Continental Cutter Revenge (1777-1779)

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The cutter Revenge was purchased at Dunkirk, France, in 1777 on behalf of the American Colonies. Despite British protests, on 17 July she sailed on a purported commercial voyage to Bergen, Norway. Soon after departure, Continental Navy Captain Gustavus Conyngham took command and commenced a commerce raiding cruise in the North Sea. Four vessels were captured during the next several days, greatly troubling English trade in the area.

Revenge continued to operate around the British Isles for the next two months, then shifted to the Bay of Biscay, the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. At the beginning of September 1778 she crossed the Atlantic to begin raiding in the Caribbean. After taking over sixty enemy merchantmen, and a couple of privateers, Revenge arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in February 1779. Sold in March, she was employed as a privateer, still under Conyngham's command, but was captured by HMS Gallatea off New York on 27 April 1779.

  
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