Letters of marque and reprisal were the official documents by which 18thcentury. Letters of marque and reprisal washington and lee law. The letter below is an example of an american letter of marque that was issued in the war of 1812 to captain of the prince of neufchatel, comprising 18 guns and 129 men, by james madison, president of the united states of america. One of the most significant events in world history, although it took place in the mid18th century from 1775 to 1783, the american revolutionary war, also known as the american war of independence, is very well documented thanks to the many letters and diaries of benjamin franklin and other founding fathers of the united states and the signatories of the declaration of independence in 1776.
Privateers and mariners in the revolutionary war the colonies, having declared their independence, had only 31 ships comprising the continental navy. Indeed, on the one occasion during the revolutionary war when a fleet battle took place, it was not the americans who fought. During the revolutionary war period, the colonies and then the u. The word marque, from the french, was used in this sense to mean a pledge to seize or capture.
Check out richard austins antiques roadshow appraisal of this 1861 jefferson davis letter of marque from new orleans, hour 2. Last war letters to family members from fallen american. A check on fainthearted presidents 897 so, from the government. In fact, the congress would issue a total of 1,697 letters of marque during the war, with various states issuing between 942 and 1,151 letters for a total of between 2,639 and 2,848. Letters of marque were important for maritime activities because they authorized ships to capture british vessels and cargo. According to grotius, letters of marque and reprisal were akin to a private war, a concept alien to modern sensibilities but related to an age when the ocean was lawless and all merchant vessels sailed armed for selfdefense. The continental congress responded by issuing letters of marque and reprisal, permitting americans to arm private ships for attacking and seizing british vessels and cargoes at sea. To add to this, they issued letters of marque to privately owned, armed merchant ships and commissions for privateers, which were outfitted as warships to prey on enemy merchant ships. American letter of marque, 1812 constitution society.
During a 15month period in 17791780, these three ships captured 114 prizes. Letters of marque two revolutionary war privateers. Marque and reprisal synonyms, marque and reprisal antonyms. Application for letters of marque and reprisal for the. During the revolutionary war both the states and the continental congress. Letters of marque were licenses granted by a monarch or government to privatelyowned vessels, enabling them under certain conditions to war against the shipping of an enemy nation.
Letter of marque signed by john hancock, 1776 north carolina. On the 15th the president of the united states issued a proclamation, calling out troops to the number of 75,000. Privateering, the american revolution, and the rules of. A letter of marque and reprisal was a government license in the age of sail that authorized a. These licenses were called letters of marque and have been issued by all the major seafaring nations since the th. They would license private ships privateers to capture their enemies shipping and goods. European governments regularly issued documents known as letters of marque and reprisal to legitimize privately outfitted menofwar. Use of letters of marque and reprisal during american revolution during the american revolutionary war, britain issued letters against colonial merchant ships to interrupt trade in arms and other needed provisions. But few people know during the revolutionary war one band of privateers. Vessels of every size and description were pressed into service as privateers. One of the reasons ben franklin sought these prizes was to use the.
Congress informed american privateers on this day that you may, by force of arms, attack, subdue, and take all ships and other vessels belonging to the inhabitants of great britain, on the high. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the american army during the revolutionary war. Vessels carrying these documents were popularly known as privateers. We were looking for something official about letters of marque which were issued to commanders of private ships during the revolutionary war. Usually a printed document, issued in various dimensions, containing the signature of the president of congress during the american revolution, and later. Would the revolution have succeeded without george. Journal of the american revolution is the leading source of knowledge about the american revolution and founding era.
Since the early days of the revolutionary war, american soldiers have been writing letters that shared their fears, hopes for the future, and love with those who waited anxiously behind. In article i, section 8, the constitution provides the following power to congress. Synonyms for marque and reprisal in free thesaurus. For instance, during the american revolution, the privateer. Privateers of the revolution massachusetts society. Letters of marque and reprisal are commissions or warrants issued to someone to commit what would otherwise be acts of piracy. Revolutionary war general nathanael greenes letters are house at the university of mississippis archives and special collections. Guide to revolutionary war records delaware public. This includes letters issued by benjamin franklin in paris to mostly irishmen who plied the waters around the british isles. Since article 1, section 8 of the constitution still stands, some have suggested that the concept of the letter of marque and reprisal could be revived as a weapon against terrorists. Privateers or merchant mariners help win the revolutionary war.
The american revolutionary war was fought largely by armies on the north american continent, however, like waves in a pond the conflict inevitably rippled out across the atlantic world. Providence august 8th 1776 i acknowledge the foregoing to be a true copy of the instructions delivered me this day by his honor the governor, with my commission, or letters of marque and reprisal, as commander of the private sloop of war montgotnery. Letters of marque contributor names kipling, rudyard, 18651936. During the civil war, the confederacy issued 99 letters of marque the most famous southern privateer being the fictional rhett butler of gone with the wind. Letter from a revolutionary war soldier 1776 from alden t. Letters of marque and reprisal constitution society. But few people know during the revolutionary war one band of privateers were sailed directly under the orders of one of our greatest statesmen. History of the american privateers and lettersofmarque. Jim burns writes a letter to an ancestor, a revolutionary war soldier, about what the united states has become.
In fact, during the war, franklin issued letters of marque to three ships. They will normally contain the following first three elements, unless they imply or refer to a declaration of war to define the enemies, and may optionally contain the remainder. Continental instructions were issued the same day along with the commission. War on the new jersey coast, 17751783 addresses a subject that has long been neglected in studies done on the american revolutionthe american privateers. America from the revolutionary war to the present paperback april 8, 2008. This guide, indicating and describing the scope of the revolutionary war holdings at the delaware public archives, will assist the researcher in finding both original and secondary source material. War of 1812, congress did not issue any letters of marque and reprisal after the.
During the revolutionary war and the war of 1812, privateers vastly outnumbered navy ships, with one u. At the time of the founding, the sovereign of any nation could authorize holders of letters of marque and reprisal to engage in hostile actions against enemies of the state. Congress authorizes privateers to attack british vessels history. The ships, known as privateers, were authorized to capture or destroy enemy shipping.
The privateer war for freedom and fortune in the american revolution presents the story of americas seaborne insurgency against british merchant ships and navy. They proved the only american force that consistently threatened britain throughout the atlantic, especially along the coasts of the british isles. Congress began issuing letters of marque in 1776 letters of marque were documents issued to privately owned ships designating them as legally able to prey upon the ships of belligerent nations in time of war. Letter from a revolutionary war soldier1776 sharpschool. In the revolutionary era, congress authorized privateering in march 1776. This includes letters issued by benjamin franklin in paris to mostly irishmen who plied the. Marque and reprisal the heritage guide to the constitution. To add to this, they issued letters of marque to privately owned, armed merchant ships and commissions for privateers, which were outfitted as warships to prey. Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700 letters of marque, issued on a pervoyage basis, were granted during the american revolution. Used heavily during the revolution and the war of 1812, letters of marque serve as official warrants from the government, allowing privateers to seize or destroy enemies, their loot and their. Privateering, a wartime tactic authorized by congress and financed by men such as robert morris and nathanael greene, proved to be.
To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water. Similar letters were issued by colonial governments against british vessels. Nearly 800 vessels were commissioned as privateers and are credited with capturing or destroying about 600 british ships. Containing tales of danger, greed, and patriotism, robert h. The letter of marque and reprisal first arose in 1295, 50 years after wartime privateer licenses were first issued. Library of congress control number 99004664 language. Shortly after the outbreak of the american revolution in april 1775, the provincial congress, forerunner of the continental congress, authorized the colonies to. During the american revolution the american colonists found it difficult to form a new navy because over 1,000 letters of marque had been granted to privateers.
In olden times, kingdoms and governments did not have navies. Congress, an act concerning letters of marque, and prizes, chapter 102, 26 june 1812. We made a great find in the library of congress digital images. Originally compiled by hezekiah niles and printed in 1822.
Between the end of the revolutionary war and the war of 1812, less than 30 years, britain, france, naples, the barbary states, spain, and the netherlands seized approximately 2,500 american ships. Fortune favors the brave the story of the texas navy. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. By december 1776, six months after the signing of the declaration of independence, george washingtons army was facing disaster. Organizing a war to form a more perfect union articles. In 1965 james flexner published the first volume of his biography of george washington in which he coined the term now indelibly stamped on the image of the iconic founder. The surrender of fort sumter on the th of april, 1861, was the initial act of the war between the states. Letters of marque and reprisal were the official documents by which 18th century. How britains royal navy lost the american revolutionary war. The former hear rhodess acknowledgment, as follows. The south issued a few letters of marque during the civil war but after that, the. Congress used to issue socalled letters of marque to private ships to help fight enemies, like the british. This privateering was an important part of the governments warfighting strategy, since its navy was not particularly big or powerful at the time the framers were. We see these letters of mark and privateers letters from the.
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