In Pursuit of the Essex

by Hughes, Ben;

  9. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 71–3; Feltus, Journal, entries for 18 and 19 February 1813. On Porter’s wounds see Long, Nothing Too Daring, p. 21.

  10. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 72–7.

  11. Ibid, pp. 77–8 and 80; Feltus, Journal, entry for 28 February 1813.

  12. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 78–9; Feltus, Journal, entries for 2 and 3 March 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 7.

  13. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 79–80 and 92; Feltus, Journal, entries for 3, 4 and 5 March 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 7.

  14. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 84 and 87; George Malcolm Thompson, Sir Francis Drake, Suffolk: Chaucer Press, 1972, pp. 118–19; on Mocha Dick see Jeremiah N. Reynolds, Mocha Dick: Or, The White Whale of the Pacific, Michigan: 1932.

  15. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 85.

  16. Ibid, pp. 85–6; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, pp. 7–8; Feltus, Journal, entry for 7 March 1813; Porter to Hamilton, Essex at Sea, 2 July 1813, reproduced in The Naval War of 1812, pp. 696–7.

  17. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 89; Feltus, Journal, entry for 8 March 1813.

  18. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 90; Feltus, Journal, entry for 10 March 1813.

  19. On South Pacific whaling see Edouard A. Stackpole, Whales & Destiny: The Rivalry between America, France and Britain for Control of the Southern Whales Fishery, 1785-1825, The University of Massachusetts Press, 1972; Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 181–5. For details of the Comet’s voyage see Transcript of the Voyage of the Comet, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, LUB 38/10.

  20. Porter, Journal, pp. 91–3.

  21. For contemporary descriptions of Valparaiso see George Vancouver, A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean and Round the World in the Years 1790-95, London: Robinson, 1798, pp. 400–40; Thomas H. Bennett and Washington Chase, A Voyage from the United States to South America Performed During the Years 1821, 1822 and 1823 … in a Nantucket Whaleship, The Herald Press, 1823, pp. 22–42; John Miers, Travels in Chile and La Plata, Vol. 1, Oxford, 1826, pp. 446–53.

  22. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 91–3. On the Colt see Charles Lyon Chandler, Inter-American Acquaintances, Sewanee, TN: 1917, pp. 133–4.

  23. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 94; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 8; Feltus, Journal, entry for 14 March 1813.

  24. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 94.

  25. For a brief overview on the Wars of Independence see John Charles Chasteen, Americanos: Latin America’s Struggle for Independence, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009; and John Fletcher, The Wars of Spanish American Independence, Oxford: Osprey, 2013.

  26. For a more detailed look at the move towards independence in Chile see Simon Collier, Ideas and Politics of Chilean Independence 1808-1833, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1967.

  27. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 94–6.

  28. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 96–100. On Poinsett see James Fred Rippy, Joel R. Poinsett: Versatile American, Whitefish, MT: Literary Licensing, 2012.

  29. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 94–6.

  30. Ibid; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 15.

  31. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 97–9 and 107.

  32. Ibid, pp. 97–101; Feltus, Journal, entries for 18 to 21 March 1813.

  33. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 100–1; Feltus, Journal, entries for 21 and 22 March 1813.

  34. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 102, 105–6; Feltus, Journal, entry for 22 March 1813. For a reference to the English merchants’ letter see Graham (ed.), The Navy and South America, document 67b, p. 92.

  35. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 102–4; prisoner list ADM 103/466; on Langley’s promotion see The Naval War of 1812, p. 742; Porter to Bainbridge, Valparaiso, 23 March 1813, reproduced in The Naval War of 1812, pp. 696–7.

  36. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 102–3; Feltus, Journal, entry for 24 March 1813.

  37. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 108–10; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 8; Feltus, Journal, entries for 25 and 26 March 1813; on West see National Maritime Digital Library http://nmdl.org/aowv/whvoyage.cfm?VesselNumber=677; on the Nimrod and Perry see Jane M. Clayton, Ships Employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775-1815: An Alphabetical List of Ships, 2014, p. 183; on the Charles and Gardener see Federal Writers Project, Whaling Masters, Wildside Press LLC, 2009, p. 136.

  38. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 108–10; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 8; Feltus, Journal, entries for 25 and 26 March 1813; on Bly see Stackpole, Whales and Destiny, pp. 340–3.

  39. Porter to Abascal, USS Essex at Sea, 26 March 1813, reproduced in The Naval War of 1812, p. 692.

  40. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 111–12; Feltus, Journal, entry for 27 March 1813.

  41. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 115–19; Feltus, Journal, entries for 27 March 1813 to 4 April 1813.

  42. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 115–17; Feltus, Journal, entries for 4 and 5 April 1813.

  43. On Randall see Writers Project, Whaling Masters, p. 228; Maritime Digital Library entry; Barney Genealogical Record http://www.nantuckethistoricalassociation.net/bgr/BGR-o/p415.htm#i12459; and Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 9.

  44. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 119–21; Feltus, Journal, entries for 5 and 6 April 1813.

  45. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 121–3; Feltus, Journal, entries for 9 and 10 April 1813.

  46. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 125–6; Feltus, Journal, entry for 11 April 1813.

  Chapter 5

  1. ADM 52/4236; log of the Ocean East Indiaman, British Library, L/MAR/B/222R; John McDonald, Journal, entry for 11 April 1813, reproduced in Alexander Henry and David Thompson, New Light on the Early History of the Greater Northwest, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015, p. 762n. For contemporary descriptions of Santa Cruz see John Payne, Universal Geography, p. 679; and John Purdy, Memoir Descriptive and Explanatory, to Accompany the New Chart of the Atlantic Ocean …, London: Whittle and Holmes Laurie, 1812, pp. 112–13. On Nelson’s attack on Santa Cruz see Colin White, 1797: Nelson’s Year of Destiny, Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1999.

  2. ADM 52/4236; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 34–7; McDonald, Autobiographical Notes, pp. 45–6.

  3. ADM 52/4236; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 37–8; log of Devaynes East Indiaman, British Library, L/MAR/B/223F.

  4. ADM 52/4236; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 38–9. The 1798 Convoy Act forbade merchantmen from sailing alone, a precaution which greatly reduced the number captured in the opening years of the Revolutionary War. Some captains chose to break the rules, however, by slipping ahead as the convoy neared its destination. Fines or imprisonment were sought by Lloyd’s of London, the largest naval insurer, to punish those who transgressed but the financial benefit accrued from getting a jump on the competition were a considerable lure.

  5. ADM 52/4236; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 38–40; L/MAR/B/223F; L/MAR/B/222R. On Staines see The National Archives Trafalgar Ancestors search engine.

  6. ADM 52/4236; L/MAR/B/223F; L/MAR/B/222R.

  7. ADM 52/4236; Phoebe’s pay roll, ADM 35/3677; ADM 37/4380; Hillyar’s Journal, ADM 1/1950. On the pay of an able seaman see Lavery, Nelson’s Navy, pp. 326–7.

  8. ADM 52/4236; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 41–2. On the activities of the Cherub and Raccoon see Manley-Dixon to Croker, HMS Cherub, Rio de Janeiro, 9 June 1813, reproduced in Graham (ed.), The Navy and South America, p. 90. For a contemporary description of Rio de Janeiro see John Luccock, Notes on Rio de Janeiro and the Southern Parts of Brazil; taken during a Residence of Ten Years in that Country, London: Samuel Leigh, 1820.

  9. Graham (ed.), The Navy and South America, pp. 76–90; Lambert, The Challenge, pp. 277–9. For an overview of Anglo-Portuguese relations and the effect on Brazil of the Napoleonic Wars see Laurentino Gomes, 1808 - The Flight of the Emperor: How a Weak Prince, a Made Queen and the British Navy Tricked Napoleon and Changed the New
World, Connecticut: Lyons Press, 2007.

  10. Graham (ed.), The Navy and South America, pp. 87–92.

  11. Ibid, pp. 93–6; McDonald, Autobiographical Notes, p. 46.

  12. ADM 52/4236.

  13. Shillibeer, A Narrative of the Briton’s Voyage, p. 14; Last Will and Testament of Lieutenant William Ingram, PROB 11/1567; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 42–4.

  14. ADM 52/4236; Graham (ed.), The Navy and South America, pp. 93–5; Court Martial of Carlan and Mortraugh, 29 June 1813, HMS Phoebe at anchor off Rio de Janeiro, ADM 1/5346.

  15. ADM 1/5346.

  16. Dixon to Hillyar, 1 July 1813, Rio de Janeiro, reproduced in Graham (ed.), The Navy and South America, pp. 99–101.

  17. Niles’ Weekly Register, volume 5, 1814, p. 29.

  18. ADM 37/4380; Muster roll of HMS Cherub, ADM 35/3411; Strangford to Dixon, 3 July 1813, reproduced in Graham (ed.), The Navy in South America, pp. 101–2.

  19. ADM 52/4236; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, p. 44; A Gazeta do Rio (Rio de Janeiro Gazette), 10 and 14 July 1813.

  Chapter 6

  1. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 125–6; Feltus, Journal, entries for 11 to 15 April 1813.

  2. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 126; Feltus, Journal, entry for 16 April 1813.

  3. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 127–8; Feltus, Journal, entry for 17 April 1813.

  4. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 128–9; Feltus, Journal, entry for 18 April 1813.

  5. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 129–35; Feltus, Journal, entries for 18 and 19 April 1813.

  6. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 135–9; Feltus, Journal, entries for 19 and 20 April 1813.

  7. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 139–40; Feltus, Journal, entries for 20 and 21 April 1813.

  8. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 140–1; Feltus, Journal, entries for 20 to 24 April 1813.

  9. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 141–4; Feltus, Journal, entries for 23 to 24 April 1813.

  10. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 144–5; Feltus, Journal, entries for 24 to 25 April 1813.

  11. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 146–8 and 151; Feltus, Journal, entries for 26 to 28 April 1813.

  12. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 148–9. On the Bounty see Caroline Alexander, The Bounty: the True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty, New York: Harper Perennial, 2004. On HMS Hermione see Dudley Pope, The Black Ship, Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military Classics, 2003.

  13. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 149–51; Feltus, Journal, entries for 29 and 30 April 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 8; Porter to Hamilton, US Frigate Essex at Sea, 2 July 1813, reproduced in The Naval War of 1812, pp. 694–7. For further details on the British whale ships Montezuma and Georgiana see Clayton, Ships Employed in the South Seas Whale Fishery, pp. 126–9 and 175–6; Washington Irvine, The Analectic Magazine, Vol. 6 (1815), pp. 450–1; and John Dodson, English Admiralty Reports: Reports of cases argued and determined in the High Court of the admiralty … 1811-1822, New York: Little, Brown, 1853, pp. 397–402. On the prisoners who joined the Essex from the prizes see ADM 103/466 and the lists of casualties on the Essex in Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 234–41.

  14. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 151–3; Feltus, Journal, entries for 30 April and 1 May 1813.

  15. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 153–4; Feltus, Journal, entries for 1 to 8 May 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 8. On the workings of whale ships see Nathaniel Philbrick, In the Heart of the Sea: the Epic True Story that Inspired Moby Dick, New York: Harper Perennial, 2005, pp. 55–7.

  16. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 155; Feltus, Journal, entries for 9 to 12 May 1813.

  17. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 155–8; Feltus, Journal, entries for 12 to 13 May 1813.

  18. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 158–9; Feltus, Journal, entries for 12 to 13 May 1813.

  19. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 159–61 and 179; Feltus, Journal, entries for 14 to 15 May 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 8.

  20. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 162–4; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, pp. 8–9.

  21. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 161–2.

  22. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 162–4; Feltus, Journal, entries for 14 to 16 May 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 9.

  23. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 164–7 and 176.

  24. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 165-7.

  25. Ibid, p. 168; Porter to Hamilton and Porter to Bainbridge, 2 July 1813, US Frigate Essex at Sea, reproduced in The Naval War of 1812, pp. 694–7.

  26. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 169; Feltus, Journal, entry for 27 May 1813.

  27. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 169–70; Feltus, Journal, entry for 28 May 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 9. On the Atlantic and Greenwich and Wyer and Shuttleworth see Clayton, Ships Employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery, pp. 65 and 132–3 and Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 172–4.

  28. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 198–9; Feltus, Journal, entry for 25 June 1813; Porter to Hamilton, 2 July 1813, US Frigate Essex at Sea, reproduced in The Naval War of 1812, p. 697.

  29. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 174–5. On prisoners who joined the Essex see ADM 103/466 and the lists of casualties on the Essex in Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 234–41.

  30. Clayton, Ships Employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery, pp. 65 and 132–3.

  31. Ibid, and Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 172–4. On Wyer also see http://www.geni.com/people/Obed-Wyer/6000000021470063486.

  32. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 174–7; Feltus, Journal, entries for 6 and 7 June 1813.

  33. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 186–90; Feltus, Journal, entries for 8 to 18 June 1813.

  34. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 190–3; Feltus, Journal, entries for 19 and 20 June 1813. On Porter’s time in New Orleans see Long, Nothing Too Daring, pp. 36–56.

  35. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 191–2; Feltus, Journal, entry for 22 June 1813.

  36. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 192–4.

  37. Ibid, pp. 194–6; Long, Nothing Too Daring, p. 100.

  38. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 196–7.

  39. Ibid, pp. 197–9; Feltus, Journal, entries for 24 and 25 June 1813; Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 9.

  40. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 200; Feltus, Journal, entries for 26 to 29 June 1813.

  41. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, p. 200; ADM 103/466. For British verdict on Porter’s treatment of prisoners see Dixon to Staines, La Ceres, Rio de Janeiro, 24 March 1814, ADM1/22 and Shillibeer, A Narrative of the Briton’s Voyage, p. 72.

  42. On Coffin see Naval War of 1812, p. 773, fn 2. On Hughes see War of 1812 Pension Files, US Navy, Surnames H, at http://www.fold3.com/image/314284970/

  43. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 200–2; Feltus, Journal, entries for 1 to 9 July 1813.

  Chapter 7

  1. ADM 52/4236; HMS Cherub log, ADM 51/206. On the Articles of War see Lavery, Nelson’s Navy, pp. 203, 208, 209 and 216.

  2. On Tucker’s background and his time in command of HMS Cherub see F. Jeffries (ed.), The Gentleman’s Magazine, Volumes 192–3, July to December 1852, pp. 529–30.

  3. HMS Cherub’s muster roll, ADM 35/3411.

  4. Henry Colburn (ed.), Colburn’s United Service Magazine and Naval and Military Journal, Part 3, 1843, p. 279; ADM 52/4236; John McDonald, Journal, entry for 10 July 1813, p. 762.

  5. ADM 52/4236; ADM 51/206; Hillyar to Black and Turner, HMS Phoebe at Sea, 12 July 1813, National Maritime Museum Archives, AGC 23/7.

  6. Blake, Evangelicals in the Royal Navy, pp. 185–6.

  7. ADM 52/4236; ADM 51/206; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, p. 45; Lavery, Nelson’s Navy, p. 211.

  8. ADM 52/4236; ADM 51/206; Log of HMS Raccoon, ADM 51/2765; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 45–6; McDonald, Journal, entries for 20, 23, 29 and 30 July 1813, pp. 762–3; Hillyar’s Coded Journal, Hillyar to Croker, HMS Phoebe, 22 October 1814, ADM 1/1948. The Isaac Todd eventually arrived at her destination off the mouth of the Columbia Ri
ver on 23 April 1814. After delivering the supplies and men she was carrying, she sailed for China and eventually returned to England with a hold full of tea for the East India Company.

  9. ADM 52/4236; ADM 51/206; ADM 51/2765; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 46–7; McDonald, Autobiographical Notes, p. 47.

  10. ADM 52/4236; ADM 51/206; ADM 51/2765; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 47–8; Hillyar to Croker, 22 October 1814, ADM 1/1950; Christopher O’Brien’s Medical Report, ADM 101/116/1.

  11. ADM 52/4236; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, p. 48; Philip Brady sketches, ADM 344/2696; McDonald, Journal, p. 763.

  12. ADM 52/4236; McDonald to Hillyar, HMS Phoebe at Sea, 26 August 1813, ADM 1/1948; Hillyar’s Coded Journal, ADM 1/1948.

  13. ADM 52/4236; ADM 51/206; ADM 51/2765; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, p. 48.

  14. ADM 52/4237; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 48–9.

  15. Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 49–52.

  16. ADM 52/4237; McDonald, Autobiographical Notes, pp. 47–8; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 50–6; Hillyar to Croker, 22 October 1814. ADM 1/1950; Colburn (ed.), Colburn’s United Service Magazine, Part 3, 1843, p. 279. On Baeza see http://www.genealog.cl/Chile/S/SantaMaria/. The fact that he was sympathetic towards the patriots is attested to by his subsequent arrival in Valparaiso and Gardiner’s comments, Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 113–14.

  17. ADM 52/4237; ADM 51/206; ADM 51/2765; ADM 37/4381.

  18. Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 50–6.

  19. ADM 52/4237; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 56–7; McDonald, Journal, p. 763.

  20. ADM 52/4237; ADM 53/291.

  21. ADM 52/4237; Gardiner, Hunting the Essex, pp. 56–7; Hillyar’s coded journal, ADM 1/1948.

  Chapter 8

  1. Farragut, The Life of David Glasgow Farragut, p. 9.

  2. Feltus, Journal, entries for 10 July 1813 to 14 August 1813.

  3. Porter, Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 201–2.

  4. Ibid, pp. 202–4; Montgomery to Gamble, United States Frigate Essex, off Albemarle Isle, 15 July 1813, reproduced in The Memorial of Lieut. Colonel J. M. Gamble, of the United States’ Marine Corps, to Congress, 1828, New York: George F. Hopkins, 1828, p. 4; Feltus. Journal, entry for 30 September 1813. On the Seringapatam, New Zealander and Charlton see Clayton, Ships Employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery, pp. 216–17, 180 and 85–6; http://www.1812privateers.org/Greatpercent20Britain/owners.pdf. On the Seringapatam’s voyage also see Lloyd’s List, London, 18 June 1813; The Bury and Norwich Post, 27 December 1815; The Literary Panorama and National Register, London: C. Taylor, 1815, pp. 802–3. On Stavers see Colburn (ed.), Colburn’s United Service Magazine, London: Hurst and Blackett, 1862, Part 3, p. 127.