HMS Viper (1777)
HMS Viper was the Massachusetts privateer schooner Viper that captured on 26 September 1776. The Royal Navy purchased Viper in 1777. She then was broken up in New York in 1779.
Massachusetts service and capture
Viper was on her first cruise in 1776 under her captain, Commander Benjamin Wormell, when the British captured her. The notice in the London Gazette, under the heading "By the Perseus", simply states: "Viper, B. Wornwell, Master, Martin and Co. Owners; from Boston, on a Cruize; fitted as a Privateer."British service
The Admiralty bought Viper for £349 1s 9d on 17 July 1777. However, she may already have been active in the Royal Navy's service for some time, in fact, from not long after her capture. The same issue of the London Gazette that reported her capture had a long list of vessels captured between 10 March and 31 December 1776. That list includes 10 small prizes "By the Viper".Four boats on a fishing voyage from Piscataqua, carrying fish:
- May Flower, S. Crossman master and owner;
- Dover, A. Fuinald, master and owner;
- Endeavor, J. Bitlou, master and J. Batson, owner;
- Two Brothers, J. Bowden, master and owner
- Two abandoned boats, one with fire wood and one with empty casks.
- Pelly, on a fishing voyage, carrying fish.
- Louisa, J. Colston, master and St. New, owner;
- Unity, J. Lord, master and Jones, owner;
- Nancy, R. Adams master, but belonging to the Congress. Unfortunately, there was another in the theater at the same time, a 10-gun sloop. It is not clear which Viper affected these captures, or even whether some are due to one and others to the other.
On 7 May 1778, Viper was part of a squadron that accompanied some gallies, barges and troops up the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Trenton. Over a three-day period they burned 44 American vessels and captured a battery of six guns, all without suffering a single casualty. Among the vessels they burned was what was left of the American frigates and. Seven of the vessels were privateers, pierced for from 10 to 18 guns.
On 13 June, and Viper captured a schooner at Rustigouche. She was on a cruise from Salem and they sent her into Halifax, together with her stores.