Pirates fighting in the American Revolution?

When you hear about the American Revolution, you might hear stories like the Boston Tea Party, Washington Crossing the Delaware, Benedict Arnold, The Surrender at Yorktown etc… you might hear how a tiny group of colonies with a ragtag army managed to overthrow the greatest military might in the world. But did you know that without American Privateers, the United States may not have won  the war? The role of privateers and pirates cannot be underestimated. In fact, from the years 1776 to 1782, the total number of privateering ships outnumbered the ships of the Continental Navy by a factor of eleven to one.  

Below is the proclamation issued by The Continental Congress authorizing large-scale privateering against English ships.

 

You may, by Force of arms, attack, subdue, and take all Ships and other Vessels belonging to Subjects of the King of Great-Britain, on the High Seas, or between High-water and Low-water Marks, except… 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 Ladings, and Definitions of the Voyages.

Comparison of Navy vs. Privateers in Revolutionary War

	Continental Navy	Privateers
Total ships	64	1,697
Total guns on ships	1,242	14,872
Enemy ships captured	196	2,283
Ships captured by enemy	?	1,323

To give you an idea of how important these pirates/privateers were, the total number of men in George Washington’s army in 1777 was 11,000. During that same year there were 11,000 privateers operating at sea to intercept British shipping across the Atlantic.  

Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700 Letters of Marque, issued on a per-voyage basis, were granted during the American Revolution. Nearly 800 vessels were commissioned as privateers and are credited with capturing or destroying 600 British ships.

 

In addition the Continental Navy and privateers together captured over 16,000 British prisoners from vessels, compared to the 15,000 taken by the entire army on land before the surrender at Yorktown.

So why didn’t these pirates turned privateers simply join the Continental Navy? Surely it would have been more prestigious and dignified.  Yet these men were typically not the type to join much of anything. For one thing many of them resisted the restricted life of serving in the military. They relished the freedom they had to sail where they wanted and command their own ship.  But I think the real reason was the profit! The crew of the privateers were well paid for their hazardous work, earning as much as $1,000 for one voyage, while average pay at the time was $9 per month.

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Advertisement in Boston newspaper recruiting crew for privateer Deane

An Invitation to all brave Seamen and Marines, who have an inclination to serve their Country and make their Fortunes. The grand Privateer ship DEANE, commanded by ELISHA HINMAN, Esq; and prov'd to be a very capitol Sailor, will Sail on a Cruise against the Enemies of the United States of America, by the 20th instant. The DEANE mounts thirty Carriage Guns, and is excellently well calculated for Attacks, Defense and Pursuit --- This therefore is to invite all those Jolly Fellows, who love their country, and want to make their fortunes at one Stroke, to repair immediately to the Rendezvous at the Head of His Excellency Governor Hancock's Wharf, where they will be received with a hearty Welcome by a Number of Brave Fellows there assembled, and treated with that excellent Liquor call'd GROG which is allow'd by all true Seamen, to be the LIQUOR OF LIFE.

Not only was Privateering highly effective, but fortunes destined to finance the new republic were made. It is believed that the total damage to British shipping by American privateers was about $18 million by the end of the war, or just over $302 million in today's dollars!!!