Sir John Sherbrooke (Halifax) - Privateer

Privateer

She had three letters of marque issued to her: 27 November 1812 (Captain Thomas Robson); 15 February 1813 (Captain Joseph Freeman); and 27 August 1814 (Captain Wm Corken). Sir John Sherbrooke's primary captain was Joseph Freeman, an experienced privateer officer from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, who was a veteran who did everything in navy fashion. Freeman co-operated with the navy, which treated him with the same respect as a naval officer.

On 18 December 1813, the prize agents advertised the distribution of prize money for the following captures:

• Sloops Red Bird, Apollo, Betsey, and Fame
• Brig Columbia
• Schooners Mary, Paulina and Caroline
• Privateer schooner Governor Plummer, of six guns

as well as salvage for the recapture of the ship Loyal Sam, brig Paragon and sloop General Hodgson.

Next, Sir John Sherbrooke had sailed in company with Rattler and the schooner Bream. Together the three captured 11 American vessels between 7 and 9 April.

Sir John Sherbrooke provided reinforcements for Shannon prior to her famous victory over the USS Chesapeake, although Sir John Sherbrooke was not present at the battle. Sir John Sherbrooke had gathered 50 Irish volunteers when on 26 May 1813 she recaptured the Duck, which was transporting them as laborers from Waterford to Newfoundland. The Duck had been the prize of the American privateer General Plummer, which Sir John Sherbrooke had captured two days latter. Twenty-two of the laborers agreed to transfer from Sir John Sherbrooke to the Shannon.

Sir John Sherbrooke also began the chase of the notorious American privateer schooner Young Teazer, which British naval ships, including Hogue and Orpheus then took up. The chase ended with Young Teazer's destruction at the hands of a member of her own crew who feared capture because he had violated his parole resulting from a previous capture.