The Richard grappled bow to stern with HMS Serapis. Jones fired at the Englishman's masts, while Pearson poured his 18-pounders into the Richard's hull. Photos courtesy the author.
5,500-ton SS Commonwealth, torpedoed in 1918, With fixes taken every 60 seconds and fed into the computer, a second wreck was located before breakfast. After saturating an area southeast and southwest of the HP A (site of 75,000 ton SS Chicago, another WWI torpedo casualty), a line of cannon-possibly those jettisoned by the Richard-was located northwest of the search area. In all, three likely-looking targets were recorded. Decca B, as it is called, answered to the parameters of the Richard: length 100-110 feet, width 30-45 feet, and 9 feet proud of the bottom. All that needed to be done was to send divers down for positive identification. But the season was over, Wignall was down with the flu, and the funds had run out. The BHR Project seemed to have accomplished all that was possible. Then, in early 1978 Clive Cussler, author of Raise the Titanic! read Peter Throckmorton's latest book, Diving for Treasure (a publisher's title to attract a wide audience, it is actually a compelling study of marine arachaeology), wherein is mentioned ACMAF's search for Jones's ship. From this coincidence one thing led to another and Cussler offered the funding for Phase 11, "Positive Identification and Survey." This time sonar knob twiddlers will be led by Marty Klein, under the overall direction of ACMAF's President, Harold "Doc" Edgerton of (Doonesbury and MIT fame). After relocating and marking the Decca B wreck site a survey will be undertaken of the entire area during which every mound, lump, and timber will be recorded. After that, some of the artillery and whatever artifacts that come readily to hand will be raised . From the log book and inventory we know that the Richard was ballasted with pig-iron, rejected shot, shingle and stone. It was common to use pig-iron for permanent kentledge, adding stone to ballast for the conditions of a particular voyage. The size of the pigs in Richard are not known but they would have been somewhere between 300 to 350 lbs. in weight with a hole in each end for handling, and maybe marked in livres. English pigs would be stamped in hundredweight, stones, and pounds. Shot ballast may be of any size and consists of improperly cooled, out-of-round, or captured shot not in French sizes. French anchors were marked with a fleur-de-lys and the name or mark of one of the dozen or so foundries, and 26
provide another clue to wreck identification. There were four of them on the bows. Unless they were jettisoned in the 36-hour effort to save the ship after combat, they are still there. On the bows was the bower and a sheet anchor, and in the hold stream and kedge anchors. The French in that era made their anchors in weights of 6000, 5000, 3000, 2000, 1,500 and 1000 livres. Richard's bower and sheet were 3000, stream 1,500 and kedges 1000 or less. Anchors were laminated from plate using sledge hammers, water-operated trip hammers, or drop hammers raised by twenty or thirty men. Not until the invention of the steam hammer in 1830 could arms and shanks be forged from ingot. The guns will also assist in the identification. The Richard mounted six 18-pounders, twenty-eight 12-pounders, and ten 4-pounders. Two of the 18pounders burst during the first broadside attack (with resulting loss of life and damage to the ship). Descriptions of the action written in later years say that the IS-pounders were jettisoned after the battle to try to bring shot-holes above water for plugging, so these guns may not be on the wreck but lie scattered elsewhere. Samuel Morison says that there were sixteen new and twelve old 12-pounders. Guns made to the 1776 regulations were known as "new" or "good" artillery, as compared to older models. In 1778 short 12, 8, 6, and 4-pounders were introduced for frigates and smaller vessels. A 1786 regulation made minor changes, including distinctive trunnion and touch holes. English and Spanish gun sizes were 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 32, etc., compared with French and Dutch 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 30, etc. so that gun sizes will help in identifying the right wreck. The log book further records that four swivel guns, the standard number issued to a frigate, were brought on board . These could have been used in boat guns by landing parties or have been emplaced in mast tops. Research indicates that the swivels were in the tops and are probably still there. The old breach-
loading swivel was called a perrier because it fired stone shot, but this weapon had disappeared by the early 1700s. In its place came a bronze gun which retained the name perrier but fired "boxes of balls." Boat guns were mountain guns or pack howitzers, firing case shot. Although there is no record of boat guns aboard Richard some may be found on the wreck because Jones went to considerable trouble collecting as much artillery as could be found. The standard frigate issue of 100 hand grenades were on board in barrels of twenty-five. Most of these were probably expended (a grenade-throwing Scot in Jones's crew was responsible for clearing out the Serapis' 18-pounder gun deck), but some may .remain. They were spheres 2 Yi " to .3" in diameter with sixsecond fuses. They should not be confused with 4-pounder shot and may still be live. A definitive account of the Richard, her construction, armament, and stores, by Norman Rubin will be published this fall by Leeward Publications of Annapolis, Maryland. Of Jones's personal possessions abandoned when he left the ship, we can only guess . Certainly he had his own engraved plate of silver or pewter; his tenure in Paris produced many ardent admirers who were generous with gifts. There would also be a certain amount of coinage, unpaid wages, prize money, captured coin and the like. Personalised navigational instruments and a variety of tools left on board in the confusion may be found in the ballast mound or encrusted in conglomerates on the seabed in the vicinity of the wreck . If funds are available, Phase Ill, planned for the late spring and summer of 1979, will concentrate on a thorough excavation. At last, the most famous fighting ship of the Revolutionary War may be coming home. Dr. Berryman, Dean of Students at the University of New Mexico, is secretary to the Falkland Islands Project of the National Society and is a director of the Atlantic Charter Maritime Archaeological Foundation. SEA HISTORY, FALL 1978