Every Man Will Do His Duty

by Dean King

This passage was taken from the chapter “Impressed into the British Navy’ in James Durand: An Able Seaman of 1812, His Adventures on “Old Ironsides” and as an Impressed Sailor in the British Navy, ed. George S. Brooks (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1926), pp. 47–64. The Life and Adventures of James R. Durand, During a Period of Fifteen Years, From 1801 to 1816: In Which Time He Was Impressed on Board the British Fleet, and Held in Detestable Bondage for More Than Seven Years; Including an Account of a Voyage to the Mediterranean, “Written by Himself” was originally published by E. Peck & Co., of Rochester, New York, in 1820.

  “HMS Macedonian vs. USS United States, 1812”

  This passage is from Thirty Years from Home or A Voice from the Main Deck, 15th ed., by Samuel Leech (Boston: Tappen, Whittemore and Mason, 1843), pp. 122–53. Leech spent six years in the British and American navies. He was captured in the British frigate Macedonian, and afterward entered the American Navy Later he was then taken in the United States brig Syren by the British ship Medway.

  “An Unjustifiable and Outrageous Pursuit, 1812–1813”

  Life on the Ocean; or, Twenty Years at Sea: Being the Personal Adventures of the Author, by George Little, was first published in 1843. The sections reprinted here, chaps. 17, 18, 19, and part of 20, were taken from the 3d ed., (Boston: Waite, Pierce, 1845).

  Little was released from Dartmoor prison at the end of the war. Later, his days as a merchant captain sailing from Baltimore were cut short by blindness. He became increasingly committed to temperance and Christianity, and the publication of his memoirs, Life on the Ocean, was at least in part to champion these causes.

  “A Yankee Cruiser in the South Pacific, 1813,” and “Showdown at Valparaiso, 1814”

  These passages were taken from Journal of a Cruise Made to the Pacific Ocean by Captain David Porter in the Unites States Frigate Essex, in the Years 1812, 1813, and 1814, 2 vols., 2d ed. (New York: Wiley and Halsted, 1822). “A Yankee Cruiser in the South Pacific, 1813,” is from vol. 1, chap. 5, “Run Down the Coast of Chile and Peru; Arrive at the Galapagos Islands,” pp. 108–26, and chap. 6, “The Gallipagos Islands; Prizes,” pp. 148-54. “Showdown at Valparaiso, 1814,” is from vol. 2, chap. 18, “Events at Valparaiso, Previous to the Capture of the Essex,” pp. 143–77.

  “We Discussed a Bottle of Chateau Margot Together, 1812–1815”

  This passage originally appeared as chap. 12 of Naval Adventures During Thirty-Five Years’ Service, vol. 1, by Lieutenant W. Bowers, R.N. (London: Richard Bentley 1833), pp. 272–302.

  Selected Bibliography

  CHANDLER, DAVID G. DICTIONARY of the Napoleonic Wars. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.

  Clowes, William Laird. The Royal Navy, vols. 4 and 5. London: Sampson Low, Marston and Company, 1899–1890.

  Davies, David. Fighting Ships: Ships of the Line, 1793–1815.London: Constable, 1996.

  Falconer, W. A. A New Universal Dictionary of the Marine. Modernized and enlarged by William Burney. London: 1815. (Reprint. London: Macdonald and Jane’s, 1974.)

  Harvey, A. D. English Literature and the Great War with Trance: An Anthology and Commentary. London: Nold Jonson Books, 1981.

  Hattendorf, John B., et al, eds. British Naval Documents, 1204–1960. London: Navy Records Society, 1993.

  Heinl, Robert Debs, Jr. Dictionary of Military and Naval Quotations. Annapolis: United States Naval Institute, 1966.

  Henderson, James, CBE. The Frigates: An account of the lesser warships of the wars from1793 to 1815. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1970.

  Hill, Richard. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Royal Navy. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

  King, Dean, with John B. Hattendorf. Harbors and High Seas: An Atlas and Geographical Guide to the Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O’ Brian. New York: Henry Holt, 1996.and J. Worth Estes. A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion for Patrick O’Brian’s Seafaring Tales. New York: Henry Holt, 1995.

  Lloyd, Christopher. Captain Marryat and the Old Navy. London: Longmans, Green, 1939.

  Lord Cochrane: Seaman—Radical—Liberator: A Life of Thomas, Lord Cochrane,10th Earl of Dundonald. London: Longmans, Green, 1947.

  Long, David F. Nothing Too Daring: A Biography of Commodore David Porter, 1780–1843. Annapolis: United States Naval Institute, 1970.

  Maclay, Edgar Stanton. A History of American Privateers. New York: 1899. (Reprint. New York: Burt Franklin, 1968.)

  Manning, Captain T. D., and Commander C. R Walker. British Warship Names. London: Putnam, 1959.

  Pivka, Otto von. Navies of the Napoleonic Era. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1980.

  Price, Anthony. The Eyes of the Fleet: A Popular History of Frigates and Frigate Captains 1793–1815. London: Hutchinson, 1990.

  Steel, David. Steel’s Naval Chronologist of the War. London: C. & W. Galabin. (Reprint. London: Cornmarket Press, 1969.)

  Werstein, Irving. The Cruise of the Essex: An Incident from the War of 1812. Philadelphia: Macrae Smith, 1969.

  Index

  A | B | C | D | E

  F | G | H | I | J

  K | L | M | N | O

  P | Q | R | S | T

  U | V | W | Y | Z

  ACHATES, HMS, 397

  Achille, L’ (French ship), 183

  Achilles, HMS, 213

  Adair, Captain, 172, 181, 182

  Adamant, HMS, 109n

  Adams, D. P., 388, 390

  Adams, Mate, 314

  Agamemnon, HMS, 55

  Aigle (French ship), 215, 224, 230

  Ajugia, Cape, 357

  Alcide, HMS, 30, 33, 54-55, 202, 203

  Aldrich, Mr., 308

  Aerr, HMS, 33, 38, 373, 392

  Alexander, HMS, 38

  Allemand, Adm. Lacharie Jacques Theodore, 212, 225

  Allen, Mr. Henry, 209

  Allen, Vice-Counsel, 94, 94n, 95, 97-100

  Almyer, Captain, 297

  Amazon, HMS, 217, 220, 297

  Amelia, HMS, 199, 218, 220, 221, 222

  America, HMS, 36, 38

  American privateers, 319, 320-44, 395-96

  American Revolution, xxvii

  American seamen, 37, 45

  impressment of, 290-99, 303-4

  American ships, on coast of Peru and Chili, 350

  Amethyst, HMS, 217, 220

  Amitié, L’ (French ship), 129

  Andrews, Capt. George, 202

  Apollo, HMS, 46n

  Appleby, Thomas, 258

  Aquilon (French ship), 226, 228

  Arathusa, HMS, 297

  Archer, Mr., 318

  Arethusa, HMS, 9

  Argo (merchant vessel), 13

  “Arthur O’Bradley” (song), 42

  Atkinson, Mr., 173

  Atlantic (British whale-ship, later Essex Junior), 367, 382

  Auchinlick, Midshipman, 257, 258

  Audacious, HMS, 16

  “Audacious Cruise of the Speedy, The” (Cochrane), 120-36

  Austria, declares war on France, 222

  Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson (Beatty), 183

  Ave Maria (Spanish ship), 132

  Avranches, France, 265

  Azores (Western Islands), 339

  Babet (French ship), 10

  Bainbridge, Comm. William, 380, 380n

  Baird, Gen. Sir David, 188, 235, 245, 245n

  Baker, John, 196

  Ball, Captain, 109

  Bandy (ship’s cook), 8

  Barbadoes, 294

  Barclay (American whale-ship), 345, 346, 349, 352-54, 356-60, 365

  Barfleur, HMS, 73, 71, 79, 120, 235

  Barnwell (Barnewall), Edward, 379, 385, 387, 388

  Barrère de Vieuzac, 31n

  Barrosa Ridge, 257n

  Bartowe, M. W., 379

  Basque Roads action, xxvii, 213, 215, 216, 218-21

  Bastia, Corsica, 54-63, 123

  Batavian Republic (Netherlands), 44, 156

  Battle in the Aix Roads, 212, 226-33,

  map, 227

  Bat
tle of Blenheim (1704), 58n, 80

  Battle of Camperdown (1797), 87

  Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797), xxiv, xxv, xxvi, 64-87, 169, 180

  map, 74-75

  Battle of Copenhagen (1801), 169

  Battle of Corunna (1809), xxiv, xxv, xxvii, 216n, 234-54

  Battle of Malplaquet (1709), 58n

  Battle of Oudenarde (1708), 58n

  Battle of Rammiles (1706), 58n

  Battle of the Nile (1798), 119, 169

  Battle of Trafalgar (1805), 18n, xxiv, 156, 159-68, 233

  and death of Nelson, 169-84

  map, 163

  Nelson’s signal for, xxiii, 161, 161n, 171

  Battle of Vimiera, Portugal, 233

  Battle of Waterloo, 253, 405

  Baugh, Capt. Thomas Folliott, 202

  Baxter, Captain, 361

  Bay of Bengal action, xxv, 108, 109-19

  Bay of Biscay, 212, 335

  Beagle, HMS, 225

  Beamish, Lieut. George, 276-77

  Beamish brothers, 285

  Beatty, William, xxvi, 168, 169-84

  Beaulieu La Loup, Captain, 111

  Bedford, Capt. William, 213

  Beecher, Lieut., 18, 24-25

  Belle Caroline, La (French brig), 131

  Bellette, HMS, 203

  Bellona, HMS, 222

  Belson, Colonel, 257n

  Belvidere, HMS, 322, 323

  Bentham, Gen. Samuel, 88n

  Bentinck, Capt. George William, 30, 30n

  Beresford, Commodore, 218, 219, 226

  Beresford, Sir J., 219

  Berkeley, Adm. Sir George Cranfield, 28, 28n

  “Bermuda in the Peace” (Hall), 139-56

  Bermuda Islands, 142, 234

  Berry, Lieutenant, 77, 82

  Berwick, HMS, 36

  Bethune, Drinkwater, xxv, xxvi, 64-87

  Bickerton, Sir Richard, 187, 289

  Bien Aimé, HMS, 3-5, 8

  Bitche citadel, 278-84, 278n

  Black Eyed Susan, HMS, 91

  Black Joke (air), 39

  Black Joke (American privateer), 323

  Blackwood, Captain, 170, 171

  Blanche, HMS, 53, 88, 89, 91

  Blanco, Mr., 370

  Blenheim, HMS, 28n, 71, 73

  Bligh, Capt. John, 219, 228

  Bligh, Lieutenant, 178, 181

  Bombay, India, 7-8

  Bonaparte, Joseph, 233

  Bond, Capt. Francis, 87-94, 90n, 98-100, 102-7

  Bonne Citoyenne, La, HMS, 69, 71

  Bordo (prisoner), 217

  Bostwick, M. W., 388

  Bowen, Capt. James, 189

  Bowers, Lieut. William, 395-406

  Boycott, Lieutenant, 27

  Brenton, Captain, 30n, 188

  Brest, France, 260

  Bridport, Baron, 18n. See also Alexander Hood

  Britain

  declares war on France (1803), 156

  Napoleon’s desire to invade, 183

  Spain declares war on (1804), 156

  and War of 1812, 299

  Britannia, HMS, 76, 79

  British Fleet, 12n, 16

  Mediterranean Fleet, 55

  ships on the coast of Peru and Chili (list), 350-51, 381

  and Trafalgar, 18n See also Channel Fleet

  Brown, Lieutenant, 174

  Brown, Mate William, 314-15

  Brunswick, HMS, 27, 27n, 51

  “Bryan O’Lynn” (comic song), 42-43

  Bucentaur (Spanish ship), 170, 173

  Buchan, Mr., 106

  Bulford, Lieut. John, 312

  Bulkley, Mr., 176, 177

  Burgh, General de, 57, 60, 63

  Burke, Mr., 175, 176-77, 178, 180

  Burley, Mr., 50

  Burrard, Gen. Sir Harry, 233

  Cadiz, Spain, 35, 36

  bombardment of, 87

  Caesar, HMS, 16, 19, 213, 216, 217, 220-24, 226, 230, 232

  Calcutta (French ship), 216-17, 221, 226, 228, 231

  Calder, Capt. Robert, 70, 85, 86, 159

  Caledonia, HMS, 213, 222, 230

  Callao, Peru, 354-55

  Calypso (French ship), 220, 221

  Cambrian, HMS, 142, 275

  Cameron (French pilot), 217

  Cape Finister, 105-6

  Capel, Thomas Bladen, 234

  Captain, HMS, 54, 55, 69, 73, 76-83, 82n

  Car (Ker), Captain, 219

  Card, John, 306

  Carden, Capt. John Surman, 303, 311-12, 316

  Carreras, 391

  Carrington, Lord, 188

  Carslake, Lieutenant J., 285

  Cartagena, Spain, 324-25

  Carysfort, HMS, 13n

  Cassard (French ship), 230, 231

  Castor, HMS, 13, 28

  Catharine, HMS, 381, 390

  Cazy, Squire, 95

  Cerberus, HMS, 46n

  Chance, HMS, 118

  Channel Fleet, 299

  and Basque Roads, 213, 218

  and blockade of France, 212

  and French Revolutionary War, 10

  and Glorious First, 11-13, 13n, 14, 17-20

  Chantrell, Lieut. Billy, 35, 37, 40

  Charles (American whale-ship), 345-6, 349

  Charlton, HMS, 381

  Chatham, Lord, 204

  Chatham Island, 359-60

  Chatterton, George, 52n

  Cherub, HMS, 367, 369-79, 382-85, 389

  Chesapeake action (1781), 12n

  Chevalier, Mr., 179

  Childers, HMS, 192-93, 195-97, 199, 200, 201-12

  Chilean Revolution, 391

  Chili (Chile), coast of, 350-51, 354, 381, 391

  Christian, Adm. Sir H., 189

  Christina (Danish galliot), 210

  Churchill, Lord, 311, 312

  Cintra negotiations, 233

  Clark, Mr., 225

  Cleveland, HMS, 230

  Clorinde (French ship), 256-57, 260, 289

  Cochrane, Adm. Sir Alexander, xxv, xxvi, 120, 223, 225, 229, 232-33, 293, 394

  Cochrane, Hon. Archibald, 136

  Cochrane, Lieut. Thomas, 119, 120-36

  Cockburn, Captain, 56, 65, 66-67

  Collingwood, Admiral Lord, 8, 161, 164, 171, 172, 178, 179, 184

  Collingwood, Captain, 76, 77

  Collingwood, Midshipman, 182

  Colossus, HMS, 71, 72, 76

  Combined Fleets, 170, 183

  Comenia River fort, 97

  “Commence the Work of Destruction” (Dillon), 12-32

  Commerce de Marseilles (French ship), 33, 33n

  Committee of Thirty (Corsica), 59

  Concord, HMS, 9

  Conflict, HMS, 222, 225

  Conn, Lieutenant, 256, 259-61, 274, 284, 285

  Consitt, Seaman, 26, 30n

  Constitution (French privateer), 123

  Constitution, USS, 289, 290, 332, 343, 344, 352, 380n

  Cook, Capt. James, 111, 111n

  Cook (Cooke), Capt. Edward (of La Sybille), 111, 111n, 116, 117, 117n, 118

  Cooke, Captain (of Mornington), 110, 111, 112, 114, 118

  Cooper, Boy, 309

  Coral reefs, 143-44, 145, 146

  Cordova, Adm. Don Jose de, 63, 66, 73

  Cornwallis, Adm. Sir William, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18n

  Cornwallis, Lord, Charles, 1st Marquis, 4

  Corsica, 54, 56-63

  Corunna, Spain, 156, 233, 234. See also Battle of Corunna

  Cosby, Vice-Admiral P., 33, 34

  Covington, Gunner, 89

  Cowan, Lieut. John S., 383

  Cowan, Midshipman, 354, 364

  Cowell, John G., 361, 387, 388

  Cowey, Mr., 223

  Croker, John Wilson, 311

  Crump, Mr., 36

  Culloden, HMS, 71, 72, 73, 80

  Culverhouse, Lieutenant, 65, 68, 69

  Curtis, Sir Roger (later Baronet), 29, 29n, 289

  “Daddy” (midshipman), 151-55

  Daedalus, HMS, 108n, 109

  Dallas, George M
., 399, 399n

  Dalrymple, Gen. Sir Hugh, 233

  “Damn ’em, Jackson, They’ve Spoilt My Dancing” (Jackson), 255-89

  Danish, 169, 206-8

  Dann, John, xxvi

  Davies, Lieutenant, 224

  Davis, Captain, 112, 117, 118

  Davis, Lieutenant, 229

  “Death of Lord Nelson, The” (Beatty), 169

  Decatur, Comm. Stephen, 303, 311, 316, 318, 387

  Defence, HMS, xxvi, 195, 12-32

  Defiance, HMS, 215, 218-19, 220, 221, 222

  Delancey, Col. Sir William Howe, 253-54, 253n

  Demerara, 156

  Demourisque (merchant ship), 14

  Devonshire, Midshipman, 271, 272, 274

  Diadem, HMS, 56, 58, 73, 77

  Dickson (Dixon), Lieut. John, 27, 27n

  Diego Garcia Island, 4-5

  Dillon, Lady, 187

  Dillon, Sir John Joseph, xxvi

  Dillon, Sir William Henry, xxv-xxvi, xxvii, 12-32, 185-212

  Dillon, William Mervyn, 188

  Discipline

  and cat-’o-nine-tails, 159

  and impressed Americans, 292

  and mast-head, 153

  and swearing, 7

  Discovery, HMS, 111

  Dixon, Admiral, 352

  Donalson, Boatswain, 89

  Donegal, HMS, 215, 218, 219, 220, 221

  Dotterel, HMS, 218, 220, 221, 225

  Douglas, Mr., 111, 116

  Douglas, Admiral B., 198-99

  Douglas, Sir Andrew, 30

  Downes, Lieut. John, 347, 349, 360, 361, 364, 367-68, 369, 379, 382, 383, 386, 393

  Dragon, HMS, 213

  Drake’s Island, 291

  Dreadnought, HMS, 213, 232

  Dromo (American ship), 335

  Dryad, HMS, 297

  Dubosc, Captain, 40

  Ducker, Boatswain, 37-38, 42

  Duckworth, Adm. Sir John, 373, 375

  Duncan, Admiral, 87

  Duncan, Mr., 34

  Dunciad, The, 38n

  Durand, James, xxvii, 289, 290-99

  Duzenbery, Samuel L., 379, 388

  East India Company, 44, 45, 47n, 48, 48n, 117n, 118, 344, 364

  Eastwick, Robert, xxv, xxvi, 107, 108-19

  Ecce Homo (Spanish ship), 129

  Edgar, Lieutenant, 34, 40, 42

  Edmonds, Lieut. Thomas, 195n

  Egmont, HMS, 54, 58, 76

  Egyptienne, V (French privateer), 91

  Ehrman, John, 47n

  Elba Island, 56

  Elizabeth (British ship), 216

  Elliot, Mr., 30, 30n

  Elliot, Sir Gilbert, 54, 56n, 57, 59-60, 63-70, 80, 81, 83, 84, 86, 87

  Ellis, Jack, 229

  Emerald, HMS, 217, 220, 221, 225