# John Trenchard — Moonfleet character guide > John Trenchard in Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner. **Role:** major **Also known as:** John, Trenchard, the said John Trenchard, Master Trenchard, Mr. Trenchard **First appearance:** 0004-i-in-moonfleet-village ## Who they are An orphan boy in Moonfleet whose hunger for buried treasure and a smuggler's secrets draws him from boyhood into a life of danger, loyalty, and hard-won manhood. ## Relationships ### [Elzevir Block](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/elzevir_block) _friendship_ Elzevir becomes a mentor and father figure to young John Trenchard after John's father dies. ### [Ratsey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/ratsey) _friendship_ John and Ratsey are allies in the smuggling adventures, with Ratsey often protecting the boy. ### [Mr. Aldobrand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/mr_aldobrand) _professional_ Mr. Aldobrand is a lawyer who manages John's inheritance and legal affairs. ### [Blackbeard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/blackbeard) _rivalry_ Blackbeard sees John as a threat and a target in the conflict over treasure and smuggling. ### [Grace Maskew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/grace_maskew) _romantic_ Grace and John share a youthful romantic attraction, complicated by family loyalties and danger. ### [Reverend Mr. Glennie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/reverend_mr_glennie) _social_ John is a student of Reverend Glennie, who tries to steer him away from smuggling and toward virtue. ### [Ratsey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/ratsey) _friendship_ John and Ratsey are allies in the smuggling adventures, with Ratsey often protecting the boy. ### [Elzevir Block](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/elzevir_block) _friendship_ Elzevir becomes a mentor and father figure to young John Trenchard after John's father dies. ### [Reverend Mr. Glennie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/reverend_mr_glennie) _social_ John is a student of Reverend Glennie, who tries to steer him away from smuggling and toward virtue. ### [Ratsey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/ratsey) _friendship_ John and Ratsey are allies in the smuggling adventures, with Ratsey often protecting the boy. ### [Elzevir Block](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/elzevir_block) _friendship_ Elzevir becomes a mentor and father figure to young John Trenchard after John's father dies. ### [Reverend Mr. Glennie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/reverend_mr_glennie) _social_ John is a student of Reverend Glennie, who tries to steer him away from smuggling and toward virtue. ## In the story ### [Moonfleet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/moonfleet) The orphan protagonist, curious about the Mohune vault and Blackbeard's treasure. ### [In Moonfleet Village](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/i-in-moonfleet-village) The fifteen-year-old narrator and protagonist, an orphan living with his aunt, who is drawn into the village's mysteries. ### [II: The Floods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/ii-the-floods) Investigates the strange noises from the Mohune vault and experiences the great flood. ### [III: A Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/iii-a-discovery) Discovers the smuggler's vault beneath the church and deduces the source of the strange noises. ### [In the Vault](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/iv-in-the-vault) Hides in the vault, overhears the smugglers, and later searches Blackbeard's coffin. ### [The Rescue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/v-the-rescue) Recovers from his ordeal in the vault and is nursed by Elzevir; later rejected by his aunt and taken in by Elzevir. ### [An Assault](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/vi-an-assault) Narrator and witness to the assault; describes his fondness for Grace Maskew and his anger at Mr. Maskew's treatment of Mr. Glennie. ### [An Auction](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/vii-an-auction) Observes the auction, tries to comfort Elzevir after the loss. ### [The Landing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/viii-the-landing) Troubled by leaving Moonfleet and Grace; goes to the Manor Woods to see her before the landing. ### [IX: A Judgement](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/ix-a-judgement) Pleads for Maskew's life, physically intervenes to stop Elzevir, causing the pistol to fire prematurely. ### [X: The Escape](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/x-the-escape) Suffers from a broken leg and vertigo during the escape; carried by Elzevir up the Zigzag. ### [XI: The Sea-Cave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xi-the-sea-cave) Recovering from a broken leg in the sea-cave, haunted by guilt over Maskew's death and longing for news of Grace. ### [A Funeral](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xii-a-funeral) Hiding in the cave with Ratsey, learning of the warrant for his arrest and the fate of Moonfleet. ### [An Interview](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xiii-an-interview) Resolves to see Grace before leaving; persuades Elzevir to let him go to Moonfleet; meets Grace in her garden and shares his plans. ### [XIV: The Well-House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xiv-the-well-house) Disguised as a mason's boy, John accompanies Elzevir to Carisbrooke Castle, feeling anxious and uncertain about the treasure hunt. ### [The Well](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xv-the-well) Descends into the well to retrieve the treasure, refuses to hand over the diamond until safe, and witnesses the turnkey's death. ### [The Jewel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xvi-the-jewel) John reveals his name and birthplace to Aldobrand, becomes obsessed with the diamond, smashes through a window to reclaim it, and later persuades Elzevir to return to Aldobrand's garden despite warnings. ### [At Ymeguen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xvii-at-ymeguen) Narrates his imprisonment, trial, and ten years of hard labor at Ymeguen, reflecting on his lost youth and the curse of the diamond. ### [In the Bay](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xviii-in-the-bay) Narrates the harrowing return to Moonfleet Bay, recalling his boyhood and Grace's promise. ### [XIX: On the Beach](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/chapters/xix-on-the-beach) Rescued from a shipwreck, recovering in Moonfleet, learns of Elzevir's death and Aldobrand's bequest. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters/john_trenchard - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moonfleet_se/characters