Captain Joseph Gardiner received a letter of marque for the sloop Greenwich in November 1776.

Maidstone fired on Greenwich, which immediately struck at 40°22′N 67°02′W / 40.367°N 67.033°W / 40.367; -67.033, 35 leagues east of Nantucket.

[3] The Navy purchased Greenwich in October and commissioned her under Lieutenant Thomas Spry.

Her crew was unable to free her and the next day her predicament led the Americans to bring up two galleys to fire on her.

The pilot was ordered to be held on Scourge but he escaped before the court martial inquiring into her loss.