March 24. 1777
Our thief was caught last night, a youth aged 13 caught while attempting to steal some leftover food. He was caught in a trap intentionally layed for him. Some of the men earlier in the evening had mentioned their stock of food layed by the way. After lights out several remained awake. In the near pitch black of the night they could hear someone quietly rummaging through their stock and they set up the alarm which brought the sentry and other marines. The youth was caught by the neck until the guards came. This morning the first lieutenant conferred with Captain Johnston and he has allowed us to punish the young thief ourselves. Captain Johnston informed him that stealing in a ship’s crew was a serious crime and could not go unpunished. The shirt was stripped from his back and we formed two lines along the length of our deck and made him run the gauntlet twice with each of us thrashing his back with nettles given us by the British. I dare say he will not sleep on his back tonight while the rest of us sleep soundly.
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Overview
The hellhole of Mill Prison England where hundreds of American sailors are held for high treason and most probably the noose; John Paul Jones' bloody but victorius battle between Bonhomme Richard and Serapis; the Captain Queeg-like French captain of the American Frigate Alliance whose insanity finally drives the crew to mutiny; this is the story chronicled in Jacob Nutter’s journal covering the span of 1776 to 1780 during America’s battle for independence. This journal is actually fictional as Nutter documented very little of his experience during these 4 years; rather this is a compilation written from Nutter's perspective based on first hand accounts of others, historical documents and the many books written about this important part of America's early navy.
Jacob Nutter was my ancestor. He enlisted on the privateer Dolton in Portsmouth NH in November of 1776, expecting to cruise for 3 months with a crew of 120, capturing British merchant ships. Instead, on Christmas Eve 1776, off the coast of Spain, the Dolton was taken by the HMS Raisonable. Nutter and the Dolton's crew were taken to Plymouth England where they were committed to Mill Prison for piracy and treason. In early 1779, after nearly two years of imprisonment Benjamin Franklin obtained a prisoner exchange and roughly 100 of the Mill Prison inmates were set free and sent to France. Most had no money, no clothes and no way home and therefore enlisted on American ships then recruiting mariners. Nutter enlisted on the new American Frigate Alliance, commanded by Pierre Landais, as a quartermaster thinking that this ship would soon be returning to America with supplies for the war. Instead, Franklin re-assigned the Alliance to John Paul Jones' small flotilla. The Alliance participated in the famous battle between Jones' Bonhomme Richard and the HMS Serapis. Due to Landais' poor conduct during the battle he was subsequently removed from command by Jones when the flotilla arrived in the Netherlands. In early 1780 after cruising along the coast of France and Spain, and after a near mutiny by the crew, Alliance made her way to L'Orient France. While Jones basked in his glory in Paris, the crew remained at L'Orient suffering for want of clothing, food and money. In Jones' absence Landais made his way to L'Orient and convinced much of his former crew that he was rightful commander of the Alliance. After a showdown between Jones and Landais in which the Alliance was nearly fired upon by a French fort to prevent her departure, Alliance finally made sail for America. During the 2 month cruise home, the crew mutineed when Landais informed them he would cruise to Philadelphia instead of Boston. Landais began acting irrationally and the officers were forced to take command. Finally, in August of 1780, Alliance raised the American coast and Jacob Nutter was home after nearly four years away from his family and country.
Jacob Nutter was my ancestor. He enlisted on the privateer Dolton in Portsmouth NH in November of 1776, expecting to cruise for 3 months with a crew of 120, capturing British merchant ships. Instead, on Christmas Eve 1776, off the coast of Spain, the Dolton was taken by the HMS Raisonable. Nutter and the Dolton's crew were taken to Plymouth England where they were committed to Mill Prison for piracy and treason. In early 1779, after nearly two years of imprisonment Benjamin Franklin obtained a prisoner exchange and roughly 100 of the Mill Prison inmates were set free and sent to France. Most had no money, no clothes and no way home and therefore enlisted on American ships then recruiting mariners. Nutter enlisted on the new American Frigate Alliance, commanded by Pierre Landais, as a quartermaster thinking that this ship would soon be returning to America with supplies for the war. Instead, Franklin re-assigned the Alliance to John Paul Jones' small flotilla. The Alliance participated in the famous battle between Jones' Bonhomme Richard and the HMS Serapis. Due to Landais' poor conduct during the battle he was subsequently removed from command by Jones when the flotilla arrived in the Netherlands. In early 1780 after cruising along the coast of France and Spain, and after a near mutiny by the crew, Alliance made her way to L'Orient France. While Jones basked in his glory in Paris, the crew remained at L'Orient suffering for want of clothing, food and money. In Jones' absence Landais made his way to L'Orient and convinced much of his former crew that he was rightful commander of the Alliance. After a showdown between Jones and Landais in which the Alliance was nearly fired upon by a French fort to prevent her departure, Alliance finally made sail for America. During the 2 month cruise home, the crew mutineed when Landais informed them he would cruise to Philadelphia instead of Boston. Landais began acting irrationally and the officers were forced to take command. Finally, in August of 1780, Alliance raised the American coast and Jacob Nutter was home after nearly four years away from his family and country.
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- D. Hawks
- An engineer in the semiconductor industry by profession and an amateur illustrator for fun.
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- March 31. 1777Just about five months past at the e...
- March 30. 1777The rumors we heard yesterday were t...
- March 29. 1777I spoke with Samuel Cutler our ship’...
- March 28. 1777As with many other rumors told us by...
- March 27. 1777We are told that we will be sent up ...
- March 26.1777It is four months since sailing from ...
- March 24. 1777Our thief was caught last night, a y...
- March 23. 1777Our diet is none too bad as Captain ...
- March 22. 1777Our sentries tell us some of the new...
- March 21. 1777We have passed now into the Spring s...
- March 19. 1777Joseph Shillaber is very sick with t...
- March 17. 1777Nothing exceptional. After several ...
- March 15. 1777Several of us are discussing plans f...
- March 14. 1777Today the Raisonable in company with...
- March 12. 1777I have been quite sick with fever th...
- March 10. 1777I have taken ill today with aches ov...
- March 9. 1777News has reached us that Mill Gaol lo...
- March 8. 1777Nothing exceptional today. The weath...
- Feb 27. 1777Capt. Bowyer asked for volunteers from...
- Feb 26. 1777A newspaper provided to us by a friend...
- Feb 24. 1777The Master at Arms of this Ship, Mr. H...
- Feb 19. 1777In the past two days Capt. Bowyer fulf...
- Feb 15. 1777A number of our men are sent on shore ...
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