| Clothing, Food and Shelter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SinceChesapeake Picaroons and Privateers operated from a camp in the river marshes or some other base on land, and didn't put to sea for long periods of time at all, not much of this applies to the Chesapeake theater of operations, but you will find here that most of the information you need about the bare essentials of life aboard ship is available, and I hope that this helps you to better understand the history. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Clothing - at sea The most common misconception, thanks to the movies, is that everyone had uniforms, and that they wore them all the time. Although it is true that sometimes a ship's sailmaker would ration out canvas for the making of slops and other items, which the sailors made themselves, in general, seamen wore whatever shirts shoes, etc that they chose, and there was not a uniform dress. The exception, of course, would be their shore going rig. The sailor, ready for shore, there is usually an expression of pride in profession, their skills, and themselves as individuals. . As for the officers, daily life was the same. On ship, one knows who is the officer, and uniforms are needed. Also, uniforms were expensive, and paid for by the officers themselves, evenon a government naval vessel. You certainly aren't going to have your best coat ruined by tar dripping from the sail seams."second best" coats were good enough to receive another officer while at sea, n and your "best jacket" would be carefully stored against molend other damage, for important occasions ashore. Your "third best" or worse would be acceptable to differentiate an oficer from the men before the mast, while at sea. |
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| Hats - no hat was specified, though sennett hats were popular (woven straw hats, sometimes blackened with tar to make them rain proof.) The ribbon of the hat was usually embroidered with the name of the ship, not the country. Jackets - Commonly wool, though not of a standard color. In some cases, it varied depending upon at which ship's chandler you purchased your coat. By the 1790s, it became fashionable at one point for seamen to take on a theme. For example; if the ship was "The Emerald", all the men might decide on green jackets, or the captain may choose to provide them for the crew, at least those who rowed his launch. Kerchiefs - Decorative ashore, a neck cloth. Useful at other times as a scarf for warmth, a head piece, a bandage or a pocket. Trousers - Although the canvas might be provided by the sailmaker, often the men might sew piping into the seams. All the forecastle hands might chose one color, while the larboard watch might prefer another. |
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| Food - Duties of the Cook He is to have the Charge of the Steep-tub, and is answerable for the Meat put therein. (meat, stored salted, had to be soaked i these tubs for hours before it could be cooked.) He is to see the Meat duly watered, and the Provisions carefully and cleanly boiled, and delivered to the Men according to the Practice of the Navy. In stormy Weather he is to secure the Steep-tub that it may not be washed over-board; but if it should inevitable be lost, the Captain must certify it, and he is to make Oath to the Number of Pieces so lost, that it may be allowed in the Purser's Accounts. |
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| Bread. note: Most often, this "bread" was ship's biscuit, which stored longer than leaven bread or it's ingredients. (More to come, once the french sources on this subject have been translated) For information on how this was distributed to the crew, please refer to our Daily Life page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beer. The discussion of Beer, Grog, Spruce Beer and other libations can be found on the Spirts page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thoughts on Puddings - By Patrick O'Brian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lobscouse and Spotted Dog - recipes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunday Bread one pound Beer, one gallon Pork 1 Pound Pease ½ a Pin |
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| Tuesday Bread one pound Beer, one gallon Beef 2 Poun |
Friday Bread one pound Beer, one gallon Oatmeal 1 Pint Butter 2 Ounces Cheese 4 Ounces |
Saturday Bread one pound Beer, one gallon Beef 2 Poun |
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| Monday Bread one pound Beer, one gallon Oatmeal 1 Pint Butter 2 Ounces Cheese 4 Ounc |
Thursday Bread one pound Beer, one gallon Pork 1 Pound Pease ½ a Pint |
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| Wednesday Bread one pound Beer, one gallon Oatmeal 1 Pint Butter 2 Ounces Cheese 4 Ou |
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| Water. The daily allowance of Water is left to the discretion of the Captain, but the custom is to allow a gallon when possible. What follows is given as a pretty strict sample of the mode of serving out Water in a Forty-two Gun Ship, and as the readiest way of illustrating the subject:. No extra Water for Washing was given to the Officers; but each of their Servants had a pint served out for that purpose to them by the Gun-room Steward, when the Water was brought below. The Frigate alluded to stowed 103 Tons of Water, which lasted eleven weeks and six days. The Water was measured out with the Imperial measures. Every Officer had an Imperial Galleon; every Man, three Quarts (minus Grog-water) to himself, and one Quart for him to the Cook; and the account in Gallons was balanced every day in the Log Book. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain's Mess, including ; an Admiral, his Lady, and two female attendants |
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| 10 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 gallo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gun Room Office | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shelter -Ashore The seaman or officer ashore was at his own mercy. Lodging was his own responsibility. While at dock, though one watch might have shore leave, the other two watches were occupied with repair and refitting the ship. Seamen ashore often fell afoul of pimps, pick-pockets, and thieves, but many just spent their money like water, grabbing as much excitement as possible, before returning to the monotony of daily life at sea |
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| Warrant Officers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Starboard Berth of Midshipmen, and crew | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Larboard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 173 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ship's Company | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sick | Shelter -At Sea The easiest thing to remember is "18 inches". You;d have 18 inches of deck for your hammock, with men to either side of you. Considering that 1 watch is working, a second watch is "at ease" and only one watch is asleep, this is not as crowded as it might at first sound, but certainly not luxurious. Crew ate sitting on seas chests or boxes, on planks placed on trestles. The midshipmen might have lockers, little more than a closet the size of their bunks, as is also true possibly for the petty officers of the gun room. A Captain's cabin might be cluttered with a few of the ships guns, navigation aids, chronometers and hydrometers, with little room for much in the way of personal comforts. A captain's main privilage was his privacy. |
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| 7 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LiveStock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1 pint) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (example, allowance for a sheep) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loss through Boiling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ================================== | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Allowance of Water Each Day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 257 gallons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| -Fordyce, Alexander D.: Outline of Naval Routine. Smith, Elder &Co., London, 1837. pp 106-107. |
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| Sources (partial) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| William Mountaine: The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War by Sea: containing the Proportions of Rigging,Masts and Yards Weight of Anchors, Sizes and Weight of Cables and Cordage, List of the Navy. The Exercise of the Small Arms, Bayonet, Granadoes and Great-Guns, Duty of Officers, also Showing how to prepare a Merchant-Ship for a close Fight. Chasing; Defensive-Fighting; Naval Fortification; An Essay on Naval Book-keeping; W. and J. Mount & T. and T. Page, London, 1756. 12mo, 14×8 cm, (10), xii, 270 pp, ill., 4 plates. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Main Menu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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