by Alaric Bond
Crawford, the seaman who nailed the British colours to the mast, returned to England to be hailed as a hero. He was granted an audience with George III, a pension of £30 a year, and the people of Sunderland, his home town, presented him with a silver medal. He fell on drunkenness and hard times however, and was forced to sell the medal. When he died of cholera in 1831, he was buried in a pauper’s grave.
Jan Willem de Winter stayed in England until the December of 1797, when he was exchanged and returned to his native land. For several years he served as ambassador to the French republic. He died in Paris in 1812.
Valentine Joyce, the 'leading spirit' of the Spithead mutiny was a veteran of the Glorious First of June and Bridport’s action off the Ilse de Groix. Following the pardon, he continued in the Royal Navy, being rated midshipman in 1799. He was lost, and a promising career ended, when the sloop Brazen was wrecked during a gale on Ave Rocks, near Newhaven, Sussex in January 1800.
Richard Parker was one of twenty-nine hanged following the mutiny at the Nore. His body was buried at Sheerness, although later exhumed by his wife, who intended to take it to his former home near Exeter. She was apprehended on Tower Hill, however, and he eventually found a permanent grave in a Whitechapel churchyard. His death mask, taken at this time by John Hunter, an eminent surgeon, is still housed in the Hunterian Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Following the battle Adam Duncan was raised to the peerage and created Viscount Duncan, of Camperdown, and Baron Duncan, of Lundie. He continued to command the North Sea Fleet, and was still in overall charge when Admiral Storij, who had escaped during the latter stages of the Battle of Camperdown, surrendered the entire Batavian force two years later. Duncan retired from active service shortly afterwards, although he soon became bored with civilian life. He died suddenly in 1804, returning home from canvassing the Admiralty for further employment. He and Admiral de Winter remained firm friends until his death.
HMS Venerable was repaired and returned to sea. She was lost off Torbay in November 1804, a few months after the death of her greatest commander. Her sinking followed a series of freak mishaps, and she is distinguished as the first ship of the Royal Navy to be lost while attempting to rescue a man overboard.
Alaric Bond
Herstmonceux,
East Sussex, England
2010
Glossary
Able Seaman
One who can hand, reef and steer; well acquainted with the duties of a seaman.
Adelborst
Dutch. Junior officer, similar to midshipman.
Achterdek
Dutch. Poop deck.
Achtersteven
Dutch. Stern.
Ague
A fever, as from Malaria. Also a chill or a fit of shivering.
Apron
Metal, usually lead, touchhole cover on a gun.
Armstrong
Pattern of cannon designed in the 1720,s, very common earlier in the war, single button, no loop.
Azimuth
compass
Originally designed to measure the position of celestial bodies, a sighting arrangement was provided, often used for taking land bearings.
Back
Wind change, anticlockwise.
Backed sail
One set in the direction for the opposite tack to slow a ship down.
Backstays
Similar to shrouds in function, except that they run from the hounds of the topmast, or topgallant, all the way to the deck. Serve to support the mast against any forces forward, for example, when the ship is tacking. (Also a useful/spectacular way to return to deck for topmen.)
Backstays, running
A less permanent backstay, rigged with a tackle to allow it to be slacked to clear a gaff or boom.
Bag, hammock and birdcage
SL Sailors possessions.
Banyan day
Monday, Wednesday and Friday; days when meat is not served in the R.N.
Bargemen
SL Maggots in biscuit.
Barkas
Dutch. Launch or long boat.
Barkie
SL A favoured ship.
Barricoe
Water barrel.
Base ring
Thickest part of a gun.
Beach-master
The officer in charge of a landing party.
Belaying pins
Pins set into racks at the side of a ship. Lines are secured to these, allowing instant release by their removal.
Bight
Loop made in the middle of a line.
Bilboes
Leg irons, or iron garters.
Billboard
A large piece of timber fitted under the channels to prevent the anchor damaging the ship.
Billy Blue
SL Admiral Cornwallis.
Billy Pitt
SL William Pitt. First (Prime) minister of state at the start of the revolutionary war.
Billy Pitt's man
SL A quota man, one sent up for naval service by a port or county.
Binnacle
Cabinet on the quarterdeck that houses compasses, the log, traverse board, lead lines, telescope and speaking trumpet
Birds of passage
SL Those not staying on a ship for any length of time.
Biscuit
Small hammock mattress, resembling ships rations. Also Hard Tack.
Bish
SL Chaplain, (also Holy Joe).
Bitter end
The very end of an anchor cable.
Bitts
Stout horizontal pieces of timber, supported by strong verticals, that extend deep into the ship. These hold the anchor cable when the ship is at anchor. Also Jeer bits.
Blab
SL One unable to keep his mouth shut.
Black Dick
SL Admiral Howe.
Black strap
SL A poor quality port or any coarse red wine.
Black vomit
SL Yellow fever (or yellow jack).
Blackjack
SL Half-pint tin mug. Also a pirate flag or bubonic fever.
Blanket bay
SL A deck filled with slung hammocks
Block
Article of rigging that allows pressure to be diverted or, when used with others, increased. Consists of a pulley wheel, made of lignum vitae, encased in a wooden shell. Blocks can be single, double (fiddle block), triple or quadruple. Main suppliers: Taylors, of Southampton.
Blomefield
Pattern of cannon standard by 1794. identifiable by loop to top of button.
Bloody flux
SL Dysentery.
Boat fall
Line that raises or lowers a ship's boat
Bobstays
A line or chain that runs foreword from the cutwater of the bows, to near the end of the bowsprit.
Bolt rope/line
Line sewn into the edge of a sail, at the bolt.
Boom
Lower spar which the bottom of a gaff sail is attached to.
Bootsman
Dutch. Boatswain.
Bowline
Line attached to the middle of the leech that keeps the leading edge of a sail forward when sailing close to the wind.
Braces
Lines used to adjust the angle between the yards and the fore and aft line of the ship. Mizzen braces, and braces of a brig, lead forward.
Breach rope/line
Heavy line to stop the recoil of a cannon, (7" for 32 pounder).
Brig
Two masted vessel square-rigged on both masts..
Brilot
Fire ship.
Broach
When running down wind, to round up into the wind, out of control usually due to carrying too much canvas.
Broad arrow goods
That which belongs to the state (often marked as such). Rope is identified by a differently coloured strand running through.
Building a chapel
SL When a ship swings a
bout 360 degrees at anchor
Bulkhead
A wall or partition within the hull of a ship.
Bulwark
The planking or wood-work round a vessel above her deck.
Bumboat
SL A shore based vessel that approaches large sea going ships to sell luxuries etc. Often contains money lenders (who will give a mean return in cash for a seamen's pay ticket). Frequently crewed by large masculine women, who employ far more fetching girls to carry out the bargaining with the seamen.
Bumfodder
SL Toilet paper. (Bumf.)
Bungs
SL Cooper.
Bunt
Middle upper part of a sail, next to the mast.
Bunting
Material from which signal flags are made.
Buntline
Lines attached to the foot-ropes of top-sails and courses which, passing over and before the canvas, turn it up forward, and thus disarm the force of the wind. Can be a minor obstacle to seamen when working on the yards.
Bursten belly
SL Hernia.
Burton pendant
Line from the masthead, rather like a shortened shroud, with an eye in one end. Can be used to attach the tackle for lifting boats, guns or other heavy objects on board.
Button
Top of a mast or extreme end of a cannon, on Blomefield model, carrying a loop to take the Breach rope.
Camels
Devise for raising the draft of a ship to allow it to frequent shallow waters. Barges filled with water or sand and barley, are securely strapped to the hull. The weight is removed, and the ship effectively floats on the barges. Also used for refloating ships sunk in shallow water.
Canister
Type of shot, also known as case. Small iron balls packed into a cylindrical case.
Cap-a-bar
The misappropriating of government stores.
Capsquare
Metal plate that holds the trunnion of a standard cannon. This is hinged at the rear to allow the barrel to be remounted.
Carrick bend
Knot used for joining heavy lines or hawsers.
Carronade
Short cannon firing a heavy shot. Invented by Melville, Gascoigne and Miller in late 1770's and adopted in 1779. Often used on the upper deck of larger ships, or as the main armament of smaller.
Cat's paws
Light disturbance in calm water indicating a wind.
Catharpins
Short lines fitted between the shrouds on opposite sides at the level of the futtock shrouds to tighten the shrouds, and allow more space to turn the yards into the wind.
Caulk
SL to sleep. Also Caulking, a process to seal the seams between strakes.
Chamber
Area in a gun where the charge is placed; this is the same as the bore in ordinary cannon, but smaller in carronades.
Channel
Projecting ledge that holds deadeyes from shrouds and backstays, originally chain-whales.
Channel Gropers
SL The Channel Fleet, when under blockading duties.
Charlies
SL Watchmen.
Checked shirt
SL Said to be worn by a man who has been flogged.
Checker players
The ships that Nelson commanded. Captains could paint their ships in the way they chose, but Nelson's ships used the yellow on black, called Nelson Fashion, that soon became the norm.
Chips
SL Off-cuts of timber, the entitlement of shipwrights. In theory small enough to be carried from the yard under an arm. Also SL Carpenter.
Cleat
A retaining piece for lines attached to yards, etc.
Clewline
Line that runs to the corner of a square sail, and used to haul it up to the centre of a yard.
Clews
Loops sewn into the lower corners of a sail. Also the free part of the sail. controlled by a sheet on a jib or staysail.
Close hauled
Sailing as near as possible into the wind.
Close order
In a fleet, sailing 1.5 to 2 cables apart.
Clout
SL Cloth.
Coach horses
SL The captain's barge crew.
Coal Box
SL The chorus of a song, usually ending with Hip Hip Hip, Hurrah! (seamen enjoy the chance to sing loudly).
Coaming
The ridge about hatches and gratings to prevent water on deck from getting below
Cob or Cobb
SL A Spanish dollar piece.
Cobbed across the table
Warrant officer punishment; a man is stretched across the table, secured by his hands and feet, and beaten by each messmate in turn.
Cockbill yards
Following the death of a captain it is customary to set the yards of his ship at odd angles on return to port.
Companionway
A staircase.
Course
A large square lower sail, hung from a yard, with sheets controlling, and securing it.
Crank
SL Description of a ship that lacks stability, having too much sail or not enough ballast. Opposite of too stiff. SL unseaworthy.
Crimp
SL One who procures pressed men for the service.
Cringles
Loops attached to the boltropes on the sides and bottom of the sail.
Crows of iron
"Crow bars" used to move a gun or heavy object.
"Cuddy" Collingwood
SL Popular Northumbrian Admiral, 2nd in command at Trafalgar.
Cutch tan
Brown dope used to treat sails.
Cutter
Fast small, single masted vessel with a sloop rig. Also a seaworthy ship's boat.
Cutting out
The act of taking an enemy vessel while it is in a supposedly safe harbour or anchorage.
Davy/Davy Jones' Locker
SL The sea bed. Also sailor's hell.
Deadeyes
A round, flattish wooden block with three holes through which a lanyard is reaved. Used to tension shrouds and backstays.
Deadlight
Small glass panel that cannot be opened in a hull, deck or gun port. (Also modern closure on skuttle.)
Dispart
The taper of a gun towards the muzzle.
Dogwatch
Short two hour watch that breaks the four hour cycle.
Dolphin striker
A spar that projects downwards from the head of the bowsprit, introduced in the 1790's.
Double stingo
SL Very strong beer.
Doxies
SL Shore based prostitutes or temporary wives. Usually very attractive, as by tradition they do not pay the ferryman's fare unless they find a "Fancy Man". (Also the officer allowing them on board will only admit pretty women for the honour of the ship.)
Driver
Large sail set on the mizzen in light winds. The foot is extended by means of a boom.
Drogher
SL A slow merchant ship.
Dunnage
SL Seaman's baggage or possessions.
Earing
Loop sewn into the upper corner of a sail for attaching rigging lines.
Eerste luitenant
Dutch. First lieutenant.
Eight bells
The end of a normal 4 hour watch. The bell is rung every half hour, the number of rings increasing with the passage of time.
Eyebolts
Bolts with a ring or opening to enable them to be attached to a hooking tackle.
Face
The end of a gun.
Fat head
SL The feeling one gets from sleeping below on stuffy nights.
Fetch
To arrive, or reach a destination. Also the distance the wind blows across the water. The longer the fetch the bigger the waves.
Fife rail
Holed rail to accept belaying pins.
Figgy dowdy
A sweet pudding made from suet and pork fat, flavoured with currents and alcohol.
First Luff
SL First lieutenant.
Flexible rammer
Gun serving tool made of thick line, with rammer to one end and sponge to the other. The flexibility of which allows a gunport to remain closed while the gun is served.