https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Seth_HardingSeth Harding - Revision history2026-07-21T10:54:20ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.44.2https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?title=Seth_Harding&diff=608723&oldid=previmported>MediaKyle: Add author-link to ref2025-09-16T20:50:05Z<p>Add author-link to ref</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Continental Navy officer, sea captain and politician}}<br />
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}<br />
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'''Seth Harding''' (April 17, 1734 – November 20, 1814) was a [[Continental Navy]] officer, sea captain and politician who served in the [[American Revolutionary War]]. In 1776, he was the captain of the ''Defence''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cslib.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4005coll11/id/36/rec/14 |title=Exploits of the Connecticut ship "Defence," commanded by Captain Samuel Smedley of Fairfield, Ct., revolutionary war :: Items from the Library |publisher=Cslib.cdmhost.com |date=2001-09-11 |accessdate=2012-03-02}}</ref><br />
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==Life==<br />
[[File:USS Confederacy.jpg|thumb|[[USS Confederacy (1778)|USS ''Confederacy'']], Harding's final command]]<br />
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Seth Harding was born in [[Eastham, Massachusetts]] on April 17, 1734. He went to sea early in his life and commanded several merchant ships during the [[French and Indian War]]. He moved to Liverpool N.S., and briefly served in the [[5th General Assembly of Nova Scotia]], representing Liverpool Township from Oct. 12, 1773 to 1774.<ref>{{cite book |last=Elliott |first=Shirley B. |author-link=Shirley Elliott |date=1984 |chapter= |title=The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia, 1758-1983: a biographical directory |url=https://0-nsleg--edeposit-gov-ns-ca.legcat.gov.ns.ca/deposit/b10537582.pdf |location=Halifax |publisher=Province of Nova Scotia |page=250&88–89 |isbn=0-88871-050-X}}</ref><br />
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At the beginning of the [[American Revolution]], he offered his services to [[Connecticut]] and was commissioned commander of the state [[brig]] ''Defence''. Harding captured many [[Kingdom of England|British]] ships while in command of this and two other vessels. In September 1778, Harding accepted a [[Continental Navy]] commission and took command of [[USS Confederacy (1778)|USS ''Confederacy'']]. He cruised along the U.S. coast in company with ''Deane'' during 1779, taking three prizes and performing convoy duties.<br />
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He was ordered to take [[John Jay]], newly appointed minister to [[Spain]], to [[Europe]] in September 1779, but the ship was dismasted 10 days out. Harding, through skillful seamanship, sailed his ship to [[Martinique]] for repairs, his passengers continuing on another ship. ''Confederacy'' raided British merchantmen and guarded convoys until 18 April 1781, when she was forced to surrender to two British ships, ''Roebuck'' and ''Orpheus''. Harding was subsequently exchanged, commanded the [[letter of marque]] ''Diana'', but was captured again. After this release, the fighting captain volunteered to serve as First Lieutenant to [[John Barry (naval officer)|John Barry]] in [[USS Alliance (1778)|''Alliance'']], and was wounded on board during the last engagement of the revolution with HMS ''Sybil'', off Cape Canaveral, Florida.<br />
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Harding spent his last years as a merchant sailor and in retirement in [[Schoharie, New York]], where he died.<br />
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==Namesake==<br />
Several ships called [[USS Harding|USS ''Harding'']] were named in his honor.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harding, Seth}}<br />
[[Category:1734 births]]<br />
[[Category:1814 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Continental Navy officers]]<br />
[[Category:People from Eastham, Massachusetts]]<br />
[[Category:United States Navy officers]]<br />
[[Category:People from Schoharie, New York]]<br />
[[Category:18th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly]]<br />
[[Category:Military personnel from Massachusetts]]</div>imported>MediaKyle