Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume II Part 27

At a time I was buoying myself up with the expectation of soon returning to England, and affording that consolation to my beloved wife and to those dear ones whom the Almighty yet spares us, which they so greatly need, I received despatches which rendered it impossible for me to leave the station; I most fervently implore the all-gracious Providence to enable me to submit to its divine decree with patience and due resignation.

If I could be a.s.sured of Lady Saumarez's welfare, I should feel more tranquil, but I know too well the keenness of her feelings. The anxiety she suffers on my account will, I fear, put to the test her practice of those pious virtues we all know her to possess, and of which she sets so bright an example.

James's presence is of the greatest comfort to me, and alone enables me to make my cabin supportable. He returned most opportunely from St. Petersburg the day on which the news of this affliction arrived, and it was he that communicated it to me. He was the bearer of Lord Cathcart's despatches, which I have forwarded, for I could not spare him from me.

We shall now continue the narrative of Sir James's operations at this eventful period, when the tyrant of France received his first effectual check, followed by the disastrous retreat of the French army from Russia, and the liberation of Europe.

Besides twenty thousand stand of arms which had been supplied to the Swedish army and landed at Gothenburg, the Snipe gun-brig, Lieut.

Champion, had been sent to St. Petersburg with four transports laden with sixty thousand stand of arms. On opening the arm-chests it was found that they contained muskets, but no bayonets, and the indignation of the Russians at this circ.u.mstance may be better imagined than described, when they exclaimed, "What! do the English think we do not know how to use the bayonet?" On searching, however, the last s.h.i.+p, the bayonets were found, to the inexpressible joy of these people; and it cannot be denied that they _did_ make use of them with fearful effect.

The Briseis was sent with the Admiral's last despatches to Lord Cathcart, and Captain Ross had the honour of returning with the important intelligence of the re-capture of Moscow, the defeat of Murat, and that the French were in full retreat. The Russian fleet had, however, sailed from Cronstadt and Sweaborg, and it was now too late to stop them: the accounts reached London on the 8th of November, and it was a satisfaction to Sir James that he had retained the command until the overthrow of the invading army. Mr. Saumarez went home in the Aquilon, but the Admiral remained in the Pyramus at Gothenburg until the 5th of November, at which time he had delivered the various papers and instructions to Rear-admiral Hope necessary in giving up the command to that officer.

Before leaving Sweden he was waited on by Baron Essen, aide-de-camp to the Crown Prince, who presented him with a splendid sword, the hilt of which was set in diamonds, and said to be worth 2000_l._, as a testimony of the high sense his Majesty entertained of the important services he had rendered to Sweden and the good cause.

Among the many attached to the Court of Sweden, there was none who expressed himself more emphatically than his excellency Baron Platen.

We shall give his letter, although it has already been published in substance.

At length I rejoice, my dear Admiral. You have been the guardian angel of my country; by your wise, temperate, and loyal conduct you have been the first cause of the plans which have been formed against the demon of the Continent. He was on the point of succeeding; folly and the want of confidence in some have made them doubt the success of the good cause. You have shared my anxiety, but it is now all over; two couriers have arrived this night from the head-quarters of the Emperor and the Prince. War was declared on the 24th of July; Austria is with us; thus, if Providence have not decided something against all probability, Buonaparte will be defeated, humanity will breathe again, and Europe be once more raised up. With Wellingtons, Moreaus, Bernadottes against him, what hopes! I shall not fail to communicate to you the first news of importance, for once more I must tell you, that _you_ were the first cause that Russia had dared to make war against France: _had you fired one shot when we declared war against England_, all had been ended, and Europe would have been enslaved. I own to you, also, my satisfaction that our august Prince Royal has conducted himself in such a manner as to leave your excellency no cause to repent of that which some people were pleased to call "credulity," but which events have proved to be wisdom.

The expressions of the worthy and truly patriotic friends, Admiral Krusenstjerna and Count Rosen on taking final leave of the Admiral, were no less remarkable for sincerity and grat.i.tude. The first has long since paid the debt of nature, universally and justly regretted; the latter in 1834 fell a sacrifice to his humane endeavours to arrest the progress of cholera, and both will long be remembered as two of the saviours of their country.

The Pyramus reached Yarmouth Roads on the 10th of November, when Sir James made immediate application to strike his flag, and had the satisfaction of receiving in answer the following letter from the Secretary of the Admiralty.

Admiralty, 20th Nov. 1812.

SIR,

My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have been pleased to command me, in transmitting to you the accompanying order, to strike your flag and come on sh.o.r.e, to communicate to you their marked approbation of the zeal, judgment, and ability evinced by you during your late command in the Baltic. Your attention to the trade of his Majesty's subjects, and your conciliatory, yet firm conduct, towards the Northern Powers, have met the approbation of his Majesty's Government, and their lords.h.i.+ps are glad to have observed that your services have been justly appreciated by the Courts of Sweden and Russia. I beg to add the personal satisfaction which I feel at being the channel of communicating to you this testimony of their lords.h.i.+ps'

approbation.

I am, &c. &c. &c.

J.W. CROKER.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart., KB.

To this highly honourable testimonial Sir James made the following reply:

London, 23rd November 1812.

SIR,

I have received your letter of the 20th inst., transmitting to me the order to strike my flag and come on sh.o.r.e, and also communicating their lords.h.i.+ps' marked approbation of my conduct during my late command, in terms highly gratifying to myself. I am also peculiarly happy to find that the conduct I held towards the Northern Powers during a period of the utmost intricacy, has been honoured by the approbation of his Majesty's government, whilst it was duly appreciated by the Courts of Sweden and Russia. I take this opportunity to express my sincere acknowledgments for the unremitting attention I received from you during the period of my late command.

I have, &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

To J.W. Croker, Esq.

After Sir James had arrived in London he continued to direct the proceedings of the fleet in the Baltic, and it was not until the good work he had begun was completely ended to the general satisfaction that he retired from actual service.

CHAPTER XIV.

1813 to 1831.

State of the Continent after the defeat of Buonaparte.--Sir James's services in the Baltic no longer required.--Retires from service, but not from public life.--His various occupations.--His claims for a Peerage disregarded.--Correspondence and observations thereon.--His residence in Guernsey.--Visit to Oxford.--Letter from Lord Nelson.--Captain Miller's monument.--Political opinions.--Letter from Earl St. Vincent.--Is appointed to the command at Plymouth.--Speech of Earl Grey.--Receives a visit from Lord Exmouth.--Strikes his flag.--Claims for a Peerage again disregarded.--Returns to Guernsey.--His reception there.--Death of George IV.--Accession of William IV.--Is created Baron de Saumarez.--Letter from Lady de Saumarez.--His reception at the Island of Guernsey, and rejoicings there.

The defeat of Buonaparte and the disastrous retreat of his army released the countries which surround the Baltic from the oppression to which they had been subject, and an English fleet was no longer necessary in that sea. The enemy indeed had still possession of Dantzig, and Denmark held out during the year 1813; but a small squadron under Rear-admiral Sir George Hope acting now in conjunction with Sweden, the co-operation of Russia was all that was wanted to carry on the blockade in the Belt, and to protect the commerce.

The services of a full admiral not being required, Sir James remained at home, chiefly in his native island. The command in the Mediterranean, which he would have had, had he not been requested to continue on the command in the Baltic, was occupied by Sir Edward Pellew, which, as will be hereafter seen, was an unfortunate circ.u.mstance.

Although retired from active warfare, it cannot be said that Sir James had retired from public life;--he was the patron of every useful inst.i.tution, not by mere nominal sanction, but also by very munificent pecuniary contributions. He was one of the oldest members (I believe, President) of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, having become a subscriber to that inst.i.tution in the year 1789; he was also president of the Royal Naval Charitable Inst.i.tution, and of the Naval and Military Bible Society, as well as a large contributor. He was, moreover, vice-president of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and of the Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews; patron of the National Schools of the Bethel Union; the Provident Society; the Church of England Sunday School; the Church of England Missionary Society, &c. His mind and his time, therefore, were employed in a manner no less honourable and useful than it had been in his Majesty's service; and it does not appear that he had taken any notice of the manifest neglect of his claims until the peace of 1814, when, at the conclusion of the war, peerages were conferred on those officers of the army and navy who had most highly distinguished themselves. He now found his name omitted; while Sir Edward Pellew, an officer junior to him on the list of admirals, who had never commanded a s.h.i.+p in a general action, and who was not even a Knight of the Bath, was raised to the dignity of baron.

Sir James could not but consider this circ.u.mstance as an injustice to his superior claims; and we know that Sir Edward Pellew, then created Baron Exmouth, admitted that Sir James's claims for that high honour were far greater than his own. We may add, that every officer of his Majesty's navy was of the same opinion. Feeling himself bound to remonstrate, a correspondence took place between Sir James and some of his Majesty's ministers on the subject, but without effect; and we believe that the only reason given by them for his having been pa.s.sed over, was simply "that Sir James's flag was not flying at the conclusion of the war," while that of Sir E. Pellew was hoisted in the Mediterranean, where indeed Sir James _ought_ to have been, and where he would certainly have been had he not accepted the command in the Baltic at the request of ministers, on the especial understanding that it was not to be prejudicial to his claims. The fact was, however, that he had _no friends_ in power at that time; while Sir Edward Pellew had many claims on ministers for the support he gave them in Parliament.

It is needless to revert to the ungracious treatment he received, which can only be accounted for by his having refused a seat in Parliament, coupled with conditions to which his conscience would not allow him to accede, and from his diffidence in not putting forward his claims at an earlier period; too often the case with men who are truly brave, but which is injurious to the service, inasmuch as it induces a belief among the rising generation that even manifestly just claims may be entirely neglected.

On the 4th of June 1814, when the general promotion took place, Sir James was advanced to Admiral of the Blue, at which time his name on the list of the navy was the fourth above Lord Exmouth.

The following is the extract of a letter from Sir James to one of the family on the subject of the Peerage.

London, 16th May 1814.

"You will have seen that a Peerage has been conferred on Sir Edward Pellew; you may suppose that Sir John Duckworth and myself have taken the proper means with Lord Melville for our services being taken into consideration, for a similar mark of distinction, and there is every reason to believe we shall not be disregarded. I had a long interview with Lord Melville, who gave me to understand that he laid the subject as favourably as possible before Lord Liverpool. It is, I fear, very doubtful, but I cannot persuade myself so much injustice will be done to my services; and such is the opinion of all I meet."

Subsequently to this, Sir James received a letter from Lord Liverpool, which need not be inserted, as the substance is given in Sir James's answer, which we subjoin.

Date not exactly known, 1814.

MY LORD,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your lords.h.i.+p's letter of this date, signifying that you have had an opportunity of communicating to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent my request for the honour of the Peerage, as well as some other applications for the same honour from several distinguished officers of the navy and army, and that your lords.h.i.+p was commanded by the Prince Regent to acquaint me that his Royal Highness does full justice to my services on the occasions to which I refer; but he feels it, nevertheless, quite impossible, under all the circ.u.mstances, to comply with my request, and that he has directed your lords.h.i.+p to return the same answer to those who have made similar applications to him upon the present occasion. Without presuming to inquire into the merits of those distinguished officers with whom your lords.h.i.+p may have been pleased to blend my services, your lords.h.i.+p will permit me to observe, that the grounds upon which I found my application for the Peerage, were not confined to my services during the whole period of the late and American war; but also to my services during the five years that I had the honour to command his Majesty's fleet upon the Baltic station with the fullest approbation of Government, particularly for my uniform conduct respecting Sweden, which prevented that nation from joining the common enemy against this country, and also in having detached a timely force to Riga under the order of Rear-admiral Martin, which proved the means of preventing that city from falling into the hands of the French, and also, through the exertions of that zealous and able officer, succeeded in checking an important branch of the enemy's army from penetrating towards St. Petersburg, for which important services I have been honoured with the thanks of his Imperial Majesty, communicated to me by his amba.s.sador at this court. As your lords.h.i.+p may not have laid those interesting particulars regarding my services before the Prince Regent, I now most earnestly request you will be pleased to render me that justice. I owe it to myself, to my family, as well as to the naval service, to which I have had the honour to belong upwards of forty-four years, to take the proper means, with every due respect, that my long and most faithful services are laid before his Royal Highness, in the fullest confidence that they will be found deserving the same mark of distinction that has been conferred upon an officer junior to me in the list of admirals. I beg leave to express my unfeigned acknowledgments to your lords.h.i.+p for the polite manner in which you have been pleased to convey to me the sentiments of his Royal Highness.

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

To the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, &c. &c. &c.

On Sir James's return to Guernsey, after his unsuccessful application to ministers for a Peerage, he resumed the works of charity and benevolence which had already done so much good to his native island. The ground on which Sir James's church stands was his property; he made a free gift of it to the building committee, and subscribed one thousand pounds towards the construction of that place of public wors.h.i.+p. He a.s.sisted in improving the salaries of the masters and mistresses of the parochial schools, and was princ.i.p.ally instrumental in establis.h.i.+ng the Sunday school in the town parish. He founded an exhibition in Elizabeth College, for the best cla.s.sical and theological scholar. He gave three hundred pounds in the Catel parish, where his country seat was situate, for the payment of a salary to the mistress of the girls' school. He distributed at Christmas, every year, warm clothing to the poor of every parish in the island, and, conjointly with the late dean, the Rev. Mr.

Durand, succeeded, after many fruitless attempts, in establis.h.i.+ng a national school at St. Peter Port. It has been justly said that he considered the great wealth he possessed as "trust money," for which he would have to account to that Being who had confided it to his care.

Sir James's residence being in Guernsey, where he possessed both a town and country house, and considerable landed property, and where he found himself surrounded by the relations both of Lady Saumarez and himself, he was induced to visit England but seldom. After the hundred days' war, when the Continental Sovereigns came to London, he accompanied the Prince Regent and his august allies to Oxford, and a.s.sisted in the ceremonies observed on that memorable visit. Had hostilities continued, there can be no doubt that he would have had the command of the Channel fleet, and it is worthy of remark that he was told, on making application for the Victory as his flag-s.h.i.+p, that four or five admirals, who had sought employment, had applied also for that favourite s.h.i.+p, notwithstanding the Howe, Nelson, and St. Vincent, new s.h.i.+ps of one hundred and twenty guns, were ready for commission. Sir James having been second lieutenant of the _same_ Victory forty-seven years before he hoisted his flag in her, and being well aware of her excellent sailing qualities, will account for his desire for that s.h.i.+p to bear his flag, although it cannot be denied, that, having only one hundred guns, and her metal reduced to eighteen pounders on the middle deck, she was much inferior in force to those we have mentioned. The glorious victory of Waterloo, however, put an end to all speculations on that subject; and Sir James, having failed in an application for a similar reward to that conferred on others for his meritorious services, retired again to his native island. After Sir James and Lord Nelson had returned from the Mediterranean subsequently to the melancholy death of Captain Miller, they met at Sir Peter Parker's at dinner, when Sir James proposed that a subscription for a monument to Captain Miller's memory should be raised among the Captains who fought with his lords.h.i.+p at the Nile. This proposition was immediately adopted by Nelson, who volunteered to promote it; and the following is a letter on the subject from Nelson to Saumarez, which we insert here because it did not come to our hands until after the first volume had been printed.

MY DEAR SIR JAMES,--I have written so fully to Sir Edward Berry on the subject of dear Miller's monument, that I can only repeat my words. Sir E. Berry thought that a plain monument would cost only 200_l._ and be sufficient to mark our esteem, to which I am ready to agree, provided we are to have the honour to ourselves. I mean we, who fought with him on the 1st of August 1798; but if it is judged better to admit those who fought with him on the 14th February 1797, then I think that a less sum than 500_l._ would be highly improper for such a body to lay out on a monument. Flaxman is to be the artist employed, and Mr. Davison, if he will take the trouble, the manager of the whole business; for permission must be obtained from the Chapter of St. Paul's, &c. &c.

I wish we had all been off Brest when the squadron sailed; we might have had the good fortune to have seen them. The San Josef appears to answer very well; indeed, as far as we can judge at present, she is, take her altogether, the finest three-decker in this country. I am going, as you know, into the St. George, but I wish our Northern matters could be accommodated; however, we must face all our enemies, and, I trust, make them ashamed of themselves.

I know you have a lad of the name of Bate on board; if you wish to part from him, I am bound to take him.