Maine's Privateers-- Part 2: Building, Buying and Outfitting the Hyder Ali

After the battle between the USS Enterprise and HMS Boxer, the Boxer was auctioned off as a prize for $11,674. Of that, $9755 was put into three lots including the Boxer,  its guns and 36 tons of kentlage (iron ballast).  The prize money was shared between Captain Burrows' heirs received $1,115 prize money and each seaman $54.31.

The Boxer was auctioned to Thomas Merrill, Jr. for $5600 and wet to sea under Captain William McLellan as a merchant ship. Although her final fate is unknown, she did see service one more time on the American side during the War of 1812.  In August 1814, she put in a short stint protecting the city of Portland, Maine.

The Hyder Ally was built in Portland by shipwright Samuel Fickett at a dock near the foot of Park Street.  William Goold who gives the most complete account of the Hyder Ally in his history of Portland says "she was not especially built to be a privateer but was so constructed to carry a battery (of cannons), as no vessel was then safe on the high seas without one."   She was built for speed.

The ship's keel was laid before the declaration of war in June 1812. There was no market for ships at the time, but Fickett continued her construction and after awhile, he found a buyer.  The merchants Bryant and Sturgis of Boston bought her.

They also purchased the Boxer's armament at the auction and must have added some cannons as well  for privateering.  Ten 18-pound and two 6 pound cannons were brought on board.  The final count of weapons was twelve 18 pounder  carronades, two long 18 pounders and two long nines.

--Brock-Perry