September 27. 1779
On the evening of the 24th instant our squadron engaged and took the British fifth rate Serapis, 44 guns, Captain Peirson and Countess of Scarborough, 20 guns, Captain Piercy. There were many dead and wounded on both sides including several of our friends from the Piscataqua region who were aboard the Poor Richard. After Alliance and Pallas engaged with the Countess of Scarborough she eventually struck to the Pallas. The Serapis struck to the Poor Richard at about 10PM after 2 hours of battle and after receiving three broadsides from Alliance. I fear that our broadsides took as heavy a toll on the Poor Richard as it did on the Serapis as they were locked together at the time. Captain Landy ordered us to fire despite warning to him that we were raking the Richard too. Both Poor Richard and Serapis were heavily damaged and on fire.
After the battle Mr. Bragg, our carpenter went on board Poor Richard with a number of men to extinguish the fires and repair her many leaks. We took 150 prisoners out of the Serapis while Mr. Buckley, Mr. Lynd and 40 men went to man her and Alliance took her in tow. In the morning we came up with the Poor Richard, Pallas, Vengeance and Countess of Scarborough and Captain Jones came on board of the Serapis. In the evening he returned to the Richard and finding her leaks steadily increasing ordered all of the wounded who were the only ones left aboard her to be moved to other ships. Our boats along with those of the other ships worked through the night to get the men and necessary things out of her. At 11 AM of the 26th instant the Poor Richard sank from the damage she received during the battle.
Today, Mr. Lynd came back on the Alliance, having been on Serapis since the 27th instant. He told of ill treatment given by Captain Jones to himself and others of the Alliance crew after trying but failing to get them to impeach Captain Landy’s character. He said that some of the Alliance’s crew were flogged on this account. Cap. Landy sent Mr. Robertson on board the Serapis desiring to bring back the remainder of our people since we have only 115 men to guard 226 prisoners in total from our earlier prizes plus our recent additions. Captain Jones refused this request. We are now making our way to Holland.
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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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