Folks, if you haven't discovered the New York Public Library's Digital Collection yet, what're you waiting for? It's great for history buffs, writers, and knowledge-seekers of any stripe. If you're looking for an informative, entertaining rabbit hole that easily qualifies as productive procrastination, NYPL is the place to be.
I discovered this little gem tucked away in one of their cigarette card collections (apparently cigarette cards were the early 20th century version of Pokemon, with nerdier topics and better art). It introduced me to the term 'Cock of the Fleet', indicating which ship is considered the best within its group (or 'fleet' in naval terms).
Before anyone gets their feathers ruffled by this fowl terminology, let me assure you, spending only a little amount of time in South Carolina will dull your delicate sensitivities to this term being so freely bandied about. I admit I was a little shocked the first time I was grocery shopping at Harris Teeter after we moved to SC and saw a young man wearing a shirt that read COCKS. All in caps. Just like that, right across his chest. I had to go home, fan myself, release my grip on the pearls I was clutching, and Google. Turns out it's an homage to the state university's mascot (the Gamecocks), not an analog version of Tinder.
Oh and hey BTW one more little nugget I stumbled across: South Carolina's mascot is unique among the major athletic programs in the country. When you say you cheer for the Gamecocks, nobody says 'which ones?'. Take that, Tigers!
But I digress. Cock of the Fleet, or COTF as it's sometimes known, is a proud Royal Navy tradition.
Ships' crews compete in navy-related athletic activities, primarily rowing races. Betting is allowed, further enhancing the competitive spirit. The winners are awarded with a trophy or plaque, which they proudly display on board.
As the informative little cigarette card tells us, this tradition got its name because of a bizarre incident during the Battle of the Saintes in 1782 during the American Revolution. As part of the larger goal to assist the Americans in their defeat of the hated British, the French navy hatched a plan to take over Jamaica while they were at it.
During the battle, the British ship HMS Formidable was struck by fire from a French ship, making a big fat mess of things on board. One of the crates carrying poultry became, unsecured, shall we say, and a rooster escaped. He spent the rest of the battle perched on the rail of the poop deck (and maybe that's why they call it that now), crowing his little heart out, cheering on his crew. Can you imagine? Death and destruction all about, your life flashing before your eyes as you imagine a forthcoming trip to Davy Jones' locker, and suddenly out of nowhere this rooster
appears and starts crowing to beat the band. If I had been there that day, dodging cannon fire and wishing I had paid more attention during swim lessons, I think I would have had to laugh that crazy hysterical laugh you can't control when something hilarious happens in the middle of something awful.
Maybe it was due to the crowing; maybe due to the British Navy's top secret new battle strategy known as 'breaking the line'. For whatever reason, the Royal Navy prevailed. Their victory had little effect on the American Revolution, but it did keep Jamaica out of French hands.
When the British Admiral heard about this cock tale, he granted a permanent stay of execution for the plucky rooster who cheered his crew to victory. A happy ending for our fine feathered friend, and who knows, perhaps the ancestor of an equally fine fowl found on a football field most fall Saturdays in Columbia, SC.
A version of this post originally appeared in the 2016 A to Z Blog Challenge.
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