June 13. 1777
There has been a bit of a break in the rainy weather today and we have spent some time in the yard although it is very muddy. We are now receiving contributions to our charity box which amount to very little yet are still better than nothing. We have elected one of our men to be our purser to watch over this money.
Today Mr. Cowdy read to us the regulations by which we are to abide, as drawn up by The Commission for Sick and Hurt Seamen. In summary we should behave properly and not insult our keepers, we should not fight or attempt to escape, we should not damage the King’s property within the prison, we should keep ourselves clean and we should keep the prison and the yard clean. It seems that violation of any of these regulations will result in a half allowance of food to serve as punishment for our bad behavior or to repay whatever damage might be caused. For the worst offenses, such as attempting escape half allowance of rations will continue for forty full days, and closer confinement (whatever that might be).
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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these 4 years; rather this is a compilation written from Nutter's perspective based on first hand accounts of others, historical documents and the many books written about this important part of America's early navy.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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2006
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June
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- Sunday June 29. 1777I tried to get word of Guppy’s...
- June 28. 1777Today the prison doctor examined Gupp...
- June 27. 1777Guppy Studley gets more sick with eac...
- June 24. 1777My friend from Portsmouth, Guppy Stud...
- Sunday June 23. 1777Fair weather today.Will Horner...
- June 19. 1777One of our Americans has taken ill wi...
- June 18. 1777The weather has turned pleasant. Fou...
- Sunday June 15. 1777It has rained hard all day. So...
- June 14. 1777Raw and cold again. Ten prisoners ar...
- June 13. 1777There has been a bit of a break in th...
- June 12. 1777The weather continues wet and raw. W...
- June 11. 1777Rainy weather. Some the men have con...
- June 10. 1777Ten more Americans were brought from ...
- June 9. 1777We stay inside the prison all day toda...
- Sunday June 8. 1777This being the Lord’s Day we co...
- June 7. 1777This morning my name was called along ...
- June 6. 1777Ten more prisoners sent on shore today...
- June 5. 1777Pleasant weather. None of our people ...
- June 4. 1777This day being a holiday to celebrate ...
- June 3. 1777Nine more of our Dolton’s crew were se...
- June 2. 1777This morning officers of our crew were...
- Sunday, June 1. 1777The weather was exceptionally ...
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