| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Name | HMS Race Horse (or Racehorse) |
| Acquired | June 1776 by purchase |
| Fate | Captured 8 December 1776 |
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| Name | Surprise |
| Acquired | 1776 |
| Commissioned | 1777 |
| Fate | Destroyed 15 November 1777 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Type | Sloop |
| Tons burthen | 98 (bm) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 20 ft 9 in (6.3 m) (overall) |
| Depth of hold | 9 ft (2.7 m) (overall) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Armament | 10 × 4-pounder guns |
Surprise, the first American naval ship of the name, was a sloop that the Continental Navy purchased in 1777. The Royal Navy had purchased a vessel named Hercules in 1776 and renamed her HMS Racehorse. Andrew Doria captured Racehorse in 1776 and the Americans took her into service as Surprise. Her crew destroyed Surprise on 15 December 1777 to prevent the Royal Navy from recapturing her.
- ^ Winfield (2007), p. 334.