Old Cumbria Gazetteer - Whitehaven: attack 1778


included in:-	Whitehaven
	Whitehaven: attack 1778
civil parish:-	Whitehaven (formerly Cumberland)
county:-	Cumbria
locality type:-	locality
coordinates:-	NX97181809 (etc)
1Km square:-	NX9718
10Km square:-	NX91

	CBY79.jpg A cannon being spiked in the raid. (taken 31.10.2014) CBY80.jpg (taken 31.10.2014)

evidence:-	old text:- Gents Mag item:- American War of Independence
source data:-	Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922. goto source Gentleman's Magazine 1778 p.189 April or May? "Thursday 23." "The town of Whitehaven in Cumberland, opposite the Irish coast, was suddenly alarmed by a party from an American privateer, who landed in the night and set fire to one of the ships in the harbour, with a design to burn the town, which, however, was providentially prevented by the exertion of the inhabitants, who extinguished the flames before they had reached the rigging. One of the party, who was left behind, on his examination declared, that the party landed consisted of 30 men, that they belonged to the Ranger privateer, fitted out at Piscataqua in New England, Capt. Jones commander; that she mounted 18 guns besides swivels, and had on board between 140 and 150 men; that she had taken two prizes and sent them into France. The same privateer has since landed some men on the western coast of Scotland, and pillaged the house of Lord Selkirk, near Kirkcudbright, of plate, jewels, and all the moveables that were of value. His Lordship was in London, but his Lady and family were in the house."

evidence:-	old text:- Gents Mag item:- Ranger
source data:-	Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922. goto source Gentleman's Magazine 1825 part 2 p.427 In a book review of The Life of John Paul Jones:- "... In his command of the Ranger, he made a descent upon Whitehaven, spiked the cannon in the fort, landed a boat's crew in St. Mary's Isle (which crew without his approbation carried away the Earl of Selkirk's plate), and captured the Drake of Twenty guns, off Carrickfergus, the Captain and Lieutenant being both killed." "That a single frigate could effect all this in the very chops of the channel, was evidently neglect in our Government. The steed was stolen, because they did not lock the stable door. But there was another error. The treatment of the American prisoners of war in England was so impolitically harsh, that every American sailor was thus stimulated to prefer death to captivity; and as the naval tactics of the two countries were the same, and as locality of birth was the only distinction between English and Americans, it is not to be wondered at that the latter were successful: but could they have been so, if they had not been of English character and habits? ..."

hearsay:-	Early in the morning of 23 April 1778, John Paul Jones led an attack on the town. With men of the Continental Navy, belonging to the fledgling United States, came ashore and spiked the defensive guns of the harbour.

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