Cochrane the Dauntless

by David Cordingly

  14. NAS, Edinburgh: GD233/83/95. Many accounts of this incident suggest that the Spanish frigate was the Gamo. Guthrie’s letter contradicts this, and Cochrane, recalling the incident years later, wrote, ‘It has been stated by some naval writers that this frigate was the Gamo, which we subsequently captured. To the best of my knowledge this is an error’. Autobiography, p. 48.

  15. Ibid.

  16. Ibid.

  17. In his official despatch to Captain Manley Dixon, written on 6 May, the day of the action, Cochrane described the Gamo as ‘a Spanish xebec frigate, of 32 guns, twenty-two long twelve-pounders, eight nines, and two heavy carronades, named the Gamo, commanded by Don Francisco de Torris, manned by 319 naval officers, seamen, supernumeraries, and marines’. There has been some discussion among naval historians about the appearance and rig of the Gamo and whether she was a xebec frigate, a polacre frigate or just a Mediterranean xebec. See Robert Gardiner, ‘Cochrane and the Speedy’ in Nelson against Napoleon (London, 1997), pp. 94–5; Michael Bouquet, ‘The Speedy and the Gamo’ in Mariners Mirror, vol. LV (1969), p. 210; James Henderson, Sloops and Brigs (London, 1972), pp. 59–61; Richard Woodman, The Sea Warriors (London, 2001, cited paperback edition, 2002), pp. 154–6.

  18. Cochrane to Dixon, 6 May 1801, PRO: ADM.1/404, f. 147.

  19. There was a brief mention of the action between the Speedy and El Gamo in The Times, 5 August 1801, following an account of the battle off Gibraltar between the squadron commanded by Saumarez and the French squadron under Linois.

  20. Pocock had sailed to Leghorn via Minorca in 1770 as captain of the merchant ship Betsey so he had some knowledge of Mediterranean sailing craft. Since he always went to considerable lengths to ensure the accuracy of his pictures of sea battles, we may assume that his picture of the Speedy and El Gamo is a realistic portrayal of the ships and the action.

  21. Pulling to Keith, 10 June 1801, PRO: ADM.1/404, f. 188.

  22. Ibid.

  23. Keith to Nepean, 10 July 1801, PRO: ADM.1/404, f. 188.

  24. When captured by the Desaix, Cochrane was told by Captain Christy-Pallière that the French squadron had special instructions to look out for the Speedy. Autobiography, p. 67. According to Michael Bouquet the Gamo was especially fitted out by the merchants of Barcelona in order to capture the Speedy. See M. Bouquet, ‘The Speedy and the Gamo’ in Mariners Mirror, vol. LV (1969), p. 210.

  25. Named Saint Pierre by the French the former Speedy was renamed San Pietro on receipt by the Pope. M. Bouquet, Mariners Mirror, vol. LV, p. 210.

  Chapter 4

  1. Court martial of Lord Cochrane and his officers for the loss of the Speedy, 18 July 1801, PRO: ADM.1/5357.

  2. Ibid.

  3. Lord Cochrane’s name appears in the muster book of the Spider as a supernumerary, PRO: ADM.36/14267. The relevant logbook of the Spider is ADM.51/4503.

  4. In a letter to St Vincent of 23 September 1801 Lord Dundonald writes, ‘in behalf of my son, Lord Cochrane, who is now in Scotland…’. Autobiography, p. 77.

  5. The Times, 1 August and 3 August 1801.

  6. For a detailed account of the attacks on Boulogne see Knight, The Pursuit of Victory, pp. 405–13. See also Nelson against Napoleon, ed. Robert Gardiner (London, 1997), pp. 138–9.

  7. C. S. Forester, Lieutenant Hornblower (first published 1952).

  8. Earl of Dundonald to St Vincent, 23 September 1801. Autobiography, pp. 77–8.

  9. St Vincent to Earl of Dundonald, 24 September 1801, Letters of Admiral of the Fleet the Earl of St Vincent, 1801–1804, ed. David Bonner Smith (Navy Records Society, 1921), vol. 1, p. 353.

  10. For a shrewd assessment of St Vincent’s character and his disastrous spell as First Lord of the Admiralty see N.A.M. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean, pp. 464–5, 476–9.

  11. St Vincent to Lord Keith, 4 September 1801, Letters of Lord St Vincent, (Navy Records Society, 1921), vol. 1, p. 222.

  12. St Vincent to Markham, 14 April 1806, Letters of Admiral Markham, ed. Sir Clements Markham (Navy Records Society, 1904), vol. 28, pp. 47–48.

  13. The Times, Saturday 1 May 1802.

  14. The Letters of Charles and Mary Lamb, ed. Edwin Marrs (London, 1976), p. 54.

  15. Ibid., p. 60.

  16. Diary and Letters of Madame D’Arblay, ed. Charlotte Barrett (London, 1891), vol. IV, p. 168.

  17. Autobiography, p. 87.

  18. J. M. Thompson, Napoleon Bonaparte (Oxford 1988, edition cited 2002), p. 221.

  19. St Vincent to Douglas, 18 May 1803, Letters of Lord St Vincent (Navy Records Society, 1921), vol. 2, p. 337.

  20. St Vincent to Dundonald, 5 July 1803, Letters of Lord St Vincent (Navy Records Society, 1921), vol. 2, p. 344.

  21. Letters of Admiral Markham, (Navy Records Society, 1904), vol. 28, p. 366.

  22. Autobiography, p. 88.

  23. Muster book of Arab, PRO: ADM.36/16946.

  24. The details of the Arab’s cruises are taken from the captain’s log, PRO: ADM.51/1504.

  25. Cochrane to Marsden, 24 January 1804, PRO: ADM.1/1639, f. 420.

  26. Keith to Markham, 23 January 1804, PRO: Letters of Admiral Markham, (Navy Records Society, 1904), vol. 28, p. 141.

  27. Cochrane to Keith, 24 January 1804, PRO: ADM.1/1639.

  28. Cochrane to Marsden at Admiralty, 8 February 1804. PRO: ADM. 1/1639.

  29. Letters of Admiral Markham, (Navy Records Society, 1904), vol. 28, p. 153.

  30. Cochrane to Marsden at the Admiralty, 27 November 1804, PRO: ADM. 1/1639.

  31. Henry Dundas, first Viscount Melville, was distantly related to the Cochrane family. He had married the half-sister of the Earl of Hopetoun whose daughter had married Cochrane’s uncle Andrew Cochrane-Johnstone. Melville was also on friendly terms with Jane, the Countess Dowager of Dundonald. See Sugden, Lord Cochrane, p. 71.

  32. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean, p. 511.

  Chapter 5

  1. See Robert Gardiner, The First Frigates: Nine-pounder and Twelve-pounder Frigates 1748–1815 (London, 1992), pp. 55–7. For an illuminating description of St Vincent’s attempts to reform naval administration and root out corruption in the royal dockyards see Rodger, The Command of the Ocean, pp. 476–80.

  2. For detailed information on carronades see Brian Lavery, The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600–1815, pp. 104–9, 130–34.

  3. Quoted by Nicholas Blake and Richard Lawrence The Illustrated Companion to Nelson’s Navy (London 1999), p. 141.

  4. Cochrane to Melville, 30 November 1804, NA, Kew: ADM. 1/1639.

  5. One of the Spanish ships captured was the Medea, which was renamed the Imperieuse and became Cochrane’s next command. For a detailed description of the action off Cadiz see The Campaign of Trafalgar, ed. Robert Gardiner (London, 1997), pp. 110–11; and for the background to the incident see Rodger, The Command of the Ocean, pp. 531–2.

  6. Orders from Vice-Admiral Young to Lord Cochrane, issued at Plymouth 17 January 1805. The orders directed Cochrane to proceed to ‘the Western Islands’ which was the British navy’s term for the islands of the Azores, NAS, Edinburgh: GD233/65/7.

  7. The Admiralty solicitor was Charles Bicknell who was instructed to prosecute the Mayor of Plymouth. For further details of the ensuing case see Bicknell to Marsden, 16 January, 19 January, 16 March 1805, PRO: ADM. 1/3691, and Bicknell to Marsden 22 July 1806, PRO: ADM. 1/3692.

  8. The details of the cruises of the Pallas and her various actions are taken from: the log of the Pallas, PRO: ADM. 51/1554; the muster book of the Pallas, PRO: ADM. 36/16835; Cochrane’s correspondence with the Admiralty, PRO ADM. 1/1643, and ADM. 1/1645; The Royal Cornwall Gazette, Falmouth Packet and Plymouth Journal, Saturday 7 June 1806; Naval Chronicle, vol. XIII (1805), p. 329; vol. XV (1806), pp. 347–8; vol. XVI (1806), pp. 75–6; William James, Naval History, vol. IV, pp. 138–42; Autobiography; Richard Woodman, The Victory of Seapower: Winning the Napoleonic War 1806–1814 (London, 1998), pp. 34–5.

  9. Young to Cochrane, 17 January 1805, NAS,
Edinburgh: GD233/65/7.

  10. Autobiography, pp. 96–97.

  11. Reports in the Naval Chronicle, based on newspaper reports, give the figure of 432,000 dollars (£130,000) for the gold and silver on board La Fortuna. Cochrane confirms this in his Autobiography. There is no mention of the value in money terms of the rich cargoes on the other three Spanish ships captured. Assuming that the two ships with cargoes of treasure and dollars were worth a minimum of £15,000 each, the total value of the prizes must have been at least £160,000 (£4 million in today’s terms). Cochrane’s two-eights share would therefore have been in excess of £40,000 (£1 million today). Naval Chronicle, vol. XIII (1805), pp. 243, 328–9, 357–8; vol. XXII (1809), p. 9; Autobiography, pp. 94–5.

  12. Young to Cochrane, 17 January 1805, NAS, Edinburgh: GD233/65/7.

  13. Alexander Cochrane to Melville, 20 February 1805, NLS, Edinburgh: 3841, ff. 24–5.

  14. For a more detailed account of the prize money system see Brian Lavery, Nelson’s Navy, pp. 116, 131; Richard Hill, The Prizes of War: The Naval Prize System in the Napoleonic Wars 1793–1815 (Stroud, 1998).

  15. Rodger, The Wooden World, p. 257.

  16. Hill, The Prizes of War, pp. 14, 16; and Rodger, The Command of the Ocean, p. 523.

  17. For further details of the events preceding Nelson’s funeral and the funeral itself see Knight, The Pursuit of Victory, pp. 529–35; and Colin White, ‘Nelson’s Funeral’ in Robert Gardiner (ed.), The Campaign of Trafalgar, pp. 180–83.

  18. Autobiography, p. 103.

  19. See Robert Gardiner, Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars (London, 2000), p. 108, ‘Lord Cochrane had a galley designed for the quarter davits of the Imperieuse that so impressed the Admiralty that they ordered the lines taken off.’ See Cochrane’s reference to the galley in his Autobiography, p. 103. In PRO: ADM. 106/2093 (Abstract of Admiralty Orders 1 Jan. to 31 Dec. 1809) the entry for 30 June 1809 reads: ‘Quarter Galley belonging to Lord Cochrane/Lines to be taken off’.

  20. See Gardiner, Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars, pp. 107–9; and Brian Lavery, The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600–1815, pp. 207–37. Although there were formal boat establishments for ships of the line, frigates and smaller warships, individual captains were allowed some licence in the boats which they carried. Experience often led captains to request particular types of boat because they were faster, or lighter, or more seaworthy.

  21. The Macmillan Reeds Nautical Almanac (2001), p. 850.

  22. Autobiography, p. 105.

  23. Naval Chronicle, vol. XV (1806), pp. 347–8.

  24. Cochrane to Thornborough, 25 April 1806, NAS, Edinburgh, GD233/65/7.

  25. Naval Chronicle, vol. XVI (1806), p. 76.

  26. Raikes, Memoir of Vice Admiral Sir Jahleel Brenton, p. 339.

  27. Edward Brenton, The Naval History of Great Britain (London, 1837), vol. 2, p. 125.

  Chapter 6

  1. The Royal Cornwall Gazette, Falmouth Packet and Plymouth Journal, Saturday 7 June 1806.

  2. Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register, 28 June 1806.

  3. Ibid.

  4. Mitford, Recollections of a Literary Life, vol. 2, p. 25.

  5. Quoted by John Sugden in his article entitled ‘The Honiton Elections of 1806 and the Genesis of Parliamentary Reform’ in The Devon Historian, vol. 31, October 1985, p. 6.

  6. Western Flying Post, 23 June 1806.

  7. Cochrane gives 67 Harley Street as his London address in his letters to the Admiralty of 25 August 1806, 14 and 27 March 1807, 7 April 1807, PRO: ADM. 1/1648.

  8. Cochrane’s commission dated 23 August 1806 is included among his other appointments in the Minutes of Evidence, p. 14. BL: BS. 96/51.

  9. For details of the action see The Campaign of Trafalgar, ed. Robert Gardiner, pp. 110–11. For details of the Imperieuse see the plans in the NMM; and David Lyon, The Sailing Navy List, p. 271; and Robert Gardiner, Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars, p. 179.

  10. Cochrane to Marsden, 30 September 1806, PRO: ADM. 1/1645.

  11. See Trewman’s Exeter Flying Post, 23 October 1806, and Western Flying Post, 27 October 1806.

  12. Quoted by Sugden from a letter from A. Cochrane to Thomas John Cochrane, 17 November 1806, NLS, Edinburgh: MS. 2264:70.

  13. Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates, 29 January 1817, vol. XXXV, p. 92.

  14. The muster table for the period ending 31 December 1806, when the Imperieuse was at sea, shows her official complement as 284 but the actual number of men and boys borne and mustered was 268 (ship’s company 210; volunteers and boys 19; marines 39). PRO: ADM. 37/1457.

  15. There were three classes of boy on board naval ships of this period and the first class was reserved for young gentlemen intended to become officers. In 1794 the Admiralty had abolished the old rating of ‘captain’s servant’ and by an Order in Council had created three classes of ‘boy’. The second and third class were divided according to age and were intended to become topmen but, according to Rodger, ‘many of them were acting as domestics and were not encouraged or even allowed to go aloft’. See Rodger, The Command of the Ocean, p. 499; see also Lavery, Nelson’s Navy, p. 88.

  16. Tom Pocock, Captain Marryat, (London 2000) p. 165.

  17. Florence Marryat, The Life and Letters of Captain Marryat (London, 1872), vol. 1, p. 19.

  18. Captain Marryat, Frank Mildmay, p. 27.

  Chapter 7

  1. Cochrane to Marsden, 3 April 1807, PRO: ADM. 1/1648.

  2. Enclosure in letter from Cochrane to Marsden, 4 April 1807, PRO: ADM. 1/1648.

  3. Florence Marryat, Life and Letters, vol. 1, p. 23.

  4. For a more detailed account of the British constitution and election procedures at this period see: Asa Briggs, The Age of Improvement, 1783–1867 (London, 1959, revised edition 1963); J. Stephen Watson, The Reign of George III (Oxford, 1960, revised edition 1985), in the Oxford History of England series.

  5. For further details of the radical movement see: S. MacCoby, The English Radical Tradition, 1763–1914 (London, 1952), book 5 of the series The British Political Tradition, eds Alan Bullock and F.W. Deakin; and ‘The making of a political radical’, eds Noel Thompson and David Eastwood, vol. 4 of The Collected Social and Political Writings of William Cobbett (London, 1998).

  6. Admiral Lord Samuel Hood (1724–1816) is not to be confused with Sir Samuel Hood (1762–1814) who fought with Nelson at the Battle of the Nile.

  7. The Times, Monday 4 May 1807.

  8. Ibid., Saturday 2 May 2 1807.

  9. The details of Cochrane’s election campaign are taken from: Francis Place’s papers in the British Museum, Add.MS.27,838; The Times; Christopher Lloyd, Lord Cochrane:; Donald Thomas, Cochrane; Cochrane’s Autobiography.

  10. Quoted by Thomas, Cochrane, p. 111.

  11. The Times, Friday 8 May 1807.

  12. Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register, 30 May 1807.

  13. Autobiography, p. 126.

  14. The Autobiography of Samuel Bamford (London, 1841, edition cited 1967) ed. W. H. Chaloner, vol. 2, p. 27.

  15. Cochrane’s very long speech on naval abuses was recorded in Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates, vol. IX, and is also reproduced in Cochrane’s Observations of Naval Affairs (1847), pp. 99–105.

  16. The naval officers present were Rear-Admiral Eliab Harvey, Admiral Lord Samuel Hood and Rear-Admiral John Markham.

  Chapter 8

  1. Florence Marryat, The Life and Letters of Captain Marryat, vol. 1, p. 23.

  2. The Hon. William Napier (1786–1834) was the eldest son of Lord Napier of Merchistoun. He entered the navy in 1803 and joined the crew of the Imperieuse in November 1806. In 1816 he married Elizabeth, the only daughter of Andrew Cochrane-Johnstone. On the death of his father in 1823 he succeeded to the peerage. In 1833 he travelled to China to take up a post as chief superintendent of trade but his mission was unsuccessful. Within a year of his arrival he went down with fever and died and was buried in Macao.

  3. Florence Marryat, Life and Lette
rs, vol. 1, pp. 25–6.

  4. Cochrane to Collingwood, 14 November 1807. Reproduced in Cochrane’s Autobiography, p. 128.

  5. Florence Marryat, Life and Letters, vol. 1, pp. 27–8.

  6. Memorial of Lord Cochrane to the Right Honourable the Lords of the Admiralty, 28 April 1809. The Admiralty forwarded it to Sir William Scott, Judge of the Admiralty Court, PRO: ADM. 1/1652.

  7. Cuthbert Collingwood (1750–1810) had served in the West Indies as a lieutenant, and later played a distinguished role in the the battles of the Glorious First of June, Cape St Vincent, and Trafalgar. He was commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet from 1805 until his death at sea in 1810.

  8. Collingwood to Cochrane, 16 November 1807 and 19 November 1807. BL: Add.MSS.14276, f. 91, f. 93.

  9. Patrick Campbell (1773–1841) was an energetic and successful frigate captain but it was known that he made a habit of selling prizes locally instead of sending them to the Prize Court at Malta, as well as other dubious practices. However, he went on to become a vice-admiral and was made KCB in 1836. Cochrane’s allegations are discussed in Piers Mackesy, ‘Lord Cochrane on abuses in the Adriatic’, Mariners Mirror, vol. XL, no. 3 (August 1954), pp. 230–33; and in greater detail in John Sugden’s thesis, Lord Cochrane, pp. 97–8.

  10. The details of the attack at Almeria are taken from the Imperieuse log, PRO: ADM. 51/2462, part 3; Cochrane’s despatch to Collingwood, 23 February 1808, PRO: ADM. 1/414; Florence Marryat, Life and Letters; and Captain Marryat, Frank Mildmay.

  11. Florence Marryat, Life and Letters, vol. 1, p. 44.

  12. Captain Marryat, Frank Mildmay, p. 65.

  13. Florence Marryat, Life and Letters, vol. 1, p. 45.

  14. Cochrane’s despatch to Collingwood, PRO: ADM. 1/414.

  15. Collingwood to Cochrane, 26 April 1808. BL: Add.MSS.14278, f. 133.

  16. The details in this paragraph are taken from the Imperieuse log, PRO: ADM. 51/2462, and the relevant passage in Marryat’s Peter Simple (Macmillan edition, London, 1925), p. 120.