The information for this post is taken from the following sources:
Andrews, John Lennell, Jr. South Carolina Revolutionary War Indents: A Schedule, (SCMAR, 2001).
Lewis, James A. Neptune's Militia: The Frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution, (The Kent State University Press, 1999).
Moss, Bobby Gilmer. Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, (Genealogical Publishing Company, 1983).
Salley, A.S., Jr., editor. Stub Entries to Indents: Issued in Payment Claims Against South Carolina Growing Out of the Revolution, Books U-W, (The State Company, 1918).
This blog has addressed many individuals who, at one point in time or another, crossed the decks of the frigate South Carolina. These individuals were most frequently crewmen or marines on board the frigate and have been documented as fully as possible to this point int he narrative of the blog. These names have all been cross-referenced with the section of Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, entitled "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina" , pages 135-170. But, there has occurred a single instance where a name was located in another source and was independently cited as being that of a crew member or marine of the frigate South Carolina but, does not appear in the "Appendix" section of Lewis's work. This individual is cited as follows:
Joseph Croker - He served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A.1880A. (Moss's work, Roster of South Carolina Patriots, page 218).
(Note: Joseph Croker is addressed in some length in the post dated "04/27/2015" and entitled " 'To Add to What is Already Known of Them' - Additional Information of Personnel on board the Frigate South Carolina".)
To date, this is the only information that has been located concerning this man - Joseph Croker. A reference to the work Stub Entries to Indents, Book A.A., may provide more information on this individual due to the appearance that he was given an indent payment from the state of South Carolina that has the entry number of "1880A" in that specific volume.
But, a second individual has now been located who also served on board the frigate South Carolina who has no reference made to him in Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, section entitled "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina", pages 135-170. His citation is as follows:
Martin Rittsendall - He served as a mariner during 1782. A.A.6450; V660. (Moss's work, Roster of South Carolina Patriots, page 817).
The writer of this bog currently does not have Book A.A. of the work, Stub Entries to Indents available to him to check for this citation concerning Martin Rittsendall but, he does have access to the Book U-W, which contains all the entries submitted and filed under the Book V section of this compilation of claims filed against the state of South Carolina for services rendered during the American Revolution. According to Salley's work, Stub Entries to Indent, page 193, an entry numbered "V660" does occur and this entry does pertain to Martin Rittsendall and his claim for services rendered during the American Revolution. It is cited here in full and is as follows:
"Issued the 13 September To Martin Rittsendall for Three pound Eight Shillings & three pence for Service as a mariner in the Naval Department of this State in 1782 per a/c [account] from the Commissioners.
Principal: 3p-8s-3d
Annual Interest: 0p-4s-9d"
Neither of the above two sources cites the service of Martin Rittsendall as having taken place specifically on board the frigate South Carolina. Both simply state that he served as a mariner in the year 1782. But, the third source directly addresses Martin Rittsendall's naval service during the American Revolution as being on board the frigate South Carolina. According to Andrews's work, South Carolina Revolutionary War Indents: A Schedule, page 44, Martin Rittsendall was granted 3p/8s/3d as "mariner's wages" for his service on board the "So. Cara. Frigate". This is the only source of the three sources cited that specifically states that Martin Rittsendall's service as a mariner was on board the frigate South Carolina. Yet, the two earlier cited sources seem to corroborate this point in their own rather oblique manner. First, both of the earlier sources cite that Martin Rittsendall served as a "mariner" meaning service in the naval forces of the patriot effort. The second source (Salley's work, Stub Entries to Indent) state even more specifically that this service was as "...a mariner in the Naval Department of this State..." meaning the state of South Carolina. Second, both sources cite that this service was during the year 1782. The event that almost took South Carolina completely out of the patriot war effort was the capture of Charleston, SC in May 1781. The entirety of the South Carolina state navy was captured at the fall of Charleston. The only remaining vessel flying the colors of South Carolina was the frigate South Carolina, still being armed for her maiden voyage to America, which would not commence until August 1781, almost three months after the fall of Charleston, SC. Thus, Martin Rittsendall's service for the state of South Carolina during 1782 could only have been on board the frigate South Carolina because she was the only man-of-war flying South Carolina's flag and operating as a warship at that time. Thus, it is safe to conclude that Martin Rittsendall served as a mariner/sailor on board the frigate South Carolina in 1782.
There is one final observation that can be made on the service of Martin Rittsendall with a fair amount of surety. He must have begun and ended his service prior to the final voyage and capture of the frigate South Carolina. This statement is based on the fact that none of the captive's lists for any of the three British men-of-war, HMS Diomede, HMS Quebec, or HMS Astrea, contains the name of Martin Rittsendall. There are other crew members who also seem to have done their entire service on board the frigate South Carolina while she lay in Philadelphia, PA harbor.
These are the only two unrecorded crew members that have been located to date - John Croker and Martin Rittsendall. By "unrecorded" this blog writer means these men are not cited in Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, the section entitled "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina, pages 135-170. Any further discoveries of unrecorded individuals will be cited in this blog. By this means, this blog writer hopes to form a more correct picture of the crew and marines who served on board the frigate South Carolina.