Rare Early 19th Century Naval Manuscript Describing The Unfortunate Death Of A Captain On Board A Ship, By Accidentally Shooting Himself In The Leg
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Rare Early 19th Century Naval Manuscript Describing The Unfortunate Death Of A Captain On Board A Ship, By Accidentally Shooting Himself In The Leg!
This poignant naval manuscript letter records a tragic accident aboard the Brig Hope of Dartmouth in May 1834. Written in a flowing hand across a single folded sheet, the account soberly details the sudden and fatal injury of the vessel’s captain, Hicks, during what began as a calm and ordinary morning.
On Saturday, 24 May 1834, with fine weather on the banks near Dartmouth, Captain Hicks took his gun on deck to shoot sea fowl. After successfully shooting a gull, he reloaded the firearm and laid it aside. Approximately twenty minutes later, while preparing to go below and attend to unfinished work from the previous day, he attempted to move the gun more safely. In that moment, it accidentally discharged, shooting him through the left thigh.
Despite immediate efforts by those on board to render aid, the wound proved catastrophic. The letter describes the rapid and overwhelming loss of blood, noting that it “flowed like” a torrent, and records that within five minutes the injury became fatal. The emotional weight of the event is evident in the writer’s language, conveying the “deepest sense of feeling” shared by the crew as they realised their captain’s life could not be saved.
With no alternatives available at sea, the crew gathered what timber they could find to fashion a rough coffin. Captain Hicks was laid within it and placed in the longboat, a stark reminder of the isolation and improvisation inherent in maritime life. He ultimately died on 29 May 1834, at just 34 years of age.
Here are some exact extracts from the manuscript as written:
“On Saturday 24 of May 1834 A most melancholy occurrence took place on board the Brig Hope of Dartmouth, on the banks of… The morning being fine Captain Hicks took his Gun on deck for the purpose of Shooting sea fowl about ten[?] a.m. he shot a gull from the quarter charged his gun again and laid it on the here coop, about 20 minutes after he said he should go below and work his yesterdays work and by passing his gun he took it by the… with an intention of putting it more in softly where unfortunately the gun went off and shot him through the left thigh - every aid was instantly given but for no avail for through the loss of blood which flowed like… within five minutes after the fatal shot which caused the deep best sense of feeling to… as soon as we found his existence was no more we mustered what wood we had which enabled us to make a rough coffin which we laid him in and placed in the long boat..he died aged 34 years old on the 29th May 1834.”
A rare survivor which stands as a moving testament to the dangers of seafaring, the fragility of life aboard ship, and the solemn customs observed by sailors when confronted with sudden death far from shore.
Condition is time worn, commensurate with age. Good legible handwriting. Tears along the folds and has separated across the middle.