A JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP THE STAG FROM THE 13th OF FEBRUARY 1778 TO THE 31st DAY OF AUGUST 1781 [manuscript title].
[American Revolution]:
[At sea off the East Coast of North America]. Feb. 13, 1778 - Aug. 31, 1781. [277]pp. manuscript, consisting of daily entries for a period of forty-three months, about 75,000 words total. Folio. Dbd., retaining original brown paper wrappers (mostly detached). A bit of wear at the foredge of early leaves, from ordinary use. A few leaves loose. Internally very neat, clean and legible. Very good. Loosely laid into contemporary three-quarter sheep and marbled board binding (worn). In a cloth clamshell case, leather label. A very interesting and informative manuscript ship's log, recording nearly three years of service of the H.M.S. Stag during the American Revolution. The Stag spent the period covered in the log patrolling the waters off the coast of the British Isles, an area that was under constant menace from the French, Spanish, and American navies (including American ships under the command of John Paul Jones), and from privateers that preyed on British shipping. Most of the Stag's activities involved inspecting ships coming toward British ports, convoying British shipping in the Irish Sea and around the southern English coast, impressing sailors into the British service, and escorting foreign ships that had been taken by British privateers. Much of the ship's time was spent guarding the waters around Holyhead, Dublin, Portsmouth, Liverpool and on the Mersey River, often giving chase to enemy ships that might approach. The log provides a wealth of information on the threats to British shipping and to the British coast by American and Continental navies, and the day to day activities of a ship that actively protected the region, brought in prizes, and impressed mariners into the British Navy. The log was kept by the ship's captain, Robert Cooper, who has signed his name beside the manuscript title of the volume, and at the end of it as well. In the first entry, dated February 13, 1778, Cooper records: "being appointed to command His Majesty's Ship Stag commission bearing date the 26th January I therefore this day went on board her & hoisted the pendants." The ship remained in dock at Sheerness Harbor for several weeks as work was done on the its rigging and arms, and supplies, food, and new sailors were taken on board. The official announcement of the French-American alliance in February, 1778, inevitably led to a renewal of hostilities between the French and the British, and French ships are reported as a menace throughout the log. Cooper notes that on May 18 he "mustered the ship's company & read the Articles of War." The next day Cooper records that the ship "exercised great guns and small arms." A month later, still off the British coast, the Stag gathered intelligence on American privateering activity in the area (June 10): "Bro't too for a boat standing after us with her Ensign at her masthead, spoke her being the Spy Cruizer [sic] belonging to Whitehaven & sent express with intelligence of two American privateers being in this channel lately. Dispatch'd her for intelligence to Donagadee." A great number of entries record the activities of the Stag in intercepting and inspecting ships from a number of countries in Europe, on the lookout for contraband and American and French privateers. An example of the fears of British manufacturers over the potential loss of their goods is shown in Cooper's entry for July 11, 1778, when he writes: "At 11 I rec'd a letter from the Committee of the Linen Manufacturers to request my protection to their trade to Chester which I promised." Several entries record instances where men from the Stag were sent to inspect European trade ships heading for the British Isles, and Cooper often ordered his ship to fire its guns when rebuffed by these vessels. Often, the ships being inspected are of Dutch origin, the Netherlands being especially suspect due to its relatively friendly relations with the American colonies. Much of the later summer and early fall of 1778 found the Stag in the north Atlantic, and there are several entries in the log of whaleships and trade vessels being intercepted out of Greenland. On August 28th, the Stag took possession of a French ship captured by a British privateer: "Fired 2 guns & bro't too the Molly Letter Marque belonging to Liverpool & the Vertumne a French ship from Port au Prince to Havre de Grace, which he had detained. I put an officer & hands on board to take charge of her as a prize & took on board the prisoners with 11 of the Molly's men left in the French ship." The early months of 1779 saw the Stag serving as part of a convoy protecting British shipping in the Irish Sea, often putting in at Liverpool. Occasionally, Cooper notes the appearance of British ships returning from America, including "a fleet of transports from New York." This period also brought an increased number of prizes, as Cooper records British privateers bringing in a ship belonging to Santo Domingo. In mid-August, 1779, while in port at Plymouth, Cooper records the events of a battle between British ships and unnamed enemy vessels, possibly those of the Americans under John Paul Jones, but more likely French or Spanish: "at half past [seven in the evening] saw the enemy's fleet in the offing & heard a severe cannonade, which I imagine to be the ardent engaging." On the next day, still in port, Cooper writes: "saw a large fleet in the offing & heard a great number of guns." By the fall of 1779 the increased naval pressure exerted by the Americans, French, and Spanish is evident in the logbook, as more and more entries detail engagements with enemy ships. In the entry of October 8, 1779, Cooper writes that the Stag "spoke his Majesty's cutter Rambler Lieutenant James George who on Wednesday [two days earlier] in company with the Quebec 12 or 15 leagues north of Ushant fell in with a frigate of 40 guns & a cutter of 16 & engaged them 3 1/2 hours when the Quebec took fire & was burnt & every soul perished except 14 taken up by the Rambler." In early 1780 the pressure from the French, Spanish, and American navies increases, and the frequency of reports of giving chase to enemy ship increases. The entry for March 5 records the taking of a Spanish ship: "Came in His Majesty's ship Royal George, Rear Admiral Sir John L. Ross, who saluted with 13 guns which the Admiral returned. All the ships here saluted him with 3 cheers. Arrived with him the Bienfaisant & Phenix, a Spanish 80 gun ship, Prize." A week later, on March 13, the log relates the loss of British ships at the hands of the French: "Came in His Majesty's ship the Squirrel...& informed us that a French privateer of 30 guns was between the Mewstone & the Start & had taken a brig & sloop this morning." On March 21st the Stag engaged a French privateer: "Saw 2 sail in the NW which appeared to be a ship & a brig, the latter in chace of the former, both with English colours flying, but on the brig's getting alongside the ship she hoisted a French pendant & fired several shots upon which the ship struck her colours & bro't too. The brig soon afterwards put about & stood from us, we gave chace & fired 3 shot at her & at 4 she struck. She proves to be the Sartine, Privateer 2 days from Brest with 14 four's, 2 three pounders, 12 swivels & 89 men." The remainder of the log contains reports of several such incidents, including entries for a three day chase that took place from August 20th to the 22nd, 1781, just days before the conclusion of the logbook: "The Viper in company, still in chace...fired 6 guns at the chace & bro't her too being late His Majesty's cutter Hope, taken last Thursday by the Chardon, a French cutter privateer of 20 six-pounders, after a gallant defence of an hour & 10 minutes. Took 18 prisoners outof her...." An interesting feature of the logbook is a list at its conclusion of "Men Run from His Majesty's Ship Stag," from February 1778 to August 1781. The list gives the name, position, and date and place of desertion of 119 sailors who escaped service while the ship was at port or at sea. Desertions are also mentioned regularly in the logbook itself, and the number of sick sailors on any given day is also noted in red ink. The entry for October 26, 1778 records the attempted desertion of three sailors from another ship, the cutter Sisters. The men were captured, but the weapons they tried to steal, including six pistols, six cutlasses, one bayonet, two cartouch boxes and an oar, were lost in the sea. It is not uncommon for the escaped sailors to be pursued onto land, or killed trying to escape their ship. The entry for March 1, 1781, records the execution by hanging of a British sailor who had deserted and was later found on board a Spanish privateer. Several entries record the number of impressed seamen taken on board from other British vessels, or impressed into service by the Stag herself. The impressed seamen came from ships of varied flags, but a great majority came from ships out of Russian ports. On the whole, the log gives impressive testimony to the constant need of the British Navy to impress sailors into service in order to compensate for the steady rate of desertion or death. A remarkably detailed and informative record of a British Royal Navy ship's service during the American Revolution, as it protected British shipping and the British coast from American, French, and Spanish enemies.
(Item ID: WRCAM39900) $17,500.00