The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-05-08
JOURNAL OF A NAVAL OFFICER,
DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
KEPT BY JOHN rREvErr, OF NEWPORT.
IConlinued.1 I

May, I7s0.-Being ready to try it again.
/ set out for New London, and when arriv-
ed there, | found The ship Trumble, under
sail; the wind very light. There were in
company with me three young men, and we
all agreed to enter as volunteers. The
greatest inducenient had. was the hope Of
falling in with the ship Galatia, to be re-
renged on her.
The wind breezed and We went to sea,
running by Block-lsland, and srecred to the
southard. We run off Bermuds, and The
first enemy we saw, was IA small Privateer,
fitted at New York. We hoisted Englis!,
cOlors, and the privsteer run close under
our lee; we soon manned her, aud sent her
to Philadelphia. Nothing special occurring
until the first day of June, when we saw a
large ship, bearing down on us. We soon
discovered her to be an armed ship, and we
run from her about two hours, until we go,
oil ready for action. She kept firing her
bow guns, but wo pretended to take no
notice of her all this time, and kept En-
glish colors al our mizen peak. After
our commodore got ready, we hove our
maintopssil TO the mast, and she soon
came along side. We then hauled down
the English colors and hoisied the Amer
ican flag, nnd then we began the CEN
fict. Ii lasted about two hours, and in that
time we lost forty-,hree men, in killed and
wounded. Among them were two Lieuten-
ants, MIR. Bile, who was shot dead, and Mr..
Star, who died Of his wounds in few days.
Midshipman Star went overheard, with two
others, when our mizzen mast was sho, a
way, and as we had not n boat but was shot
TO pieces, it was out of our power TO render
them any assistance. although the sea was
smooth, and we heard them some time af-
ter dark, begging us to save them, but it
was not in our power. We had only our
foremost and about half of our foretop left,
and that in a crippled condition, and when
the ship went off aud left US, even at that
time, we gave them three shot to their two
and we mus, have killed two to one. We
60, our wounded dressed that ri ght, and the
next morning we began to clear our decks,
and erect jury masts, and on the 11th of
June we arrived at Boston we saw num-
Der Of vessels but none would come near
us. Our ship was hardly worth repairing,
,be was shot to pieces so badly. After ]
arrived at Boston, the wound got in one
foot, made me so lame that | was obliged
to hire horse to carry Inc to East Green
wicb, and all l ever got for th. cruise was
to pay all my own expenses; for the Priva-
teer we took was Of no great consequence. !
arrived ut East Greenwich on the 25th of
Junc-So ends this unfortunate cruise
Commodore James Nicholson commanded,
and a braver officer I never knew.
/ have now little time to rest, being
wounded and lame. My face and eyes
which were badly blown, are healing, but
my foot continues very lame.
I, is now the last Of June, and my wounds,
except my foot are fas. improving. have
Just received an invitation to GO with an old
acquaintance, Capt. Elisha Ilinman, Of New
London, who commands fine ship called
the Dean; mounting thirty-two guns. ]
think shall 60, and try to getwell on board,
and therefore began to fix myself to GO
and a. have made two bad cruises l will
try again. have salted down thirty thou
sand continental dollars; and / have other
continental, and some Rhode-Islsnd State
securities, besides continental enough, more
than my fathers family will want. The
bulk Of the money sailed is dated May 1775,
and. as received it in the lieu Of silver, |
cant think but it will be made good to me
or my family.
The ship having arrived at Newport, will
sail Immediately for the Vineyard, to get n
additional number Of men. We sailed on
the second Of July, aud arrived a, Oldtowu
lay there FIVE days, and got twenty Eve men,
the major part of them copper colored.--I
Then Capt. Tom Trip, Of Newport. Pi-
lot, carried US over the shoals, and when he
left US we sailed to the Eastward nothing
happening until we got of the Banks Of
New Foundlsnd. The first prize we took
ws, brig from Gsnzis, bound 10 Halifax