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By Henry Harvey, Esq. Rear-admiral of the Red, &c.
To Sir James Saumarez, Captain of H.M.S. Orion.
You are hereby required and directed to take under your convoy all the transports, store-ships, victuallers, and other vessels lying in this bay, and put to sea in company with his Majesty's squadron under my command. You will have under your direction his Majesty's ship Porcupine, whose captain is directed to follow your orders. You are to use your utmost endeavours to keep company with me; but, in case of separation, make the best of your way to Spithead, leaving off Plymouth such of the victuallers as may have sailed from that port.
Given under my hand, on board the
Prince of Wales, 17th December
1795, Houat Roads.
H. Harvey.
Admiral Harvey parted from the convoy off Brest, and Sir James arrived at Spithead, after having looked into Brest, on the 30th December, and reported his arrival to the Secretary of the Admiralty; to which he received the following answer:
31st December 1795.
Sir,
I have received, and communicated to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, your letter of yesterday's date, informing them of your arrival at Spithead in the ship you command, with part of the transports under your convoy, from Quiberon Bay; and I have their lordships' command to acquaint you that they are pleased with your proceedings.
I am, sir, your obedient humble servant,Evan Nepean.
To Captain Sir James Saumarez,
H.M.S. Orion, Spithead.
CHAPTER IX
1796, 1797
Orion taken into dock.—Is refitted, and joins the Channel fleet.—Detached on a particular service.—Returns.—Proceeds to reinforce Sir John Jervis.—List of his fleet.—Battle with Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent described in a private letter.—Conduct of Saumarez in the action.—Salvador del Mundo strikes to the Orion, and is taken possession of by her lieutenant.—Engages the Santissima Trinidada.—She strikes to the Orion.—Remarks on that occasion.—Lagos Bay.—Lisbon.—Sir James sails on a cruise with Admiral Sir H. Nelson.—Returns.—Commands the advanced squadron.—Several private letters.—Commands the advanced squadron off Cadiz.—Mutiny in the fleet.—Anecdote and remarks thereon.
The Orion was ordered into harbour; and on examination it was found she had been so much strained during the last cruise, particularly in the November storm, subsequently known by the name of "Admiral Christian's gale," besides having sprung her lower masts, that it became absolutely necessary for her to be taken into dock. During the next four months Sir James obtained, leave of absence; and it was not until the 7th of May 1796, that, having rejoined his ship, he was called into active service, the Orion being placed in Rear-admiral Lord Hugh Seymour's division of the grand fleet which was fitted for foreign service.
After a short cruise off Brest, the Orion proceeded to reinforce the fleet under Sir John Jervis, off Cape St. Vincent. This squadron consisted of the Sanspareil (flag-ship), Orion, Triumph, Juste, Hector, and Theseus, of the line; Phaeton and Latona, frigates; and Incendiary, fire-ship. On arriving off their station, Captain Saumarez was detached to Fayall by Lord Hugh's order, dated the 13th June, to obtain stock, wine, &c. for the use of the squadron; and was directed to meet his lordship at ten leagues to the westward of that island; after which the squadron returned to Cape St. Vincent, and from thence, in the month of September, they joined the Channel fleet, under Lord Gardner.
On the 11th of December the Orion returned to Spithead, in order to refit and replenish in water and provisions, after a six months' unsuccessful cruise. This occupied but a short time; and on the 17th of the same month Sir James proceeded in the Orion, with a squadron under the orders of Admiral W. Parker, to reinforce Sir John Jervis, off Cape St. Vincent. This squadron consisted of the Prince George, 98; Namur, 90; Irresistible, Orion, and Colossus, of 74 guns; and Thalia frigate. The junction with Sir John was effected on the 6th of February. Thus reinforced, the Admiral had under his command—
Sir John Jervis was well aware that the Spanish fleet might be nearly double his force, but he kept working up towards the position where he expected to meet them. On the 13th, in the morning, the Minerve, Captain Cockburn, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Nelson, (which was afterwards shifted to the Captain, 74) having on board Sir Gilbert Elliot, late viceroy of Corsica and others, came into the fleet with intelligence that on the 11th, soon after quitting Gibraltar, she had been chased by two Spanish line-of-battle ships; and that afterwards, when in the mouth of the Straits, she got sight of the Spanish fleet. Before sunset the signals were made for the British fleet to prepare for battle, and to keep in close order all the night, during which the signal-guns of the Spaniards were distinctly heard. At half-past two, A.M. the Portuguese frigate Carlotta spoke the Victory; and her captain (Campbell) gave information that the Spanish grand fleet, commanded by Don Josef de Cordova, was only five leagues to windward; that they had sailed from Carthagena on the 1st of the month, and consisted of twenty-eight sail of the line, viz.
There were also twelve frigates, some gun-boats, and seventy transports with troops, which were disembarked at Algesiras.
It is not positively known what the destination of this powerful fleet was; some accounts say Cadiz, others Brest. It is, however, certain that their admiral did not expect to meet more than ten or twelve sail of the line with Sir John Jervis, and that he anticipated an easy capture, and a triumphant entry into port with his prizes. His dismay may therefore be easily imagined at seeing the English fleet of fifteen sail of the line close to him, in excellent order of battle, while his own fleet was in such a scattered situation as to render it impossible to prevent his intrepid enemy from cutting off a group which had separated from the main body of his fleet, and which in vain attempted to rejoin by crowding all sail.
As it is not our intention to enter into the particulars of this memorable battle, excepting as regards the Orion, an extract from the admiral's despatch will be sufficient to show the bold and decisive step which he took on that occasion, and by which he succeeded in obtaining a most glorious victory over double his force.
Victory, Lagos Bay, 16th February 1797.
Sir,
The hope of falling in with the Spanish fleet, expressed in my letter to you of the 13th instant, was confirmed last night by distinctly hearing the report of their signal-guns, and by intelligence received from Captain Foote, of his Majesty's ship Niger, who had, with equal judgment and perseverance, kept company with them for several days, on my prescribed rendezvous, (which, from the strong S.E. wind, I had never been able to reach,) and that they were not more than the distance of three or four leagues from us.
I anxiously waited the dawn of day; when, being on the starboard tack, Cape St. Vincent bearing E.N.E. eight leagues, I had the satisfaction of seeing a number of ships extended from S.W. to S., the wind then W. by S. At forty-nine minutes past ten, the weather being extremely hazy, La Bonne Citoyenne made the signal that the ships seen were of the line, twenty-five in number.
His Majesty's squadron under my command, consisting of fifteen ships of the line, happily formed in the most compact order of sailing in two lines. By carrying a press of sail, I was fortunate in getting in with the enemy's fleet at half-past eleven, before it had time to collect and form a regular order of battle. Such a moment was not to be lost; and, confident in the skill, valour, and discipline of the officers and men I had the happiness to command, and judging that the honour of his Majesty's arms, and the circumstances of the war in these seas, required a considerable degree of enterprise, I felt myself justified in departing from the regular system; and, passing through their fleet in a line formed with the utmost celerity, tacked, and thereby separated one-third from the main body. After a partial cannonade, which prevented their rejunction till the evening, and by the very great exertions of the ships which had the good fortune to arrive up with the enemy on the larboard tack, the ships named in the margin11 were captured, and the action ceased about five o'clock.
That the Orion was one of those ships which distinguished themselves will best appear from the private letter of her brave commander to his brother, written only the day after the action; a circumstance which cannot but give such a communication a value far superior to a more elaborate composition. The log also of his ship, written at the time by the master, to which we have had access, completely accords with the facts so clearly stated in the letter.
Orion, Lagos Bay, 15th February 1797.
My dear Richard,
You will be happy to receive an account from me of the important victory obtained by our squadron over the Spanish fleet, consisting of nearly double our force. The Admiral having received previous information of their sailing from Carthagena, and of their cruising off the entrance of the Straits, gave us timely notice of the intelligence by the signal to prepare for battle.
Early on Tuesday morning, the weather being hazy, with light winds, the frigates on the look-out made the signal for discovering the enemy, and soon after we discerned several ships to leeward, and the body of the fleet to windward. We were then on the starboard tack, standing to the southward. The signal was made to different ships to chase; and, shortly after, for the fleet to form in line of battle as most convenient. The enemy at this time were bearing down to join their ships to leeward; but we came upon them so fast, that, before they could effect the junction, the headmost ships, which were the Culloden, Prince George, Orion, Blenheim, and Colossus, with the Victory and the rest coming up, it was effectually prevented. They then hauled their wind on the larboard tack, and our Admiral made the signal for the fleet to tack. Our sternmost ships then became the headmost.
Commodore Nelson, who had joined from Elba the day before, shifted his pendant to the Captain, the leading ship, and distinguished himself most eminently. The Culloden, Blenheim, Prince George, and Orion, were the next that came up, and were warmly engaged for nearly three hours with the body of the enemy's fleet, who had not had the time, or address, to form into any order. But it is only doing them justice to say, they defended themselves very bravely.
We were, for above an hour, opposed to a three-decker, the Salvador del Mundo, which finally struck to this ship; we lowered the boat from the stern, and gave orders to Mr. Luce, the first lieutenant, to take possession of her; still making sail for the other ships, and following Admiral Parker in the Prince George. The Excellent, which had passed us to windward, had made a line-of-battle ship, the San Domingo, strike some time before this.
Several ships of the enemy were extremely shattered in their masts and sails; but, keeping up a warm fire on their ships, the Captain laid one of them, the San Nicolas, an eighty-four, on board, and hauled down her colours. A three-decker, the San Josef, wishing, I believe, to rescue the ship, got on board of her, and gave Commodore Nelson an opportunity of also hauling down her colours. His bravery on this occasion is above all praise.
The Namur and other ships had by this time joined the van, and engaged as they came up. I stood for a three-decker, which, after engaging some time, struck her colours: she first had showed a white flag, which, though I concluded to indicate a truce, was not satisfactory to myself, and we continued firing till they hoisted an English flag over the Spanish, on which we ceased firing.
The enemy's ships, many of which had not been in action, at this time came up and were forming to windward. The Admiral made the signal to wear and come to the wind on the starboard tack; wishing, I believe, to keep his squadron collected near the prizes, as well as the Captain, that was much disabled, besides the Colossus, which ship very unfortunately lost her fore-yard very early in the action. This ill-timed, but doubtless necessary manœuvre, lost us the additional triumph of having the Purissima Concepcion, to grace the ships already in our possession, and I experienced the regret of again seeing her resume the Spanish colours.
I have here related to you facts as they really occurred, and I believe all my officers will vouch for the authenticity of this account. I am happy to acquaint you that we have providentially lost no man in the action; eight only wounded, all doing well; amongst which number is Mr. Mansell, from a contusion in his right shoulder by splinter. Our main and mizen top-masts are alone disabled, and the hull has not suffered materially. All the officers, and every man individually, behaved as nobly as I have ever witnessed; and you know it is not the first action in which I have seen courage excited.
This is copied from the letter I write to my brother. My amanuensis is a gentleman who acted as my aide-de-camp, and I beg you will acquaint his good father that he acquitted himself highly to my satisfaction, and showed himself deserving the stock from which he sprung. I truly hope in due time to have the opportunity of advancing a young man of his merit.
In case I have not time to write to my brother, as the above has been copied only from the scraps of the letter I intended writing, send him this letter, stating my great hurry and the pressure of service at this crisis.
Adieu! nothing can equal my impatience to hear from you, and to receive good accounts of my sister.
I am truly, most affectionately yours,Jas. Saumarez.Lagos Bay, 17th February 1797.
The principal cause of my present haste is my anxiety attending the care of the San Josef, which we have in tow, and which has delayed us more than I can express, these twenty-four hours.
N.B. I since have found it was the Santissima Trinidada, and not the Concepcion, that struck, but afterwards got off. And the St. Ysidro, 74 guns, and not the Santa Domingo, that is captured. The Santissima Trinidada is reported to be off here by one of our frigates.
The enemy, however, passed Lagos Bay, leaving the prizes unmolested. As the further details, and Spanish account of this action, will be found in the Appendix, we shall proceed by giving the copies of the following letters.
Victory, Lagos Bay, 16th February 1797.
Sir,
No language I am possessed of can convey the high sense I entertain of the exemplary conduct of the flag-officers, captains, officers, seamen, marines, and soldiers embarked on board every ship of the squadron I have the honour to command, present at the vigorous and successful attack made upon the fleet of Spain on the 14th instant. The signal advantage obtained by his Majesty's arms on that day is entirely owing to their determined valour and discipline; and I request you will accept yourself, and give my thanks and approbation to those composing the crew of the ship under your command.
I am, sir,Your most humble servant,J. Jervis.
To Captain Sir James Saumarez, Orion.
In consequence of this glorious victory, obtained, under Providence, by the valour and discipline of the crews of his Majesty's ships on the 14th February 1797, the commander-in-chief was pleased to grant a free pardon to James Maloney, seaman, then under sentence of death for repeated desertion from H.M.S. Speedy, which was communicated in the most impressive manner to the fleet.
We cannot but remark that, in the various accounts of this action, justice has been but barely done to the commander of the Orion, who is only mentioned as one of the six captains who prevented the junction of the enemy's separated squadron. If any act of heroism displayed on that occasion was designed to be particularly recorded in the public despatches, surely the fact that the Orion was the last ship that engaged and took possession of the Salvador del Mundo, and then made the Santissima Trinidada strike her colours and hoist the English flag over the Spanish, deserves a place. For these achievements we have the undoubted testimonies, not only of the gallant commander and the officers of the ship, viz. Sir John Savage, Captains Tancock and Mansell, but also that of one of the officers of the Spanish ship who was on board at the time, and who added, that "we did not surrender until all further defence was hopeless." The Orion could not send a boat to her, because she had already taken possession of the Salvador, on board which ship she had sent her first lieutenant and as many men as she could spare, and also because she had no boat that could swim: but this, it appeared, raised some doubts on the subject; and on a subsequent occasion, when the captains met on board the Victory, Commodore Nelson said, "It was true, Saumarez, that the Santissima struck to you; the Spanish officers have acknowledged it." Sir James, supposing from the manner in which this was spoken that Nelson had doubted the truth of his report, answered rather sharply, "Who ever doubted it, sir? I hope there is no need for such evidence to establish the truth of the report of a British officer."
Lieutenant Luce's description of the state he found the Salvador in was appalling in the extreme.—There were more than fifty lying on the decks with wounds requiring amputation. In many instances the Spanish surgeon, after having separated the limb, omitted to tie up the arteries; consequently, on removing the tourniquet, the victim in a few minutes bled to death: and the English sailors, who at length stopped his merciless hand, were with difficulty prevented from throwing him overboard with those he had butchered.
Lieutenant Luce was one of the officers promoted, in consequence of this battle, to the rank of master and commander.
The fleet now returned to Lisbon, where the conquerors were received with every demonstration of joy and gratitude. The English factory presented a congratulatory address; and at this place the thanks of both houses of parliament were communicated to them; and a third time to Sir James, as one of the most distinguished captains. At the same time he received from Earl Spencer and Lord Hugh Seymour the following handsome letters of congratulation:
Dear Sir,
I congratulate you most sincerely on your having been present at the most brilliant action which our naval history records, and on having had so distinguished a share in it.
I am, dear sir, with great truth,Your very obedient, humble servant,Admiralty, 8th March 1797. Spencer.
Sir James Saumarez.
My dear Sir James,
I congratulate you most heartily on your having had another opportunity of displaying your merit, and on the share which you bore in the most brilliant action that ever was achieved.
I hope that I need not assure you how much I have shared with your friends the satisfaction your conduct has given them; the reward for which, I hope, you will long enjoy in the approbation of the whole world, which is now bestowed upon you.
I am, my dear Sir James,Most truly and faithfully yours,H. Seymour.
Admiralty, March 10th, 1797.
Early in March the Orion was again ready for active service; and the following letter gives an account of the departure of Sir James Saumarez with Commodore Nelson on a cruize.
Orion, off the Tagus, 6th March 1797.
My dear Richard,
I had the pleasure of your letter by packet, and I have to tell you we are now actually under sail, with Commodore Nelson, in the Irresistible, the Leander, and some frigates, going to intercept several Spanish ships expected from Vera Cruz with rich cargoes. Be not surprised if, with our desperate commodore, you hear of our taking the whole Spanish fleet, should we fall in with them. Our cruise is expected to last only three weeks.
I hope on our return to receive letters from my friends, in reply to those I sent by the Lively. I shall thank you, when you see our friends in Walbrook, if you will mention to them that all my brother officers are extremely incensed at the opinion given by Sir William Scott on the case of the Kingston; and we hope he will have found reason to alter it. It is the circumstance, and not the value of the salvage, that has displeased us so much.
We are just going over the Bar, so I must conclude with my sincere and best wishes for health and every happiness to attend you, my dear sister and family,
I am ever, my dear Richard,Affectionately yours,Jas. Saumarez.
This short cruize was, however, an unsuccessful one; and the commodore had not yet an opportunity of displaying his valour. They returned to Lisbon, and found that their commander-in-chief had become Earl St. Vincent, and that Nelson had received the grand cross of the Bath; while Saumarez was among those on whom was bestowed a gold medal for their gallant conduct on Valentine's Day.
A reinforcement had now arrived from England; and the whole fleet, consisting of twenty-one sail of the line, resumed the blockade of Cadiz, where they arrived on the 2nd of April, and found there the whole Spanish fleet of twenty-six sail of the line. Sir Horatio Nelson, who at first commanded the advanced squadron, was ordered up to Elba; and Sir James, in the Orion, succeeded in his room; during which time the two Spanish frigates Nimfa and Elena were captured by the Irresistible, Captain Martin, who chased them by signal from the Orion. Sir James on this occasion sent a flag of truce, and entered into correspondence with the Spanish admiral Mazarredo; which, we need only add, completely succeeded, and met with the high approbation of the commander-in-chief, as will appear from the following extracts of letters from Earl St. Vincent to Saumarez.
Ville de Paris, 11th May 1797.
You approve yourself so able in the diplomatique, that you need no assistance from me: in truth, a better despatch could not have been penn'd than yours of yesterday to Don Joseph De Mazarredo.
13th May.
I very much admire your last letter to Mazarredo, as I have done all the former.
27th May.
I like your letter so much better than mine, of which I enclose a copy, that I desire you will send it on immediately.
Ville de Paris, 30th May 1797.
It is impossible for any man to have acquitted himself with greater ability than you have done during the time you commanded the blockade; for which I return you my best thanks. Your last letter to Mazarredo is a masterpiece; and you will perceive, by the enclosed copy of my letter to him, in answer to his comment on our suspicion about the seamen from Trinidad, that I profited by your hint relative to the prisoners landed at Lagos. Your lash on the destruction of the Spanish ships he bears with Spanish stoicism: nous verrons.
The following communication from Sir James Saumarez to the commander-in-chief will elucidate the foregoing extracts:
(Secret.)
Orion, 27th May, 1797.
Seeing the cutter on her way to the advanced squadron this morning, I waited to send the flag of truce till she joined. I had prepared the enclosed for Don Mazarredo, but was happy to find you had been pleased to take up the business. I therefore confined my letter solely to the certificates for the seven men taken in the two Spanish barks.—In a former letter, you were pleased to advert to a proposed descent when the troops joined from Gibraltar. I hope you will excuse the zeal that urges me to observe, that if possession was taken of Fort St. Mary, it would in a great degree leave us masters of the entrance of Cadiz, and enable us to drive all the outward ships up the harbour, and possibly destroy some of them. I am extremely obliged to you for permitting the Flora to remain with the advanced squadron, where she is of the greatest service.
I am with great respect, &c.James Saumarez.
The high opinion entertained by Nelson of the great talent and zeal of Saumarez, is evidenced in the following short, but characteristic epistle:
Theseus, June 9th 1797.
My dear Sir James,
Send, I beg, whatever you think fit towards San Lucar: all you do is right, and can hardly want my sanction. I hope your boats will be rewarded for their trouble; they take all the prizes for our squadron.
Horatio Nelson.
To Sir James Saumarez.
The following letter to his brother in London gives an interesting account of the proceedings of Sir James Saumarez.
Orion, off Cadiz, 26th May, 1797.
My Dear Richard,
I had the happiness to receive your kind letter of the 2nd yesterday, with several of nearly the same date, from Bath, and from our friends in the island. Having been near two months without hearing from you, and knowing you had been ill, you will readily suppose I was anxious for your letter. You will have heard from me by various opportunities since we sailed from the Tagus; my last acquainting you that I was entrusted with the command of the advanced squadron for effecting the blockade of Cadiz. We find, from different accounts, that the inhabitants feel great distress from the interruption of their trade, and begin to be in great want of provisions and other articles. We have detained a few neutrals laden with Spanish property, and two or three Spanish vessels; but as the whole fleet partake of them, they will not be very productive.
Sir Horatio, now Rear-admiral Nelson, joined the fleet yesterday, having left the troops he brought from Elba at Gibraltar. I know not whether he is to resume the command of the advanced squadron. All the fleet are anchored about five miles from us, and we lie between them and the entrance of Cadiz.
All private accounts from England agree with you in the prospect of peace; and they are corroborated by those we occasionally receive from Cadiz. It is certain that the Spaniards are extremely tired with the war; and they are apprehensive of insurrection amongst themselves. Mazarredo, who commands their fleet, went off for Madrid a fortnight ago, and, it is said, to represent the state of the fleet, and its insufficiency to cope with ours.
We understand Lord H. Seymour is off Cape St. Vincent, and that Admiral Frederick is on his way with five sail of the line. It looks as if ministers meant to back the negociation with all their force.
The Admiralty order respecting the increase of wages, &c. has been read to the different ships' companies; and I am happy to observe that in my ship no part of their conduct has hitherto shown the least appearance of discontent. It is much to be lamented that the disturbance which prevailed in the Channel fleet was not timely prevented, as the same spirit of disaffection may hereafter show itself when it may not be so easily suppressed.
We begin to want the luxuries, yet abound in the essentials of life,—having plenty of beef, mutton, fowls, &c. Seriously, I have not had above twelve men in the sicklist since I left Lisbon, and most of them slight complaints.
I want to hear that my sister has dreamt of another action,—or, what is still better, of galleons! It must be soon, or the approaching peace will oblige us to restore what we may capture. I am happy to hear from my brother Thomas that things go on prosperously at Guernsey, and that he does not fear the French, though the two regiments are taken from him.
Adieu, my dear Richard!Affectionately yours,Jas. Saumarez.
No part of the career of Sir James Saumarez is more deserving of admiration than his conduct on the unfortunate disaffection which took place in His Majesty's fleet; a calamity gently alluded to in the above letter. This circumstance, which must ever redound to his honour, was entirely owing to the high state of discipline of the crew in his own ship, and to their unalterable attachment to their commander, under whom the greatest part had served since the commencement of the war. It was from a perfect knowledge of that loyalty of spirit in which he justly confided, that he consented to receive from the Prince George one of the worst of the mutineers in that ship, who was to have been tried for his life. The seasonable admonition which this man received from Sir James, and the attention paid to his situation and feelings, had the desired effect of working a complete change in his conduct, and from being one of the most hardened of the mutineers, he soon became one of the most loyal, as he was one of the bravest of English sailors. It was only three days after he came on board that the signal was made for a boat from each ship to attend the execution of three of the mutineers on board the Prince George; which Earl St. Vincent, by a well-timed decision, had ordered to take place very soon after the sentence, and while the in-shore squadron were actually engaged with the enemy. He directed, moreover, that this duty should be performed entirely by their own ship's crew.
Sir James availed himself of this trying occasion to work out the man's full conversion. Instead of sending him, as it is customary to send culprits, in the boats to witness the execution of his shipmates, he ordered him into his cabin, and having represented in the mildest and most feeling terms the heinousness of the crime which he was known to have committed, he assured him that it was his intention to spare him the anguish he must endure of beholding his late companions suffering the last penalty of the law for the very crime of which he had been guilty.
This well-timed exhortation had the desired effect. The penitent man fell on his knees, and with tears in his eyes acknowledged the heinousness of his offence, and expressed the strongest protestations of future loyalty, and of gratitude as well as attachment to his humane commander. What followed was most creditable to both. The man not only kept his word, but highly distinguished himself: at the battle of the Nile he was captain of a gun, and, after the action, was very instrumental, from his exertions and ability as carpenter's mate, in saving the Peuple Souverain, which struck to the Orion. Being one of those who took possession of the former ship, he was slung over the side, and successfully employed in stopping the shot-holes under water as the vessel rolled in the opposite direction;—a dangerous service, which requires much intrepidity and address.
