Alexander Porterfield (abt. 1745)

Born about 1745 in Scotland [uncertain]

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Biography

Alexander's birth date and parents are unknown. He was probably born in Scotland. Alexander was a ship captain in service of the Royal Navy before and during the American Revolution.

Earlier Service

In 1771, Porterfield was Captain of the Bell.^{[citation needed]}

Capture of the Glasgow

Captain Alexander Porterfield served with Loyalists during the American Revolution.

Alexander Porterfield commanded the HMS Glasgow Packet, a brig and transport in the His Majesty's Service.

On July 21st, 1776 the British transport HMS Glasgow Packet became stuck on a sand bar at Spencer's Inlet (now Dewee's Inlet). It sent out a small boat to alert the rest of the fleet that it was stuck and to send some help. The fleet was twelve miles away and upon hearing of the problem, the schooner HMS St. Lawrence and a flat-bottomed boat were sent to assist the stuck ship.^[1]

A South Carolina Row Battery, commanded by Lt. Francis Pickering of the South Carolina 2nd Regiment, discovered the HMS Glasgow Packet and fired on it. Because of the angle of the ship being stuck on the shoal, it was unable to bring its guns to bear on the Patriot boat. At 4:00 p.m., the South Carolinians boarded HMS Glasgow Packet and captured it. On board were 43 men of the Royal Highland Emigrants, six sailors, and two black boatswains.^[1]

On July 22, HMS St. Lawrence arrived in the area to rescue the ship. Just as it reached the bar, the South Carolinians set fire to HMS Glasgow Packet.^[1]

Captain Alexander Campbell who was on board the Glasgow briefly before the capture reported to Lord William Campbell a lengthy account of the grounding of the Glasgow Packet transport ship, efforts to free themselves off the sandbar and how his advice seemed to proceed with caution went unheeded. He was on board with his company Party of the Royal Highland Emigrants.^[2].

On Friday the 27th ult. Arrived here the ship M’Kenzie, Alexander Potterfield, master; he formerly commanded the Glasgow Packet, a transport in his Majesty’s service, which was taken by the rebels in Spencer’s Inlet, near Charlestown, the 21st of July, 1776;1 and was kept prisoner at the place last mentioned, until the 16th of October last, when he was exchanged; after which he resided nine weeks in St. Augustine, and then went on board his Majesty’s ship Lizard, Thomas M’Kenzie, Esq; Commander, who, on a cruize in company with the Carrysfort, Capt. Fanshaw, and Porteus, Capt. Elphinstone,2 took and sent into Augustine, five prizes: They also burnt one brig and sunk another. Upon Mr. Potterfield’s return to St. Augustine, he had authentic intelligence, by prisoners who had escaped from Charlestown, that in the late conflagration which happened in that place, 700 houses, 15,000 bushels of salt, and merchandize to the amount of 100,000l. sterling were consumed. The fire was observed by the crew of the Carrysfort, then in the offing; and a partial account of it has already been published in this paper.3 Of the ship Alquin Queen (now the M’Kenzie) together with her cargo,4 one of the prizes captured by the Lizard, and condemned in a Court of Vice Admiralty at St. Augustine, the gallant Captain M’Kenzie, with the unanimous consent of his officers and men, made a present to said Potterfield, in consideration of his loss and sufferings among the rebels.

Capture of the Jason

Alexander Porterfield was in command of the the Jason, when she was captured by American forces, along with other ships in a convoy in spring of 1779. ^[3]

The Jason set sail from England and was publicly identified as loaded wth rum. The ship was destined for New York. ^{[citation needed]}

The ship Jason had been commissioned by Admiral Gambier.^[4] There were multiple Gambiers who served in the Royal Navy, but this reference would appear to be for Admiral James Gambier.

After arriving in America, the Jason next set sail from New York to Georgia with a 20 nine and six pound cannnons. and 150 men. Included in the convoy were the ship Meriah, the brig Patriot, the brig Ferdinand, the brig John, the brig Batchelor, and the schooner Chance. The convoy was intercepted by Continental American forces, near Boston on April 8th.^[4] The Jason was outfitted as privateer for service by the Continental Forces. l^[3][5]

After the capture of the Jason, Captain Porterfield was singled out for harsh treatment. He was held in a prison in Boston and subject to "rigorous treatment". In a letter on 31 August 1779 too Colonel John Betty, it is revealed that Colonel Porterfield has been subject to close confinement in apparent retaliation for the Brititsh treatment of Captain Gustavus Conyngham. They are actually swapping out Lieutenant Hele of the British Navy for harsh treatment and order that his treatment be changed to be consistent with other prisoners of war. ^[6]

Bill of Exchange from Porterfield to Johbathan Marr

This information was transcribed from an undated auction listing on WorthPoint.^[7]

This item is an original document dated November 1779, Boston, Massachusetts, where British Naval Commander Alexander Porterfield, former commander of the SHIP JASON, and now a prisoner of war, has signed a bill of exchange to Jonathan Marr, Victualler, currently in New York. A great document, reflecting payments owed for the SHIP JASON, now captured and in the hands of the Continental Navy.....signed at lower right by Porterfield, 5x7, toned, else in overall good condition. From the Revolutionary War Archives "Boston April 17th 1779....

Dear General,

ermit me to Congratulate your Excellency on the Signal Success of the Continental Frigates Warren, Ranger and Queen of Fran[c]e in Captureing the British Ship Jason, Capt. Potterfield master, of 20 Guns, Ship Maria of 16 Guns Brigts Patriot, Prince Fredrick, Batchelor and John schooners Hibernia and Chance Bound from New York to Georgia with large Quantities of Goods Stores Provisions &c. on Board with Four Field Officers and about Twenty Commision Officers, Some of the Prises are already arrived and others momently expected. I have the honor to be with the greatest respect your Excellencys most Obedient ServtW. Heath That on the 1st day of April 1779, your Memoriliast sail'd for the Province of Georgia on Board the Arm'd Ship Jason, Captn. PORTERFIELD, but having the Misfortune to taken again by the Enemy, was put in Irons & sent to Boston (where all his wearing Apparel was taken from him, save those that were on his Back) he there remained on Board a Prison Ship for a few Weeks, & was then paroled to Rutland, where he continued 'till the 15th of August following. Was then exchanged, & sent to New York

Research Notes

The Porterfields (1947) reports on the capture of the Jason captained by Alexander Porterfield. Based on where the story is placed, it is unclear which, if any, Alexanders mentioned in the nearby sections of the book are associated with the Alexander Porterfield who served as captain of the Jason.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} J. D. Lewis, "The American Revolution in South Carolina - Spencer's Inlet", The American Revolution in South Carolina, https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_spencers_inlet.html
2. ↑ Captain Alexander Campbell, "Letter to Lord William Campbell dated July 21, 1776, Naval Documents of the American Revolution, https://ndar-history.org/?q=node/6243
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Frank Burke Porterfield, The Porterfields (Roanoke, Virginia: Multiprint Inc, 1947), p. 13-15, digital images, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89066246737;view=1up;seq=21, Hathi Trust Digital Library (https://babel.hathitrust.org: accessed 27 December 2022).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "To John Adams from William Vernon Sr., 10 April 1779", Founders Online - National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-08-02-0024
5. ↑ Gardner Weld Allen, A Naval History of the American Revolution, Volume 2, (1913), https://books.google.com/books?id=uRERAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA376&q=Porterfield
6. ↑ Charles Oscar Paullin, editor, Out-Letters of the Continental Marine Committee and board of Admiralty, August, 1776-September, 1780 (v2),, p. 102, (1914), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044072010812&view=1up&seq=148&q1=Porterfield
7. ↑ "1779, BOSTON, BRITISH NAVY, ALEXANDER PORTERFIELD, SIGNED, SHIP JASON, CAPTURED", WorthPoint", https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1779-boston-british-navy-alexander-3886118232