{{citation style|date=February 2020}} [[File:Canon of Tartar, Washington Square, Newport Rhode Island.png|thumb|Cannon of ''Tartar'', Washington Square (Newport, Rhode Island) ({{circa|1922}})]] thumb|Daniel Fones Letter, Battle off Tatamagouche, 1745
'''Daniel Fones''' (born 9 March 1713, Conanicut Island, Jamestown, Rhode Island – {{circa|1790}}, North Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island) was the leading military commander for Rhode Island in the Siege of Louisbourg in 1745.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/somefamousprivat00east|title=Some famous privateers of New England|first=Ralph M. (Ralph Mason)|last=Eastman|date=Oct 15, 1928|publisher=[Boston] Priv. print., State street trust company|accessdate=Oct 15, 2021|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> He was the captain of ''Tartar'', the privateer vessel was the Rhode Island contribution to the victory at Louisbourg (the 150 soldiers from Rhode Island arrived after the Siege).<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.independentri.com/independents/north_east/opinion/article_87f6d71b-55df-5752-b8b3-cd90b7aa7451.html|title=Capt. Daniel Fones: Local war hero and privateer|first=G. Timothy|last=Cranston|website=The Independent|date=26 February 2015 |accessdate=Oct 15, 2021}}</ref>
Fones took command of ''Tartar'' at the outbreak of King George's War. In April 1745, Fones successfully escorted the 500 soldiers in seven transports to Canso, Nova Scotia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8aVFAQAAMAAJ&dq=Captain+Daniel+Fones+%28Tartar%2C&pg=PA155|title=Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England: 1741-1756|date=Oct 15, 1860|publisher=A. C. Greene and brothers, state printers|accessdate=Oct 15, 2021|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8aVFAQAAMAAJ&dq=Fones+&pg=PA155|title=Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England: 1741-1756|date=Oct 15, 1860|publisher=A. C. Greene and brothers, state printers|accessdate=Oct 15, 2021|via=Google Books}}</ref> During the voyage he drew fire from the French 32-gun frigate ''Renommée'', under Kersaint-Coëtnempren, in an eight-hour engagement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NSI6AQAAMAAJ&dq=louisbourg&pg=PA605|title=The Royal Navy, a History from the Earliest Times to Present|first=Sir William Laird|last=Clowes|date=Oct 15, 1898|publisher=S. Low, Marston, Company|accessdate=Oct 15, 2021|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/louisbourgfromit00mcleuoft|title=Louisbourg, from its foundation to its fall, 1713-1758|first=John Stewart|last=McLennan|date=Oct 15, 1918|publisher=London Macmillan|accessdate=Oct 15, 2021|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> In May 1745, participating in the blockade of Louisbourg, Fones captured the French merchant ship ''Deux Amies''. In June he participated in the Naval battle off Tatamagouche. In the battle, Fones rescued the Connecticut warship ''Resolution'' and crushed the French and Indian expedition en route to save Louisbourg. [[File:TartarGunsNewportHistoricalSociety.jpg|thumb|left|Cannon from Captain Fones' ship ''Tartar'', Newport Historical Society]] After the war he commanded the privateer ''Prince Frederick'', the Defiance and Success.<ref name="auto"/>
After he retired from the sea, he represented North Kingstown in the General Assembly. Then in 1770, he opened David Fones Tavern at 126 Main St., North Kingstown.<ref name="auto"/> His father Jeremiah Fones was buried at Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Exeter, Washington County, Rhode Island.
== References == {{reflist}}
Texts * [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hxta91&view=1up&seq=5 Chapin, Howard M., The Tartar: The Armed Sloop of the Colony of Rhode Island (The Society of Colonial Wars in Rhode Island, 1922)] *[https://www.independentri.com/independents/north_east/opinion/article_87f6d71b-55df-5752-b8b3-cd90b7aa7451.html G. Timothy Cranston. Capt. Daniel Fones: Local war hero and privateer. The Independent. Feb 26, 2015] *[http://www.colonialnavy.org/ships/ship_type_brig/index.html Colonial Navy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131032211/http://www.colonialnavy.org/ships/ship_type_brig/index.html |date=2020-01-31 }}
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Category:1713 births Category:1790 deaths Category:People from Jamestown, Rhode Island Category:Military personnel from Rhode Island Category:Members of the Rhode Island General Assembly Category:People from colonial Rhode Island