June 24. 1778
Over these past several days some of the men have been employed at digging a hole into the vault drain in the old stone prison. To our regret this plan was found out by the sentries the day before yesterday at about 8 o’clock in the evening. The men who were discovered were promptly committed to the Black Hole. The sentries then went into the officer’s prison and found our 2nd Lieutenant Buntin and Captain Boardman strolling about. They refused to go to bed as ordered and they too were sent off to the Black Hole.
Last night Mr. Cross of our crew and Mr. Dale, Lieutenant of the Lexington were also found out to be walking about after the designated time and were sent to the Black Hole. Today they have written a petition to the Board to ask whether our prison keeper has the authority to commit men to the Black Hole for simply walking about after hours.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Search This Blog
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these 4 years; rather this is a compilation written from Nutter's perspective based on first hand accounts of others, historical documents and the many books written about this important part of America's early navy.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.
Links
About Me
- D. Hawks
- An engineer in the semiconductor industry by profession and an amateur illustrator for fun.
Site Visits
Google Friend
Followers
BlogCatalog
NetworkedBlogs
Blog Archive
-
▼
2007
(89)
-
▼
June
(14)
- June 29. 1778Joseph Burnham of our crew has a whit...
- June 27. 1778This afternoon Mr. Kirk, an Irishman ...
- June 26. 1778A French cutter and 2 frigates have b...
- June 24. 1778Over these past several days some of ...
- June 20. 1778Today Mr. Heath returned and asked th...
- June 19. 1778We are told that the sentries and gua...
- June 18. 1778Some boys from another ship’s crew ma...
- June 16. 1778Today we received a letter from Capta...
- June 14.1778Mr. Heath visited us yesterday after b...
- June 13. 1778William Smith was brought out and par...
- June 10. 1778Two men disguised with strong beer bo...
- June 6. 1778A fleet of fishermen that sailed for N...
- June 3. 1778Two men, while carrying waste to the r...
- June 1. 1778There is word that a new prison shall ...
-
▼
June
(14)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.