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The second ''Hancock'' was one of the first 13 frigates of the Continental Navy. A resolution of the Continental Congress of British North America 13 December 1775 authorized her construction; she was named for John Hancock. In her career she served under the American, British and French flags. ==As ''Hancock''== ''Hancock'' was built at Newburyport, Massachusetts, and placed under command of Captain John Manley 17 April 1776. After a long delay in fitting out and manning, she departed Boston, Massachusetts in company with Continental frigate , 21 May 1777. On 29 May they captured a small brig loaded with cordage and duck. The next day they encountered a convoy of transports escorted by British 64-gun ship which set sail to close ''Hancock''. Manley was saved by clever and well-timed action of ''Boston'', which forced ''Somerset'' to give up the chase by taking on the transports. After escaping from ''Somerset'', the two frigates sailed to the northeast until 7 June when they engaged the Royal Navy's 28-gun frigate , which tried to outsail her American enemies. ''Hancock'' gave chase and soon overhauled ''Fox'', which lost her mainmast and suffered other severe damage in the ensuing duel. About an hour later, ''Boston'' joined the battle and compelled ''Fox'' to strike her colors.〔 ''Hancock'' spent the next few days repairing the prize and then resumed cruising along the coast of New England. East of Cape Sable she took a British coal sloop which she towed until the next morning when the approach of a British squadron prompted Manley to set the coal sloop ablaze and leave her adrift. The British frigate HMS ''Flora'' recaptured ''Fox'' after a hot action.〔 ''Boston'' became separated from ''Hancock'', which tried to outsail her pursuers. Early in the morning 8 July 1777 the British were within striking distance. began to score with her bowchasers and followed with a series of broadsides. ''Hancock'' was thus finally forced to strike her colors after a chase of some 39 hours. She had 239 men of her crew aboard, 50 some being on ''Fox''. She also had Captain Fotheringham of ''Fox'' and 40 of his people on board. The rest were on ''Boston'' and a couple of fishing vessels. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Hancock (1776)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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