Seth Harding
Encyclopedia
Seth Harding was an officer in the United States Navy
during the American Revolutionary War
.
. He went to sea early in his life and commanded several merchant ships during the French and Indian War
.He moved to liverpool N.S
At the beginning of the American Revolution
, he offered his services to Connecticut
and was commissioned commander of the state brig
Defence. Harding captured many British
ships while in command of this and two other vessels. In September 1778, Harding accepted a Continental Navy
commission and took command of Confederacy
. He cruised along the U.S. coast in company with Deane during 1779, taking three prizes and performing convoy duties.
He was ordered to take John Jay
, newly appointed minister to Spain
, to Europe
in September 1779, but the ship was dismasted 10 days out. Harding, through skillful seamanship, sailed his ship to Martinique
for repairs, his passengers continuing on another ship. Confederacy raided British merchantment and guarded convoys until 18 April 1781, when she was forced to surrender to two British ships, Roebuck and Orpheus. Harding was subsequently exchanged, commanded the letter of marque
Diana, but was captured again. After this release, the fighting captain volunteered to serve as First Lieutenant to John Barry
in Alliance
, and was wounded on board during the last engagement of the revolution, off the coast of France
.
Harding spent his last years as a merchant sailor and in retirement in Schoharie, New York
, where he died.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Biography
Harding was born at Eastham, MassachusettsEastham, Massachusetts
Eastham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 5,453 at the 2000 census....
. He went to sea early in his life and commanded several merchant ships during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
.He moved to liverpool N.S
At the beginning of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, he offered his services to Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and was commissioned commander of the state brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Defence. Harding captured many British
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
ships while in command of this and two other vessels. In September 1778, Harding accepted a Continental Navy
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War, and was formed in 1775. Through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron, John Adams and vigorous Congressional support in the face of stiff opposition, the fleet cumulatively became relatively...
commission and took command of Confederacy
USS Confederacy (1778)
USS Confederacy was a 36-gun sailing frigate of the Continental Navy in the American Revolutionary War.She was launched 8 November 1778 at Chatham , Connecticut, and towed to New London to be prepared for sea. From 1 May to 24 August 1779 she cruised on the Atlantic coast under the command of...
. He cruised along the U.S. coast in company with Deane during 1779, taking three prizes and performing convoy duties.
He was ordered to take John Jay
John Jay
John Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....
, newly appointed minister to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in September 1779, but the ship was dismasted 10 days out. Harding, through skillful seamanship, sailed his ship to Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
for repairs, his passengers continuing on another ship. Confederacy raided British merchantment and guarded convoys until 18 April 1781, when she was forced to surrender to two British ships, Roebuck and Orpheus. Harding was subsequently exchanged, commanded the letter of marque
Letter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
Diana, but was captured again. After this release, the fighting captain volunteered to serve as First Lieutenant to John Barry
John Barry (naval officer)
John Barry was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later in the United States Navy. He is often credited as "The Father of the American Navy"...
in Alliance
USS Alliance (1778)
The first USS Alliance of the United States Navy was a 36-gun sailing frigate of the American Revolutionary War, notable for having fired the last shot of the war....
, and was wounded on board during the last engagement of the revolution, off the coast of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Harding spent his last years as a merchant sailor and in retirement in Schoharie, New York
Schoharie, New York
Schoharie, New York may refer to:*Schoharie County, New York*Schoharie , New York, located in Schoharie County*Schoharie , New York, located within the Town of Schoharie...
, where he died.