Ahoy, the Boat!

The Battle of Trafalgar 1805

This week, on October 21, Britain observed Trafalgar Day, celebrating the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, a monumental clash between the British Royal Navy and the combined French and Spanish fleets. The victorious British ended the threat of Napoleon's invasion of England. 

British naval hero Admiral Horatio Nelson was mortally wounded aboard his ship Victory, but went on to be their most celebrated naval hero. Much like our U.S.S Constitution, H.M.S. Victory is an amazing walk-through 'living' museum in Portsmouth, England.

H.M.S Victory- Horatio Nelson's Flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar

During the 18^th and 19^th centuries, it would be hard to imagine an American Navy that did not take its lead from the mighty British Navy, yet it was that same foreign navy that twice pushed the building up of ours.

In the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, states relied on their sea-going merchants to keep an eye on activity along our borders and across the seas.  When Independence was claimed, some states created their own navies with the help of privateers. The first U.S. Navy was established on October 13^th 1775. Benedict Arnold ordered twelve ships built to slow the British’s plan of invading from Canada but by the end of the war, nearly all Continental ships had been destroyed by the superior British Navy. The bulk of the work was done by Privateers who carried “Letters of Marque” allowing them to act on behalf of the American Navy. It is estimated that nearly $66 million dollars worth of property was seized from British merchant ships.

After the Treaty of Paris, the navy was demobilized until the Naval Act of 1794 which once again created an official U.S. Navy. This time, it was to deal with pirates in the Mediterranean.  With tensions in Europe, especially between Britain, France and Spain, the neutral United States still had her hands full trying to maintain free trade.

By 1805, Britain and France and Spain were years into two officially separate wars. On October 21^st, twenty-seven British ships fought thirty-three French and Spanish ships off Cape Trafalgar on the southwest coast of Spain. Despite their lower numbers, most of the British ships were ‘ships of the line’, the largest and most powerful.  Led by Commodore Nelson's  spectacular battle strategy, the British gained a decisive victory. War went on with Napoleon on land for years, but never again did France or Spain challenge the British Navy in any large contingent.

British Press Gangs

Struggling to keep their massive war ships going, on a global basis, the British Navy continued to press (detain and force into labor) American seaman. This was one of the reasons cited for the U.S' second declaration of war against Great Britain in 1812.

This time, the U.S. Navy was prepared with better ships, and better-manned and were often equally matched with the British Navy. Despite hostilities, the two navies were birds of a feather and again it came down to strategy of commanding officers.   

the U.S.S Constitution out for a celebratory two hundredth anniversary sail 2012

Three American naval officers still bear the highest respect for their War of 1812 defeats of the powerful "Nelson's Navy".

Captain Isaac Hull of the U.S.S. Constitution for multiple sea battle wins,
Captain Oliver Perry for his win on the U.S. Brig Niagara in the Battle of Lake Erie, and Captain Thomas MacDonough aboard the U.S. Saratoga for the war’s last major U.S. win, the battle of Lake Champlain. 

The Battle of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain, near Chazy NY

Without glorifying war, we are still able to marvel at the beauty of tall ships and the skill of the men who sailed them in the golden age of  sail. I admit to being a bit obsessed with these ships and this period in U.S and British history. Thank you for stopping by!

(all images from Wikipedia)

For more on the Navy, see

Hammocks, a Sailor's Bed

The Crew of a Merchantman in Colonial Times!

While information on the crew of a military vessel such as a Royal Navy Frigate is easy to find, how about the crew manning a regular merchant ship? Ofttimes this information gets lost and muddled among so many different types of ships sailing under the flag of so many different countries.  But while there were differences, I hope to give a general account of the crew of a normal Merchantman.

The Ship Master - Or simply Master or Captain as he was addressed while at sea. His responsibilities included: Outfitting, supplying and manning the vessel before a voyage as well as compliance with all the paperwork, ordinances and regulations demanded by the port authority  Once at sail, his job was to get the vessel safely out of the harbor, but rarely, aside from Sunday services, which he officiated, did he have much contact with the crew. He navigated the ship, made all decisions and was in complete power over the voyage, including dolling out punishments.

First mate - Received orders from the captain and transmitted them to the crew. He was in charge of the setting and lowering of sails, all aspect of the rigging, and ship repairs. He was often hired directly by the owner of the vessel and could not be removed by the captain. He was responsible for keeping an accurate log book and commanded the larboard watch.

The Second mate - commander of the starboard watch and in the absence of the first mate or captain, he commanded the entire vessel. His duties included the maintenance and care of all the spare rigging, blocks, and sails as well as the tools used to work on the rigging. Unlike the captain or the first mate, the second mate actually got his hands dirty and worked alongside the crew.

The Third Mate - only found on large vessels and chosen by the captain from among the most senior able seaman. In some cases, they were designated as bosuns, which were petty officers who were in charge of the crew.

Idlers: - specialized workmen who did not do the work of seaman or stand watch. Idlers commonly included the carpenter, the sailmaker, and the cook. Larger vessels might have a cooper, steward, armorer and other tradesmen.  On smaller vessels, an idler could sign on as both an able bodied seaman and a carpenter, etc..   Cooks were never seamen and were usually older sailors with missing limbs unable to do normal seamen tasks. 

Able seamen - knowledge of steering, reefing, furling and also able to cut and fit new rigging. These were also the topmen who were expected to go to the end of the yards or above the tops. No man could "pass as an able seaman in a square-rigged vessel who could not make a long and short splice in a large rope, fit a block strap, pass seizings to lower rigging, and make the ordinary knots, in a fair, workmanlike manner.'

Ordinary seamen - not quite at the level of an able seaman, the ordinary seaman was expected to 'hand, reef, and steer under normal weather conditions'. They did not have to be a competent helmsman but should be acquainted with all the running and standing rigging of the ship

Green hands - young boys who were learning to be sailors and who were given all the unpleasant simple tasks on board such as sweep the decks, hold a log-reel, coil a rope, slush or scrub a mast, touch up a bit of tar, or help in the galley. But they also learned important skills. They stood watch and went aloft to adjust sails.

Within the Able and Ordinary Seamen existed these titles
Sheet anchor men - worked on the forecastle handling the anchors, jibs and foreyards.
After-gang - working the aft deck these men dealt primarily with the mainsail and spanker and worked on the lines and haliyards
Waisters - worked in the ship's waist.. the center deck below the top deck
Holders - Worked in the hold

Clear as the bilge in the hold?  It thought so!