USS Boston (1777)

USS Boston

Continental frigates Hancock and Boston capturing British frigate Fox, 7 June 1777
History
United States of America
Name:	Boston
Builder:	Stephen and Ralph Cross, Newburyport, Massachusetts
Launched:	3 June 1776
Fate:	Captured 12 May 1780
Great Britain
Name:	HMS Charlestown
Acquired:	12 May 1780 by capture
Fate:	Sold 1783
General characteristics
Type:	Frigate
Tonnage:	514
Length:	114 ft 3 in (34.8 m) (overall) 94 ft 3 in (28.7 m) (keel)
Beam:	32 ft (9.8 m)
Depth of hold:	10 ft 3 in (3.1 m)
Propulsion:	Sail
Speed:	8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph)
Armament:	American service: 5 × 12 pdr (5.4 kg) guns 19 × 9 pdr (4.1 kg) guns 2 × 6 pdr (2.7 kg) guns 4 × 4 pdr (1.8 kg) guns British service: 28 guns 6 × 18 pdr (8.2 kg) carronades

The second USS Boston was a 24-gun frigate, launched 3 June 1776 by Stephen and Ralph Cross, Newburyport, Massachusetts, and completed the following year. In American service she captured a number of British vessels. The British captured Boston at the fall of Charleston, South Carolina, renamed her HMS Charlestown (or Charles Town), and took her into service. She was engaged in one major fight with two French frigates, which she survived and which saved the convoy she was protecting. The British sold Charlestown in 1783, immediately after the end of the war.

Boston was commissioned under the command of Captain Hector McNeill. On 21 May 1777, Boston sailed in company with USS Hancock for a cruise in the North Atlantic. The two frigates captured three prizes including the 28-gun frigate HMS Fox (7 June). On 7–8 July, Boston, Hancock, and Fox engaged the British vessels HMS Flora, HMS Rainbow, and HMS Victor. The British captured Hancock and Fox, but Boston escaped to the Sheepscot River on the Maine coast. McNeill was court-martialed in June 1779 for his failure to support Hancock and was dismissed from the Navy.

During the period 15 February-31 March 1778, Boston, now under the command of Samuel Tucker, carried John Adams to France, capturing one prize en route. She then cruised in European waters taking four prizes before returning to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 15 October. In 1779 she made two cruises (29 July – 6 September and 23 November – 23 December) in the North Atlantic capturing at least nine prizes. Boston then joined the squadron sent to assist in the defense of Charleston, South Carolina. There the British captured her when the town surrendered on 12 May 1780.