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JOURNAL
OF SURGEON AMOS EVANS ON
BOARD CONSTITUTION, 1812‑13 11
Jun 1812 Left 5
- 12 Jul 1812 Sailed from 15
Jul 1812 Spoke a Spanish privateer
schooner. 20
Jul 1812 1830 Boarded snow Rising Sun (Mayberry, Master), 43 days
from 21
Jul 1812 1200 Spoke brig Diana, 47 days from newspapers reporting Como
Rodgers still pursuing convoy, that 22
Jul 1812 Squally and rain ‑‑
1630 sighted 5 ships in company; believed to be the recent pursuers; moved out
of sight. 23
Jul 1812 0430 Spoke the brig Triton, 23 days from Puerto Rico for 26
Jul 1812 Light winds ‑ variable ‑‑
beating in to Boston Light ‑‑ "The State house and several of
the church steeples are visible a considerable distance down the bay." ‑‑
Mr. Chew, the purser, went ashore to arrange for provisions ‑‑ Mr.
Morgan, 6th Lieut., opened a rendezvous for more crewmen. 27
Jul 1812 Anchored "just below the
fort" ‑‑ Lighters bringing out provisions and water --
"The people of 30
Jul 1812 Foggy with rain. 1 Aug 1812
[Saturday] Damp and very foggy in
morning ‑‑ rain in evening.
"We are all ready and only awaiting a fair wind…" 2 Aug 1812
Underway at 0500; passed the Light at 6. 5 Aug 1812
Pleasant day ‑‑ very light winds. 10
Aug 1812 Fresh breeze from NNW ‑‑
1730 took the British brig Lady Warren
brought off the 9 man crew and burned her. 11
Aug 1812 1200 Took the British brig Adiona ‑‑ took out the 11
man crew and burned her. 12
Aug 1812 Pleasant breeze from NE ‑‑
15 sick, mostly minor. 14
Aug 1812 Light winds from NW ‑‑
"Were alarmed about 9 o'clock with the cry of fire in the cockpit ‑‑
Produced by one of the Surgeon's Mates having left a candle burning in his
state room with the door locked. We
found considerable difficulty in opening the door, in attempting to force which
I had my right hand jammd [sic]
with a crowbar: in consequence of which I am under the necessity of writing
with my left... The surgeon's Mate, who
is truly a worthy fellow, was
arrested for his negligence.” -- At 3 a man fell overboard from the main
chains; was picked up by boat 200 yards astern. 15
Aug 1812 Pleasant weather ‑‑
light winds from SW ‑‑ 1400 took British prize brig Adeline ‑‑ took out 6 man
prize crew and put in one of our own headed by Midshipman 17
Aug 1812 Cloudy and cold ‑‑
fresh breeze from W ‑‑ 16 sick ‑‑ Injured hand nearly
well. 18
Aug 1812 0030 Spoke American privateer Decatur (Captain Nichols) which reported
that she had been chased during the night by ship of war and had jettisoned overboard 12 of her 14 guns while
escaping 19
Aug 1812 "Wednesday.‑‑ Cloudy and foggy. Course S. & W. Wind N. by E.
Lat. observed 41‑42 N. Long. by D. R. 55 W. At 2
P.M. discovered a large sail to
Leeward. Made sail and stood down for
her. At 4 discovered her to be a large
Frigate. When we were within about 2 or
2 1/2 miles he
hoisted English colours and fired a Gun.
We stood towards her with reefed topsails without shewing our colours. She then commenced firing, and gave us several
broad sides without much effect before we commenced firing. She kept wearing several times with a view
probably of trying to get the weather gauge of
us, which we avoided by wearing also. We
hoisted our colours and fired the first gun about 15 minutes past 5 o'clock P.M., but did not come
into close action until about 6 o'clock, and after 25 minutes from the time we
were closely engaged she struck, having previously lost all
three of her masts and Bowsprit. Her
hull was much injured. Several of her
guns were dismounted or otherwise rendered useless on the gun deck by our
shot. She had 15 men killed and 62
wounded, most of them very dangerously, immense mischief and destruction having
been done by our grape
& cannister shot. We had Killed Wm
S. Bush, 1st Lt. Marines; and Seamen, Jacob Sago, John Brown, Caleb Smith, James Ashford, Robert
Brice, James Reed. Wounded: Charles
Morris, 1st Lieutenant, Dangerously; J. C. Aylwin, Master, slightly; Richd
Dunn, Seaman, Dangerously;
Danl Lewis, do.do.; "During the
engagement she came against our stern with her bows twice, and carried away her
Jib boom and injured our Taffrail. It
was when in that situation that
Lt. Morris and Lt. Bush were shot. Mr.
Morris first jumped on the Taffrail with an intention of boarding her and was
instantly wounded in the parietes of the
abdomen. Mr. Bush jumpd into his place
the instant he fell and immediately one musket shot entered his face and passd into his
brain. Little or no other injury was
done us at that time, and her quarter deck and forecastle were completely
swept. Her Second Lieutenant was killd
[sic] the Captain, 1st Lieutenant, Sailing master, and one of the Master's
mates wounded. She hoisted 3 or 4 flags
at the commencement of the action, and struck
immediately after she got clear of our stern.
Her foremast and mainmast and mizzenmast fell about the time she was in contact with
us. After she struck Capt. Js. Rd Dacres
Esq came on board and informed us that it was His Brittanick Majesty's Ship
La Guerriere. We sent Lt. Reed on board and finding the
ship in a situation that was considered dangerous to attempt getting in we were
employd all night getting the men and crew [sic] from on
board. She mounted 49 Guns and had about
from 260 to 300 men, having sent previously part of her crew in prizes. Capt. Dacres is a pleasant, agreeable young
man, 24 years of age. "Our crew behaved very nobly. They fought like heroes, and gave three cheers when the colours were hoisted. They also cheered when each of her masts went over the side, and when her colours were struck. Whilst she was on our stern one of her forward guns was run nearly into our Cabin window and fired, but did (fortunately) little or no execution. A shot that entered our after port on the starboard side of the gun deck killed 2 men at the after Gun and wounded one. From the firing of the first gun to the close of the action was one hour & ten minutes. The Guerriere had 15 killd and 62 wounded."
20
Aug 1812 Calm ‑‑ day spent
transferring prisoners and repairing rigging ‑‑ amputated Richard
Dunn's leg ‑‑ about 3 P.M. fired the prize; she blew up ‑ L:ieutenant Bush and a
British seaman buried at sea in evening. 21
Aug 1812 Calm ‑‑ repairing
rigging and fishing masts ‑‑ making 12 kts in evening. 22 Aug 1812
Calm ‑‑fishing the mainmast ‑‑ spanker boom and
gaff had been carried away by collision
during action. 23
Aug 1812 Made 11‑13 kts during the
previous night in blowing, hard rain. 26
Aug 1812 Calm, damp, foggy ‑‑
caught some cod. 27
Aug 1812 Light airs and cloudy. 30
Aug 1812 [Sunday] Anchored in Nantasket Roads ‑‑
sent wounded to hospital on 31
Aug 1812 Arrival of Commodore Rodgers'
squadron, initially unrecognized, gave a scare; cut anchor cable and ran up the
harbor ‑‑ anchored near Navy Yard ‑‑ POWs sent off
ship. 1 Sep 1812
4‑5 officers and 60 men from Constitution
volunteered for duty in President
expected to go to sea to meet British rumored to be off 5 Sep 1812
Superb dinner in Faneuil Hall ‑
"...fronting the President's chair, was a model of Constitution Frigate
with her masts fished and the Colours as they flew during the
action..." 7 Sep 1812
Stripping ship to get in new masts, rigging, etc. ‑‑ Lieutenant
Wadsworth sick. 8 Sep 1812
Stripping ship ‑‑ 10 sick. 11
Sep 1812 Cartel bearing Guerriere survivors to 12
Sep 1812 Learned that Constitution's prize Adeline had been retaken by HMS Statira. 15
Sep 1812 Commodore Bainbridge succeeded
Captain Hull in command and hoisted broad red pennant ‑‑ crew
openly dissatisfied; Armorer confined for his remarks ‑‑
Hull given 3 cheers as he left ‑‑ several crewmen told Bainbridge
they had sailed with him before (including one in Philadelphia) and didn't want to do so
again. 17
Sep 1812 Shears erected preparatory to
getting masts out. 22
Sep 1812 Got out mainmast. 2 Oct 1812
"Went to the Theatre in the Evening & saw...a new afterpiece
calld 'Guerrier & Constitution,' a very foolish, ridiculous thing." 9 Oct 1812
All hands employed rigging and taking in stores. 13
Oct 1812 "It is now 12 o'clock at
night. A sick man who is delirious
insists that he will die at 2 o'clock, & is much disturbed when he hears
the bell struck, & counts every half hour. He obstinately refuses to have a blister
applied behind his neck, saying it may be done at 2 o'clock. I have requested the officer of the deck to
omit striking the 14
Oct 1812 The man still lives, and is
much better. 16
Oct 1812 Foggy, disagreeable weather ‑‑
shifted to anchorage off 20
Oct 1812 Shifted to anchorage in
President Roads. 22
Oct 1812 Mrs. Bainbridge aboard for
dinner. 27
Oct 1812 1500 Sailed from 5 Nov 1812
Mention of chronometer on board.
1800 Boarded ship Star
(Captain Skinner), 25 days from 8 Nov 1812
While under British colors, boarded American brig 19
Nov 1812 "Threw a bottle
overboard...with the intention of ascertaining the current. It contains a piece of paper on which was
written the Latitude, Longitude, date, & my name, with
a request that the finder would make it public.
The paper was oiled. The bottle
corked, sealed, & a piece of Tarrd muslin tied over it." 28
Nov 1812 Pleasant weather ‑‑
"Fumigated ship yesterday with muriatic acid gas and whitewashed it to‑day..." 2 Dec 1812
1200 Anchored at Fernando Noronha under English colors. 4 Dec 1812
Sailed for the Brazilian coast. 6 Dec 1812
0600 Sighted the coast, thought to be in the vicinity of 7 Dec 1812
Sighted 9 Dec 1812
[Wednesday] Private Pershaw given
50 lashes per court martial sentence ‑‑ abreast of 12
Dec 1812 "At dinner time to‑day
the men came on deck in a mutinous manner & complained to the Commd that
the allowance of bread & water are not sufficient. He spoke in a resolute manner & ordered
them below..." 14
Dec 1812 Gentle NE breezes. Hornet
sent in to Sao Salvador last evening for bread and water. 17
Dec 1812 "We have been on an
allowance of 1/2 Gallon of water since we left Boston; and 3/4 lbs of a
ration...a few cases of bilious cholic are the only diseases that have made
their appearance for some days. The crew
are apparently
very much debilitated, & the sick convalesce very quickly..." 18
Dec 1812 NE wind and rain ‑‑
presence of sloop of war HMS Bonne
Citoyenne in Sao Salvador bearing $1.6 million in specie reported by Hornet.
A quartermaster named McCay, sent ashore in a
boat, deserted. 19
Dec 1812 Finished taking on provisions
and water from Hornet. Constitution
patrolled to the north and Hornet to
the south. 24
Dec 1812 Cloudy and squally. Hornet
rejoined. 26
Dec 1812 While entering port, Bainbridge
received word of Portuguese displeasure at his "blockade" of the port
and was advised to remain at sea, which he did. 29
Dec 1812 "At 8 A.M. discovered two
ships to windward of us. At 9 one of
them stood along the shore, the other towards us. At 10.30 min. within 8 or 9 miles coming up with
us. At 11.30 The Commd supposed the
strange sail to be a two decker and made sail away from her: made the private
signal of the day which was not
answered. The strange sail hoisted a tri‑coloured
signal flag at her main topgallantmast head & kept it flying a long
time. At 12 the sail gaining on us going 10 k. Lat. ob. 13‑6 S. Long. by chron. 37‑38W. Hoisted our Ensign & pendant. The strange ship then hoisted an English Ensign at the peak. At 1.25 the strange sail gaining on us
discovered her to be a Frigate. At 1.37
took in part of the sail & stood for the enemy, having previously
had all clear [sic] for action. At 1.45
she bore down intending to rake us which we avoided by wearing. At 4 minutes before 2 P.M. we fired a broadside
at her, when she bore up & returned it: she was at that time distant about
1 mile. She was standing bows on but had hauld down her peak
with an intention of wearing, when an order was given to the 3d Division to
fire one Gun in order to make her hoist her colours ‑‑
but the whole broadside was fired without stopping. The action then commenced warmly on both
sides. At 3.15 her maintopmast & foremast went over the
side. At 4 her mizzenmast went about 10
or 15 feet from the deck. At this time
her fire was stopped & we hauld aboard our fore & main tack
[sic] & stood from her to repair our braces, &c. At 4.25 her mainmast went nearly by the
board. the colours still flying at the stump of the mizzen
mast. At 4.50 wore & stood for the Enemy. At 5.25 got ahead of her in a raking position
& were about giving the order to fire when she struck her
colours, at which our crew gave 3 hearty cheers, as they had done when we first
beat to quarters & several times during the action. At 6 sent the cutter with Lieut. Parker on
board, which returned with the 1st Lieut Chadds [sic] (the Capt being mortally wounded)
who delivered his sword,
together with His Majesty's Ship Java rated 38 but mounting 47 Guns ‑‑
Henry Lambert Esq. Capt. Employd during
the night in taking the officers &
crew from the Ship. She had about ___
killed & ___ wounded. The exact
number could not be ascertained. Their
own account was ___ killed
& 105 wounded. She had on board
Supernumeraries & all were about 450.
She was six weeks from "On our part
there were "Killed.‑
Jonas Angrau, Joseph Adams, Patrick Connor, Barney Hart, John Chevers [sic],
Seamen; Mark Snow, Jno D. Allen, Wm Cooper, Ord. Seamen; Thos Hanson,
Private of Marines. "Wounded.‑
Wm Bainbridge, Commd, Severely; Jno C.Aylwin, Lt. Dangerously; Chs F. Waldo, M.
M., Amptd Thigh; Lewis German,
Midn, Slightly; Peter Woodbury,
QrM, Severely; Jno Clements, Seaman, Amptd Leg; Joseph P. Chevers [sic],
Seaman, Amptd arm; Joseph Ward, Seaman, Amptd Thigh;
Philip Brimblecomb, Seaman, Amptd arm; Nich. Wextram, Seaman, Slightly; Wm
Long, Seaman, Dangerously; Stephen Webb, Seaman, Mortally;
Reuben Sanderline, Seaman, Mortally; Wm Weeden, Seaman, Slightly; Enos Bateman,
Seaman, Dangerously; Js D. Hammond, Seaman,
Slightly; Peter Furnace, Seaman, Severely; Stephen Sheppard, Seaman, Slightly; Abijah Eddy, Seaman, Slightly; Philip Cook,
Seaman, Slightly; Saml
Brown, Ord. Seaman, Severely; Danl Hogan, Ord. Seaman, Severely; Th. Williams
3d, Ord. Seaman, Slightly; Jno. Vogel, Ord. Seaman, Severely;
Anthony Reeves, Private Marines, Slightly; Jno. Elwell, Private Marines,
Slightly; 30
Dec 1812 Repairing damages, "which
were trifling..." ‑‑ getting baggage out of Java. 31
Dec 1812 1500 Fired Java and blew her up: "...not so grand as that of the Guerriere..." 1 Jan 1813
11.50 Dropped kedge anchor outside Sao Salvador harbor ‑‑
"...Hornet ran alongside, mannd the top & saluted us with three cheers
which we returned..." ‑‑
1900 anchored in harbor ‑‑ began landing prisoners, which were paroled
on the condition that they return to 3 Jan 1813
Captain Lambert died, as did Stephen Webb. 5 Jan 1813
[Tuesday] Sailed from Sao
Salvador. 6 Jan 1813
Parted company with Hornet ‑‑
Reuben Sanderline died. 26
Jan 1813 In evening, Joseph P. Chevers
[sic] died "of malignant intermittent caused by his wounds.". 29
Jan 1813 0100 Lieutenant Aylwin died
"of malignant intermittent caused by his shoulder wound" ‑‑
buried at sea that evening. 6 Feb 1813
2200 Peter Furnace died. 12
Feb 1813 Boarded the brig Venus, bound from 15 Feb 1813
Note:
The present location of this journal, apparently in private hands, is
unknown.
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