Originally named the Wild Duck, Abraham van Bibber purchased her for the Maryland Committee of Safety, at St. Eustatius in the Dutch West Indies in February 1776.

She soon got underway for the Delaware Capes and reached Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 9 March with a cargo of sorely needed gunpowder for the patriot forces.

On 26 April Lexington encountered Sir Peter Parker's fleet sailing to attack Charleston, South Carolina.

HMS Roebuck and Liverpool chased Lexington for eight hours and came close enough to exchange fire with the American ship before Barry managed to elude his pursuers and reach Philadelphia safely.

On 28 June Pennsylvania's brig Nancy arrived in the area with 386 barrels of powder in her hold and ran aground while attempting to elude British blockader Kingfisher.

A delayed action fuse was left inside the brig, which exploded the powder just as a boatload of British seamen boarded Nancy.

This privateer was commanded by William Goodrich, a member of the notorious Tory family which had plagued the shipping of Virginia and Maryland.

(Richard Dale, one of seven members of the Lady Susan crew who signed on Lexington, later won fame under John Paul Jones.)

In France, the brigantine joined Reprisal and Dolphin for a cruise seeking the Irish linen fleet scheduled to leave Dublin early in June.