CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
PUT INTO CORK HARBOUR.--SAIL WITH CONVOY.--CAPTURE OF THE COMPTED'ARTOIS.--ARRIVE OFF CHARLESTON.--BRITISH TROOPS MADE PRISONERS.--SAILFOR NEW YORK.--HEAR OF MADELINE THROUGH MY HOSTESS THE DUTCH WIDOW.--RECEIVE GENERAL ARNOLD AND HIS MEN ON BOARD FLEET.--IN COMMAND OFARROW.--REACH THE CHESAPEAKE.--HEAR OF HURRICANE IN THE WEST INDIES.--LOSS OF THUNDERER, 74, AND OTHER SHIPS.
Instead of at once proceeding on her voyage across the Atlantic, the oldCharon was, we found, ordered to put into Cork harbour. We arrived atthat port on the 11th of August, 1780, and found there HM's shipsLennox, Bienfaisant, Licorne, and Hussar, with a hundred sail oftransports.
Before I recount the events of our voyage I may as well make a fewremarks about the ship and my brother-officers. Captain Symonds washimself a thorough sailor, and he showed his love of his profession bysending four of his sons into the navy. His eldest son, Jermyn JohnSymonds, was, though very young, our third lieutenant,--a fine, handsomefellow. He was afterwards, when in command of the Helena sloop-of-war,lost with all his crew in her on the coast of Holland. Another son,William, (see Note 1), though at that time a mere child, was, I believe,borne on our books as a midshipman. It was with no small satisfactionthat I welcomed my old friend Paddy O'Driscoll, who came on board as asupernumerary, to rejoin his ship on the American station. I welcomedhim the more gladly as so few of my old shipmates I was ever likely tomeet again. Where were they? The deep sea--West India marshes--theshot of the enemy best could tell. But avast! I have bad enough ofsentiment in these pages. I must not indulge in this vein. The rest ofour officers were fine, gallant fellows, knowing their duty, and readyand able on all occasions to do it. What more can you ask of a man?Having a gentleman, and a kind, good man as our captain, our ship was avery pleasant and happy one, and that is more than can be said of manyships in my day. Captains were of necessity despots, and as they hadvery rough, untutored, disorderly subjects to deal with, too often verycruel, hard-hearted despots they were.
The day after our arrival at Cork we once more weighed and stood out ofthe harbour with the Bienfaisant, Captain McBride, having under ourcharge about seventy sail of victuallers bound for America. That shipand the Licorne had orders to escort us sixty leagues to the westward.We lay-to all night outside the harbour, waiting for the rest of thesquadron to join us, which the Licorne and Hussar had been directed tobring up. We had drifted pretty well down to the old Head of Kinsalewhen, as the morning of the 13th of August broke upon us, we sawstanding right into the fleet a large two-decked ship.
"If that fellow is an enemy he certainly does not seem to know what heis about," observed Mr Edwards to me. "Does he expect to carry offsome of our flock without our even barking at him? But see, CaptainMcBride is speaking us. What does he say?"
The signal midshipman on duty replied that he was ordering us to comewithin hail. We accordingly made sail towards the Bienfaisant, whenCaptain McBride directed us to join with him in chasing the stranger.Not till then apparently did she make us out from among the fleet ofvessels crowding round us, shrouded, as we were, with the grey mists ofthe morning. We were all scrutinising her through our glasses, for itwas still very uncertain what she might prove. Even when we stood outfrom among the fleet of merchantmen she gave no signs of any strongdisposition to evade us, but steadily continued her course.
"She must be some English privateer. No Frenchman with a head on hisshoulders would run it so near the lion's den," remarked Edwards.
"Faith, then, I don't believe he's got a head on his shoulders. That'sa French ship, depend on it," observed O'Driscoll.
Some time longer passed before we got near the chase, for the wind waslight. At half-past seven, to our great satisfaction, we saw hershorten sail and get ready, it appeared, to receive us. On this theBienfaisant hoisted her colours and fired a shot ahead of her. We alsohoisted our colours. The chase on this hoisted a blue ensign andhove-to with main-topsail to the mast. On our getting within hail ofher, we and the Bienfaisant did the same, when Captain McBride spoke herand inquired her name.
"HMS `Romney,'" was the answer. "Last from Lisbon."
"I told you so," observed Mr Edwards, when the words reached us."She's a fifty-gun ship, I know, though I never saw her that I know of."
"But that ship carries more than fifty-guns if I mistake not," Ireplied. "Listen! Captain McBride is again speaking her."
"What does she say?" asked Edwards, as some words, the import of whichwe could not make out, came wafted over the water towards no.
Our people, I ought to have remarked, were all at their quarters readyfor friend or foe--and grim, determined-looking veterans many of themlooked, with their sun-burnt faces and bearded chins.
"What does she say?" exclaimed O'Driscoll. "Why, listen!--that she'sFrench, and going to fight for the honour of la belle France. See, ourconsort's beginning the game."
As he spoke, a volley of musketry was opened from the deck of theBienfaisant, which was replied to in the most spirited way by the othership, she at the same time hoisting French colours, and firing herstern-chasers at us. The Bienfaisant now ranged up alongside and firedher broadside right into the enemy. The Frenchman then fired hers, andby the way her shot flew we judged that her object was to cripple heropponent. We now stood on after the Bienfaisant, and as we ranged upfired our guns with terrible effect right across our enemy's decks.Then on we stood, while our consort had in the meantime tacked andreached the place we had before occupied. In a short time she once moreranged up alongside the Frenchman, and poured a heavy broadside intohim. Thus we continued, alternately changing places with each other.We suffered wonderfully little damage for some time. The Frenchman'sgreat aim was to wing us. He evidently fought not for victory, for hemust have seen that was almost hopeless, but to escape capture. Neverwas a ship better handled or fought with more gallantry. For some timeno one was hurt on board the Charon. At last one poor fellow got hit,and soon afterwards some blocks and splinters came rattling down fromaloft. The mizen-topsail yard came down by the run, and I saw that ithad been shot away in the slings. Tremendous was the pounding we weregiving our enemy, but still he showed not the slightest intention ofgiving in. His deck was already covered with the dead and wounded, andthe ship herself was in a very battered condition.
"That man is one of the bravest officers I ever encountered," observedCaptain Symonds, pointing to the captain of the French ship, whom wecould see moving about, encouraging his people.
"I wonder whether he intends to give in at all!" said Mr Edwards as weprepared to pour another broadside into him.
"Not a bit of it; he has as much pluck as at the first left in him,"exclaimed O'Driscoll, as the thunder of our artillery once more ceased.
I could not help longing that, for the sake of the lives of his people,the French captain would give in. The action had now lasted from aquarter to eight to half-past eight. Of course the time appeared verymuch longer. The Bienfaisant was about to pour in another of herbroadsides which had already produced such fearful effects. The deck ofthe Frenchman was truly a shamble; not a spot appeared free from somedead or wounded occupant. Just then the crew, fearful of encounteringanother iron shower, fled from their guns. Down came the Fleur-de-lysof France. Shouts arose from the deck of the Bienfaisant, which wereloudly and joyfully echoed from ours. All three ships were now hove-to.On hailing our prize we found that we had captured "Le CompteD'Artois," a private ship of war of sixty-four guns and seven hundredand fifty men, commanded by Monsieur Clenard.
A boat from each ship was sent on board. I went in the Charon's. Thebrave captain of the Compte D'Artois came forward and delivered hissword to the lieutenant of the Bienfaisant. He was desperately woundedin the mouth, and he looked very sad; he had reason so to be, for hisbrother, a colonel of the Legion of Artois, lay dead on the deck, havingbeen wounded early in the action, while he had lost no less than onehundred and nineteen killed and wounded of his brave crew. A
ll hisproperty, too, had probably been embarked in the enterprise. Many otherpeople in the same way lost their fortunes during the war. They thoughtthat they had only to fit out a ship of war and that they were certainto gain great wealth. They forgot that two might play at the same game,and that they were just as likely to fall into the hands of theirenemies as to capture them. Poor monsieur had another brother on board.I did not exaggerate when I said that the deck of his ship was like aperfect shamble. So quickly had the poor Frenchmen been struck downthat the survivors had not had time to carry them below, and there theylay, some stark and stiff, others writhing in their agony. It wasenough to move the compassion even of their greatest enemies. We atonce set to work to do all we could to help them and to relieve thewounded from their sufferings. Every one felt also much for poorMonsieur Clenard, for a braver man never commanded a ship or fought herlonger, till not a prospect of escape remained for him. Strange as itmay appear, we had only one man wounded, while the Bienfaisant had onlytwo killed and two wounded. This extraordinary difference in theFrenchman's loss and ours arose from two causes. He wished to escape,and fired high to try and destroy our spars and rigging; and also hiscrew, collected chiefly from the merchant service, and from boatmen andfishermen who had never till lately handled a gun, and having also aconsiderable proportion of landsmen among them, were in no way a matchfor our well-trained and hardy seamen. The ship was handled as well asshe could be, while nothing could exceed the gallantry of her officers;her crew also fought with the greatest bravery, as indeed Frenchmengenerally will fight, though perhaps not with the same bull-dogdetermination as the English. We agreed that when the French had hadmore practice, and had learned a few lessons from us, they would provemuch tougher customers than they had hitherto been.
There was great cheering and congratulation on board the ships of theconvoy as they came up, and in a short time the rest of them joined uswith the Licorne and Hussar. In the interval the crew of the CompteD'Artois were transferred to the Bienfaisant, and she and her prizestood away for Crookhaven in Ireland. We, meantime, with the other twoships and the convoy, made sail for the westward. We had generally onthe passage moderate gales and fine pleasant weather.
On the 12th a strange sail was seen to leeward, beating up towards us.She was after a time made out to be a ship of some size, probablywatching her opportunity to pick off any stragglers in the fleet. Toprevent this Captain Symonds ordered the Hussar to chase her away, wemaking as if we were about to follow. Seeing this, the stranger put upher helm and ran off before the wind, while the Hussar crowded all sailin chase. We watched her with no little interest, for the stranger wasevidently a big ship, and, if the Hussar brought her to action, wouldvery likely prove a powerful antagonist--not that odds, however great,were much thought of in those days, and I will take upon myself to saythat there was scarcely an officer in the service in command of afifty-gun frigate who would not have considered himself fortunate inhaving an opportunity of engaging an enemy's ship of sixty guns or more.In a short time the sails of the chase and her pursuer disappearedbelow the horizon. The night closed in and passed away; the next daydrew on and we saw nothing of the Hussar. Another day passed away andshe did not make her appearance. Conjectures as to what had become ofher now formed the general subject of conversation on board, but, likeall conjectures, when there is no data on which to build up aconclusion, we always left off where we began, and waited till she cameback, if ever she should do so, to tell her own tale.
O'Driscoll and I had now become great friends. I own that I wanted someone to whom I could talk to about my love for Madeline. With all hisfun and humour and harum-scarum manner, he was a thoroughly honourableright-minded fellow, and I knew that I could trust him. He wasdelighted with the romance of the affair.
"If you can but point our where she is, by hook or by crook, I'll helpyou to win her," said he, in his full rich irish brogue. "You'vealready a pretty lot of prize-money, and please the pigs you'll pick upnot a little more before long. Where there's a will there's a way,that's one comfort; and, by my faith, what I've seen of some of thoselittle rebel colonists, they are well worth winning."
It may amuse my sober-minded readers, when they reflect on all thedifficulties, not to say impossibilities, which existed in my way, tothink that O'Driscoll and I should ever dream of overcoming them. Butthey must remember that we were both very young, and that in the navysuch things as impossibilities are not allowed to exist. During howmany a midnight watch did my love serve me as a subject forcontemplation, and, when I was occasionally joined by O'Driscoll, forconversation also! Although I was on excellent terms with the rest ofmy brother-officers, I never felt inclined to open out to any of them.Perhaps it was a weakness in me to do so even to O'Driscoll, and, as ageneral rule, I think a man is wise to keep such thoughts to himself.
Day after day passed by and our missing consort did not make herappearance. A whole week elapsed, and we began to entertain seriousapprehensions about her, and to fear that she had been captured. Ourcourse had been so direct, and the weather so fine, that she would havehad no difficulty, we considered, in rejoining us. At length a sailappeared standing towards the fleet. She was not one of the convoy, forall were together. Every glass on board was turned towards her. As thestranger drew nearer and nearer we were more and more puzzled to makeout what she was.
"I see, I see!" exclaimed O'Driscoll at last. "She is a frigate andunder jury-top-masts. She has been in a smart action. I see theshot-holes through her canvas. There can be no mistake about thematter. She is the `Hussar,' I believe, after all."
On she came towards us, and the Hussar she proved to be; but the trimlittle frigate which she had been when she left us a week before was nowsadly shorn of her beauty. As soon as she came up with the fleetCaptain Symonds sent me on board to inquire what had happened. Thestory was soon told. She had fought a very desperate and gallantaction, which, by-the-bye, I have never seen recorded in any navalhistory. She, it must be remembered, was only an eight-and-twenty gunfrigate. The stranger after which she had been sent in chase, when shehad drawn her completely away from the squadron, backed his main-topsailto the mast and waited, prepared for battle, till she came up. Theenemy was soon made out to be a French forty-gun frigate, but thatdisparity of fores did not deter her gallant captain from proceeding tothe attack. Ranging up within pistol-shot she opened her broadside, towhich the Frenchman quickly replied in the same way with equal spirit.As was the case in our action with the Compte D'Artois, the Frenchmenfired high, evidently with the idea that, by crippling their opponent,they might have her at their mercy. This system might under someinstances be very good, but, unfortunately for them, they frequentlythemselves got so completely thrashed before they had succeeded inaccomplishing their purpose, that they had to cry peccavi and haul downtheir flags. The gallant little Hussar had no intention of runningaway, and therefore poured her broadsides into the hull of theFrenchman, committing great havoc along his decks. The action wascontinued for some time with great guns and musketry, every man in theEnglish frigate striving his utmost to gain the victory. Numbers of thegallant fellows were struck down--some never to rise again, othersdesperately wounded. Each attempt of the Frenchman was bravelyrepulsed, and every shot fired was responded to with still greatervigour. Still the captain of the Hussar could not help watching theprogress of the fight with the greatest anxiety. Already two of hertop-masts had been shot away, her lower-masts were wounded, and five orsix of her crew lay dead, while as many more were hurt. Still he haddetermined not to give in as long as his ship would float. TheFrenchmen had already suffered severely, but it was impossible to sayhow long their endurance might last. He had no doubt that they had lostfar more in killed and wounded than he had, and he saw that they hadsome shot between wind and water, and that their rigging was much cutup. All this gave him hopes that he might yet come off victorious.Again he ranged up alongside his big antagonist and received her firewhile he delivere
d his own. Down came his mizen-top-mast by the run--several more of his crew fell to the deck--his rigging hung infestoons--his canvas was full of shot-holes. He thought to himself,"Ought I to sacrifice the lives of my people in a hopeless contest? Butis it hopeless? No, it is not. Hurrah, my brave fellows! Onebroadside more, and we shall do for the enemy!" he shouted loudly. Thecombatants were standing on a bow-line alongside each other. Once morethe Hussar fired. The Frenchman returned her broadside, and then,before the smoke cleared off and the English had time to reload to rakeher, put up her helm and ran off before the wind. The Hussar was not ina condition to follow. She, however, kept firing at the Frenchman aslong as her shot could reach him, and then hauled her wind and stoodaway to the westward after us. She had seven killed and six badlywounded, besides other hurts. She had lost her three top-masts, whileher lower-masts were disabled. Fortunately the weather was fine, forhad she encountered a gale of wind her condition would have been badindeed. I have never, as I have said, seen an account of this verygallant action in any naval history, and I therefore give it as it wasdescribed to me by the officers of the Hussar.
On the 14th of October we arrived off Charleston, South Carolina, withour whole convoy, after a favourable passage of nine weeks, and we werecongratulating ourselves on its successful termination, little thinkingwhat was to be the fate of many of the ships of the fleet. Charlestonstands on a broad neck of land, with Cooper's river on one side andAshley river on the other. They flow into a wide sheet of water, whichforms the harbour of Charleston, but which is shallow, and has a bar atits mouth, on which there is very little water.
This, on our arrival, we could not cross, and the convoy hadconsequently to anchor outside. Charleston had, after a brave defenceon the 12th of May, been captured from the Americans under GeneralLincoln by Sir Henry Howe and Lord Cornwallis. The latter on ourarrival commanded the army which held it. Sir Henry, with part of hisforces, had gone to New York. The capture of Charleston was considereda very fortunate circumstance, and it was believed that in consequencethe whole of the Carolinas would yield to our arms. Never perhaps werepeople more mistaken. The day of our arrival at Charleston Iaccompanied Captain Symonds on shore. We went to the house where afriend of his, Colonel Balfour, had taken up his quarters. He mostkindly received us, and invited us to his table whenever we were onshore. We slept, however, at one of the largest houses in the place,occupied by Lord Cornwallis. His lordship had just returned from anunsuccessful expedition to North Carolina, where a force of nearly athousand men, regulars and royalists, under Colonel Ferguson, who waskilled, had been taken prisoners by the Americans; many also lost theirlives with their leader. Colonel Ferguson had made a foray into NorthCarolina, and in his retreat had been surprised among the fastnesses ofthe mountains by an overwhelming force of the most hardy and brave ofthe irregular troops of the neighbouring districts, especiallyaccustomed to the sort of warfare in which they were called on toengage. Colonel Ferguson was a very brave and good officer, and LordCornwallis took his defeat and death very much to heart. As we hadexecuted some of the rebels who, after receiving royal passes, weretaken in arms against us, so now the Americans in retaliation hungseveral of the royalists who were captured on this occasion. Inconsequence of this there was, we found, a great deal of bitter feelingin the town against the rebels, and in no time had the contest beencarried on in so sanguinary a way as at present.
We were aroused at daybreak by the sound of a terrifically heavy galewhich had sprung up, and in going down to the harbour we found that thebar was perfectly impassable, while the ships at anchor off it were in agreat state of confusion. Some were striking top-masts and letting gofresh anchors, in the hopes of riding out the gale, while others wereslipping or cutting their cables, and running out to sea, several ofthem getting foul of each other and committing all sorts of damage. Itwas not till the 20th that the weather moderated sufficiently to enableus to get off to rejoin our ship. By degrees some of the ships of theconvoy which had run to sea came back, but several never returned,having been captured by the enemy or lost.
On the 22nd we again sailed from Charleston with a convoy of fifty sailof transports, bound for New York. On our passage we captured a rebelprivateer of eight guns and fifty men, and took a merchant brig boundfrom London to Charleston with bale goods. We found at Sandy Hook,where we arrived on the 4th of November, Sir George Rodney, with eightsail of the line and several frigates, waiting for a wind to sail forthe West Indies. The following day we proceeded through the Narrows upto New York, where we set to work to refit the ship for sea,--anoperation she very much required. I need not say that I employed mytime on shore in endeavouring to gain intelligence of Miss Carlyon andher family. In making my inquiries I had, however, to exert greatcaution, for I knew that I might very easily bring upon myself thesuspicion of corresponding with the enemy for treasonable purposes.When I slept on shore I went to the house of a worthy Dutch widow, whereI had before lodged. I did my utmost to ingratiate myself with her, forI knew that if any one could obtain the information I required she woulddo so. Old women, I have found, nearly always are ready to listen withcomplacency and attention to the love tales of young men or young women,and so my kind hostess not only listened to as much of mine as I thoughtit necessary to tell her, but gladly promised to assist me to the bestof her ability.
"And now, my dear Mrs Von Tromp, what news have you for me?" I askedeagerly one day as I walked into her little back parlour where shereceived her select visitors. Considering her origin, she spokeexcellent English.
"Listen!" she replied; "I have not learned much for you, but what I havelearned you may believe is the truth. I lately had a talk with aVirginian gentleman. Do not be afraid, sir, for he is a neutral; norebel I ever talk with. He knows the family of the lady you want tohear about. He heard them speaking of her not long ago; she isunmarried, and they thought she would remain so. She was then inVirginia with her father, who is a very active rebel, you know."
Not listening to her last remark, the thought at once struck me that Iwould write to her to assure her of my constancy, and would try to sendmy letter by means of the gentleman Mrs Von Tromp mentioned. My goodhostess was, however, terrified when I made the proposal.
"Oh, dear--no, no, it would never do!" she explained. "It would be agreat deal too dangerous to attempt. The letter would be intercepted,and we should be accused of corresponding with the enemy, and some of uswould be hung to a certainty. Just think, how should you like to sufferthe fate of poor Major Andre? Ah, poor young gentleman! he was, indeed,a fine, handsome man--or almost a boy, I might say--he looked so young;he was so civil and polite and kind. I can't think of his cruel deathwithout crying, that I can't."
Major Andre had been captured by the Americans, having crossed intotheir territory for the purpose of communicating with General Arnold,who succeeded in escaping from them and joining the British forces. Hewas considered as a spy, and as such, tried, condemned, and had justbefore this been executed--his hard fate creating much commiserationeven in the bosoms of his enemies. He was fully as brave, talented,polite, and accomplished in every way as the widow described him. Iassured her that I had no wish to share his lamentable fate, but that,as I was not holding any treasonable correspondence with the enemy, Icould not be found guilty of so doing. I argued the subject with herfor some time.
"Ah, you know the way to an old woman's heart as well as to that of ayoung one!" at last exclaimed the good-natured dame. "I cannot refuseyou. Write the letter, and I will do my best to forward it. But becareful what you say. Nothing but love, remember, nothing but love--don't forget that."
"No fear, no fear," I answered, laughing. "I'll stick to my text,depend on it."
"I don't doubt you, and a pretty long one it will be, I suspect," sheremarked, as I got up to go off to my room. "When it is ready, bring itto me. I will do my best, and if it does not reach its destination,that is no fault of mine."
I hur
ried up-stairs to the room I slept in, and was soon deeply immersedin the occupation of writing a letter to Madeline. I had no fears howit would be received, so I seized my pen, and, after a few moments'thought, wrote on. Once having begun, my pen flew rapidly over thepaper, but not so rapidly as my thoughts. When I had covered the sheetI had not said one quarter of what I wished to say. I took another andanother. At last I finished and folded them up.
"Umph!" said the widow, when I took the package to her. "You will wanta special courier and a pack-horse to carry this document--but don'tfrown now, I am only joking. I am sure that the young lady is wellworthy of the letter, and that you have not said a word more than shewill be glad to hear."
I was not in a humour to quarrel with Madame Von Tromp for anything shemight say. Leaving my precious letter with her, I hurried away toattend to my duties on board my ship. At this time Admiral Arbuthnot'ssquadron was lying in Gardner's Bay, at the other end of Long Island.On the 9th, Sir Henry Howe having some important despatches to send tothe admiral, the gallant little Hussar was directed to get under weighto convey them.
Little did I think at the time that, after all she had gone through, weshould see her no more. I have already described the dangerous passageof Hell Gate, where already, in consequence of the fearful rapidity ofthe currents, so many vessels had been lost. I watched the Hussar getunder weigh. I had hoped to take the trip in her, for I had some oldfriends on board different ships in the squadron whom I wished to see,and I was rather annoyed at not being able to get leave to go. That wasone of the numberless instances where I have discovered how little wemortals know what is good for us. To make a long story short, for Icannot now stop to give a full description of the accident, in goingthrough that justly-dreaded passage the Hussar met with baffling winds,and, the currents catching her, sent her bodily on the rocks. Thus shebecame utterly helpless. No seamanship could avail her. The short,chopping, boiling sea dashed over her and beat her to pieces. Beforehawsers could be got to the shore, by which her crew could make theirescape, several of the poor fellows had been drowned. In the boisterousand bitterly cold weather of that season many of them suffered muchbefore they got back to New York.
Once more we were ready for sea, and on the 2nd of December we hoistedAdmiral Arbuthnot's flag, and, proceeding to Statten Island, we werejoined by HMS Thames, Charlestown, Medea, Amphitrite, Fowey, Hope,Bonetta, Swift, and several armed vessels.
I was just now speaking of the death of Major Andre, who was captured bythe Americans when communicating with General Arnold. That officer haddeserted the liberal cause, and, having succeeded in reaching theBritish lines in safety, had now been appointed a brigadier-general inour army. On the 3rd we received him on board with two troopsdistributed among the ships of the squadron. All we knew was, that someexpedition of importance was to be undertaken, but on what part of thecoast the descent was to be made did not transpire. I do not believethat the commanders on our side put much confidence in General Arnold,and of course the Americans, whose cause he had so basely betrayed,perfectly detested him. Had he, by the chances of war, fallen intotheir hands, they would have treated him as they had done poor Andre.
We sailed from New York on the 12th of December. In order to deceivethe enemy, and to make them believe that an expedition of very greatimportance was about to be undertaken, we kept the admiral's flag flyingtill we were out of sight of land. A course was steered to thesouthward; it was then understood that we were bound for the Chesapeake,and it was supposed that a landing would be made somewhere on the shoresof Virginia. I scarcely knew whether to grieve or to rejoice at theprospect thus held out to me. Of course, I could not but regret that mycountrymen were about to carry the war into the very part of the countrywhere Madeline, I believed, was residing; at the same time, under thesupposition that such would be done, I rejoiced at the thoughts that Imight meet her, or might render her or her family assistance. Still Iwould not venture to reckon much on the prospect of our meeting.Numberless circumstances might intervene to prevent it. I might noteven be sent on shore. I might not go near where she might be residing,or, what was probable, her friends might gain tidings of the expedition,when she would, with other ladies, move away more into the interior.Still, notwithstanding these considerations, I could not help indulgingmyself in the belief that, by some means or other, we should meet onceagain, or, at all events, that I should gain tidings of her, and be ableto communicate with her. The very idea gave buoyancy to my step andmanner, and made many of my companions inquire what had put me in suchunusual spirits.
O'Driscoll had returned on board, having again joined the ship as asupernumerary, and as an old tried friend he entered, and, I believe,heartily, into all my hopes and fears. Some of his plans and proposals,however, though very much in accordance with the notions of Irishmen inthose days, were not such, even with all my harum-scarum habits, which Icould by any possibility adopt.
"Hurry, my boy, I have been thinking over this affair of yours," saidhe, as we were walking the deck together. "I don't likeshilly-shallying in matters of this sort--I never did. The lady lovesyou, and you love the lady--well, then, to my mind, the first difficultyis got over, because, according to my notion, where there's a willthere's a way. You'll find her out, that's certain. Then the nextthing to be done is to get her to run away with you. She'll go, dependon that. You take her prisoner, you know! Bring her aboard; we'll geta chaplain to splice you. You can take her up to New York; she'll besafe there. And then we come to another little matter; I've arrangedthat in a satisfactory way. You've some prize-money. I've saved a goodmint one way and another, and, old fellow, I don't want it--my purse isyours. Old messmates don't stand on ceremony about such matters. Myown dear little Kathleen, the only creature I wanted it for, went toglory while I was last at sea. When I got home I was desolate. I've nokith nor kin I care for, and if you don't take the money it's likelyenough I'll heave it into the sea one of these days, or pitch it whereit won't do any one any good, so don't think that I am doing you anywonderful favour if you take it. The truth is, Hurry, I'd be more thanpaid ten times over in having the pleasure of helping you to run offwith the lady. I'm in my element in an affair of this sort--there'snothing I like better, barring a good stand-up scrimmage, and that'sgenerally too soon over. Now, Hurry, just do as I say. Promise me!"
I was struck dumb; so rapidly did he pour out his proposals that I couldnot answer him. He took my silence for consent, and ran on. At first Iwas somewhat inclined to resent his remarks, but his generosity andevident unconsciousness that he was proposing anything in any wayincorrect completely disarmed my anger, and, when he ceased speaking,greatly to his surprise, I burst out into an uncontrollable fit oflaughter.
"I am most thankful, my dear O'Driscoll, for your kind sympathy, and forthe assistance you so liberally offer me," I exclaimed, as soon as Icould recover myself. "But supposing I could or would persuade her toleave her home, and the protection of her family, just consider all thehardships, inconveniences, and danger she would be exposed to on boardship before I could place her in safety; and then, how could she,delicately brought up, live on a lieutenant's pay, even with suchprize-money as I might save, and your aid, my kind fellow!" I added."No, no! the thing is out of the question."
"Faith, I hadn't thought all about those little obstructions tomatrimonial felicity," he answered. "Still I can't give up the idea, incase the chance should offer, of your running away with the young lady.It seems such a natural thing to do. There's a fine fellow, beprepared, that's all--and only just let me help you."
"Well, well! I have no friend on whom I can more fully rely than you,"I replied. "I promise you that I will not fail to apply to you if I seethat you can in any way help me."
"That's all right," said he, fully satisfied. "I knew that you would,before long, come into my views."
Our passage to the south was very tedious, for we had light winds, sadwere also constantly compelled to heave-to for
the laggards.
Soon after the conversation I have mentioned, on the 23rd of December,it being still calm, one of the leading ships signalled that a ship andfour small sail were in sight to the southward, and that they had allthe appearance of enemies. We, accordingly, crowded all sail in chase,but scarcely had we got beyond the van of the fleet when it becameevident that, at the rate we were progressing, we should not come upwith the chase before dark. We had, in company, a small privateerschooner fitted with long sweeps, and which rowed remarkably well.Captain Symonds directed her by signal to come within hail, and thenordered me to take thirty men and go on board her and to proceed inchase of the strangers.
"If they prove to be enemies," said he, "bring them to action, and keepthem engaged at long range, knocking away their spars, if you can, sothat they cannot escape till we come up. If we take the ship, as I haveno doubt we shall, I will give you the command of her to take her to NewYork. She is evidently a big craft, and will be worth not a little."
I suspect that it was with no good grace that I thanked the captain forthe confidence he placed in me. He looked surprised, I thought, butsaid nothing. Under other circumstances I should have been well pleasedwith the task confided to me, but now, when I had set my heart onlanding on the shores of Virginia, suddenly to find that I might have togo back to New York was a sore trial to me. Little do we know, however,what is the best for us. As soon as the Arrow privateer came up, I andmy crew went on board, and, getting out all the long sweeps, away wepulled in chase of the strangers. Every man put his full strength intothe work, and we sent the little vessel along at the rate of fully threeknots an hour. We felt as if we were going at a great speed, and werapidly neared the strangers. Little did I think in those days that inmy old age I should see vessels sent along in a dead calm without theslightest exertion of human agency at four or five times that speed. Wekept minutely examining the strangers as we drew near. One was aman-of-war--of that there was no doubt; the others were merchantmen,probably, under her convoy. Still she did not show her colours. TheArrow carried a couple of unusually long guns, and I fully expected tocommit great execution with them. They were all ready. Nol Grampus hadcharge of one of them. We had got within range of the ship. I hoistedEnglish colours. The ship showed none in return. I waited a minutelonger. The word "fire" was on my lips when up went the British ensignat her peak. Still I was not convinced till she made the privatesignal.
Never perhaps in my life before had I been so satisfied at finding afriend instead of an enemy. She proved to be HMS Royal Oak, the othervessels being prizes she had taken. Two days after this we took twoother prizes, the charge of which was given to Lieutenants Seymour andBruton. Their absence of course gave me much more work to do--not a badthing, perhaps, under my circumstances. The following day a heavy galeof wind sprang up, and we separated from the fleet as well as from ourprizes. We were knocking about for three days somewhat concerned forthe fate of the convoy. There were so many privateers cruising about,that it was likely some of them could be picked off, and if any of thetransports were taken or lost, the whole plan of the expedition might bedisconcerted. General Arnold especially was in a state of considerableanxiety for several reasons. If this, his first expedition, shouldfail, he could scarcely expect his new friends to trust him again, whileif by any accident he should fall into the hands of those whose cause hehad betrayed, he knew full well the fate which awaited him. He was, Ibelieve, a man possessed of considerable military talents and of generalability, but he wanted principle; and his extravagant habits placed himin difficulties from which he saw no ordinary way of extricatinghimself. He had just put forth an elaborate address to the inhabitantsof America, not only excusing his conduct, but taking great credit forthe motives which had induced him to join the King's arms. He statedthat he had taken up arms to redress grievances, and that thosegrievances no longer existed, because Great Britain, with the open armsof a parent, offered to embrace the colonists as children, and grantthem the wished-for redress. Her worst enemies, he told them, were inthe bosom of America. The French alliance, he assured them, wascalculated not only to ruin the mother-country, but the coloniesthemselves; and that the heads of the rebellion, neglecting to take thesentiments of the people at large, had refused to accept the Britishproposals for peace; that for his part, rather than trust to theinsidious offers of France, "I preferred," he continues, "those of GreatBritain, thinking it infinitely wiser and safer to place my confidencein her justice and generosity than to trust a monarchy too feeble toestablish your independency, so perilous to her distant dominions; theenemy of the Protestant faith, and fraudulently avowing an affection forthe liberties of mankind while she holds her native sons in vassalageand chains." He winds up by stating his conviction that it was thegenerous intention of Great Britain not only to leave the rights andprivileges of the colonies unimpaired, together with their perpetualexemption from taxation, but to superadd such further benefits as mightbe consistent with the common prosperity of the empire; and then hesays, "I am now led to devote my life to the reunion of the BritishEmpire as the best and only means to dry up the streams of misery thathave deluged this country."
We had numberless copies of this address on board, ready to bedistributed throughout the country whenever we should effect a landing.That was far from a pleasant time we had on our voyage. Not only had wethe effects of the gale to dread, but we were aware that a Frenchsquadron was not far-off; and we were kept constantly on the look-out inthe unpleasant expectation of falling in with them, and having to taketo flight or of undergoing a still worse fate, and of falling into theirhands. Many people, in my day especially, had an idea that ships werefated to be lucky or unlucky, either because they were launched on aFriday, or that their keel was laid on a Friday, or that they werecursed when building or when about to sail, or had a Jonas on board, orfor some other equally cogent reason. I always found that a bad captainand master and a careless crew was the Jonas most to be dreaded, andthat to ill-fit and ill-find a ship was the worst curse which could bebestowed on her. I should have been considered a great heretic if I hadpublicly expressed such opinions in my younger days; indeed, I probablydid not think of them as I do now. The Charon was considered a luckyship, or, in other words, Captain Symonds was a careful commander, andso few on board had any fear of our falling in with an overpoweringenemy or meeting with any other mishap. They could not as yet be provedto be wrong; the gale abated on the 28th. The following day the weatherbecame moderate and fair, and we rejoined the fleet off the capes at theentrance of the Chesapeake. We found the squadron augmented by thearrival of two or three ships from the West India station. These wereto have joined to take part in the operations about to be commenced, butthe terrific hurricane which had lately raged over those regions hadeither totally destroyed or disabled so many, that no others were thenin a fit condition to proceed to our assistance. Several of theofficers came on board of us, among them many old friends of mine, andfrom them I gathered some accounts of that tremendous visitation.
It first broke on the Island of Jamaica, at the little seaport town ofSavannah-la-Mer. That hapless place, with the adjacent country, wasalmost entirely overwhelmed by the sea, which rushed in over it withtremendous force, driven on by the fury of a tempest whose force hasrarely been surpassed. The gale began at about one o'clock in theafternoon from the south-east, increasing in violence till four p.m.,when it veered to the south, then reaching its height, and continuedthus till eight, when it began to abate. Terrible was the havoccommitted in these few hours. The waves, raised to a height neverbefore witnessed, foaming and roaring, rushed with irresistibleimpetuosity towards the land, sweeping into the bay and carrying beforeit every building it encountered; numbers of the inhabitants it overtookbeing drowned, while the rest fled shrieking before it for safety to theSavannah. There the ruins only of houses remained to afford themshelter. To add to the horror of the scene, lightning of the most vividdescription flashed from the s
kies--the wind and waves howled and roaredin concert--darkness came on, and the earth itself shook and trembled asif about to swallow up those whom the waters or their fallinghabitations had spared. The smaller vessels at anchor in the bay weredriven on shore and dashed to pieces, and the largest were torn fromtheir anchors and carried up far into the morass, whence they couldnever be removed. One ship, the Princess Royal, was hove on herbeam-ends, but again righted by the earthquake or by the force of thewind, and was left fixed firmly in the ground.
With the morning light the scene of destruction presented to the eyes ofthe survivors was truly heart-rending. The ground where the town hadstood was strewed with the mangled forms of the dead and dying,scattered among the fragments of their dwellings. Scarcely a roofremained whole or a wall standing. Of all the sugar-works noneremained; the plantain walks were destroyed; every cane-piece waslevelled; and some hundred people, whites and negroes, were killed. InMontego Bay, and indeed throughout the island, the consequences of thetempest were equally disastrous. But if people on shore suffered thus,still more melancholy was the fate of the numerous fleets which camewithin its influence. Those of England, France, and Spain equallysuffered; many being wrecked, and others foundering with all hands.
The hurricane did not reach the Leeward Islands till the 19th. It ragedat Bridgetown, Barbadoes, from the 10th to the 16th, with no less furythan elsewhere. The evening of the 9th was particularly calm, though aglow of an unusual red appeared in the sky, and heavy rain began tofall. On the morning of the 10th the hurricane began, and by theafternoon the Albemarle frigate and all the merchantmen in the bayparted from their anchors and drove to sea. By night the fury of thetempest had reached its utmost height, and dreadful were theconsequences. It is impossible to describe the scenes of horror anddistress occurring on every side. A friend of mine was at the house ofthe governor, which was a circular building with very thick walls. Theroof, however, soon began to fall in, and the family were compelled totake shelter in the cellar. The water, however, speedily found its waythere, and, rising four feet, drove them into the open air, throughshowers of tiles and bricks and timber falling on every side. They atlast took shelter under a gun-carriage, but several guns weredismounted, and every instant they dreaded being crushed by the oneunder which they were sitting. They were close, also, to the powdermagazine. A flash of lightning might destroy them in a moment. Thearmoury had been already blown down, and all the arms and stores andother things in it were scattered around. No place seemed safe, forwhole roofs were lifted up, and beams were blown about like feathers,and darted with violence to the ground: so that the roar of theelements, the crashing made by the falling houses, and the shrieks ofthe inhabitants, were almost more than human courage could bear.
All waited anxiously looking for the dawn of day, but the light onlyexhibited a scene which made them wish that it were again dark. Onlyruin and desolation were visible on every side; houses overthrown, treesand plantations levelled, the ground strewed with dead bodies, and theshore covered with wrecks. At the other islands life and propertysuffered equally. At Saint Pierre, in Martinique, the new hospital ofNotre Dame was blown down, overwhelming 1600 patients, and 1400 otherhouses were destroyed. In Fort Royal Bay four ships foundered, andevery soul perished. At Saint Lucia the destruction was very great.His Majesty's ship Amazon was driven to sea and most miraculouslyescaped foundering. She was commanded by the Honourable Captain WilliamClement Finch. An old friend of mine, one of the lieutenants, gave methe following account:--
"We saw by the look of the weather that a hurricane was coming on, butwhile we were making everything snug it was down upon us, and we weredriven from our anchors, happily out to sea, instead of on the shore.We at once got the ship under storm staysails, and as long as the canvasheld she behaved admirably; but as night drew on the gale increased andevery stitch of canvas was blown from the bolt-ropes. It is impossibleto describe the terrific fury of the gale by this time. One thing wasvery clear, that if we did not cut away the masts they would either goby the board, or she herself, from her terrific labouring, would godown. The captain evidently did not like to cripple the ship by cuttingaway the masts, and kept waiting in the hopes that the gale was at itsheight and would soon abate. Vain was the hope. The gale, on thecontrary, kept increasing. At last he sent them aloft to cut away themain-topmast. Quick as lightning they flew to obey the order, for theywell knew how much depended on its execution. Scarcely were they aloftwhen the hurricane struck us with greater fury than ever.
"`Down, down, for your lives!' shouted the captain; `the mainmast mustgo.'
"While we were waiting for the men to come down--and never did a fewmoments of my life appear so long, for I knew that every single one wasof importance--a terrific gust struck the ship. Over she heeled; down,down she went.
"`She's gone, she's gone!' shrieked out many on deck.
"I hoped that she would lift again, but she did not. Lower and lowershe sank. All who were on deck, captain, officers and crew, who couldmanage it, clambered up on the ship's side. Some poor fellows who wereto leeward, and unable to haul themselves up to the weather side, werewashed off by the foaming sea, and, unable to help them, we saw themdrowned before our eyes. We felt that in another moment their fatemight be ours, for so far gone was the ship that the wheel on thequarter-deck was already under water, and to our dismay we saw that theship was settling down every moment lower and lower. All the time shekept moving about terrifically, and all we could do was to cling on andwatch for our approaching dissolution. Higher every instant rose thewater, and it had now reached the after part of the carronade slides onthe weather side. All hope was now gone. No ship with a heavy armamentlike ours had ever floated in such a position. Those who could or daredpray prayed; the rest waited in dull or hardened indifference for theirfate. There was a tremendous deafening crash. I thought our lastmoment had come, but no, at that instant I saw the masts breaking awaylike mere faggots; the bowsprit, spanker-boom, everything went, and witha spring the ship righted so much that the lee gunwale rose even withthe water's edge.
"`Now, my lads,' shouted out our captain in a tone which animated allhands; `now's our time! Overboard with the guns; we shall yet keep theship afloat.'
"We all scrambled back on the deck, and everybody, fore and aft, set towork with a will to obey the captain's orders. Capstan-bars, handspikesand axes were in requisition for active service. First we got the leequarter-deck guns and carronades overboard; then we hurried forward andlaunched one of the forecastle guns into the sea, and cut away the sheetanchor. All the weight we took off the lee-side had so good an effectthat still more of the ship's side rose above water, and we found thatwe could get at the lee-guns on the main deck. What was of equalimportance also, we were able to reach the pumps. The first thing wasto get the lee main deck guns overboard. It was some of the most tryingwork we had yet to perform. As I looked aft, and then glanced forward,I could not help perceiving, as I believed, that the ship was going downstern foremost. Others were under the same impression. Still a daringbody, led by the gallant Packenham, our first lieutenant, worked awaywith such determination that one gun after the other was sent plunginginto the ocean. Meantime the pumps were rigged, and we made a desperateattempt to free the ship from water. Already it was above the cable onthe orlop deck, and there was an immense quantity between decks. Ourprevious unexpected success encouraged us to proceed. No men everworked with a better will than did our people; still, it's my beliefthat seamen always will thus work when a good example is set them. Wewere evidently diminishing the water, and the ship was no longersinking, when an accident occurred which made us again almost abandonhope. On examination, it proved to be that the stump of the mainmasthad worked out of the stop and been driven against one of thechain-pumps. The carpenter and his mate and crew hurried below to seewhat could be done, but scarcely were they there when the cry arose thatthe other pump was useless. Still they were undaunted. Wh
ile the stumpof the mast was being secured, they laboured away to repair the damage.At length one of the pumps was put to rights: a cheerful shout announcedthe fact. Then we set to work on the other, which was in time cleared,and once more the water flowed out at the lee scuppers in a full stream.The ship was strong, and tight as a corked bottle. Wonderful as it mayseem, not a leak had been sprung. The ship having at length been gotsomewhat to rights, the crew were mustered, when it was found thattwenty men had been drowned or seriously disabled. In a few hours shewas cleared of water, but there we lay, a helpless wreck on the ocean,an easy prey to the smallest enemy. Our safety existed, we knew, in thefact that every other vessel afloat must be in nearly an equally badcondition. When the weather moderated we rigged jury-masts, and aftergreat exertion got back into harbour, thankful to heaven for ourprovidential preservation from a fate to which so many of our fellow-menhad been doomed."
Of his Majesty's ships alone, a great number were lost or dismasted.The Thunderer, 74, Captain Walshingham, which had just arrived at thestation with a convoy from England, was lost with all hands. TheScarborough, of 20 guns, was also lost with all hands. The StirlingCastle, 64 guns, was lost, only the captain, Carteret, and fifty peopleescaping. The Phoenix, 44--Deal Castle, 24--Endeavour brig, 14, werelost, part only of the crews escaping. The Berwick, 74--Hector, 74--Grafton, 74, Captain Collingwood--Trident, 64--Ruby, 64--Bristol, 50--Ulysses, 44, and Pomona, lost all their masts, while the two first hadalso to throw all their guns overboard. They formed the squadron whichhad sailed from Port Royal with the trade for Europe, under Rear-AdmiralRowley. He, with five only of his ships in a most shattered condition,returned to Jamaica, while the Berwick separated from him, and, almost awreck, arrived under jury-masts in England, no one expecting that shewould keep afloat till they got there.
Again I must sing, as I often have to do--
"Ye gentlemen of England, who live at home at ease, Ah! little do you think upon the dangers of the seas."
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Note 1. Afterwards Sir William Symonds, Surveyor of the Navy. Anotherson was the late Admiral Thomas Symonds, several of whose sons are orwere in the Navy. Captain Thomas Symonds here spoken of was also theson, I believe, of a naval officer. His brother was Dr Symonds,Professor of Modern History in the University of Cambridge.
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