List of shipwrecks in 1778

The List of shipwrecks in 1778 includes some ships sunk, wrecked or otherwise lost during 1778.

table of contents
← 1777 1778 1779 →
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date
References

Ship	State	Description
Nesbitt	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant brig was captured by HMS Perseus ( Royal Navy) 8 leagues west north west of Port Royal. Burned later that day.^[1]
Unnamed	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The sloop was stripped and sunk by Patriots in the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania.^[2]

Ship	State	Description
Alexandrine	Kingdom of France	American Revolutionary War:The merchant brig ran aground in the Rappahannock River and was captured by HMS Richmond and HMS Emerald ( Royal Navy) off Cape Henry. Destroyed later that day.^[3]
Betsy	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant schooner was captured by HMS Phoenix ( Royal Navy) off Cape Henry. Destroyed later that day.^[4]

Ship	State	Description
Dragon	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant schooner ran aground and was captured by HMS Emerald ( Royal Navy) in the Rappahannock River. Refloated on 5 January.^[5]
Elegante	Kingdom of France	American Revolutionary War:The merchant snow ran aground and was captured by HMS Emerald ( Royal Navy) in the Rappahannock River. Refloated on 6 January.^[6]

Ship	State	Description
Speedwell	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant sloop (30 GRT) was captured by HMS Galatea ( Royal Navy) off Charles Town, South Carolina, at (33°18′N 76°28′W / 33.300°N 76.467°W / 33.300; -76.467). Prise was destroyed.^[7]
Unnamed	Great Britain	The large merchant schooner was driven aground at the "Pea Patch" in the Delaware River as a result of ice breaching the hull.^[8]

Ship	State	Description
Friends	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant brig was captured by Royal Navy ships off Nantucket Shoals. She was stripped and burned.^[9]
Polly	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant brig was captured by HMS Phoenix ( Royal Navy) off Cape Henry. She was stripped of her sails and destroyed.^[10]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant schooner ran aground and was captured by HMS Ariadne ( Royal Navy) off Englishmans Head.^[11]

Ship	State	Description
Britania	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant brigantine (40 GRT) was chased ashore by HMS Unicorn ( Royal Navy) under a fort on Point Judith, Rhode Island.^[12]
Hawke	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant sloop (30 GRT) was chased ashore by HMS Unicorn ( Royal Navy) off Stoney Town, Connecticut.^[13]
Industry	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant brigantine (30 GRT) was chased ashore by HMS Unicorn ( Royal Navy) under a fort on Point Judith, Rhode Island.^[14]
Sally	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant sloop (20 GRT) was chased ashore by HMS Unicorn ( Royal Navy) under a fort on Point Judith, Rhode Island.^[15]
Sally	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant schooner, probably Sally (20 GRT), was chased ashore by HMS Lark ( Royal Navy) in or near the Providence River and was burned.^[16]

Ship	State	Description
Friendship	United States	American Revolutionary War:The merchant sloop was captured by HMS Apollo ( Royal Navy) on the southern end of the Georges Bank and was burned.^[19]
Sphynx	United States	The merchant sloop went ashore on Brenton's Neck, near Newport, Rhode Island, and was captured by British infantry.^[20]

Ship	State	Description
Unnamed	Flag unknown	American Revolutionary War:The unidentified schooner was captured off Charles Town by HMS Carysfort ( Royal Navy) and was destroyed.^[23]
Two unnamed vessels	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The vessels, American vessels captured by privateer sloop Gayton (Jamaica), were captured during a Raid on Nassau, Bahamas by USS Providence ( United States Navy) and were burned.^[24]

Ship	State	Description
Active	Great Britain	The captured Massachusetts privateer brigantine was wrecked on the New Jersey coast on or before 12 January. Crew of 20 captured.^[26]
Hope	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The schooner was forced ashore by ice in the Delaware River near Chester, Pennsylvania, between 6 and 29 January and was captured.^[27]
Industry	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The schooner was forced ashore by ice in the Delaware River near Chester, Pennsylvania, between 6 and 29 January and was captured.^[28]
John	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War:The transport brig was forced ashore by ice in the Delaware River near Chester, Pennsylvania, between 6 January and 29 January and was captured.^[29]
Lord Howe	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War:The transport brig was forced ashore by ice in the Delaware River near Chester, Pennsylvania, between 6 and 29 January and was captured.^[30]
Rawleigh	Great Britain	The armed brigantine foundered in a storm in the western Atlantic in January or February. Crew was rescued by HMS Experiment ( Royal Navy) as the ship sank.^[31]
Symmetry	Great Britain	The transport brig ran aground near Wilmington, Delaware, between 6 and 29 January and was captured.^[32]

Ship	State	Description
Petit Camarade	Kingdom of France	American Revolutionary War: The vessel had run aground, breaking her rudder and main mast, and was captured by HMS St Albans ( Royal Navy) and burned in Lynnhaven Bay.^[37]^[38]
Unnamed	Flag unknown	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was captured by HMS Richmond ( Royal Navy) and burned off Cape Charles.^[37]

Ship	State	Description
Defiance	United States	American Revolutionary War:The sloop was captured off Hampton Creek, Virginia by boats from HMS St. Albans ( Royal Navy) and was burned.^[39]
Shore	United States	American Revolutionary War:The Virginia State Govt. owned trading sloop was captured off Hampton Creek, Virginia by boats from HMS St. Albans ( Royal Navy) and was burned.^[40]

Ship	State	Description
Unnamed	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The brig was burned at Long Island, NY by troops of the 6th Connecticut Regiment.^[41]
Unnamed	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The schooner was burned at Long Island, NY by troops of the 6th Connecticut Regiment.^[42]
Unnamed	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The armed sloop was burned at Long Island, NY by troops of the 6th Connecticut Regiment.^[43]

Ship	State	Description
Alert	British Army	American Revolutionary War:The armed schooner, belonging to the British Army Dept. of Engineers, was captured on 7 March by Continental & Pennsylvania State Navy vessels. She was run aground, set on fire and partially flooded in the Delaware River off New Castle, Delaware, to prevent being recaptured. Refloated by the British the next day.^[48]
Kitty	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The transport was burned in the Delaware River off New Castle, Delaware, after being captured by Continental & Pennsylvania State Navy vessels on the 7th.^[49]^[50]
Mermaid	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War:The transport was burned in the Delaware River off New Castle, Delaware, after being captured by Continental & Pennsylvania State Navy vessels on the 7th.^[49]^[51]

Ship	State	Description
Hammon	United States	The privateer schooner ran aground near LaHave, Nova Scotia, when attacked by schooner/tender HMS Arbuthnot ( Royal Navy) and was captured, pulled off and taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia. 19 of 25 crew escaped from being captured.^[54]
Unnamed	Royal Navy	A Tender of frigate HMS Roebuck ran ashore in the early hours, at Cape Henlopen and was burned to prevent capture in the morning, her 21 crew were captured. 8 carriage and 4 swivel guns were salvaged by the Americans.^[38]
Unnamed	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War:A tender of HMS Enterprize ( Royal Navy), captured on 20 March by USS Revenge ( United States Navy), was burned off Spain.^[55]

Ship	State	Description
Dolphin	Royal Navy	The sloop, captured 218 miles off Sandy Hook by HMS Experiment ( Royal Navy), was wrecked on Long Island in a snowstorm between 1 and 7 March. Prize crew was saved.^[61]
Royal George	Great Britain	The transport foundered near Sao Miguel Island, The Azores about the beginning of the month. crew rescued.^[62]
Unnamed	Royal Navy	A tender of HMS Enterprize ( Royal Navy), captured on 20 March by USS Revenge ( United States Navy), was burned off Spain.^[63]

Ship	State	Description
Unnamed	United States	American Revolution:The schooner was captured on the 11th by frigate HMS Apollo ( Royal Navy). She was stripped and burned on the 12th 30 Leagues north east of Nantucket.^[65]
Unnamed	United States	A Tender of frigate HMS Roebuck ran ashore in the early hours, at Cape Henlopen and was burned to prevent capture in the morning, her 21 crew were captured. 8 carriage and 4 swivel guns were salvaged by the Americans.^[38]

Ship	State	Description
Dolphin	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War: The brigantine was captured by USS Ranger ( United States Navy) between the Scilly Isles and Cape Clear Island and was scuttled.^[67]
Unnamed	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War: The schooner was captured by USS Ranger ( United States Navy) and was scuttled.^[67]

Ship	State	Description
HMS Hinchenbrook	Royal Navy	American Revolution:Frederica naval action:The armed brig or brigantine ran aground in the Frederica River during a battle with Washington, Lee, and Bullock all ( Georgia State Navy) and was captured.^[68]
HMS Rebecca	Royal Navy	American Revolution:Frederica naval action:The armed sloop ran aground in the Frederica River during a battle with Washington, Lee, and Bullock all ( Georgia State Navy) and was captured.^[68]
Unnamed	Royal Navy	American Revolution:Frederica naval action:The watering brig ran aground in the Frederica River during a battle with Washington, Lee, and Bullock all ( Georgia State Navy) and was captured.^[68]
Unnamed	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War: The coastal schooner was sunk by USS Ranger ( United States Navy) in the Mull of Galloway.^[69]

Ship	State	Description
Duc de Choiseul	Kingdom of France	American Revolution: The ship ran aground and was wrecked in Liverpool Bay, Nova Scotia, during a battle with frigate HMS Blonde ( Royal Navy). The wreck was stripped by the British. During the operation she rolled on her side killing 3 Royal Navy sailors. Probably broke up in the winter of 1778–1779.^[70]^[71]^[72]
USS Independence	Continental Navy	The sloop was wrecked in the Oracoke Inlet, North Carolina. Wreck extensively salvaged including her guns, cargo and ship's bell.^[73]

Ship	State	Description
USS Effingham	Continental Navy	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: The incomplete frigate, refloated, or partly above water, was burned by a British raiding party. She had been scuttled at White Hill near Bordentown, New Jersey, in 1777 to prevent capture by the British.^[73]
USS Washington	Continental Navy	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid:The incomplete frigate, refloated, or partly above water, was burned by a British raiding party. She had been scuttled at White Hill near Bordentown, New Jersey, in 1777 to prevent capture by the British.^[73]
Sturdy Beggar	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: The privateer was burned in Crosswicks Creek, New Jersey, by the British.^[73]
Unnamed	Continental Navy	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: Two new large ships, one pierced for 18 guns, was burned at Bordentown, New Jersey, by the British.^[73]
Unnamed		American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: The privateer sloop, 10 guns, was burned at Bordentown, New Jersey, by the British.^[77]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: The brig was burned at White Hill near Bordentown, New Jersey, by the British.^[77]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: The sloop was burned at White Hill near Bordentown, New Jersey, by the British.^[77]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid:Ten ships (brigs, sloops and schooners) were burned at Bordentown, New Jersey, by the British.^[73]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid:Eight ships (brigs, sloops and schooners) were burned in Crosswicks Creek, New Jersey, by the British.^[77]

Ship	State	Description
Kitty	United Kingdom	American Revolutionary War:The transport was captured in the Delaware River by Continental Navy armed boats and burned.^[78]
Mermaid	Great Britain	American Revolution:The transport was captured in the Delaware River by Continental Navy armed boats and burned.^[78]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: Six ships, a new schooner, an old schooner, a new sloop, a large old sloop, and 2 new ships were burned in Biles Island Creek, New Jersey by the British.^[77]
Unnamed	United States Continental Navy	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: An unknown number of galleys were found by the British scuttled in Watson Creek in deep water.^[77]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: Two sloops, a ship, a brig, 4 new ships, one new brig and one old schooner were burned at Bristol, Pennsylvania.^[77]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Delaware River Raid: Two sloops were burned at Bristol Ferry, Pennsylvania.^[77]

Ship	State	Description
Trader's Increase	United States	American Revolutionary War: The schooner was run aground near Cape Hatteras during a pursuit by HMS Ariel ( Royal Navy). Ariel burned the ship on the 14th.^[80]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: The schooner was run aground near Cape Hatteras during a pursuit by HMS Ariel ( Royal Navy). Ariel burned the ship.^[80]

Ship	State	Description
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Mount Hope Bay raids: 125 batteaux were captured and burned by British troops.^[79]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Mount Hope Bay raids: An armed galley was captured and burned by British troops.^[79]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Mount Hope Bay raids: A sloop was captured and burned by British troops.^[79]

Ship	State	Description
HMS Pigot	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War: Mount Hope Bay raids: The galley ran aground at Bristol Ferry, Rhode Island. She was kedged off some hours later despite being shelled by a battery nearby.^[87]
Unnamed	Flag unknown	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was run aground near Currituck, North Carolina, during a pursuit by HMS Ariel ( Royal Navy). Left on the beach unboarded because of bad weather.^[87]
Unnamed	Great Britain	American Revolution: The unmanned, stripped, demasted, and holed brig came ashore between two rocks at Abbotsham Cliffs near Biddeford, Devonshire, England, sometime in May. It is believed to have been captured by American privateers who intended to scuttle her. She was refloated and taken to Biddeford on the 21st.^[69]

Ship	State	Description
Elizabeth	United States	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was captured and destroyed by British privateer "Hammond" ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Esther	United States	American Revolutionary War: The schooner was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Fish-Hawk	United States	American Revolutionary War: The schooner was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Hawke	Great Britain	The sloop was stranded on Cape Henlopen on 1 or 2 May.^[76]
Jenny	United States	American Revolutionary War: The brig was captured and burned at "Carolina" by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Jenny	United States	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Lilly	United States	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Nancy	United States	American Revolutionary War: The schooner was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Nelly	United States	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Polly	United States	American Revolutionary War: The schooner was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Robert	United States	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Sally	United States	American Revolutionary War: The brig, a prize ship, was recaptured by a British privateer at Topsail Inlet before 15 May and burned when she couldn't be taken out. Her cargo of salt was salvaged by the Americans, but the ship was "ruined".^[79]
Spit-Fire	United States	American Revolutionary War: The boat was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
Success	United States	American Revolutionary War: The sloop was captured and destroyed by British privateer Hammond ( Great Britain) prior to 25 May.^[79]
True Blue	Great Britain	The slave ship was lost off Cameroon before 15 May. crew and 60 slaves were saved by Ann ( Great Britain).^[78]
Two unnamed vessels	Great Britain	Two coal ships out of a convoy of five burned and sank from spontaneous combustion before 15 May.^[78]
Unnamed	Great Britain	The schooner was captured by privateers at LaHave, Nova Scotia, she was stripped and burned. Probably on the 27th, but possibly on the 20th.^[71]
Unnamed	Flag unknown	The schooner was stranded on Cape Henlopen on or before 7–8 May.^[76]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: Six ships were driven ashore by British privateer George and Elizabeth ( Great Britain}) during a cruise, apparently on various dates before 12 May.^[79]

3 January

4 January

6 January

10 January

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16 January

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22 January

28 January

29 January

31 January

Unknown date

2 February

3 February

4 February

5 February

7 February

11 February

14 February

25 February

28 February

Unknown date

7 March

9 March

12 March

18 March

22 March

23 March

24 March

27 March

28 March

29 March

30 March

31 March

Unknown date

5 April

6 April

9 April

12 April

13 April

14 April

19 April

20 April

24 April

27 April

30 April

Unknown dagte

1 May

5 May

6 May

8 May

9 May

10 May

11 May

12 May

13 May

14 May

18 May

19 May

24 May

25 May

26 May

29 May

30 May

31 May

Unknown date

13 June

6 July

8 July

31 July

1 August

5 August

6 August

20 August

21 August

24 August

Unknown date

5 September

25 September

Ship	State	Description
HMS Cerberus	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War: The 28 gun Coventry-class sixth rate frigate was run aground, set afire and was destroyed in Narragansett Bay to avoid capture by French ships of the line.^[90]
HMS Juno	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War: The 32 gun Richmond-class frigate was run aground, set afire and was destroyed in Narragansett Bay to avoid capture by French ships of the line.^[90]
HMS Lark	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War: The 32 gun Richmond-class frigate was run aground, set afire and was destroyed when her powder magazine exploded in Narragansett Bay to avoid capture by French ships of the line.^[90]
HMS Orpheus	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War: The 32 gun Lowestoffe-class fifth-rate frigate was run aground, set afire and was destroyed in Narragansett Bay to avoid capture by French ships of the line.^[90]

Ship	State	Description
Charlotte	United States	American Revolutionary War: The schooner ran aground in Bull Island Bay, South Carolina, whilst being chased by the privateer Revenge ( Great Britain). She was consequently captured by the British.^[91]
Love and Unity	United States	American Revolutionary War:The ship ran aground off Tom's River, New Jersey.^[89]

Ship	State	Description
HMS Greenwich	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War: The Egg Harbor Expedition: The Swan-class ship sloop became grounded near Osborne Island, or on Mincock Island, near Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, United States. Refloated on the 8th, and regrounded, then refloated.^[94]^[95]
HMS Granby	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War: The Egg Harbor Expedition: The armed sloop became grounded near Osborne Island, or on Mincock Island near Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, United States. Refloated on the 8th.^[94]^[95]
Venus	United States	American Revolution: The Egg Harbor Expedition: The ship had been captured by American privateers and scuttled/dismantled in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, United States to prevent recapture, was recaptured and burned.^[95]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolution: The Egg Harbor Expedition: Nine ships that had been captured by American privateers and scuttled/dismantled in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, United States to prevent recapture, were recaptured and burned. Some ships burned until Noon on the 7th.^[94]

Ship	State	Description
Mary	Great Britain	The ship was wrecked at Pensacola, Florida, British America.^[96]
Sarah and Elizabeth	Great Britain	The ship was wrecked at Pensacola.^[97]

Ship	State	Description
Dispatch	Great Britain	The ship departed from Newfoundland, British America. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands.^[98]
Solovey	Imperial Russian Navy	The ship was wrecked by ice at the mouth of the Volga between 15 and 20 October. Her crew were rescued.^[99]

Ship	State	Description
Rattlesnake	United States	American Revolutionary War:The 18 gun Privateer ran aground and was wrecked on Middle Ground, Chesapeake Bay while being pursued by HMS Swift ( Royal Navy).^[60]
HMS Swift	Royal Navy	American Revolutionary War:The 14 gun sloop ran aground on Middle Ground, Chesapeake Bay while pursuing Privateer "Rattlesnake" ( United States). Burned to prevent captrure.^[60]

Ship	State	Description
Betsey	Great Britain	The transport ship foundered in the Nore.^[105]
Marianna Charlotta	Kingdom of Sicily	The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on the Mull of Galloway, Great Britain. She was on a voyage from the Isle of Man to Naples.^[105]
Ruby	Great Britain	The ship was wrecked at Jersey, Channel Islands.^[104]

Ship	State	Description
Fame	Great Britain	The ship was wrecked on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, British America.^[106]
Jenny	Great Britain	The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Staten Island, New York, United States. She was on a voyage from New York City to London.^[107]
Lady Catharina	Ireland	The ship was lost near Holyhead, Anglesey, Great Britain with the loss of all but one of her crew. She was on a voyage from Dublin to the West Indies.^[108]
Mary	Great Britain	American Revolutionary War: The ship was lost off Cape Florida, British America whilst evading two American privateers.^[109]
Nouvelle Abondance	France	The ship, a prize, foundered in the English Channel off Calais. Her crew were rescued.^[108]
Rose	United States	The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Staten Island in late December.^[107]

Ship	State	Description
Harland	India	The schooner was wrecked.^[110]
Le Tonnerre	Kingdom of France	American Revolutionary War: The vessel was captured by HMS Senegal ( Royal Navy) and destroyed between December, 1777 and March, 1778.^[38]
Minerva	United States	The ship was lost near "Westerley". She was on a voyage from Rhode Island to New York.^[111]
Neptune	Dutch Republic	The ship was lost at Tortola.^[112]
Rockingham	Great Britain	The transport ship was lost.^[113]
Unnamed	United States	American Revolutionary War: The privateer was sunk with all hands by Sally ( Great Britain) sometime before 4 May.^[114]

v t e Ship events in 1778
Ship launches	1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783
Ship commissionings	1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783
Ship decommissionings	1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783
Shipwrecks	1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783