Diary Of Ezra Green, M.D. From November 1, 1777, To September 27, 1778 Part 4

[16] Jones's account of this important affair is as follows:--

"The 22d introduced fair weather, though the three kingdoms were, as far as the eye could reach, covered with snow. I now resolved once more to attempt Whitehaven; but the wind became very light, so that the s.h.i.+p would not in proper time approach so near as I had intended. At midnight I left the s.h.i.+p with two boats and thirty-one volunteers; when we reached the outer pier the day began to dawn; I would not, however, abandon my enterprise, but despatched one boat under the direction of Mr. Hill and Lieut.

Wallingford, with the necessary combustibles to set fire to the s.h.i.+pping on the north side of the harbor, while I went with the other party to attempt the south side. I was successful in scaling the walls and spiking up all the cannon in the first fort; finding the sentinels shut up in the guard house, they were secured without being hurt. Having fixed sentinels, I now took with me one man only (Mr. Green), and spiked up all the cannon in the southern fort, distant from the others a quarter of a mile.

"On my return from this business, I naturally expected to see the fire of the s.h.i.+ps on the north side, as well as to find my own party with every thing in readiness to set fire to the s.h.i.+pping on the south; instead of this, I found the boat under the direction of Mr. Hill and Mr. Wallingford returned, and the party in some confusion, their light having burnt out at the instant when it became necessary. By the strangest fatality, my own party were in the same situation, the candles being ail burnt out. The day too came on apace, yet I would by no means retract while any hopes of success remained. Having again placed sentinels, a light was obtained at a house disjoined from the town, and a fire was kindled in the steerage of a large s.h.i.+p, which was surrounded by at least one hundred and fifty others, chiefly from two to four hundred tons burden, and lying side by side, aground unsurrounded by the water. There were, besides, from seventy to a hundred large s.h.i.+ps on the north arm of the harbor, aground clear of the water, and divided from the rest only by a stone pier of a s.h.i.+p's height. I should (would) have kindled fires in other places if the time had permitted; as it did not, our care was to prevent the one kindled from being easily extinguished. After some search, a barrel of tar was found, and poured into the flames, which now ascended from all the hatchways. The inhabitants began to appear in thousands, and individuals ran hastily towards us. I stood between them and the s.h.i.+p on fire, with a pistol in my hand, and ordered them to retire, which they did with precipitation. The flames had already caught in the rigging, and began to ascend the mainmast; the sun was a full hour's march above the horizon, and as sleep no longer ruled the world, it was time to retire. We re-embarked without opposition, having released a number of prisoners, as our boats could not carry them. After all my people had embarked, I stood upon the pier for a considerable s.p.a.ce, yet no person advanced; I saw all the eminences around the town covered with the amazed inhabitants.

"When we had rowed to a considerable distance from the sh.o.r.e, the English began to run in vast numbers to their forts; their disappointments may easily be imagined when they found, I suppose, at least thirty heavy cannon rendered useless. At length, however, they began to fire, having, as I apprehend, either brought down s.h.i.+p's guns, or used one or two cannon which lay on the beach at the foot of the walls, dismounted, and which had not been spiked. They fired with no direction, and the shot falling short of the boats, instead of doing us any damage afforded some diversion; which my people could not help showing, by discharging their pistols, &c. in return of the salute. Had it been possible to have landed a few hours sooner, my success would have been complete. Not a single s.h.i.+p, out of more than two hundred, could possibly have escaped, and all the world would not have been able to save the town. What was done, however, is sufficient to show, that not all their boasted navy can protect their own coasts; and that the scenes of distress, which they have occasioned in America, may soon be brought home to their own door. One of my people was missing; and must, I fear, have fallen into the enemy's hands after our departure. I was pleased that in this business we neither killed or wounded any person. I brought off three prisoners as a _sample_."

In a memorial to congress Jones says, "His first object was to secure an exchange of prisoners in Europe, and his second to put an end, by one good fire in England, of s.h.i.+pping, to all the burnings in America," and he expresses the opinion, that had his officers in the Providence and Alfred been with him in the Ranger, two hundred and fifty to three hundred large s.h.i.+ps at Whitehaven would have been laid in ashes. In the Ranger's logbook the man left on sh.o.r.e is named David Smith, and it was thought he remained on sh.o.r.e voluntarily, and that under the name of Freeman, he gave information at several houses that fire had been set to the s.h.i.+ps.

_Thursday, 24th._--After watching the night and all the morning till broad day light in expectation of seeing the smoke of the Town and s.h.i.+pping (ascend as the smoke of a Furnace) began to fear that Our People had fallen into the Enemies Hands; however about half an hour after sun rise we discovered two small Boats at a great Distance coming out of the Rivers mouth, and clouds of smoke arising from the s.h.i.+pping, soon after we saw them fire on the Boats from the Sh.o.r.e, but most of the Cannon being spiked up by our People they could do but very little the Boats were soon out of their Reach and came along-side with 3 prisoners for one left behind.

The same Day crossed over to the other side of the Bay to the Mull of Galway Capt. Jones with Lt. Wallingsford and about 12 Men went on sh.o.r.e [at St. Mary's Isle] with design to take L^d. Selkirk, Prisoner. As he was not at Home and no man in the House, for the sake of his Lady & her Company they came off without doing any further Damage than plundering Him of Plate to the amount of (as near as I can judge) 160lb. weight of Silver.[17]

[17] _The attempted Seizure of the Earl of Selkirk_, &c.--On the 8th of May following, Jones wrote from Brest to the Countess of Selkirk, with regard to the taking of this plate, that he was obliged to command while he did not approve of the act, and thus expresses the object of the expedition.

"Knowing Lord Selkirk's interest with the King, and esteeming as I do his private character, I wished to make him the happy instrument of alleviating the horrors of a hopeless captivity, when the brave are overpowered and made prisoners of war," and "it was my intention to have taken him on board the Ranger, and to have detained him until, through this means, a general and fair exchange of prisoners, as well in Europe as in America, had been effected. When I was informed, by some men whom I met at the landing, that his Lords.h.i.+p was absent, I walked back to my boat, determined to leave the Island. By the way, however, some officers who were with me, could not forbear expressing their discontent, observing that, in America, no delicacy was shown by the English, who took away all sorts of moveable property--setting fire not only to towns, and to the houses of the rich, without distinction, but not even sparing the wretched hamlets and milch cows of the poor and helpless, at the approach of an inclement winter. That party had been with me the same morning at Whitehaven; some complaisance, therefore, was their due. I had but a moment to think how I might gratify them, and at the same time do your ladys.h.i.+p the least injury. I charged two officers to permit none of the seamen to enter the house, or to hurt anything about it,--to treat you, Madam, with the utmost respect, to accept of the plate which was offered, and to come away without making a search, or demanding any thing else.

"I am induced to believe I was punctually obeyed; since I am informed, that the plate which they brought away is far short of the quant.i.ty expressed in the inventory which accompanied it. I have gratified my men; and when the plate is sold I shall become the purchaser, and will gratify my own feelings by restoring it to you, by such conveyance as you shall please to direct."

Lord Selkirk wrote a letter in reply, intimating that he would accept the return of the plate, if made by order of congress, but not if redeemed by individual generosity. The letter, however, was detained in the general post office, London, and returned to the earl, who requested a gentleman to communicate the cause of its miscarriage and its tenor orally to Dr. Franklin, who at once informed Jones of the substances of the communication. Meanwhile the plate had fallen into the hands of the prize agents, and it was not until the beginning of 1780, and by the purchase of seventeen twentieths of it, that Jones obtained possession of it.

When he had succeeded in effecting this object, he wrote again to the Countess of Selkirk; but his voyage to America r.e.t.a.r.ded its delivery until 1784. It was eventually returned in the same condition in which it had been removed, and Lord Selkirk subsequently acknowledged, as the following extracts from his letter to Paul Jones, dated _London, August 4, 1789_, the unwearied pains Jones had taken to secure its restoration.

"I received the letter you wrote to me at the time you sent off my plate, in order for restoring it. Had I known where to direct a letter to you, at the time it arrived in Scotland, I would then have wrote you. * * * Notwithstanding all the precaution you took for the easy and uninterrupted conveyance of the plate, yet it met with considerable delays; first at Calais, next at Dover, then at London; however, it at last arrived at Dumfries, and I dare say quite safe, though as yet I have not seen it, being then in Edinburgh." "I intended to have put an article in the newspapers about your having returned it * * and on all occasions both now and formerly, I have done you the justice to tell, that you made an offer of returning the plate very soon after your return to Brest; and although you yourself was not at my house, but remained at the sh.o.r.e with your boat, that yet you had your officers and men in such extraordinary good discipline, that your having given them the strictest orders to behave well, to do no injury of any kind, to make no search, but only to bring off what plate was given them; that in reality they did exactly as ordered, and that not one man offered to stir from his post on the outside of the house, nor entered the doors, nor said an uncivil word; that the two officers staid not a quarter of an hour in the parlor and the butler's pantry, while the butler got the plate together, behaved politely, and asked for nothing but the plate, and instantly marched their men oft' in regular order, and that both officers and men behaved in all respects so well, that it would have done credit to the best disciplined troops whatever."

_Friday, 24th._--Early in the morning our Capt. proposed making a second attempt to cut out the s.h.i.+p in Caraefergus, which was now within a small Distance, the People both officers & men discovr'd great unwillingness to make the attempt. Capt. Jones notwithstanding declar'd publickly his determination to go in, in short it seem'd impossible to avoid it for the Tide & what little wind there was, had imperceptably carry'd us in so far that there was very little chance for an Escape, and now which was about sun-rise we saw the s.h.i.+p with Her Sails loos'd and had nothing to do but to get ready for Action Our People at the same Time discovering the greatest readiness to engage Her. When she [the Sloop of war Drake] came out at 11 almost Calm about 12 Saw a Boat coming from the s.h.i.+p which we Decoy'd and took on board a Mids.h.i.+pman & 5 Men; there being a light Breeze of Wind & understanding by the People from the s.h.i.+p that she was coming Out to us; clung our wind and stood out under easy sail till 4 o'clock, P.M. & hove too for Her, she came up about 6 and hailed after the usual Compliments were pa.s.s'd we wore s.h.i.+p and gave her a whole broad side, without receiving a Shot: the Action continued till 5 minutes after seven very warm when her 2 Commanding Officers being the one Capt. Brurdon killed & the other Lt.

Dobbs mortally wounded and about 20 of Her Men disabled and the s.h.i.+ps Rigging Sails &c. very much damaged they were oblig'd to give her up by the wave of the Hat; & a call for Quarters for having the Second Time cut away their Ensign staff they had no Colours to Strike.

Lost on our side,--Lt. Wallingsford[18] killed by a musket shot in the head. John W. Dangle by a double H^d. shot cut in two in the Fore Top.

[18] Lieut. Wallingford's christian name was Samuel. Doct. Green told his son he was a lieutenant of marines. His son George Was.h.i.+ngton Wallingford, born in Somersworth, N.H.; and an infant two months old at the time of his father's death, was a distinguished lawyer of Maine. (See Willis's _Law and Lawyers of Maine_, pp. 252,256.)

Wounded,--Pierce Powers lost his right Hand, & his left badly wounded.

James Falls by a musket shot through the Shoulder. Tho^s. Taylor lost his little Finger by a musket shot at the wheel.

_Sat.u.r.day, 25th._--Very pleasant and almost Calm a fine Opportunity for repairing and fitting for Sea from on board the Drake buried the Remains of Capt. Burdon with the Honors of war--spoke a Brigg from white Haven of about 300 Tons commanded by Capt. More, put a Prize Master and Hands on Board Her: at 12 we were not far from the place of action about 2 o'clock P.M. having a light Breeze sent away the Fis.h.i.+ng Boat's crew with a present of Money 17 Guineas and the Drakes Main Sail & M^n. Top Sail; in the Evening committed the Body of Lt. Wallingsford to the deep with the Honours due to so brave an Officer.

_Monday, 4th May._--Died of his wounds and the same day were decently buried the Remains of Nath^1. Wells of Portsmouth, America.

_Thursday, May 7th._--Arrived at Brest with the s.h.i.+p Drake in Company.

_May 9th, Sat.u.r.day._--Sent on Sh.o.r.e to the Hospital Pierce Powers, James Falls & Tho^s. Taylor from the Ranger at the same Time sent from the Drake 13 Prisoners.

_Sunday, 10th May._--Arrived here the Prize Brig Patience.

_Wednesday, 13th._--Sent to the Hospital John Mott a Prisoner taken in the Drake.

_Friday, 29 May._--Drew a pet.i.tion in behalf of my good Friend Simpson now in gaol in Brest which was sign'd by Lt. Hall M^r. Cullam and myself & sent on sh.o.r.e to the Office in order to go to the Commissioners at Paris.

_Thursday, 18th June._--Rec'd the news of an Engagement between a French & English Frigate not far from Morleaux, the French Frig. was ordered out to Adm^l. Byron to speak, she refus'd to Obey therefore were fired on by the Eng--the action began about half past 4 on the afternoon of yesterday and continued 5 hours, though the Eng^h. struck they were prevented bringing her off by Adm^l. Byron's Squadron 12 sail of the Line besides Frigates--the French Frigate lost 1 Lt. 1 officer of Marines and 38 men killed, and about 60 wounded.

_Thursday, 2nd July._--Had the company of Col. Frazier & M^r. Pringle to Dine, afternoon went with them & Lieut^s. Simpson & Hall on board the Britaigne of 110 Guns & 1400 Men were treated with the greatest civility & Respect from all on Board.

_Friday, 3rd July._--This day arrived a Schooner called the Spy from New London with Dispatches from Congress.

_Sat.u.r.day, July 4th._--This being the Anniversary of American Independence, was observed as such Our s.h.i.+p was dressed 13 guns discharg'd at 10 o'clock; At undressing 13 more; on drinking the Duke de Chartre's Health 9 guns were fired; a number of Patriotic Toast were drank; and universal Joy was diffused throughout the whole s.h.i.+p's company.

_Wednesday, July 8th._--This day the Fleet sail'd from this Place about 33 sail of the Line besides Frigates.

_Thursday, 9th._--This Day arrived here a Brig from Carolina with Rice--no news C. Ray.

_Friday, July 10th._--This Day the Lively s.h.i.+p of war was brought into this harbour. On her refusing to comply with the commands of Capt. of the Frigate by which she was taken, she receiv'd a broadside from the Cannon & the fire from the Swivels & musketry both from below and aloft, which was returned by 3 guns when she struck. Her loss was about 20 kill'd & 40 wounded most of whom are since dead.

_Friday, July 17th._--This day was brought in here the prize Cutter Alert of 12 guns the same which took the Lexington Brig of 14 guns Johnson Comm^r. She was taken by a Frigate.

_Sunday, 28 June_ last were brought in here Two Cutters from Guernsey taken by Frigate Snow.

_Wednesday, 22 July._--Rec'd the news of C. De Astangs arrival in Boston.

_Monday, July 27th._--This day Thomas Simpson Esq^r.[19] came on board with orders to take command of the Ranger; to the joy and Satisfaction of the whole s.h.i.+ps company.

[19] This change of commanders was at Jones's request on the 4th of July. He wrote to the commissioners at Paris,--"When Congress thought proper to order me to France it was proposed that the Ranger should remain under my direction, not be commanded by a Lieutenant. And as the French ministry have now in contemplation plans which promise honor to the American flag, the Ranger might be very useful in carrying them into execution. Lieut. Simpson has certainly behaved amiss; yet I can forgive, as well as resent; and upon his making a proper concession, I will with your approbation not only forgive the past, but leave him the command of the Ranger. By this means, and by some little promotions and attentions, I hope to be able to satisfy the Ranger's crew, so that they will postpone their return as long as the service may require."

On the 13th of August, he wrote the commissioners from Brest, "I have been five days in this place since my return from Pa.s.sy, during which time I have neither seen nor heard from Lieut. Simpson; but Mr. Hill, who was last winter at Pa.s.sy, and who sailed with me from Nantes, informs me truly, that it is generally reported in the Ranger, and of course throughout the French fleet and on sh.o.r.e, that I am turned out of the service; that you gentlemen have given Mr. Simpson my place, with a Captain's commission, and that my letter to you of the 16th of July, was involuntary on my part, and in obedience only to your orders. That these reports prevail, is not an idle conjecture, but a melancholy tact. Therefore, I beseech you; I demand of you to afford me redress--redress by a court martial," &c. On the 15th of August, he wrote Capt. Abraham Whipple, then at Brest, requesting that a court martial might be summoned for the trial of Simpson, but Capt. Whipple writes him, explaining the impossibility of forming a court, and expressing it as his opinion, that as he had given up the parole of Simpson, in the most ample manner without asking for concessions, nothing could be done.

Lieut. Simpson sailed in the Ranger for America. On the 30th of August, Jones's friend Mr. Williams, writing to him from Nantes, in relation to the pending sale of the Drake, said, "I am sorry your affair with Lieut. Simpson was not settled with mutual satisfaction. If he was not gone, I should answer his charge of falsehood with the following paragraph of his own letter to me, of the 1st of August, to mine, which you say he calls false, viz: 'I recollect my telling you when at Brest, that if Capt. Jones had condescended to have made any inquiry, or permitted him to speak to me on the matter of my confinement, I was ready to give him any satisfaction consonant with truth.' It is strange he should recollect this when he wrote me the letter, and forget it again when he told Mr. Hill it was false. Lieut. Simpson's letter to me is in very respectful terms, and I wrote him a letter of thanks in return. He desired me to present his respects to you, and tell you that 'your recommendation to the commissioners, which I mentioned, would, with any services you had done him, be ever remembered with grat.i.tude.'"

The Ranger arrived safe in America, and Lieut. Simpson was continued in command of her until she was destroyed at Charleston, after which we hear no more of him in the naval service.

In February following, the commissioners addressed a letter to Jones, stating, that as his separation from the Ranger, and the appointment of Lieut. Simpson to the command of her would be liable to misrepresentation, they certified that his leaving her was by their consent, at the express request of M. de Sartine, who informed them that he had occasion to employ Jones in some public service; that Simpson was appointed to the command by the consent of Jones, who had released him from the arrest he had placed him under; that Jones's rank in the navy was not prejudiced by his leaving the Ranger; and that his commission remained in full force.

In a letter addressed to Robert Morris, dated Oct. 10, 1783, Jones says, he "received orders to proceed to Europe, to command the great frigate building at Amsterdam, for the U.S.; then called the Indien, and since the South Carolina,"--and "it was proposed that he should proceed to France in a s.h.i.+p belonging to that kingdom; but, some difficulties arising, the sloop of war Ranger of 18 guns was put under his command for that service, and to serve afterwards as a tender to the Indien, but political reasons defeated the plan, and after seeing the commissioners in Paris, agreeably to their order to consult on the means of carrying it into execution, he returned to Nantes and resumed the command of the Ranger."

_Tuesday, July 28th._--This Day arrived from the Lamp [illegible] of 60 guns, with news of an Engagement between the Fleets.

_Wednesday, July 29th._--Last night arrived a 74 This Day arrived the Fleet, excepting 1 of 80 1 of 60 and 1 Frigate, which they say parted from them in the Fog--they appear to have sustained no very considerable Damage in the late Fight.

_Sat.u.r.day, Augt. 8th._--Sent to the Hospital three of the Drake's People viz: Jn^o. Wilkinson Pilot John Colbert & John Rickets Seamen.

_Sunday, Augt. 9th._--Sent to the Hospital Joseph Larcher a Prisoner from y^e Drake.

_Sat.u.r.day 15._--Last night arrived Here the Barton & Providence, Whipple & Tucker from Nantes.

_Thursday, 20th Augt._--Moved down in Company with the Providence & Boston Frigates, about four Leagues & came too, to give the People an Opportunity of expending their Prize Money. I had a very Fatiguing Time up to Brest on Business for Capt. Simpson and the widow of my deceas'd Friend Lt. Wallingford for whom I bought 32 Crowns worth.

_Friday, 21st._--Very little wind this morning came to Sail & got down about 2 Leagues & anch.o.r.ed. At 3 P.M. came to Sail again and ran out with a fine Breeze.

_Sat.u.r.day, 22._--Very fine weather in the morning saw a Sail ahead were order'd by our Commodore to give chase came up with Her about 5 P.M. a Spanish Snow bound to Haver du Grace.