AH-WR-0983

HMS Zebra

Sloop Of War · United Kingdom · Lost 1778 · The New Jersey Coast

A Royal Navy sloop scuttled by her own crew at Little Egg Harbor during a 1778 British raid on an American privateer base.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Interpretive Reconstruction, drawn to convey the vessel's era, type and general form. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

HMS Zebra was part of a British naval and land force sent to destroy the privateer base at Chestnut Neck on Little Egg Harbor in October 1778. During the operation the sloop ran aground, and her crew set her afire and abandoned her to prevent capture. The raid succeeded in burning the privateer settlement, but the loss of Zebra was a costly setback for the British squadron. The wreck site is associated with one of the more notable Revolutionary War actions on the New Jersey coast.

Vessel

Built: Not established
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Wood
Length: Not established
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Sail
Owners: Royal Navy

Loss

Date: October 6, 1778
Cause: Intentional sinking
Location: Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey
Water: Atlantic Ocean / Little Egg Harbor
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Not established
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established

Position

Coordinates: Not established
Accuracy: Position not established
Nearest: Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey
Region: The New Jersey Coast

Evidence

Overall confidence: Partially documented (55/100)

Precise wreck location and vessel dimensions are not established in the sources reviewed.

New Jersey Historical Society
Narrative of the Chestnut Neck raid and loss of Zebra.