HMS Polecat (1782) explained

HMS Polecat was the Pennsylvania privateer Navarro, Captain William Keeler, which captured in March 1782.^[1] Between her commissioning on 18 July 1781 under Captain Woolman Sutton and her capture, Navarro captured two British vessels and recaptured one American vessel.^[1] One vessel that Navarro captured was Rebecca, M'Fadzean, master, which was sailing from Jamaica to London when Navarro captured Rebecca at 44°N -76°W, north of the Azores.^[2]

The Royal Navy purchased Navarre at Boston for £1097 3s 5d and took her into service as the 14-gun brig-sloop HMS Polecat. She was initially under the command of Lieutenant Edmund Nagle, but Lieutenant the Honourable Patrick Napier succeeded him.^[3] Two French frigates chased her off the coast of Virginia on 31 July 1782; Émeraude effected the actual capture. Polecat was taken into York River, Virginia about 13 August.^[1] Her subsequent disposition is unknown.

References

• Clowes, W. Laird, et al. (1897-1903) The royal navy: a history from the earliest times to the present. (Boston: Little, Brown and Co.; London : S. Low, Marston and Co.).
• Book: Demerliac, Alain . La Marine de Louis XVI: Nomenclature des Navires Français de 1774 à 1792 . 1996 . Éditions Ancre . French . 9782906381230 . 468324725 .
• Book: Hepper, David J.. 1994. British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859. Jean Boudriot. Rotherfield. 0-948864-30-3.
• Nagle, Edmund . 1 . 1 . 277–278.
• Book: Winfield, Rif. British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. 2007. 978-1844157006.

Notes and References

1. https://www.awiatsea.com/Privateers/N/Navarro%20Pennsylvania%20Brig%20[Sutton%20Keeler].pdf
2. News: The Marine List . Lloyd's List . 1350 . 5 April 1782 . 2027/hvd.32044105233001?urlappend=%3Bseq=278 . 24 April 2021.
3. Clowes et al. (1897-1903), Vol. 4, p. 112.