Journal of John Palmer, Connecticut Privateer Sloop Revenge, July 30, 1778

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A Journal of a Cruise By Gods Permition in the Good Sloop Revenge¹ in the year 1778 Nathan Poast Commander a Gainst the Enemies of the thirteen United States of America and A Gainst all Such as Shall aide or assist them

Thursday July 30^th 1778

The Sloop Revenge at anchor in Stonington harbour and at 11 oCk I Car^d my Chest and Cloaths on Board and at 12 Returnd home and took Dinner and at 2 PM Returnd on Board the Sloop. We Now Bound out on a Cruse We Discover^d A fleet of British Sails a Standing to the Easterd² the Beaver³ Now in Company With us We Weigh anchor and Stand after the fleet the Wind Dying a Way As we hove to Come to anchor under Wath hill⁴ Where We Lay all Night in Company With the Beaver So Ends 24 [howers]

D, CtMyMHi, The John Palmer Papers, Coll. 53, Manuscripts Collection. It is not certain what position Palmer held in Revenge but part of his duty may have been captain's clerk since a portion of the log of Revenge, also in Palmer's hand, is with this journal. The “Remarks" portion of that journal continues the narrative of the cruise of Revenge, which ended on 19 September. Palmer recopied and revised his journal; the recopied version is also at CtMyMHi, In the revised version, Palmer shortened some entries and improved the spelling and grammar. Notable differences between the versions are discussed in the notes following.

1. Connecticut Privateer sloop Revenge, which was re-commissioned on 23 July 1778 under the command of Capt. Nathan Post. It carried 12 guns, a crew of 80, and was owned by Nathaniel Shaw Jr. Middlebrook, Maritime Connecticut, 2: 207-8.

2. In the revised version, Palmer wrote “A fleete of British Ships and Other Small Sails."

3. Connecticut Privateer sloop Beaver, Capt. William Havens, commanding, carried 12 guns, a crew of 65, and was owned by Joseph Trumbull, John and Samuel Broome, and John Livingston. Middlebrook, Maritime Connecticut, 2: 54.

4. In the revised version, Palmer gives this anchorage as "Watch Hill,” which is across Little Narragansett Bay from Stonington, Connecticut.

Document Information

Date

1778 July 30

Volume

Volume 13

Series

American Theater, June 1 to August 15, 1778

Naval Documents of the American Revolution

Journal of John Palmer, Connecticut Privateer Sloop Revenge, July 30, 1778

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