Many a young man went to sea to seek his fortune and adventure, and at the time of war he would find both. The adventure was a battle between ships and riches would come from the capturing of the enemies ship, the “Prize.” The prize ( ship ) would be taken to port and sold and the money was divided among the crew. The amount one received would depend on how much the prize and it’s cargo sold for, and where one stood in the ranks, the higher you were in the ranks the more prize money one would get. Prize money was a reward to the crew for valor, danger and victory.
The prize laws are hard to understand some times they worked in your favor other times it worked against you. My general understanding of the prize law is that you had to be on the ship at the time of the capture of the prize. Even though you may have been on the ships roll and for some unfortunate reason you found yourself on land at the time of the capturing of the prize you got nothing. Then there were the ones that were on board at the time of the capture but for some oversight was never paid, for them they would have to put in a petition to Naval Affairs, and even though it was found in your favor, it may take years to get paid. Even though you were entitled to prize money there was a time limit on how long you could claim your prize money. There was this one case were this one person waited twenty-five years before claiming his prize money, of course the time limit was long over, and he got nothing.
Note. The following information is on the prize, there is no order to the information, it’s put down as the information is found.
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Weston Jenkins is from Falmouth, Barnstable county, Massachusetts, was the Captain of the Sloop Two Friends, in October 1815, took the prize Retaliation, under the command of William J. Potter.
A claim was put in on the behalf of Edward Moore, who was kill in Sept. 1814, in the battle on Lake Champlain, his heirs would receive the prize money.
Andrew Nelson, was a seaman, was station on the Saratoga, was killed in the battle of lake Champlain on Sept. 11, 1814, his heirs would receive the prize money.
Lieutenant John M. Gamble, was station to the Essex, and was given the command of the prize Greenwich, and with this ship took the prize Seringapatam.
Anges O. Frazer was captain of the Louisiana, First Lieutenant Philip A. Bush and Second Lieutenant George Smith was on board their prize was the Ardent, taken on May 29, 1811.
Richard Bland Randolph, entered the naval service on May 1, 1800, and was station to the Insurgente as a Midshipman, and was in service till September 1800,when he became sick and was put on shore. Was not on the naval books for twenty months, in that time he assisted in the taken of eighteen prizes and was severly wound a couple times. He was never paid any prize money nor given a pension. It was found that on March 19, 1824, he was paid seventy-six dollars for four months back wages.
Joseph G. Roberts was a surgeon, and station with the squadron at Lake Erie. While in port some of the men became sick and a hospital was put on shore. The battle of Lake Erie took place on September 10, 1813, While the battle took place, Roberts was doing his duties at the hospital. After the battle the wound of both sides were taken to the hospital. Roberts asked for his part of the prize money, but as he was on shore and not on board a ship at the time of the battle, he wasn’t entitled to any prize money.
Isaac M’Keever, was a Lieutenant and was in command of the United States Ketch Surprise, on June 18, 1818, he took two prizes the Merino and the Louisa and with a cargo of twenty-five slaves.
William H. Allen was commander of the Argus, in the summer of 1818, he took nineteen prizes, he destroyed all but two, on the way back to port the Argus was taken by the enemy many of the crew were mortally wounded all were held in captivity a long time. Later Allen asked for the prize money but it was not granted.
Jairus Loomis and James Bassett, commanding gun boats No. 149 and 154.
This report is about the taken of a Negro And Indian Fort.
This report is very interesting and should be read in it’s entirely. There will be a enlarging box just mover your arrow around it will come up.
http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05100502.gif
Susan Decatur was the wife of Captain Stephen Decatur, who on February 16, 1804, took part in the destruction of the frigate Philadelphia, and should have part of the prize money. Her petition was not granted.
Anne Hodgkinson was the wife of Peter K. Hodgkinson, who was a Prize master, on board the private vessel the York, Mr. Hodgkinson was killed will the York was in battle with the enemy. Anne Hodgkinson asked for a pension, but was not granted.
Thomas Douty was given his share of the prize money for the capture of the Algerine, in 1815, his share was $96.96. .
Noah Brown and others were owners of the private vessel the Brig Warrior, at the time of the war they captured a British vessel call ed the Dundee, which was taken to New York and sold for $20,000, the court give the money to a clerk , who in turn ran with the money they now ask congress for help getting their prize money back it was not granted.
William Vaughan captured the British Gunboat the Black Snake or ( No. 9.), which he scuttled and sunk his prize.
Nathaniel Bostick took part in the capture of the sloop-of-war Hermes his share was to be about $500.
Thomas Douty was a artilleryman on board the frigate Macedonian, his share of the prize was $19.91.
Henry Bell was given his share of the prize Algerine captured in 1816, his share was $20.85.
Important Note. Below you will find 19., lists, these list well be important to those of you looking a ancestor who was in one of these battles, not only will you learn if he was there but his rank and the amount he received in prize money and to who it was paid too.
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Here is the lists of all the men of the Wasp, that captured the British Sloop-of-war Frolic.
This lists show the amount each man received in prize money.
Note. There will be a enlarging box, for all these lists, just move your arrow around and it will come up.
1. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05720564.gif
2. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05730565.gif
The distribution of the prize money for Lake Erie.
Gives all the names of the men and the amount they received.
3. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05740566.gif
4. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05750567.gif
5. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05760568.gif
6. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05770569.gif
7. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05780570.gif
8. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05790571.gif
All the names that took part on the captures on Lake Champlain.
These lists give the names and the mounts they received.
9. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05800572.gif
10. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05810573.gif
11. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05820574.gif
12. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05830575.gif
13. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05840576.gif
14. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05850577.gif
15. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05860578.gif
16. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05870579.gif
17. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05880580.gif
18. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05890581.gif
19. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/023/0500/05900582.gif
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