EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THB1805 British Privateer's Journal, Capture of American Ship
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $10 |
| $100 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
About Auction
LiveApr 24, 2026
Day one of Fleischer's 2026 Spring premier auction includes early American artifacts, documents, signatures, ephemera, and weaponry. Rare material relating to African American history is featured, as well as fine examples of antique photography. Fleischer's Auctions info@fleischersauctions.com
View Full Catalog (380)
- Lot Description
1805 LOGBOOK OR JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH PRIVATEER BETSEY, RECORDING PRIZE CAPTURES AT SEA DURING THE NAPOLEONIC WARS, INCLUDING AN AMERICAN SHIP
Ship's log of the British cutter, Betsey. 17 August 1805 to 6 November 1805. 34 pages of writing, folio. Marble paper binding. WITH custom slipcase. Frontispiece which reads: "Edward Matthews Journal Books / Of the Betsey Cutter Privateer / Captain William Prowse Commander."
An excellent record kept by Edward Matthews, perhaps the ship’s first mate, documenting the activities of the privateer Betsey during the months of August through November 1805. Written in a small, precise hand, the journal provides a detailed account of the vessel’s movements, recording positions, weather conditions, and encounters at sea, along with careful descriptions of the ships boarded and the cargoes they carried.
The logbook captures the day-to-day realities of privateering during the height of the Napoleonic Wars, when maritime commerce was fiercely contested across the Atlantic. Britain, engaged in a global struggle with Napoleonic France and its allies, relied heavily on privateers, privately owned vessels authorized by government-issued letters of marque, to disrupt enemy trade and capture merchant shipping suspected of supplying hostile ports.
The crew recorded their first prize on 28 August: “…a ship under American Colours, the Dispatch of New York from Cadiz… On inspection, detained the said ship. Wm. Ghent and 4 men aboard to take charge…”. American vessels trading with Spanish or French ports were often suspected of carrying goods beneficial to Britain’s enemies, and such ships were frequently detained and sent to port for adjudication in prize courts.
A few days later, on 31 August, Matthews writes: “…took charge of the Two Brothers, brought to, boarded and detained them… Captain Pearce sent me on board with 6 men to take charge of the vessel and conduct her into port…”. For several days thereafter, while Matthews sailed the captured vessel into port, he continued keeping the journal from aboard the Two Brothers, illustrating the routine practice of dispatching prize crews to escort captured ships safely to harbor.
Privateering, however, carried considerable risk, and the crew of the Betsey did not always have matters entirely in hand. On 27 September, after boarding and seizing the Swedish vessel Gustave Adolph, they encountered determined resistance:
“…At 10 went on board with 7 men of our crew… After 6 PM walking the quarter deck in company with Captain Prouse we observed the ships course was altered… found the Swedish Captain had given orders to his people to lay the ship to sea… Their people had got possession of some of our arms. Many blows passed on both sides. Captain Prouse and myself fully engaged in forcing the captain into his cabin, which we did with some trouble. I came upon deck immediately and found the 2nd Mate laying on deck wounded and one of our men wounded also. Thus situated [I] instantly sent on board the Betsy for four more men and more arms…”
Although privateers operated legally under letters of marque, the process of boarding and securing a captured vessel could quickly devolve into armed confrontation.
The practice of privateering was a central component of eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century naval warfare. Governments lacking sufficient naval vessels frequently commissioned private ships to supplement their maritime power. Captured vessels and their cargoes were condemned and sold in prize courts, with the proceeds distributed among the crew, making privateering potentially extremely lucrative. A single valuable prize could yield a sailor the equivalent of many years’ wages in the merchant service, drawing large numbers of seamen into the trade.
The cruise recorded in this logbook appears to have been particularly active and profitable. Matthews notes numerous encounters at sea, and the Betsey routinely boarded several vessels in a single day while successfully securing multiple prizes over the course of the voyage.
A historic account capturing not only the strategic realities of maritime commerce warfare, but also the daily routines, hazards, and opportunities faced by the men who pursued fortune on the high seas.
[Navy, Naval History]
- Shipping Info
-
All packages valued at over $250 are shipped with a signature required upon delivery. All packages handled and shipped in-house by Fleischer's Auctions are not insured unless insurance is requested. Successful bidders who would like their packages insured are responsible for notifying us that this is the case and are responsible for paying the cost of insurance.
-
- Payment & Auction Policies
-
Available payment options
-
-
- Buyer's Premium
