Sea Duty

[sean327]

Nothing like the "Good Ole Days" for Sailors and Marines!

The following is from the history of the oldest commissioned warship in the world, the USS Constitution.

It comes by way of the National Park Service, as printed in "Oceanographic Ships, Fore and Aft", a periodical from the oceanographer of the US Navy.

On 23 August 1779, the USS Constitution set sail from Boston, loaded with 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of water, 74,000 cannon shot, 11,500 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum. Her mission: to destroy and harass English shipping. On 6 October, she made Jamaica, took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Three weeks later, Constitution reached the Azores, where she provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 2,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail for England where her crew captured and scuttled 12 English merchant vessels and took aboard their rum. By this time, Constitution had run out of shot. Nevertheless, she made her way unarmed up the Firth of Clyde for a night raid. Here, her Marines and landing party captured a whiskey distillery, transferred 13,000 gallons aboard and headed for home port. On 20 February 1780, the Constitution arrived in Boston with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum and no whiskey. She did, however, still carry her crew of 475 officers and men and 18,600 gallons of water. The math is quite enlightening: Length of cruise: 181 days. Booze consumption: 1.26 gallons per man per day (this does NOT include the unknown quantify of rum captured from the 12 English merchant vessels in November). Naval historians say that the re-enlistment rate from this cruise was 92%!

[Junior]

Ah, the good ol', pre-Josephus Daniels, days!

[No Truce With Kings]

This is a sea story.

Let's start with the date of the mission: 23 August 1779. Well, The Constitution was not *authorized* until 1794 (15 years later) and did not get launched until 1797.

If we assume that the problem is a transposition of the year (23 August 1797 rather than 1779), another set of problems arise. In 1779 we were at war with Britain. Between 1812 and 1816 we were at war with Britain. But in 1797 we and the Brits were informal allies, fighting a mutual enemy (the French). The Brits were fighting the French Revolutionary Wars, we were fighting the Quasi-War.

In fact in the late 1790s the US and Britain got so chummy that Britain sold the USN the 24-pound cannon that the American 44-gun frigates mounted. So why would the US be tearing around attacking British bases in 1797?

Do you know what the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story is?

A fairy tale begins "once upon a time. . ."

A sea story starts "Now this really happened, no sh--!!!!"

[B-Chan]

Good post. Readers should also keep in mind that alcohol served many more purposes in those days than it does now. Booze was pretty much the only anesthetic around in Revolutionary times; it was also the only antiseptic medicine they knew. Spirits were used as liniment, as mouthwash, as a means of preserving fresh fruit, and for ceremonial purposes. It also helped cut the misery of long sea voyages.

It's not like the sailors were knocking back rum and cokes all day. To them liquor was medicine, plus a whole lot more.

[RonF]

In fact in the late 1790s the US and Britain got so chummy that Britain sold the USN the 24-pound cannon that the American 44-gun frigates mounted. So why would the US be tearing around attacking British bases in 1797?

I toured the U.S.S. Constitution last year. A young Naval man born almost within sight of her gave the tour. During the tour, I asked him what the arrowhead cast into the top of the gun (pointing towards the muzzle) was for.

He asked the group if there were any Marines present. Upon hearing no response, he told me that there were two reasons for that arrowhead.

1) It was a mark from the British foundry noting that the gun had been legally purchased. Therefore, if the ship were taken, the officers couldn't be accused of theft by the British.

2) Should the Navy sailors manning the guns become disabled during a fight, and the Marines have to take over the duty, the Marines would know which end of the gun to point at the enemy.

I figure that this is very likely one of the oldest jokes in the USN.