A Relic of the Revolution

In Short

This book serves as a primary-source journal detailing the capture, imprisonment, and eventual release of American sailors held at Plymouth, England, between 1776 and 1779. It tracks the author’s daily experiences within the prison walls—the struggle for food, the outbreak of smallpox, the constant attempts at escape, and the internal politics of the prisoners themselves. Because it captures the unvarnished, often monotonous reality of confinement alongside the broader political shifts of the war, the work has endured as an essential, ground-level window into the human cost of the American struggle for independence.

The Story

The narrative begins in December 1776, when the brigantine Dolton is intercepted by a British man-of-war. The author, Charles Herbert, is stripped of his belongings and transported to Plymouth, England. The opening phase of the story is defined by a sense of shock and immediate physical vulnerability. Herbert and his fellow sailors are herded into squalid conditions, where vermin and illness are constant companions. The early entries emphasize the arbitrary cruelty of their captors, who frequently break promises regarding the return of the prisoners' clothes and provide inadequate, rotting rations.

As the months stretch into years, the focus of the journal shifts from the initial trauma to the struggle for endurance. The prison becomes a closed ecosystem. Herbert meticulously documents the cycles of life and death, particularly the devastating smallpox epidemic that sweeps through the ranks. He describes the daily necessity of "making boxes"—handicraft work—to earn the few pennies required to supplement their meager government allowance. This economic necessity forces the prisoners into a complex, often strained relationship with the outside world, as they rely on the charity of sympathetic English locals while simultaneously plotting to escape.

The middle sections of the book are dominated by the recurring, desperate attempts to break out. Walls are climbed, tunnels are dug, and prisoners are frequently recaptured and thrown into the "Black-hole"—a place of severe punishment. These failures provide a rhythm to the narrative, broken only by news of the war filtering in through smuggled newspapers. Herbert records the shifting tides of the conflict, from the successes of General Putnam to the arrival of new prisoners taken from privateers like the Lexington.

The final arc of the story centers on the anticipation of a "cartel"—a formal prisoner exchange. The prisoners transition from despair to cautious optimism as rumors of a settlement circulate. Even as their health fails and their living conditions remain dire, the sense of an ending takes root. The narrative concludes with the reality of the exchange in March 1779. Herbert does not end his journey there, however; he moves into service on the U.S. frigate Alliance, and the text expands to include official correspondence regarding the naval campaigns of John Paul Jones. This shift connects Herbert’s personal suffering in the Plymouth prison to the larger, high-stakes military engagements of the revolution, ultimately framing the individual’s sacrifice as part of the broader, messy, and costly effort to secure American sovereignty.

How It Unfolds

The capture The author describes the seizure of the Dolton by the Reasonable in December 1776. He highlights the immediate loss of personal property and the initial deception by British officers who promised the return of the men's clothing.

Life in the yard Herbert documents the daily struggle against cold, hunger, and disease. He details the formation of "messes" and the reliance on charitable donations to survive on the inadequate rations provided by the government.

The recurring struggle The narrative tracks the persistent, failed attempts by prisoners to tunnel out or climb over walls. These events are interspersed with reports of the "Black-hole" punishments and the arrival of new captives from other privateers.

Rumors of release As the war progresses, the diary captures the prisoners’ reliance on smuggled news and the agonizing, stop-and-start hope surrounding a potential prisoner exchange. The men oscillate between despair and the intense anticipation of being sent home.

The exchange and beyond The book concludes with the formal release of the prisoners in 1779. It adds context through the inclusion of administrative letters regarding the naval campaigns of John Paul Jones, placing the personal imprisonment in the wider scope of the war.

The People

Charles Herbert serves as the primary lens for the experience. He is observant, disciplined, and remarkably resilient, transitioning from a captured merchant sailor to a man who survives through sheer stubbornness and labor. His desire is simple: to endure, to help his fellow captives, and to return home to his father’s table.

The British jailers and the prison agent function as the primary obstacles. They are portrayed as bureaucratic, often cold-hearted figures who view the prisoners as "rebels" undeserving of mercy, though their behavior occasionally fluctuates with the political pressure of the ongoing war.

Captain John Paul Jones appears through the lens of external correspondence. He represents the aggressive, professional side of the American naval effort—a man focused on prizes, strategy, and the complexities of international naval law, standing in stark contrast to the stagnant, suffering world of the prison yard.

Other prisoners, such as the men who suffer through smallpox or those who repeatedly attempt to escape, serve as the collective voice of the captive group. They are defined by their shared misery and their shifting spirits, ranging from the despair of those who "are like so many children" when news ceases to flow, to the determination of those who continue to dig tunnels even after years of confinement.

In Its Own Voice

"I was stationed upon the main-top when we were taken, and had not so good an opportunity to save my clothes, as those below; yet I saved more than any of the foremast hands."

(Herbert describes the immediate, pragmatic decisions made during the seizure of his vessel.)

"But the time is badly spent for persons in our situation, who do not know how soon the gallows may be our doom."

(Herbert reflects on the psychological weight of the uncertainty regarding their legal status as prisoners of war versus traitors.)

"Many of those in prison are like so many children; as long as a rattle is ringing in their ears, they are quiet and easy, but as soon as the rattle stops, they are faithless and impatient."

(Herbert observes the volatile collective morale of his fellow prisoners during long periods of waiting for news of an exchange.)

What It's Really About

At its core, the book examines the dehumanizing nature of captivity and the immense psychological effort required to maintain a sense of self when one is treated as a piece of property or a political bargaining chip. It asks what it means to be a "rebel" in the eyes of an imperial power, and how that status strips individuals of the protections normally afforded to captives. The text also navigates the tension between the high-level political decisions made in London or Paris and the grinding, day-to-day survival of the men on the ground. It implicitly argues that the "liberties" mentioned in the publisher's preface were bought with the silent, often overlooked suffering of men like Herbert, whose lives were put on hold for years.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the granular, daily experience of the American Revolution will find this an invaluable resource. It is not a polished military history, but rather an authentic, often gritty record of survival. The prose is straightforward and unadorned, reflecting the author’s background as a sailor rather than a professional writer.

Those who enjoy primary accounts or historical journals will appreciate the lack of modern artifice; you are reading the notes of a man who wrote primarily for himself and his comrades. However, the book does require patience. The structure is inherently repetitive, mirroring the monotony of prison life—days pass with little news, meals are constant points of contention, and health struggles are ongoing. It also reflects the period's attitudes and the inherent frustrations of the 18th-century naval conflict. It is not a story of sweeping battles, but a testament to endurance. What stays with the reader is the image of a person holding onto his humanity—and his hope for a future outside the walls—through the simple, defiant act of keeping a journal while his world remained small, cold, and confined. It is a sobering, necessary reminder of the personal cost of history.