Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume II Part 36

s.h.i.+ps. Guns. Commanders.

Lizard[27] 28 Le Nymphe[27] 36 Capt. J. Ford.

Champion (repeat signals) 24 " A. Hood.

Alecto, fire-s.h.i.+p " W. Fisher.

_White Division._

Convert 32 Capt. H. Hervey.

Endymion 44 " E.T. Smith.

Alarm 32 " C. Cotton.

Andromache 32 " J.A. Byron.

Flora (to repeat signals) 36 " S. Marshall.

Alert, brig 14 Sibyl 28 " Rodney.

Pegasus[27] 28 " S. Stanhope.

Salamander, F.S.[27]

Fortune[27] 38 " H.C. Christian.

Zebra[27] 14 " J. Boucher.

_Blue Division._

Germain[27] 14 Blast, F.S.[27]

Eurydice (to repeat) 24 " G. Wilson.

Santa Maria[27] 32 " J. Linzee.

[27] Not with the fleet in the action.

List of officers killed and wounded on the 9th and 12th April 1782.

Royal Oak Mr. Gwatkin, 1st lieutenant, killed; Captain of the marines wounded.

Alfred Captain Bayne killed on the 9th.

Montague Mr. William Code, master, killed; Lieutenants Briedan and Buchan, R.M., wounded.

Valiant Mr. R. Wimbleton, 2nd lieutenant, killed; Mr.

W. Brown, 5th lieutenant, Mr. Backhouse, master, wounded.

Warrior Mr. Stone, master, wounded.

Magnificent Captain Bagg, of marines, wounded.

Ajax Mr. John Elliot, 1st lieutenant, and Mr. Thomas Rositer, pilot, wounded.

Repulse Captain of marines and master wounded.

Formidable Lieutenant Hall killed; Captain Bell and Lieutenant Harris of marines wounded.

Duke Lieutenant Cornish, Mr. Cooper, master, Mr.

Scott, boatswain, wounded.

Agamemnon Lieutenants Incledon and Brice wounded, the latter since dead.

Prothee Thomas Love, master, wounded.

Hercules Lieutenant Hobart killed; Captain Savage wounded.

America Lieutenant Colbonhill killed; Lieutenant Trelawney wounded.

Anson Captain Blair killed.

Torbay Lieutenant Monier, of marines, killed.

Princessa Lieutenants Dundas, McDonald, and Laban, of marines, wounded.

Centaur No return.

Alcide No return.

EXTRACT FROM THE LOG OF THE RUSSELL.

Wind, East by North.

Russell, 12th April 1782, off Dominica, E.S.E. 4 or 5 leagues.

Friday 12th, fresh breezes and fine weather. At five P.M. the Admiral made the signal to close in the order of sailing. At six, the America's signal to go ahead and carry a light during the night. At half-past seven saw the flashes and heard the report of several guns to windward, supposed to be from the French fleet. At half-past one A.M. the Admiral made the signal to tack. At sunrise saw the French fleet to the northward about three leagues. At half-past five the Admiral made the signal to form a line ahead, and for the blue division to lead. At six, the Conqueror's signal was made to chase to the N.W. At half-past six the Admiral made the signal for the line to form N.N.E. and S.S.W, two cables' length asunder, and for the third in command to lead; the French fleet to windward forming the line ahead, standing to the southward. At seven the Admiral made the signal for all cruisers to come in and to close the line one cable's length asunder. At thirty-eight minutes past seven the Admiral made our signal for being out of our station; forty minutes past, the signal for the fleet to close in a line of battle; forty-three minutes past, repeated it; our fleet in a line ahead standing to the southward. At three quarters past seven the enemy began firing on our van. The Admiral made the signal for action--our van began to engage the enemy's van. Fifty minutes past seven we backed the main topsail, and began to engage. Fifty minutes past eight, engaging the enemy very close, backed and filled occasionally; at nine luffed up and backed the main topsail, and raked the enemy's sternmost s.h.i.+ps. Having pa.s.sed all their line, ceased firing, the centre and rear still engaging as they pa.s.sed the enemy. Our masts, yards, sails, and rigging, very much damaged; the mizen-mast, dangerously wounded, struck the mizen yard, and sent topgallant-masts and yards down upon deck, unbent the mizen topsail, a spritsail, topsail, and a jib for a mizen. At twenty-five minutes past nine saw the Prince George to leeward without a fore-mast. Employed fis.h.i.+ng the fore and mizen topsail yards, and fitting the rigging, and s.h.i.+fting powder from forward to aft, and cleared the decks up ready for action. At half-past nine wore to stand for the enemy. At ten the Admiral made the signal for the commander of the third post to tack and gain the wind of the enemy; the signal for engaging flying, and the signal for the line, hauled down. At three minutes past eleven the Admiral made the signal for the van to tack: saw one of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps with all her masts and bowsprit shot away; Sir Samuel Hood's division and part of the centre still engaging the enemy's fleet: the rear, having been broke through, bore away.

13th P.M. Body of Dominica E.S.E. 9 or 10 leagues, Wind, Noon, E.S.E.

The van and centre, engaging at forty minutes past seven, wore to the southward. The topsail-yard being fished, set the fore topsail standing for the enemy's fleet; people employed repairing the rigging.

At half-past one the Admiral made the Alert's signal to come within hail. At twenty minutes past two he made the Royal Oak's signal to take the French s.h.i.+p in tow that was dismasted, part of the fleet still engaging. The Admiral made the Bedford's signal to get into her station. One of the French s.h.i.+ps struck to the van. Coming up with the enemy's fleet, beat to quarters. Forty minutes past three we began to engage some of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps to leeward on contrary tacks. At ten minutes past four, having pa.s.sed them, ceased firing and hauled up the courses; wore s.h.i.+p ahead of the Formidable two of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps struck their colours. At half-past four the Admiral made the Conqueror's signal to make more sail. At a quarter past five he made the signal to close in line of battle; set the foresail. At six bore down, and ran under the Ville de Paris' stern, raked her, then hauled up after her; at twenty minutes past six saw her strike her colours.

At seven P.M. the Admiral made the night-signal for the fleet to bring-to on the starboard tack; shortened sail, hauled our wind, and backed the main topsail, some of the fleet engaging to leeward.

During the action we had ten men killed and twenty-nine wounded; the French fleet going away with all sail set to the N.W. At half-past eleven, saw a s.h.i.+p on fire blow up.

On the 4th of March, at half-past three, the Russell struck on a rock and damaged her rudder and stern frame; at eight weighed and run further out. On the 5th, at four, made the signal for a.s.sistance, and went to the Carenage. On the 6th, warped in and unhung her rudder, sent it on sh.o.r.e, and found that all the lower pentles were broken off. 11th, came out of the Carenage; fifteen men deserted; in coming out, she again struck on a rock. Before the action, she received twenty-three men from the Shrewsbury.

Signed on the 23rd September 1782, by JAMES SAUMAREZ.

_Lord Rodney's Victory.--Canada's Log, 12th April 1782._

April 12th, at daylight, six, moderate and cloudy. Quarter past seven the Admiral made the signal to call in all cruisers. At twenty-five past seven he made the signal for the line of battle ahead a cable's length asunder. The enemy formed a line of battle ahead on the larboard tack, standing to the south, and we formed the line of battle ahead on the starboard tack, and stood to the northward. At eight the Admiral made the Russell's signal to get into her station; at five past eight, he made the signal to close. At fifty past seven, the van of our fleet began to engage, as did all the other s.h.i.+ps as they came abreast of enemy. There was a great interval in the enemy's line; our fleet cut through to windward about twelve s.h.i.+ps of them. At twenty past eight the enemy's s.h.i.+ps, as they pa.s.sed, began firing at us; at twenty-five past eight we began to engage. At twenty past nine one of the enemy's s.h.i.+p's main and mizen-masts went over the stern just as she got abreast of our quarter, and soon after our fore-mast and bowsprit went also. At twenty-five past nine, having pa.s.sed the enemy's fleet, some of whom went to leeward of us, the Admiral made the signal to tack. At thirty-eight past ten he hoisted signal for the commander of the third post to make more sail; observed the Duke's main topmast go over the side. At fifty past ten, observed the Prince George with her fore topmast gone. We ceased firing, as did most of the s.h.i.+ps on both sides, except Sir S. Hood and some of the squadron who were to windward, who exchanged a good many shots with the enemy, as he bore down. At eleven, observed that the Admiral had hauled down the signal for the line; at five past eleven the Admiral made the signal to tack; wore at three quarters past eleven. We fired several shots at the enemy, to try the distance, but finding they did not reach, ceased firing. At fifty past eleven the Admiral made the Conqueror's signal to tack, and made and shortened sail occasionally.

Wind, E. P.M. E.S.E. 13th (at noon) P.M., moderate and clear, inclinable to calm. At five P.M. the Admiral made the Endymion's signal to stay by a disabled s.h.i.+p in the N.W. At ten P.M. one of our s.h.i.+ps ahead fired a good many shots at a frigate, which had a disabled s.h.i.+p of the enemy in tow; and soon after the frigate cast her off. We fired several shots, at times, to try the distance. At twenty-three, P.M. the Admiral made the signal that the van were at too great a distance from the centre; the s.h.i.+ps astern exchanged a good many shots with the enemy as they came up with them. At fifty P.M. the Admiral made the Alcides and Marlborough signal to make more sail; at fifty-three, P.M. to engage close; fired several shots, at times, to try the distance. At a quarter past one, two of our s.h.i.+ps to windward exchanged a good many shots with the enemy. At half-past one the Admiral made our signal to close; twenty-five past one, we began to engage; at fifty past one the Admiral made the signal to the Monarch to get into her station. At twelve past two he made the Alert signal to come within hail; half-past two he made the Royal Oak's signal to take the s.h.i.+p in tow that had struck her colours. At twenty-two past two the Admiral made the Resolution signal to tack, and we discontinued engaging. At twenty-three past two some of our s.h.i.+ps upon our larboard beam began firing, as did the rest of the s.h.i.+ps as they came up with the enemy. At three quarters past three the Admiral made the Repulse and Alcides signal to bear down. At four the Admiral made the signal to veer; at seven past four the Admiral made the Torbay signal to veer; at twenty past four a French line-of-battle s.h.i.+p struck to us after engaging her eighteen minutes. At a quarter past four the Admiral made the Repulse and Resolution signals to make more sail; at three quarters past, Sir S. Hood steering after some enemy's s.h.i.+ps to the N.W. About this time the firing ceased on both sides. At fifty past four the Admiral made the signal for the first s.h.i.+ps to bear down. At five we began to engage; at a quarter past five our s.h.i.+ps engaging as they came up; at fifty-five past five observed another French line-of-battle s.h.i.+p had struck her colours. At five past six the Admiral made the signal to the Princess and Bedford to get into their stations. At thirty-five past six observed that the Ville de Paris had struck her colours. At forty past six discontinued the engagement. At seven beat the retreat. At nine, saw a s.h.i.+p on fire, and another soon after blow up, all without the main topsail.

Wind, E.S.E.

(A true copy.) J. Ross.