The second Hancock was one of the first 13 frigates of the Continental Navy authorized by resolution of the Continental Congress 13 December 1775. She was built at Newburyport, Mass., and placed under command of Captain John Manley 17 April 1776 . After a long delay in fitting out and manning, she departed Boston in company with Continental frigate Boston 21 May 1777. On 19 May they captured a small brig loaded with cordage and duck. The next day they encountered a convoy of transports escorted by British 64-gun ship Somerset which set sail to close Hancock. Manley was saved by clever and well-timed action of Boston who forced Somerset to give up the chase by taking on the transports.
After escaping from Somerset, the two frigates sailed to the northeast until 7 June when they engaged the Royal Navy's 28-gun frigate FOX who tried to out sail her American enemies. Hancock gave chase and soon overhauled Fox who lost her mainmast and suffered other severe damage in the ensuing duel. About an hour later, Boston joined the battle and compelled Fox to strike her colors.
Hancock spent the next few days repairing the prize and then resumed cruising along the coast of New England. East of Cape Sable she took an enemy coal sloop which she towed until the next morning when the approach of a British squadron prompted Manley to set the coal sloop ablaze and leave her adrift. The British brig Flora recaptured the Fox after a hot action. Boston became separated from Hancock who tried to out sail her pursuers. Early in the morning 8 July 1777 the British were within striking distance. HMS Rainbow(44) began to score with her bowchaser and followed with a series of broadsides which finally forced Hancock to strike her colors after a chase of some 39 hours.
Hancock, renamed Iris, served the British Navy so effectively that her new owners boasted of her as "the finest and fastest frigate in the world." The most famous of the many prizes which made her officers wealthy men was the American 24-gun ship Trumbull, captured 8 August 1781. Later that year a French squadron in the West Indies captured Iris and used her as a cruiser. When the British took Toulon in 1793 they found Iris dismantled and used as a powder hulk. The British blew her up as they evacuated Toulon.
(1776 Built as HANCOCK in Newburyport, Mass. Captured 1777. Captured by
French 1781. Destroyed as hulk 1793) HANCOCK was purchased for the Royal
Navy as IRIS. 1780 Capt. James HAWKER, West Indies. On 6 June IRIS
engaged the French frigate HERMIONE(32), Capt. de la TOUCHE, British
losses were 7 killed and 9 wounded, the French 10 killed and 37 wounded. The
action was broken off after 80 minutes when the French retired.
1781 Capt.
George DAWSON. On 16 March IRIS was with Vice Ad. ARBUTHNOT`s squadron in
action with the French de Touches in the Chesapeake. On 8 August he gave chase
to the American frigate TRUMBULL(32), Capt. James NICHOLSON, off
Delaware. The American was about 100 short of complement and the following day
she lost her fore topmast and main top-gallant mast during a gale. She was in
this crippled state when IRIS came up and although Capt. NICHOLSON and
his Lieutenants MURRAY and DALE, with a few seamen, fought bravely, they were
not supported by the rest of the crew who took shelter below. After an hour
TRUMBULL was forced to surrender with 5 killed and 11 wounded. IRIS lost
1 killed and 6 wounded.
On 7 September IRIS and RICHMOND(32),
Capt. Charles HUDSON, were compelled to strike when they were surprised by a
French squadron in the Chesapeake while engaged in cutting away cables from
French buoys. During the evacuation of Toulon on 18 December 1793 the hulk of
IRIS was among the many vessels destroyed.