Diary Of Ezra Green, M.D. From November 1, 1777, To September 27, 1778 Part 3

_Tuesday, Dec. 2nd._--Ran in for the Land with a fine moderate Breeze, narrowly escap'd running on a Sand through want of a Pilot and arrived all in good spirits at Peanbeauf on the River Loire and came to anchor in the evening.

_Wednesday, 3rd._--Wrote a Letter to Capt. Shackford at L'Orient and inclos'd one to my very good friend Cooper--favour'd by Cap^t.

Mutchemore.[9]

[9] The letter to his friend Cooper is given in the Memoir.

_Friday, Dec. 5th._--The Prize Brig Mary arrived here safe--went to Nantez with Capt. Simpson arriv'd at 9 in the Evening this is a very considerable City distant 10 Leagues from Peanbeauf am told there are 12 Parishes in Nantes in one of which are 30,000 Souls.

_Sat.u.r.day, Dec. 6._--Went to the Tragedy but it was to me in an unknown Tongue, was not much pleased or entertained, however the Musick was good.

_Sunday, Dec. 7._--Returned to Peanbeauf, and on board the Ranger.

_Friday, 13 Feb._--Set sail for Quiberon Bay M^r. Williams & Brother on board, in company with us Brig Independence, anch.o.r.ed in the Bay about six in the Evening, 4 s.h.i.+ps of the Line besides Frigates in the Bay.

_Sat.u.r.day, 14th Feby._--Very Squaly weather, came to Sail at 4 o'clock P.M. saluted the french Admiral & rec'd nine guns in return this is the first salute ever pay'd the American flagg.

_Sunday, 15th Feb'y._--Brig Independence saluted the french Flagg which was return'd.[10]

[10] Jones, in his letter to the naval committee, dated Feb. 22, 1778, reporting this important recognition of our flag, says:--

"I am happy to have it in my power to congratulate you on my having seen the American flag, for the first time, recognized in the fullest and completest manner by the flag of France. I was off this bay [Quiberon Bay] on the 13th inst., and sent my boat in the next day to know if the Admiral would return my salute. He answered that he would return to me as the senior continental officer in Europe, the same salute as he was authorized to return to an Admiral of Holland, or any other republic, which was four guns less than the salute given. I hesitated at this, _for I had demanded gun for gun_.

"Therefore I anch.o.r.ed in the entrance of the Bay at a distance from the French fleet; but after a very particular inquiry, on the 14th, finding that he really told the truth, I was induced to accept his offer, the more _as it was an acknowledgment of American Independence_.

"The wind being contrary and blowing hard, it was after sunset before the Ranger was near enough to salute La Motte Piquet with thirteen guns, which he returned with nine. However, to put the matter beyond a doubt, I did not suffer the Independence to salute until the next morning, when I sent word to the Admiral that I would sail through his fleet in the Brig and would salute him in open day. He was exceedingly pleasant, and returned the compliment also with nine guns."

_Wednesday, 25th Feb'y._--Fleet got underway and left us at anchor contrary to Expectations, about 12 o'clock it being very windy we came to sail, ran out of the Bay without a Pilot, attempted to the Northward of Belisle, but did not succeed, put back hoping to run into the Bay again, but could not weather the Rocks, in the midst of our Trouble having narrowly escap'd over setting the s.h.i.+p, were alarm'd with the cry of Fire--after all our endeavours to procure a Pilot were in vain, & night coming on, bore away and ran out to the Leward of the Island, very squaly still.

_Thursday, 26._--Arrived in Quiberon-Bay again the Evening after a short but very tedious & unprofitable Cruize.

_Tuesday, March 3rd._--Weigh'd anchor and came to Sail in fine weather & smooth water, sail'd along the Coast about 25 Leagues and came to anchor in a small Bay near a small village called Benodett, had a curious Adventure with a french Pilot who came on Board to pilot the s.h.i.+p but would not be compell'd to take charge of her.

_Thursday, March 5th._--Went with Joseph Ratcliff to Pontlably and procured good lodgings for Him supposing the Eruption (which came out last night) to be Small Pox--we were treated with great respect as we were Americans, were waited on near half a mile to the Boat and on parting gave them 3 Cheers which was answered with vive Le Congres.

_Friday, March 6th._--This morning (being fine weather) came to sail, in the morning went through of Pa.s.sage Duroi; saw a large s.h.i.+p to the leeward which we thought was a Frigate & the same we saw yesterday: She fail'd in attempting to get through the Pa.s.sage and stood off.

_Sat.u.r.day, March 7th._--Came to anchor in Baldavids Bay not far from the River of Brest.

_Sunday, March 8th._--Weigh'd and beat up towards Brest came too in Camaritt's Bay 4 Leagues from Brest.

[At Brest] _Tuesday, March 10th._--Last night eight of our People took the Cutter and went on sh.o.r.e and ran off leaving the Boat on the Rocks.

_Friday, March 13th._--Seven of eight Deserters were bro't back under guard & confined in Irons.

_Sat.u.r.day, 14th March._--Went to Brest with Capt. Jones & Lt.

Simpson; had a slight view of the Fortifications, s.h.i.+pping, and Dock-Yards--return'd in the Evening.

_Sunday, 15th._--I had the pleasure of entertaining the Commissaries Lady & two Sisters on Board the Ranger.

_Wednesday, 18th._--Last night died after a lingering Illness for more than three weeks Will^m. Reading--His remains were decently interr'd about 11 o'clock A.M.--P.M. the Ladies came to pay Capt. Jones a visit as he was absent when they pay'd us the first Visit.

_Monday, 23rd March._--Got under way and ran up to Brest; saluted the Admiral, rec'd the news of L^d. Stormont's having left Paris on receiving a copy of the Treaty with America.

_Thursday, 2nd April._--Got up anchor pay'd the french flagg another Salute rec'd. 11 for 13--One of our Seamen narrowly escap'd drowning; when the s.h.i.+p was coming to sail was turned off from the Spritsail Yard the s.h.i.+p went over Him, but He was luckily taken up by the Man who was in the Cutter which was vear'd astern arriv'd at Camaritt about 5 o'clock P.M. and came to anchor.

_Friday, 3rd April._--Our s.h.i.+p being laid on Sh.o.r.e for cleaning I went with our Pilot & L^t. Wallingsford to take a view of the New Fort which is building on an Eminence at the distance of three miles from Camaritt.

_Sunday, 5 April._--Attempted to get out to sea with the Fortuna of 36 guns but were oblig'd to return to Brest.

_Wednesday, 8th._--Made a second Attempt to get out & fail'd.

_Friday, 10th._--About 5 o'clock P.M. came to Sail in Company with the Frigate [Fortuna]--were detained by the Cutter which was sent after Sand to Camaritt.

_Sat.u.r.day, 12th._[11]--Fine weather but no Convoy to be seen, about 10 in the morning saw a sail to windward which prov'd quite contrary to our fears to be the Fortuna--we were all ready for action when she came alongside of us.

[11] Sat.u.r.day was the 11th April, 1778. From this entry to that on Friday the 24th, there is a discrepancy of one day between the day of the week and the month.

_Monday, 14th._--Our Convoy left us, sooner than Capt. Jones Expected which He resented but could not prevent.

_Tuesday, 15 April._--Early in the morning saw a Brig under our Lee Bow, about 8 o'clock spoke her: from Ostend to Galway laden with Flaxseed took the People their Baggage &c. on board scuttled and left Her.[12]

[12] Jones, in his report to the American commissioners, written on the 27th of May, from Brest, says: "On the 14th I took a Brigantine between Scilly and Cape Clear, bound for Ostend, with a cargo of flaxseed for Ireland, sunk her, and proceeded into St.

George's Channel."

_Wednesday, 16th._--Made some part of Ireland in the morning suppos'd to be the high Land of Dungarvin.

_Thursday 17th._--Saw a s.h.i.+p in the afternoon under our lee Bow, at Sun's setting spoke Her--a s.h.i.+p of about 350 Tons from London for Dublin laden with Hemp Iron Porter &c &c. ordered her to Brest.[13]

[13] Jones calls this s.h.i.+p the Lord Chatham, and says that she was captured almost within sight of her port.

_Sat.u.r.day, 19th._--Made a warm attempt to take a Cutter mounting 8 Guns, she slipped through Our Fingers, had the Captain have permitted the Marines to fire on them when they first came under our lee Quarter might have taken Her with great Ease.

_Sunday, 20th._--In the morning near the Isle of Man sunk a schooner laden with Barley & Oats about 60 Tons burthen from some part of Scotland, in the Evening sunk a Sloop in ballast from Ireland.[14]

_Monday, 21st._--Bore down for Belfast Loch, took a fis.h.i.+ng Boat with 4 Men in sight of a s.h.i.+p at anchor they informed Us that she was a Man of war of 20 guns; we made sail and stood off about an Hour, when the Capt. ordered the s.h.i.+p to be put about in order to go in and cut her out, but the wind blowing fresh and the people unwilling to undertake it we stood off and on till midnight when the People consenting and the wind having lulled a little we stood into the River but it being somewhat Dark did not drop our Anchor so as to lay her along side, therefore were oblig'd to cut and run out, which we were very lucky in effecting.[14]

[14] Jones says with regard to these affairs: "On the 18th, in Glentine bay, on the south coast of Scotland, I met with a revenue wherry; it being the common practice of these vessels to board merchant s.h.i.+ps, the Ranger then having no external appearance of war, it was expected that this rover would come alongside. I was, however, mistaken; for though the men were at their quarters, yet this vessel outsailed the Ranger, and got clear in spite of a severe cannonade.

"The next morning (19th) off the Mull of Galloway, I found myself so near a Scotch Coasting Schooner, loaded with barley, that I could not avoid sinking her. Understanding that there were ten or twelve sail of merchant s.h.i.+ps, besides a Tender brigantine with a number of impressed men on board, at anchor in Lochran in Scotland, I thought this enterprise worthy my attention; but the wind, which at the first would have served equally well to sail in or out of the Loch, s.h.i.+fted in a hard squall, so as to blow almost directly in, with an appearance of bad weather. I was therefore obliged to abandon my project.

"Seeing a cutter off the lee bow steering for the Clyde, I gave chase, in hopes of cutting her off; but finding my endeavors ineffectual, I pursued no further than the Rock of Ailson. In the evening I fell in with a sloop from Dublin, which I sunk."

_Tuesday, 22nd._--Stood off and on all Day with a design to make another Trial if the wind lull'd at night there being no signs of more moderate weather wore s.h.i.+p and stood back towards Galway Mull--Our people very much fatigued.

_Wednesday, 23rd._[15]--Weather somewhat more moderate & our people a little recruited, Our enterprising Capt. with about 30 men went on sh.o.r.e about 11 P.M. with a Design to fire the Town of Whitehaven.[16]

[15] Jones in his report says: "The 21st, being near Carrickfergus, a fis.h.i.+ng boat came off which I detained. I saw a s.h.i.+p at anchor in the road, which I was informed by the fishermen was the British s.h.i.+p of war Drake, of twenty guns. I determined to attack her in the night; my plan was to overlay her cable, and to fall upon her bow, so as to have all her decks open and exposed to our musquetry, &c.; at the same time, it was my intention to have secured the enemy by grapplings, so that, had they cut their cables, they would not have attained any advantage. The wind was high, and unfortunately the anchor was not let go as soon as the order was given, so that the Hanger was brought to upon the enemy's quarters at the distance of half a cable's length. We had made no warlike appearance, of course had given no alarm; this determined me to cut immediately, which might appear as if the cable had parted, and at the same time enable me, after making a tack out of the Loch, to return with the same prospect of advantage which I had at first. I was however prevented from returning, as I with difficulty weathered the light-house on the lee-side of the Loch, and as the gale increased. The weather now became so very stormy and severe, and the sea ran so high, that I was obliged to take shelter under the south sh.o.r.e of Scotland."