The Battle of St Vincent. The British.

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St. Vincent.

British fleet.

Admiral Sir John Jervis was on his flagship Victory. The British ships are listed in order from van to rear. Many of the British wounded later died.

Line of battle.

Admiral Sir John Jervis’ Fleet.
Ship	Rate	Guns	Commander	Casualties			Notes
Killed	Wounded	Total
Culloden	Third rate	74	Captain Thomas Troubridge	10	47	57
Blenheim	Second rate	90	Captain Thomas L. Frederick	12	49	61
Prince George	Second rate	98	Rear-Admiral William Parker; Captain John Irwin	8	7	15
Orion	Third rate	74	Captain James Saumarez	0	9	9
Colossus	Third rate	74	Captain George Murray	0	5	5
Irresistible	Third rate	74	Captain George Martin	5	14	19
Victory	First rate	100	Admiral Sir John Jervis; Captain of the Fleet Robert Calder; Flag Captain George Grey	1	5	6
Egmont	Third rate	74	John Sutton	0	0	0
Goliath	Third rate	74	Charles Henry Knowles	0	8	8
Barfleur	Second rate	98	Vice-Admiral William Waldegrave; Captain James Richard Dacres	0	7	7
Britannia	First rate	100	Vice-Admiral Charles Thompson; Captain Thomas Foley	0	1	1
Namur	Second rate	90	James Hawkins Whitshed	2	5	7
Captain	Third rate	74	Commodore Horatio Nelson; and Captain Ralph Willett Miller	24	56	80	Nelson was wounded during the action.
Diadem	Third rate	64	Captain George Henry Towry	0	2	2
Excellent	Third rate	74	Captain Cuthbert Collingwood	11	12	23
Total recorded casualties: 73 killed, 227 wounded.
Source:London Gazette

Other British vessels.

Ship	Guns	Captain	Rate
Minerve	38	Captain Noble	Fifth-rate frigate
Lively	32	Lord Garlies	Fifth-rate frigate
Niger	32	Edward James Foote	Fifth-rate frigate
Southampton	32	James Macnamara	Fifth-rate frigate
Bonne-Citoyenne	20	Commander Charles Lindsay	Unrated Sloop-of-war
Raven	18	Commander William Prowse	Unrated brig-sloop
Fox	10	Lieutenant John Gibson	Unrated cutter

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Admiral Sir John Jervis.

'John Jervis, Earl of St. Vincent, Viscount St. Vincent, Baron Jervis of Meaford in the county of Stafford, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, and of the Portuguese Order of the Tower And The Sword, Admiral of the Fleet and General of the Marines.


He was the second and youngest son of Swynfen Jervis of Meaford, Esq. by Elizabeth, daughter of George Parker of Park Hall in the county of Stafford, Esq - being born on the 20th of January 1735.

At the early age of thirteen he entered the Royal Navy, and remained, during a long and active life, one of the brightest ornaments.


In 1759, acting as commander of the Porcupine, he assisted in taking Quebec, and in the conquest of Canada. In April 1782, when captain of the Foudroyant, he, separately from the rest of the fleet, boarded and captured La Pegase, a ship of 74 guns bearing the flag of a French admiral.


The modest terms in which his dispatch was written, were finely contrasted with the glowing eulogy pronounced on him by Admiral Barrington, his commanding officer, and his merit was stamped by the gracious approbation of his sovereign, who created him Knight of the Bath.


Appointed to the command in 1793 of the squadron sent to the West Indies, he affected, in co-operation with General sir Charles Grey, a cordial union of the services, before unexampled, and by their combined efforts the islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucie and Mariegalante were speedily reduced - the gratitude of the nation was expressed by votes of both Houses of Parliament in England and Ireland; and the corporation of Liverpool, peculiarly interested in the prosperity of the west Indies, presented him with their freedom.


In 1795 he was appointed commander in chief in the Mediterranean: during this period a spirit of mutiny disorganized our fleets at home, but was crushed in its infancy in the fleet under his command by his unparalleled discipline.


On the ever memorable 14th of February 1797, he achieved off Cape St. Vincent with a far inferior force, that conquest over the Spanish fleet which carried his renown to the greatest height, and destroyed the effect of one of the most formidable combinations of the enemy ever directed against the power of Great Britain.


Having before this period been, for his former services, raised to the peerage by the title of Baron Jervis - now the joyful acclamation of his countrymen, the expressions of gratitude by numerous corporations which presented him with their freedom, the thanks of each house of the British and Irish legislature, received their triumphant sanction from the act of an approving sovereign, by whom he was promoted to the dignity of Earl and Viscount by the title of the name of the place which formed the scene of his glory.


In 1801 he was appointed first Lord of the Admiralty. By this nomination were realized the advantages which were expected from his experience as a naval captain; and the public interests were protected by the reforms which as a patriot statesman he effected in the civil departments of the navy. He instituted the memorable commission of naval enquiry, a measure which drew upon him the hatred and opposition of a host of placemen and pensioners, but which, eminently characteristic of his own purity, integrity, and love of economy, was admirably calculated to detect and prevent fraud, peculation and profusion in the administration of the finances of the country.


In 1806 he was appointed to the Channel fleet, and exercised that command till 1807.
To the last period of his life fresh honours continued to the flow on him. In 1809, Portugal gave him the grand cross of the order of the Tower And The Sword.

In 1814 he was made General of the Marines; and in 1827, seventy-three years after his entrance into the service, he was appointed Admiral of the Fleet.


Having attained his 89th year he expired on the 13th of March 1823: in the full possession of all his faculties.

He married his first cousin, Martha, daughter of the late right honourable Sir Thomas Parker, Knight, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, but left no issue.


For the full account of his works see here:-http://morethannelson.com/officer/john-jervis-1st-earl-of-st-vincent/

Rob.

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Captain Thomas Troubridge.


Troubridge was educated at St Paul's School, London. He entered the Royal Navy in 1773 and, together with Horatio Nelson, served in the East Indies in the frigate Seahorse.

In 1785 he returned to England in the Sultan as flag-captain to Admiral Sir Edward Hughes. Appointed to command the frigate Castor in May 1794, he and his ship were captured by the French while escorting a convoy, but he was liberated soon afterwards.

On his return he was appointed to command Culloden, a third-rate ship of the line, in which he led the line at the Battle of Cape St Vincent, being commended for his courage and initiative by Admiral Sir John Jervis.

In July 1797 he assisted Nelson in the unsuccessful attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

In August 1798, when getting into position for the attack on the French fleet, Culloden ran aground on a shoal near the entrance to Aboukir Bay and was consequently unable to take any part in the Battle of the Nile. At Nelson's request, however, he was awarded the gold medal commemorating the victory.


He then served in the Mediterranean and was created a baronet in 1799.

From 1801 to 1804 he was a Lord of the Admiralty, being made a rear-admiral just before his retirement.

In 1805 Troubridge was appointed to command the eastern half of the East Indies Station and he went out in Blenheim. On his arrival the area of command was changed to that of the Cape Station. He left Madras in January 1807 for the Cape of Good Hope, but off the coast of Madagascar, Blenheim, an old and damaged ship, foundered in a cyclone and the admiral and all others on board perished.

^Rob.

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Captain Thomas L. Frederick.


Early life.


He was born on 25 March 1750, in the parish of St George's, Hanover Square. He was the son of Sir Charles Frederick, the Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, and Lucy Boscawen. His grandfather was Sir John Frederick. Thomas first went to sea in 1768, under Captain Peter Parker.

American War of Independence.

From October 1776 to 1779, he commanded successively HMS Spy, HMS Swift, HMS Fairy, and after having been promoted to post-captain, he was appointed to command HMS Unicorn. On 4 September 1780 he was in command of Unicorn when he had the misfortune of encountering, in a fog off Tortuga, a French frigate and two ships of the line which captured him. The subsequent court martial honourably acquitted Frederick for the loss of his ship, and in October 1781 he received command of the 44-gun frigate HMS Diomede.

On 20 December 1782, in company with HMS Quebec, he captured off the Delaware River the 40-gun American frigate South Carolina after a chase of eighteen hours.

Years of peace.

From May 1790 to September 1791 Thomas Frederick commanded the 44-gun HMS Romulus.
French Revolutionary Wars.

On the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars, he was appointed to HMS Illustrious, a 74-gun third rate. He was present with Admiral Lord Hood at the Siege of Toulon, and as a commanding officer of his ship, he saw action at the Battle of Genoa against the French fleet. His ship fought two French third rates, defeating both of them, and was so damaged that HMS Meleager had to take her in tow. She was then caught in a storm on her return to port and grounded. Although other British vessels arrived they were unable to get her off. The British set her on fire and abandoned her.

Frederick's next command, in June 1795, was the 90-gun HMS Blenheim, which took part in the long blockade off Toulon. While in command he saw action at the Battle of Cape Saint Vincent,where the outnumbered British squadron under Sir John Jervis defeated the Spanish fleet. After taking a convoy to Lisbon, Frederick joined Jervis, Earl St. Vincent, on the resumption of the blockade of Cadiz.

Frederick was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue on 20 February 1797. In the autumn of 1798 he returned to Great Britain and later that year he raised his flag in the 98-gun HMS Prince George. He later commanded the 90-gun HMS Princess Royal, which paid off in September 1799. Unfortunately, Frederick's health had severely deteriorated and he died on 7 October 1799 in Nottingham Place, London.

Rob.

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Rear-Admiral William Parker.


Parker's father, Augustine Parker, had been mayor of Queenborough and a commander of one of the king's yachts.

William Parker entered the navy about 1756 and in 1758 was on HMS Centurion during the capture of Louisbourg and the capture of Quebec the following year. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1762.

For a time he served off the coast of Newfoundland and was promoted to commander in 1763.

In 1777 he went to the West Indies where he served under Byron. He served aboard various ships and as commodore and commander-in-chief on the Leeward Islands Station between 1787 to 1789.

During the 1790s he served under Admiral Lord Howe. In 1794 he commanded HMS Audacious at the Battle of The Glorious First of June and was promoted to Rear-Admiral.

After service on the Jamaica Station in 1796, he took part under Sir John Jervis in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797, where he damaged the 112-gun ship San Josef so badly that Commodore Horatio Nelson was able to board and capture her with little opposition.

The following year Parker, on blockade duty off Cadiz, bitterly resented that Nelson, junior to himself, was given an independent command in the Mediterranean, but his letters to the Admiralty had no effect.

He ended his career as Commander-in-Chief in North America at Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1800, and was recalled for disobeying orders.

Rob.

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Captain James Saumarez.


Early service in the Mediterranean and American Revolutionary War.


In 1767 Saumarez was entered as a volunteer on the books of HMS Solebay (1763) although he never set foot on the ship, studying at a school near London until in 1770, Saumarez joined the Montreal in the Mediterranean. Placed on board HMS Winchelsea (1764) he was rated Midshipman in November 1770. A transfer to HMS Levant (1758) in February 1772 until she returned to Spithead in 1775 gave an opportunity to take his examination for Lieutenant.



In 1775, at the age of 18, he was ordered to Sir Peter Parker's flagship HMS Bristol in North America. Saumarez distinguished himself under Parker, showing courage and being promoted to acting lieutenant at the July 1776 Battle of Sullivan's Island which required the Bristol to fire broadsides at Fort Sullivan. The engagement lasted 13 hours and 111 men were killed on the Bristol.



Moved to HMS Chatham (1758) as temporary 5th lieutenant, he was given his first command, the tender Lady Parker. On promotion to lieutenant in 1778 he was given his second command, the 8-gun galley Spitfire and after 47 engagements, unfortunately, he had to run Spitfire ashore and burn her on 30 July 1778 when a French fleet under Admiral d'Estaing arrived at Narrangansett Bay. Serving on land at the Battle of Rhode Island before returning to Portsmouth.



Saumarez next served as third lieutenant on the Victory, under various admirals until it became Vice Admiral Hyde Parker's flagship, by which time he had moved up to 1st lieutenant. He moved with the Admiral to HMS Fortitude, on which he was present at the Battle of Dogger Bank on 5 August 1781, when he was wounded. He was promoted commander and appointed to the fireship Tisiphone. In 1782, Saumarez sailed his ship to the West Indies with despatches for Samuel Hood and arrived in time to witness the closing stages of Hood's operations at St Kitts on 25 January 1782.

Battle of the Saintes.

While commanding the HMS Russell (74 guns), he contributed to Rodney's victory over de Grasse at the Battle of the Saintes on (12 April 1782). During the battle and on his own initiative, Saumarez took his ship out of line to assist in the capture of De Grasse's flagship, Ville de Paris. This action prompted Admiral Rodney to remark that, "The Russell's captain is a fine fellow, whoever he is."



When the war in America was finished, Saumarez went ashore and did not go to sea again until 1793 when he was given command of the frigate HMS Crescent, a 36-gun fifth rate frigate.

Action of 20 October 1793.

It was in Crescent that Saumarez was involved in one of the first major single-ship actions of the war when he captured the French frigate Reunion, in the Action of 20 October 1793. British casualties were exceptionally light, with only one man wounded during the engagement. In reward, Saumarez was knighted by King George III and given a presentation plate by the City of London, although he later received a bill for £103 6s 8d (the equivalent of £9,700 as of 2011), from a Mr. Cooke for "the honour of a knighthood". Saumarez refused to pay, telling Cooke to charge whomever had paid for Edward Pellew's knighthood after his successful action. Saumarez later wrote to his brother that "I think it hard to pay so much for an honour which my services have been thought to deserve".

Channel Islands station.

While in command of a Guernsey-based squadron consisting of three frigates, HMS Crescent (1784), HMS Druid (1783) and HMS Eurydice (1781), a lugger, and cutter a planned invasion by 20,000 French soldiers of the Channel Islands scheduled for February 1794 was frustrated and cancelled due to Saumarez's vigilant eye. On 8 June 1794 on the way from Plymouth to Guernsey, he encountered a superior French force of two razees, three frigates, and a cutter. The French squadron outgunned the British by 192 guns to 92, but Saumarez succeeded in getting his frigates to safety by sailing between rocks on the west coast of Guernsey and around the island to the St Peter Port anchorage. The British lugger and cutter had returned to Plymouth before the start of the action. The British threat to any invasion force stayed intact.

Battle of Cape St Vincent.

After being promoted in 1795 he was appointed to the 74-gun HMS Orion in the Channel fleet, where he took part in the defeat of the French fleet at the Battle of Groix off Lorient on 22 June.

Orion was one of the ships sent to reinforce Sir John Jervis in February 1797, when Saumarez distinguished himself in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. During the early stages he helped repel a sustained attack on the British line and covered the retreat of HMS Colossus when she was forced to retire from the action. Colossus had sustained serious damage, her sails being virtually shot away and it looked as though she would be raked by Spanish warships, until Orion intervened. Later, when the engagement had turned to a general melee, Saumarez forced the Salvador del Mundo to surrender before attacking the Santissima Trinidad with the help of HMS Excellent. Saumarez was certain he had forced her surrender too when the arrival of the remainder of the Spanish fleet forced Jervis to break off the engagement.

Blockade of Cadiz and the Battle of the Nile.

Saumarez remained with Jervis's fleet and was present at the blockade of Cadiz from February 1797 to April 1798. In May 1798, the Orion joined the squadron under Nelson's command that was sent into the Mediterranean to seek and destroy the French. Saumarez was Nelson's second in command at the Battle of the Nile where he distinguished himself once more, forcing the surrender of the Peuple Souverain and the 80-gun Franklin.

Battle of Algeciras and Gut of Gibraltar.

On his return from Egypt he received the command of HMS Caesar, of 80 guns, with orders to watch the French fleet off Brest during the winters of 1799 and 1800. In 1801, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral of the Blue, was created a baronet, and received the command of a small squadron which was to watch the movements of the Spanish fleet at Cadiz. Between 6 and 12 July, he performed an excellent piece of service, in which after a first repulse at Algeciras he routed a much superior combined force of French and Spanish ships at the Battle of the Gut of Gibraltar. For his services, Saumarez received the Order of the Bath and the Freedom of the City of London. In 1803, the United Kingdom Parliament bestowed upon him an annuity of £1200 a year (Annuity to Admiral Saumarez Act 1803).



During the Peace of Amiens Saumarez remained at home with his family in Guernsey, and when war broke out again he was given command of the naval forces defending the Channel Islands. He therefore was not present at the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Baltic Campaign.

In 1808 he was given command of the Baltic fleet with his flag in HMS Victory. Saumarez's mission was to protect the British trade which was of vital importance for Royal Navy supplies and to blockade enemy ports such as those under French control in northern Germany. The Russian fleet was also kept under blockade until Alexander I reopened Russian ports. Sweden, under pressure from France, declared war on Britain in November 1810 but Saumarez showed conspicuous tact towards the government of Sweden and her shipping, correctly guessing that the Swedes, like their Russian neighbours, would eventually defy Napoleon. Charles XIII later bestowed on him the Grand Cross of the military Order of the Sword. Denmark, a French satellite, also needed to be kept under observation until it was invaded by the Swedish Army in 1814.In 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia with half a million troops and Saumarez's fleet was instrumental in hampering French operations.

Latter years.

At the Peace of 1814, Saumarez attained the rank of Admiral, and in 1819 he was made Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom, in 1821 Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom. From 1824 to 1827 he was Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth. He was raised to the peerage as Baron de Saumarez in 1831 and died in Guernsey in 1836. In memory of Saumarez's achievements, there is a statue of him in the National Maritime Museum in London. The public bar at the Duke of Normandie Hotel in Saint Peter Port was named after Saumarez and features a portrait of him.

Relationship with Nelson.

Saumarez and Nelson served together in 1797 and 1798, but their relationship was not a close one. In fact on a number of occasions it became quite strained. They first clashed after the Battle of Cape St Vincent. Saumarez had forced the surrender of the Santissima Trinidad but was unable to capture her because Jervis was forced to break off the engagement. Nelson attempted to console Saumarez by telling him that the Spanish had confirmed that the Trinidad had indeed surrendered. Saumarez tersely replied "Whoever doubted it, sir? I hope there is no need for such evidence to establish the truth of a report of a British officer."

In May 1798, when Saumarez was appointed to Nelson's squadron in the Mediterranean, Nelson preferred to confer with Troubridge and even though, as the senior captain, Saumarez was technically second in command, he was often left out of their conversations.

After the Battle of the Nile, while in conversation with Nelson, on the quarterdeck of HMS Vanguard, Saumarez suggested that the tactic of doubling the French line had been a dangerous one as it exposed British ships to 'friendly fire'. Before he had a chance to explain, Nelson cut him short and angrily went below. Nelson decided that Saumarez should escort the prizes home and they never served together again.

Later Nelson wrote a letter saying, "I could have formed no opinion of Orion that was not favourable to her gallant and excellent commander (Saumarez) and crew". However, the awkwardness between them remained.

Family.

In 1788 he married Martha le Marchant of a wealthy Guernsey family, who brought the estate now known as Saumarez Park into the marriage. They had three sons and four daughters. The eldest son, James (1789–1863), succeeded to the peerage, was a clergyman and died without children; he was succeeded in the peerage by his brother, John St. Vincent Saumarez (1806–1891).



Rob.

[Diamondback]

Sculpt Scoreboard:

Rate	British	Unsculpted	Spanish	Unsculpted
First and Second	SGN201 Victory SGN108 Britannia	Sandwich 98: Blenheim Barfleur 98: Prince George, Barfleur 90 Namur	SGN111 Mejicano, Salvador del Mundo, Conde de Regla, Principe de Asturias SGN111 as Purisima Concepcion: Purisima Concepcion, San Jose	one-off Santisima Trinidad
Third	SGN104 Egmont, Goliath, Excellent SGN104 as Canada 74: Orion, Captain SGN104 as Ganges 74: Culloden W4 Ardent 64 as Albion 74: Irresistible W4 Ardent as Intrepid 64: Diadem	Courageux 74: Colossus	SGN112 San Pedro de Alcantara 64/68/74: Santo Domingo* SGN112 as Gautier 74: San Juan Nepomuceno, San Pablo *Use stats midway between SGN109 and 111 for Santo Domingo	80 San Nicolas de Bari Doce Apostolos 74s: Oriente, Glorioso Ildefonso 74s: Infante Don Pelayo, Conquistador, (?)Soberano, San Ildefonso, (?)San Antonio, San Francisco de Paula 74's San Genaro, San Isidro, San Fermin, Firme, Atlante
Fifth (no Fourths present)	SGN105 as Minerve 40: Minerve SGN103 Southampton, Niger	Alcmene 32: Lively	W4 Mahonesa 34: Perla, Diana	*40's ?N.S. de la Paz, N.S. de Atocha, Ceres 34's (?)N.S. de las Mercedes, (?)Matilde *note: reported ratings of Spanish frigates vary wildly
Unrated (no Sixths present)		Sloop Bonne Citoyenne Brig Raven Cutter Fox		28 AMV Asuncion 20 AMV Santa Paula 18 AMV's Santa Justa, Santa Balbina Brig Vigilante

At this point we need:
--An early 90/98 for Namur
--A sculpt for those odd flat-top Barfleurs
--a sculpt for 1761 Courageux and her descendants
--a late 18-pdr 32 like Alcmene (odd ducks, these last of the 32's, so don't hold your breath)
--all-around more info on the Spanish, particularly early 74s, San Nicolas de Bari and frigates
--an Ildefonso sculpt (I've suggested Ares sculpt the improved Montanes 80 and water down the stats to do these)
--a Doce Apostolos sculpt
--some more little guys

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Captain George Murray.

George Murray was born in Chichester in January 1759. His father was Gideon Murray, Alderman of that city.He began his naval career at the age of 11, when he was entered in the books of Captain Francis Banks's HMS Niger, which was serving in the Mediterranean, as a captain's servant. His proper service in the navy likely began in 1772, when he joined HMS Panther, the flagship of Commodore Molyneux Shuldham, for service on the Newfoundland station. He then transferred to the flagship of John Montagu, the 50-gun HMS Romney, and again in time to join Sir Peter Parker's flagship HMS Bristol for the attack on Sullivan's Island on 28 June 1776.He moved into HMS Chatham after this and continued to serve with Parker along the North American coast, participating in the occupation of Rhode Island in December 1776. After receiving favourable reports of his conduct, Vice-Admiral Lord Howe requested Murray's services and he was transferred to HMS Eagle. Murray went on to see action in Howe's campaigns to disrupt the French fleet under comte d'Estaing in the summer of 1778.

Home waters.

Howe and Murray returned to England in 1778. Howe was disaffected by his experiences of command in North America, and consequently did not bestow patronage on those junior officers under his command, as was the custom. Instead a friend of Murray's father, Captain George Montagu arranged for him to draw up a record of his service and good conduct in the North American campaign, which was then passed on to the First Lord of the Admiralty, John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. He passed his lieutenant's examination on 19 November 1778, and quickly received his commission on 31 December that year. He was to be second lieutenant aboard the 32-gun HMS Arethusa, under Captain Charles Holmes Everitt. It was to be a short-lived appointment as on 19 March 1779 she ran aground and was wrecked on the Breton coast while chasing a French frigate. Murray was captured and became a prisoner of war, spending the next two years in captivity and occupying himself with the study of the French language and naval regulations. He was released and exchanged when he came to the attention of the French authorities after chastising an American privateersman for wearing a British uniform.

East Indies.

Murray had made it back to England by early 1781 and received an appointment to the 64-gun HMS Monmouth as her first lieutenant. The Monmouth, commanded by fellow townsman James Alms, set sail to the East Indies in April 1781. Murray also took part in the Battle of Porto Praya against the Bailli de Suffren, and went on to face him again with Sir Edward Hughes's fleet off the coast of India at the Battle of Sadras on 15 February 1782, and at the Battle of Providien on 12 April 1782. Murray moved aboard Hughes's flagship, the 74-gun HMS Superb shortly after the engagement at Providien, and went on to take part in the battles of Negapatam and Trincomalee, being wounded in the latter.

Murray received his first command on 9 October 1782, that of the fireship HMS Combustion, but he was promoted to post-captain three days later and appointed to the 22-gun storeship and former Spanish privateer HMS San Carlos. He remained with her during the last engagement between Hughes and de Suffren, the Battle of Cuddalore on 20 June 1783, after which he was transferred to the 64-gun HMS Inflexible for his return to England.

Years of peace.

Without active employment following the Peace of Paris and the end of the American War of Independence, Murray spent several years in study, residing in France for a two-year period in order to refine his language skills. The Nootka Crisis in June 1790 led to Murray's return to service in command of the 32-gun frigate HMS Triton. He continued in her for the next few years, and by April 1791 he was occupied in surveying the Great Belt, and the approaches into Copenhagen. He spent the remainder of the peace serving at Halifax and Jamaica, returning to England in June 1793 after the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars.

French Revolutionary Wars.

He was appointed to the 36-gun HMS Nymphe in March 1794 and went on to serve as part of Sir John Borlase Warren's squadron. He was present at the Action of 23 April 1794 off Guernsey, where Warren's four frigates fought an engagement with three French frigates and a corvette, capturing two frigates and the corvette. He was still in command a year later when he and the Nymphe were engaged in Lord Bridport's victory at the Battle of Groix on 23 June 1795. He took advantage of a brief period of shore leave after this to marry Ann Teesdale on 15 September 1795, but was back at sea two weeks later, in command of the 90-gun HMS Formidable.

Jervis and Cape St Vincent.

Murray's next assignment was to take command of the 74-gun HMS Colossus in 1796. He sailed to join Sir John Jervis's fleet and took up station commanding the inshore squadron blockading Cadiz. While there the Spanish admiral of the port invited Murray to attend a bullfight, offering his nephew as a temporary guarantee of Murray's safety. Murray saw action at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797, where he and Colossus formed up near the centre of the British line. As the British ships broke through the Spanish line and tacked around to engage their van, Spanish Vice-Admiral Joaquin Moreno in the rear saw an opportunity to exploit a weakness in the British formation. Pulling forward in his flagship Principe de Asturias he came across the bows of the British line, cutting between HMS Orion, which had already tacked, and HMS Colossus, which was just preparing to. He then fired a broadside at the vulnerable bows of Colossus, damaging her main foreyard and causing her to miss stays. She began to drift out of the line while Murray and his crew struggled to regain manoeuvrability. Seeing her predicament, Orion dropped back to cover Colossus with a broadside. Despite this setback Colossus only sustained five wounded during the course of the battle, which ended in a British victory.

Loss of the Colossus.

Murray continued to serve with Jervis until he was despatched to join Horatio Nelson in the Mediterranean. He rendezvoused with him at Naples, but the Colossus was by now so worn out that Nelson sent Murray back to Britain as a convoy escort, and carrying a cargo of artefacts from Sir William Hamilton's collection. The Colossus reached the Channel safely but a north-east gale blew up, forcing Murray to seek shelter in the waters off the Isles of Scilly. He initially anchored in St Marys Roads but the storm worsened and her anchors dragged, and on 7 December 1798 she ran onto a ledge of rocks and was wrecked. There was one casualty in the sinking, and many of Sir William Hamilton's treasures in his collection were lost with her. A court-martial was convened, at which Murray was honourably acquitted of blame and assigned to command the 84-gun HMS Achille with the Channel Fleet. In March 1801 he was moved to the 74-gun HMS Edgar and assigned to Sir Hyde Parker's Baltic expedition, where it was anticipated that his previous experience in the Baltic would be an asset.

Nelson and Copenhagen.

Detached with Nelson's expeditionary squadron for the expeditionary assault on Copenhagen on 2 April, Murray was given the task of leading the British force into the harbour, using channels he had helped to chart a decade earlier. She eventually passed by four Danish ships, taking fire from each one, before anchoring opposite the Jylland, which she engaged for the next four hours of the battle. By the time the truce was concluded, the Edgar had taken casualties of 31 killed and 104 wounded. During the peace negotiations with the Danish, and the subsequent foray to watch the Swedish forces at Karlskrona, Murray developed a strong rapport with Nelson, who had replaced Parker after the latter's recall to Britain.

Captain of the fleet.

With the resumption of hostilities after the Peace of Amiens, Murray returned to sea in command of the 74-gun HMS Spartiate, but word soon reached him that Nelson had requested him to be his captain of the fleet in the Mediterranean. Murray was initially reluctant to accept the offer, and on being asked why, replied that

the nature of the service was such, as very frequently terminated in disagreement between the admiral and the captain; and he should be extremely unwilling to hazard any possible thing that should diminish the regard and respect which he should ever entertain for his lordship.

Nelson's response was to express agreement with Murray that such situations could occur, but reminded him that

on whatever he [Murray] might be called, or whatever measure he might be directed to carry into execution, he never should forget the intimacy which subsisted between them; and even, should anything go contrary to his wishes, he would wave the rank of admiral, and explain, or expostulate with him, as his friend, Murray.

Murray then accepted the post, and remained with Nelson as his captain of the fleet during the blockade of Toulon between 1803 and 1805, and the subsequent chase of Villeneuve and his fleet to the West Indies and back in 1805. He had been promoted to rear-admiral on 23 April 1804, but declined to raise his flag so as to be able to continue on with Nelson. The fleet returned to England in August 1805, where Murray learnt that his father-in-law had died, leaving him as executor of his estates. While Nelson sailed to take up command of the fleet blockading Cadiz, Murray was compelled to remain in England and attend to family affairs. Nelson did not therefore have a captain of the fleet at Trafalgar, for as one biographer stated "none but Murray would do".

Later service.

Murray's last operational command was in November 1806, when he was assigned as commander-in-chief of the naval forces involved in the operations to capture Buenos Aires, supporting General John Whitelocke's soldiers. Murray and the naval forces were for the most part limited to conveying troops, and subsequently organising their evacuation. He returned home in January 1808, and was promoted to vice-admiral on 25 October 1809. A nomination to be a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath followed on 2 January 1815 and later the same year he was elected Mayor of Chichester.


He died suddenly at his home in Chichester on 28 February 1819.

Rob.

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Captain George Martin.

George Martin was born in 1764, the son of William Martin, a captain in the navy, and his wife Arabella, the daughter of Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Rowley. George's great-uncle was Admiral Sir William Martin, who had fought in the War of the Austrian Succession under Admirals Norris and Vernon. His name was entered on the books of the yacht HMS Mary on 13 December 1771, but he did not actually enter the navy until 20 November 1776, when he became a captain's servant aboard his uncle, Joshua Rowley's ship, HMS Monarch. He remained in Rowley's service for several years, rising to able seaman and then midshipman.

American War of Independence.


Martin saw action at the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778, before transferring with now Rear-Admiral Rowley to the latter's new flagship, the 74-gun HMS Suffolk, on 8 December that year to serve under Captain Hugh Cloberry Christian. Suffolk went out to the West Indies and formed part of Admiral John Byron's fleet at the Battle of Grenada on 6 July 1779. Martin transferred to the 44-gun frigate HMS Actaeon, and then to the 14-gun sloop HMS Chameleon, before joining the sloop HMS Rover under Captain John Thomas Duckworth. Duckworth appointed Martin midshipman and second master's mate during his time on Rover, with Martin seeing action as part of Admiral Sir George Rodney's fleet at the Battle of Martinique and the subsequent engagements off the island during April and May. After these engagements Martin was transferred to Hart, under James Vashon until 15 July 1780, before being appointed as lieutenant aboard the 74-gun HMS Russell under Captain Thomas Hanwell the following day. Martin returned to serving with his old commander, John Thomas Duckworth, aboard the 98-gun HMS Princess Royal, and followed him when he moved to take command of the 44-gun HMS Ulysses on 26 June 1781.

He was then transferred to serve aboard the 90-gun HMS Sandwich, until moving ashore on 30 September 1781. Martin was then promoted to commander and appointed to his first command on 9 March 1782, taking over the sloop HMS Tobago. A further promotion to post-captain followed soon after as he took command of the 50-gun HMS Preston on 17 March 1783. With the draw-down of the navy following the end of the war, Martin sailed Preston back to Britain, and paid her off on 2 April 1784.

The peace, and the French Revolutionary Wars.


Martin spent five years without a ship, but returned to service with an appointment to command the 24-gun HMS Porcupine on 9 July 1789. He was active off the coast of Ireland until paying her off on 21 August 1792.The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars offered further opportunities for employment, and on 12 March 1793 he took command of the 32-gun HMS Magicienne and joined the squadron based at Jamaica. After his return to England Martin was transferred to take command of the 74-gun HMS Irresistible on 8 February 1795, after her previous captain, Richard Grindall, had been injured at the Battle of Groix. In November Martin was assigned to escort an expedition to the Leeward Islands under Vice-Admiral Sir John Laforey, with a military force commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby. The expedition was forced back to port by violent storms, while a second attempt under Rear-Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian in December suffered the same fate. The expedition sailed again in March the following year, and succeeded in reaching the West Indies in April, where Irresistible covered the landing of troops. Later that year Irresistible helped to chase the 36-gun French Perçante ashore off San Domingo.

Cape St Vincent.

Returning to British waters Martin was assigned to Sir John Jervis's fleet, and saw action at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797. During the battle Irresistible sustained casualties of five killed and 14 wounded.The 74-gun HMS Captain had been present at the battle flying the flag of Commodore Horatio Nelson. Captain had been badly damaged in the battle, and Nelson transferred his pennant to Irresistible the day after the battle. He remained aboard her until Captain had been repaired, and returned to sea aboard Captain in late March.

Ninfa and Santa Elena.


Main article: Action of 26 April 1797
Martin and Irresistible remained off the Iberian coast, enforcing the blockade of Cadiz. On 26 April 1798 two Spanish frigates, the Ninfa and the Santa Elena were spotted approaching the port. Irresistible, in company with the 36-gun HMS Emerald chased them into Conil Bay and brought them to action at 2 pm. After an hour and a half of fighting the two Spanish ships surrendered, with the Santa Elena being driven onshore and wrecked. The Ninfa was later added to the Royal Navy as HMS Hamadryad. Sir John Jervis was later to record that the skill and daring involved in chasing the Spanish ships past the dangerous reefs at the entrance to the bay made the action "one of the most notable that had ever come under his observation".

Mediterranean.


Martin was assigned to serve with the Channel Fleet under Lord Bridport, after which he transferred to take command of the 74-gun HMS Northumberland on 14 July 1798, serving as the flagship of Sir John Colpoys. He served in the Mediterranean with Rear-Admiral Sir John Duckworth's squadron from June 1799, and the following year was part of the blockade of Malta. He helped to capture the 74-gun Généreux on 18 February that year, after which the Généreux was commissioned into the navy as HMS Genereux and joined the blockading forces. In May Martin became commander of the blockade and on 24 August 1800 the Northumberland, Genereux and HMS Success captured the French frigate Diane off Malta. The French garrison at Valletta surrendered to him in September, after which Martin moved to support Admiral Lord Keith's operations off Egypt. He received the Turkish gold medal in 1802 for his services in this campaign, and came ashore on 21 September with the end of the war following the Peace of Amiens.

Napoleonic Wars.


Finisterre and flag rank.


Returning to service with the resumption of hostilities in 1803, Martin took command of the 74-gun HMS Colossus on 22 May and joined the Channel Fleet. He was nominated a Colonel of Marines on 23 April 1804, and the following day transferred to the 90-gun HMS Glory. He remained in her until taking command of the 90-gun HMS Barfleur on 21 November, and was still in command when he joined Sir Robert Calder's fleet and took part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre on 22 July 1805. He afterwards resigned his command, on 16 September, and moved ashore, receiving a promotion to rear-admiral on 9 November. He gave evidence in the court-martial in Calder's conduct at Finisterre towards the end of December, and on 17 January 1806 took up the post of second in command at Portsmouth. He held the position until 9 November 1806, when he returned to sea, joining Collingwood's fleet blockading the remnants of the French and Spanish fleet at Cadiz, before moving to the Italian coast. He hoisted his flag aboard the 74-gun HMS Montagu in 1807, and continued in the Mediterranean. He was also aboard the 90-gun HMS Queen.

Mediterranean command.


Martin oversaw the capture of the Italian islands of Ischia and Procida in June 1809, and in October he and his flagship HMS Canopus were dispatched with a small squadron to chase several French ships that had escaped from Toulon under Rear-Admiral François Baudin. Martin and his force discovered the French and chased them to the harbour of Cette at the mouth of the Rhone, where two ships, the 80-gun Robuste and the 74-gun Lion ran aground. Martin made plans to attack them, but their crews abandoned and burnt them on 26 October before he could carry them out. After a promotion to vice-admiral on 31 July 1810 Martin took command of the naval forces at Palermo, which had been tasked with supporting Sir John Stuart's forces in Calabria. The King of Naples, Ferdinand I appointed Martin to the Order of Saint Januarius on 6 July 1811 for his good service during these duties.

Last years at sea.


Martin returned to England and went ashore on striking his flag on 14 October 1810. He returned to sea in 1812, flying his flag aboard the 78-gun HMS Impetueux and took command of the forces off Lisbon. He remained in this role for the next two years, shifting his flag to HMS Stately and then HMS Rodney in 1813. He struck his flag on 24 June 1814 and the following day was nominated a Knight Bachelor on the occasion of the Prince Regent's visiting the fleet at Spithead. On 2 January 1815 he received a further honour, when he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, and on 20 February 1821 he was further advanced to a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Postwar.


Martin continued to serve in the navy after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Advanced to full admiral on 19 July 1821, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth on 27 March 1824, with his flag aboard the 100-gun HMS Victory. He stepped down from the position on 30 April 1827, and on 23 January 1833 was appointed Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom. He became Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom in April 1834, a post he held until November 1846. He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George on 17 May 1837 in recognition for his services against the French at Malta, and was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 9 November 1846. He briefly became Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom again on 10 July 1847 until his death later that month.

Rob.

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Captain of the Fleet Robert Calder.


Robert Calder was born in Kent, England, to Sir James Calder and Alice Hughes, daughter of Admiral Robert Hughes. His father was the 3rd Baronet Calder of Muirton, who had been appointed Gentleman Usher of the Privy chamber to the queen by Lord Bute in 1761. His elder brother, who succeeded to his father's baronetcy, was Major General Sir Henry Calder. Calder was educated in Maidstone, before joining the Royal Navy in December 1758 at the age of thirteen.

Career.


Calder initially served aboard his cousin's ship, the 70-gun Nassau, in the American theatre of the Seven Years' War. En route to England, in September 1759, Nassau was dismasted in storm and arrived at her destination with nine foot of water in her hold.

As a Midshipman, Calder received £1,800 in prize money for his part in the capture of the Spanish treasure ship Hermione on 21 May 1762, and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant. At that rank he served aboard HMS Essex, under Captain the Hon. George Faulkner, in the Caribbean. In 1780 he attained the rank of Post-Captain. He commanded the frigate HMS Diana under Admiral Richard Kempenfelt, and acquitted himself honourably in the various services to which he was called, but for a long time had no opportunity of distinguishing himself.


In 1796 he was appointed Captain of the Fleet to Admiral John Jervis, and saw action at the battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797. After the battle he was selected to carry the dispatches announcing the victory back to Britain, and was knighted by George III on 3 March 1797 for his services. He also received the thanks of Parliament, and was created 1st Baronet Calder of Southwick on 22 August 1798.

In 1799 he was promoted to Rear-Admiral; and in 1804, now a Vice-Admiral, was despatched with a small squadron in pursuit of a French force under Admiral Ganteaume, conveying supplies to the French in Egypt. In this he was unsuccessful, and returning home at the peace he struck his flag.


In the War of the Third Coalition (1805–1806) he was in command of the squadrons blockading the ports of Rochefort and Ferrol, in which (amongst others) ships were being prepared for the invasion of England by Napoleon I. Calder held his position with a force greatly inferior to that of the enemy, and refused to be enticed out to sea.
On its becoming known that Napoleon intended to break the blockade of Ferrol, as a prelude to his invasion, the Admiralty ordered Rear-Admiral Charles Stirling to join Calder and intercept the Franco-Spanish fleet on their passage to Brest. The approach of the enemy was concealed by fog; finally on 22 July 1805 the fleets came into sight. The allies outnumbered the British; but Calder ordered his fleet into action.

The ensuing battle was battle of Cape Finisterre: fifteen British ships had engaged twenty French and Spanish ships and captured two. The British losses were 39 officers and men killed and 159 wounded; the allies lost 158 dead and 320 wounded. After four hours, as night fell, Calder gave orders to discontinue the action. Over the following two days the fleets remained close to one another, but did not re-engage. Calder focused on protecting his newly won prizes, while the French Admiral Villeneuve declined to force another engagement. Villeneuve left the area on the 24th, sailing to Ferrol, and eventually Cádiz, instead of resuming his course to Brest. Villeneuve had failed in all his objectives: he had landed no troops in Ireland, and the plan of linking with the fleet at Brest, driving off the British Channel squadrons, and supporting Napoleon's invasion of Britain came to nothing: the Armée d'Angleterre waited uselessly at Boulogne as before. In the judgment of Napoleon, his scheme of invasion was baffled by this day's action; but much indignation was felt in England at the failure of Calder to win a complete victory.

In consequence of the strong feeling against him Calder demanded a court-martial. Nelson was ordered to send Calder home, and allowed him to return in his own 98-gun ship the Prince of Wales, even though battle was imminent. Calder left in early October 1805, missing the battle of Trafalgar. The court-martial was held on 23 December 1805, and resulted in an acquittal on the charges of cowardice and disaffection. However, Calder received a severe reprimand for not having done his utmost to renew the engagement, and never served at sea again.

In the natural course of events he was promoted Admiral on 31 July 1810 and created a Knight Commander, Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in 1810. He died at Holt, near Bishop's Waltham, in Hampshire, in 1818.

Rob.

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Captain George Grey.

Grey served in the Royal Navy from the age of 14 in the West Indies and home waters from 1781. He was on HMS Resolution under Captain Lord Robert Manners in Rodney's action of the Battle of the Saintes against the French on 12 April 1782 A commission for service at the rank of 4th Lieutenant was issued in 1784.

Following representations made by Charles Grey, to John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham detailing the career of his son George, also a lieutenant in the navy, and requesting consideration for promotion. On 7 August 1793, confirmation was sent that George Grey had been appointed Captain of HMS Vesuvius.

At the commencement of the war with France in 1793, Grey was serving on the 32-gun HMS Quebec, from which he was promoted to the command of the Vesuvius bomb vessel and on 3 October 1793, Sir John Jervis hoisted the flag of a Vice-Admiral of the Blue on HMS Boyne;

his flag captain was the son of the general commanding the troops, Captain George Grey, from thenceforth associated with his patron's services, and with his affection to the latest hour of his life.

The combined forces, commanded jointly by John Jervis and Grey's father, General Charles Grey, proceeded to the Caribbean where they captured the French colonies of Martinique, Guadeloupe and St Lucia. According to accounts of the time, Charles Grey ordered 2,400 troops to attack the French-held forts. His son, Captain George Grey and Captain Nugent were often employed, with 200 or 400 seamen, to move the heavy guns, ammunition and supplies to the troops, and at times to storm the enemy at the point of bayonet to gain territory.

On their return to British waters on 1 May 1795, HMS Boyne caught fire during Marine exercises while anchored off Spithead. The fire spread quickly, causing the on-board cannons to fire at nearby ships attempting to rescue the seamen on board. Eleven crewmen from the Boyne lost their lives, and two from the Queen Charlotte, anchored nearby. The anchor cables were destroyed by the fire, so the ship drifted and eventually ran aground. It eventually had to be blown up, and the Boyne Buoy, still marks the position of the wreck near Southsea Castle at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. The accident happened before John Jervis had been able to remove all his papers and belongings, so everything he had on board was lost. George Grey, as captain, was court-martialed but acquitted, as he had not been on board at the time.

In November 1796, Captain Grey sailed with John Jervis and Robert Calder on HMS Lively, to join the Mediterranean Fleet at Gibraltar. Admiral Jervis raised his flag on HMS Victory with the two captains, Robert Calder as Captain of the Fleet and Captain George Grey to command his flagship^. The Admiral hoisted his flag on HMS Victory on joining the fleet. During the Battle of Cape St Vincent of the 14 February 1797, despite the heavy fighting, there was only one fatality on HMS Victory, when a Marine was shot alongside John Jervis on the poop deck.

In August 1797, Captain Grey was given the command of HMS Ville de Paris and the following year, in September 1798, he succeeded Robert Calder as Master and Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, the orders coming from George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, First Lord of the Admiralty on 29 August 1798.

By June 1799, Earl St Vincent had given Captain Grey the dormant position of Adjutant-General of Fleet and requested that he be permitted to have Grey accompany him home on the Ville de Paris. The service record of George Grey as Adjutant General of the Fleet whilst on Argo and Guerrier from June to November 1799 by Evan Nepean 26 Dec 1801.

In April 1800, John Jervis was recalled to command the Channel Fleet, to quell the mutinous spirit of the crews.

Lord St Vincent was desirous of calling to his assistance in the Channel, as many as he could of the Officers formed in the Mediterranean Fleet... That the Admiralty could not, at a moment's notice, comply with these wishes as fully as his Lordship imparted them, may also be as easily supposed. Captain Grey accompanied the Admiral as his Flag Captain on HMS Ville de Paris.

At the beginning of the short peace in March 1801, he accepted the command of one of the royal yachts at Weymouth, and did not again see active service.The Grey family lived at Weymouth for the three years of his service to King George III and a doll's house that was presented to his daughters by the Royal princesses is on display at Kew Palace.

Admiralty Commissioner.

From 1804 to 1806, Captain Grey was Commissioner of Sheerness Dockyard. During his time there, on 23 December 1805 his official yacht, the Chatham, was used to transfer Horatio Nelson's coffin with his flag flown at half mast, from HMS Victory to Greenwich Hospital. There his body lay in state until 8 January 1806 before being moved by state barge to Whitehall and the Admiralty for a state funeral.

In 1806, George Grey was appointed Commissioner at Portsmouth Dockyard. Besides overseeing the changing face of the Navy and the Dockyard being instigated by the Lord of the Admiralty, Earl St Vincent, Sir George had an important administrative role to play. Some of his correspondence with the Navy Board from 1807 to 1827 is still kept by National Archives relating to the workers, maintenance and general operation of the dockyard, including major accidents. He also wrote to the Board on behalf of offenders who faced deportation or death for their crimes.

In 1807, the mayor of Portsmouth John Carter, together with the aldermen, Town Clerk and Coroner, arrived at the Dockyard gates to assert the right of judicial process over the whole dockyard. George Grey refused them entry until he had assurances that they were not claiming jurisdiction over the soil of the dockyard.

He became President of the Portsmouth Dock Yard Bible Association in 1817 and was an active supporter, with his wife, of Missions to Seafarers. His wife, Mary Whitbread, took an active role in looking after the dockyard workers' families, sick seamen and seafarer's orphans. She was the first woman to have been recorded as actively supporting seamen's missions by supplying scriptures and other religious reading materials to officers and instructing them to read to the men or distribute material to crews at sea. She did this for over 20 years.

In 1814 during a royal visit instigated by the Prince Regent (later King George IV), Emperor Alexander I of Russia, Catherine, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, the Earl of Yarmouth, and Russian Ambassado Count Lieven stayed at the Commissioner's residence in Portsmouth Dockyard. On 29 July he was created a Knight Commander of the Bath.

Sir George maintained his close friendship with Admiral John Jervis until his death in 1823.

In addition to his work as Commissioner of the Dockyard he was also Marshal of the Vice-Admiralty Court at Barbados; an Alderman of Portsmouth and Vice President of the Naval and Military Bible Society.

Death and funeral.

Sir George Grey died at the Commissioner's residence, Portsmouth Dockyard, on 3 October 1828.

Rob.

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Captain John Sutton.

It is believed that this officer served during part of the American war as a Lieutenant in the Superb, of 70 guns, the flag ship of the gallant Sir Edward Hughes, in the East Indies. If so, he was wounded in an attack made by the boats of the squadron upon several of Hyder Ally’s vessels lying at anchor near Mangalore. The boats rowed in with great firmness, under cover of two of the East India Company’s snows, amidst a heavy fire from the enemy’s ships, which they resolutely boarded and carried, setting fire to three which they were not able to bring off, took one, and forced another on shore, with several merchant vessels, which were destroyed. An armed snow was closely pursued; but by throwing her guns overboard, she escaped over the bar into the harbour. This service was not performed without some loss on the side of the British; Lieutenant Gosnam, of the Burford, and 10 men, were killed, and two officers and 51 men wounded.


The enemy’s armed vessels taken and destroyed consisted of two ships and three ketches, mounting in the whole 86 guns.


After the above affair, which took place Dec. 8, 1780, Lieutenant Sutton appears to have been promoted to the command of the Nymph sloop, in which he returned to England. His promotion to the rank of Post-Captain bears date Nov. 28, 1782. He married, March 30, 1797, Frances, daughter of Beaumont, second Lord Hotham, and sister of Rear-Admiral Hon. Sir H. Hotham.



This officer obtained the rank of Post-Captain, Nov. 28, 1782; and at the commencement of the French revolutionary war, was appointed to the Romulus, of 36 guns, in which ship he proceeded to the Mediterranean, where he removed into the Egmont, 74.


In the action between the British and French fleets, off Gourjon Bay, March 14, 1795, under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir Davidge Gould, the Egmont sustained a loss of 7 men killed and 21 wounded, occasioned principally by the bursting of a gun on her main-deck. She was also present in the skirmish off the Hieres islands, July 13th, in the same year.


In the spring of 1796, the Egmont formed part of a squadron sent to Tunis, under Vice-Admiral Waldegrave, on a particular mission; and on the night previous to their quitting that place, Captain Sutton headed the boats of the different ships in an attack made upon several French vessels lying in the bay, the result of which was the capture of the Nemesis, a 28-gun ship; the Sardine, a corvette of 22 guns; and two other armed vessels. One of the latter was destroyed, the rest brought off in triumph.

Towards the close of the same year, we find Captain Sutton serving with Commodore Nelson at the evacuation of Corsica, a measure rendered necessary by the recent alliance formed between France and Spain. By the exertions of those officers, public stores to the amount of 200,000l. sterling was embarked, and transported to Porto Ferrajo, the whole of which must have been lost but for their admirable firmness and address.

St. Vincent.

On the 14th Feb. 1797, when Sir John Jervis, with fifteen sail of the line, defeated a Spanish fleet of nearly double that number, the Egmont was one of the ships composing the British squadron; and Captain Sutton, in common with the other commanders, received a gold medal for his conduct on that occasion. In the month of October following he returned to England, and after serving some time with the Channel fleet, removed into the Superb, of 74 guns, the command of which ship he retained until Feb. 1801, when he was appointed to be Captain of the Channel fleet, under the Hon. William Cornwallis, in which station he continued to serve" during the remainder of the war.


On the renewal of hostilities, in 1803, our officer obtained the command of the Mars, of 74 guns; and at the general promotion that took place April 23, 1804, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, and appointed to superintend the harbour duty at Plymouth, where he remained until Oct. 1809; on the 25th of which month he was advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral, and some time after nominated Commander-in-Chief on the Halifax station. He was created a K.C.B. Jan. 2, 1815; and became a full Admiral Aug. 12, 1819.

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Captain Charles Henry Knowles.


Knowles was born at Kingston, Jamaica on 24 August 1754, the second son of the Governor of Jamaica Admiral Sir Charles Knowles and his wife Maria Magdalena Theresa de Bouget. He received his initial education at Eton College circa 1764–6, and then subsequently at Glasgow and Edinburgh. He joined in navy in 1768 as a midshipman aboard the 36-gun frigate HMS Venus, which was then serving in the English Channel under the command of Captain Samuel Barrington. He was then aboard the Spithead guard ship the 74-gun HMS Lenox under Captain Robert Roddam, before joining the 32-gun HMS Southampton under Captain John MacBride, where he served at Plymouth and in the Channel.

West Indies.

Knowles was appointed as acting-lieutenant without pay aboard the sloop HMS Diligence by Sir George Brydges Rodney in 1773, and Knowles went on to serve in this capacity aboard HMS Princess Amelia, HMS Portland and HMS Guadeloupe under Captain William Cornwallis at Pensacola and from Jamaica.
He then moved aboard Captain Collins's 20-gun HMS Seaford where he served off Cap Francois and Santo Domingo.
His next appointment was aboard Rear-Admiral Clark Gayton's flagship, the 50-gun HMS Antelope at Port Royal from 1774 to May 1776, from which he moved aboard the 20-gun HMS Squirrel under Captain Stair Douglas. Under Douglas Knowles served at Jamaica, the Mosquito Shore and the Bay of Honduras.

Knowles's commission was confirmed on 28 May 1776 and he was appointed as second lieutenant of the 28-gun HMS Boreas, then under the command of Captain Charles Thompson. He served aboard the Boreas at Port Royal, and later on the North American Station at New York after the Battle of Bunker Hill. He was promoted to first lieutenant and in 1776 moved aboard the 50-gun HMS Chatham, which was at that time the flagship of Vice-Admiral Molyneux Shuldham. He went on to see service on the flat boats at New York and Rhode Island. Knowles returned to Britain aboard HMS Asia in January 1777 to see his father, who was in declining health. Whilst at home he took the opportunity to prepare his first signal book, A Set of Signals for a Fleet on a Plan Entirely New, for publication, before returning to the Americas in summer 1777. The book, published that year, proposed innovative new ways of flying numbered signals, and the development of tactics whereby the traditional line of battle would be abandoned once the battle began. Knowles claimed to have communicated the work to Lord Howe, and that Howe's tactics at the Glorious First of June reflected Knowles's theories on effective naval tactics. The death of his father on 9 December that year and his succession as the second baronet caused Knowles to return to England again.

He returned to active service again during the summer of 1778, and was present with Barrington's fleet at the Battle of St. Lucia on 15 December 1778, serving aboard Commander James Richard Dacres's 18-gun HMS Ceres. Two days later the Ceres was chased and captured by a squadron under the comte d'Estaing. He was exchanged and appointed to serve as lieutenant aboard Vice-Admiral Barrington's flagship, the 74-gun HMS Prince of Wales. In May 1779 he was briefly ordered to be master and commander of the storeship HMS Supply, but had returned to the Prince of Wales by 6 July, when he took part and was wounded in the Battle of Grenada. Knowles returned to England with Barrington in October 1779, and by December had joined Admiral Sir George Rodney's flagship, the 90-gun HMS Sandwich, as a volunteer for the Relief of Gibraltar.

Command.

Rodney appointed him to command the 18-gun xebec HMS Minorca on 26 January 1780, quickly following this with a promotion to post-captain and an appointment to the 24-gun HMS Porcupine on 2 February. Knowles went on to serve in a highly active role in the defence of British trade in the Mediterranean, engaging privateers and escorting convoys. At one point he was briefly blockaded in Minorca, where he fell ill. He was eventually able to escape to sea in January 1781, and was based out of Gibraltar until his return to England in April 1782. On his arrival he was accused of piracy and murder, but was able to clear his name, returning to Gibraltar aboard HMS Britannia to resume command of the Porcupine. He became senior naval officer there on the departure of Sir Roger Curtis, until returning to England once more in command of the 74-gun Spanish prize HMS San Miguel.

French Revolutionary Wars.

The end of the war allowed Knowles to continue with his studies, and he made a tour of France in 1788. The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 led to Knowles returning to active service in command of the 32-gun frigate HMS Daedalus. He was ordered to Halifax, but given permission to move to the Chesapeake, where a French convoy was planning to sail from. Problems with manning his ship meant that Knowles sailed from Portsmouth with a largely inexperienced crew, but Knowles was able to have them fully trained by the time of their arrival at Hampton Roads. Shortly after his arrival, the French escort arrived, and the convoy sailed shortly afterwards, observed by Knowles on the Daedalus. Knowles passed this latest information on to Lord Howe, who moved his Channel fleet to intercept it, setting in motion the events that would lead to the Glorious First of June. Having fulfilled his objective Knowles sailed to Halifax, and from there returned to England. He was appointed to the 74-gun HMS Edgar and served in the North Sea. Once again Knowles was beset by difficulties in manning his ship, the Edgar put to sea from the Nore manned by soldiers from 23 different regiments, and commanded by officers from still other regiments. Typhus and 'the itch' were rampant, on the ship's return to port she had to be scrubbed with lime water and fumigated with vinegar, while 100 men were discharged to the hospital. Knowles suffered a further mishap when the Edgar was dismasted in a storm off the Texel, and had to be towed back to the Nore.

Knowles transferred to the 74-gun HMS Goliath in late 1795, serving under Sir John Jervis at Lisbon. While serving there he ran foul of Jervis, who had him court-martialled in 1796 on a charge of disobeying a verbal order. At the trial Jervis's captain of the fleet Robert Calder swore that no order had been given, and the lieutenant who was supposed to have transmitted it swore he had not received one. The charge was therefore dismissed, but this appears to have been the start of a personal enmity of Jervis against Knowles.

Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Knowles was still in Jervis's fleet in command of Goliath when the Battle of Cape St Vincent was fought on 14 February 1797. During the engagement Jervis ordered his ships to tack in succession whilst in close action with the enemy. Knowles did so, coming under heavy fire and was forced to temporarily drop out of the action while the Goliath' knotted and spliced their rigging. On his return to the battle, Knowles observed an opportunity to pass to windward of the Santísima Trinidad and so becalm her. Jervis however signalled Goliath and ordered Knowles to stop the manoeuvre. The following morning both Knowles on the Goliath, and James Whitshed on HMS Namur had observed the vulnerable situation that the Santísima Trinidad was in, and attempted to signal this to Jervis. They received no reply.

The fleet anchored in Lagos Bay the following day, with Knowles placing the Goliath where she could provide flanking cover for the line. On going aboard Jervis's flagship HMS Victory he was however told by Jervis that the Goliath was vulnerable where she lay. Knowles replied that the Spanish were hardly likely to attack given their condition. While Knowles was dining with Vice-Admiral William Waldegrave that evening, Jervis sent the Victory's master to move Goliath, a great insult to Knowles. Jervis also ordered him to swap ships with Thomas Foley and take over HMS Britannia. Knowles soon returned to England after this, citing poor health.

Later life.

Knowles attended the service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on 19 December 1797 for the victories at St Vincent and Camperdown, receiving a Naval Gold Medal, and then largely retired from public life. He spent the rest of his life in study, producing seven books of professional studies and a new code of signals in 1798, based on his 1777 work and incorporating revisions he had made in 1780, 1787 and 1794. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 14 February 1799, two years to the day after the Battle of Cape St Vincent, a Vice-Admiral on 24 April 1804 and a full Admiral on 31 July 1810. He suggested using balloons to observe the French invasion forces at Brest in 1803, and in 1830 he published his largely autobiographical work Observations on Naval Tactics. He had married Charlotte Johnstone on 10 September 1800, the couple eventually having three sons and four daughters. He was nominated a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 16 May 1820 at the accession of King George IV. Admiral Charles Henry Knowles died on 28 November 1831 at the age of 77. He was succeeded as baronet by his son Francis Charles Knowles.

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Vice-Admiral William Waldegrave.


Waldegrave was the second son of John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave and Elizabeth (née Gower). Joining the navy at age 13 in 1766, Waldegrave rose rapidly through the ranks, receiving his own command, the sloop HMS Zephyr in 1775, and being promoted to vice-admiral in 1795.

He was the third in command on the British side at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797, and was offered a baronetcy for the role he played in the battle. Waldegrave declined the offer (on the grounds that as a son of an earl, he already held a higher station), and was appointed the Governor of Newfoundland, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, on 16 May 1797.


During Waldegrave's time as governor, he was chiefly concerned with military matters, as a French squadron had burned Bay Bulls just a year prior, and Newfoundland was still quite exposed. Another key problem was desertion, as soldiers deserting to Newfoundland were generally sheltered by the island's inhabitants. A naval mutiny occurred shortly after Waldegrave's appointment and had to be stopped; Waldegrave also took steps to ensure that soldiers garrisoned in St. John's did not try anything similar. In military matters, he was often at odds with his commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Skinner.


Waldegrave made several attempts to restrict the power of the merchants on Newfoundland, and also to bring law and order to the island. Although his efforts against the merchants were largely ineffective, Waldegrave was successful in having a chief justice appointed who would reside year round. Waldegrave also undertook various humanitarian projects, especially to help the poor. He established a "Committee for the Relief of the Poor", and contributed generously to the fund. Between 1797 and 1798, nearly 300 people received assistance from this fund.


Waldegrave finished his term as governor in 1800 and was created an Irish peer as Baron Radstock, of Castletown in the Queen's County.In 1802, upon his retirement Waldegrave was promoted to full admiral. In 1815 he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Family.


Waldegrave was married in 1785 to Cornelia Jacoba van Lennep (17 September 1753 – 10 October 1839). They had three sons and six daughters.

Rob.

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Captain James Richard Dacres.

Dacres was born in Gibraltar in February 1749, the eldest son of the secretary of the garrison Richard Dacres, and his wife Mary Dacres, née Bateman. He had a younger brother, Richard Dacres, who also embarked on a naval career. James Richard entered the navy in February 1762, joining the 28-gun frigate HMS Active, which was then under the command of Captain Herbert Sawyer. Shortly afterwards, on 21 May that year, the Active in company with HMS Favourite captured the Spanish register ship Hermione. The Hermione had been bound from Lima carrying a cargo of gold coin, gold, silver and tin ingots, and cocoa and when captured became the richest prize taken during the war. The Active's share of the prize money came to £251,020 12s, which meant that even an ordinary seaman received the sum of £485 3s 4d. Dacres moved aboard Captain William Hotham's 32-gun HMS Aeolus, following this with service aboard Captain John Elliot's HMS Thames and Commodore Richard Spry's 60-gun HMS Jersey. Spry appointed Dacres as lieutenant to the 32-gun HMS Montreal under Captain Phillips Cosby on 17 March 1769.

American War of Independence.


With the outbreak of the war Dacres was appointed as second lieutenant aboard the 32-gun HMS Blonde, under Captain Philemon Pownoll. He sailed with the Blonde to Quebec as part of the escort for a troop convoy.

In June 1776 he was appointed by Commodore Sir Charles Douglas to lead a naval detachment to Lake Champlain. There he took command of the 12-gun schooner Carleton, which formed part of Captain Thomas Pringle's flotilla. He took part in the battle of Battle of Valcour Island on 11 October 1776 and after the victory General Guy Carleton sent Dacres back to Britain with the despatches.

He was made master and commander on 25 November 1776 after his return and was appointed to command the 14-gun HMS Sylph. He transferred to the 18-gun HMS Ceres and commanded her off the Leeward Islands.

Ceres patrolled the Caribbean and the American coasts, and on 9 March 1778 and in company with HMS Ariadne she chased two American frigates, USS Alfred and USS Raleigh, eventually engaging the Alfred and forcing her to surrender. He went on to capture the French privateer Tigre on 18 October 1778; but the Ceres was herself engaged and captured by the 36-gun French frigate Iphigénie off St Lucia on 17 December 1778. The Ceres was escorting a troop convoy at the time, and Dacres acted to decoy the French frigate away from the convoy, eventually forcing the French to pursue the Ceres for 48 hours, allowing the convoy to escape.

Dacres was subsequently exchanged and returned to England, whereupon he was made acting-captain of the 74-gun HMS Sultan, afterwards being transferred to the 28-gun HMS Maidstone. He was not confirmed as post-captain however until 13 September 1780, when he was given command of the 20-gun HMS Perseus, stationed in the Downs. He transferred to the frigates HMS Orpheus and HMS Aurora towards the end of the war.

French Revolutionary Wars.


The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 led to Dacres returning to sea aboard the 64-gun HMS Sceptre and taking part in the bombardment and capture of Fort Bizothen at Port-au-Prince. His crew however suffered from high levels of sickness and Dacres was despatched back to Britain as a convoy escort. After his arrival he was appointed to command the 90-gun HMS Barfleur as part of the Channel Fleet under Lord Bridport. He was present at the Battle of Groix on 23 June 1795, but was not actively engaged.


Vice-Admiral William Waldegrave went on to hoist his flag on the Barfleur, retaining Dacres as his flag captain. He and the Barfleur sailed to join Sir John Jervis's fleet in the Mediterranean. Dacres was involved in the recapture of HMS Nemesis from the French in early 1796, and was still in command when the Battle of Cape St Vincent took place on 14 February 1797. Dacres subsequently returned to Britain aboard the hired cutter Flora and received command of the 80-gun HMS Foudroyant, sailing her to the Mediterranean. Dacres remained aboard the Foudroyant until February 1799.

Flag rank.


Dacres was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue on 14 February 1799, two years to the day after the battle of Cape St Vincent. He was further advanced to Rear-Admiral of the White on 1 January 1801, and was then appointed as second in command of the Plymouth command. With the Peace of Amiens he became Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth. With the resumption of the war he was appointed second in command on the Jamaica Station, serving under Sir John Thomas Duckworth and flying his flag in the 36-gun Franchise. He soon became considerably wealthy from the spoils of prize warfare, being appointed commander of the station in late 1804, promoted to vice admiral on 9 November 1805 and remaining in the post until 1808.

Family and later life.


Dacres had married Eleanor Blandford Pearce, of Cambridge, on 1 August 1777 during a period in Britain while in command of the Ceres. The marriage took place at Totnes, Devon and subsequently produced two sons. Both had substantial naval careers, the elder, Barrington Dacres became post-captain, the younger, James Richard Dacres rose to be a Vice-Admiral. Dacres retired from active service in 1809 having amassed considerable wealth from his time in Jamaica. He did not live long to enjoy it though, dying on 6 January 1810 at the age of 60 after a fall from his horse.

Rob.

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Vice-Admiral Charles Thompson.


His father is thought to have been Norborne Berkeley, later Baron Botetourt, of Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire, governor of Virginia, his mother was Margaret Thompson. (Charles was illegitimate). He, his mother and sister Elizabeth Thompson were all beneficiarys in Norborne Berkeley's will. He married Jane, daughter and heiress of Robert Selby of Bonnington, near Edinburgh in 1783, by whom he had issue: Norborne Charles (1785–1826) who joined the navy but was court martialed for insubordination; Charles Robert (1788–1801) who died at sea aged 13; Elizabeth (1790-, Jane (1794–1815) who died in Portugal aged 21, and is buried at the English Cemetery, Lisbon; and Henry (1796–1868).

Naval service.

His first service at sea was on a merchantman, but he soon joined the Royal Navy on HMS Nassau in 1755, just before the outbreak of the Seven Years' War. In the following five years he served on that ship then on HMS Prince Frederick and (under Captain Samuel Barrington) HMS Achilles. He passed his examination for lieutenant in 1760 and was commissioned as the fifth lieutenant of HMS Arrogant on 16 January 1761, serving on her in the Channel Fleet and then in the Mediterranean.

When peace came, this ship was paid off and Thompson transferred to the sloop HMS Cygnet, serving on her on the North American station from August 1763 to her paying-off in July 1768 in South Carolina (with no transport provided to get her officers back to England, though they were later paid £39 0s. 6d each for the journey).



Thompson was back in North America as HMS Salisbury's first lieutenant from May 1770, and there Commodore James Gambier promoted him to commander in February 1771, commanding the sloop HMS Senegal and then (after 3 months) appointed acting captain of HMS Mermaid. He took the later ship back to England in December 1771 and, though his acting captaincy was not confirmed by the admiralty, they did on 7 March 1772 promote him to full captain, commanding HMS Chatham.
Service in the West Indies.

Thompson sailed to the West Indies commanding HMS Chatham, the flagship of Vice-Admiral William Parry, and later moved to the frigate HMS Crescent. He returned to England in 1774, and then went back to the West Indies in command of the HMS Boreas in early 1776 (capturing the 20 gun French ship Le Compas). He accompanied a merchant convoy to England in October 1777, before yet again going out to the West Indies in 1780.

Sir John Laforey was appointed commissioner of the shipyard at Antigua in 1780, but Thompson refused to recognize this authority, leading to a long feud. In the Caribbean, Thompson was moved by Sir George Rodney to the 74 gun HMS Alcide, commanding her throughout the American War of Independence, including at the battles of the Chesapeake, St Kitts, under Sir Samuel Hood). In April 1782, Thompson was present in the rear division at the Battle of the Saintes. Sir George Rodney's decisive victory over the French in the Caribbean. He sailed Alcide back to England at the end of the War.

Later service.

In 1787 Thompson commanded HMS Edgar at Portsmouth, and in 1790 HMS Elephant (during the crisis of the Spanish armament). When the War of the First Coalition broke out in 1793 he was put in command of HMS Vengeance, as part of Sir John Jervis and Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Grey's expedition against France's West Indian possessions, participating in the capture of Martinique (directing the boat attacks on Fort Royal) and Guadeloupe as a commodore.

Also during this time in the Indies, Laforey and Thompson's feud reignited over Laforey conduct as commander-in-chief at the Leeward Islands, thus providing an excuse for First Lord of the Admiralty to recall Laforey but causing alarm amidst the other Admiralty commissioners. (Sir Charles Middleton resigned over the affair). In the course of promotions through seniority, Thompson was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue on 12 April 1794, and sailed back to England the following year (with HMS Vanguard as his flagship) to be made vice admiral on 1 June 1795 (with his flag in HMS London).

Mediterranean service.





Thompson was next put in command of a detached squadron as part of the British blockade of Brest, before being transferred to HMS Britannia, in which he served in the Mediterranean. In the Britannia he acted as second in command at the battle of Cape St Vincent, disregarding Jervis's signal to tack to counter a Spanish attacking move and thus nearly losing the battle. This angered Jervis but he chose not to bring the issue into the public sphere, and so later that year Thompson's and Jervis's contribution to the battle were rewarded with a baronetcy and an earldom respectively whilst still on station.

Continuing on the station for a time, Thompson's next disagreement with Jervis (over the latter's insistence on hanging two mutineers on the Sabbath on Sunday 9 July 1797) gave Jervis sufficient justification to insist that the Admiralty recall Thompson.


On his recall, Thompson was then given a post in the Brest-blockade fleet which he held until 1798 despite failing health, his health eventually forcing him to strike his flag and return to England early in 1799, where he died later that year.

After Thompson's death, Jervis wrote of him as a ‘gallant man, but the most timid officer’, and drew attention to his having ‘the manner of a rough seaman’ which Thompson cultivated by his habit of dressing casually in a sailor's frock and straw hat.

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Captain Thomas Foley.

He was the second son of landowner John Foley of Ridgeway, the Foley family's ancestral estate in the parish of Llawhaden near Narberth, Pembrokeshire, and the nephew of Captain Thomas Foley, who accompanied George Anson, 1st Baron Anson on his voyage around the world.



He entered the Royal Navy in 1770, and, during his time as midshipman, saw a good deal of active service in the West Indies against American privateers. Promoted lieutenant in 1778, he served under Admiral Keppel (afterwards Viscount) and Sir Charles Hardy in the Channel, and with Rodney's squadron was present at the defeat of De Langara off Cape St Vincent in 1780, and at the relief of Gibraltar. Still under Rodney's command, he went out to the West Indies, and took his part in the operations which culminated in the victory of 12 April 1782



In the French Revolutionary War he was engaged from the first. As flag-captain to Admiral John Gell, and afterwards to Sir Hyde Parker, Foley took part in the siege of Toulon in 1793, the action of Golfe Jouan in 1794, and the two fights off Toulon on the 13th of April and the 13th of July 1795. At St Vincent he was flag-captain to the second in command on Britannia. After the battle he was transferred to the Goliath (74), in which he was sent out in the following year to reinforce Nelson's fleet in the Mediterranean.
The part played by the Goliath in the Battle of the Nile was brilliant. She led the squadron round the French van, and this manoeuvre contributed not a little to the result of the day. Whether this was done by Foley's own initiative, or intended by Horatio Nelson, has been a matter of controversy.



His next important service was with Nelson in the Baltic. At the beginning of 1801, Nelson was promoted to Vice Admiral of the Blue and after a few months, he took part as the second in command in the Battle of Copenhagen. The Elephant carried Nelson's flag and Foley acted as his chief-of-staff. During the action Nelson's commander, Sir Hyde Parker, who believed that the Danish fire was too strong, signaled for him to break off the action. Nelson ordered that the signal be acknowledged but not repeated. Legend has it that Nelson turned to his flag captain and said:
"You know, Foley, I only have one eye - I have the right to be blind sometimes" and then holding his telescope to his blind eye said "I really do not see the signal!"
Nelson's action was approved in retrospect.



Foley was one of Nelson's "Band of Brothers". Nelson himself was a sea-officer par excellence. Yet there were many who struggled, suffered and were wounded as often as he. This could not help but develop a close relationship among the men. Nelson himself was very aware of the brotherhood which had arisen. In his biography of Nelson, David Howarth makes this clear:

"...Nelson's famous phrase, "I had the happiness to command a band of brothers'...After his first great victory, Nelson called his captains 'my darling children', and none was the least embarrassed by that. Under Jervis, the captains of the Mediterranean fleet were becoming a brotherhood, bonded by skill, experience, mutual respect and a common cause. Maybe they had not thought of it in that way before; but from about this time they all did, and Nelson most of all. And the concept - so suitable to his nature - became an important, conscious element in his conduct of the war."



An amusing illustration of the affection Nelson inspired in his captains, and of the half maternal care they exercised over the fragile and stunted body of their famous leader, is supplied by a letter from Nelson himself to Ball, written from Kioge Bay in 1801. He was racked with the Baltic cold, and wroth, as was common with him, with the still chillier winds which blew from the Admiralty Board:
"But," he says, "all in the fleet are so truly kind to me that I should be a wretch not to cheer up. Foley has put me under a regimen of milk at four in the morning; Murray has given me lozenges; Hardy is as good as ever, and all have proved their desire to keep my mind easy."
That picture of one sea veteran administering warm milk to his admiral at four o'clock in the morning is amusing enough; but it shows more effectively than graver things could do the feeling Nelson inspired in his captains.

Ill-health obliged Foley to decline Nelson's offer (made when on the point of starting for the Battle of Trafalgar) of the post of Captain of the Fleet. Therefore it was Foley's fellow "brother" Thomas Hardy who was present at Nelson's death.
From 1808 to 1815, Foley commanded in the Downs from his flagship Monmouth, and at the peace was made KCB. Sir Thomas Foley rose to be full admiral and GCB. He died while serving as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in 1833.

Marriage.

He was married on 31 Jul 1802 to Lady Lucy Anne FitzGerald (1771–1851). She was the youngest surviving daughter of James FitzGerald, 1st Duke of Leinster and Lady Emily Lennox. Her mother was the great-granddaughter of Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland and his mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth.

Lucy was the favourite sister of Lord Edward FitzGerald, one of the ill-fated leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and was herself an active participant in the rebellion.She worked as a conduit, clandestinely transmitting letters between the Revolutionary Committee in Dublin and their agents in Paris. A biographer of Lord Edward wrote of Lucy that she “most closely resembled him (Edward) in her strong sense of the ludicrous and her passionate love for justice.”

The couple's principal residence was Admiral Foley's country estate, Abermarlais, near Llansadwrn in Carmarthenshire, which he had purchased from Sir Cornwallis Maude, 1st Viscount Hawarden in 1795 with his share of the booty resulting from the capture of a Spanish treasure ship, the St Jago, in 1793. They also had a house at Manchester Square in London. After Sir Thomas' death the widowed Lady Lucy lived at Arundel in Sussex until 1841 when she moved abroad and settled in the south of France, where she spent the remainder of her life. The Foleys had no children.

Rob.

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Captain.James Hawkins-Whitshed.


Hawkins was born simply James Hawkins in Raphoe, County Donegal, the third son of James Hawkins, the Church of Ireland's Bishop of Raphoe, and his wife Catherine Keene Hawkins. His name was carried on the muster roll of the sloop HMS Ranger on the Irish Station in 1773, and on that of the HMS Kent, the guard ship at Plymouth, the next year.

American War.


The first ship in which Hawkins actually served at sea was the 20-gun sixth-rate HMS Aldborough, commanded by Captain William Bennett, whom he accompanied to Newfoundland in 1775. He afterwards served under Sampson Edwards in the schooner Canada, and after the loss of that vessel, returned to England with Admiral Robert Duff in the HMS Romney. He was then assigned to the frigate HMS Diamond, under Captain Charles Fielding. In May 1776, Diamond escorted a convoy carrying a large detachment of British and foreign troops to America. In 1778, Hawkins served for a time as a lieutenant in the HMS Rainbow, under Captain Sir George Collier, and after being confirmed in his rank by Lord Howe on 4 September 1778.

On his arrival back in England he was appointed to the frigate HMS Amazon, where he remained until the end of 1779. He then served aboard the 90-gun ship HMS Sandwich, the flagship of Admiral Sir George Rodney. Hawkins consequently saw action in the capture of the Caracas Company convoy on 8 January 1780, and the "Moonlight Battle" on 16 January, when Rodney defeated a Spanish squadron under Don Juan de Lángara off the southern coast of Portugal.
^.

Hawkins was promoted to commander on 10 February 1780, and given command of the 14-gun sloop HMS St Vincent (formerly the Spanish San Vicente of the Caracas Company) and sailed with Rodney from Gibraltar to the West Indies, seeing action again in the Battle of Martinique on 17 April 1780. On the day after the battle, on 18 April, he was promoted to captain and given command of the 20-gun frigate HMS Deal Castle. Deal Castle and the sloop-of-war HMS Chameleon were anchored in Gros Islet Bay, Saint Lucia, when in early October 1780 the "Great Hurricane" struck the island. The two ships made for the relative safety of the open sea, but Deal Castle was wrecked on the coast of Puerto Rico. Three of the crew were killed, but the rest escaped on rafts to the safety of the land. They were promptly imprisoned by the Spanish, and held for two months, before being released and sent to Tortola. Hawkins made his way to St. Eustatia, where he found Admiral Rodney. Having passed the ordeal of a court-martial for the loss of his ship, he returned to England in a packet with despatches from the Admiral.



Hawkins was appointed to command of the newly built 32-gun fifth-rate HMS Ceres at Liverpool in July 1781. Ceres returned to America in May 1782, conveying Sir Guy Carleton, the new Commander-in-Chief, North America to his command. Ceres remained in America until its final evacuation in December 1783, when Hawkins returned to England, where in February 1784, Ceres was paid off.After a short stay on shore, Hawkins took command of the HMS Rose, which had been intended for the Mediterranean, but was subsequently sent to Leith, Scotland, where she remained till 1785, before being put out of commission. Hawkins took advantage of the peace to attend lectures in astronomy at the University of Oxford in 1786, and travelled extensively throughout Europe, visiting The Hague, Hamburg, Lübeck, Reval, Saint Petersburg, Copenhagen, and Paris.



In 1791, following the provisions of a will of a cousin, Hawkins added the surname of his maternal grandmother, Whitshed, to his own, in order to inherit properties that had once belonged to the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland William Whitshed. On 11 December 1791 Hawkins-Whitshed married Countess Sophia Henrietta Bentinck, the daughter of Captain John Bentinck.

War with France.


In June 1793, after the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France, Hawkins-Whitshed was appointed to command of the 74-gun ship HMS Arrogant, on the home station. In March 1795, he moved to the 90-gun second-rate ship of the line HMS Namur, and after cruising for some time with the Channel Fleet, sailed with Rear Admiral William Parker to reinforce Sir John Jervis in the Mediterranean.

On 14 February 1797, Hawkins-Whitshed took part in the battle of Cape St. Vincent, where Jervis gained a notable victory over a Spanish fleet. Hawkins-Whitshed, with the rest of the officers of the squadron, received the thanks of Parliament, and was presented with a gold medal. Hawkins-Whitshed returned to England, where in January 1798 he was appointed to the 80-gun ship HMS Ajax, but after only six months was transferred to the 98-gun HMS Formidable, in which he remained after his promotion to the rank of rear admiral on 14 February 1799.

Senior command.

Upon the death of Sir Charles Thompson in March 1799, Hawkins-Whitshed hoisted his flag on board the 110-gun first-rate ship HMS Queen Charlotte and sailed for the Mediterranean. He soon returned to England, with his flag in the second-rate HMS Temeraire, and joined the Channel Fleet in November 1799. He remained there until the temporary peace occasioned by the Treaty of Amiens in March 1802.

On the recommencement of hostilities in May 1803, Hawkins-Whitshed was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Sea Fencibles in Ireland, receiving promotion to the rank of vice admiral on 23 April 1804.Hawkins-Whitshed was present at the funeral of Lord Nelson in January 1806. In early 1807 he replaced Lord Gardner as Commander-in-Chief on the Cork Station, remaining there until late 1810. He was promoted to the rank of admiral on 31 July 1810.



On 2 January 1815 Hawkins-Whitshed was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), receiving the award from the Prince Regent at Carlton House, on 11 April 1815. In February 1821, following the sudden death Sir George Campbell, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth serving there until March 1824. On 17 November 1830 he was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB), receiving the award on 1 December 1830.



On 1 May 1834 Hawkins-Whitshed was made a baronet of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, of Killincarrick, in the county of Wicklow, and of Jobstown, in the county of Dublin, and the heirs "male of his body lawfully begotten."^] He received promotion by seniority to the highest rank in the Navy, Admiral of the Fleet, on 8 January 1844. Hawkins-Whitshed died at his home in Cavendish Square, London, on 28 October 1849.


Rob.

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Commodore Horatio Nelson.


Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté KB (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. He was noted for his inspirational leadership, superb grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics, all of which resulted in a number of decisive naval victories, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was wounded several times in combat, losing most of one arm in the unsuccessful attempt to conquer Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the sight in one eye in Corsica. He was shot and killed during his final victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.


Nelson was born into a moderately prosperous Norfolk family and joined the navy through the influence of his uncle, Maurice Suckling, a high-ranking naval officer himself. He rose rapidly through the ranks and served with leading naval commanders of the period before obtaining his own command in 1778. He developed a reputation in the service through his personal valour and firm grasp of tactics but suffered periods of illness and unemployment after the end of the American War of Independence. The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars allowed Nelson to return to service, where he was particularly active in the Mediterranean. He fought in several minor engagements off Toulon and was important in the capture of Corsica and subsequent diplomatic duties with the Italian states. In 1797, he distinguished himself while in command of HMS Captain at the Battle of Cape St Vincent.


Nelson joined Jervis's fleet off Cape St Vincent, and reported the Spanish movements. Jervis decided to give battle and the two fleets met on 14 February. Nelson found himself towards the rear of the British line and realised that it would be a long time before he could bring Captain into action. Instead of continuing to follow the line, Nelson disobeyed orders and wore ship, breaking from the line and heading to engage the Spanish van, which consisted of the 112-gun San Josef, the 80-gun San Nicolas and the 130-gun Santísima Trinidad.

Captain engaged all three, assisted by HMS Culloden which had come to Nelson's aid. After an hour of exchanging broadsides which left both Captain and Culloden badly damaged, Nelson found himself alongside San Nicolas. He led a boarding party across, crying "Westminster Abbey!" or, "glorious victory!" and forced her to surrender. San Josef attempted to come to the San Nicolas’s aid, but became entangled with her compatriot and was left immobile. Nelson led his party from the deck of San Nicolas onto San Josef and captured her as well. As night fell, the Spanish fleet broke off and sailed for Cadiz. Four ships had surrendered to the British and two of them were Nelson's.

Nelson was victorious, but had disobeyed direct orders. Jervis liked Nelson and so did not officially reprimand him, but did not mention Nelson's actions in his official report of the battle. He did write a private letter to George Spencer in which he said that Nelson "contributed very much to the fortune of the day". Nelson also wrote several letters about his victory, reporting that his action was being referred to amongst the fleet as "Nelson's Patent Bridge for boarding first rates".

Nelson's account was later challenged by Rear Admiral William Parker, who had been aboard HMS Prince George. Parker claimed that Nelson had been supported by several more ships than he acknowledged, and that San Josef had already struck her colours by the time Nelson boarded her. Nelson's account of his role prevailed, and the victory was well received in Britain: Jervis was made Earl St Vincent and Nelson was made a Knight of the Bath. On 20 February, in a standard promotion according to his seniority and unrelated to the battle, he was promoted to Rear Admiral of the Blue.



Shortly after the battle, Nelson took part in the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where his attack was defeated and he was badly wounded, losing his right arm, and was forced to return to England to recuperate. The following year, he won a decisive victory over the French at the Battle of the Nile and remained in the Mediterranean to support the Kingdom of Naples against a French invasion.

In 1801, he was dispatched to the Baltic and won another victory, this time over the Danes at the Battle of Copenhagen. He subsequently commanded the blockade of the French and Spanish fleets at Toulon and, after their escape, chased them to the West Indies and back but failed to bring them to battle. After a brief return to England, he took over the Cádiz blockade in 1805.

On 21 October 1805, the Franco-Spanish fleet came out of port, and Nelson's fleet engaged them at the Battle of Trafalgar. The battle was Britain's greatest naval victory, but during the action Nelson, aboard HMS Victory, was fatally wounded by a French sharpshooter. His body was brought back to England where he was accorded a state funeral.

Rob.

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Captain Ralph Willett Miller.

Miller was born on 24 January 1762, the son of an American loyalist. His family's allegiance during the American Revolution caused the loss of their property and possessions. Miller was sent to England and entered the navy in 1778, serving aboard HMS Ardent with the fleet under Rear-Admiral James Gambier. He later served during the war as part of fleets under Samuel Barrington, George Rodney, Samuel Hood and Thomas Graves. He fought in a number of engagements, and was wounded three times. He served under Commodore William Hotham, and after the Battle of Fort Royal, Miller was promoted by Rodney to be lieutenant aboard HMS Terrible. He was present at the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781, during which the Terrible was badly damaged, and later scuttled. Miller returned to the West Indies with Hood, and from there he went to England, arriving in late 1782, and by 20 December he was serving aboard HMS Fortitude.

French Revolutionary Wars.

By the outbreak of the wars with revolutionary France Miller was aboard the 98-gun second rate HMS Windsor Castle in the Mediterranean. After the end of the Siege of Toulon, Sir Sidney Smith placed Miller in charge of destroying the French ships and the arsenal. After the British withdrawal, Hood moved him to HMS Victory, where Miller distinguished himself leading actions against the French held towns on Corsica. He volunteered to lead an assault on the French ships moored at Golfe Jouan, and was appointed to command Poulette and ordered to fit her as fireship, with the intention of firing the fleet. He eventually made five attempts to take her into the anchorage, but the wind prevented him on each occasion. He was assigned to command HMS Mignonne on 12 January 1796, but the commander in chief, Sir John Jervis instead moved him to HMS Unite.





Jervis assigned Miller to the Adriatic, but on the arrival of Commodore Horatio Nelson, Miller became Nelson's flag captain aboard HMS Captain. Miller commanded Captain at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797. He followed Nelson aboard HMS Theseus in May 1797, and was with him during his time with the inshore squadron. He participated in the assault on Cadiz in June, and was involved in the unsuccessful Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in July, Miller leading the landing parties from Theseus.

Miller and the Theseus were assigned to sail under Nelson, by now aboard HMS Vanguard. Miller was therefore present at the Battle of the Nile on 1 August, where he was wounded in the face, and was afterwards sent to Gibraltar with Captain Sir James Saumarez, in command of the captured French prizes. Miller and the Theseus returned to the Eastern Mediterranean in December, now acting as part of Sir Sidney Smith's fleet. He supported Smith at the Siege of Acre, and bombarded French positions between Acre and Jaffa.

Death.

News had reached Smith that a number of French frigates were preparing to sail from Alexandria to Jaffa to deliver stores and weapons for the French army.^[1] Smith ordered Miller to intercept them. Miller was preparing his ship to depart when an unknown accident occurred. Lieutenant England wrote in a report to Sir Sidney Smith

It is with extreme concern I have to acquaint you, that yesterday morning, at half-past nine o'clock, twenty 36-howitzer shells, and fifty 18-pounder shells, had been got up and prepared ready for service by Captain Miller's order...when in an instant...the whole was on fire and a dreadful explosion took place.

The ship was severely damaged, her aft part almost totally destroyed and the rest on fire. The crew fought the fire and were able to save the ship, but as Lieutenant England reported

Our loss from the explosion, I here lament, has been very great; and Captain Miller, I am sorry to add, is of the number killed, which amount to 20; drowned, 9; and 45 wounded.

Nelson wrote on learning of Miller's death that

he is not only a most excellent and gallant officer, but the only truly virtuous man that I ever saw.

Another of Nelson's band of brothers who had fought at the Nile, Edward Berry, suggested that a memorial to Miller be created. Nelson supported the proposal, and one was sculpted by John Flaxman, and installed in St Paul's Cathedral. Miller left a widow and two young daughters. The government awarded his family a pension of £100 a year.

Rob.

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Captain George Henry Towry.

Towry was born in March 1767, educated at Eton College and joined the Royal Navy at 13 under the patronage of Lord Longford. He served during the American Revolutionary War aboard HMS Alexander and participated in the relief of the Great Siege of Gibraltar in 1782. Following the end of the war he continued in service under the Duke of Clarence and at the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars he was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet under the patronage of Lord Hood. He was rapidly promoted and by 1795 was a post captain in command of the small 28-gun frigate HMS Dido.


In June 1795, Dido was ordered, with HMS Lowestoffe, to detach from the fleet off Minorca and search for the French Mediterranean Fleet near Toulon. On 24 June 1795, at roughly the midpoint between Minorca and Toulon, Towry encountered a French squadron of two frigates on an identical mission from the French commander Contre-amiral Pierre Martin. The squadrons engaged, Dido narrowly avoiding being crushed during a ramming attempt by Minerve and becoming entangled in the French ship's rigging. Driving off boarding attempts, Dido snapped off the French bowsprit and together with Lowestoffe then battered Minerve into surrender. the other French ship, Artémise, played little part in the engagement and was easily driven off.

Towry brought his prize back to the British fleet, where it was recommissioned as a Royal Navy frigate with the same name and Towry placed in command.


In 1796, Towry was given command of the 64-gun ship of the line HMS Diadem and in February 1797 commanded her at the Battle of Cape St Vincent where the Spanish Fleet was defeated. Shortly afterwards Diadem returned to Britain and Towry took command of HMS Uranie and HMS Cambrian before the Peace of Amiens in 1802.


At the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars Towry was given command of HMS Tribune, but after a winter patrol he became ill and was forced to withdraw from active service. He was given a sinecure on the Transport Board and continued in this position until its dissolution.

In 1802 he married a Miss Chamberlayne and had a marriage noted for its "greatest harmony and most perfect happiness" until her untimely death in 1806 which left him grief-stricken. They had three children, two of whom survived infancy. Towry died of natural causes at his father's house in April 1809 and was buried at St Marylebone Parish Church.

Rob.

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Captain Cuthbert Collingwood.


Collingwood was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. His early education was at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. At the age of twelve, he went to sea as a volunteer on board the frigate HMS Shannon under the command of his cousin Captain Richard Brathwaite (or Braithwaite), who took charge of his nautical education. After several years of service under Captain Brathwaite and a short period attached to HMS Lenox, a guardship at Portsmouth commanded by Captain Robert Roddam, Collingwood sailed to Boston in 1774 with Admiral Samuel Graves on board HMS Preston, where he fought in the British naval brigade at the battle of Bunker Hill (June 1775), and was afterwards commissioned as a Lieutenant (17 June 1775).


In 1777, Collingwood first met Horatio Nelson when both served on the frigate HMS Lowestoffe. Two years later, Collingwood succeeded Nelson as Commander (20 June 1779) of the brig HMS Badger, and the next year he again succeeded Nelson as Post-Captain (22 March 1780) of HMS Hinchinbrook, a small frigate. Nelson had been the leader of a failed expedition to cross Central America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean by navigating boats along the San Juan River, Lake Nicaragua and Lake Leon. Nelson was debilitated by disease and had to recover before being promoted to a larger vessel, and Collingwood succeeded him in command of the Hinchinbrook and brought the remainder of the expedition back to Jamaica.
First major command.

After commanding in another small frigate, HMS Pelican, in which he was shipwrecked by a hurricane in 1781, Collingwood was promoted to 64 gun ship of the line HMS Sampson, and in 1783 he was appointed to HMS Mediator and posted to the West Indies, where he remained until the end of 1786, again, together with Nelson and this time his brother, Captain Wilfred Collingwood, preventing American ships from trading with the West Indies.



In 1786 Collingwood returned to England, where, with the exception of a voyage to the West Indies, he remained until 1793. In that year, he was appointed captain of HMS Prince, the flagship of Rear Admiral George Bowyer in the Channel Fleet. On 16 June 1791, Collingwood married Sarah Blackett, daughter of the Newcastle merchant and politician John Erasmus Blackett and granddaughter of Robert Roddam (1711–1744) of Hethpoole and Caldburne (not to be confused with his former commander, Robert Roddam).
As captain of Barfleur, Collingwood was present at the Glorious First of June.

On board the Excellent he participated in the victory of the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797, establishing a good reputation in the fleet for his conduct during the battle. After blockading Cadiz, he returned for a few weeks to Portsmouth to repair. At the beginning of 1799 Collingwood was raised to the rank of Rear-Admiral (of the White 14 February 1799; of the Red 1 January 1801) and, hoisting his flag in the Triumph, joined the Channel Fleet and sailed to the Mediterranean where the principal naval forces of France and Spain were assembled. Collingwood continued to be actively employed in blockading the enemy until the peace of Amiens allowed him to return to England.



With the resumption of hostilities with France in the spring of 1803 he left home, never to return. First he blockaded the French fleet off Brest. In 1804 he was promoted to Vice-Admiral (of the Blue 23 April 1804; of the Red 9 November 1805). Nearly two years were spent here but with Napoleon planning and equipping his armed forces for an invasion of Britain, the campaign which was to decide the fate of Europe and the command of the sea was starting. The French fleet having sailed from Toulon, Admiral Collingwood was appointed to command a squadron, with orders to pursue them. The combined fleets of France and Spain, after sailing to the West Indies, returned to Cadiz. On their way they encountered Collingwood's small squadron off Cadiz. He only had three ships with him; but he succeeded in avoiding the pursuit, although chased by sixteen ships of the line. Before half of the enemy's force had entered the harbour he resumed the blockade, using false signals to disguise the small size of his squadron. He was shortly joined by Nelson who hoped to lure the combined fleet into a major engagement.
Battle of Trafalgar.

The combined fleet sailed from Cadiz in October 1805. The Battle of Trafalgar immediately followed. Villeneuve, the French admiral, drew up his fleet in the form of a crescent. The British fleet bore down in two separate lines, the one led by Nelson in the Victory, and the other by Collingwood in the Royal Sovereign. The Royal Sovereign was the swifter sailer, mainly because its hull had been given a new layer of copper which lacked the friction of old, well used copper and thus was much faster. Having drawn considerably ahead of the rest of the fleet, it was the first engaged. "See", said Nelson, pointing to the Royal Sovereign as she penetrated the centre of the enemy's line, "see how that noble fellow Collingwood carries his ship into action!" Probably it was at the same moment that Collingwood, as if in response to the observation of his great commander, remarked to his captain, "What would Nelson give to be here?"



The Royal Sovereign closed with the Spanish admiral's ship and fired her broadsides with such rapidity and precision at the Santa Ana that the Spanish ship was on the verge of sinking almost before another British ship had fired a gun.^[2] Several other vessels came to Santa Ana's assistance and hemmed in the Royal Sovereign on all sides; the latter, after being severely damaged, was relieved by the arrival of the rest of the British squadron, but was left unable to manoeuvre. Not long afterwards the Santa Ana struck her colours. On the death of Nelson, Collingwood assumed the command-in-chief, transferring his flag to the frigate Euryalus. Knowing that a severe storm was in the offing, Nelson had intended that the fleet should anchor after the battle, but Collingwood chose not to issue such an order: many of the British ships and prizes were so damaged that they were unable to anchor, and Collingwood concentrated efforts on taking damaged vessels in tow. In the ensuing gale, many of the prizes were wrecked on the rocky shore and others were destroyed to prevent their recapture, though no British ship was lost.



On 9 November 1805 Collingwood was promoted Vice-Admiral of the Red and raised to the peerage as Baron Collingwood, of Caldburne and Hethpool in the County of Northumberland.^[3] He also received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament and was awarded a pension of £2000 per annum. Together with all the other captains and admirals, he also received a gold medal, his third, after those for the Glorious First of June and the Cape St Vincent; only Nelson and Sir Edward Berry share the distinction of three gold medals for service during the wars against France.



When not at sea he resided at Collingwood House in the town of Morpeth which lies some 15 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne and Chirton Hall in Chirton, now a western suburb of North Shields. He is known to have remarked, "whenever I think how I am to be happy again, my thoughts carry me back to Morpeth."
Later career.

From Trafalgar until his death no great naval action was fought though several small French fleets would attempt to run the blockade, and one successfully landed troops in the Caribbean two months after Trafalgar, the majority were hunted down and overwhelmed in battle. Collingwood was occupied in important political and diplomatic transactions in the Mediterranean, in which he displayed tact and judgement. In 1805 he was appointed to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet. He requested to be relieved of his command that he might return home, however the government urgently required an admiral with the experience and skill of Collingwood to remain, on the grounds that his country could not dispense with his services in the face on the still potent threat that the French and their allies could pose. His health began to decline alarmingly in 1809 and he was forced to again request the Admiralty to allow him to return home, which was finally granted. Collingwood died as a result of cancer on board the Ville de Paris, off Port Mahon as he sailed for England, on 7 March 1810. He was laid to rest beside Nelson in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral.


Rob.

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George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway Lord Garlies. Garlies entered into the navy at an early age, serving as a 13-year-old midshipman under the command of his uncle, Commodore Keith Stewart at the Battle of Dogger Bank in August 1781, and also in the Great Siege of Gibraltar in 1782. In 1789 he was promoted to lieutenant, serving in the frigate Aquilon in the Mediterranean. He returned to England in early 1790, when appointed commander of the fire ship Vulcan. He was promoted to post-captain on 30 April 1793, and soon after was appointed to the frigate Winchelsea, serving in the West Indies, and being wounded while covering the landing of the army at Guadaloupe in April 1794, and was then sent with detachments of troops to accept the surrender of the islands of Marie-Galante and La Désirade. In 1795 he took command of the frigate Lively, and took Sir John Jervis out from England to assume command in the Mediterranean. Commanding a division of four frigates and a sloop, he engaged the Spanish ship of line San Francisco de Asís in the Action of 25 January 1797, in which he was forced to withdraw. He served in the area until the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797. After the battle Lively carried Sir Robert Calder, with the account of the victory, and Lord Minto, Viceroy of Corsica, and his suite, who were on board during the battle, back to England. Around November 1799 Garlies commissioned the frigate Hussar, and commanded her in the Channel and on the coast of Ireland until early 1801, making several captures and recaptures: On 17 May 1800 Hussar, the frigate Loire and the schooner Milbrook recaptured the ship Princess Charlotte, and captured the French schooner La Francoise. On 2 March 1801 Hussar captured the French schooner Le General Bessieres. On 12 April 1801 Hussar recaptured the ship James of Liverpool. In early 1801 Garlies moved into the Bellerophon, to serve on the blockade of Brest, remaining there until the Treaty of Amiens in early 1802 brought a short-lived period of peace. Following the renewal of hostilities in May 1803 he commanded the ship Ajax, and sat on the Board of Admiralty in between May 1805 and February 1806. Galloway saw no further active service, but was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 31 July 1810; to Vice Admiral on 12 August 1819; and to Admiral on 22 July 1830. Political career. Apart from his military career Garlies also sat as a Member of Parliament. He was first elected in 1790 for the constituency of Saltash, and served until vacating his seat in favour of his brother William in February 1795. He returned to Parliament when elected MP for Cockermouth on 22 July 1805, and then sat for Haslemere after the 1806 election, but was shortly after obliged to quit his seat following the death of his father on 13 November, when he became the Earl of Galloway, and moved to the House of Lords. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright from 26 December 1794] to 1807, and from 1820 to 1828, and of Wigtownshire from 28 March 1807 to 1828. On 30 May 1814 he was invested as a member of the Order of the Thistle. He also served as Vice-President of the Board of Agriculture in 1815. Lord Garlies died on the 27 March 1834. Rob.

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Captain Edward James Foote.

Edward Foote was born 20 April 1767 in Bishopsbourne, the son of Francis Hender Foote,a barrister turned priest, and his wife Catherine neé Mann. His maternal uncle was Horatio Mann, a noted politician and cricketer. In 1779, Foote joined the Royal Navy Academy in Portsmouth and the following year was commissioned aboard HMS Dublin during the American Revolutionary War.

Later in 1780, Foote transferred from Dublin to the frigate HMS Belle Poule and in 1781 served at the Battle of Dogger Bank against the Dutch. In the aftermath of the battle he moved again, joining the frigate HMS Endymion under Captain James Gambier and observing the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782.

Following the end of the war in 1783, Foote served on several ships as a lieutenant before joining HMS Crown under Captain William Cornwallis in the East Indies in 1788.


While stationed in the East Indies, Foote was promoted to commander and took over the sloop HMS Atalanta, returning to Europe in 1792 in command of HMS Ariel. In June 1794, Foote was promoted to post captain and was given the frigate HMS Niger. Niger served with the Channel Fleet until 1796, when it sailed to join the Mediterranean Fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir John Jervis. Niger was one of the fleet scouts at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in February 1797 and returned to Britain the following year.

After a period attending King George III at Weymouth, Niger returned to Spithead and Foote, by royal request, was transferred to the larger frigate HMS Seahorse. Once again attached to the Mediterranean Fleet, Seahorse was one of the ships sent to reinforce the fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson prior to the Battle of the Nile. Foote was unable to find Nelson before the battle, but did encounter and capture the French frigate Sensible at the Action of 27 June 1798.


After the battle of the Nile, Seahorse was attached to the blockade of Alexandria before transferring to Naples early in 1799. A French invasion of the Kingdom of Naples had overthrown the Neapolitan government and erected the Parthenopean Republic instead, run by disaffected Neapolitans. On 22 June, under pressure from Russian and Turkish forces, the rebels surrendered and Foote, as the senior British officer present signed a treaty promising that the rebels could have free passage to France if they handed over the city and its forts without a fight. However, once the rebels had embarked ships ready for transport, Nelson arrived and repudiated the treaty. The rebels were handed over to King Ferdinand IV and mass executions followed. In breaking the treaty, Nelson broke Foote's word and the admiral was heavily criticised in Britain for his actions. Foote however failed to protest at his commanding officer's decision and remained a faithful follower of Nelson.

Seahorse subsequently returned to Britain and then back to the Mediterranean, where Foote helped transport troops and General Ralph Abercromby for the 1801 invasion of Egypt.

At the Peace of Amiens, he was again summoned by royal request and became captain of King George III's royal yacht Princess Augusta. Foote remained in command of the royal yacht until 1812, when he was promoted to rear-admiral.

Failing to secure an active deployment, Foote was briefly second in command at Portsmouth in 1814 but in 1815 entered semi-retirement at the end of the war. Following Nelson's death in 1805, Foote had finally spoken out about the situation at Naples, criticising Nelson heavily for his conduct.

Foote subsequently retired to his home near Southampton, and although he continued to rise through ranks, becoming a vice-admiral in 1821 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1831, he did not serve at sea again. He was married twice and had a number of children from both marriages. He died in May 1833 at his home.

Rob.

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Captain James McNamara.


Macnamara (1768 – 15 January 1826) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.


Born into a naval family, Macnamara served in the East Indies during the last years of the American War of Independence, seeing action with Hughes at the Battle of Cuddalore. He received the acting rank of lieutenant during this time, but reverted to midshipman afterwards.

He returned to naval service during the Spanish and Russian armaments, and was serving with Lord Hood aboard HMS Victory on the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars. He saw action in the Mediterranean and was eventually promoted to his own commands. He achieved success as a daring frigate captain, serving with Nelson and making several hard-fought captures. He finished his service in the Mediterranean with action at the Battle of Cape St Vincent, and later served in the West Indies before the Peace of Amiens.


Macnamara found himself in trouble with the law after killing a man in a duel, but summoned a bevy of naval officers to testify in his defence, and was acquitted.

He commanded a number of ships of the line in the following years, in the Baltic, North Sea and off of the French coast. He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1814, but did not receive a seagoing command. He married in 1818 and died in 1826, having served with prominent naval officers like Hood, Jervis and Nelson in a long and distinguished career.

Rob.

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Commander William Prowse.


Prowse appears to have been of very humble origins, little is known about his birth or childhood, but he appears to have been born to a working-class Devon family of Cornish origin in 1752. He probably went to sea aboard merchant ships initially, but is first recorded in the Navy on 13 November 1771 as an able seaman aboard the Hamoaze guardship, the 74-gun HMS Dublin. Prowse remained aboard her for the next four years, only leaving her on 26 February 1776. His next posting was to the 74-gun HMS Albion, which he joined in November that year, being rated as midshipman and master's mate on 31 August 1778 by Captain George Bowyer. Prowse and the Albion were by then serving on the North American station, and went on to see action at the Battle of Grenada on 6 July 1779 and the Battle of Martinique on 17 April 1780.^] Prowse was wounded in one of the clashes at Martinique, being struck in the head by a large splinter.

The Albion was paid off on 21 December 1781 and having passed his examination for lieutenancy on 17 January 1782 and by 6 December 1782 he had received his commission and was on 22 December 1782 appointed to the 90-gun second rate HMS Atlas under Captain George Vandeput. Prowse was moved again on 14 April to join the 28-gun sixth rate HMS Cyclops under Captain Brabazon Christian. Prowse continued to serve off North America until March 1784. Prowse then disappears from naval records, and may have spent several years on merchant ships. He briefly reappears in 1787, when tensions with the Netherlands led to his return to service under his old patron Captain Bowyer, now serving on the 74-gun HMS Bellona, but again left the service when the crisis had passed. The Nootka Sound crisis in 1790 led to another mobilisation of the fleet and Prowse returned to the navy, initially serving aboard the 98-gun HMS Barfleur and then aboard the 64-gun HMS Stately under Captain Robert Calder. The last few years of peace for Prowse were spent aboard Lord Hood's flagship at Portsmouth, the 90-gun HMS Duke, from August 1791 until January 1793.

French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

The outbreak of war with France in February 1793 saw Prowse being appointed, on 20 March 1793, to the 90-gun HMS Prince, commanded by Captain Cuthbert Collingwood and flying the flag of Prowse's old commander, now Rear-Admiral Bowyer. He followed both Collingwood and Bowyer when they moved aboard Prowse's old ship the Barfleur on 28 December 1793, Prowse becoming the sixth lieutenant. The Barfleur went on to be part of Lord Howe's fleet, and was present at the Glorious First of June where Bowyer lost a leg, and Prowse too was wounded in the leg when a shot hit and dismounted the gun he was attempting to aim, and tore away part of his thigh. He apparently had to have his leg amputated.

He was invalided ashore, but recovered quickly and returned to service aboard Robert Calder's 74-gun HMS Theseus as his first lieutenant. Calder and the Theseus sailed to the West Indies and after carrying out several minor engagements with French shore batteries, returned to Britain as a convoy escort in July 1795. Calder and Prowse transferred aboard the 32-gun fifth rate HMS Lively and sailed to the Mediterranean to join Sir John Jervis aboard his flagship HMS Victory. Jervis appointed Prowse to his first independent command, the 14-gun sloop HMS Raven on 20 October 1796.

Raven was with Jervis's fleet at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797, and was used to repeat signals. She also, in company with four frigates and another sloop, gave chase to the Spanish four-decker Santísima Trinidad but they eventually lost her. For his services Jervis promoted Prowse to post-captain on 6 March 1797and appointed him to command the captured Spanish prize Salvador del Mundo. Prowse took his ship home for paying-off in November but since no ship could be found for him, went on half-pay.

He finally returned to active service when Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Calder asked for him to be his flag-captain aboard his flagship HMS Prince of Wales.^] He briefly served in the West Indies, and returned to Britain on the Peace of Amiens in 1802. With the Prince of Wales paid off, Prowse was given command of the 36-gun frigate HMS Sirius in August 1802, where he took part in the blockades of the French and Spanish coasts.^[5][7] With the resumption of the war in May 1803 Sirius was deployed into the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay, becoming part of Calder's fleet in 1804.

Battle of Cape Finisterre.

With Calder's fleet patrolling off Cape Finisterre in anticipation of the arrival of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet under Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, Prowse and the Sirius, in company with HMS Egyptienne were despatched to scout for the enemy. Villeneuve had been reported as having arrived in the area and on 22 July Prowse located the allied feet, with the frigate Siréne at the rear, towing a captured merchant. Prowse closed on the Siréne, intending to cut her off and board her, but Villeneuve ordered his ships to wear in succession and reverse their course to meet Calder's advancing fleet. Prowse suddenly found himself facing the entire combined fleet, which was fast bearing down on him, led by the Spanish Admiral Federico Gravina aboard the Argonauta. With his tiny frigate heavily outclassed, Prowse began to beat away to leeward as the fleet passed him on the opposite tack.

Gravina, aware of the convention that a ship of the line did not open fire on a frigate, ordered that the Sirius not be fired upon and the next Spanish ships also held fire. Shortly afterwards Calder's van came into range of the fleet and a general action ensued, whereby the Sirius was fired on by the España and had two men killed and three wounded.^] After the battle Prowse was sent to Plymouth with the captured Spanish 74-gun Firme in tow.

Nelson and Trafalgar.

Villeneuve led the rest of his fleet into Cadiz on 21 August 1805, and the Sirius was sent to form part of the British fleet blockading them there. With Nelson's arrival to take command of the fleet, the main body was moved out to sea, with a chain of four frigates and four ships of the line established to observe the fleet in Cadiz and transmit signals about their movements to the British fleet. Sirius was the closest to the port and at first light on 19 October it was observed that the enemy were preparing to put to sea. Sirius immediately signalled the next frigate in the line, Henry Blackwood's HMS Euryalus, 'Enemy have their topsails hoisted'. Thus Prowse began the process that would lead to the interception of the combined fleet two days later. An hour later at 7 a.m. Sirius ran up three flags to signal code number 370, 'Enemy ships are coming out of port or getting under sail'. The signal was repeated down the line, reaching Nelson 48 miles away aboard HMS Victory at 9.30 a.m.


The next morning, 20 October 1805, a strange sail was reported off the entrance to the harbour. Prowse asked for and was given permission by Blackwood to investigate, and closed on the stranger. By the time this had been achieved the 74-gun Héros had come within range and opened fire. Sirius nevertheless stopped the stranger with a shot across her bow and sent an officer over to inspect her. It was determined that the ship in question was a neutral American merchant, and she was allowed to continue on her way. Prowse recovered the boat and hauled away from the French warship. The entire combined fleet had finally put to sea by 10 a.m., whereupon a burst of rainy squalls caused the frigates to lose sight of it until midday.


Prowse and the other frigates continued to shadow the fleet until 7.30 a.m. on 21 October, when Nelson signalled the four frigate captains; Prowse of the Sirius, Blackwood of the Euryalus, Capel of the Phoebe, and Dundas of the Naiad, to come aboard the Victory. There they received their orders for the battle, which were to take station windward of the Victory and so repeat his signals to the rest of the fleet. They were also to observe the progress of the battle, report on escaping ships, take over surrendered enemy ships that had not been taken and take in tow dismasted British ships or their prizes. They then all went below and witnessed Nelson's will. Departing Victory to return to Sirius as the former closed on the enemy line, Prowse said goodbye to his nephew, Captain Charles Adair, who was commander of the marines on Victory.


During the battle Sirius maintained her station out of the immediate battle, and suffered no casualties. After its end, she moved in and took the Victory under tow, but as the weather worsened she handed over to the larger 64-gun HMS Polyphemus. The week after the battle Prowse was sent into Cadiz with a note from Collingwood to the Marquis de Solana, requesting the use of the town's facilities for the Spanish prisoners.

Continued service and later years.


Prowse remained aboard the Sirius in the Mediterranean serving under Vice-Admiral Collingwood. On 17 April 1806 he engaged an enemy flotilla off Civitavecchia. The flotilla consisted of the 18-gun corvette Bergère, three armed brigs, a bomb vessel, a cutter and three gunboats. The Bergère held off the Sirius until Prowse forced her surrender. For this action Prowse was mentioned in despatches and awarded a sword from the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund. The Sirius was paid off in May 1808 and in March 1810 Prowse took command of the 74-gun HMS Theseus. He was nominated a Companion of the Bath on 4 June 1815, and a Colonel of the Royal Marines on 12 August 1819. He commanded her in the North Sea until 23 December 1813, after which he went onshore and saw no further active service. He was promoted to rear-admiral on 19 July 1821 and died on 23 March 1826 in St Pancras, London at the age of 72.

Rob.

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This is all the information that I can find on this officer and post dates the Battle of St Vincent.



Lieutenant John Gibson.

Santa Cruz.

On 14 July Nelson sailed for the Canaries aboard his flagship HMS Theseus, (Captain Miller), leading a squadron composed of HMS Culloden (Captain Troubridge), HMS Zealous (Captain Hood), all 74-gun ships; and the frigates HMS Seahorse (38 guns), commanded by Captain Fremantle, HMS Emerald (36 guns) led by Captain Waller, and HMS Terpsichore (32 guns) under Captain Bowen; as well as the hired armedcutterFox under Lieutenant John Gibson, and a mortar boat, the Ray, under Lieutenant Crompton. HMS Leander (50 guns), under Captain Thompson, joined the flotilla once the attack had started. The expedition counted 400 guns and nearly 4,000 men. They arrived in the vicinity of Santa Cruz on 17 July.
Extract from the London Gazette of 29 August - 2 September 1797 featuring Nelson’s despatch to Sir John Jervis of 27 July 1797
Fox Cutter – 17 Seamen and Marines drowned.

Officers killed.

Richard Bowen, Captain of the Terpsichore.
George Thorpe, First Lieutenant of Ditto.
John Weatherhead, Lieutenant of the Theseus.
William Earnshaw, Second Lieutenant of the Leander.
Raby Robinson, Lieutenant of Marines, of Ditto.
Lieutenant Basham, Marines, of the Emerald.
Lieutenant John Gibson, of the Fox Cutter, drowned.

Rob.

[Bligh]

Of the following Officers I can find no information.

Captain Noble of the Minerve, or Commander Charles Lindsey of the Bonne Citoyenne.

Rob.