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JAMES CONNELLY, FORREST L. EVANS et al : 1901 ORIGINAL MARITIME MANUSCRIPT DIARY DETAILING THE DESERTION AND DAY TO DAY HARDSHIPS OF THE DESERTERS AND FORMER SAILORS OF THE STORIED USS HARTFORD

32mo - over 4" - 5" tall. On offer is a super, rare, original manuscript maritime diary kept by several men who deserted from the U. S. S. Hartford, January 26, 1901, while on liberty when the ship docked at Barbados, British West Indies. James Connelly, from New York City and Forrest L Evans, Laconia New Hampshire, identified in the free end papers, leave their the ship and through prior arrangement they meet up with a few more sailors from the ship and meet others by surprise. In total we learn that 15 men are named as deserters from the Hartford. While there a number of different hands writing the majority of the writings are by Connelly and Evans we believe. Beginning the first week of January when the men are transferred from the U. S. S. Buffalo to the Hartford. It was on the Buffalo that the desertion was originally conceived, but it was on the Hartford where it was carried out. The narrative of desertion is only hinted at first: On January 20 Evans sells his sea boots and other gear he won't be needing. Upon landfall in Barbados, Evans and Connelly are paid off and they go on liberty. They buy civilian clothes and sleep on the beach. Their only further contact with the ship was when they were nearly scooped up by four policemen and a party of officers from the Hartford. They are hidden by blacks who have taken them in, but they start starving because their new friends are too poor to sustain them. We start off with Connelly and Evans, than more men are dropped into the narrative with no indication of how they arrived. Researchers, historians and collectors of naval and maritime history will recognize the uniqueness of a manuscript retelling in the hand of the actual deserters. Here are snippets: "Tues. Jan. 1, 1901 It's hot today. Did a little washing and made a lot of clothes slops. Wednesday 2 Left Trinidad tonight at six o'clock. Did some washing. Today Campbell was sent from cooking to ships waiter. Thursday 3 Had bag inspection then signed for accounts. Had a balance of $66.30 due me. Found my ??. Arrived at Lagueria at 6.30 Fri. Jan. 4, 1901 Got up at 5.30. Lashed our bags and hammocks together and at 4.30 were transferred to U.S.S. Hartford. Saturday 5 Turned out at 5.30. Took on stores from The Buffalo and scrubbed wash clothes. Sunday 6 Had general muster and scrubbed wash clothes and then scrubbed down spar deck Monday 7 Scrubbed hammock this evening and washed clothes, scrubbed deck. Had bag inspected and put down for small stores. Tuesday 8 Left Laguire Venezuela at about four o'clock and made six knots all night. Had to stand two sea watches, 8 -12, 4 - 8. Wednesday 9 Had the four to 8 watch this morning and we were all sent to the doctor and examined this afternoon. Thursday 10 Worked tonight about two hours from ten to twelve trying to anchor. Arrived at Port of Spain, Trinidad about 9.30 p.m. Was half tired to death. Friday 11 Got up at 7.00, was detailed as side cleaner and worked all the fore noon and most of the after noon. Got woman tatooed on my right arm. Saturday 12 Got up 5.00 and scrubbed sides. Had some tatooing done on my right arm a bird, and a heart and dagger. [Forest L. Evans describes himself and his body art] Sunday 13 Got up and got inspected & went to church. Had liberty today and went all over port of Spain Trinidad and got back at five o'clock. Had inspection today. Monday 14 Got up at five and did my work. Sat around with Davis (?) In the head almost all the afternoon. Tuesday 15 Got up and did my work then Arthur and I went up in the head and I shook dice for a cent a shake and then he and I and two others played poker Wednesday 16 Got up at 6.00 and did my work, worked almost all the forenoon. And shook dice all the afternoon. Thursday 17 Left Trinidad today at one o'clock for three day sail drill then Ho for Barbadoes and liberty. Friday 18 Got up and cleaned my gun and hustled all the forenoon making sail and this afternoon tieing knots and hitches. Saturday 19 Got up and cleaned my 6 pounder and scrubbed sides. Took the wheel the forenoon. Sunday 20 Had inspection then had target practice and anchored at 7.00 p.m. Sold my green boots for $1.50. Monday 21 Turned out at 5.30 and scrubbed my wash clothes. Laid off Trinidad for target practice with small calibre & five inch guns. Scrubbed clothes tonight. Tuesday 22 Scrubbed clothes this morning and had target practice with our own guns. Our six pounder did good work. Started to steam for Barbadoes this afternoon. Wednesday 23 Got up at 4 and stood watch til 8 and scrubbed decks and then took things pretty easy the rest of the day. Signed for $71 today. Thursday 24 Arrived at Barbadoes this morning and anchored at 7.30. Friday 25 Drew pay this after. Got three pounds & five shillings equal to $15.60. Saturday 26 Went on Liberty at one o'clock. Connelly and I bought citizen's clothes. He and I slept on the S. J. Smith of Nova Scotia. [Connelly and Evans desert from the Hartford] Sunday 27 Got up at 6.00 landward and he and I struck out into the country. Slept in an open field that night. We walked about 10 miles today. Monday 28 Got up and started out. Went to the other side of the island. Found a fine place and stayed there the rest of the day and slept there all night on the cliffs. Tuesday 29 Got up this morning at sunrise and Ward was covered with poison (?????). We moved to the sea shore and slept by the sea tonight. Wednesday 30 Got up this morning at sunrise and eat some bread and bananas and drank a little wine. Took train to Bridgetown. Starboard watch on liberty but couldn't find Ward or Connelly but had to start out for the country lest we are arrested. Thursday 31 Found a good place on the sea shore and stayed there all day. Slept in a open field last night. Tonight we sleep in a little hut. Friday, Feb. 1 Got up about 4.00 o'clock and went down to the sea shore. Slept and went in swimming this afternoon and then slept in the same hut that we did last night. Saturday 2 hot Got up this morning and had a little to eat. Today is like a Sunday here. They have church and the Queen buried. Had about fifty coons around us all day and a couple around us at night. Sunday 3 Hot Got up early this morning and took a long walk up the sea shore then back and had our dinner sat around the rest of the day and slept in the hut. Monday 4 hot Got up early and washed our faces and shaved each other then we went over to Mrs. Brown's shanty and she gave us dinner and supper and we slept in the hut. Tuesday 5 hot We got up early and washed and then had good breakfast and a fine dinner and an excellent supper. All this was given us by Mrs. Dorothea Ann Brown a colored woman who has done everything for us. Wednesday 6 We got up rather late this morning and had coffee at Mrs. Brown's. This afternoon a team load of officers off the ship and three policemen were searching around here for us. Mrs. Brown hid us away and we slept with her. Thursday 7 We got up and had breakfast with Mrs. Brown. Did some washing, sat around and ate dinner and supper and slept there. Played with the dice in the evening, and had little smoke. Wrote two letters today. Friday 8 Got up and washed some clothes. Sat around and read and shot dice and slept. And at night we slept in the security with Mrs. Brown. Saturday 9 Got up at sunrise. Sat around the house this afternoon we went in swimming and stayed in 2 hours hours and a half and I got all sunburned. Sunday 10 We got up early this morning. Went in bathing and then sat around and slept & read all day. Monday 11 Got up and washed and went in bathing and eat and sleep all day. Ward went up and visited a house and brought back some toast. Tuesday 12 Got up and had our coffee. Had dinner and then went to Bridgetown to the Sailor's Rest. Had supper and slept there. Met Herschfield. Wednesday 13 Got up and saw Connelly and got some Chinese ink for tatooing and put on one piece today. Slept in Sailor's Rest tonight and so did Connelly. Thursday 14 Got up and sat around. Put a dagger on a fellow and the Topeka men had a liberty and we borrowed of them for feeds, drink and money. Friday 15 We get a little off from the Topeka men liberty party and I did some tatooing and slept at the Rest. Saturday 16 Got up and washed had a feed and sat around all the forenoon and some tatooing and stopped at the Sailor's Rest again tonight. [Forest L. Evans was skilled at drawing and while in the Navy took up tatooing. Above is a colored drawing he sketched out in the journal of a tatoo he was proposing to a client] Sunday 17 Sat around the Rest all day. Did some tatooing and sleep there again to night. Monday 18 Got up and Connelly and I went down to the docks and found a schooner and tried to ship as A. B., (Able Bodied Seamen) but there was no chance today. Tuesday 19 Got up at 6.30 and had a feed. Went down to docks but there was no chance. Hershfield & I and Connelly got our supper on the Mercedes of Nova Scotia. Wednesday 20 Sat around all day trying to get something to eat but we did not succeed very well. These are hungry times here, Back doors are no good. Thursday 21 Got up and went to see the American (Consul), the whole of us. Got put out of the Sailor's home and Hirschfield, Connelly and I slept in a little house with a fellow named Sefield Wilson. Friday 22 Got up and shaved and stood here part of the day, then we went into the city and took a walk around the wharf but there was nothing doing. Saturday 23 Got up and sat around all the forenoon, then afternoon we went to see the Governor of this island. Sunday Feb. 24 Sat around all day and read and tried to rest. Had my ear pierced. Dark and gloomy. Monday 25 Got up and went over to Mrs.Wiley's(?) And Jim was making baskets today. Tuesday 26 Went into town and there was nothing doing there. Jim made baskets today. Very miserable. Wednesday 27 Got invited over to Mrs. Sykes house and had dinner. Then went to a party given for our benefit over to Mrs. Wells, ice

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