Extract of a letter from Gosport [England] Jan. 24 (1775):
"Mr. Russel, one of the pay clerks here, is appointed a purser of the OTTER sloop of war, and
Mr. Lucas purser of the MERLIN sloop, which sloops are ordered commission
immediately...The Lords of the Admiralty have been pleased to appoint...Matthew Squires, Esq.
to the OTTER" (Virginia Gazzette, April 1775)
"Boston, April 17.
...Yesterday the Falcon frigate, Captain Lindsey, arrived here with dispatches for their
Excellencies General Gage and Admiral Graves. The Cerberus frigate, and OTTER and Merlin
sloops, may be daily expected..." (Virginia Gazette, May 1775)
"Philadelphia, May 3.
...The OTTER sloop of war is arrived there (Boston); it is said she brings the act of Parliament for
restraining the trade of all the colonies..."(Virginia Gazette, May 1775)
Thus began the career of the Sloop of War OTTER on the North American Station
during the American Revolution. Our goal is to portray the crew of the OTTER as it
served in the American Revolution as an armed landing party and/or cannon crew as
the particular event dictates. As evident by the several accounts noted here, the
OTTER played a significant role in the early war years in the Hampton Roads area of
Virginia. From its arrival here in June of 1775, until its eventual departure for other
duties, the OTTER was constantly in the service of Lord Dunmore, wether it be
raiding the Chesapeake bay, or assisting in actions against the colonial forces in the
towns and counties in the Hampton Roads area. In particular, sailors and marines
from the OTTER played notable roles in the Raid of Hampton, the Battle of Great
Bridge, and the numerous subsequent raids on the shore line of Norfolk in late
1775/early 1776. The primary focus of our OTTER impression will be that of an
armed landing party.
Sloops of War were commanded by officers of middle rank, between lieutenant and a
post-captain, and styled masters and commanders. These Vessels carried between
10 to 18 guns and were variously rigged, as ships, brigs, schooners, and sometimes
cutters.
Sloops of War were constructed specifically as warships, having heavier timbering
and scantling, as well as raised bulwarks to protect gun crews. This of course
increased the time and cost of building the ships.
The OTTER was a sloop of war of 305 tons, armed with 14 guns, mostly
six-pounders. She was built in 1767 at Deptford, England, and had a crew of 100.
After arriving in Boston, she was sent to assist Lord Dunmore in his attempt to
prevent the vital colony of Virginia from falling into the hands of the rebelling colonists.
"...The OTTER sloop of war... is arrived in Hampton road, from Boston; we hear, to relieve his
Majesty's ship Fowey..." (Virginia Gazette, June, 1775)
"...Willamsburg, July 7.
Last Sunday the Fowey man of war returned to her moorings before York town, with Lord
Dunmore and Captain Foy on board; having only proceeded as far as the capes with the
Magdalen schooner, which carries Lady Dunmore, and the rest of the Governour's family,
immediately to England.---And on Tuesday, the OTTER sloop, Capt. Squires, fell down to the
mouth of York river; intending, we hear, to cruise along the coast, and seize all provision
vessels..."(Virginia Gazette, Jully 1775)
"...Williasmburg, July 21.
York river is now clear of men of war, and the Mercury and OTTER are gone to Norfolk, on board
of which the last ship is Lord Dunmore..." (Virginia Gazette, July 1775)
By July, 1775, the OTTER had arrived in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and began
cruising the Chesapeake bay in search of prizes to help supply Lord Dumore and his
force with provisions during his campaign to secure Virginia for the crown. Near the
end of the month she sailed into the Elizabeth River, becoming Lord Dunmore's
command ship.By this time, the Royal Governor had been forced to leave the capital
of Williamsburg and move the seat of government to the Hampton Roads area.
The OTTER, under the command of Captain Matthew Squires, remained in Hampton
Roads as part of Lord Dunmore's "fleet" throughout 1775.
In October 1775, the OTTER, a schooner, and several tenders attempted an attack
on the town of Hampton. The following account printed in the Virginia Gazette,
though clearly a rebel view of the event, none the less discribes the raid:
"...No troops could show more intrepidity than the raw, new raised men, under the command of
captain Nicholas, of the second regiment, and captain Lyne, of the minute men, together with
some of the country militia. These brave young officers, at the head of thier men, withoug the
least cover of breast-work, on the open shore, stood a discharge of 4 pounders, and other
cannon, from a large schooner commanded by captain Squire himself, and from a sloop and
two tenders, which played on them with all their guns, swivels, and muskets. they stood cooly till
the vessels were near enough for them to do exectuion, when they began a brisk and well
directed fire, which forced the little squadron to retire. In the night the tenders forced their way
through the vessels which were sunk in the mouth of the river, and came close up to the very
town, on which they fired till they were again repulsed with the loss of 9 men killed on board the
schooner, and many wounded, 2 killed on board the tender which was boarded and taken, and
from which lieutenant Write, of the Otter, made his escape wounded, by swimming to the
schooner on the opposite shore..."
(October 26, 1775 Virginia Gazette)
In early December of that year Dunmore learned that the Rebel forces had
established a fort opposite his on the southern end of the causeway known as the
"great bridge" in southern Norfolk county. This causeway provided a vital, singular
route from Norfolk to North Carolina, and Dunmore was determined to keep it open.
He had been gathering an "army" of his own to use in Virginia, and now was the time
to put it to use. With his force of Grenaders of the 14th Regiment of Foote, loyalist
Princes Anne county militia, a regiment of freed slaves (the Royal Ethiopian
Regiment), and sailors from the OTTER and other ships of his "fleet" with two
cannon, Dunmore marched to the Great Bridge and planned his attack.
Arrayed against the crown forces were those of the 2nd Virginia Regiment, men of
the Culpepper county militia, and North Carolina militia, in strong positions on the
southern end of the causeway. The causway was narrow, only supporting
approximately six men abreast, making any attack difficult.
The following account is given by a midshipman from the OTTER:
'December 9...Our troops, with about sixty Townsmen from Norfolk, and a detachment of Sailors
from the ships, among whom I had the honour to march, set out from Norfolk to attack once more
the Rebels at the great bridge, who had been lodged there some time, and had erected a
breast-work opposite to our fort on their side of the river. We arrived at the Fort half an hour after
three in the morning, and, after refreshing ourselves, prepared to attack the Rebels in their
intrenchments.
Captain Squires, ever ready, from his accomplishments as a Gentleman, and his personal
bravery as an Officer, to assist my Lord in the public cause, had sent his Gunners and men to
manage two pieces of cannon, who were put in the front, and ordered to begin the attack. But how
can it be supposed, that with 200 men we could force a strong intrenchment, defended by at
least 2000? yet this was attempted, and we marched up to their works with the interpedity of lions.
But, alas! we retreated with much fewer brave fellows then we took out. Their fire was so heavy,
that, had we not retreated as we did, we should every one have been cut off. Figure to yourself a
strong breast-work built across a causeway, on which six men only could advance a-breast; a
large swamp almost surrounding them, at the back of which were two small breast-works to flank
us in our attack on their intrenchments. Under these disadvantages it was impossible to
succeed..."
(Lloyd's Evening Post and British Chronicle, March 4 to March 6, 1776)
After his loss at the Battle of Great Bridge, Dunmore retreated back to Norfolk, and
eventully moved his forces and loyal civilians onto his "fleet" anchored in the
Elizabeth River at Norfolk. The rebel forces then occupied the towns of Norfolk and
Portsmouth.Things remained this way for approximately 4 months. During this time,
the OTTER was constantly sending parties of sailors and marines ashore to either
drive off rebel troops and sharpshooters in buildings along the water front, or to
procure provisions and water for the fleet.
Letter from a midshipman on board the HM Sloop Otter:
"...Off Norfolk, December 14...The rebels having now nothing to obstruct their passage, arrived
and took possession of Norfolk, and in the evening saluted us with a volley of small arms; on
which, the next morning, was sent on shore to their commander, to inform him, that if another
shot was fired at the OTTER, they must expect the town to be knocked about there ears..."
(Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Vol. 3, 1775, William Bell Clark, editor;
Washington, 1968)
Journal of HM Sloop OTTER, Captain Matthew Squire:
"...Jan 1776, Mon. 1; Elisabeth River...
Am receiving 3 Hhds of water by the long boat mostly little wind & fair. At 4 p.m. began a brisk
fire from the squadron on the town and continued till 11 during which time the boats landed & set
fire to the different wharfs, had two men wounded by rebel musketry. The rebels set fire to many
parts of the back of the town..."
(Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Vol. 3, 1775, William Bell Clark, editor;
Washington, 1968)
Eventually Dunmore and his fleet, including the OTTER, LIVERPOOL, and FOWEY,
retreated to Gwynn's Island near the Chesapeake Bay. After a brief occupation of the
island, they were driven off by portions of the 7th Va. regiment, which led to the
eventual return of Dunmore to England.
By August 1778, the OTTER was patrolling the waters off the coast of Florida, and
was in Fort Augustine when a report was received of a privateer nearby. By this time
she was under the command of Lieutenant Wright, who was wounded earlier in the
raid on Hampton in 1775. Below is a report of what happened next.
"...The sloop weighed and sailed from Fort Augustine, Florida, in search of an american
privateer reported in the area. As she searched along the coast of Florida, the weather
deteriorated and by 24 August, she was in a tropical storm, with hurricane force winds. She
decided to run before the wind towards the land and at about six o'clock in the morning sighted
land near Cape Canaveral. An hour later, she struck the ground very hard and immediately
started beating violently. This, combined with the surf constantly breaking over her, led to the
sloop breaking up. All the crew managed to struggle ashore, without loss..."
(British Warship losses in the age of Sail 1650-1859, David J. Hepper; Jean Boudriot Publishers,
East Sussex, England, 1994)
