James Fallon - He served aboard the frigate South Carolina. Revill, p. 385; Moss, page 302. In Revill, he is cited as having received 95p/17s/4d on June 10, 1783 through a certificate being issued to him. In Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 146, he is cited as a "surgeon?". His last name is alternately spelled as "O'Fallon". More information is given for him in the post dated "12/03/2014".
The second individual cited as being on the medical staff is interesting in his citation. It is as follows:
Gustavus Henderson - He served as second surgeon aboard the South Carolina. A.A.3520A; Y218; Moss, page 435. In Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 150, he is cited as a "second surgeon". In Revill, page 386, he is cited as receiving 52p/9s/4d in Return 82.
The exact meaning of his "position" as being "second surgeon" is undetermined. He may have been the type of assistant surgeon to James Fallon and functioned in that manner. Or, he may have been, literally, the second surgeon to serve on board the frigate South Carolina. In the captive's lists of the three British men-of-war which carried the American prisoners-of-war into New York City harbor in December 1782 after the capture of the frigate South Carolina, no James Fallon appears on any of the three lists of captives. But, Gustavus Henderson does appear on the list for the HMS Diomede. The notation next to his name states that he was "D. 28 Dec. 1782 Long Island". This indicates that he was paroled on Long Island until he could be exchanged or released back to American lines. This would seem to indicate that James Fallon was no longer a member of the crew of the frigate South Carolina but, for the final brief cruise of the frigate, Gustavus Henderson was the surgeon on board the frigate and went into captivity at the very end of the war.
There are five "surgeon's mates" who are cited as having served as such on board the frigate South Carolina. The information that has been collected on these men is as follows:
Richard Briggs - He served as a privateer and was also aboard the frigate South Carolina as a surgeon's mate. He married a woman named Huldah -------. A.A.754A; C533; Revill, p. 385; Moss, page 100. He filed "Pension Application of Richard Briggs W10458". In Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 139, he is cited as a "surgeon's mate".
(Note: His pension application indicates that his wife's maiden name was Reed and that they were married on August 12, 1784. She filed for his pension and recorded him as having died on April 10-11, 1835 in Worthington, Hampshire, MA.)
John Cushing - He was captured by the British and carried to England. He was exchanged in France and in 1780, he joined the frigate South Carolina as a surgeon's mate. He served one year and seven months. He is recorded as being born on December 22, 1749 in Haverhill, MA. A.A.1880A; Moss, page 228. He filed "Pension Application of John Cushing S16356". In Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 143, he is cited as a "surgeon's mate".
(Note: His middle name is cited in Moss's work, Roster, page 228, as being "Privateer". This is a rather unusual middle name for a man but, his pension application may well indicate that this is a misinterpretation. He cites early in his pension application that he served on board the privateer brig Washington of Beverly, MA and later was on board the privateer schooner Warren of Salem, MA. After his release from Mill Prison in England, he was exchanged and sent to France where he made his way to the frigate South Carolina and signed on as a "surgeon's mate".)
Samuel Duffield - He served as a surgeon's mate aboard the South Carolina during 1782. Y212; Moss, page 271. In Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 145, he is cited as a surgeon's mate. In Revill, there is no citation for this individual.
The citation of his service having been on board the frigate South Carolina during 1782 would lead one to assume that he was one of the prisoners on board one of the three British men-of-war that transported the captured Americans into New York City harbor. But, a search of the captive lists turns up no name of Samuel Duffield. He may have served out his time on board the frigate before she left Philadelphia, PA and began to drop down the Delaware River towards her unexpected rendezvous with the three British men-of-war on station at the mouth of Delaware Bay.
------- McFarland - In Moss's work, Roster, there is no citation for a McFarland by any first name or alternate spelling of the last name who served on board the frigate South Carolina. In Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 157, he is cited as a "3rd surgeon's mate". In Revill, there is no citation for this individual.
It may well be that ------- McFarland did indeed serve on board the frigate South Carolina but, was from another state than South Carolina. Thus, he may have chosen to not file a claim against the state of South Carolina after the end of the war. The writer of this blog has found it very interesting that many times a first name is unknown and recorded as such in Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia. There have been times when this writer has been able to locate missing maiden names of wives of men who served on board the frigate South Carolina. There have also been times through cross-reference with additional sources that the writer feels he has located the correct spelling of a last name with many alternate spellings. But, to date, this writer has NEVER been able to discern the first name of an individual who has his first name unrecorded in section of Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, entitled "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina", pages 135-170. These were living, breathing men who certainly had first names. Yet, the shades of time seem to have closed around some of these men and taken that information from us.
Josiah Root - He served as a surgeon's mate aboard the frigate South Carolina during 1782 and 1783. A.A.6593; Y1045; Moss, page 831. In Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 164, he is cited as a surgeon's mate. In Revill, there is no citation for this individual.
Josiah Root's citation of his service in Moss's work, Roster, page 831, is interesting. He cites himself as being in service on board the frigate South Carolina after the frigate had been captured by the three British men-of-war on December 20, 1782. He includes the year 1783 as a time of his service on board the frigate. This may be due to his inclusion of the time he was a captive of the British in his citation statement. This could be cleared up by referring to his two stub indents cited in the above paragraph. But, another potentiality is that due to his rating as a "surgeon's mate", he may have remained, or been forced to remain, on board the frigate South Carolina as it was prepared to transport Crown troops back to England and Europe. Thus, this may possibly address the length of time he states that he served on board the frigate South Carolina.