Letter of Marque- Semiramis
Letter of Marque
Zoom This! This artifact is a letter surrendering a Letter of Marque, which was a document allowing agents to commit piracy. Letters of Marque were handed out by countries as a way to raid nearby trading vessels off the coast. The United States used these letters extensively during the Revolutionary war era to compensate for its ill-armed Navy.
It was a chaotic time period; America had just become a nation by defeating the British in the American Revolution. The French were having a revolution of their own. The War of 1812 would soon begin.
Newport and Rhode Island had become a major port at the time in the newly created United States of America. Rhode Island was one of the original thirteen colonies so extensive trading occurred there as well. Fort Adams had been built in Newport during the summer of 1799. Newport had been an important trading town in colonial America. The French also used Newport as a base after the revolution. William Ellery was a collector of customs at the incoming port of Newport in Rhode Island. William Ellery had chosen to give up his right to act as a privateer. This way, he would not have to face foreign ships off the coast due to pirating. Having and using a Letter of Marque was close to announcing war on the country’s ship that the agent is seizing. Thus, William Ellery decided to give up his right to act as a pirate. If he had chosen to use his Letter of Marque, he would surely have foreign vessels hunting him down. This artifact is the proof showing that he surrendered the Letter of Marque.
Transcription:
Newport August 8, 1799.
To William Ellery [e…] Collector of the Customs,
[App…] is now hereby made for a [comm…] for the ship called the Semiramis of Newport Benjamin Pierce commander Milloy F. Wickhamp first lieutenant, and second lieutenant […en] four hundred fifty nine tons and half ton mounted with fourteen guns.
Navigate with thirty five men […y] the [af…] officers, owned by Jacob Smith and William Handy both of Newport, in the county of Newport, and state of Rhode Island. […n] with [r…] your obedient servant.
Jacob Smith