Sir,
Thank you for your kind words.
Regarding the time in which this scene occurred. You are correct.
Using "0800" is indeed the modern way to indicate time on 24 hour clock cycle.
And it's inclusion here was in error. This practice was not adopted until 1840.
However, the web version of the ship's log from Constitution (1798-1812) which I have been using as reference indicate such convention. Apparently, adjusted to reflect this later practice (midnight-to-midnight… 0800).
So you are correct. The time at which I made this entry was indeed 8 o'clock in the morning. However one must not assume that 8 bells means 8 o'clock. Which I will explain later.
More importantly, your comment has prompted me to revise such time entries in the future.
I have been uncomfortable with using this method on my (Isaac Hull) Facebook page.
The post above is from my "Ships Log", which technically is a "journal". Free, perhaps, from such restraint.
Therefore, I believe I will use the following convention on further posts:
- If the exact time is not required for an entry, I will indicate which "watch" or around the vicinity of the "number of bells" this event occurred.
- If the exact time is required, I will use "8 o'clock" or "8 o'clock - morning watch"
Official log entries on a ship in the Age of Sail rarely said "12 January, 1799 - Eight Bells"
In fact, we indicated the time simply. 8 o'clock". Sometimes "8 o'clock AM" Or upon a ledger simply as "8".
As seen here:
http://www.usna.edu/Users/oceano/pguth/website/shipwrecks/logbooks_lesson/Winchelsea_log.png
In addition to that… you may note that on the moving picture "The Fifer" "six bells" are heard at the end.
Unlike civil clock-bells, the strikes of the bell do not accord to the number of the hour. Instead, there are eight bells, one for each half-hour of a four-hour watch.
In the age of sailing, watches were timed with a 30-minute hourglass.
Bells would be struck every time the glass was turned, and in a PATTERN OF PAIRS for easier counting, with any odd bells at the end of the sequence.
Which would indicate that our fifer would have finished her song either at:
3:00am Middle Watch
7:00am Morning Watch
11:00am Forenoon Watch
3:00pm Afternoon Watch
7pm Last Dog Watch
11:00pm First Watch
Certainly this scene would not have played out at 3:00am!
But it it did in fact occur a few minutes before 7am on the Morning Watch.
I had awoken early. And it was much later… that I entered the story into my journal. Perhaps I should have indicated precisely the time I first heard her play, as I would in the official ship's log!
Most careless of me! I shall need to be more careful in the future.
Thank you again for your kind words about my ship.
Fare thee well and God bless America,
- Isaac Hull
View Isaac Hull's "Ship's Log" and other Age of Fighting Sail content at:
www.facebook.com/isaac.hull.58