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The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
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In Newburyport, a boy named Brooklings discovers a canvas bag containing five gold bars worth over $300 while fishing near Greenleaf's wharf. The gold, lost 42 years ago from a Revolutionary War prize ship captured by the privateer Hawk under Capt. Jack Lee, was likely smuggled or dropped to avoid detection.
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A Good Haul. A lad by the name of Brooklings, hunting one day last week for an eel-pot sunk at the upper side of Greenleaf's wharf, fished up a small canvass bag containing 5 bars, of pure GOLD, weighing eighteen ounces, the value of which is said to be something more than 300 dolls.
Gentlemen who were on the stage of action during the American revolutionary war account for its being lost in the following manner.
A privateer schooner, called the Hawk, commanded by the intrepid Jack Lee, captured and sent in, among many other prizes, an English brig, bound from Oporto to England, loaded with wine; she also had on board, a large amount of dollars, as well as gold in bullion, dust and coin. It was not known by the captors, at the time she was taken, that these precious metals were on board. The mate of the brig (who remained in the prize) kept it from the knowledge of the prize-master, hoping they might be fallen in with and recaptured. She however, arrived safe and came to the wharf now Greenleaf's, where this gold was found.
It is conjectured that in attempting to smuggle some of it ashore, it was either accidentally dropped, or designedly thrown overboard to prevent detection. It is recollected that several seamen were imprisoned for embezzling it.
There are various traditionary stories that large sums were secretly conveyed from the vessel and buried in pine-swamp; that portions of it were entrusted to one Foss, an English-man, for safe keeping; that much of it found its way to Marblehead, where it has since been found, &c. There are those who recollect, that at that time, and for years after, much time and labor were spent in digging for the "prize gold." But we presume this is the first that has ever been actually found. When taken from the water the bag appeared perfectly sound, but on exposure to the air, it soon came to pieces, it having lain under water 42 years. The lad, we understand, has prudently determined to convert his booty into cash, and deposit it in the Savings Bank.
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Location
Newburyport, Greenleaf's Wharf
Event Date
June 20 (Finding Last Week); Lost 42 Years Prior During American Revolutionary War
Story Details
A lad named Brooklings finds a bag of five gold bars (18 ounces, worth >$300) lost from an English brig captured by the privateer Hawk under Capt. Jack Lee during the Revolutionary War. The mate hid the gold to aid potential recapture, but it was likely dropped or thrown overboard during smuggling attempts at Greenleaf's wharf. Traditions mention burials and searches for the 'prize gold'; the bag disintegrated after 42 years underwater, and the finder plans to bank the proceeds.