CharlieZardoz

"The court was cleared, and agreed that the cause of the capture of His Majesty's late Sloop Epervier, was the very superior force of the enemy, the insecure manner in which the fighting bolts of the Epervier were fitted, and the breeching bolts drawing, from being badly clinched, and the inefficiency of her crew, that the said Captain Richard Wales took the Epervier into action in a very skill full manner, and together with the officers and the other ships company (except Joseph Deane, the Boatswain, John Carroll, captain of the forecastle, Nathaniel Brown, George Elkinson, Thomas Lochan, John Peters, William Smith and John Sheldon, seamen, who appear to have deserted their quarters) exerted themselves with gallantry and zeal, during the action, particularly John Hackett, the first  lieutenant,  in remaining on deck after the loss of three fingers, until he was completely disabled by receiving three other wounds, and did adjudge the said Captain Richard Wales, and the other officers and sloops company (except the other ships company before mentioned to have deserted their quarters) to be full and honorably acquitted."

"Lieutenant John Harvey, second lieutenant of His Majesty's late sloop Epervier was called in and sworn.
 
 
Q:  Did you hear the narrative delivered by Captain Wales and read to the court?
 
A:  Yes.
 
Q:  Are the contents of it, as far as comes within your knowledge, correct and true?
 
A:  Yes.
 
Q:  How long have you been in the Epervier previous to the action?
 
A:  Three months.
 
Q:  Where were you quartered?
 
A:  At the five foremost guns.

Q:  Did the fighting bolts of the carronades come out, and the slides unship on firing the guns?
 
A:  One of the starboard side of my quarters, none on the larboard side.
 
Q:  Did any of the breeching bolts draw?
 
A:  Yes, the third gun from forward, on the larboard side, the bolts drew.
 
Q:  Do you know if the fighting bolts came out at the after guns?
 
A:  Yes. But I do not know how many. Because they were shipped again immediately on their being unshipped.
 
Q:  At what distance was the enemy's ship from the Epervier during the greater part of ht e action?
 
A:  About a third of a cable's length, to the best of my judgement.
 

Q:  What damage did the Epervier sustain during the action?
 
A:  The second broadside from the enemy, the main boom was shot away by the jaws, and to the best of my knowledge, not a brace or bow line left.  Shortly afterwards, one of the guns on the larboard side was dismounted by an enemy's shot, and towards the close of the action, two others were dismounted, and a fourth gun was rendered useless by a ring bolt and an eye bolt both being torn away by shot, and this time, the fore mast was cut nearly three fourths through, both topsail yards on the cap, Jibb haulyards and jibb sheet pendants shot away, the main topmast fell just as we were about to strike the colours, to the best of my knowledge there were forty five shot holes through the hull, eleven of them below the cills of the port. A consultation was held by the captain and the officers to get the starboard guns to bear, but it was thought impracticable, the captain asked if we were of the opinion that we could carry the enemy by boarding, and the officers were of the opinion that it was impossible, the colours were then ordered to be struck by the captain, we were about half a cable's length from the enemy.
 
Q:  How many of the Epervier's men were killed and wounded?
 
A:  Six men killed and nine wounded, to the best of my knowledge.
 
Q:  How many of them were at your quarters?
 
A:  Three killed and two wounded.
 
Q:  Were the Epervier's men, generally speaking, expert on the exercise of the great guns?
 
A:  They were, considering the strength of the men, they were not strong men, and [had] the appearance of unhealthy men.
 

Q:  Were they frequently exercised at the great guns?
 
A:  Every evening when the weather would permit, for an hour.
 
Q:  When at sea, had they been exercised with powder and shot?
 
A:  Once, one gun only?
 
Q:  Were there opportunities or their being exercised or of firing at the mark?
 
A:  The weather would frequently permit.
 
Q:  Were the men from different guns brought to the one gun that was fired?
 
A:  No. It was to try the cross breechings that had just been fixed.
 

Q:  Were many of the ships company practical seamen?
 
A:  Not more than twenty. Not more than ten thorough seamen, to the best of my knowledge.
 
Q:  Was every arrangement made previous to the action, and proper encouragement given by Captain Wales to the ships company during the action?
 
A:  Yes.
 
Q:  Do you know of any want of exertion, activity or zeal, on the part of any officers, petty officers, seamen and marines, belonging to the Eperviier during the action, or on that occasion.
 
A:  Nothing that came within my knowledge respecting the officers, but as to the men, James Lochan, John Peters, William Smith, George Elkinson, and John Sheldon deserted their quarters. At my own quarters, it came to my knowledge that  George Elkinson and John Sheldonboth stated themselves to be Americans after the action, and entered into the American service. I think I heard that Elkinson stated himself to have been an American before the action. Lochan, Peters  and Smith were distributed to different ships in the West Indies and North American stations.
 
Q:  Do you know of any circumstances relative to Charles Manly's conduct during the action?
 
A: I mustered the men at my quarters, and I understand from Mr. Evans, a midshipman,  who is not here,  that Charles Manly and Peter Meak were unable to come to their guns.
 

Q:   Can you account to the court for the breeching bolts of the guns giving way. Was it a defect of the iron, or the ships sides giving way?
 
A:  I suppose they had not been properly clinched, as they came through with out the bolts being in the least injured.
 
Q:  How did the ships company altogether behave with the exceptions you have already made?
 

A:  The greater part of them were never in action before, and before the commencement, seemed to be rather confused.
 
Q:   Was it possible for you to get on board the enemy at the time the officers consulted on that point?
 
A:  No. It was not possible.
 
Q:  Was every pains taken to discipline the crew of the Epervier when you were in her?
 
A:  Yes.
 
Q:  Could the Epervier have been defended longer with hopes of success?
 
A:  No.
 
Q:  Was there a possibility of pulling her head round to have got your starboard guns to bear?
 
A:  No. I do not think it was possible, as we might have pulled her head round, but her stern would have been to the enemy's broadside.
 
Q:  Was the enemy to the windward or the leeward of you at the close of the action?
 
A:  To the windward of us, but a very little.
 

Q:  What was the state of the enemy's ship at the close of the action?
 
A:  The fore yard was shot away in the slings, the sails very much cut, but no other apparent damage.
 
Q:  Did the enemy fire musketry?
 
A:  Yes.
 
Q:  Was any of your people killed or wounded by it?
 
A:  No.
 
Q:  Did it come to your knowledge that the powder was properly reduced during the action?
 
A:  I had a cartridge in my had just before we struck, and I could perceive no sensible difference in the full charge.
 

Q:  Did the Epervier roll much?
 
A:  No.
 
Q:   Did you see any of the shot rollout of the guns?
 
A:  No.
 
Q:  What shots were put into the guns at your quarters?
 
A:  Two round shot the first broadsides at my quarters, I saw them put in myself and afterwards we put in round and grape alternately.
 
Q:  By who's orders did you put two round shot into the guns at the first broadsides?
 
A:  I received the orders from aft, I supposed from the captain or first lieutenant.
 

Q:  Were any of your guns disabled by the firing of them?
 
A:  No. Not by being overcharged, but by the enemy's shots.
 
Q:  Did you know the size of the Peacock? 
 
A: Five hundred and nine tons by the American tonnage, as they acknowledged, which I supposed was nearly five hundred and sixty tons English. One hundred and eighty six men, they had on board, and three boys.
 
Q:  Could you ascertain the loss she sustained?
 
A:  No.
 
Captain Wales asked:
 
Q:  Did you at any time during the action see Charles Manly handing up powder?
 
A:  Yes.
               

"Lieutenant John Hackett ... was called in, and sworn.
 
 
Q:  Did you hear the narrative delivered by Captain Wales and read to the court? Are the contents of it correct and true as it came within your knowledge? 
 
A:  Yes.
 
Q:  How long had you been in the Epervier?
 
A:  I joined her in the January before.
 
Q:  Did you make any report to Captain Wales, respecting the carronade slides having unshipped in consequence of the fighting bolts coming out of their places?
 
A:  On the first broadside, the fighting bolts of three after guns, on the quarter deck got out of their places, and the after gun got nearly halfway out the port. Captain Wales himself was on the quarterdeck at the time, for which reason I made no report to him, as he saw it himself, and I busied myself in shipping the bolts., and the guns again, as soon as possible.
 
Q:  How are those bolts secured?
 
A:  By dropping down and turning. There was a groove in the bolt that generally was turned by hand, and there was a small ketch in the head of the bolt.
 

Q:  Did the same circumstance ever occur when the guns were examined?
 
A:  No. As we never exercised with powder, and I conceive it was from the concussion of the guns.
 
Q:  From the time of your joining Epervier, to the day of the action, was the weather frequently such as to have allowed your exercising with powder, and frequently at a mark?
 
A:  After we went to sea, (I think the latter end of January, or the beginning of February)there was so much to do from the brig being fitted out that we were obliged to take every opportunity of putting the rigging in order during the first cruize. When we went out the second time with convoy for Bermuda, and the West Indies, during that passage, after losing the convoy, we frequently had opportunities of firing at a mark, although the ship was in a bad state from the bowsprit and the heel of the fore mast being sprung.
 
Q:  Were the men well acquainted with the use of the great guns?
 
A:  They were.
 
Q:   How often were they exercised without powder?
 
A:  Every morning for an hour, when the weather would permit.
 

Q:  At what period of the action were you wounded?
 
A:  By the first broadside, three of the fingers of my left hand were taken off, about a quarter of an hour, or twenty minutes afterwards, I received two wounds in the hip, and my elbow was shot off, and when I fell, and endeavored to regain the quarterdeck, I found myself unable to walk, and was carried below.
 
Q:  Had any of the breeching bolts drawn previous to your being carried below?
 
A:  Not that I know of.
 
Q:  Do you know anything of the conduct of Charles Manly, or anything relative to it?
 
A:  I recollect his being on the sick list, but not so as to incapacitate him from coming to his quarters, and I knew nothing of his absence until many days after  the action. He was quartered at some of the waist guns, at the second lieutenants quarters. I heard he was handing up shot at the fore hatchway, and afterwards, when the man stationed to hand up powder at the main hatch way was shot, Manly took his place.
 
Q:  State the distance the vessels were from each other, during such part of the action, as you were on deck?
 
A:  We exchanged our first broadsides in passing, about half pistol shot from each other, after tacking, and during the time I was on deck, we were at no time further than pistol shot.
 

Q:  Taking into consideration, the physical strength and practical skill of the Epervier's crew, how would you say she was manned?
 
A:  Very badly. I do not conceive there were twenty men in the ship who had been in action before, and they were a weak crew, and not bred as seamen.
 
Q:  Was every proper arrangement made previous to coming into action, and encouragement given to the crew by Captain Wales?
 
A:  Yes.
 
Q:  Do you know of any want of exertion, activity or zeal, on the part of any of the officers, petty officers, seamen or marines belonging to the Epervier during the action,or on that occasion?
 
A:  The conduct of the officers, with the exception of the boatswain, was every way in which officers should show themselves, the Conduct of the Boatswain, Mr. John Deane, John Caroll Captain of the forecastle, nathaniel Brown, George Elkinson, two seamen, was cowardly, in stowing themselves under the forecastle. i drove them out myself, after I drove them out the first time, I did not see Caroll or Brown in the same situation again, but the Boatswain and Elkinson, I drove out twice, I am confident and I believe three times from the same place. brown and Caroll were stationed in the fore rigging, and not at the guns, and when I sent them over to the guns, I did not see them afterwards under the forecastle, and I concluded they obeyed my orders, as I saw them cross over the fore gratings, before I went on to the quarterdeck again. Elkinson gave himself up as an American; he stated his name in America was George Force.
 
Q:  Was any officer with you at the time you drove them out?
 
A:  No.
 

Q:   Were the three carronades that were unshipped on firing the first broadside replaced, and ready to fire, by the time the Epervier got alongside the enemy?
 
A:  They were, we replaced them while tacking.
 
Q:  During the time you was on deck, did it appear to you that with the exception of the men that you have already mentioned, that the men fought their guns with the usual spirit of British seamen in action?
 
A:  The after guns were fought with the spirit of British seamen, the foremost guns were not. I observed them very weak, and went forward to know the reason and found the guns weakly manned, the chief part of the men who had fallen were at the foremost guns.
 
Q:  Previous to those men having fallen, were those foremost guns fought with the spirit of British seamen?
 
A:  They were.
 
Captain wales asked:
 
Q:  Would any delay for the purpose at firing at the mark with great guns while on the passage out to Jamaica have made our passage longer in the crippled state she was in?
 
A:  Certainly.
 

Q:  Were any of the guns fired with powder while running down the south side of St. Domingo?
 
A:  I do not recollect. I think two guns were fired when there was a vessel in sight to windward.
 
Q:  Were they fired in exercising them, or otherwise?
 
A:  The men quartered at the after guns fired them.
 
Q:  Was the boldness of the ships company such, in the opinion of the Americans, that they did not endeavor to seduce more than five or six of them after our capture, to enter the American service?
 
A:  I heard they endeavored to seduced Whittle the armorer, Latham the captain's coxswain, and Hemp captain of the fore castle, who are dead, and one or two of the quartermasters, Pearson is one of them, who is here, but they did not succeed.
 
 
     

Very interesting stuff. I've always been fascinated by Epervier as the USN's short-lived example of a Cruizer-class brig. A shame she was lost so soon after, though after getting some American modifications (enlarged gunports, headrails, and increase rake of her masts). I did notice the mention of the captain on the quarterdeck and the tiller on the deck, which would imply to me it was not one of the Cruizers with the aft platform. In those there was very little headroom, the main boom passes over the platform, and the tiller is mounted on top (above the bulwarks) in a lot of them too.
 
This makes me want to finish my drawing of her from Chappelle, and do the American modifications too. I also have a vague idea of doing the ship rig too, and a modified exploration vessel in the same vein as HMS Beagle's modifications to the smaller Cherokee-class.
 
(the other ship in the drawing is Chappelle's take on Cyane, but it's incorrect. He was sent the Bittern-class Cyane plans instead of the Brazen-class and he dressed it up with War of 1812-style bulwarks and such. Hmm, if you continue doing these after-action reports...)
 
EDIT: Threw together a quick size comp of Peacock and Epervier. They're alligned at the aft perpendicular to show the length difference better.

The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3
 
<3
The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3

Oh and the keel was modified as well! Now it comes in pieces more like the historical ship and comes together nicely. This is still a test in basswood but soon it'll be cherry pear or boxwood.

The cabin area itself was polished up a bit as well. I added a piece of wood to add the incline for the rudder area. I also decided to reattach the sides of the cabin back since the interior area as it will be planked. See how wood can be added and subtracted so easily  

The stern needed some reconstruction so I added some wood putty and now it looks much more as it should. It looks so much nicer now

Aside from that all the lines for where the planks will be set are done including the steelers and drop planks. These are suggestive and I expect them to change a bit in actual practice. To help understand the flow of the wood I used these two pre-bent strips.

This is the surprise I was mentioning. A little LED kit that is 1.5 mm in size and runs off a 3v battery.  My plan is to drape a few lanterns in the areas I circled and behind that will be a mirror for added light. Behind the mirror I will drill a hole which will emerge at the hatch area then another hole down and the wires will pop out through the spot where the keel meets the plans and no one will even know... except us!

So here is where we are I still have some sanding of the area to do and then will try and construct that little area probably adding a few veneer planks and a few faux looking ribs at the top to make the thing look nice when one peers though the tiny window.  I'm not going for 100% accuracy just a flourish and there is still plenty of work to do, stay tuned!

This pic from the interior of the boat is what I'm going for.  A very simple step down which ends where the quarter badges end. As you can see my tools are quite covered in sawdust at this point

After the piece was off it was merely a matter of using the dremel using various sized bits to sand away the extra material. Using wood putty I then smoothed out some of the rough cuts and then sanded that down as well. Be careful! The top piece will warp when putty is added, as any wood will when water is added, but an asy fix since it can simply bend back to shape. My advice is leave it on the model in its original place to dry 

The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3
 
<3
The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3

Oh and the keel was modified as well! Now it comes in pieces more like the historical ship and comes together nicely. This is still a test in basswood but soon it'll be cherry pear or boxwood.

The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3
 
<3
The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3

The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3
 
<3
The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3

So next up is experimenting with paints, stains, oils and polishes, setting up the electrical wiring, heading back to the lab to make the laser keel and transom out of the good woods and then of course planking! Until then here is the captain hanging out. The brass lamp will get lit up by the led show and then hung up in the cabin area to make the lighting. Stay tuned!

The cabin area itself was polished up a bit as well. I added a piece of wood to add the incline for the rudder area. I also decided to reattach the sides of the cabin back since the interior area as it will be planked. See how wood can be added and subtracted so easily  

The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3
 
<3
The end of an era. This is the guy who got me into ship building. More than a mentor but someone who also set me on the creative path always inspiring with your creations. Rest well grandpa after 96 years you've earned it. Perhaps we shall meet again some day... <3

So next up is experimenting with paints, stains, oils and polishes, setting up the electrical wiring, heading back to the lab to make the laser keel and transom out of the good woods and then of course planking! Until then here is the captain hanging out. The brass lamp will get lit up by the led show and then hung up in the cabin area to make the lighting. Stay tuned!

Oh and the keel was modified as well! Now it comes in pieces more like the historical ship and comes together nicely. This is still a test in basswood but soon it'll be cherry pear or boxwood.

The cabin area itself was polished up a bit as well. I added a piece of wood to add the incline for the rudder area. I also decided to reattach the sides of the cabin back since the interior area as it will be planked. See how wood can be added and subtracted so easily  

And the hatch hole was finished as well and is the appropriate depth.

The stern needed some reconstruction so I added some wood putty and now it looks much more as it should. It looks so much nicer now