Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume I Part 13

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--

Guns.

100 Victory, Admiral Sir John Jervis.

Captain Robert Calder.

Captain George Grey.

Britannia, Vice-admiral Charles Thompson.

Captain Foley.

98 Barfleur, Vice-admiral Hon. W. Waldegrave.

Captain J.R. Dacres.

Prince George, Rear-admiral W. Parker.

Captain John Irwin.

Blenheim, Captain Thos. L. Frederick.

90 Namur, Captain James H. Whitshed.

74 Captain, Commodore Horatio Nelson.

Captain R.W. Miller.

Goliath, Captain Charles Knowles.

Excellent, Captain Cuthbert Collingwood.

Orion, Captain Sir James Saumarez.

Colossus, Captain Geo. Murray.

Egmont, Captain John Sutton.

Culloden, Captain Thomas Troubridge.

Irresistible, Captain Geo. Martin.

64 Diadem, Captain Geo. H. Towny.

38 Minerve, Captain Geo. c.o.c.kburn.

32 Lively, Captain Lord Garlies.

Niger, Captain Ed. Jas. Foote.

Southampton, Captain Jas. Macnamara.

Slps Bonne Citoyenne, Captain Chas. Lindsay.

Raven, Captain W. Prowse.

Cut. Fox, Lieutenant John Gibson.

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 c.o.c.kburn, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Nelson, (which was afterwards s.h.i.+fted 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 s.h.i.+ps; 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.

Guns.

130 Santissima Trinidada.

(four-decker).

112 Concepcion.

Conde de Regla.

Mexicano.

Principe de Asturias.

Salvador del Mundo.

San Josef.

80 Neptuno.

San Nicolas.

74 Atalante.

Bahama.

Conquistador.

Firme.

Glorioso.

Oriente.

Pelayo.

San Antonio.

San Domingo.

San Firmin.

San F'sco de Paula.

San Genaro.

San Ildefonso.

San Juan Nepomuceno.

San Pablo.

San Ysidro.

Soberano.

Terrible.

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 antic.i.p.ated 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 s.h.i.+p 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps seen were of the line, twenty-five in number.

His Majesty's squadron under my command, consisting of fifteen s.h.i.+ps 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 circ.u.mstances of the war in these seas, required a considerable degree of enterprise, I felt myself justified in departing from the regular system; and, pa.s.sing 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 s.h.i.+ps which had the good fortune to arrive up with the enemy on the larboard tack, the s.h.i.+ps named in the margin[11] were captured, and the action ceased about five o'clock.

[11] The San Josef, Salvador del Mundo, San Nicolas, and San Ysidro.

That the Orion was one of those s.h.i.+ps 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 circ.u.mstance which cannot but give such a communication a value far superior to a more elaborate composition. The log also of his s.h.i.+p, 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.