Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume II Part 24

His Britannic Majesty's s.h.i.+p Victory, in Wingo Sound, 6th June 1811.

Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez has the honour to signify to M.

General Baron Tawast that he has lost no time in transmitting to his Government the note his excellency has been pleased to address to him on the 4th inst. in reply to his letter of the 30th ultimo, remonstrating by order of his Government against the late measures pursued in Sweden upon the British property landed from the neutral vessels in the Swedish ports, and which Baron Tawast was requested to communicate to his Government.

Notwithstanding the reasons a.s.signed by Baron Tawast for wis.h.i.+ng to delay transmitting to Stockholm the remonstrance above mentioned, the Vice-admiral thinks it his indispensable duty (having received instructions from his Government to that effect) to request that it should be communicated either through the means of his Excellency Count Essen, or direct to the Ministers at Stockholm, according as Baron Tawast may judge most advisable; and the Vice-admiral hopes that the reply from the Swedish Government will be of a nature to convince England of the uprightness of its intentions in the proceedings adverted to, and that the amicable course hitherto pursued will meet with no further interruption.

The Vice-admiral requests Baron Tawast will receive the a.s.surance of his perfect consideration.

At the same time Sir James sent a detail of his proceedings to the Admiralty, with a disposition of the fleet, which was now prepared for the worst. He recommended that proper persons should be sent to Sweden for the purpose of making claims for the merchants and underwriters, and he also desired that bomb-vessels might be sent to him, which would show that his remonstrance was serious. By letters from Mr. Foy at Stockholm, and from Mr. Consul Fenwick at Helsingburg, Sir James learnt that the amount of property confiscated at Carlshamn amounted to 500,000_l._, about half of which was insured; that the measure of confiscation was very unpopular in Sweden, but that every one relied on his moderation and forbearance. From this time forward the situation of Sweden was extraordinary beyond precedent, as fully represented in the following extract of a letter which the Swedish Admiral Krusenstjerna subsequently wrote to the Author:

I know nothing, says he, of politics, but I find our situation very singular. Our _friends_ the French and Danes express their friends.h.i.+p to us with unremitted zeal in capturing and robbing from us our merchant vessels, whilst our _enemies_ the English let them pa.s.s unmolested from one port to another. We did not suffer by one hundred times as much from these two nations, the time we were at war against them, as we do now when they call themselves our friends and allies.

The Danes, not content with attacking s.h.i.+ps pa.s.sing through the Sound and Belt, had the audacity to send their privateers to the coast of Sweden, only eight leagues to the southward of Wingo, where the Victory was at anchor. Information being given of their position, a small one was surprised and taken without resistance by two of the Victory's boats under Lieutenants Ross and Brenton. In September, accounts were obtained that two of superior force had taken a position among the small islands ten leagues to the southward of Gothenburg, when Lieut. D.L. St. Clair and Mr. E. Purcell, mids.h.i.+pman, were detached from the Victory in search of them. The Danes, not calculating on the prowess of British officers and men, left their vessels in a small creek, probably as a decoy, landed their guns, and planted them on an eminence which commanded them, and on the approach of the Victory's boats had promised themselves the capture of a part of the crew and the boats of the English commander-in-chief. But Lieutenant St. Clair, to the astonishment of the enemy, pushed directly for the battery, and ascending the hill gallantly stormed and carried it at the point of the sword, the Danes having fled on the approach of the a.s.sailants. Few prisoners were made, but both privateers were taken and carried to the Victory on the following morning.

Sir James duly appreciated the bravery of these officers, and having represented their gallant conduct to the Lords of the Admiralty, Lieut. St. Clair was promoted to the rank of commander, and subsequently employed in the Baltic and coast of Spain. Mr. Purcell, who had particularly distinguished himself, was made Lieutenant, and is now a Captain of the Royal Navy.

Sir James's remonstrances had at length the desired effect. After several confidential interviews which the Author had with Count Rosen, it was agreed that the Count should come privately on board the Victory, to explain everything to the commander-in-chief, which he did on the 25th of June. The following letter to Mr. Yorke will show the happy result of Sir James's wise conduct and well-timed firmness in this important crisis.

Victory, Wingo Sound, 26th June 1811.

DEAR SIR,

If I could have had any further doubts upon my mind relative to the sincerity of the intentions of this Government, they have been perfectly removed by the conversation I had yesterday with Count Rosen, who came on board the Victory, by desire of the Crown Prince, in consequence of my remonstrance upon the affair at Carlshamn, as will appear by my public letter. Count Rosen a.s.sured me that it was the earnest desire of the Crown Prince to render Sweden independent of France whenever he could do so consistent with her security, but they are so apprehensive that, in the event of the difference between Russia and France being settled, Bonaparte will bring that country to act against Sweden, they dare not openly avow that sentiment. I informed Count Rosen that so long as Sweden acted up to the system he mentioned to be intended towards England, I had every reason to believe that his Majesty's Government would be satisfied with it; but that if it should be deviated from, I had the authority, and they might be a.s.sured I would exert the utmost in my power to resent any aggression on the part of Sweden, with which he was perfectly satisfied, and informed me that he would communicate to the Crown Prince precisely what I stated to him. There have been very serious commotions in Scania on account of the conscriptions, wherein several of the peasantry have lost their lives, and about three thousand guards under the Prince, and a strong body of troops, have been ordered to that province to restore order. I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 14th by the Impetueux, and since that one of the 8th, with a commission for Mr. Delisle, for which I beg to return my thanks.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

To the Right Hon. Chas. Yorke, &c. &c. &c.

Soon after this letter was despatched, Sir James received information that Russia had determined not to accede to the terms of Bonaparte, and that a rupture was likely to take place; the situation of Sweden, therefore, became every day more critical. She had now to determine whether she would throw herself into the arms of France for protection, or still depend on England for independence, Had hostilities actually commenced, the former would, doubtless, have been her decision, and it is impossible to say what might have been the consequences. On the one hand the restoration of Finland was the probable result of an alliance with France, while the whole force of Russia was employed in repelling the invaders; and on the other hand, Norway might be added, as an indemnification for the loss of Pomerania.

Trusting in the honour of the British Admiral, the Crown Prince of Sweden did not hesitate to place the most implicit confidence in Sir James. The negotiation for a treaty of peace, and for a coalition against the tyrant of France, only wanted the presence of an accredited Plenipotentiary to make it complete.

The Oberon sloop of war arrived with an officer of distinction, who proceeded through Sweden to the Continent, and soon after several Russian n.o.blemen arrived from St. Petersburg with despatches of importance. The despatches received by the Oberon contained instructions respecting the affair of Carlshamn; and notwithstanding the opinions and a.s.surances of Sir James to the contrary, the Ministers continued to suspect the Crown Prince of Sweden to be insincere. Being, however, still desirous of remaining at peace with Sweden, Sir James continued his friendly and courteous policy. The bomb-s.h.i.+ps he sent for had arrived, and his force, both within and without the Baltic, being formidable, gave Sweden a good excuse for not proceeding to hostilities, although she had declared war.

Sir James having declared that he "would not fire the first gun,"

things went on as usual, and the restrictions which he found necessary to put on the Swedish trade, to prevent supplies being thrown into Norway, was also a good proof to Bonaparte that Sweden was not favourable to England. During this summer the Tartar frigate was lost, and two gun-brigs were captured by the Danes, from whom several privateers and gun-boats were taken, and an exchange of prisoners was made. At length it was communicated that war between France and Russia was inevitable, and Sweden having refused to permit French troops to pa.s.s into Norway, ostensibly for the invasion of Scotland, determined to join England; but it was advisable to keep this state of affairs a profound secret.

In the mean time the negotiations for an offensive and defensive alliance continued, and were ready for ratification when the Oberon arrived with Mr. (now Sir Edward) Thornton. This s.h.i.+p, on leaving Portsmouth, was supposed to be bound for the West Indies, and letters were actually on board her for the Leeward Islands; but on opening her sealed orders, Capt. Murray, her commander, found he was destined for Gothenburg, and that he was to have no communication on his pa.s.sage with any other s.h.i.+p. Being unacquainted with the coast of Sweden, and having no pilot on board, his s.h.i.+p unfortunately ran on sh.o.r.e in a thick fog; the guns were thrown overboard, and every exertion made in vain to get the s.h.i.+p off. It is scarcely possible to describe the anxiety of Mr. Thornton (who had been hitherto supposed to be a pa.s.senger for the West Indies) until the morning gun of the Victory informed them that their s.h.i.+p was on the rocks to the northward of Wingo Beacon, over which the flag of the Victory (white at the fore) could be plainly distinguished, and in an hour afterwards he was safe in the Admiral's cabin.

The utmost caution was still necessary in communicating with Count Rosen, and so strictly were the orders given by the commandant of the castle complied with, that several attempts to get Mr. Thornton on sh.o.r.e were unsuccessful. He was at length smuggled into the fort as a servant of the Author, who had, from his knowledge of the Swedish language, no difficulty in pa.s.sing the gates as a Swedish officer.

Thus were all differences happily adjusted: it was determined to keep up the appearance of war without committing any act of hostility on either side.

We shall now turn to the situation of the fleet. Admiral Reynolds had been stationed at Hano, which is near Matvick, where the convoys a.s.sembled, and which were with very little loss protected through the Belt. On the 9th of November, the St. George sailed from Hano with the last homeward bound convoy, which had been put back by a gale on the 1st.

The account of the disasters that befel this unfortunate fleet, which, as a prelude to the losses which afterwards took place, must be interesting to every reader, will be best given from the lamented Admiral's own report to Sir James, which has not before appeared in print.

St. George, off Nystad, bearing N.N.E. 1/4 E., 19th November 1811.

SIR,

It gives me inexpressible concern to inform you of the sad disaster which has befallen his Majesty's s.h.i.+p St. George, bearing my flag. I have already detailed to you, sir, the gale of the 1st instant, which caused the merchant s.h.i.+ps to return to Matvick for shelter, and transmitted you convoy lists of one hundred and twenty sail, which sailed from Hano Bay with us on the 9th instant, besides twelve more which had no instructions.

On the evening of the 10th we had severe weather, and anch.o.r.ed between Moen Island and Dars Head. On the morning of the 12th we weighed, and (the wind heading us before dark) anch.o.r.ed off Nystad with the convoy pretty well collected. At the close of the evening of the 15th, the weather was remarkably fine, but about ten at night it began to blow strong with a heavy, swell from W.S.W., and we veered to a cable and half on the small bower. The gale increasing, we veered to two cables, and should probably have rode the gale out safe had not a large s.h.i.+p of the convoy drove athwart hawse and parted our cable. The best bower was immediately let go, and veered to two cables, which did not check her. We then let go the sheet anchor and gave her two cables on that also, but she would not look at it. By this time we had shoaled our water from ten to eight fathoms, and the fury of the gale increasing, we continued to shoal into seven and six fathoms, when the pilots and officers advised the cutting away the masts as the only means of saving the s.h.i.+p and the lives of the people. I resisted their advice for some time, in hopes that a favourable lull might bring the s.h.i.+p up; but when she had drifted into a quarterless five, and still driving before a tempest of wind and rain, I ordered the axe to be laid to the mast, and soon after they were over the side: the s.h.i.+p struck violently several times, and the rudder was torn away with a tremendous crash. About four in the morning the strength of the gale abated, and her shocks were less violent. Every officer and man in the s.h.i.+p were now employed erecting jury-masts, hoping that by lightening her we should be able to float her off; and at daylight I telegraphed Captain Pater of the Cressy to prepare us a Pakenham rudder; and it still blowing too strong for boats to come to us, I made signals for the Rose and Bellete to anchor a cable's length from us and from each other, upon our larboard bow, that when it moderated we might send hawsers to them to endeavour to heave us off. Nystad now bore N.N.E. 1/2 E. distant about five miles, and Skielbye church E.N.E., and the s.h.i.+p lay in four fathoms water. On the 16th we were busily employed rigging jury-masts. Towards the evening it moderated, and about four in the morning of the 17th we had the cheering happiness to find she had swung to her anchor. The hands were instantly turned to the capstan, and we hove short on the sheet cable. The night signal was then made for the a.s.sistance of boats, and having happily succeeded in warping her into deep water, we made sail (with which we steered her) with a fine breeze from the eastward, and anch.o.r.ed near the convoy in eleven fathoms.

I have much pleasure in acquainting you, sir, that the officers and s.h.i.+p's company merit my warmest praise for the constant exertions and cheerful obedience with which they conducted themselves throughout this distressing scene. Captain Guion was unwearied and indefatigable, and his abilities could never have been better shown than on this trying occasion. It is no small consolation to me that in the awful moment of the masts going over the side, and throughout the whole terrific gale, not a man was hurt.

I have now, sir, to acquaint you that out of one hundred and twenty sail which were at anchor here when the gale began, only seventy-six are now remaining; twelve are seen wrecked upon the Danish coast and in the enemy's possession; two ran foul of each other, and both went to the bottom, and in the midst of the gale several of the smaller vessels were observed dismasted, and the sea making an entire breach over them; it is much to be feared they foundered at their anchors. Many remaining here are so much disabled that I doubt whether they will be able to proceed with us, although they have had every a.s.sistance from his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps which could be given them.

I am happy, sir, to tell you that the St. George has her jury-masts rigged, and her rudder hung, and is in every respect as complete to proceed with the convoy (the first favourable wind) as hands can make her in our present situation.

Before I conclude this narrative, permit me to insert my public acknowledgments of the prompt and timely a.s.sistance I received from every Captain of his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps under my orders, which accelerated our equipment much sooner than otherwise could be expected.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

R.C. REYNOLDS.

Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. K.B.

&c. &c. &c.

James received the above letter on the 29th of November, when he despatched a vessel with the disastrous intelligence to England. In his answer to Admiral Reynolds we find the following paragraph:

Greatly as I lament the severe injury sustained on board the St. George, and the melancholy loss of so many vessels of the convoy by the tempestuous weather, I am fully persuaded that every possible means, which judgment and skill could dictate, were employed by you for the safety of his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps and the preservation of the convoy under such perilous circ.u.mstances, and I highly applaud the good conduct manifested by the officers and men of the St. George during the whole of so trying an occasion, and the alacrity and exertions displayed by them in having jury-masts erected during the continuance of the gale, which reflects the highest credit on Captain Guion, for the good order and discipline preserved in the s.h.i.+p. I also feel great satisfaction in observing your marked approval of the prompt and ready a.s.sistance you received from all the Captains of his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps and vessels under your orders.

Accounts from Captain Dashwood informed Sir James that thirty out of the fifty-six vessels supposed to be lost had reached Matvick with the loss of their anchors and cables, and that he would take them under his convoy as soon as they could be got ready to sail.

Admiral Reynolds received a.s.sistance from Admirals Dixon and Bertie, who were stationed in the Belt, and the St. George with her convoy reached Wingo Sound in safety on the 2nd of December. As the season was so far advanced, it was proposed to leave the St. George at Gothenburg during the winter, but Admiral Reynolds entreated that he might be permitted to navigate the s.h.i.+p to England, which, he said in hearing of the Author, was "as fit to make her pa.s.sage with the a.s.sistance of another s.h.i.+p of the line as any in the fleet." Sir James did not accede to his wishes until he had also taken the opinion of Capt. Guion; and it was at length determined that she should be attended by the Cressy, Capt. Pater, and the Defence, Capt. Atkins, while the Hero, Capt. Newman, took charge of the convoy.

During the stay of the fleet in Wingo Sound, court-martials were held on the Commanders and crews of the Manly and Safeguard gun-brigs, which had been captured by the Danes, and the crews exchanged; also on the boatswain of the Anholt Island, which had been considered a s.h.i.+p, but as the pendant had not been flying in the island, doubts had arisen in the minds of the members of the court, and reference was made to the Admiralty, with a request that the law officers of the Crown might be consulted as to the legality of holding a naval court-martial on the accused.

The St. George had topmasts as lower masts, and top-gallant masts as topmasts. Her temporary rudder was well fitted and secured. The Cressy, which had towed her from the Belt, was ordered to take her again in tow. Everything was prepared for the departure of the whole, but the wind and weather continued unfavourable, and Sir James again repeated his wish that the St. George should remain instead of the Ardent, into which Sir George Hope had hoisted his flag, having orders to remain in Wingo Sound until the Pyramus, Captain Dashwood, and Ranger, Captain Acklom, should arrive with the last convoy, which Captain Dashwood subsequently succeeded in bringing safely through the Sound, much to his credit, at that late season of the year.

On the 18th of December the wind came from the N.E. when the whole fleet weighed and made sail. The first squadron consisted of the Victory, Vigo, Dreadnought, Orion, Mercury, and Snipe; the second comprised the St. George in tow of the Cressy, the Defence, and Bellete, and the third the convoy under the Hero and the Gra.s.shopper; but the wind coming too far to the northward to enable the convoy to weather the Scaw, the signal was made from the Victory for it to return into port. At sunset on the 19th the St. George was seen well to windward of that dangerous headland; but it appeared that she, with her division, bore up during the night, when the wind came to the westward of north, as will be seen by the following account of the proceedings of H.M.S. Cressy, given officially to Sir James by Captain Pater.

Narrative of the circ.u.mstances relating to the St. George since parting company with the Victory, on the 19th December 1811.

On the night of the 19th December, lost sight of the Victory, Dreadnought, Vigo, and Orion. On the 20th at half past eight A.M. signal from the St. George to wear; at ten A.M. the St.

George cast off the tow rope; moderate breezes and hazy weather; hauled up to the S.E. to get soundings on the Jutland sh.o.r.e, in order to round the Scaw the better. During the night fresh breezes and hazy weather; a strong current from the S.W.

setting to the N.E. swept the squadron close to Salo beacon, on the Swedish coast. On the morning of the 21st light airs and hazy, a strong current setting about north at the rate of three miles per hour: very great difficulty in keeping the s.h.i.+ps from falling on the rocks, they not being further than three miles off, with a heavy swell right on, and no wind to command the s.h.i.+ps, or stem the current. Telegraph from the St. George to the Cressy about half past eleven, A.M. "What shall we do this night?" Cressy's answer, "In a few minutes I will give my opinion." At three quarters past eleven, A.M., telegraph from Cressy to St. George, "Anchor in Salo if possible." About noon got a Swedish pilot from Salo, brought by the Bellete. At one P.M. a strong breeze sprung up from N.N.E. and N.E. St. George, Cressy, Defence, and Bellete made sail (close-reefed the topsails, reefed courses, top-gallant masts struck) to the westward, and continued our course all night through the Sleeve. St. George steered and sailed very well about five knots per hour. At ten A.M. on the 22nd, saw the land on the lee beam, distance eight leagues; made the same known to the St. George. At half-past eleven made the signal to the St.

George for the Holmes, bearing S.S.W. distance six or seven leagues. At four P.M. Bovenbergen bore south about seven leagues; stood to the westward all night; moderate weather, wind about N. or N. by W. On the 23rd, at nine A.M., Cressy to the St. George by signal, "Shall I take you in tow?" answered with the negative flag: observed one of her rudder guys gone, and the people repairing it. Wind had s.h.i.+fted to N.W. by W. the squadron wore about seven hours thirty minutes A.M. and stood to the N.E., with a view to open the Sleeve, the weather appearing to indicate a gale of wind from that quarter. At ten A.M. strong gales and squally with rain; St. George close-reefed courses and topsails, then stood to the N.E. At half-past eleven P.M. very strong gales split our foresail; St.

George took in topsails and courses. At one P.M. strong gales; St. George set her foresail. At half-past two P.M. strong and heavy squalls of wind and rain from the N.W. with a heavy sea; observed the St. George to labour very much and roll very deep.

St. George shortened all sail except the mizen-staysail and try-sail; St. George drifting to leeward so much as to oblige us to bear up three or four times in a watch, each time one mile, or three quarters at least, in order to keep to leeward of her; the land of Bovenbergen on her lee bow about three points, the Holmes right a head of her. The wind had at four P.M. s.h.i.+fted to the N.N.W.; the land on her lee beam, nine leagues, was that part of Jutland a few miles to the southward of Bovenbergen. At eight o'clock the Horn Reef, bearing S.S.W.

distance forty miles; at this time a tremendous heavy sea was setting on the sh.o.r.e in the direction of E.S.E. At six lost sight of the Bellete; the last sight we had of the Defence she was standing with her head in sh.o.r.e, E.N.E. under storm mizen-stay-sail and try-sail. At nine P.M. the gale still increasing; St. George, as before, drifting about N.E. or N.E.

by E. with storm mizen-stay-sail and try-sail only, appearing from some cause to be unable to wear, as she never attempted it, although it was the most safe and profitable tack to be upon, there being no possibility of getting off on the larboard tack, but on the contrary must inevitably go on sh.o.r.e; this I particularly remarked with great anxiety and concern from three o'clock that afternoon, and was constantly in expectation of his wearing, and carrying what sail he could on the starboard tack, in order, if possible, to clear the Horn Reef: although the clearing of the reef might be doubtful, it was the only chance left, and would at least have given him a longer drift; but from his not doing so, I am of opinion _his masts had complained and were unable to carry any more sail_, as well as the rudder, which certainly wanted securing. At ten P.M. as no steps were taken by the St. George to wear, and finding from our soundings and reckoning we were only nine leagues from the land on our lee beam, that we could not possibly clear the land on the larboard tack, and having drifted so far to the eastward, it became a doubt whether we should be able to clear the Horn Reef, and that there was no time to lose, on which to resolve either to cut away all our masts and try to hold on by our anchors, after having run into shoal water, which we have reason to believe was nearer than our reckoning gave us. Had we taken such a step our success would have been very doubtful, although we might previously have cut away our masts, and made the s.h.i.+p a complete wreck for that purpose, as we had only two bower anchors and two cables on each, (the bower cables in each being half worn,) no spare anchor to trust to, the sheet anchor being broken in the shank, and only an old worn-out bower cable (kept to be surveyed) which was bent to it. The Defence, I believe, was differently situated in this respect; but that is a mere conjecture. Thus the situation of the Cressy was very alarming, which had most sensibly struck every individual on board; the officers particularly, who had been so strongly impressed with our perilous situation for some time before, lamenting and verbally stating to me their opinion of our inability and impossibility of being able to render any service to the St. George, even in any way whatever, risk the Cressy as much as I would. I desired them all to consult and let me know their opinion in writing, which they did in the accompanying hasty scrawl: No. 1, delivered about ten o'clock, and No. 2, about quarter before eleven. Their sentiments and opinion being the same as my own on the subject, namely, that we could not be of any service to the St. George or to any person on board, whatever might be her fate under the existing circ.u.mstances, and that our destruction was certain if we lost any time in getting on the other tack,--I then (after having ordered every thing to be ready to cut away our masts) embraced the alternative to wear and carry sail to save the s.h.i.+p, which I did at half-past ten P.M. and pa.s.sed close to the St. George with our reefed fore-sail only, in order to induce him to wear, and give him the opportunity of signifying his wish for me to remain with him, if he did not approve of what we did, which he might have done by four lights, in a diamond signal No. 30, or by firing three guns, also night signal No. 30, "Keep your wind on the larboard tack." Heavy and severe as the gale was, there was considerable light, as we had a moon; although not seen, yet it enlightened the atmosphere so as to enable us to see every mast, sail, or any object that was above her hammocks: we were so close in pa.s.sing, that we could in moderate weather, at such a distance, have conversed with great ease; and were about a quarter of an hour in pa.s.sing her; so that his not making any signal, and his still keeping the St. George's head on the same tack, I considered I had his approbation to use every endeavour to clear the land and save the s.h.i.+p from being wrecked on the lee sh.o.r.e.

The remainder of Captain Pater's narrative need not be given, as it relates only to the proceedings in his own s.h.i.+p, and his arrival in the Downs on the 30th December; neither need we give the opinions alluded to, as they are a repet.i.tion of that of the Captain, and signed by the five lieutenants, the master, the pilot, and the purser.

The first account of the wreck of the St. George and Defence was received by a flag of truce, sent by the Danish General Tellequist from Randers, that on the night between the 23rd and 24th of December, a few miles to the southward of the Holmes, the fatal catastrophe took place. The Danish commander-in-chief, after expressing much sympathy and feeling on the sad disaster, informs Captain Maurice that the bodies of Captain Atkins and other officers had been found and interred with military honours, but they had not then discovered the body of the Admiral. It appeared from the account of the survivors, eighteen in number, (twelve belonging to the St. George and six to the Defence,) that the St. George struck about one o'clock on the morning of the 24th, and soon afterwards the Defence, a short distance to the northward of her. The anchors in both s.h.i.+ps were immediately let go, and the masts cut away; the St. George came for a short time head to wind. About four she parted in the middle; the sea making a fair breach over the s.h.i.+ps, many of the crew were washed overboard, while others were killed or frozen to death where they had tied themselves to the weather-railing, among whom were the Admiral and his young and gallant friend Captain Guion. It is related that one tremendous sea struck the Defence with such inconceivable force that it lifted the spare anchor out of its berth, threw it upon end, and in its fall it killed about thirty men! The fury of the waves had swept all before them; two of the men were saved in a little Norway yawl belonging to the Author, which his lamented friend Captain Guion had offered to take home for him, and which was the only boat that reached the sh.o.r.e; some were saved on the p.o.o.p of the St. George when torn from her about five o'clock.

Captain Atkins and Mr. Royston, Secretary to the Admiral, were both picked up by the Danes ere life was quite extinct, but all the kindness and humane endeavours of that hospitable people failed in keeping up animation. It was affirmed by the survivors of the Defence, that on the Cressy wearing, the master went to Captain Atkins, and reported that the St. George must inevitably be wrecked, and that destruction would also attend the Defence if she did not follow the Cressy! To this Captain Atkins said, "Has the Defence's signal been made to part company?" and being answered in the negative, he replied, "Then I will not leave him." Such heroic sentiments, however worthy of the gallant Captain, cannot be justified when it was impossible to render a.s.sistance, and the sacrifice not only of his own men, but the valuable lives of seven hundred others, must have been the well-known consequence.