Lewis, James A. Neptune's Militia: The Frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution, (Kent, OH: The Kent State University Press, 1999.)
Moss, Bobby Gilmer. Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983.)
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to Asa Cole and numerous others as sailors and officers on the Frigate South Carolina SC1926
The first two posts on this unusual subject of women on board a ship-of-war during the American Revolution were posted with the post titles and dates as follows:
"An Accidental Discovery of Surprising Individuals on board the Frigate South Carolina - Women on board the Frigate South Carolina -" and posted on 04/17/2015.
"An Accidental Discovery of Surprising Individuals on board the Frigate South Carolina: Women on board the Frigate South Carolina, Pt. II - Further Information Uncovered" and posted on 07/15/2020.
When the writer of this blog first encountered the citing of women as having served on board the frigate South Carolina, he was very excited. Not only had the frigate itself and her unusual crew and marine contingent surprised him with their varied ethnicity and combat experiences, but now had proven itself to be even more unusual in including women on board the frigate as members of the crew. The nexus point of this post was the discovery of two entries on page 6 of Moss's work, Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. These two entries have been thoroughly referenced in the two above cited posts and will be cited again here due to their brevity and the amount of time that has passed between now and the dates of the two posts being posted. These entries are as follows:
"Adamson, Catherine Bantlion - She served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A."
"Adamson, Susanna Story - She served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A."
The first discovery of this information was just after the inception of this overall blog and the second was less than one and one-half years ago for a time span of over five years between these two posts. The writer has always wondered what rating's work they performed on board the patriot frigate or if they were simply "passengers" as many others were during the first voyage of the frigate South Carolina across the Atlantic Ocean to America. But, after several years of speculation, the answer may finally be at hand.
Within the lengthy document known as "South Carolina Audited Accounts SC1926" (A.A. 1880A), the following sentence appears:
"Mary Dick and Sarah Fitzgerald are the widows of James Dick and William Fitzgerald who were also in said service, on board said Ship (the frigate South Carolina)."
Of course! Obviously! This single sentence extracted from the document A.A. 1880A of the South Carolina Audited Accounts documents indicates that these two women - Mary Dick and Sarah Fitzgerald - were the widows filing for their deceased husbands back pay rendered during the American Revolution. These pension amounts were made available to the veteran if they were still alive and received a number which began with the letter "S" indicating that they were survivor. But, if the man had died and the widow was applying for his pension, then the government issued pension received a number beginning with the letter "W" indicating that the widow was applying for the pension of her deceased husband.
There exist numerous instances of this occurrence concerning those men who served on board the frigate South Carolina. These women became the executors of their deceased husband's will and estate, if he had any possessions. But, they certainly did not serve on board the frigate themselves!
Thus, it may be that Catherine Bantlion Adamson and Susanna Story Adamson were only the executors of the wills of their deceased husbands, whoever they may have been. It may be that Dr. Moss was incorrect in stating that these two women "served" on board the frigate South Carolina when in actuality they performed the role of executor of their husband's wills and estates and did not serve during the American Revolution, possibly not even being alive during that event.
And, yet, thus far, the writer of this blog has neither seen nor encountered a reference within a pension application or an audited accounts document that refers to either Catherine Bantlion Adamson or Sarah Story Adamson. Simply because these other women filed as widows of veterans of the American Revolution does not necessarily mean that all adult females were filing as such. It is still possible - however remote it may be - that these last two named women did serve on board the frigate South Carolina. Only further research and diligent work can possibly clear up an issue that has been clouded with the passage of almost 250 years of time.