Christopher Mason letter book
Christopher Mason (1734-1802), son of Christopher Mason (1689-1759) and Anne Buckle (b.1709), was a British navy officer who fought in the American Revolution. The navy commissioned him third lieutenant on the HMS Somerset in 1762 and gave him his first command in 1776. He captained the Delaware beginning in 1780 and later commanded the 32-gun frigate Quebec , which participated in the Battle of Delaware Bay (April 1782) and helped capture the American navy ships the South Carolina and the Constance (December 1782). After the war, he patrolled the English Channel in the HMS Zealous (1794-1795). He was promoted to rear admiral in 1795 and vice admiral in 1799. For a list of Mason's navy commissions see "Additional Descriptive Data."