Every Man Will Do His Duty

by Dean King

  We made a signal to the Naiad, one of our frigates, to proceed with all haste to our Channel fleet and inform Lord Gambier of the French fleet being here; but before she got hull down she made the signal that another squadron of the enemy was in sight, and coming toward us, which made some on board think we were now caught at last. However, although we had the Brest fleet, the Rochefort squadron, and the others moving down on us, thus being nearly surrounded by them, yet we kept up our spirits, being determined to fight to the last rather than be taken.

  As our admiral knew we could not cope with the Brest fleet, we altered our course to meet those that were coming, and as we drew near found them to be three large French frigates followed by the Amelia English frigate and Dotterel brig. We got so near that I thought it impossible for them to escape our clutches, and they, seeing their danger, ran in under the batteries of Sables d’Olonne, and there let go their anchors and prepared for battle.

  As the wind was now blowing towards the land rear-admiral Stopford thought it very improper to come to anchor on a lee shore to fight, but made the signal to prepare to do it with springs on the cables; but the Defiance, mistaking the signal, ran in and came to anchor. As she swung round the frigates and batteries cut her severely, so that she was soon obliged to cut her cable and come out again.

  Her fore-topsail yard was shot away, her sails and rigging much cut up, and two men killed and twenty-five wounded; however, all the time she was in she behaved gallantly. Hundreds of French people were seen standing on the quays looking at us as we went in, but as soon as we opened our fire they dispersed in an instant. We and the Donegal kept under way and as close in shore as the water would admit, and in passing on each tack fired at the frigates, and soon sent them to the bottom; we had not a man hurt, thank God, but were hit by shot from them several times; one went into the bowsprit and another through the jibboom. The Donegal had one killed and six wounded.

  At four in the afternoon we left and went after the Brest ships, who had been in sight all this time from our mast-heads, and followed them until they came to anchor in Basque Roads; but we kept our squadron under way near the entrance, as we saw some large ships in the offing, and coming toward us. Our noble admiral is as cool and steady as if no enemy was near, and well might a good Christian know no fear.

  One of our frigates—I don’t know which it was, as they were changed so frequently—was stationed between us and the enemy to look out; and the latter had one of theirs for the same purpose, so they had frequently to pass each other on different tacks. British courage was severely tried, and the captain of our frigate asked permission by signal for liberty to engage the enemy; but our admiral for wise reasons would not grant it.

  Next day, the ships we had seen in the offing joined us, and proved to be the squadron under the command of Commodore Beresford, consisting of the Theseus (Sir J. Beresford), 74 guns; Valiant (Capt. John Bligh), 74; Triumph, 74; Revenge (Capt. Car, or Ker), 74. They were a welcome addition to our little squadron, making us now seven sail of the line, and Sir John informed us that when the Brest fleet drove them away from blockading L’Orient, they ran close in and furled their sails, but when it came dark they set sail again, having never let go their anchors. This was a scheme to make Sir John believe they were going to remain there all night, in order to get a night’s start of him, and catch us in Basque Roads before he could come to our assistance. They succeeded so far as getting the night run and no farther, and when Sir John missed them in the morning he came immediately to our assistance.

  Although the enemy have now, in conjunction with the Rochefort squadron, eleven sail of the line and a 50, yet they do not think themselves safe. So they got under way to get under shelter of the batteries on the Ile d’Aix; but one of them carrying a broad pennant and named the Jean Bart (of 74 guns) got aground on the Palais shoal; soon after she heeled over, then filled, and became a wreck. During this time we had sent the Indefatigable frigate to see into the state of the three frigates we had sunk at Sables d’Olonne, and she brought us information that they were wrecks and the French were getting all the stores out of them they could get at. Their names were the Italien, Calypso, and Sybille, each of 40 guns.

  Rear-admiral Stopford’s letter to the Admiralty was as follows:

  HM.S. “Caesar.”

  February 27, 1809

  AT ANCHOR BALEINE LIGHTHOUSE N.E. TO N. 4

  MILES AND CHASSERON S.S.E. 10 MILES.

  Sir,

  You WILL BE PLEASED to acquaint my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that on the 23rd instant, being at anchor NW of Chasseron Lighthouse, with the Caesar, Donegal, and Defiance, Naiad and Emerald frigates, the Amazon looking out to the NW, wind easterly, about 10 p.m. I observed several rockets in the NW quarter, which induced me to get under way and stand towards them; at 11 observed sails to the eastward and to which I gave chase with our squadron until daylight next morning, at which time the strange ships were standing into the Portuis Antioc (the passage to Rochefort) consisting of eight sail of the line, one of them a three-decker, and two frigates; they hoisted French colours, and conceiving them to be the squadron from Brest, I immediately dispatched the Naiad by signal to acquaint Lord Gambier.

  The Naiad, having stood a few miles to the NW, made signal for three sail appearing suspicious. I immediately chased them with the squadron under my command, leaving the Emerald and Amethyst to watch the enemy. I soon discovered them to be three French frigates standing in for the Sables d’Olonne. I was at the same time joined by the Amelia and Dotterel.

  The French frigates having anchored in a situation I thought attackable, I stood in with the Caesar, Donegal, Defiance, and Amelia, and opened our fire in passing as near as the depth of water would permit the Caesar and Donegal to go into. The Defiance, being of much less draught of water, anchored within half a mile of them, and in which situation, so judiciously chosen by Captain Hotham, the fire of the Defiance and other ships obliged two of the frigates to cut their cables and run on shore.

  The ebb tide making and the water falling fast, obliged the Defiance to get under sail and all the ships to stand out, leaving all the frigates on shore. Two of them heeling much, they have been noticed closely by Captain Rodd, and by whose report of yesterday afternoon, they appeared with all their topmasts down, sails unbent and main-yards rigged for getting their guns out, and several boats clearing them. I fancy they will endeavour to get over the bar into a small pier, but I am informed by the pilots that it is scarcely practicable.

  The batteries protecting these frigates are strong and numerous; the Caesar has her bowsprit cut and rigging; the Defiance all her masts badly wounded, two men killed and twenty-five wounded; the Donegal one killed and six wounded. These French frigates had been out from L’Orient but two days, and by Captain Irby’s report appear to be the Italien, Furieuse, and Calypso.3

  I am very confident they will never go to sea again. My chief object in attacking them so near a superior force of the enemy was to endeavour to draw them out and give our squadrons more time to assemble, but in this I was disappointed. I returned to Chasseron at sunset, and observed the enemy anchored in Basque Roads, and on the 25th I was joined by Captain Beresford in the Theseus, with the Triumph, Valiant, and Revenge and Indefatigable frigate. I therefore resumed the blockade of the enemy’s ships in Basque Roads and shall continue it until further orders. The enemy’s forces consist of eleven sail of the line and Calcutta, 50, and four frigates; the force under my command are eleven sail of the line and five frigates.

  I have the honour to be, etc.,

  ROBERT STOPFORD.

  Here was a noble turn off for Captain Hotham’s mistake in anchoring by saying his ship drew less water than the others; so did the Amelia but did not anchor. But what seemed strange was that he did not mention any assistance from Captain Richardson, captain of the Caesar; the reason was, in my opinion, that he did not like him.

  26TH.—Sent the Dotterel in chase, which took a French sloop lade
n with wine and brandy; the Frenchman was much surprised in finding us here, as he had been told their fleet had cleared the coast of the English. In the night a French boat came secretly alongside from the shore, with a French general and his wife in her; he told us he had fled in consequence of a duel with a French officer, whom he shot; we sent them to England in the Dotterel.

  28TH.—Sent in the Donegal and Emerald to reconnoitre the enemy’s ships more closely, and they on their return reported that the Jean Bart’s masts were all gone and the ship full of water, with a lighter alongside to get out what they could save. Report says that Bonaparte has had the captain, whose name is Lebozec, tried and shot. Here the King George cutter arrived from England, to inform us that the Brest fleet had got out, and they were very much surprised to find that we were blockading them here. We got our squadron under way, went into Basque Roads, and anchored nearer the enemy.

  MARCH 2.—Examined several galliards laden with brandy under licence to carry to our good citizens of London; they informed us that Austria had again declared war against France.

  7TH.—Arrived and took command in chief, Admiral Lord Gambier in the Caledonia, with the Tonnant, Bellona, Illustrious, and several other smaller vessels, all from England; and next day arrived the Mediator, with a number of victuallers, and sent the Defiance to England to refit.

  17TH.—This day we all shifted our anchorage and moored the ships in the form of an obtuse angle, reaching from one side the channel to the other, to stop the enemy’s ships from getting in or out in the night-time. The Caledonia lay in the centre, the Caesar at one end and Tonnant at the other; the frigates and brigs lay in front, between us and the enemy, and the victuallers outside of all; two boats from each ship, manned and armed, rowed guard at night. We soon captured several chasse-marées, but gave the prisoners their liberty, and for which they were very thankful.

  19TH.—Performed divine service, and when done a letter containing the thanks of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to Rear-Admiral Stopford, the captains, officers and ships’ companies of the squadron under his command was read, for their judicious and gallant conduct in destroying three of the enemy’s frigates and afterwards blockading their fleet with an inferior force.

  APRIL 1ST.—Observed the enemy very busy at low water on a rocky shoal named the Boyard, a long mile distant and abreast of the Ile d’Aix; and, supposing they intended to erect a battery there, the Amelia frigate and Conflict brig were sent in to annoy them; when they got as near as their depth of water would allow, they opened their fire and soon drove the enemy away in their boats; they then out boats, landed on the shoal, and upset the triangles the enemy had erected; the French fleet fired many shot at them during this gallant operation without hurting any one. Our boats (in number four) on their return saw five boats of the enemy coming after them and tossed up their oars to let them come near, but Monsieur soon altered his mind, and returned to his ships again without firing a shot.

  3RD.—Arrived from England, in the Imperieuse, Lord Cochrane to command the fire-ships which the Lords of the Admiralty have proposed to be sent in among the enemy’s ships; and a letter to that purport was posted up on board each line-of-battle ship for volunteers to man them. Numbers offered themselves on board the Caesar, but Mr. Jones, our flag-lieutenant, Mr. Winthorpe, acting lieutenant, and eight seamen were selected; no one was compelled to go, as the enemy by the laws of war can put any one to death who is taken belonging to a fire-ship.

  5TH.—In consequence of some reproachful words uttered by Rear-Admiral Harvey against Lord Gambier, because his lordship could not grant him the command of leading in the fire-ships (as Lord Cochrane was sent here expressly by the Admiralty for that purpose), Rear Admiral Harvey was ordered to England, and there he was tried by a court-martial which dismissed him the service. He was, however, after some time reinstated.

  Having got the victuallers cleared of the provisions and water, twelve of them were selected for fire-ships, and the Mediator, 36-gun frigate, was to be fitted for another, in order to go in ahead of the others and clear away all obstacles; eight others were expected from England, making in all twenty-one, and besides we fitted up three explosion vessels, to lead in the fire-ships and blow up first, to throw the enemy in consternation: all these (’twas thought) were sufficient to destroy the enemy’s fleet. We got alongside one of the victuallers, a brig of 350 tons named the Thomas, and belonging to a Mr. Cowey of North Shields, and immediately began to fit her up for a fire-ship; we made narrow troughs and laid them fore and aft on the ’tween-decks and then others to cross them, and on these were laid trains of quickmatch; in the square openings of these troughs we put barrels full of combustible matter, tarred canvas hung over them fastened to the beams, and tarred shavings made out of brooms, and we cut four portholes on each side for fire to blaze out and a rope of twisted oakum well tarred led up from each of these ports to the standing rigging and up to the mastheads; nothing could be more complete for the purpose.

  We had captured lately several chasse-marées laden with resin and turpentine, which answered our purpose well, and which probably had been intended by the enemy for the same purpose against us. We placed Congreve’s rockets at the yard-arms, but this was an unwise proceeding, as they were as likely to fly into our boats when escaping, after being set on fire, as into the enemy’s. Having got all ready, she was hauled off and anchored near us.

  My next job was to fit up a chasse-marée (lately taken) for an explosion vessel; but she rolled so much alongside as to endanger her masts being carried away against our rigging, so she was dropped astern, and hung on by a rope, and then continued to roll as much as ever; so that I had to change first one and then another of the carpenter’s crew who were on board cutting the fuses, they being seasick. We stowed thirty-six barrels of gunpowder (90 lb. each) in her hold upright and heads out, on each was placed a 10 inch bomb-shell, with a short fuse in order to burst quickly.

  A canvas hose well filled with prime powder was laid for a train from the barrels to a small hole cut in her quarter for the purpose, and the train was led through it to her outside, which was well fastened—a port fire which would burn twelve or fifteen minutes so as to give the people alongside in the boat who set it on fire sufficient time to escape before she exploded.

  She, with two others fitted up by some of our other ships, was to go in a little before the fire-ships, run under the batteries, and then blow up, in order to put the enemy into such confusion that they might not attempt to board any of the fire-ships as they were running in. When this vessel was ready, I returned on board, it then being four in the afternoon, not having broke my fast the whole day—I had been so busily employed, and the business being so urgent, as she was expected to go in this night.

  Lieutenant Davies took charge of her with the jolly-boat and crew; he and Mr. Jones, who went in with the fire-vessel, got made commanders for this business, and well they deserved it; but I, who had the sole charge of fitting them up, the most trouble, and my clothes spoiled by the stuff, did not so much as get a higher rate, which I applied for, and which from my services I thought myself entitled to: such is the encouragement that warrant officers meet with in the Navy! If an action is fought, though they have the principal duty to do in it, they are seldom mentioned in the captain’s letter; whilst the purser, doctor, and boys of midshipmen are greatly applauded, though some of them were no more use in the ship at the time than old women!

  The following orders were issued:

  All launches and other boats of the fleet to assemble alongside of the Caesar and act under the orders of Rear-Admiral Stopford; ships and other vessels to be stationed as follows:

  The Pallas, Aigle and Unicorn to lie near the Boyard shoal and receive the boats as they return from the fire-ships.

  The Whiting schooner, King George and Nimrod cutters, at the Boyard to throw Congreve’s rockets; the Indefatigable and Foxhound to lie near Aix to protect the Etna while she threw her shells into that plac
e; the Emerald, Dotterel Beagle, Insolent, Conflict and Growler to make a diversion on the east side of Aix; the Lyra to lie with lights near the Boyard side, and the Redpole with lights on the Aix side, a mile and a quarter from the enemy, as a direction for the explosion and fire-ships to pass between.

  Lord Cochrane in the Imperieuse was to act as circumstances would permit, he having superintendence of the explosion and fire vessels.

  The French ships of the line lay in two tiers across the passage, rather outside of Aix, as they had not room enough to lie in our [one] line; the frigates lay to the eastward and a great number of gunboats to the westward across the passage, and without (where the line-of-battle ships lay), they had moored a large boom, well secured with chains and anchors, to stop any vessel from entering in. Admiral Willaumez, who commanded the squadron, that we chased in the West Indies in 1806 (which was separated from us in the hurricane), and who commanded the Brest fleet that we had followed in here, has been superseded by a mighty man, if many names can make him so: he is called “Lacharie Jacques Theodore Allemand.” This would have disgusted old Mr. Clark, master of the Tromp when I was in her: when mustering any of the people who came to join the ship, if they had two Christian names he would say, “Au, mon, I suppose you have come from some ‘great family,’” then turning aside and giving a grin, would say again, “I dinna ken how these people come by twa names—it was as much as my poor father and mother could do to get me christened David.”

  On April 11, at half-past eight in the evening, it being very dark, and a strong tide setting with blowing weather right towards the enemy’s ships, the explosion vessels set off, followed by the Mediator and other fire-ships. The former soon blew up with a dreadful explosion. The Mediator carried away the boom laid across by the enemy, and the other fire-ships followed her in, and the elements were soon in a blaze by their burning. Shells and rockets were flying about in all directions, which made a grand and most awful appearance. All hands were up that were able on board all our fleet, to behold this spectacle, and the blazing light all around gave us a good view of the enemy, and we really thought we saw some of their ships on fire. But it seems they had been prepared for this business, for as the fire-ships closed on them, they slipped or cut their cables and ran their ships on shore; and the fire-ships, after being abandoned by our people, drove with the wind and tide up mid-channel, and passed them; but we were informed by some of the prisoners taken that the Ocean lost near two hundred men in extricating a fire-vessel from her, and that she cut and anchored three different times.