Gustavus Conyngham - Obtaining The Surprise

Obtaining The Surprise

After the loss of his ship, Conyngham headed to France, hoping to connect with an ally to the United States. It was there he met Benjamin Franklin, a man who would help him in his adventures many times in the future. They formed a lasting relationship, and Conyngham eventually awarded Franklin the nickname “the Philosopher” for his intellectual fortitude and resourcefulness . Franklin had been entrusted with several commissions of the Continental Navy, and on March 1, 1777 Conyngham was appointed as Captain of the lugger Surprise. He quickly went to work, heading towards the narrow English Channel and capturing the Prince of Orange and the Joseph within a week. The Prince of Orange was holding mostly mail, so he sent it to Dunkirk to be unloaded, but the Joseph was holding more valuable cargo such as wine and oranges, and was sent to France as a prize. Unfortunately for Conyngham, France had a treaty with England that forbade the selling of commandeered good in French ports, and when Lord Stormont, an English official, heard of Conyngham’s actions he demanded that France return the Joseph and arrest him. Not ready to commit to a war with England, French officials bowed to Lord Stormont’s demands, turning over the Joseph and calling for Conyngham’s arrest. He was sent to a French prison under charges of piracy.