met violent winds while approaching Cape Henlopen. The wind tore down his mizzenmast and the topmast fell to the ships deck. Four days later, Cook met a Captain Meredith who told him that he had been sailing as far north as the Brandywine and on his journey had met the same storm which beat off the rudder, their small boat and both anchors causing them to drift out into the bay. Captain Cook took this crew aboard and towed the wrecked vessel into harbor.
