August 22, 1776

The Yankee Hero was captured by the British on June 7, 1776, as described in this account from the ship’s captain, James Tracy. On that day, Tracy set sail from Newburyport, Massachusetts, with provisions for six months. While traveling around Cape Ann, Tracy spotted “a sail in the offing, but in his situation did not think of looking after her.” Soon, the crew realized that it was a British ship of war, and “a contest with her must have been very unequal,” so Tracy decided to make for port, but they could not make it. The British ship quickly approached and overtook the Yankee Hero. Tracy noted that about thirty of the men on the British ship were, “to the eternal disgrace of Britain, and the present King and Parliament,” American prisoners who were “forced, at the forfeit of their lives, to fight against their countrymen.”

Tracy recounted how he was shot in the right thigh, “in a few minutes he could not stand,” and “in a short time, from pain and loss of blood, he was unable to command, growing faint.” By the time he gave this account, he and his first mate, who was also injured, were on the “mend but slowly.” 

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Printed by Benjamin Towne

From the Essex Journal and New-Hampshire Packet of August 9, 1776.

The public having been only transiently informed of the capture of the privateer brig Yankee Hero, of this port, of which James Tracy was late commander; and as her engagement with the Milford frigate was a bold action and well conducted, considering her unavoidable situation, you may if you please, Mr. Printer, give the following narrative of it, chiefly collected from those who were in the engagement.

CAPTAIN James Tracy sailed from Newbury-Port the seventh of June, in the Yankee-Hero, for Boston, with twenty-six men only, including officers; this number was not a quarter of his complement; he was provisioned for a six months cruise, and was to take in the remainder of his men at Boston; the afternoon he went out, going round Cape-Ann he observed a sail in the offing, but in his situation did not think of looking after her. Two boats full manned with their musquets, who had put out after the sail, came on board, and informed him a number of transports had been close in with the Cape that day; fourteen men from the two boats joined him, and sent their boats on shore; he had now forty hands in the whole (only a third of his complement) with these he put away for the sail, which bore E. S. E. about five leagues distance, the wind being then westerly; at six miles distance they perceived her to be a ship, and soon from her management to be a ship of war. As a contest with her must have been very unequal, Capt. Tracy, who intended to make a harbor that night, ordered the brig to be put about for the shore, not that suspecting the ship could come up with him; but he had not tacked ten minutes before the westerly wind died away, and the ship taking a fresh southerly breeze came fast in, endeavoring to cut the brig off from the shore. After some time, the ship thus getting in the wake of the brig, the wind again came fresh to the westward, upon which the brig hauled to the wind in the best angle for the shore; the ship gave chase, and in an hour came up within half a mile, and began to fire her bow chasers, which the brig only answered with a swivel, Capt. Tracy reserving his whole fire, until the ship, keeping a constant fire, came up within pistol shot upon his lee quarter, when the brig gave her the best return they could make from their main and quarter deck guns, swivels and small arms, and after then kept up a constant fire. The ship was soon up along side, and with twelve nine pounders of a side, upon one deck, besides forecastle and quarter deck guns, and with her marines overlooking the brig as high as her leading blocks, kept a continual fire; after some time the ship hauled her wind so close, which obliged the brig to do the same, that Capt. Tracy was unable to fight his lee guns; upon this he backed under her stern, but the ship, which sailed much faster, and worked as quick, had the advantage, and brought her broadside again upon him, which he could not evade; and in this manner they lay not a hundred feet from each other, yawing to and fro, for an hour and twenty minutes, the privateer’s men valiantly maintaining their quarters against such a superior force. About this time, the ships foremast guns beginning to slack fire, Capt. Tracy tacked under her stern, and when clear of the smoke and fire, perceived his rigging to be most shockingly cut, yards flying about without braces, some of this principal sails shot to rags, and half his men to appearance dying and wounded.

Mr. Main, his First Lieutenant, was among the first wounded, and Mr. Davis, one of the prize-masters, fell in the last attack. In this situation they went to work to refit the rigging, and to carry the wounded below, the ship having then taken a broad sheer some way off, and none of her guns bearing; but before they could get their yards to rights; which they zealously tried for in hopes still to get clear of the ship, as they were now nearer in shore, or to part from her under the night, she again came up and renewed the attack, which obliged Capt. Tracy to have recourse to his guns again, though he still kept some hands aloft to his rigging; but before the brig had again fired two broadsides, Capt. Tracy received a wound in his right thigh, and in a few minutes he could not stand; he laid himself over the arm chest and barricadoe, determined to keep up the fire, but in a short time, from pain and loss of blood, he was unable to command, growing faint, and they helped him below; as soon as he came to, he found his firing had ceased, and his people round him wounded, and, not having a surgeon with them, in a most distressed situation, most of them groaning, and some expiring.

Struck severely with such a spectacle, Capt. Tracy ordered his people to take him up in a chair upon the quarter deck, and resolved again to attack the ship, which was all this time keeping up her fire; but after getting into the air, he was again so faint that he was for some time unable to speak, and finding no alternative, but they must be taken or sunk, for the sake of the brave men that remained, he ordered them to strike to the ship. Thus was this action maintained upwards of two hours in a low single decked vessel, with not half the metal the ship had, against an English frigate, whose navy has been the dread of nations, and by a quarter the number of people in the one as the other, yet the victors exulted as though they had overcome a force as much superior as this was inferior to them. The brig had four men killed and thirteen wounded, including officers, the number in the Milford wounded is not known, though there were some. The deprivation of these brave officers and men is to be regretted by all friends to this country. With justice to Capt. Bur of the Milford, it must be acknowledged he treated with humanity and politeness the officers and men that were wounded—but to the eternal disgrace of Britain, and the present King and Parliament, let it be recorded, that in this very action above related, upwards of thirty Americans (prisoners in the Milford) were forced, at the forfeit of their lives, to fight against their countrymen, and the officers and men of the Yankee Hero, that were not wounded, are now detained in several of their ships, and may meet with the same cruel fate, an exaction that even Savages have not been known to require.—It is to the credit of the Hero’s men, that not one would enter upon the ship’s books, though not only urged by every persuasion but by threats.

Capt. James Tracy, and Mr. Main his first Lieutenant, we hear, are likely to do well of their wounds, though they mend but slowly; they and the other wounded men are at Halifax; twelve of the Hero’s men were kept on board the Milford.—Mr. Robert Tracy, his second Lieutenant, and the rest of the brig’s company, are on board the Renown, Commodore Banks.