John Manley (naval officer)

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John Manley (c.1733 – 1793) was an officer in the Continental Navy and the United States Navy.

From Boston, Massachusetts, Manley was selected for command of theschooner Lee on 24 October 1775. As Captain of Lee, on 28 November, he captured one of the most valuable prizes of the American Revolutionary War -- the British brigantine Nancy carrying much ordnance and military stores for British troops in Boston that proved invaluable to George Washington’s army. For his "great vigilance and industry," Manley was appointed commodore, in January 1776, of "George Washington's fleet", a group of small armed ships fitted out by him to harass the British and to seize supply vessels.

Commissioned captain in the Continental Navy 17 April 1776, he sailed in Hancock until the frigate and her prize, HMS frigate Fox, were taken in July 1777. Imprisoned in New York until March 1778, he then entered privateer service to command Marlborough, Cumberland, and a prize, HMS Jason, until 1782, except for two more periods of imprisonment, one for two years in Mill Prison, England.

On 11 September 1782, he returned to the Navy with command of frigate Hague. On a West Indies voyage, he made a spectacular escape from a superior naval force and, in January 1783, took the last significant prize of the war, Baille. Regarded as one of the outstanding captains of the young Navy, he had captured 10 prizes singlehandedly and participated in the seizure of five others.

Captain Manley died in Boston in 1793.

Three ships have been named USS Manley for him.

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.