USS Hancock (1776)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Name: | USS Hancock |
| Namesake: | John Hancock |
| Launched: | 3 June 1776 |
| Fate: | Captured by HMS Rainbow, 8 July 1777 |
 Great Britain
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| Name: | HMS Iris |
| Acquired: | 8 July 1777 |
| Fate: | Captured by Heron, 9 September 1781 |
.svg){kind=small}  France
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| Name: | Iris |
| Acquired: | 9 September 1781 |
| Fate: | Destroyed on 18 December 1793 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 763 bm |
| Length: |
136 ft 7 in (41.63 m) keel 115 ft 10 in (35.31 m) |
| Beam: | 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m) |
| Depth: | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
| Complement: | 290 officers and men |
| Armament: |
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136 ft 7 in (41.63 m)
The second Hancock was one of the first 13 frigates of the Continental Navy. A resolution of the Continental Congress of British North America 13 December 1775 authorized her construction; she was named for John Hancock. In her career she served under the American, British and French flags.
Hancock was built at Newburyport, Massachusetts, and placed under command of Captain John Manley 17 April 1776. After a long delay in fitting out and manning, she departed Boston, Massachusetts in company with Continental frigate Boston, 21 May 1777. On 29 May they captured a small brig loaded with cordage and duck. The next day they encountered a convoy of transports escorted by British 64-gun ship Somerset which set sail to close Hancock. Manley was saved by clever and well-timed action of Boston, which forced Somerset to give up the chase by taking on the transports.
After escaping from Somerset, the two frigates sailed to the northeast until 7 June when they engaged the Royal Navy's 28-gun frigate Fox, which tried to outsail her American enemies. Hancock gave chase and soon overhauled Fox, which lost her mainmast and suffered other severe damage in the ensuing duel. About an hour later, Boston joined the battle and compelled Fox to strike her colors.
Hancock spent the next few days repairing the prize and then resumed cruising along the coast of New England. East of Cape Sable she took a British coal sloop which she towed until the next morning when the approach of a British squadron prompted Manley to set the coal sloop ablaze and leave her adrift. The British frigate HMS Flora recaptured Fox after a hot action.
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Wikipedia