When Wellard gets whipped he has to drop his pants and take it in the bum. But is this historically accurate? Weren't whippings done on someones back, and in front of the rest of the crew?
I.S. Oxford
"The books have nothing to say!"
-- Fahrenheit 451
Wellard was a Midshipman, aka an officer in training. He was therefore not subjected to the floggings that the enlisted men were. If he had had his commission already, he wouldn't have been beaten at all. (Of course he would have then had to stood 72 hour watch like Horatio did - I might have preferred the beating)
sharei haven't seen this episode of Hornblower so haven't seen this scene - did Wellard have to bend over a canon for his punishment - if he did, this practice was known as 'kissing the gunners daughter' why i have no idea!
72 hour watch! nearly as bad as being a junior doctor in the NHS
I watched this scene recently and yes the poor Wellard was over a canon. didn't they use the same kind of punishment in US with the slaves?
shareInvariable Self, that scene was actually historically accurate. Whippings were done on ones back for serious offenses, but not for minior ones such as slacking off. Here this website should help you out also: http://www.corpun.com/kiss1.htm
I practice three hours a day, so when I meet a pirate, I can kill him!
When Wellard gets whipped he has to drop his pants and take it in the bum. But is this historically accurate? Weren't whippings done on someones back, and in front of the rest of the crew?
It depended on the captain and the offense. Some captains would beat a midshipman "on the bare breech"; others would let them keep their pants up. Some used a cane, some used a knotted rope.
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