La Normandie, prison-ship,
Brest-Water, 5th Feb. 1795.
Could what I write reach you in due course, my present place of date
might surprize you, after the assurances which my last held out of going
forthwith to Quimper. Admiral Bligh has been meanly and cruelly treated:
their violated promises to me are of less consequence.
On the day after I last wrote to you, matters respecting our departure
seemed to be drawing to a favourable conclusion. An officer from Admiral
Villaret waited on Admiral Bligh, to beg his acceptance of a loan of one
thousand livres in paper (offering at the same time as many more as
might be wished) and to assure him, that we were to be landed on the
following day. The livres were accepted; and, as we now deemed our
departure certain, we put ourselves, at day-light next morning, in a
state of preparation for our removal. Removed, indeed, we were, not to
Quimper, but to this horrid receptacle, where we have been closely
immured ever since, suffering every mental punishment which low-minded
rancour and brutal ignorance could inflict; and every physical hardship
which this rigorous winter, and occasional deficiencies of food, could
produce. I have not seen a fire during the whole month of January; and
on Christmas-day I was one of _fifteen_ English officers, with the
Admiral at our head, whose dinner consisted of _eight_ very small
muttonchops, and a plate of potatoes. This last circumstance, exciting
both hunger and indignation (as we knew that a _traitement_ was paid for
us by the government, and as we had lately from our encreased number
lived by ourselves) we determined not to bear it without remonstrance,
especially as for several succeeding days our treatment had been little
better; and I was delegated to inform the officers of the ship, that if
they should not use us hereafter more liberally, we would write a
complaint against them to Admiral Villaret. This produced a good effect;
and henceforth we were more amply supplied. In justice to Monsieur
Villaret, I must observe to you, that his character is eminent for
honour and justice; and in spite of appearances against him at first, on
our not being sent to Quimper, we now know, that had his ability been
equal to his disposition, Admiral Bligh would not be here. Of Le Franq I
cannot speak in similar terms. He exhibited a mean exultation at our
disappointment, not altogether unaccompanied with insult; and his whole
behaviour, for some time before we left him, had entirely altered our
first impression of him.
Our detention has, however, been productive of a very desirable event to
the Admiral. In consequence of a late decree of the convention,
directing that all women and children who had been captured shall be
liberated, and permitted to return home, he was enabled to send away his
son, under the auspices of Lady Anne Fitzroy, who had been a prisoner
for many months at Quimper.
The fleet sailed from the outer road on the 30th of December, consisting
of the following ships, under the command of Vice-Admiral Villaret, who
was assisted by the Admirals Bouvet, Vanstable, Nieully, and Renaudin,
and controlled by several representatives.
Guns.
La Montagne, 120
Le Majestueux 110
Le Terrible, 110
Le Revolutionnaire, 110
Le Neuf Thermidor[E], 84
L’Indomptable, 84
Le Tigre, 74
Le Montagnard, 74
Le Tourville, 74
Le Pelletier, 74
L’Acquilon, 74
Le Temeraire, 74
Le Zelè, 74
L’Audacieux, 74
Le Marat, 74
Le Tirannicide, 74
Le Jemappe, 74
Le Jean Bart, 74
La Convention, 74
La Revolution, 74
Le Scipion, 74
Le Nestor, 74
Le Mutius Scævola, 74
Les Droits de l’Homme, 74
Le 31 de Mai, 74
Le Neptune, 74
L’Eole, 74
L’Entreprenant, 74
Le Trajan, 74
Le Patriote, 74
Le Gasparin, 74
Le Superbe, 74
Le Redoutable, 74
Le Fougueux, 74
And the Alexander, of 74 guns, with at least a dozen
frigates, and several corvettes.
Le Republicain, of 110 guns, was intended to constitute a part of the
fleet; but on the night of the 24th of December she broke from her
anchors, was driven on a rock, and bulged, in a manner which does very
little credit to French seamanship. Here she lay until the 9th of
January, when her remains were burned, her main-mast and mizen-mast
being then standing, and her main-top-sail yard across.
When the fleet sailed, the wind was nearly at E. and it continued to
blow here between the points of N. E. and E. S. E. until the evening of
Sunday the 25th of January, when it shifted to South, and next day blew
fresh at S. W. On Thursday the 29th of January it returned to S. E. and
continued in the Eastern quarter until the evening of the 31st, when it
backed to S. W.
On the 12th of January Le Redoutable singly came back into port; on the
28th seven sail more of two-deckers returned, having parted three days
before in a fog from the body of the fleet, which, to the number of
twenty sail, arrived on the second and third of this month, and two
others have got into l’Orient: _no less than the following five having
either foundered, or been purposely run on shore, to prevent their
sinking_.
Guns.
Le Scipion, 74
Le Superbe, 74
Le Neuf Thermidor, 84
Le Temeraire, 74
Le Neptune, 74
The condition even of those which have escaped, is deplorable: among
others Le Majestueux had four pumps going when she entered the port. Two
days ago I held a long conversation with the Captain of Le Jean Bart,
who execrated the planners of this destructive expedition to their navy.
He assured me, that it had been remonstrated against in the strongest
terms by the naval officers, and its pernicious consequences foretold;
but the orders from Paris were positive. The fleet cruized in three
divisions, the easternmost of which kept but just outside of Scilly and
Ushant; and the westernmost was once driven as far as 18° W. in the
latitude of 45°; the central division occupied the intermediate space. I
learned these particulars from some masters of English merchantmen who
were taken, and have been sent to this prison. A more effectual plan to
interrupt our commerce could not have been devised. Of its
practicability, had I not lived to see it executed, I should at least
have doubted; but this is an age of political phænomena on the water, as
well as the land. Between fifty and sixty prizes were captured by this
fleet, among which was a transport bound from Ireland to Bristol, having
on board 120 soldiers of a new-raised regiment, who are now confined
here, and do so little credit, by their appearance, to British troops,
that I have more than once blushed, when they have been pointed at by
the French; and I have been asked with a sneer, “Are these the men who
are to march to Paris?” In the list of prizes were also six or seven of
the homeward-bound Oporto fleet, all of which they sunk, with their
cargoes; deeming, I presume, that honest beverage (to use the words of
one of their authors) “a heavy stupifying liquor, fit to be drunk by
Englishmen only.”
Cut off as I am from all communication with English politics, I shall
not presume to guess at the causes which have retained our fleet in
harbour. But some of those which have not retained it, I shall venture
to state. It was not the weather, for that was uninterruptedly fine
until the 25th of January. It was not the wind, for that during the same
period was always easterly, here at least, and our distance from
Plymouth is barely 45 leagues. It was not a want of information, for (to
my knowledge) exclusive of other channels, two English gentlemen, who
escaped from this place in a boat at least as early as the 8th of
January, must have arrived in England by the 12th or 13th. The rigid
caution observed by the French, in not hazarding engagements at sea, is
notorious. In the present instance it has been exchanged for a hardy
audacity. They now boast that they have challenged us to the lists,
which we have not dared to enter against them; but, during the time of
their fleet being out, I have seen them tremble at the probability of
such an event. Had the month of January been as tempestuous as it
commonly is in this climate, our assistance would hardly have been
required to destroy their leaky and crazy ships, in want of naval
stores and able seamen. One hard gale of wind at S. S. W. would have
cost them at least a dozen sail of the line.
What then shall we say? “There is,” my friend, “a tide in the affairs”
of nations, as well as of men: the page of history every where records
it. Hannibal, after the battle of Cannæ, instead of marching to Rome,
turned aside to Capua;----from that moment the Carthaginian fortune ebbed,
never to flow again. The series of rapid conquests, which distinguished
the brilliant campaign of 1776, was finished, not by taking
Philadelphia, dispersing the Congress, and breaking up the new
government, but by occupying winter cantonments in Jersey, where our
victorious army was beaten in detail;----and America was lost. The allies,
after the surrender of Valenciennes, divided their forces;----and since
that fatal separation how has their career of conquest been turned into
retreat, marked only by overthrow, consternation and despair!
On the 31st of December, the Admiral was again reduced to my society,
and that of his youngsters, all the other officers of the Alexander
being sent on shore to the Château, where, according to accounts which I
have received from them, by some letters privately conveyed to me, they
are treated in a manner shocking to humanity.----But I must be contented
with telling you my own story.
On their departure we who were left were again taken into the mess of
the officers of the ship. The military part of this assembly are a set
of worthless wretches; but two of those who fill civil posts are men of
honourable characters, ever ready to pity our situation, and to give us
every reasonable degree of intelligence of the state of the country, and
what is going on; to which _I_ add the advantage of reading daily some
of the Paris news-papers, which are brought on board.
Through these channels I draw not only abundant matter for reflection,
but frequently obtain diversion. “Moderation, and down with the
Terrorists!” resound, I believe, from one end to the other of the
republic. It is in all respects our interest to wish that such
sentiments may be more than nominal. It is certain that a general
dismission of the creatures of Robespierre is taking place. The
indiscriminate advancement of unqualified candidates to offices of trust
and dignity, which to court popular applause universally prevailed until
lately, furnishes to those, who are not over-friendly to a democratic
cause, an inexhaustible fund of merriment and ridicule. Among others who
have just experienced the instability of honours is Tribout, who
commanded the troops at Brest. This man, from beating a drum, and
officiating as a regimental barber, under the old government, had been
advanced by the revolution to the dignity of a drum-major, whence, by an
easy gradation, he at once rose to the rank of a general officer, for
intrepidity displayed in a battle on the frontiers. His elevation,
however, only exposed him to derision in the district wherein he was
delegated to command. Like the unfortunate cat, who at the request of
her master was metamorphosed by Jupiter into a young woman, and who
still retained her feline appetites, some unlucky trait, it seems, was
for ever occurring in this poor man’s behaviour, to remind the
spectators of his earlier professions. When he was on the parade he had
all the flourishes of the drum-major, and at table all the busy
curiosity and oily language of the _frizeur_. After exciting universal
contempt against himself and his employers, during the period of his
command here, he has been suddenly stripped of his full-blown honours,
and condemned to vegetate hereafter on a small pension, which has been
assigned to him; with permission, however, to retain the title of
_General_ Tribout.
The 21st of January was the anniversary of the execution of Louis XVI.
an event which will be annually commemorated by very different
ceremonies and emotions from what distinguished this day, when the
political phrenzy that now agitates Frenchmen shall be evaporated. A
play analagous to the occasion was performed at the theatre, _gratis_;
the towers and forts on shore, and all the ships in the harbour,
displayed their colours; and lastly, to prove their civism, the
_keepers_ of this dungeon put on their best clothes, and provided the
best dinner I have seen since I have been taken. I ate of it, but not
without a sigh for the cause which gave birth to this savage exultation
over the manes of a mild and generous, though irresolute, monarch. And
even here I feel pleasure in saying, all sensations of pity are not
extinguished, all distinctions which should regulate the administration
of justice are not obliterated. This very day a Frenchman whispered in
my ear, “His death (the king’s) in spite of the veil which the
convention threw over the real sentiments of the people, struck the
hearts of the majority of Frenchmen with amazement and horror.” Of the
memory of the queen he spoke less affectionately. He recounted to me
some of the extravagant tales, which have been so industriously
propagated against her; but in defiance of them, what unprejudiced mind
can hesitate to pronounce, that the cruel and ignominious rigour of her
confinement; the brutal and unmanly spirit that dictated the charges
upon which she was tried; and the mockery of all justice with which she
was prosecuted; joined to the violent death inflicted upon this unhappy
princess (against whom report has been so loud, and proof so feeble)
have fixed upon the annals of the revolution a stain, which will be
indelible, while sentiments of tenderness and generosity towards women,
and principles of equity towards the accused, are cherished in the human
breast?
The news of the entire conquest of Holland has caused great rejoicings.
But when the wildness of joy and congratulation had subsided, what think
you was the first reflection which I heard on the subject?----A
calculation of the advantages which will accrue to their marine. By this
acquisition, they hope to be enabled to dispute the empire of the sea
with England. It is publickly reported, that a negociation for peace
with Prussia is proceeding, and will be speedily completed; but to this
I only oppose my silent unbelief.
We often hear of Charette; but the accounts are so extravagant and
contradictory, that I know not what to think. About two months ago I was
persuaded, from all I read in the news-papers, and from what I was every
day told, that he had either surrendered, and sworn fealty to the
republic, or was about to do so; but as the most furious republicans
among my present associates have lately been silent about him, and
answer with reluctance to my questions on the subject, I can only guess,
from their reserve, that all is not agreeable to their wishes, and
consequently that he is still the rallying point of royalism.
I have sometimes my doubts whether it be not their intention to continue
us where we are altogether, and that the promise of being sent to
Quimper is as delusive as every other part of their conduct; but these
are only the suggestions of spleen, on recollecting the frequency of our
disappointments; for an order is absolutely received on board, to send
us hence to a small armed brig, which is to take some coasters under her
convoy to Quimper, as soon as the wind shifts to the N. W. In her, it
seems, and not according to the first intention of sending us by land,
are we to be conveyed to our place of destination.----There!----but hang
gloomy anticipations! the thought alone of being on shore, and able to
warm myself by exercise, must give it a decided preference to a
prison-ship, in which, during this bitter season, we have been cooped
up, and frozen both in soul and body. You would have laughed to see the
contrivances we have had recourse to, to keep up a little warmth, and
restore circulation to our benumbed extremities. The Admiral twice wrote
to the representatives, for permission to walk on shore with the
officers of the ship; but of his first letter no notice was taken; and
to his second only a verbal answer, that “his request could not be
granted,” was returned.-------- Adieu.