Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume II Part 4

Captain Darby and Captain Bertie.

Sir R. Barlow and Right Hon. Lord H. Paulet.

Captain Thompson and Captain Cartier.

Lieut.-colonel Grant, Lieut.-colonel Zouch, and Major Bury.

Music,--Cambrians.

Second division of Staff.

Captain Mouat and Mr. Wooden.

Mr. Consul Budd and Mr. F. Raleigh.

Lieutenant Crawford and Mr. Stones.

Dr. White and Dr. Vaughan.

Mr. Keys and Mr. J. Bolton.

Mr. Edward Bolton and Mr. Thomas Bolton.

Music,--Argyles.h.i.+re.

One hundred marines commanded by a captain.

Second division of the Officers of the squadron, eldest first.

Drums and fifes.

The grenadiers.

The regiments and corps will present arms, and the officers salute the King's commissioner as he comes on the right of each corps successively. The colours will also salute, and drums beat a march.

As soon as the grenadiers have pa.s.sed the royal marine artificers, the latter will form in two lines or four deep, and march in column in their rear; the 5th regiment will likewise fall in and march in the rear of the royal marine artificers; and each other corps will in succession fall in and march to the Grand Parade, where they will form in a semicircle, the centre of which will be the throne. The diameter will be occupied by the seamen royal artillery, grenadiers, and marines.

When the procession has arrived opposite to the centre of the Parade, it will move down towards the Royal Pavilion; the seamen marching to the right flank of the diameter, the marines to the left, and the guns to the left and right of the seamen and marines, and the grenadiers on the right and left of the Pavilion.

The music will play "See, the conquering hero comes!" until the procession arrives opposite to the Royal Pavilion, when they will play "Rule Britannia." As soon as the knight is seated, the music will play "G.o.d save the King;" and immediately after the ceremony, the grenadiers will fire a volley, followed by a salute of one round from the four field-pieces, which will be the signal for a salute, from the Sea-line Walls, of sixty-three guns, viz. twenty-one guns from the Saluting Battery, twenty-one from the South Bastion, and twenty-one from Jumper's Battery and those to the southward. Whilst the salute is firing, the troops will file off from the Parade, and return to their former position in the streets; and, after the salute, the procession will move back to the Convent.

In this manner the procession moved on to the Grand Parade, where, in front of the Royal Pavilion, a chair of state was raised on three steps, covered with crimson velvet and rich gold lace. Over the chair a canopy richly embroidered with gold, and a floor-cloth of the same. Before this chair, but on the right and left sides, two other chairs were placed, covered also with crimson velvet and gold lace; over these were two banners, with the arms of the commissioner upon the right, and of the knight elect on the left chair. The first division of the procession having drawn up on the right, the King's commissioner, the knight elect, the general officers, and their suite facing to the King's state, and the rear division halting and drawing up on the left side of the front of the Pavilion, the whole made three reverences to the King's state, the music playing. Then the ensigns of the order, and the commission, were laid on the table before the sovereign's state; at which time General O'Hara and Sir James Saumarez sat down in their respective chairs, the music playing "G.o.d save the King." The general officers and suite divided, falling back on each side to leave the front open to the King's chair. After a short pause, General O'Hara standing up, Sir James Saumarez also rising from his chair, they both advanced before the table; turned about, and made three reverences to the King's state.

General O'Hara then directed his secretary to read the King's commission. Sir James Saumarez's secretary attending with a riband, presented it to General O'Hara, who, as soon as the commission was read, received the riband, with which he invested Sir James Saumarez; making at the time the following short speech.

"It is most gratifying to me that, in obeying his Majesty's commands, I perform this highly honourable duty so near the scene of your heroic achievements, and before troops who were witnesses of your distinguished conduct and eminent valour."

To this, Sir James replied in a short complimentary speech suitable to the occasion.

After the salute, the commissioner and Sir James Saumarez stood up, and walked to the front of the Pavilion, made three reverences to the King's state, and the procession returned to the Convent.

The number and martial appearance of the troops; the mult.i.tude of spectators of both s.e.xes, and of all nations and countries, who crowded the surrounding heights, and the lower part of the mountain that overlooks the sands; the roar of the cannon from our batteries, and from the s.h.i.+pping in the bay; the presence of those brave seamen and marines, so worthy of the gallant chief under whose command they fought; but, above all, the proximity of Algeziras and the Straits, and the train of ideas awakened by the sight of those places where the new knight, but a few months before, had ent.i.tled himself to the honourable tokens of grat.i.tude now bestowed by his King and country; every circ.u.mstance contributed to render this scene one of the most solemn and most affecting that it may be the lot of men to behold.

Of the knight himself nothing needs be said in this garrison.

"Dans les murs, hors des murs; tout parle de sa gloire."

_Corneille._

The following irregular stanzas on the occasion were written extempore by an officer of the royal navy.

Ye valiant martial bands, all hail!

Britannia's sons, renowned in arms; Dreadful in war when foes a.s.sail, Rejoiced when peace resumes her charms:

Salute th' auspicious day with warlike strains, Which thus a King's munificence displays; When Saumarez his just reward obtains,-- Unfading laurels, and unenvied praise!

And thou, oh vet'ran, not unknown to fame!

Thou chief, well chosen to confer the meed!

Be thine the honour of a spotless name, And thine the conscience of each virtuous deed!

Long may'st thou live to share thy sov'reign's smiles, Whom Heav'n preserve to bless his subject isles!

The salutes from the batteries being returned, the ceremonies ended and other festivities commenced.

Sir Charles Morice Pole being informed by the governor of Cadiz that the preliminary treaties of peace had been acceded to by Spain, and that hostilities had ceased between the two nations, proceeded to England on the 11th of November, leaving the chief command to Sir James Saumarez; who, pursuant to orders, proceeded to Gibraltar Bay with the following s.h.i.+ps, Caesar, Dreadnought, Spencer, Vanguard, Defence, Bellona, Zealous, Warrior, Trial, Powerful, and St. George; which, besides the four s.h.i.+ps belonging to the squadron of Sir John Warren, were present on this occasion. This formidable squadron having been replenished with provisions, remained at Gibraltar for further orders.

On the 27th of November, Lieutenant Wooldridge, of the hired armed brig Pasley, arrived with her prize the Spanish privateer Rosario, which he captured, after a gallant action, on the 30th October, in which the former had four killed and six wounded, while the latter had twenty-one killed and thirteen wounded, in a crew of ninety-four men,--forty more than the Pasley. Lieutenant Wooldridge, who so gallantly concluded the hostilities on this station, was, at the recommendation of Sir James, promoted to the rank of commander.

The next arrival from England brought the gratifying intelligence that the thanks of both Houses of Parliament had been unanimously voted to Sir James, and the captains, officers, and crews of his squadron. The following account is rendered more interesting by the part taken on this occasion by his late Majesty, then Duke of Clarence, Earl St.

Vincent, and Viscount Nelson, in the House of Lords, and by Mr. Pitt in the House of Commons.

_30th October 1801.--House of Lords._

The First Lord of the Admiralty (_Earl St. Vincent_) rose to move the thanks of the House to Admiral Sir James Saumarez for his gallant and spirited conduct in his late actions with the united fleets of France and Spain, in which he had destroyed two Spanish men-of-war and taken a s.h.i.+p belonging to France.

His lords.h.i.+p, with much feeling, stated the particulars of the engagement in the Bay of Algeziras, in which, notwithstanding the loss of one of his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps, owing to a matter which Sir James could not prevent, that meritorious officer displayed the most dauntless courage and energy: that in the first engagement the fleet of Sir James was much crippled and disabled; but that, nevertheless, he made such wonderful exertions to repair his damages, that he was soon afterwards enabled to pursue the French and Spanish fleets, and to engage them with the most decisive success, although greatly his superiors in numbers and weight of metal. The gallant achievement, he declared, surpa.s.sed everything he had met with in his reading or service; and when the news of it arrived, the whole Board, at which he had the honour to preside, were struck with astonishment to find that Sir James Saumarez, in so very short a time after the affair of the Bay of Algeziras, had been able, with a few s.h.i.+ps only, and one of them disabled, especially his own, to come up with the enemy, and, with unparalleled bravery, to attack them, and obtain a victory highly honourable to himself, and essentially conducive to the national glory.

His lords.h.i.+p said, the merit of the brave Admiral spoke so strongly for itself, that it would be unnecessary for him to take up more of their lords.h.i.+ps' time respecting it. He should also move the thanks of the House to the captains who served under Sir James; but he could not forbear to give his highest applause to the captains whose conduct was so gallant and successful on that day. There was no invidious distinction in this. Every captain on that service, he was persuaded, would have done his duty in the same signal manner had he been fortunate enough to get into action. But it was not less his duty to notice the conduct of these gallant officers, on whom the fortune of the day fell, and who contributed to make the event so glorious by their conduct. Lord St. Vincent then formally moved the thanks of the House to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

_Lord Viscount Nelson_ immediately rose to support the character and conduct of Sir James Saumarez, on which his n.o.ble friend had just expressed himself in such handsome terms.

He said he was under particular obligations to that gallant officer, who had been second in command under him in one of his most important and successful engagements; that in the action in Algeziras Bay he was persuaded Sir James would have achieved his object, and carried the enemy's s.h.i.+ps into Gibraltar, but for the failure of the wind; an accident which the Admiral could not prevent, and which enabled the enemy to haul their s.h.i.+ps so close within the sh.o.r.e as to defeat his purpose.

Nothing dismayed or dispirited, however, with the unfortunate event of that attempt, Sir James made wonderful exertions to put his few s.h.i.+ps into a condition to sail after a fleet of the enemy and to attack them, though their fleet consisted of ten s.h.i.+ps, and Sir James had but five, and his own s.h.i.+p greatly disabled. The glorious result their lords.h.i.+ps well knew. But he was not surprised at the matchless intrepidity and skill of his gallant friend when he considered the professional school in which he had been bred, viz. the late Lord Howe, Lord Hood, Lord Bridport, and his n.o.ble friend the n.o.ble earl who sat next him. (Earl St. Vincent, feeling the full force of the compliment, made the n.o.ble and gallant lord a very low bow.) From such masters he could not but have learned everything that was courageous, spirited, and magnanimous. His lords.h.i.+p added some further panegyrics; and, after apologising to the House for having intruded on the time of their lords.h.i.+ps, concluded by saying it was with the greatest satisfaction he voted for the thanks of the House to that meritorious officer.

_Earl St. Vincent_ next moved the thanks of the House be given to Captains Hood and Keats, and such of the officers as princ.i.p.ally distinguished themselves in the two engagements in the Bay of Algeziras and off Gibraltar. The _Duke of Clarence_ rose, and said he should have given his testimony in an ample manner, both of the gallant officer Sir James Saumarez, and the captains who had the good fortune to be in the action, if the n.o.ble lord at the head of the Admiralty and the hero of the Nile had not been present to do them greater justice than his praise could afford. He could not, however, give a silent a.s.sent to the motion. He rose now, as a professional man, to express his entire concurrence with every syllable that had fallen from his two n.o.ble friends in commendation of the gallant Sir James Saumarez, and to declare the satisfaction he felt in the thanks of the House being voted, to those brave officers Captain Hood and Captain Keats, for their distinguished conduct in the two engagements. They were both as deserving officers as any in his Majesty's service; but he could speak more particularly to the merit of Captain Keats, having served under him for four years and a half during a former war as mids.h.i.+pman in the same watch. He was persuaded, whenever the country should be engaged in another war, Captain Keats would eminently distinguish himself.

The motion was agreed to, _nemine dissentiente_; as were likewise two other motions, made of course in applause of the men serving in the fleet of Sir James Saumarez, and to request that gallant Admiral to communicate the sense the House entertained of the other officers, seamen, and marines.

In the House of Commons Mr. Pitt said he would make a motion in which he was sure he was antic.i.p.ated by the expectations of the House and of the public: it was for the thanks of the House to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez. On the merits of the gallant Admiral, and those who served under him, there could, he was sure, be no difference of opinion. He was equally sure that there was no difference of opinion respecting the merit of Sir James Saumarez in the attack which he made upon the French squadron in Algeziras Bay a few days previously to the signal advantage which he obtained over the combined squadrons of France and Spain, and for which he would now, he trusted, receive the thanks of the House. It was impossible for him, in making this motion, not to advert to the attack, in which the zeal and ability of the commander, and the spirit and intrepidity of the officers who served under him, were so eminently displayed. That attack failed; but the failure was owing, as Sir James Saumarez stated, to the failure of the wind and a sudden calm which came on. It was the misfortune of the gallant Admiral on that day to lose one of the s.h.i.+ps under his command; but the officers and crew of that s.h.i.+p defended her until they had lost half their numbers. Sir James Saumarez was not disheartened, as must always be the case with men of true courage and vigour. He waited for an opportunity to make amends for his failure; that opportunity offered; and he availed himself in a manner worthy of him who had been the companion of, and sharer in the glory of, Lords St. Vincent and Nelson on the 14th of February and in the Bay of Aboukir. These events were still so fresh in the memory of every man that it would be unnecessary for him to enlarge on them. He should therefore conclude with moving

That the thanks of the House be given to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. and Knight of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, for his alacrity and zeal in pursuing, and for his able and gallant conduct in the successful attack on, the combined squadrons of the enemy in the Straits of Gibraltar on the 12th and 13th days of July last, by the squadron under his command.

In like manner the thanks of the House were voted to the captains, officers, seamen, and marines, _nemine contradicente_; as also that the Rear-admiral should communicate the same, and that the Speaker do send the resolutions to Sir James Saumarez.

The thanks of the House of Lords were conveyed to Sir James in the following letter from the Lord Chancellor, dated 30th October 1801:

SIR,

I have the honour to obey the commands of the House of Lords in transmitting the enclosed resolutions.

In communicating these resolutions, whilst I obey their lords.h.i.+ps' orders, I cannot but feel most highly gratified by the opportunity which the discharge of this duty affords me of expressing to a person to whom the country is so deeply indebted the personal interest and veneration with which I have the honour to be, &c.

ELDON, C.

To which Sir James returned the following answer:

Caesar, Gibraltar, 6th January 1802.