April 19. 1779
Today I traveled down to St. Lazare with 24 others to visit the Continental Ship Alliance. Alliance, 36 gun frigate, Captain Landy, is a fine looking ship and we are told the best sailor in the American navy. Her 36 guns consist of 28 12 pounders and 8 nine pounders. She is 36 feet across the beam, 178 feet stem to stern and 910 tons.
To my surprise I find Captain Boardman here on the Alliance. Like Mr. Dale, after Boardman escaped Mill Prison he made his way here to France and is now planning to make his way home to America possibly serving as an officer on Alliance.
Captain Boardman tells me that Captain Landy comes from France but offered his services to the American Congress and was given command of Alliance. She departed Boston in January carrying Mr. Lafayette, and arrived in Brest in February. As we all know it is near impossible to fill out a ship’s crew properly and so it was with the Alliance. She was forced to sail with many old country men as crew. Part way through her passage about 40 mutineers attempted to take the ship but they were discovered by the master’s mate overhearing their planning before the plot was carried out and so were put in irons for the remainder of the voyage. The Alliance is now very shorthanded with but 150 crew. She also carries 90 English prisoners from Brest ready for exchange for us.
After her long passage from America she needs some refitting but will soon be preparing to carry munitions and supplies back to the American army.
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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these 4 years; rather this is a compilation written from Nutter's perspective based on first hand accounts of others, historical documents and the many books written about this important part of America's early navy.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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April
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- April 30. 1779This morning two Alliance boats came...
- April 28.1779Today Mr. Odair paid to each of us wh...
- April 24. 1779I hear that Mr. Adams has embarked o...
- April 20. 1779Today a French sloop of war arrived ...
- April 19. 1779Today I traveled down to St. Lazare ...
- April 17. 1779I have taken work along with several...
- April 6. 1779After learning what allowance for rat...
- April 5. 1779Today we dropped anchor at Paimboeuf ...
- April 4. 1779Pleasant weather, light E winds. We ...
- April 3. 1779The pilot came on board this afternoo...
- April 2. 1779We are sitting under the lee of Belle...
- April 1. 1779Pleasant weather continues but warmer...
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