Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume I Part 5

Given under our hands, this 18th day of July 1793.

CHATHAM, J. SMYTH, CHs. S. PYBUS.

To James Saumarez, Esq. &c.

By command of their lords.h.i.+ps.

P. STEPHENS.

Captain Saumarez received at the same time information of the number of s.h.i.+ps expected from the different islands in both the convoys, took the Concorde and Thames under his command, and sailed from Spithead on the 26th of July 1793.

Next to the command of a fleet, that of a squadron of frigates was at this period of the war considered the most important, and it could not but be highly gratifying to Captain Saumarez to find himself selected again for such a desirable command; but Fortune did not favour his little detachment. The convoys, which they had been sent to look out for and protect, had arrived safely at the respective ports before the squadron reached their destination, and they continued to cruise in vain within the prescribed limits of their station, till at length they were a.s.sailed by a tremendous gale from the south-east on the 17th of August, in which the Concorde parted company, the Thames lost her bowsprit and bore up for England, while the Crescent sprung her main-yard, and by a sudden s.h.i.+ft of wind to the northward carried away her main-top-mast, and, her orders for returning into port having expired, she arrived at Spithead after an unsuccessful cruise.

The Crescent had not been in dock since the year 1785, and required much refitting: Captain Saumarez, therefore, on reporting his arrival to the Secretary of the Admiralty, sent also a statement of the s.h.i.+p's defects; in consequence of which, an order was sent for her to be docked at Portsmouth, and refitted for Channel service, while one hundred of her crew were lent to the Vanguard. As this process required a considerable time, Captain Saumarez sent for his family; and, having taken apartments at Ryde, had a few weeks of enjoyment in their society, and of relaxation from the arduous duties of his profession. The Crescent was received into dock on the 25th August, and was again fit for sea on the 10th October, when he received orders to hold himself ready to proceed at a moment's notice.

CHAPTER VI.

1793.

Crescent refitted.--Sails for the Channel Islands.--Falls in with the French frigate La Reunion.--Particular account of the action.--Letters from Captain Saumarez to his brother.--Brings his prize to Portsmouth.--Official letters.--Letters from various persons.--s.h.i.+p refitting.--Captain Saumarez obtains leave of absence.--Is knighted for his gallant conduct.

The Crescent being now ready for sea, but with thirteen men short of her complement, Captain Saumarez applied to have the number filled up, as her masts and yards were of the same dimensions as those of a frigate of thirty-eight guns; he also requested such increase as the Lords of the Admiralty thought proper: but these applications were unsuccessful, and on the 10th of October he received orders from Sir Peter Parker, the port-admiral, to "hold himself in constant readiness to put to sea at a moment's warning;" and it was not long before the following order was received from the Admiralty.

By the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral, &c.

You are hereby required and directed to proceed in the s.h.i.+p under your command, without a moment's loss of time, to the islands of Guernsey and Jersey; and so soon as you shall have delivered the pacquets you will herewith receive, addressed to the commanding officers of his Majesty's troops serving in these islands, you are to repair with the said s.h.i.+p off St. Maloes, and use your best endeavours to obtain such information of the enemy's forces there, as circ.u.mstances will admit.

Having so done, you are to return with the said s.h.i.+p with all possible despatch, for further orders, transmitting to our secretary, for our information, by post-office express, an account of your arrival and proceedings.

Given under our hands, this 18th October 1793, A. GARDNER.

J. SMYTH.

P. AFFLECK.

To Captain Saumarez, R.N.

For several days previously to the 19th, it had been reported that a French frigate usually quitted the port of Cherbourg at night, and returned next morning with what prizes she had picked up: this, together with the information that an armament was preparing for the invasion of Jersey, caused Captain Saumarez to make extraordinary exertions to get to sea; and, although the wind was light, he fortunately succeeded in getting round St. Helens before night. Early on the morning, on the 20th, he was close to the light-house off Cape Barfleur.

ACTION BETWEEN THE CRESCENT AND REUNION.

This gallant action, which we are now about to describe, having been misrepresented in every account yet published, we have, in order to make the circ.u.mstances attending it more easily understood, ill.u.s.trated the positions by a diagram, showing the masterly manoeuvre performed by the Crescent, and the relative situation of the s.h.i.+ps at the commencement and the end of the conflict. The engraving shows the state and situation of the two s.h.i.+ps at the time the Reunion surrendered.

During the night, the wind had been so far to the westward as to enable the Crescent to fetch Cape Barfleur, while the Reunion, which left Cherbourg in the evening, stood to the northward, in hopes of meeting with merchant-s.h.i.+ps coming up Channel. The two frigates, therefore, must have crossed each other at no great distance; but the wind having changed towards the south about daylight, and the French frigate being unable to fetch back to Cherbourg, broke off with her head to the eastward, while the Crescent, by coming up on the opposite tack, was enabled to weather and get in sh.o.r.e of the enemy.

Shortly after day-break Captain Saumarez saw two sail standing on the starboard tack towards the Crescent, and it appears that they had approached her within two miles before they discovered themselves to be under the lee of an English frigate: they then tacked and made all sail, either for the purpose of trying to escape, or to approach nearer to Cherbourg, that they might have the a.s.sistance of their consort then in the harbour with her sails hoisted up. It was soon evident that the Crescent, now "clean out of dock," had the advantage in sailing; and, by half-past ten, Captain Saumarez, by edging down, took his position on the enemy's larboard quarter within pistol-shot, when the action began.

Captain John Tanc.o.c.k, who was then a mids.h.i.+pman stationed on the main-deck, says that the men had directions to fire at the rudder of their opponent, which was very soon disabled, while the main-topsail-yard and fore-yard were both shot away. The enemy fired so high that scarcely any shot struck the hull of the Crescent; but, consequently, her fore-topsail-yard, and soon afterwards her fore-top-mast, fell over the starboard gangway. Hitherto the s.h.i.+p had been kept in her first position by backing and filling the mizen-topsail, but now she came to, and eventually _came round_: but Captain Saumarez, whose presence of mind never forsook him, brailed up the mizen, and, by keeping all the square-sails aback, gave the s.h.i.+p a _stern-board_; at the same time, by keeping the _helm up_, she wore round on her heel, obtaining a position under the stern and on the starboard quarter, while the enemy was lying with his yards square and totally unmanageable. This manoeuvre is shown in the diagram, to which an explanation is added.

Ill.u.s.tration:

C. The Crescent. R. The Reunion. 1. Commencement of the action. 2. The Crescent's track in wearing on her heel. 3. The position when the Reunion struck.

In pa.s.sing under the enemy's stern, it was observed that his colours had been shot away, and, supposing he had struck, the firing ceased; but, on coming round on the starboard quarter, the enemy again opened his fire. The Crescent, having now got her larboard guns to bear, returned his broadside with such effect, that at twenty minutes past noon the officers of the Reunion waved their hats and flags to indicate that they had surrendered. The engraving represents the situation of the two s.h.i.+ps at this moment; and Captain Sir Thomas Mansel, who was then a mids.h.i.+pman, declares it to be correct.

The combat now ceased, and the prize was taken possession of by Lieutenant (now Admiral) Sir George Parker, who received the usual order to carry her into port. The French captain being sent on board the Crescent, they began to remove the prisoners and repair damages.

When the action began, a s.h.i.+p had been seen under the land to the eastward, about four leagues distant; this was supposed to be an enemy: but it turned out to be the Circe, Captain Yorke, who joined four hours after the action, and took part of the prisoners. In the mean time the cutter made off towards Cherbourg, out of which harbour the wind and adverse tide prevented the other frigate, said to be La Semillante, from getting to a.s.sist the Reunion.

The following very concise official letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty from Captain Saumarez, supplies the rest of the detail.

Crescent, off Cherbourg, 20th October 1793.

SIR,

I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that this morning, being off Cape Barfleur in his Majesty's s.h.i.+p Crescent, under my command, I fell in with a French frigate, which, after a close action of two hours and ten minutes, struck to his Majesty's colours: she proved to be the Reunion, mounting thirty-six guns, and manned with three hundred and twenty men.

I am singularly happy in being able to inform their lords.h.i.+ps that she has been obtained without the loss of a single man, or even any wounded, although her own loss has been very considerable indeed, having, as the prisoners informed me, one hundred and twenty killed and wounded.

I must beg leave to render the most ample justice to the officers and s.h.i.+p's company of the Crescent, for their cool and steady behaviour during the action; and I take this opportunity to recommend to their lords.h.i.+ps' notice the three lieutenants, Messrs. Parker, Otter, and Rye: their conduct has afforded me the utmost satisfaction.

I have the honour to be, With the greatest respect, sir, Your most obedient and very humble servant, JAMES SAUMAREZ.

To Philip Stephens, Esq. Admiralty.

P.S.--The Reunion was accompanied by a cutter, which did not attempt to come into action, but made for Cherbourg.

Captain Saumarez was now on his pa.s.sage to Portsmouth, where he had left his wife and infant children only two days before, in pursuit of an implacable enemy known to be not many leagues distant! It was the first battle he had fought since he became a husband and a father; and his feelings, as he returned triumphantly to the bosom of his family, can be easier imagined than described.

The anxiety and excitement inseparable from the day of battle had subsided, the prisoners had been removed, the captive Frenchmen with whom he had been sympathizing had retired, and he was at length left alone to meditate on that remarkable dispensation of Divine favour which had been so fully and especially manifested towards him: he had gloriously wrested from an enemy, fighting under the proud banner of liberty, a s.h.i.+p equal to his own in weight of metal and superior by seventy men in numbers, after a furious contest of above two hours, without a man being hurt by his opponent, who lost one hundred and twenty men killed and wounded: a fact unparalleled in the page of history. With the generality of mankind, such circ.u.mstances were well calculated to raise feelings of proud exultation; but these were never cherished in the breast of Saumarez. Having done all in his power to soothe the affliction of his vanquished enemy, his first impulse was to offer up his thanksgivings and acknowledgments to the great GIVER of all victory, and to implore that his mind might not be too highly elevated by his glorious success. After despatching his unpresuming letter to the Admiralty, which has been already given, he wrote to his brother, in London, the following letter:

Crescent, 21st Oct. 1793.

MY DEAR RICHARD,

You will rejoice with me at the success that has attended our short cruise. On Sat.u.r.day evening we sailed from Spithead; and the next morning, being about three leagues from Cape Barfleur, we saw two sail standing towards us from under Cherbourg, which I soon discovered to be a French frigate and a cutter. We were on the larboard tack with the wind off sh.o.r.e; I was happy in being able to keep between them and the land. When about two miles from us, the frigate tacked with all her sail set, and the cutter made sail to windward: we edged down to her, and at a cable's distance, at half-past ten, began the action, which continued with scarcely any intermission two hours and ten minutes.

Both s.h.i.+ps were soon cut up in their sails and rigging, our fore-topsail yard being shot away, and soon after the fore-top-mast; the s.h.i.+p came to, and wearing on the other tack, gave us an opportunity to fire our guns, which were so well served that the French s.h.i.+p soon became unmanageable, and enabled us to rake her fore and aft; in which situation she struck her colours. I must observe that they had been before shot away, and, imagining she had struck, I gave orders to cease firing; she, however, soon relieved us of our suspense by giving us her broadside: we were so well prepared, and kept up so good a fire, that in a short time after they waved their colours and made signs from the gunwale with their hats that they had struck.

I immediately sent Mr. Parker to take possession of the s.h.i.+p, and send the first and second captains on board the Crescent.

They informed me that the s.h.i.+p they had surrendered was La Reunion, mounting thirty-six guns and three hundred and twenty-one men. When we came into action, another frigate was in sight to the eastward, which we took to be her consort; we therefore lost no time to exchange prisoners, and repair our damages, in the best manner we could: she, however, proved to be the Circe, and joined us four hours after the action ceased.

The circ.u.mstance that has made me most happy from this engagement is, that we have not had a single person hurt by the enemy, and but one man injured, who had his leg fractured by the recoil of a gun. There being little wind the sea was perfectly calm; and I had the satisfaction to observe that most of our shot were perfectly well directed. The enemy's frigate is indeed most sadly a wreck, thirty-four men killed and eighty-four wounded, many of them mortally; one officer only has suffered, being badly wounded. She was commanded by Citizen Denain, capitaine de vaisseau, to whose obstinacy they ascribe the sacrifice of many lives.

It is unnecessary for me to observe, my dear Richard, the great happiness I derive from the consciousness that this event will afford you and all our friends particular satisfaction. My dear Martha, too,--I scarcely know how I shall disclose the circ.u.mstance to her; it embarra.s.ses me as much as if it were a mournful subject. One observation is inc.u.mbent on me to make, namely, that Captain Yorke used every possible exertion to join us sooner, and that he has most readily afforded us every a.s.sistance we required,

I now remain, your ever affectionate brother, JAS. SAUMAREZ.

Captain Saumarez had now realized his ardent desire for an opportunity of distinguis.h.i.+ng himself, such as was afforded to his gallant brother-officer of the Nymphe; and it is a singular coincidence that each should have written to his brother on the day of action, under similar circ.u.mstances of triumph and excitement. These interesting doc.u.ments seem to have decided the superiority of the British over the French navy, at the commencement of the French revolution, and in reference to that of Saumarez, we cannot but dwell with admiration on the humility and acuteness of feeling with which it is replete!