William Pickles (American Revolution)
Encyclopedia
William Pickles was an officer of the Continental Navy
during the American Revolutionary War
.
Commissioned on October 10, 1776, he was active on the Gulf Coast
. He was given command of the , a British ship that had been captured on the Mississippi River
, in 1779, but she was destroyed by a hurricane. He was then given another ship, also called Morris
, by Bernardo de Gálvez, the governor of Spanish Louisiana, to deal with British military shipping on Lake Pontchartrain
. In September 1779 he captured a British ship
. He then took over command of the prize
, the West Florida, with instructions from Oliver Pollock
, Congress' agent in New Orleans, to assist Gálvez in a planned expedition to capture the West Florida
port of Mobile
. Following that successful expedition
, he sailed on to Philadelphia, where the West Florida was sold. He was then given command of , and charged with transporting Henry Laurens
to the Dutch Republic
on a diplomatic mission. The ship was captured off the coast of Newfoundland, and Pickles and Laurens were imprisoned in London
. After his release, he returned to Philadelphia. He died there on September 9, 1783, after being assaulted by a gang of Italian sailors.
The prosecution of his murderers was complicated by a legal question: whether statutes previously enacted by the British Parliament
were still in force in the now independent state of Pennsylvania
. Two of the sailors were sentenced on October 8, 1783, to hang ten days later.
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...
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...
.
Commissioned on October 10, 1776, he was active on the Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
. He was given command of the , a British ship that had been captured on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, in 1779, but she was destroyed by a hurricane. He was then given another ship, also called Morris
USS Morris (1779)
The second USS Morris was a schooner in the Continental Navy placed in commission in 1779.Morris was presented to Oliver Pollock by Governor Bernardo de Gálvez of Spanish Louisiana in the summer of 1779 for the use of American forces on the Mississippi River...
, by Bernardo de Gálvez, the governor of Spanish Louisiana, to deal with British military shipping on Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
. In September 1779 he captured a British ship
Battle of Lake Pontchartrain
The Battle of Lake Pontchartrain was a naval engagement on September 10, 1779 that was part of the American Revolution fought in the waters of Lake Pontchartrain between Mandeville and Lacombe in Louisiana...
. He then took over command of the prize
Prize (law)
Prize is a term used in admiralty law to refer to equipment, vehicles, vessels, and cargo captured during armed conflict. The most common use of prize in this sense is the capture of an enemy ship and its cargo as a prize of war. In the past, it was common that the capturing force would be allotted...
, the West Florida, with instructions from Oliver Pollock
Oliver Pollock
Oliver Pollock was a merchant and financier of the American Revolutionary War, of which he has long been considered a historically undervalued figure...
, Congress' agent in New Orleans, to assist Gálvez in a planned expedition to capture the West Florida
West Florida
West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
port of Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. Following that successful expedition
Battle of Fort Charlotte
The Battle of Fort Charlotte or the Siege of Fort Charlotte was a two-week siege conducted by Spanish General Bernardo de Gálvez against the British fortifications guarding the port of Mobile during the American Revolutionary War...
, he sailed on to Philadelphia, where the West Florida was sold. He was then given command of , and charged with transporting Henry Laurens
Henry Laurens
Henry Laurens was an American merchant and rice planter from South Carolina who became a political leader during the Revolutionary War. A delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Laurens succeeded John Hancock as President of the Congress...
to the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
on a diplomatic mission. The ship was captured off the coast of Newfoundland, and Pickles and Laurens were imprisoned in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. After his release, he returned to Philadelphia. He died there on September 9, 1783, after being assaulted by a gang of Italian sailors.
The prosecution of his murderers was complicated by a legal question: whether statutes previously enacted by the British Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
were still in force in the now independent state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Two of the sailors were sentenced on October 8, 1783, to hang ten days later.