Nova Scotia
Court of Vice
Admiralty

By the Honourable and Worshipfull
Alexander Croke LLD Judge or
Commissary of His Majesty’s Court of
Vice Admiralty of Nova Scotia etc.

These may certify that it appears by
the records of the said Court that on
the third day of November in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and thirteen the American Privateer
Schooner Portsmouth Packet, John
Perkins Commander was Condemned in
The said Court of Vice Admiralty as
Lawful prize taken by His Majesty’s
Sloop of War Fantome, John Lawrence
Esq., Commander and that the said Schooner
Portsmouth Packet was a private
Ship of War and had a Commission
on board from the Government of the
United States to act as such and had
Alive and on board at the time of capture
Thirty Nine Men.

Given at Halifax under the
Seal of Court the eighth day of March
In the year of our Lord One thousand
Eighth hundred and fourteen and in the fifty
Forth year of His Majesty’s Reign

HEAD MONEY CERTIFICATE for the
American Private Armed Schooner
Portsmouth Packet of Five Guns and thirty nine Men, captured
By His Majesty’s Sloop of War Fantome
John Lawrence Esquire, Captain and Commander  

These are to Certify the Commissioners of His Majesty’s
Navy, that Obadiah Simpson Captain of Marines on board
said armed schooner Portsmouth Packet, being the only
Officer now in this country, the rest of the Officers having
been sent Prisoners to England, And Caesar Cutts, Cook
on board said armed schooner Portsmouth Packet and
Isaac Van Morton Cabin Boy on board said Schooner
Personally appeared before me The Honourable Samson Lattis? Blowers
Esquire Chief Justice of His Majesty’s Province
of Nova Scotia

and being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists did severally depose and
swear as follows:
That on the Eighteenth day of September in the year
Of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen the Schooner
Portsmouth Packet was duly and regularly Commissioned at the City of
Washington by James Madison, President of the United States of Ame-
rica, as a Private Armed Schooner of War.

That the said Schooner was outfitted at Portsmouth in
The United States, in all respects as a Private Schooner of War,
mounting Five Carriage Guns, with Small Arms and all other Weapons
suitable for a Vessel of War of that description, having also a proper quantity
of Ball, Powder, and all other necessary Ammunition on board.

That the three Deponents did hold the appointments on board the said
Private Armed Vessel as is expressed against their respective Names.

That the said Private Armed Vessel, commissioned and fitted for War as before stated, being upon the High Seas, was met with on the Fifth
day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirteen
by the British Ship of War Fantome and was the same
day captured and seized as a Prize by His Majesty’s said Ship of War, and was brought into this Port. of Halifax Nova Scotia  

That when the said Schooner was first chaced by the
said Ship of War, there were Thirty Nine Men
in number including the Officers and every description of Persons composing the Crew then serving on board of belonging to the said Schooner
together also with       Passengers, making the
total number amount to Thirty Nine who were
actually on board of the said Schooner and the whole of whom
surrendered and were taken Prisoners of War by His Majesty’s said Ship.
or Sloop of War Fantome
And further, that this is the first Port within His Majesty’s Dominions
they have arrived at since their capture as aforesaid.

In Witness whereof the said Deponents have hereunto signed their
Names.

Obadiah Simpson, Captain of marines

Caesar X his mark Cutts, Cook

Isaac X his mark Van Morton
Given under my Hand, and Sworn before me, at
Halifax Nova Scotia this
forth day of February in the
year eighteen hundred and fourteen

[signed]S.S. Blowers

Whilst we can see from the above Isaac Van Norton, Cabin Boy, is spelt in the crew list Isaac Vannerton as given by Baker :-
Vannerton, Isaac Prisoner 4834 Rank: seaman from Portsmouth Packet
Captured: 5 th Oct 1813 at sea by HMS Fantome
Interned 18 Nov 1813 Discharged 16 May 1814
Received from Fantome. Union cartel for exchange.

To take a prisoner at random;
Samuel Grant can be found prisoner 4409, bottom of page, at Dartmoor.

Curiously the ship name appears abbreviated and include “Thomas” I can’t explain that but it appears against others of the crew held there.