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In August 1986 off the coast of Lews in the Delaware Bay, the wreck of H.B.M.S. deBraak, (His Britannic Majesty’s Ship), a former an 18-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Netherlands Navy, captured by the British in 1795, and put to use as H.B.M.S. Braak. was raised.
In May 1798, under the command of Captain James Drew R.N., she capsized near Cape Halopen, drowning the Captain, 35 members of the crew and 12 Spanish prisoners.
It is only rumoured that the surviving crew paid for their loggings with gold doubloons which obviously raised great interest and speculation of her cargo. Since she sank to a depth of 90m there have been numerous attempts to salvage her and her estimated.
After the wreck was raised successfully in 1986, and after an analysis of the timbers, it was more likely that the deBraak was actually built in Britian for the Royal Netherlands Navy. deBraak is the Dutch words for “They Breach”. She sailed against the English in the 1780’s as part of the Mediterranean Squadron out of France in pre-revolution times
In 1794, she was ordered to escort a convoy to Batavia (modern day Netherlands), for some reason she put into Plymouth, only to be seized along with 6 other warships by the English forces.
She was re-rigged with a second mast and outfitted with 24 pound cannons by the Royal Navy to serve as a brig where she would remain on duty under Captain Drew.
Had a reputation for being rather a shady character both professionally and personally. He fathered a child out of wedlock, he ran of to the US, to marry an American girl. His first promotion to Captain, was almost immediately met with demotion to Commander again. With a poor military service record, it wasn’t until he was assigned the deBraak that he gained some credibility. He went on to protect the British Merchant Fleet, surviving a number of battles and storms until he was assigned to escort a group of trade vessels bound for the Delaware Bay. Near the Azores, the deBraak was ordered to covertly become a French privateer heading towards their squadron, as it deployed to its new task, a storm suddenly came from nowhere causing them to lose sight of the convoy. Captain Drew did not find his convoy again for seven weeks.
Whilst attempting to correct its course, the deBraak came across a Spanish ship, the Don Francisco Xavier, that was heading to South American with a large cargo of sterling silver. The Don Francisco was a much bigger ship with a more experienced captain. Drew had been known to have better luck than skill so in a small skirmish that defied the odds, Drew was able to overtake the Spanish vessel and seize its bounty. Transferring a small number of crew to the Don Francisco, they put it on tow and began bringing the ship towards the Delaware Bay where they would collect on the Don Francisco’s bounty.
She arrived on May 25 1798 just hours after the convoy had departed. Intending to replenish his fresh water supply in Lewes, he made for port, leaving the Don Francisco, a short distance away. As they sailed closer, they were met by a pilot boat that intended to escort the deBraak into safe channels. Captain Andrew Allen boarded the deBraak and urged Drew to drop his sails; a precaution against looming dark clouds that concerned him. Arrogance and perhaps too much drink led Drew to dismiss the pilot boat’s captain and angrily sent him on his way. Drew supposedly snapped at Allen saying, “You worry about the bottom, and I will handle the spars”. Minutes after the pilot boat cleared the deBraak, a squall set in and an extraordinary gust of wind slammed them with monstrous anger. Before the crew had time to gather their wits and prepare themselves, it was too late.
In preparation for a storm, the hatches were normally covered, and sails were pulled in and battened down. This was customary to all sailors during heavy weather porting. When the deBraak had sailed into the Cape, the weather was clear. The hatches and deck openings flooded into the lower levels almost immediately and the winds filled her sails, forcefully tipping her on to her side. The ocean crashed over the vessel, sending tons of sea water into her hull along with loose contents that would settle in the submerged half of the ship making it impossible for to right itself. Instantly, the warship became doomed.
Forty-seven men, including Drew and several Spanish prisoners in the hull, were dragged below the churning waves. As she sank, she returned upright, settling at the bottom of the bay, her mast partially visible above the water.
The Don Francisco was unscathed, and it is believed to have sailed on with several of the crew to Philadelphia. This was the order that had been given prior, in the event that the two ships would become separated.
