Samuel Nicholson

1743 (age 68)

Chestertown, Maryland, United States

Regularly bred to the sea, he was active in the patriot cause during the first months of the Revolution. Obliged to go to London on private business, he remained there for a time without official duties. On visiting Paris he was employed by the American commissioners in the line of his profession and on December 10, 1776, was commissioned captain in the Continental navy. When ordered to procure a vessel at French or English ports, he went to England and returned with the cutter Dolphin, which he purchased at Dover. In May, having armed and fitted out this vessel, he sailed as the junior commodore in a small fleet, of which Captain Lambert Wickes was the senior officer. In June the fleet cruised to the northward of Ireland and in the Irish Sea and Nicholson shared in the success of the venture, which included the capture of eighteen prizes. One of them was a Scottish armed brig, which surrendered to the Dolphin after a half-hour's engagement. On the completion of the frigate Deane, 34 guns, which was built for the American commissioners at Nantes, Nicholson was placed in command of her and ordered to America, where he arrived in May 1778. Early in the following year he cruised for upwards of four months, chiefly in the West Indies, and captured several prizes, one of which, the Viper, mounted 16 guns. In the summer of 1779 he made a successful cruise in company with the frigate Boston, during which eight prizes were taken, including the ships Sandwich and Thorn, each of 16 guns. The two frigates returned to Boston with 250 prisoners, among whom were several army and navy officers. Nicholson was congratulated on his success by the marine committee. He cruised rather fruitlessly off the coast of South Carolina in 1780 and in the West Indies in 1781. In the spring of 1782 he was again in the West Indies. On his return to the United States he was relieved of his command, for a reason now unknown, and in September 1783 he was tried by a court-martial and honorably acquitted. On June 4, 1794, Nicholson was commissioned captain in the new navy organized that year, taking rank next to its senior officer. His first duty was to superintend the construction of the frigate Constitution at Hartt's navy yard, Boston. On her completion in the summer of 1798 he went to sea and cruised off the Atlantic coast in search of French ships. He captured the British privateer Niger, mistaking her for a French vessel, and was forced to release her. In the winter and spring of 1799 he cruised in the West Indies, but with little success, since the Constitution was too large to chase the smaller privateers. He captured the Spencer, but gave her up, under a misapprehension respecting his authority, because she was unarmed. On his return to Boston in May he was detached from his ship and henceforth until the end of the war was employed on shore.

Samuel Nicholson

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naval officer

Background

Samuel Nicholson was born in 1743 in Chestertown, Maryland, United States. He was the son of Joseph and Hannah (Smith) Scott Nicholson and the brother of James Nicholson.

Career

Regularly bred to the sea, he was active in the patriot cause during the first months of the Revolution.

Obliged to go to London on private business, he remained there for a time without official duties.

On visiting Paris he was employed by the American commissioners in the line of his profession and on December 10, 1776, was commissioned captain in the Continental navy.

When ordered to procure a vessel at French or English ports, he went to England and returned with the cutter Dolphin, which he purchased at Dover. In May, having armed and fitted out this vessel, he sailed as the junior commodore in a small fleet, of which Captain Lambert Wickes was the senior officer. In June the fleet cruised to the northward of Ireland and in the Irish Sea and Nicholson shared in the success of the venture, which included the capture of eighteen prizes. One of them was a Scottish armed brig, which surrendered to the Dolphin after a half-hour's engagement. On the completion of the frigate Deane, 34 guns, which was built for the American commissioners at Nantes, Nicholson was placed in command of her and ordered to America, where he arrived in May 1778. Early in the following year he cruised for upwards of four months, chiefly in the West Indies, and captured several prizes, one of which, the Viper, mounted 16 guns.

In the summer of 1779 he made a successful cruise in company with the frigate Boston, during which eight prizes were taken, including the ships Sandwich and Thorn, each of 16 guns. The two frigates returned to Boston with 250 prisoners, among whom were several army and navy officers. Nicholson was congratulated on his success by the marine committee. He cruised rather fruitlessly off the coast of South Carolina in 1780 and in the West Indies in 1781.

In the spring of 1782 he was again in the West Indies. On his return to the United States he was relieved of his command, for a reason now unknown, and in September 1783 he was tried by a court-martial and honorably acquitted.

On June 4, 1794, Nicholson was commissioned captain in the new navy organized that year, taking rank next to its senior officer. His first duty was to superintend the construction of the frigate Constitution at Hartt's navy yard, Boston. On her completion in the summer of 1798 he went to sea and cruised off the Atlantic coast in search of French ships. He captured the British privateer Niger, mistaking her for a French vessel, and was forced to release her. In the winter and spring of 1799 he cruised in the West Indies, but with little success, since the Constitution was too large to chase the smaller privateers. He captured the Spencer, but gave her up, under a misapprehension respecting his authority, because she was unarmed.

On his return to Boston in May he was detached from his ship and henceforth until the end of the war was employed on shore.

Achievements

Nicholson captured several prizes, one of which, the Jackal, 20 guns, was the last naval prize taken by a Continental vessel. Retained by Jefferson under the peace establishment of 1801, he became the first superintendent of the navy yard at Charlestown, Massachussets having been the senior officer of the navy since 1803. In 1901 the torpedo boat Nicholson was named for him.

Connections

On February 9, 1780, Nicholson was married in Trinity Church, Boston, to Mary Dowse, a niece of Sir John Temple. Four of his sons were naval officers; James W. A. Nicholson was a grandson.

Father:: Joseph Nicholson
Mother:: Hannah (Smith) Scott Nicholson
Spouse:: Mary Dowse
Brother:: James Nicholson
Grandson:: James W. A. Nicholson

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