May 10. 1779
The pilot came back on board and we began unmooring the Alliance at 6AM, waited for the flood to make and finally got underway at 9AM with pleasant weather and the breeze at E by S. We are in company with another ship also bound for L’Orient. The pilot left us at 11AM at St. Nazaire and we picked up a coasting pilot. In the afternoon the wind shifted to the west and we sailed close hauled to the wind trying to round Belle Isle to the south. I was at my watch on the quarterdeck when there seemed to be some confusion between the pilot, Captain Landy and our sailing master Mr. Larchar as we changed course to run between Belle Isle and some large rocks in the channel between the island and the main. Mr. Larchar and the pilot could not converse in the same language and we came close to losing the ship on the rocks upon which the pilot displayed a fit of anger, stamping his feet on the quarterdeck and yelling in French. Then, we changed course again to round Belle Isle to the windward as we had previously attempted. We were forced to beat off and on Belle Isle all night because of the head wind.
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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these 4 years; rather this is a compilation written from Nutter's perspective based on first hand accounts of others, historical documents and the many books written about this important part of America's early navy.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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- An engineer in the semiconductor industry by profession and an amateur illustrator for fun.
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- May 31. 1779Fresh breezes, cloudy. Mr. Watkins led...
- May 27. 1779Rainy weather. One of our crew depart...
- May 27. 1779Rainy weather. One of our crew depart...
- May 26. 1779Fair weather but very hot. While on t...
- May 25. 1779Mr. Dale took the cutter and several m...
- May 24. 1779Warm weather. The crew is employed at...
- May 22. 1779Moderate breezes and clear. Mr. Lane ...
- May 20. 1779Pleasant weather with fresh breezes fr...
- May 18. 1779Cloudy and windy today. Yesterday we ...
- May 16. 1779Fair weather early, rain late in the d...
- May 15. 1779Pleasant weather. The French frigate ...
- May 14. 1779Pleasant weather. More of the ship’s ...
- May 13. 17795 men carried on shore who are sick, i...
- May 12. 1779We got underway at 10AM with a new pil...
- May 11. 1779Light wind continues from the west. W...
- May 10. 1779The pilot came back on board and we be...
- May 9. 1779Wind continues out of the west. The pil...
- May 8. 1779Wind continues in the west. Lt. Hill bu...
- May 6. 1779Captain Landy requested that some of us...
- May 1. 1779Mr. Adams in company with Captain Board...
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