by Dudley Pope
Extradition: Article 27 of the treaty between Britain and the United States said that each country would deliver up to the other anyone who, charged with murder or forgery committed within its jurisdiction, sought asylum in the other country. This was providing there was ‘such evidence of criminality’ as would have allowed the accused man to have been charged under the laws of the country to which he had fled, just as if he had committed the crime there.
Protections: Hermione’s muster book; Hutchinson, Press Gang.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX (pages 286 to 301)
Trials: Captain Lydiard’s letter to Board; Naval Chronicle IV, 75; IV, 156; IV, 166; VII, 89, 91; 268–9; XVI, 243; trials of Duncan, Allen, Johnson (enclosing Phillip’s letter), Forester.
Miscellaneous: Cathcart’s letter in Naval Miscellany I; Board to Mitchell in letters relating to courts martial; Captain Winthrop to Admiral Pasley, May 14, 1800 (for Stirke); Letter from Consul Locke and Brewster’s Protection in The Keith Papers II, 298, 400.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN (pages 302 to 305)
Hamilton: Jackson, Adventures; Naval Chronicle, V, 5; VII, 165.
Surprise’s operations: Parker’s Journal; James, Naval History, II, 406 for Parker’s refusal to grant extra boats; Surprise’s Master’s log; Captain Lobb to Parker, Parker’s Dispatches, and Naval Chronicle, III, 313 for Asia’s squadron’s activities; survey on former Hermione, enclosed in Parker’s Dispatches, November 10, 1799, for condition of ship, armament, etc; Surprise’s muster book; Hamilton to Parker, November 1, 1799, in Parker’s Dispatches for certain details of the attack and British and Spanish casualties.
The main description of the attack is taken from Hamilton’s letter and James, Naval History, II, 406–11. James obviously had detailed accounts from men who took part in the action. The brief account in Fitchett, W. H.; Deeds that Won the Empire, is highly-coloured rubbish, except when he follows James. His introductory account of the mutiny is completely inaccurate.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT (pages 326 to 331)
After the recapture: Naval Chronicle, III, 234; V, 7, 8; VII, 91, 179.
Hamilton was made a KCB in 1816, later given a baronetcy, and died an admiral in 1851.
Survey on the Hermione: the report of the survey, made at Port Royal on November 10, 1799, is enclosed in Parker’s Dispatches. The Admiralty’s letter to the Navy Board is dated December 17, 1800.
The Hermione’s last days: The Naval Chronicle, VII, 91, says she arrived at Portsmouth on January 20 but the Admiralty Progress Books say February 1. For her departure date, February 6, see Progress Books, Admiralty Library. The Naval Chronicle, (VII, 179) says for the 16th that she had sailed and at first sight it appears she left that day; but in fact it was a retrospective reference.
UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL
FULL TITLES of Public Record Office documents:
Parker Dispatches PRO, Adm. 1/248, In Letters, Admiral’s Dispatches, Jamaica, for the Hermione-Success period.
PRO, Adm. 1/249, In Letters, Admiral’s Dispatches, Jamaica, for the Surprise period.
Parker Journal PRO, Adm. 50/65, Journal of Sir Hyde Parker (for the Hermione-Success period.
PRO, Adm. 50/33, Journal of Sir Hyde Parker (for the Surprise period).
Hermione logs PRO, Adm. 51/1104, Captain’s log, Sept. 5, 1794–Sept. 9, 1795.
PRO, Adm. 51/1179, Captain’s log, Sept. 10, 1795–Feb. 10, 1797.
Note: Master’s logs for these periods are missing.
Hermione muster books PRO, Adm. 36/12009, for 1792–4.
PRO, Adm. 36/12010, for Nov. 1794–Feb. 1796.
PRO, Adm. 36/12011, for Feb. 29, 1796–July 7, 1797.
Success log PRO, Adm. 51/1102, Captain’s log, Sept. 4, 1794–Sept. 30, 1795. Captain’s and Master’s logs for the rest of the period are missing.
Success muster books PRO, Adm. 36/13192, for 1795–6.
PRO, Adm. 36/14745, for 1796–7.
PRO, Adm. 36/13193. for 1797–9.
Diligence logs PRO, Adm. 51/1215, Captain’s log, for May–Oct. 1797.
PRO, Adm. 52/2935, Master’s log, for May–Oct. 1797.
Surprise log PRO, Adm. 52/3469, Master’s log. The Captain’s log for the Hermione capture period is missing.
Surprise muster books PRO, Adm. 36/14942–3 for latter part of 1799.
Pigot-Jesup Inquiry PRO, Adm. 1/5338 (Jan. 23, 1797).
Trial of Lt Harris PRO, Adm. 1/5339 (June 16, 1797).
Trial of Thomas Harrington PRO, Adm. 1/5339 June 17, 1797).
Trial of Daniel White (Thomas Leech) PRO, Adm. 1/5339 (June 17, 1797).
Courts martial resulting from the Hermione mutiny.
(Names in brackets indicate where those given in the charges were wrongly spelled or an accused man’s alias was used.)
Antonio Marco (Anthony Mark), John Elliott, Joseph Montell (Mansell), Pierre d’Orlanie (Peter Delaney)—PRO, Adm. 1/5343 (March 17, 1798).
Thomas Leech, William Mason—PRO, Adm. 1/5344 (May 1, 1798).
John Brown, William Benives (Murray), William Herd (Mitchell), John Hill (Samuel Swaine)—PRO, Adm. 1/5344 (May 5, 1798).
James Irwin (Irvin), John Holford Snr, John Holford Jnr—PRO, Adm. 1/5344 (May 23, 1798).
Adam Lynham (Isaac Hontinberg), Thomas Charlton (William Thompson)—PRO, Adm. 1/5346 (Aug. 7, 1798).
Edward Southcott, Richard Searle (Sirl), Richard Price, David O’Brien Casey, William Moncrieff—PRO, Adm. 1/5346 (Aug. 9, 1798). Note: These men were officers charged with the loss of the ship. Others who gave themselves up as prisoners of war—Steward John Jones, Sergt Plaice and Corporal Doran, for example—were not of course tried.
John Coe—PRO, Adm. 1/5347 (Dec. 8, 1798).
Henry Croaker, Thomas Ladson (Leedson), Peter Stewart—PRO, Adm. 1/5348 (Jan. 15, 1799).
John Williams, John Slushing (Henison), James Perrett (Parrott), Richard Redman (John Redmond), Jacob Fulga (Folliard)—PRO, Adm. 1/5348 (March 13–15, 1799).
John Barnett (Barton)—PRO, Adm. 1/5350 (July 23, 1799).
Thomas Nash (Jonathan or Nathan Robbins)—PRO, Adm. 1/5350 (Aug. 17, 1799).
James Duncan—PRO, Adm. 1/5353 (July 3, 1800).
John Watson, James Allen—PRO, Adm. 1/5353 (July 31, 1800).
William Johnson, Hadrian Poulson (Adiel Powebon)—PRO, Adm. 1/5357 (July 2, 1801).
John Pearce—PRO, Adm. 1/5357 (Aug. 25, 1801).
William Bower (Miller)—PRO, Adm. 1/5360 (Feb. 13, 1802).
David Forester (Thomas Williams)—PRO, Adm. 1/5360 (March 30, 1802).
James Hayes (Thomas Wood)—PRO, Adm. 1/5375 (October 6, 1806).
Other Trials
Colin McKelly, Abraham Mason (both of the Grampus)—PRO, Adm. 1/5342 (Oct. 20, 1797).
Other Documents
PRO, F.O. 5/16/296 (Jesup’s representation against Pigot, with certificates attached).
PRO, Adm. 1/231, Captains’ letters to Admiralty, ‘P’, 1793–4, May 15, 1794, for Pigot and Canada episode.
PRO, F.O. 5/14/90, Liston to Secretary of State (Jesup’s protest).
PRO, Adm. 1/4170, In-letters from Secy of State, October 3, 1796 (Jesup’s protest).
PRO, Adm. 2/939, Admiralty to Commanders-in-Chief, October 7, 1797 (Jesup protest).
PRO, Adm. 3/118, Board Minutes, April 1797.
PRO, Adm. 2/294, Lords’ Letters to Navy Board, December 17, 1800. (Hermione survey).
PRO, Adm. 9254–5, Commission and Warrant Books.
PRO, Adm. 1/727, Admirals’ Dispatches, Nore (for Nore mutiny documents).
PRO, H.O. 42, Vol 41 (Nore mutiny documents).
PRO, Adm. 2/1118, Board Letters relating to courts martial (August 2, 1798); 2/1120 (February 9, March 25, 1802).
Casey’s Memorandum is in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, and is his Memorandum of Service, written on his retirement.
Unpublished Spanish Documents
These are all taken from the Archivo General de Marina, Madrid, and are in the collection of Don
Alvaro de Bazan. All letters between the Spanish authorities in the Caracas and Havana, and with Spain, are in the section Corso y Presas.
Published Works
THESE CONCERN the period and provide further material from which quotations have been made or which have been consulted.
Bryant, Sir Arthur, The Years of Endurance, 1793–1802 (Reprint Society Edition); Brenton, Capt. E., Naval History of Great Britain, II; Burrows, Harold (Editor), Admiral George Vernon Jackson, The Perilous Adventures…ofa Naval Officer, 1801–1812 (Blackwood, 1927); Edye, John, Calculations Relating to Equipment, Displacement, etc, (London, 1832); Forester, C. S. (editor), The Adventures of John Wetherell (Michael Joseph, 1954); Fortescue, J. W. History of the British Army, II (Part II); Gatty, A and M, Recollections of the Life of the Rev. A. J. Scott, D.D., (London 1842); Gill, Professor Conrad, The Naval Mutinies of 1797 (London 1913).
Hutchinson, J. R. The Press Gang Afloat and Ashore, (London 1913); James, William, Naval History of Great Britain, I–III, (Macmillan edition, 1902); Keith Papers, The, (Navy Records Society); McArthur, Naval and Military Courts Martial, (4th edition, London 1813); Manwaring, G. E., and Dobree, B., The Floating Republic, (Bles, 1935); Markham, Admiral John, A Naval Career during the Old War (London 1883); Marshall, John, Royal Naval Biography (London 1823); Masefield, J., Sea Life in Nelson’s Time (Methuen, 1905).
Naval Miscellany, I, (Navy Records Society); Neale, W. J., History of the Mutiny at Spithead and the Nore, (London 1842); Norway, A. H., History of the Post Office Packet Service, 1793–1815, (London, 1895).
Parkinson, C. Northcote, (editor), The Trade Winds (Allen and Unwin, 1948); Pasley, R. M. S., Private Sea Journals, 1778–82, (kept by Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, Bt), (London, Dent, 1931); Phillimore, Rear-Adml A., The Life of Sir William Parker, (London, 1876); Romilly, Memoirs of Sir Samuel Romilly… with Correspondence, (3rd edition, London 1843); Spencer Papers, The, III. (Navy Records Society); Turnbull, William, The Naval Surgeon (London 1806); Young, Sir William, Bt, MP, The West India Commonplace Book (London 1807).
INDEX
Ships are listed alphabetically under ‘Skips’. Ranks given are those held at the time of the narrative.
Adams, President John, 275–6, 279
Allen, James, 155, 162–3, 181 287–90, 294
Allen, William, 225
Anderson, Arthur, 237
Anderson, William, 155, 194–5, 330
Antonio, John, 339
Arias, Don Jose de, 308
Astley, Sir John, 50
Barnett, James, 153, 221–3, 270–2, 338
Bascomb, Peter, 131, 141–3, 182, 227
Bazan, Don Alvaro de, 344, 350–1, 355
Bee, Federal Judge Thomas, 275–6, 279
Bell, James, 155, 158, 161, 187–8, 198, 204, 223, 227, 270, 299, 338
Benives, William, 225, 242–5, 256, 259–60
Bextrum, Peter, 338
Black, James, 338
Blake, Capt George, RN, 285
Blanco, Don Ramon, 254
Blaxland, James, 338
Bligh, Rear-Adm R. R., RN, 112–16, 118–20, 257–60, 262–4
Bligh, Capt William, RN, 112, 192, 217, 256
Bogle and Jopp, 290
Bond, Phineas, 274
Bowen, Capt James, RN, 27, 228–30, 243, 260
Bowen, John, 68–69, 335–6
Bower, William, 172, 182, 224, 292–4
Boyce, Lt Charles, RN, 271
Boys, Capt Thomas, RN, 261–2
Brenton, Capt E. P., RN, 356
Brewster, Benjamin, 90, 277, 282–3, 298–9
Bridport, Adm Lord, 122
Brigstock, William, 223
Briggs, J. G., 240
Brooks, Walter, 170, 339
Brown, Adam, 175, 177, 183
Brown, John, 153–5, 161, 177, 184, 188, 225, 242–4, 257, 267, 271
Brown, William, 338
Brunton, Capt N., RN, 346
Bryant, Sir Arthur, 262, 351, 356
Burdwood, Lt Daniel, RN, 95
Burgoyne, Gen John, 52
Burrows, Harold, 356
Busey, Lt John, RN, 306
Cadell, James, 344
Calder, Rear-Adm Sir Robert, 44–45, 308
Caperuchiqui, Don Andreas, 247–9, 251–2
Carbonell, Don Pedro, gets Hermoine report, 198–202; decides future, 203–4, 207, 222; gets Parker’s protests, 217–20, 233–5; Leone problem, 236–7, 246–55; mentioned, 309
Carlos IV, King of Spain, 189–99, 201, 204, 219, 234, 252–3, 308
Carne, Capt Charles, RN, 213
Carter, William, 183, 201, 206, 224
Cathcart, Lt William, RN, 293
Cathcart, Lord, 293
Casey, Mid David O’Brien, RN, joins Hermione, 81–82; Ceres episode, 107–8; flogging episode, 130–8, 148–9; mutiny, 160, 163–8, 170–5, 177–81, 184–9, 192–3, 195; trial, 256; evidence, 256, 267–8; mentioned, 119–20, 151–3, 201, 205, 238, 241, 302, 344, 346
Chapman, George Blakeney, 183, 224
Charles, John, 68–69, 335–6
Charlton, Thomas, 261, 304, 339
Christian, Capt H. C., RN, 56, 346
Christopher, Hans, 204, 339
Clarke, William, 168, 170, 334, 339
Clive, Robert, 50
Coe, John, 261–2, 304
Coffin, Comm Isaac, RN, 216
Copinger, Lt John, RN, 94
Cooke, Capt John, RN, 95
Cornwallis, Charles, Marquess, 53
Corton, Cornelius, 297–8
Crawford, Surg John, RN, 30–31
Crawley, Capt John, RN, 226–8, 257, 259
Crawley, William, 159–61, 164, 172, 182, 190, 340
Croaker, Henry, 60, 161, 194, 263–4, 304, 338
Cronin, Lawrence, harangues mutineers, 173–5; administers oath, 188–9, 195; writes to Spaniards, 198; mentioned, 185, 196, 222, 227, 299, 330, 340
Crowley, Timothy, 339
Davis, John, 99
Dawson, James, 338
Diamond, Thomas, 224, 338
Dobree, Bonamee, 346, 348, 356
Dobson, Capt Man, RN, 27, 228, 257, 259, 271, 284
Donovan, Timothy, 272
Donelly, Capt Ross, RN, 270–1, 299
Doran, Corp Nicholas, 205, 241, 288
Douglas, Lt Archibald, RN, in mutiny, 160–6, 169; mentioned, 82, 85, 120, 135, 140, 152, 172, 177, 180–1, 183, 190, 192, 194, 287–8, 296
Duckworth, Comm John, RN, 27–29
Dugal, Thomas, 101–4
Duncan, James, 139–40, 153, 161, 181–2, 190, 225, 265, 286–7
Dundas, Rt Hon Henry, 37
Edye, John, 356
Elliott, John, 161, 167, 169–70, 180, 186, 194, 197–8, 200, 223, 227, 229–33, 242, 302, 330, 339
Eschales y Gaztelu, Ramon de, 253, 309, 324–5
Evans, John, 172, 223, 334
Evans, Lawrie, 99
Evening Mail (newspaper), 215–16
Farrel, John, kills Pigot, 155, 157–60; kills Foreshaw, 165; in mutiny, 166–8, 171–2, 178, 183–4, 188, 198; mentioned, 204, 227, 267, 302, 330–1, 338
Ferrier, Capt John, RN, 228
Field, Marine Patrick, 175, 177, 183
Finney, John, 68, 335–6
Fitchett, W. H., 352
Fitzgerald, Lord Robert, 286
Fletcher, John, 140, 163–4, 334, 340
Forbes, Lt John, RN, 31, 76, 94, 101, 103, 116–17, 119, 129, 138, 192, 243, 275, 279
Ford, Comm John, RN, 43, 58–59, 65
Foreshaw, Lt Henry, RN, in mutiny, 153–5; attacked, 157–8; murdered, 165; mentioned, 120, 135, 177–8, 180, 183–4, 192, 243, 266, 296, 302
Forester, C. S., 356
Forester, David, murders Pigot, 156–8; in mutiny, 154, 159, 162–4, 168, 175–7, 183–4, 194–6; captured, trial, 294–7; mentioned, 224–5, 240, 243, 299, 302, 330, 338
Fortescue, J. W., 345, 356
Foster, Patrick, 75, 158, 161, 183, 240, 340
Francis, John,
338
Francisco, Antonio, 198, 339
Fulga, Jacob, 127, 264, 266–7, 269, 273
Garcia, Tarinto (Jacinto), 339
Gatty, A, and M., 345, 347, 356
George III, 229, 231, 326–7
Gill, Professor Conrad, 356
Godoy, Manuel, Prince of Peace, 189, 202–4, 236–7, 248, 252
Goodier, John, 102–3
Greenfield, Edward, 297–8
Grenville, William, Lord, 26, 285
Griffith, James, 114, 118
Gumaire, Mme, 23
Gutierres, Don Jacinto, 237
Hall, Thomas (Federal Clerk), 275, 277
Hamilton, Capt Sir Charles, Bt, RN, 303
Hamilton, Capt Sir Edward, RN, seeks Hermione, 304–8; plans attack, 309–13; leads boarders, 315–20; wounded, 321; attack succeeds, 322–5; mentioned, 262, 303, 326–7, 329–30
Hamilton, Lt Robert, RN, 313, 320
Hannah, James, 177, 183
‘Happy Tom’ (Marine), 175, 177, 183
Harrington, Boatswain Thomas, 78, 110, 112–13, 118–19, 149, 257
Harris, Lt John, RN, Ceres episode, 101–4, 108, 111–13; trial, 114–18; mentioned, 77–79, 85, 96, 112, 114, 129, 133, 147, 149, 192, 229–30, 257
Harvey, Capt (later Rear-Adm) Henry, RN, 56, 122, 220, 238, 241–2, 288, 346
Hayes, James, 140, 176, 190, 196, 299–301
Herd, William, 225, 242–5, 256, 259, 338
Hill, Mrs Catherine, 50