Slave Privateers 1814.

In June of 1814, a British privateer ship by the name of Dash was captured by the American schooner Midas a privateer it’s Captain was a Alexander Thompson, who took the ship to Savannah Georgia, as a prize and was hoping for a bounty on the ship an crew which was made up of slaves and freemen of color. The Dash crew was made up of twenty-two salves and nineteen freemen, Captain Thompson was given a receipt for the ship and the freeman but was refused the bounty for the slaves.

There was a American law that stated that the crew officers and owners of a privateer would be paid one hundred dollars per prisoners, and those prisoners that were combatants would be held as prisoners of war and t be exchanged for man of the same rank being held by other foreign powers as prisoners of war, and those found to be non-combatants would be liberated. But there was a small lop hole in the law that stated that all men of rank were combatants and no bounty could be paid on prisoners of war. It was true that the bounty on the slaves was to be paid, but then it was found that the twenty-two slaves held some kind of rank, and as such were classified as combatants and would be held as prisoners of war.

Captain Alexander Thompson put in a petition into Congress asking for the bounty for the slaves. It was found that the slaves were offered to the British for exchanged, but at the wars end it was found that a lot of the slaves were still being held by the marshal of Georgia. In the end Captain Thompson would be paid his bounty, as for what ever happen to the slaves this author never found out. It may be found some were sent back to England, while others may have been sold to someone in Georgia?

Important Note. Below you will find three lists one of the crew of the Dash and two of the slaves. I printed all three list as there were only to be twenty-two slave, but some names show up one list that are not on any other list, it would be best to look at all three list, as not to miss an ancestor.

Crew of the privateer Schooner Dash, Slaves & Freeman of color or White.

1. John Pinder, Captain.
2. Joseph Whitwood, First lieutenant.
3. James Wilson, Second Lieutenant.
4. John Fisher, Sailingmaster.
5. John Davis, Prizemaster.
6. William Druge, Gunner.
7. Benjamin W. Owterbridge, Volunteer.
8. Jim Gardner, slave, Carpenter.
9. Lewis Gass, slave, Boatswain.
10. John M’Gee, Seaman.
11. John Peters, Seaman.
12. John Johnson, slave, Seaman.
13. Cook Johnson, slave, Seaman.
14. Bristol Johnson, slave, Seaman.
15. Bob Bootle, slave, Seaman.
16. Baptist Lightbourne, slave, Seaman.
17. Dover Lightbourne, slave, Seaman.
18. Baptist Johnson, slave, Seaman.
19. James Banks, Seaman.
20. Benjamin White, Armorer.
21. John Beckley, Armorer.
22. Tom Pinder, slave, Seaman.
23. Frank Fisher, slave, Seaman.
24. Isaac Fisher, slave, Seaman.
25. Prince Driggs, slave, Seaman.
26. Tim Johnson, slave, Seaman.
27. Nepthan Johnson, slave, Seaman.
28. Charles Hunter, slave, Seaman.
29. Jeremiah Johnson, slave, Seaman.
30. Sam Crawford, Seaman.
31. Joseph Gass, Master-at-arms.
32. Jack Johnson, slave, Seaman.
33. Ishmael Johnson, Seaman.
34. William Pinder, Captain’s clerk, Non-combatant.
35. Will Bolds, slave, Seaman.
36. Jim Gordon, slave, Seaman.
37. William Maton, Seaman.
38. Benjamin Johnson, Steward.
39. Jim Pinder, slave, Seaman.
40. Thomas Hawkins, slave, Seaman.

Slave List Two.

List of British prisoners of war ( Slaves ) discharged out of the custody of the Marshal of Georgia.

1. Moses Matthews, age 20, color black, placed belonging to Nassau, captured on the privateer Caledonia by privateer Nonesuch April 12, 1813,

2. John Thompson, age 55, color mulatto, place belonging to Nassau, captured on the privateer Caledonia by privateer Nonesuch April 12, 1813,

3.Thomas White, age 27, color black , place be longing to Bermuda, captured on the Schooner Hussar by privateer Liberty, April 14, 1813.

4. Evens Taylor, age 20, color black, place be longing Kingston Jamaica, captured on the Schooner Fame by privateer Rapid, June 23, 1814.

The following slaves were from Nassau, color black, taken from the privateer Dash by the privateer Midas, on June 17, 1814.

1. Tim Darrall, age 23.
2. John Johnson, age 25.
3. Prince Driggs, age 35.
4. Nepthan Johnson, age 30.
5. Bristol Johnson, age 23.
6. Jim Pinder, age 15.
7. Jeremiah Johnson, age 30.
8. Cook Johnson, age 24.
9. Baptist Johnson, age 22.
10. Jack Johnson, age 25.
11. Isaac Fisher, age 23.
12. Jim Gordon, age 14.
13. Will Bolds, age 23.
14. Dover Lighthourne, age 20.
15. Charles Hunter, age 60.
16. Bapiist Lighthourne, age 60.
17. Tim Johnson, age 40.
18. Thomas Hawkins, age 23.

Slave List Three.

I certify that it appears, by documents on file in this office, that the persons below named, slaves captured on the 14th June, 1814, in the privateer schooner Dash, by the American private armed vessel called the Midas, whereof Alexander Thompson was master, were
brought into the port of Savannah, in said privateer Midas, and, on the 17th June, 1814, were delivered into the custody of John Eppinger, marshal of Georgia; that, in consequence of the opinion of the Attorney General, of 27th May, 1817, the bounty provided by act of Congress of the 19th March, 1814, was not allowed on said slaves.
S. PLEASONTON, Auditor.

1. Jim Gardner, carpenter.
2. Lewis’ Gass, boatswain.
3. John Johnson, seaman.
4. Cook Johnson, do.
5. Bristol Johnson, do.
6. Bob Bootle, do.
7. Baptist Lightbourne, do.
8. Dover Lightbourne, do.
9. Baptist Johnson1 do.
10. Tom Pinder, do.
11. Frank Fisher, do.
12. Isaac Fisher, seaman.
13. Prince Driggs, do.
14. Tim Johnson, do.
15. Nepthan Johnson, do.
16. Charles Hunter, do.
17. Jeremiah Johnson, do.
18. Jack Johnson, do.
19. Will Bolds, do.
20. Jim Gordon, do.
21. Jim Pinder, do.
22. Thomas Hawkins, do.