The General Gates, a British merchant brigantine formerly called Industrious Bee, was built in 1764 at Bristol, England, for operations by Clapman & Co. It was captured on Aug. 20, 1777 by Captain John Skimmer onboard the continental schooner Lee while headed from Gibraltar for Newfoundland. It was purchased on Dec. 19 by the Navy Board at Boston. It was then fitted with 18 guns and renamed General Gates, with Captain John Skimmer in command.
General Gates sailed from Marblehead on May 24, 1778, joining up with the privateer brigantine Hawk off Cape Ann to cruise on the Newfoundland Banks. After they captured the ship Jenny, and the brigantines Thomas and Nancy, the two ships parted company early in August. Thereafter the General Gates captured schooner Polly.
On August 3, 1778 she intercepted the brigantine Montague under Captain Nelson, who defended his ship in an epic 5 hour engagement. After expending her ammunition, Montague resorted to firing "every piece of iron of all kinds that could be rammed into the tube of the cannon," including jack knives, crowbars, and even the captains speaking tube. A double-headed shot from General Gates crashed into Captain Nelson's cabin. Taking it up, Nelson fired it from one of his own guns. This shot struck a swivel gun on the General Gates and divided, one part of it hitting Captain Skimmer, killing him instantly. It was 2 more hours before Montage struck her colors and capitulated to the General Gates, now with Lt. Dennis in command. General Gates returned to Boston Harbor with her prizes, Polly and Montague on August 31, 1778.
General Gates departed Boston November 14 in company with Providence for Nova Scotian waters. She captured schooner Friendship off Casco on December 4 and 2 days later, parted by a gale from Providence, subsequently cruised in West Indian waters. She captured schooner General Leslie off the coast of Bermuda in the first part of February 1779, then joined the Hazard at Martinique. Together they captured the Artic on March 16, 1779 and the Union the following day.
General Gates returned to Boston Harbor April 13, 1779 so unseaworthy from battering gales that her crew, at times, had despaired of ever reaching port. She was ordered to be sold on June 2, 1779. In August she was loaned by the Navy Board to the Deputy Commissary of Prisoners at Boston to convey prisoners to New York. On completion of this mission, she was sold.