Sunday, June 1. 1777
The weather was exceptionally nice today but little good it did for us as we continue our confinement below decks. It being Sunday none of our prisoners on board the Blemheim were sent on shore today.
We hear that the Experiment, 50 guns, Capt. Wallace commander sailed for Portsmouth today. She had been at dock in this port receiving repairs after having been badly knocked about by Fort Sullivan in South Carolina. She brought to Plymouth 19 prisoners who had been taken by the Fordroyant, 80 guns.
Twelve of the Privateer Freedom’s people were brought on board this ship today, they having manned a British prize which was then captured by the Fordroyant. Included in this number is Captain Thomas Brown of Marblehead. Captain John Adams was also brought on board the Blenheim today having been captured by the Fordroyant during passage from Boston to France. Six other prisoners were taken in a merchantman bound from France to So. Carolina.
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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these 4 years; rather this is a compilation written from Nutter's perspective based on first hand accounts of others, historical documents and the many books written about this important part of America's early navy.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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