Alcoholism in the Old Navy
Submitted by Chuck Veit
Some statistics for you to toss out to spectators and fellow reenactors in reference to this topic: average annual hard alcohol consumption today is about two gallons per adult. In the first part of the 19th century, the average was 8-10 gallons! The temperance folks may have had a point... Witness the following: During the 1998 refit of U.S.S. Constitution, a number of interesting artifacts were found; one was a provisioning record. When the ship left Boston on July 22, 1798 with a crew of 475 officers and men, she carried 45,600 gallons of fresh water (enough for six months), 7,400 cannon balls, 22,600 pounds of black powder and 79,406 gallons of rum. Her mission was to harass English shipping. Making Jamaica on October 6, she took on 828 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed to the Azores, where she arrived on November 12. Took on 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. Set sail for England on November 18. In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war, captured and scuttled twelve merchantmen—but not before salvaging the rum! January 27, 1799, powder and shot exhausted, undaunted, Old Ironsides slipped up the Firth of Clyde, put ashore a landing party to raise havoc, captured a whiskey distillery, and hauled away 40,000 gallons of what we now call Scotch. Then she raised sail and headed for home. Arrived in Boston on February 20,1799: no cannon balls, no powder, no food, no rum, no wine, no whiskey—and 48,800 gallons of water! What happened to the 252,000+ gallons of alcohol?