Congress Authorized Legalized Piracy

Congress Authorized Legalized Piracy
Greetings, today we learn that the Congress authorized legalized piracy during the early days of 1776.
This an excerpt from my book, 1776.
I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of the
Time Line of United States History Series
Meanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, http://www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left hand side of the home page.
A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

Greetings, today we learn that the Congress authorized legalized piracy during the early days of 1776.
This an excerpt from my book, 1776.
I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of the
Time Line of United States History Series
Meanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, http://www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left hand side of the home page.
A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

Congress Authorized Legalized Piracy
On April 3, 1776 Congress passed legislation authorizing the commissioning of privateers, which were essentially legalized pirates.
The Act Title was:
”COMMANDERS of Private Ships or Vessels of War, which shall have Commissions or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, authorising them to make Captures of British Vessels and Cargoes.
The law went on to state:
I. 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 Seas, or between high-water and low-water Marks, except Ships and Vessels bringing Persons who intend to settle and reside in the United Colonies, or bringing Arms, Ammunition or Warlike Stores to the said Colonies, for the Use of such Inhabitants thereof as are Friends to the American Cause, which you shall suffer to pass unmolested, the Commanders thereof permitting a peaceable Search, and giving satisfactory Information of the Contents of the Ladings, and aforesaid, to be examined upon Oath, and make Answer to the Interrogatories which may be propounded touching the Interest or Property of the Ship or Vessel and her Lading; and at the same Time you shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Judge or Judges, all Passes, Sea Briefs, Charter Parties, Bills of Lading, Cockets Letters, and other Documents and Writings found on Board, proving the said Papers by the Affidavit of yourself, or of some other Person present at the Capture, to be produced as they were received, without
Fraud, Addition, Subduction, or Embezzlement.
II. You may, by Force of Arms, attack, subdue, and take all Ships and other Vessels whatsoever carrying Soldiers Arms, Gun powder, Ammunition, Provisions, or any other contraband Goods, to any of the British Armies or Ships of War employed against these Colonies.
III. You shall bring such Ships and Vessels as you shall take, with their Guns, Rigging, Tackle, Apparel, Furniture and Ladings, to some convenient Port or Ports of the United Colonies, that Proceedings may thereupon be had in due Form before the Courts which are or shall be there appointed to hear and determine Causes civil and maritime.
IV. You or one of your Chief Officers shall bring or send the Master and Pilot and one or more principal Person or Persons of the Company of every Ship or Vessel by you taken, as soon after the Capture as may be, to the Judge or Judges of such Court as
In Congress, Wednesday, April 3, 1776 aforesaid, to be examined upon Oath, and make Answer to the Interrogatories which may be propounded touching the Interest or Property of the Ship or Vessel and her Lading; and at the same Time you shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Judge or Judges, all
Passes, Sea Briefs, Charter Parties, Bills of Lading, Cockets Letters, and other Documents and Writings found on Board, proving the said Papers by the Affidavit of yourself, or of some other Person present at the Capture, to be produced as they were received, without Fraud, Addition, Subduction, or Embezzlement.
V. You shall keep and preserve every Ship or Vessel and Cargo by you taken, until they shall by Sentence of a Court properly authorised be adjudged lawful Prize, not selling, spoiling, wasting, or diminishing the same or breaking the Bulk thereof, nor suffering any such Thing to be done.
VI. If you, or any of your Officers or Crew shall, in cold Blood, kill or maim, or by Torture or otherwise, cruelly, inhumanly, and contrary to common Usage and the Practice of civilized Nations in War, treat any Person or Persons surprized in the Ship or Vessel you shall take, the Offender shall be severely punished.
VII. You shall, by all convenient Opportunities, send to Congress written Accounts of the Captures you shall make, with the Number and Names of the Captives, Copies of
your Journal from Time to Time, and Intelligence of what may occur or be discovered concerning the Designs of the Enemy, and the Destinations, Motions, and Operations of their Fleets and Armies.
VIII. One Third, at the least, of your whole Company shall be Land Men.
IX. You shall not ransome any Prisoners or Captives, but shall dispose of them in such Manner as the Congress, or if that be not fitting in the Colony whither they shall be brought, as the General Assembly, Convention, or Council or Committee of Safety of such Colony shall direct.
X. You shall observe all such further Instructions as Congress shall hereafter give in the Premises, when you shall have Notice thereof.
XI. If you shall do any Thing contrary to these Instructions, or to others hereafter to be given, or willingly suffer such Thing to be done, you shall not only forfeit your Commission, and be liable to an Action for Breach of the Condition of your Bond, but be responsible to the Party grieved for Damages sustained by such Mal-versation.
By Order of
CONGRESS.
JOHN HANCOCK, President”

The law established privateers, who would play a major part in the American effort against the British. Privateers would eventually number about 2,000 in number. They captured or destroyed about 600 British ships, bringing invaluable supplies to the Americans and causing major economic damage to the British.

Other events of the week included:
Washington Appoints Major General Putnam Commander of New York Troops on March 30

On the 31 Colonel Rufus Putnam Receives Orders to go to New York

Abigail Adams wrote her husband John on March 31, imploring him to “Remember the Ladies,” when they were passing laws for the new nation. The couple would exchange over 2,000 letters over the course of the war.

The Congress created a permanent Treasury Office of Accounts on February 17, 1776.

Americans Begin Shelling Quebec on April 02, 1776.

The Continental Congress established the Eastern Department of the Continental Army using troops from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island On April 4th.

General Washington’s Army Begins March to New York on April 04, 1776

Captain John Whipple of the Continental Navy captures the HMS Hawke on April 04, 1776.

By April 4, 1776 General William Howe had arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia after his retreat from Boston.

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