In October of 1776, Captain John Paul Jones was given orders by the Continental Congress to free captured American soldiers that were being transported from New York to Nova Scotia where they would sit on prison ships. On the morning of 13 November 1776, Jones, aboard the 30 gun warship USS Alfred, and followed by the 12 gun sloop-of-war USS Providence captured the armed transport HMS Mellish. The HMS Mellish wasn’t transporting prisoners but was enroute to Quebec from Liverpool. She had many prominent Canadian citizens on board, but more importantly 10,000 winter uniforms destined for General John Burgoyne.

The Continental Army would be a bit warmer this winter.