AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND NAVY PRIZE LISTS Archive of ships' logs, prize ledgers and family papers pertaining to Admiral Thomas Macnamara Russell (1740-1824), comprising: i) Manuscript Log Book titled "Journal kept by TM Russell", beginning aboard the guardship HMS Ramillies at Chatham, then the Falkland ("...took command of the Brigg... employed in putting the after Hold to rights..."), the Barfleur, and the Milford, sailing with payroll and dispatches for Admiral Shouldham, to Halifax via Cape Cod, Boston Lighthouse and Nantasket Road, detailing ship's position, wind direction, weather ("...heavy showers of rain... lost sight of the Needle Rock... saluted Admiral Shuldham Esq Rear Admiral of the White with 13 guns...") and other remarks including duties on board ship ("...punished Samuel Anson and Thos Pollard for Drunkenness...") and encounters with other vessels ("...cleared the ship for action... beat to quarters seeing them bear down for us – found them to be HMS Niger and her tender..."), 49 pages, several leaves excised, other leaves loose, dust-staining, marks, edges frayed, marbled paper wrappers, worn with some holes at spine, 4to (315 x 205mm.), Chatham, Portsmouth, At Sea, August 1775 to March 1776 ii) Manuscript Log Book kept aboard the Albany, patrolling the coast from Halifax and chasing American privateers, recording similar details to that above ("...spoke the schooner Trueblue an American privateer taken by His Majesty's ships Venus and Apollo... at 5 saw a sail and gave chase... took a Brig laden with lumber... employed shifting the cargoes from the Prizes..."), 80 pages, dust-staining and marks, some worm and water damage, one leaf roughly torn out, marbled paper wrappers, marked and worn, water and worm damage, 4to (315 x 205mm.), Halifax, St Johns, Anapolis, Long Island harbour, September 1777 to December 1778 iii) Manuscript Prize Ledger titled "An Account of Vessels Reported to Rear Admiral Russell to have been Captured Recaptured and Detained by His Majesty's Ships and Vessels under the Command of The Rt Honourable Lord Keith", over 1,000 entries (numbered 145-994 then 1-206), noting the name and nationality of the ship date captured, how rigged, whence bound and the cargo, the number of guns, who captured it and details of the prize agents concerned, the last 19 leaves reversed, noting copies of monthly receipts from John Jackson, Prize Agent, and Admiral Russell's account with him, detailing his portion of prizes, 1804-1808, index of vessels detained in the North Sea affixed to inside lower board, c.130 pages, dust-staining and marks, some leaves excised, half calf, marbled boards, "Report of Prizes" written in ink on upper cover, worn and stained, some loss to spine, folio (318 x 195mm.), November 1803 to September 1807 iv) Manuscript Prize Agent Lists, several signed by Admiral Keith's secretary Nicholas Brown ("Nich. Brown"), disbound leaves recording tables of "...vessels captured and detained on the North Sea Station since the delivery of the last account to Hon Admiral Russell...", some information duplicated from the Prize Ledger mentioned above, various dockets ("From secretary Brown/ List of Prizes. 1803", "Lists of Ships and Vessels Detained", etc.) on reverse, c.34 disbound leaves of lined ledger paper, dust-staining and discolouration, marks and creasing, some small holes and remnants of thread where previously bound, folio and smaller (405 x 315mm. and 210 x 318mm.), November 1803 to May 1807 v) Family papers, including correspondence from Thomas Macnamara Russell to his boyhood friend Vice Admiral Michael de Coursy (d.1824), some fifteen letters written in the fondest terms, mostly 4to, October 1813 to June 1822; an indenture between the Earl of Shaftesbury and Thomas Macnamara Russell, relating to the lease of the Canford Estate, March 1809; Articles of Separation between Russell and his wife Elizabeth, signed by both, September 1814; announcement of the marriage of his daughter to Lt. Patey, R.N., January 1817; copy letter granting power of attorney to his son, July 1822; and other family letters and papers pertaining to his son; 3 photographic portrait cartes de visites; two depictions of Mount Wise [Plymouth] and "Portsmouth Citydel/By Dear Father/when a boy/ M.P", pen, ink and watercolour, 255 x 293mm., etc.; with a group of papers relating to twentieth century descendants of Patey (collection) 'AT 1AM SAW NO. OF SHIP'S LIGHTS WHICH WE FIND ARE THEM OF THE FLEET WHICH CARRY THE INHABITANTS OF BOSTON TO HALLIFAX': NAVAL LOG BOOKS FROM THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND PRIZE LISTS FROM THE WAR WITH NAPOLEON. Thomas Macnamara Russell, Admiral of the White and Commander-in-Chief in the North Seas, enjoyed a long and successful career in the Royal Navy. He rose, from his first appearance on the ship's muster of HMS Cornwall at Plymouth in 1766, through the ranks to Admiral in 1812. As our first log book shows, he served on the guardship Ramillies and then the Falkland, an American Whaling brig which had been captured by the Experiment in 1775 on which Russell was assigned Prize Master. He then sailed on the Milford to North America via Cape Cod and Nantasket Road (Boston's outer harbour) where the fleet was watering after the evacuation of British soldiers and loyalists from Boston, Russell noting "...At 1AM saw no. of ship's lights which we find are them of the fleet which carry the inhabitants of Boston to Hallifax... Found the fleet & army were destined for Hallifax; and as my proper ship was not arrived obtained a passage thither for the Chatham from Rear Admiral Shouldham...". The second log recommences some eighteen months later when serving on the sloop Albany (deemed to be 'a wretched ship' by her captain, Henry Mowatt), which had recently been captured from the Colonials, and now served to patrol the coast to protect British shipping and capture rebel vessels. His first command, was the Diligent, and Russell proved himself highly successful in capturing prizes, notably La Sibylle in January 1783, whose Captain tried (and failed) to capture Russell's ship by dishonourably hoisting false colours. The next few years were spent on the West Indies Station and by November 1803, when the entries in our Prize Ledger begin, England was at war with France and he commanded a division, under the orders of Lord Keith (as mentioned on our ledger), in the North Sea Fleet stationed in the Downs. Between 1803 and 1807 he flew his flag on numerous vessels at Yarmouth and off the Texel and, in 1807 was appointed Commander in Chief of the North Sea fleet, after which he achieved the capitulation of Heligoland. The extensive Prize Lists included in the collection give a first-hand insight into the highly profitable business of Naval prizes. Captains were entitled to two-eights in prize money of the value of a captured vessel, so it could be particularly lucrative if a captain took several prizes at once. As Admiral Russell's copies of his receipts from Prize Agent John Jackson attest, he benefited substantially from this system but, despite accruing a great deal of prize money over his career, it is believed that he lost much of it through unwise investments. The loose sheets of prize lists accompanying the ledger were seemingly kept by the prize agent, several of which are signed by Nicholas Brown, who served as prize agent and private secretary to Admiral Keith. Brown was an influential and somewhat controversial figure, and himself accrued an enormous fortune. Despite being accused of illegal profiteering by Alexander Cochrane, he was made a Commissioner for the Victualling Board in 1808. Family papers and correspondence dating from Russell's retirement reveal the state of his unhappy marriage to his wife Elizabeth, the Articles of Separation referring to the "great and unhappy differences and disputes have arisen and do still subsist" between them, and effectively putting a restraining order on her. In his personal and revealing letters to his close boyhood friend, Admiral de Courcy, he refers to his "26 years of domestic misery... my wife's moods are come to a deferred pitch of insanity..." but assures him that he finds great comfort in his daughter and her husband, George Patey, through whose line these papers have descended. Russell died suddenly in his carriage in July 1824, and his handsome memorial may be seen in Canford Church, the text of which outlines his career and notes his achievement in being the first to successfully anchor ships in the Texel under the strongest of gales. Provenance: Admiral Thomas Macnamara Russell (1740-1824); his daughter Lucinda (1789-1867), married George Edward Patey (1789-1865); thence by descent (see also lot 163).