Preparing for 18th Century Ship to Ship Battle At Sea...

The following is a passage from the novel: "Then...A Patriot I'll Be". It describes the preparations that were involved just before two ships in the 18th century met at sea in preparation for a ship to ship battle...

...Now, just for sake of knowledge, I will attempt to detail what was involved when the signal was given for battle stations, or “beat to quarters”. My father, being a sailor in the merchant service, had many acquaintances that had served aboard a warship. He relayed down to me some stories he had heard, so I acquired some knowledge of ship to ship battle. When the officer of the watch gave the command to “beat to quarters” a drummer would beat to a tune familiar to all on board. This tune meant, “Get to battle stations lads, there is to be a fight ahead”. With that, the crew of the vessel would clamber about the ship to pre-determined positions, such as their place in the gun crew below decks, as the marines climbed the masts to get to the fighting tops. Officers would take their place amongst their men, to shout out commands over the thundering fire of the cannon, and the sailors assigned their task would ascend to the cross trees, and yards in order to bring up, or unfurl the sails as their orders came to them. A scene that surely looked to be chaos, but in reality it was a well choreographed dance, where everyone knew their part. The ship itself would have to be prepared for the fight as well. Bulkheads below decks would be removed to make way for the powder monkeys running to and fro with their precious charges for the guns. The decks above and below would be covered with sand as to allow the men proper footing when running through the blood of their wounded comrades.

Sand was also made to cover the floor of the surgeon’s cockpit. This was also meant to sop up the blood that poured on the floor as he was performing his amputations, and other treatments for the injured. The surgeon and his mates would prepare a bucket for the disposal of amputated limbs. The “instruments” were laid out on the makeshift operating table, that not hours before was used by the crew to eat dinner on, and will be used for the same purpose hours later.

Being made of wood, the ship was prone to fire. For that measure, the powder magazine’s canvas curtains were wet down to prevent any unwanted sparks (for obvious reasons). The stove fire was put out, and leather “fire buckets” were filled with water or sand, and placed about the ship to douse any fires that may arise. On a ship, the quarters were cramped with not only men, but also livestock and stores of furniture, and supplies. The livestock and such stores were usually put into the ship’s boats, lowered, and towed behind the ship by a rope, or simply set adrift with intentions on bringing them back on board after the fighting had ceased. While this was all going on, selected members of the crew would see to it that all hammocks were placed on the upper deck, and into the netting constructed above the sides of the ship’s walls and rails. This was for the design of a barrier to protect the crew against musket fire, and splintered pieces of the ship that may flail about during battle...



The Gundeck of a Typical 18th Century Sailing Warship

Officers Wardroom - Note the Leather "Fire Buckets", and Removable Bulkheads



Suffering A Slow Death While At Anchor...

The following is a passage from the book, "Then...A Patriot I'll Be". It is in reference to the floating British Prison Hulks that were used to confine American Prisoners of War during the American Revolutionary War...

...being captured by the British usually resulted in a death sentence. Throughout the entire war, American prisoners weren't killed quickly by their captors, but they were forced to rot away on board one of the many floating British prison hulks anchored in the various ports and harbors in the colonies.These wooden vessels were old decrepit ocean going ships that the British had deemed no longer seaworthy. They were stripped of their rigging, masts, and sails and were towed to an area of an harbor. Once there, they were anchored in place, fitted out with bars over the holds, and the gun ports would be closed tight. This would prevent little to no light or fresh air from reaching the decks below. Prisoners of war would be housed in the lower decks of the vessels. Down below decks, it was dark, dank, and cramped. Prisoners were stuffed into the hulks along with rats, spiders, snakes, and any other vermin that happened to call the floating prison home.
     It was very rare that they were allowed above deck, so on the occasions that they came up from below, the sun caused their eyes pain. Many men perished aboard the prison hulks. When one of these men did eventually succumb to his conditions and die, his rotting body would be left as it fell among the living, sometimes for days before the guards would allow it to be removed. At times, these unfortunate prisoners became accustomed to passing their days alongside the recent (and not so recent) dead. Rood rations were far and few between. When the prisoners were lucky enough to get rations, they were sometimes forced to fight their fellow prisoners for the small scraps that they were afforded. It was a miserable existence indeed. Most of the men that died on board these ships died of hunger or disease. Many of them prayed for death every night to come and take them, so they may be spared the agony of suffering on until their eventual death would come at a later time. Being captured by the British was a fear that plagued the Americans throughout the entire war...



Sketch of a British Prison Hulk Used to House American Prisoners Of War During The American Revolution



Perishing Three Thousand Miles From Home...

During the fighting that transpired at the North Bridge in Concord on the 19th of April 1775, the first British casualties of the American Revolutionary War occurred. As the continental Militia fired on the British as they were trying to take the bridge, three British regulars fell. These brave men died in battle, not while fighting to protect a cause they believed in, but because they were ordered to fight by their superiors. They were sent to the colonies from Britain; some three thousand miles from their homes and families, accross the Atlantic Ocean, aboard leaky wooden transport ships. They had no choice in the matter of if they fought or not; virtual slaves to the battle plans of Parliament and the King. Instead, they lined up in their ranks as they were told, and marched off to trade musket fire with an enemy that had every reason in the world to fight against them. Their counterparts weren't ordered to fight by some "king" or governmental body. They fought on their own accord; driven foward by their beliefs in the American cause. It is very sad to think of all the British soldiers that had fell during the American fight for independence. They didn't wish to be here. Surely they would have rather been in their own familar homes with their own loving families, than on a dirty smoke filled battlefield risking their lives in a war that they might not have necessarily agreed with. I think, as patriotic Americans; if ever stumbling upon one of these "Redcoated Warriors'" graves, we should take a moment to reflect on the bravery and dedication to King and Country that these men have proven to have had during a war they most likely didn't want to fight. In respect to those men, I offer up an "HUZZAH"!

The Graves of the British Soldiers that fell during the Battle at the North Bridge in Concord on April 19th 1775

Enroute to Warn Sam Adams and John Hancock...

It is a well known fact that Paul Revere embarked on his midnight ride toward Lexington Green on the night of April 18th 1775. His mission that evening was two-fold. Firstly, he was to ride to the house of the Reverend Jonas Clarke at Lexington, Massachusetts. Staying at this house was none other than Sam Adams and John Hancock; two of the biggest leaders in the colonial revolutionary movement. Revere had been informed by Dr. Joseph Warren (another rebel leader), that the British were to march on Lexington with the intention of arresting Adams and Hancock. Paul Revere was to advise Adams and Hancock of the impending British plan of their arrest, and see to it that they flee the area immediately.
His secondary mission was to proceed to Concord to advise the townsfolk that the British were planning on marching there to capture some colonial weaponry and munitions that were being hidden in that location.
What isn't as well known is that Revere wasn't the only rider that fatefull evening. In fact, if it wasn't for his accompanying riders, the outcome of the events that followed could have been drastically different than we know of them today.
Paul Revere was joined by William Dawes and Samuel Prescott for this historic ride. More so than that, other riders were employed with delivering messages to other locations as well. The riding party did reach Sam Adams and John Hancock in time to alert the two men, to which they decided to flee toward Woburn, Massachusetts.
After seeing to it that the two leaders were safely evacuated, Revere, Dawes, and Prescott proceeded to Concord to warn of the impending British arrival. However, in route to Concord, the three riders were intercepted by a party of British horsemen and detained. At this location, Paul Revere was captured by the British patrol (although he was released later). Luckily for the cause however, Prescott and Dawes managed to escape and warn the militiamen at Concord. This ample warning enabled the colonists to meet the regulars with force on the North Bridge in Concord; thus beginning the massive British retreat all the way back to Boston.



Home of Reverend Jonas Clarke - Location of Sam Adams and John Hancock in Lexington



Spot Where Paul Revere Was Captured Enroute to Concord



North Bridge in Concord

The Boston Massacre Site...

The "Old State House" in Boston, MA. This is the location of an event that helped to change the views of the colonists toward the occupying British Regulars. On a very cold, snowy, and icy night of  March 5th 1770, a lone British sentry named Hugh White was standing his post at the State House. While the private stood watch, a young wigmaker's apprentive named Edward Garrick began to taunt the sentry about a debt that was owed to his master from a British officer quartered in the nearby barracks. Private White stood his ground, and after putting up with the continued abuse from the young apprentice, he struck the boy on the head with his musket.
Garrick immediately fell to the ground, and his cries attracted more Bostonians to arrive at the State House to see the cause of the alarm. Before long, a sizable crowed had formed, and began to assault Hugh White with snowballs, ice, sticks, and rocks. Soon, British Captain Thomas Preston was alerted to the occurrence. Immediate, he ran to the State House to try and defuse the situation that was occurring between his private and the crowd of colonists. The British officer also took with him six other soldiers from his 29th Regiment of Foote, to help subdue the crowd.
The rift  between the assembled mob and Captain Preston's men continued to escalated until one of the British soldiers (acting upon his own) fired a shot into the crowd. Hearing the musket shot, the remaining soldiers fired into the crowd as well (thinking it was ordered, although the command to fire was never issued).
When the smoke cleared, three colonists lay dead on the icy street. Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, and Cripus Attucks were instantly killed. A few hours later, Samuel Maverick died from his injuries, and the next day Patrick Carr succumbed to his wounds. In total, five colonists were killed that day in what later became known as the "Boston Massacre".


The Old State House - Site of the Boston Massacre.



The Exact Spot Where the Boston Massacre Occurred.

Paul Revere would create a (now famous) engraving showing British soldiers appearing to deliberately and callously open fire on the "innocent" crowd; all the while taking pleasure in their ghastly deed. Though this was a bit of an exageration on Revere's part, the engraving was turned into a broadside, and it was published throughout the colonies, further inciting the colonists to vow revenge on the "evil" redcoats, and join up with the patriotic cause against the crown.

Planning a Tea Party...

This is the "Old South Meeting House" in Boston. This is where the Sons of Liberty met to plan out the famous Boston Tea Party which occured on December 16th 1773.

Happy Independence Day...

Good morning, Mr. And Mrs. America and all ships at sea, let us celebrate the birth of our nation!!!!! Happy 4th of July!!!!! Huzzah!!!!!

What A Turn Of Events...

On today's date, in 1754, George Washington (then commander of Fort Necessity in the British army during the French and Indian War), surrenders the fort to the French.
However, 21 years later on this same date in 1775, General George Washington takes command of the American Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts. We all know how that turned out. I would say he redeemed himself, wouldn't you?

We Declare Our Independence...

General George Washington had a copy of the Decalaration of Independence read aloud to each and every one of his soldiers immediately after it was passed. This of course was in July of 1776, while he, as well as most of his troops were stationed in New York; hard at work on plans to fend off the British as they were landing near Brooklyn for the impending attack...