A logbook of a Connecticut privateer during the
French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years’ War, was purchased
recently by the Museum. Commanded by Jesse Denison, the sloop DOLPHIN of Stonington cruised local and Caribbean waters in search of both French and Spanish
prizes in 1762 and early 1763. Sanford Billings kept the logbook/journal that
details some of the encounters of the DOLPHIN.
Two weeks after the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the war, the DOLPHIN’s crew (supposedly ignorant of the pact), in company with the crew of two ships from Philadelphia and Virginia, marched on a fort in Hispaniola:
“Landed 150 men all well armed and marched up
to the town.
Found two cannon, six swivels. We took the Place…..
Returned on
board the DOLPHIN all hands well
except one man wounded with a musquet ball in
the shoulder.”
The following day they learned of the truce and made sail for
home. As with so many other logbooks and journals, this one went on to have
another life recording such things as school attendance by local students,
accounts of goods bought and sold and Billings' family genealogy.