ABSTRACT
Near Jamaica, on 18 February 1800, the Royal Navy frigate, Crescent (36), fell in with the Trelawny, a slaver hailing from Liverpool carrying a human cargo from the coast of Guinea. At about 9:00 p.m., after a chase lasting several hours, the Trelawny hove to and the Crescent’s captain sent one of his officers across to investigate the ship. Since she was a lawful British merchantman, she could not be considered a prize, but members of her crew could be pressed into the Royal Navy. The officer inspecting the slaver returned with only a volunteer and one pressed man of indifferent quality. This upset the captain since the Trelawny was a large ship and should certainly yield more sailors, so he sent William H. Dillon, his 19-year-old first lieutenant, aboard the slaver. The Trelawny’s master, who was exempt from impressment, invited Dillon into his cabin claiming they were old shipmates. Dillon saw through this ploy and demanded to inspect the ship’s company. The captain refused, claiming that all of his men were locked up with the slaves. By Act of Parliament, these areas of the ship were secured every evening at eight o’clock, and it was unlawful to open the slave compartment before the next morning. The master hoped that the Crescent had pressing business and could not remain through the night, but he was to be disappointed because Dillon decided to wait. At this point, Dillon “noticed mahogany bulkheads. Their appearance led me to suspect that some men were concealed inside. I contrived to open one of them, and there I found stowed away a seaman.” Several minutes later, he claimed, “I found three stout fellows shut up in the Quarter gallery.” Dillon stayed aboard until two o’clock in the morning when another lieutenant relieved him. At daybreak, this officer pressed five men who had been locked away with the slaves. The Crescent then sailed for Jamaica with 11 new hands.2
