Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume I Part 28

I am glad the Caesar is in Cawsand Bay, because you will be the sooner informed of his Majesty's most gracious intentions towards you, in which I have greater pleasure than I can express, as you are to be placed at the head of a detached squadron destined for a very important service, at no great distance from home. I hope the Caesar will not be long in fitting up.

Yours most truly, ST. VINCENT.

To Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

Admiralty Office, 4th June 1801.

SIR,

I have received, and communicated to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, your letter to me of the 2nd instant, acquainting me, for their lords.h.i.+ps' information, of your arrival in H.M.S.

Caesar, in Cawsand Bay, in pursuance of orders from Admiral Cornwallis, a copy of which you have enclosed: and I have their lords.h.i.+ps' commands to signify their directions to you to use every exertion in completing the stores and provisions of the said s.h.i.+p, as also of the Spencer; and, having so done, remain with the said s.h.i.+ps in Cawsand Bay, in constant readiness to proceed on service, when you shall receive their lords.h.i.+ps'

orders for that purpose.

I am, sir, your obedient servant, EVAN NEPEAN.

To Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

The following is the reply to Earl St. Vincent's letter of the 4th June, dated

Caesar, Cawsand Bay, 6th June.

MY LORD,

Previously to receiving the honour of your lords.h.i.+p's letter, I had been informed by Earl Spencer of his Majesty's gracious intentions; and I beg to express my sincere acknowledgments for the part your lords.h.i.+p has taken in obtaining for me this mark of the royal favour.

I am much flattered by the communication your lords.h.i.+p has the goodness to make of having nominated me for the command of a squadron to be employed on a very particular service; and I beg your lords.h.i.+p will be a.s.sured of my most zealous exertions for the promotion of every part of it. I have the honour to be, &c.

JAS. SAUMAREZ.

To the Right Hon. Earl St. Vincent, &c.

On the 7th of June, Sir James received the following communication from the Lords of the Admiralty, which could not fail to afford him the highest gratification.

Most secret.

By the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c.

Whereas we have received information that a squadron consisting of five Spanish s.h.i.+ps of the line, which lately sailed from Ferrol, have arrived at Cadiz; and that great exertions are now making at the last-mentioned place for the equipment of a further naval force, for the purpose (it is alleged) of an attack upon Portugal; we send you herewith copies of the several letters containing the information mentioned: and do hereby direct you, on the arrival of the Hannibal, Audacious, and Thames, at Plymouth, to take them under your command, (their captains being directed to follow your orders,) as also the Spencer, and either the Juste, Pompee, or Courageux, now in Cawsand Bay, whichever may first be ready, and proceed with them and the Caesar, with as little delay as possible, off Cadiz, where you may expect to be joined by the Venerable and Superb, which s.h.i.+ps you are also to take under your command; and use your best endeavours to prevent the enemy's s.h.i.+ps at that port from putting to sea, or to take or destroy them should they sail from thence.

In the event of the enemy's squadron getting out of Cadiz undiscovered, either before or after your arrival off that place, you are to follow it, according to any well-grounded intelligence you may be able to obtain of it; but you are not to proceed in quest of it to any distant station, unless you should receive such information as shall leave no doubt of the certainty of the enemy's destination. If you should not be able to obtain any information of the enemy's squadron so as to enable you to follow it, you are in that case to repair with the s.h.i.+ps under your command off the Straits, and send into Tangier and Gibraltar, and, finding that it has proceeded up the Mediterranean, to follow it; but, not gaining any intelligence of it, you are to resume your station off Cadiz, and remain there until you shall receive some information whereby your proceedings may be regulated.

And whereas it has been represented to us that three Portuguese s.h.i.+ps of the line are now fitting out in the Tagus for the purpose of joining you and serving under your orders, you are, on the arrival of the said s.h.i.+ps, to take them under your command, and employ them in such manner as you may judge most advisable in carrying these, or any other orders you may receive from us or from Admiral Lord Keith, (under whose command you are to consider yourself,) into execution. And whereas we have directed Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley to order one of the hired brigs, and either a cutter or lugger, to follow your orders; you are to take the commanders of these vessels under your command, and, on your repairing to your station, you are to send one of them into the Tagus for the purpose of apprizing his Majesty's minister there of your situation, and for obtaining from him such intelligence as he may have to give you.

Whilst you remain on this service, you are to send occasionally to Lisbon for intelligence, and to keep a good look-out for any French squadron which may attempt either to join the Spanish s.h.i.+ps at Cadiz, or to pa.s.s through the Straits; and to use your best endeavours to intercept, and to take or destroy it, if the force you may have with you should be sufficient to enable you to do so; taking care to avoid it in time, if the enemy's force should be so superior to that under your command as to render it improper for you to attack it; in which case it is left to your discretion to act as circ.u.mstances shall require: using, however, every possible exertion to join the commander-in-chief of his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps in the Mediterranean, or to fall in with the same detachment of his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps; and, so soon as you shall have collected such a force as may be sufficient to enable you to attack the enemy's squadron, you are to proceed in quest of it, and, upon falling in with it, to bring it to action.

In case you should get sight of a French squadron, or should obtain certain information that such squadron has pa.s.sed the Straits, you are no longer to attend to the Spanish s.h.i.+ps in Cadiz, but to consider the capture or destruction of the French squadron as the princ.i.p.al object to which your exertions are to be directed; and, in the event of your following any squadron into the Mediterranean, you are to send an account thereof to our secretary, as well as to Admiral Lord Keith, with as little delay as possible; and you are also to transmit to him and the said admiral, by every proper opportunity that may offer, accounts of your proceedings, and of every information you may be able to obtain of the movements and intentions of the enemy.

Given under our hands, 6th day of June 1801.

ST. VINCENT.

T. TROUBRIDGE.

J. MARKHAM.

To Sir James Saumarez, Bart.

Rear-admiral of the Blue, Plymouth.

By command of their Lords.h.i.+ps, EVAN NEPEAN.

The following is the copy of information transmitted to Sir James with the above letter:

No. 1.

Dated Lisbon, 15th May 1801.

MY LORD,

It appears, from the report of an American captain arrived here from Bilboa, that a French corps had pa.s.sed within a few miles of that place, on their way to Vittoria, on the 21st and 22nd ultimo. It consisted in the whole of 7,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry, well armed and mounted; and had reached their place of encampment, supposed to be Burgos, according to the accounts which had arrived at Bilboa, on the 30th day, when the vessel sailed. It appeared evident that no other troops had pa.s.sed the frontier at that time, though it was uniformly reported that a body of no less than 22,000 men were collected at Bayonne.

The Spanish army on the south side of the Tagus, between Badajos and Alcantara, amounts to 21,000 men; of which 10,000 are encamped at Badajos, 8,000 at Albuquerque, and the remainder between Vincenti and Alcantara. The Prince of Peace was daily expected at head-quarters. His aides-de-camp were already arrived, and a train of 700 mules had been collected for the conveyance of his baggage. The French detachment was destined to join the army of Castile, which I already mentioned to your lords.h.i.+p has returned from its movements towards the northern provinces, and taken a position to the southward of Ciudad Rodrigo. Its numbers and distribution are not so accurately known, but it is stated to be equal to the army of Estremadura, with the addition of the French auxiliaries.

I have the honour to be, &c.

To Lord Hawkesbury.

J.M. FRERE.

No. 2.

MY LORD,

By intelligence which arrived from Cadiz, in date of the second of this month, it appears that there were in that port five Spanish s.h.i.+ps of the line, which had pushed out from Ferrol, conformably to the report which I mentioned to your lords.h.i.+p in my last despatch. There was at the same time (in Cadiz) an additional force of eight or ten sail preparing for sea; four of them of the line, and the remainder frigates. This equipment was however r.e.t.a.r.ded by the want of naval stores, particularly sailcloth and cables, which was occasioned by the late fire which has taken place in the a.r.s.enal, as well as by the total want of money, which was such that many of the officers were actually reduced to subsist on charity.

The informant, whose authority may be depended on, adds that a squadron from Brest was expected to join them. It was supposed that the whole armament would be directed against Portugal; and this supposition was not weakened by a report which was given out industriously that the object of the intended expedition was to make a landing on the coast of Barbary, in order to force the Emperor of Morocco to shut his ports against the English. The s.h.i.+ps from Ferrol have the French and Spanish colours united in the same flag. It was understood that the s.h.i.+ps now arming in Cadiz were to be commanded by French officers. They were victualled only for a very short voyage.

Respecting the danger to which this capital would be exposed by a _coup-de-main_, which might be attempted in spite of the batteries at the entrance of the river, as well as the possibility of effecting a landing a few miles off Cascaes, your lords.h.i.+p has at hand the means of information so much superior to any which I could presume to offer, or collect from professional persons here, that I shall only presume to solicit your lords.h.i.+p's attention to the consideration of this subject, and to the necessity which may arise out of it, for employing a naval force upon this station. Don Rodrigo has informed me that the three Portuguese s.h.i.+ps of the line, which I mentioned to your lords.h.i.+p as preparing for service, will be ready within three weeks to form a junction with any force which his Majesty might be pleased to detach, for the defence of Portugal; and that two more would be prepared to follow them within a short time after.

It appears by a letter from Viana, that the master of an English vessel, who had been captured on the 10th ultimo by Le Telegraph privateer, and carried into Corunna on the 23rd, had found there two large French frigates, which had arrived immediately before him in eight days from Cherbourg, laden with some ammunition, and destined (as they reported) for Cadiz. The master of Le Telegraph had avoided putting into any of his own ports from the apprehension of being detained, as it was reported that other privateers had been stopped, and stripped of their men, on account of a secret expedition which was fitting out in the French ports.

I have the honour to be, &c.

J.H. FRERE.

The Right Honourable Lord Hawkesbury, &c. &c. &c.

No. 3.

Intelligence arrived from General O'Hara, at Gibraltar.

Arrived by land the crew of the Fortune privateer, consisting of twelve men. They report that last Sat.u.r.day, between three and four P.M. they saw two three-deckers and three seventy-fours arrive at Cadiz from Ferrol; that the Santissima Trinidad, another Spanish three-decker, is completed and ready in that harbour; and that they are fitting out five other line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps at Cadiz, which have their lower-masts in; that, in order to man the said s.h.i.+ps, they are detaining all the crews of the French privateers; that those eleven s.h.i.+ps are to be commanded by French officers; and they say the five s.h.i.+ps in the Caraccas will soon be ready,--that they observed a number of seamen rigging them.--Gibraltar, 29th April 1801.

List of the armament fitting out at Cadiz.

Guns.