Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1
Half holiday. After School went to Pappa's house. We dined there. After dinner we went to buy the spectators.1 At about six o clock Mr. Guile came to Pappa's and stay'd there a little while. They say that an American Frigate has fell in with sixteen sail of merchant vessels and had taken twelve of them.2 At about 8 o clock Mr. Guile went away. Brother Charles and I are to lodge here this night and we shall not go to school till monday next.
See entry for 4 Sept., note 2 (below).
On 12 July an American frigate and two privateer brigs captured fourteen vessels of the Quebec Fleet off the banks of Newfoundland (W.S.C. [i.e. Thomas Digges] to JA, 29 Aug. 1780, Adams Papers; The Annual Register . . . For the Year 1781, London, 1782, p. 3).