* Surgeon during the
Cruise of the Continental Ship of “War Ranger,” from Nov. 1, 1777, to Sept. 27,
1778.
The Ranger 18, was
built 1777, on Langdon’s Island, Portsmouth Harbor, by order of Congress, under
the direction of Colonel James Hackett.
On the 14th of June,
1777, Congress Resolved, That Capt. John Paul Jones be appointed to command the
ship Ranger, and under date Philadelphia, June 18, 1777, the marine committee
write to him, You are appointed to the command of the Ranger, lately built at
Portsmouth. Col. Whipple, the bearer of this, carries with him the resolves of
Congress appointing you to this command, and authorizing him, Col. Langdon, and
you to appoint the other commissioned as well as warrant officers necessary for
this ship, and he has with him blank commissions and warrants for this
purpose.”
Though great
diligence was used by Jones in equipping the Ranger, she was not ready to
proceed on her destination until the middle of October. Twenty-six guns had
been provided for the ship, but Jones exercised great judgment in mounting only
eighteen on her, as he considered from her size and slight construction, that
she would be more serviceable with eighteen than with a greater number. The
following extracts from his letter to the marine committee, dated Oct. 29,
1777, two days before sailing, gives a lively idea of the difficulties he had
to contend with, and the poverty of our resources. “With all my industry I
could not get a single suit of sails completed until the 20th current. Since
that time winds and weather have laid me under the necessity of continuing in
port. At this time it blows a very heavy gale from the northeast. The ship with
difficulty rides it out, with yards and topmasts struck and whole cables ahead.
When it clears up I expect the wind from the northwest, and shall not fail to
embrace it, although I have not now a spare sail nor materials to make one.
Some of those I have are made of hissings. I never before had such disagreeable
service to perform, as that which I have now accomplished and of which another
will claim the credit as well as the profit. How'ever, in doing my utmost I am
sensible that I have done no more than my duty.”
Thus imperfectly
equipped, having a very good crew, but “only thirty gallons of rum,” as Jones
laments, for them to drink on the passage, the Ranger sailed from Portsmouth on
the 1st of November, 1777.— Mackenzie's Life of Paul Jones.
SOURCE: Dr. Ezra
Green, Diary of Ezra Green, M.D., Surgeon
on Board the Continental Ship “Ranger,” Under John Paul Jones, from November 1,
1777 to September 27, 1778, p. 17
No comments:
Post a Comment