WITH NOTES AND QUERIES

Vol. II   OCTOBER, 1905   No. 4

THE BRITISH NAVY IN THE REVOLUTION

In the study of the events of the Revolution, one cannot but be impressed with the important share which the movements and achievements of the navy of Great Britain, had in deciding the military events. It has often been remarked that had King George been as well served ashore, as he was afloat, the Revolution might have ended very differently. Therefore, it may be assumed that the history of that great struggle will not be entirely complete until the work done at sea on both sides is more fully dealt with in its bearing on the land operations.

In such a study, the material facts are available to an extent which does not seem to be widely known; for in the great Public Record Office of the Crown, in Chancery Lane, London, are stored away the actual orders, reports and correspondence of the naval officials of that period, and in addition the actual log books of the vessels. The former include Admirals’ despatches, filed in the Navy Side, under the heading “Admiralty Secretary, In Letters,” and those relating to the strife with the thirteen colonies, during the period 1774 to 1784 inclusive, are indexed by the name of the “North American Station,” and numbered 484, 485, 486, 487 and 488. Of the mass of interesting material therein I was able, during a short visit, only to examine hastily one great package, which I found teeming with details of the affairs of the time, the confidential communications not only of the superior, but of subordinate officers on different stations, captured papers, reports of spies, and lists of captured vessels, men, and goods.

These papers are entirely free of access to any person, the only requirement being that they shall be examined in public, that no ink shall be used in copying, and that they are returned after every session.

Up to a date one hundred years ago, the papers are available without any introduction or order, but if the enquirer should desire those of more recent date, a special order must be obtained. The courtesy of Sir Henry Maxwell-Lyte, K. C. B., Deputy Keeper of the Records, and of W. Stamp, his assistant must be acknowledged by myself, and will undoubtedly be experienced by other enquirers into these matters.

It is extremely interesting to the student of history thus to handle and read the very documents which, received by the then authorities from the scene of actual hostilities, did so much in themselves to affect the course of events.

These official naval documents may be supplemented by examination of the contemporary military papers of the period, those emanating from the pseudo-civil governors of the colonies containing especially interesting matter.

Of these a number of the despatches of Governor Tryon to Lord George Germain, will be found in the Colonial Office Records, under heading “America and West Indies.” Those of 1780, for instance, are indexed No. 189—a bundle which contains some fascinating papers, such as the original reports of spies, a number of these signed by one especially active scoundrel whose signature, A. Z., is frequent, and his suggestions for the confounding of the American forces full of a lively personal interest. On the reports of deserters and spies, many favorable prognostications are founded by the writers of these despatches, and much may be learned of the policy and directions which led to some of the stirring events of that period.

Another source of information of a most detailed character is the large collection of log-books of the various war vessels. These were, in those days, kept not only by the Captains, and by the Lieutenants in command, but separate books were also kept by the sailing masters. Of the two former, those of the Lieutenants being practically duplicates of the Commanders’, have been destroyed, but the Captains’ and Masters’ books are preserved.

These books are in the original bindings and are of a most interesting character, carefully noting the time and nature of every occurrence in which the ship took part, as well as the surrounding circumstances of weather, sea and course.

From them may thus be obtained not only much new information of the details of actions, but confirmative and corrective matters of time and place.

In the course of a study of the operations of the British marine in the waters of New York, I found myself confronted by contradictions of a very annoying nature in the published accounts of the events of 1776, but upon reference to these log books many of these points were fully cleared up. Of some of these I hope at a future date to be able to give details, but the purpose of this article being to afford to others the knowledge of the existence and accessibility of the source of this information, I shall here give only the index numbers of the log-books of the most important vessels, which bore a prominent part in the Revolution.

The well-known names of the redoubtable men-of-war, frigates, armed brigs and schooners will recall to my readers events in which these took part, and the significant gaps in the logs of some point to the disasters or captures of which they became the victims.

CAPTAINS’ LOG BOOKS

[Preserved in the Public Record Office, London]

MASTERS’ LOG BOOKS

[Preserved in the Public Record Office, London]

Of these it may be noted that the Asia was conspicuous around New York, particularly in the summer of 1776, when a shot from her caused the only bloodshed of which Governor’s Island has been the scene, although it has been a military station since 1800. One of her cannon-balls took off an arm of an American soldier, in April, 1776.

Another of her shots penetrated the roof of Fraunces’ Tavern, in Broad street, New York. It was preserved until a few years ago, when it mysteriously disappeared. Freneau, in his Petition of Hugh Gaine refers to the incident:

The Eagle came very near furnishing the first proof in history of the efficiency of submarine boats or torpedoes. It is part of the history of the Revolution that Bushnell’s “Turtle” only failed to blow her up, as she lay off Governor’s Island in August, 1776, because of her bottom being coppered, and hence affording no chance of attachment of the “Turtle” by a huge screw, as the inventor had intended.

The Duchess of Gordon was Tryon’s headquarters at the same time. The Experiment, Thunder and Solebay were conspicuous in the unsuccessful attack on Charleston in June, 1776, and the Pearl, Phœnix, Rose, Roebuck and Tartar were particularly active near New York during the whole war.

The foregoing are by no means all of the vessels engaged in the war of the Revolution, of which I have gathered references to no less than one hundred and twenty-two, and there were doubtless many more engaged in those operations east and south of which I have been unable to make a close study.

These will, however, serve to indicate some of the material available, and perhaps afford some historical enquirers the means of adding to their information.

Reginald Pelham Bolton.