uss frolick

Looks like something good is happening! Their site now reads: New store coming soon! We are excited to relaunch SeaWatch books and are currently building a new shopping experience. Please sign up to our mailing list to receive a special discount code for your first order.

Here's a very lengthy archeological pdf paper on the wreck site from the Fisher Museum. Very technical. But there is a model shown on page 104 and it looks completely different. Several interesting drawings of the guns, midship section, etc, follow that. https://www.melfisher.com/Research_Archives/AtochaMargarita2016-2018PermitRenewalReportv2019-01-14_Redacted.pdf

When the author says a swivel, I think he mean a single, large, centrally-mounted pivot-carriage. Chances are too, that the unusual-weight 48-pounder is not of a true carronade pattern, but a short-barreled siege howitzer. Where is that picture from? It is so misidentified! And why is such an important historical piece outside in the elements?

Here's an interesting article with pictures about the restoration of the Indefatigable's bust figurehead at the Liverpool Museum. It's a later Indy, a boys maritime training schoolship circa 1848, from our historical one above, but it shows, perhaps, what decor might have been used to describe "one who never tires" ... In this case, King William IV, or "King Billy". https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/stories/indefatigable-figurehead-restoration

If they removed them, then why bother to carefully draw them on the draught? I believe that they were left in place until the next major refit. They loved to taunt the enemy as well. So many “as fitted” plans show that the sometimes heavy French carvings have been retained, like the Frigate L’ Immortalite. When the RN refitted the damaged American Frigate Chesapeake in 1814, the were so proud of their capture that they actually replaced the Undamaged billet head with a full length figurehead of a woman representing America, wearing a Stars and Stripes cape!

FYI Update, Connie fans. I just received my copy of the epic, coffee-table catalog book, "Glasgow Museum: The Ship Models", and there are several color photographs of a French prisoner of war bone-model of the Frigate "La Guerriere". It was reportedly made by the crew members whilst in a British prison. It seems correct, with enough main deck gun-ports for thirty long eighteen pounders - a unique feature of Gurrierre - a full figurehead, a five windowed stern with detailed, period-appropriate carvings and the name under her windows.

I saw those too, Bob, but the description warns that they are missing both the CDs.

Whisky Tango Foxtrot? https://www.amazon.com/Naiad-Frigate-1797-Drafting-Framing/dp/0983753229/ref=pd_ybh_a_12?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Q6F2JWD94SM0C9VT7NEC

... to the end of the line? I couldn't resist ... 😇

I only had the logbooks for those narrow dates that I suspected the interactions with the Wasp. Sorry ...

What was the Saranac, other than a River? I’ve drawn a total blank here ...

I always thought that O'Brien was looking at the Fair American Model - another old-fashioned quarter-decked brig - when he wrote his first Aubrey novel.

Did you know that the following phrase, describing president Theodore Roosevelt , “a man a plan a canal Panama”, reads the same frontwards and backwards?

Huzzah! Indefatigable! Huzzah!

Looks like the site is secure again😎

There was a bad storm in the Baltic in 1810, in which many RN vessel were lost with all hands, including Defence, 74, and St. George, 98.

That book is old and dated. Since Volume 2 offers little, I long ago gave it away. Have you seen the NMM plan of Spartiate? Her stern is lovely, as she is French! But Lavery's book deals mostly with British ships, not to mention his taking up valuable space with otherwise interesting British history. If I see a picture of that dang Bellona model again ... !

Since North Dakota and Oregon are practically neighbors, you need to hustle over there. Take your shovel, Mark, and a tape measure, and some hip waders too. We will be expecting reconstructed plans within a week. And don't forget the carvings ...

I could only find volume two on the Seawatch website.

Good to see you back! 😎

Chris, sounds like you are indefatigable at selecting projects ... I razee glass to you!

24 pounder and 12 pounder long guns, with eighteen 42 pounder carronades? I bet I know what you’re up to, Sir Edward Pellew!

Smashing old chap! Splash a Jerry for me! 🇬🇧

On many draughts of French warships, from 74s down to flush deck ship-sloops, there is a separate single capstan on the forecastle, called a "fore jeer capstan". They are not just French items, as the builder's draught of the US Frigate Essex of 1799 shows one too. I had read that they were considered old fashioned by 1800. Question. What was it's function? It takes up valuable space and adds considerable weight over the forefoot, French hulls being notoriously tender forward, so it must have been important. What could it do that the main capstan couldn't?

This account was translated by officers of the US Army War College in 1939, the transcript of which was found in the National Archives. It was written by junior officers of La Vengeance, as Captain Pitot was too ill or injured to write his report until much later. The French Frigate La Vengeance was the very same frigate that fought the US Frigate Constellation in February of the same year. Vengeance was very powerful, having been designed with long 24-pounders on her main deck when launched, just like Constellation, but at one point swapped them out for 18-pounders, again, just like Constellation. Her armament has always been in question, but most likely consisted of thirty long 18-pounders on the main deck, two of them being shifting guns which fought either through the quarter gallery ports or were used a stern chase guns. Examination of the draught of her captured sister ship, La Resistance, shows a gunport in place of a proper gallery door, suggesting that the unusually narrow gallery might have been a false one. On her spar deck, she mounted fourteen 12-pounders, two of them standing stern chase guns, eight 36-pounder brass carronades, and eight swivels in the waist: fifty-two guns total. HMS Seine, formerly the French La Seine, was armed as a standard 38-gun British frigate of the era. Here is the letter: "2 Fructidor ( 20 August), at noon, we were bearing as follows: North Point of Mona E.S.E. Middle of Monisto E.S.E., 4 degrees E. Passing out from St. Domingue and Porto Rico, we perceived a large ship, which we took to be a frigate, to which a corvette was signalling. The Corvette lay E.S.E, 3 degrees south The ship, S.E. by E. It was calm, with what wind there was in the North East, our course being south by east, with all studding sails set on the port side, our intentions being to get away from shore, and out of sight of a third ship to the north east, which appeared of good size. Weather clear, all hands at quarters, and ready for any emergency. We were short of compliment by 71 hands, and among the crew were thirty negroes, who had never been to see before. During the night of 2-3 Fructidore (20-21 August), the wind was variable from E.N.E. to E. S. E. The enemy had a decided advantage of us. The corvette kept close to the frigate. At 12:15 a.m., the enemy having overhauled us considerably, we Brough our stern chasers to bear, and twice let him have them. At 1:15 he came close aboard and fired one shot at us. Believing we were then within musket shot, the Captain gave orders to man the port battery. At the same instant, we hauled out wind, and fired a broadside at the enemy, who replied immediately. We continued this action for an hour and three quarters, when the enemy dropped astern. We then took in our studding sails, and attempted to work to windward, the frigate's best point of sailing. By the advantage of hauling his wind, the Captain had but one end in view: to conform to his instructions which were imperative, that he should avoid action, and work clear of St. Domingue , which we knew to be blockaded by the British Frigate Aimable, and which we had recognized close aboard some day previous, but which hauled off. At three o'clock a.m., we lost sight of the enemy, but at five, we once more raised her, as well as, shortly after, a schooner crossing ahead. This we recognized as a neutral. At 5:30 a.m. the fore topmast split, carrying away the top-gallant sail and the standing jib. At 6.20, the enemy having once again run close aboard, the combat was renewed. At 6:50, he shortened sail, and at 7 brailed up his mizen topgallant sail; a little time after he took in his jib. We were then heading S.S.W. At 7:10, the enemy took in his studding sails. We then shortened sail, so at not to fall out of range. At 7:20, the enemy brailed his main top-sail to the mast. At once Captain Pitot took in his staysails, in order to keep alongside. At 7:40, the enemy ceased firing, and shortly after, we did the same. From the beginning of the second action, we found ourselves short of bar shot; repeatedly fired broke out between the decks, and on the poop and forecastle; there were frequent failures due to the poor quality of the powder, which became greatly impaired during our fight with the Constellation, when the containers were afloat in the magazine. There was never a chance to dry this out, while the Vengeance lay in Curacao, on account of the rains and dampness. These various incidents will be related by Captain Pitot, in due time. In the thick of the battle, one "Liron", a top man, had his knees smashed in the main top, and came down a stay, hand over hand, to the deck, whence he was carried below, and died a few moments after. We now had a fresh breeze from the east, and we continued to the S.S.W., under all sail possible, in order to give the gunners time to put what little powder remained into the cartridges for the cannon, and to perform necessary repairs; splicing etc.imperatively needed, and es[ecially to rig preventers to our shrouds which were severed fore and aft. We felt sure that the enemy, in these two engagements, had, at least, suffered damage equal to ours and later found evidence to confirm the correctness of our judgment. At 8:00 a.m., the enemy stood toward sand, at 9, when he approached to within pistol shot on our port quarter, we hauled our wind and the combat renewed with the greatest fury. At 9:20, the enemy set his mizzen-top-gallant sail a-shiver and edged off. We followed the maneuver to avoid being raked from ahead and to keep him on our beam. At 10 our mizzen-mast went by the board, shot away eight or nine feet above the poop. At 10:20 our main topmast fell. At 10:25 we found ourselves blanketed in such a way that the enemy was able to brace full and haul ahead and he thus lay himself across our bow. In such a position, offering no hope of maneuvering; many of or people being hors de combat; nine feet of water in the hold; the foremast barely holding; holed in many places; all the shrouds cut away; having only sufficient powder for 83 cartridges; these circumstances, together with the impossibility, of taking the only chance left to us; that of boarding the enemy; forced Captain Pitot to hail the enemy frigate and announce his surrender. It was then 10:30 a.m., and at 10;35 our foremast went by the board. A cutter from the enemy ship came along side and took off Captain Pitot, who, upon gaining the deck, presented his sword to the captain (Milne). He refused to accept it, saying "I could never disarm one who wielded his weapon with so great honor." The captain replied that he would not keep the sword unless his staff and the infantry officers among the passengers, could retain theirs. The English Captain said that he readily agreed to this, and that his orders would be given. The following morning, the main-mast toppled [over] close to the deck, and from that time, until our arrival at Jamaica, our destination, we were at many times at the point of abandoning ship, on account of the emmense quantity of water she was taking in. We had to put the wounded topside, the water being up to the gun deck. Since the crew was separated, it is impossible to ascertain the number of killed and wounded, but here follows the names of the officers killed and wounded. Officers of the ship Frey, Lieutenant of the artillery of the frigate, killed Ayreau, Lieutenant of the ship. wounded Marcou, Ensign, wounded Passenger officers Frey, Chief of the Battalion, Killed Nadau, Chief of the Brigade, wounded Garcey, Captain of the Infantry, wounded Desvignes, Captain of the Infantry, wounded Moreau, Captain of the Infantry, wounded Ballet, Lieutenant of the Infantry, wounded And there, Citizen Minister, you have an accurate and true account of the various events which occurred during their deplorable, but instructive voyage, just terminated. I am quite sure that if errors are found in this report, they will only be in the dates. Captain Pitot is ill onboard the English Frigate L'Allarme, alone, and we are, therefore, separated from him. He carries all the necessary documents to reveal the truth in its full light." Note: Not signed. Note also. The casualty French figures were thought to be about 35 killed and 70 wounded. Seine had about half as many. Half model of her sister ship La Resistance: