The list below was acquired from Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina", pages 135-170. For purposes of clarity, the "landsmen" and "boys" will be separated into two different lists.
Ballens, ------- Landsman
Bean, William Landsman
Burrough, ------- Landsman
Dorrington, William Landsman
Eldridge, Aaron Landsman
Gould, Edward (?) Landsman
Green, Charles Landsman
Green, John Landsman
Griffen, Premius Landsman
James, ---------- Landsman
Jones, Robert Landsman
Keil, Johannes Landsman
Mahony, John Landsman
Mantalles, George Landsman
Martin, Patrick Landsman
McKenzie, -------- Landsman
Mosini, Peter Landsman
Norris, Thomas Landsman
Peck, Harry Landsman
Raybaugh, Henry Landsman
Roy, Patrick Landsman
Shamley, Fred Landsman
Shaw, Obed Landsman
Taylor, --------- Landsman
White, William Landsman, (midshipman), (Legionnaire?)
These "landsmen" could have boarded the frigate South Carolina at any point in her short, wartime career. They could have been Americans stranded in Europe who signed on with a view to get home once again. They could have even been picked up in any of the port cities at which the frigate either began her voyage or later ones that she put into - at Amsterdam in Holland, at Corunna in Spain, or Tenerife in the Canary Islands. They may have boarded the frigate when she lay in the Havana in Cuba before she set sail for Philadelphia, PA. But, there is an even greater likelihood that these "landsmen" signed on board the frigate South Carolina when she had moored in Philadelphia, PA. There are several reasons for this statement. Most of these reasons are cited in Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, pages 86-87. First, the names recorded here are mostly Anglo-American types of names or names of individuals who could easily be immigrants to Pennsylvania. Second, the active war front had moved away from the Philadelphia area and young men looking for some adventure or simply a change of pace might have seen the deck of the frigate South Carolina as preferable to the constraints of a land-based military camp. Third, Commodore Gillon offered not only a promise of a share in prize money but, also a recruitment bonus to sign on with the frigate South Carolina. This was easy money to be made before the opportunities for such evaporated with the imminent end of the war. Fourth, The Commodore only signed on individuals for a six-month enlistment rather than a longer one like most other vessels of war or army units. If sea life did not agree with one, then one only had to wait a short time for a change of venues. Fifth, Commodore Gillon had no qualms about signing on "landsmen" in Philadelphia and training them to be sailors while the frigate was at sea. It is noted in Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 86-87, that "his officers estimated that the vast majority of the crew were 'country lads' who had never seen salt water, let alone set a sail."
(Note: One item that almost leaps out at the reader of this blog is the last entry on the "landsman" list - that of William White. His entry is also included verbatim on the post below for the midshipmen serving on board the frigate South Carolina. I, personally, feel that the last, questioned entry for William White - that of "Legionnaire?" can be discounted out of hand. In the "Pension Application of Joshua Mersereau S7224", Mersereau gives a list of officers and men on board the frigate South Carolina in December 1782 when the frigate was captured by the Royal Navy. He directly states that he gives "...the following List of persons who served with him on board the Continental Ship South Carolina, and taken prisoner in 1782". A list of officers follows this statement. This list includes one "Wm White" and he is listed as a midshipman. According to Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, pages 85-86, the Legion (or Volunteers) of Luxembourg departed the ship en masse when the frigate South Carolina first moored in Philadelphia, PA in May 1782. These legionnaires retained remarkable unit cohesion after leaving the ship and easily attached themselves to other French units headed home from the colonies for France. The fact that William White was captured on board the frigate South Carolina in December 1782 indicates that he was not a member of this French and Dutch-speaking unit.)
(Note: To continue with the subject of William White, he must have been a man of singular talents. He evidently signed on as a "landsman" but, between May and December 1782, proved his skills or talents to the commanding officer of the frigate South Carolina and been promoted to midshipman. This must have been a very peculiar situation for a person who signed on as a "landsman" to be promoted to even the lowest officer's status aboard ship. Either this, or William White was a very talented man , indeed.)
Craft, John Boy
Ferming, ------- Boy
Fox, John Boy, Marine
Martin, Jacques Hussar boy
[No Name Given] Dutch boy
Spatz, Michael Boy
Tenbow, -------- French boy
----zin, Charles Boy
The issue of the individuals listed as "Boy" on board the frigate South Carolina is a bit more problematic. At least one of them, John Fox, is listed as both "boy" as well as "marine". His pension application, "Pension Application of John Fox S2219" clearly indicates that he signed on board the frigate South Carolina as a marine. Also, he mentions "...a comrade named Michael Spatz..." as being with him at the time of his enlistment and signing on to the frigate in the very same capacity - as a marine. Michael Spatz is also cited in the list above as being a "boy" on board the frigate South Carolina and not as a "marine". There are three individuals on the list who have some portion of their names, or, in one case, all of their name, in question. These are -------- Ferming, -----Tenbow, and an individual who neither his first nor last name is known and is simply listed as "Dutch boy". Then there is the individual cited as the final name on the list whose last name is only indicated by the last portion of it, Charles ----zin. Jacques Martin is listed as being a "Hussar boy" but, no more is said about him to indicate what was meant by this. Usually, a hussar was a light cavalry man in the 18th century and not associated with sea life at all. The individual listed as "French boy", ------- Tenbow, has probably had his last name phonetically transcribed by an English speaker because the French alphabet does not contain a letter-equivalent for "w" which is here contained in the spelling of his last name. The individual who has no name given at all and is simply listed as "Dutch boy" could easily have been picked up in Holland before the frigate South Carolina sailed from The Texel and stayed on board for an undetermined period of time. In fact, there only appears to be a single individual listed whose full name is known and who is listed as being a "boy" - "John Craft - Boy". This apparent "slovenliness" or disregard concerning the recording of these young men or "boys" on board the frigate South Carolina may be a reflection of the fact that they held the lowest position that could be occupied by an enlisted individual on board the frigate.