Midshipman Hamilton, poster boy

Some time back, HMS Acasta was contacted by author Patrick Cox to ask if we had a midshipman who might be willing to pose for the cover of his next book. It just so happeend that we did indeed have such a fellow in current Acasta Middie Alex Hamilton. Patrick and Alex's father Jim made all the arrangements and above you'll see the final product of that collaboration.

You can find out more about Patrick Cox and his newest title on his website.

Young Mr. Hamilton at the Jane Austen Festival in 2014

Well done Mr. Hamilton, well done… now back to your division with you!

Friday's Toast

A calm, clear day today, clear enough to see the trees changing color ashore through ones glass.

Captain Frymann and the Captains of the other ships on the blockade had the Midshipmen practicing their signal flags for the majority of the afternoon. No sooner would a series of flags be hoisted then the boys would all have out their glasses, eagerly looking for the reply. All manner of mock orders were sent to and fro. 

An uneventful day at sea, followed by an equally uneventful dinner in the Wardroom. After the loyal toast, Lt. Hamilton gave the traditional Friday toast. We all drank with great gusto! We all enjoyed the possibility of prize money, and with several of our officers, the more 'willing foes' the better.

Can you decode the traditional Friday Toast via the signal flags above?

Lieutenant's Log

On the North America station: Cloudy with mist today. We were unable to take the noon sightings. Wind out of the Nor East and steady. With luck the Captain will order the exercising of the guns before the first dog watch.

Lt. Hamilton's Camp

Acasta 1st Lt. Jas. Hamilton giving a talk about Naval life to the publick at the

Ramsey House's Jane Austen event June 7th 2014.

Hamilton's camp and the other Acastas assembled

Leaving Bermuda

Today's post by Gordon Laco, supplier of traditional sailing hardware, reserve officer for the Royal Canadian Navy & historical consultant for documentaries and feature films including being the lead historical consultant for the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

Captain Freymann:  Mr Hamilton, I see you’ve about completed your morning preparations – you’re ready to face the new day I presume?  Good.  With no further delay I’ll have her underway on starboard tack; we shall depart the harbour clearing the leeward cape without need to take a board to windward.  Carry on.

1st Lt Hamilton:  ALL HANDS, ALL HANDS, HANDS TO YOUR STATIONS, PREPARE TO GET UNDER WAY.  (more quietly, addressing the Master)  Mr. MacLachlan,  we shall recover the starboard hauser and hang by the port till I give the word.  Mind you do this smartly, not like last time.  HIS eyes are upon us.  Pray do not place young Moreton where you had him last time.  We cannot bear another drama.

1st Lt Hamilton: starborlines away aloft!  Cast off your fore and main tops’l gaskets, cast off your forestaysail gaskets!  Stand by to haul away!

1st Lt Hamilton:  Waisters... Brace your yards to starboard.... Forward there, brace your foreyards aback!

(up forward the starboard cablet has been recovered from the buoy... The port one is still made fast but hauled short)

Midshipman Raley on foredeck:  Starboard cablet’s away and recovered sir!  Port is at short stay! (the port cablet is hauled short and is angled down at the same angle as the forestay)

1st Lt Hamilton:  Let fall your fore and main topsails!  Haul away your foretops’l halyard!... (A pause of some minutes as the foretopsail yard creeps up its mast...)  Haul away your forestaysail halyards!  Back your forestaysail!  Haul away your foretopsail sheets!  Helm down!

(the forestaysail fills aback...as does the foretopsail... The frigate begins setting aft, pulling against the remaining cablet)

1st Lt Hamilton:  forward there on the cablet...SLIP! (the inboard end of the cablet is released from the cavelle cleat.. Its end snakes over the side and through the ring on the buoy... The foredeck hands begin hauling it in)

1st Lt Hamilton:  (watching the ship gather sternway, her head being pushed to port by the backed staysail and foretopsail...) HAUL AWAY SMARTLY YOUR MAIN TOPSAIL HALYARDS SMARTLY!  CAST OFF YOUR DRIVER BRAILS!  MIDSHIPS HELM!

(the Acasta is sliding backward away from the buoy, turning her head away from the wind to port.  As soon as she’s about 60 degrees off the wind, the 1st Lt centres the rudder, and begins setting sail to drive her forward...)

1st Lt Hamilton: HAUL AWAY YOUR MAIN TOPS’L SHEETS!  FORWARD THERE.... TACK THE FORE STAYS’L!  TACK THE FORETOPS’L!  AFTERGUARD...HAUL AWAY YOUR DRIVER SHEET!  SET MAIN AND MIZZEN STAYSAILS!

(the frigate stops her sternway under the forward drive of the sails.... Now the forward gear is no longer pushing back and to port, but pulling ahead.  For a time the frigate is stunned and makes only leeway, a boil of turbulence rising to windward of her... Then she starts moving forward...)

1st Lt Hamilton: (to the master)  Mr MacLachlan – meet her there – hold to the weather side of the channel, steer a fair course out....

As the frigate gathers way the leeway decreases.... With yards braced hard on starboard tack she slowly accelerates and begins answering her helm.   The 1st Lt glances at the Captain who has been standing aft during this... And gives an imperceptible nod. 

1st Lt Hamilton: (to the Master)  Mr. MacLachlan, I’ll have t’gallants and upper staysails on her...carry on.  

It all seemed to go well;  much relieved, the 1st Lt turns to write up the deck log.  Glancing astern, he is horrified to see a boat, his ship’s launch, struggling to keep up but being left behind by the gliding frigate.  He had forgotten to recover the party he’d sent to the buoy....  His eye darts to the Captain, who of course had not forgotten the boat, and is staring at him with his right eyebrow arched, arms folded, and an indecipherable expression on his face.

The 1st Lt gasps and stands frozen with the slate in his hands.  The afterguard all avert their expressions.  Mr. MacLachlan, the master, turns his back and squints at the foretopmast head, privately wondering what the service has got to....

The beginning of another day.

The First Lieutenant

Jim Hamilton was born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee and is of Scotch-Irish descendent. Hamilton is the 10th generation living in Maryville and the 5th generation of his family living in his current home which was built in 1899.

Hamilton spent most of his career in management roles including the last 16 years as either a CFO of Executive Vice President of midsized manufacturing firms. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Broadway Electric Service Corporation. For 15 of those years he worked for foreign companies (mainly British) and worked and traveled abroad extensively, primarily in the UK, Germany, Italy, and Russia, and Canada.

Hamilton has always loved history and reading and believes that this passion was fueled by being able to visit many historical European sites.

He began reenacting in 2000 portraying American Continental Light Infantry from the Rev. War where he currently portrays a Sergeant. This unit finds on average 25 solider per event and can field a total of 40. He also portrays a French and Indian British Private at Fort Loudon as a member of the Independent company of South Carolina. On some occasions you might find him in Colonial Militia garb when no other uniform will work.

Along with commanding, soldering, and “civilianing,” Hamilton has a great passion for period cooking and often prepares meals at events. He has also been a wine maker for 25 years, and loves sharing wine with his reenacting companions.

Hamilton graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Accounting & Finance with a minor in Geography in 1986. Jim is married and has two sons, Houston (16) and Alex (13) and a niece Taylor who all enjoy history and reenacting.

Young Mr. Hamilton

"Young Alex always volunteered to be a part of the press. I , for one, thought he liked it too well..."

- James Cullen, Remembrances of Eight years before the Mast, 1834.

Lieutenant Hamilton

"I never once seen Lieutenant Hamilton loose his Gentleman's bearing when a pressed man was brought before him. Weather they cursed or pleaded he would tell them "Best volunteer, my man, for forced or willing we will have you either way".

- James Cullen, Remembrances of Eight years before the Mast, 1834.