ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND, AND APPLICATION TO THE ADMIRALTY.—KINDNESS
OF THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY, MR. GRENVILLE.—COURT
MARTIAL, ACQUITTAL, AND APPOINTMENT TO THE SPARTAN.—SAILS
TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.—ESCAPE FROM CAPTURE.—BOAT ACTION WITH
ITS UNFORTUNATE RESULT, AND COURT OF ENQUIRY ORDERED BY LORD
COLLINGWOOD.
“The day after our arrival at Dartmouth, as my beloved Isabella required
repose, after the fatigue and anxiety she had so long been exposed to,
I left her at Upton, near Brixham, with our kind and hospitable friend,
Mrs. Cutler;[12] and proceeded to London, in order to make my appearance
at the Admiralty as soon as possible. Mr. Thomas Grenville, then first
Lord, received me in the most cordial manner, and asked me under existing
circumstances how the Admiralty could best shew their sympathy for my
misfortunes, and their approbation of my conduct. I replied that I was
not aware of any thing their Lordships could do, until my court martial
for the loss of the Minerve, should have taken place. Mr. Grenville
replied, this had also been his apprehension, but he was at a loss to
know how the court martial could be held, since the officers being all
prisoners in France, no adequate witnesses could be found. I observed,
that I knew many of the seamen and marines had made their escape, and
might probably be found serving in some of His Majesty’s ships. A doubt
still remained, whether the evidence of these men without that of any
officer, would be deemed sufficient. Mr. Grenville however placed me
in the hands of the clerk of the Record office, desiring I should have
access to any documents I might wish to examine. After travelling through
many folios, I discovered the case of Captain Craycroft, who in the
preceding war had been captured by the French, and whose witnesses upon
his court martial were, the surgeon and a midshipman. I immediately
communicated this, by a message, to Mr. Grenville. His answer was, ‘Good,
try again:’ and soon after, the case of Captain Brey, of the Hound,
on whose trial a midshipman and a boatswain’s mate only appeared, was
deemed conclusive by Mr. Grenville. An order was immediately issued by
the Admiralty to all the commanders in chief on the home stations for
an enquiry to be made in the ships under their respective commands, for
any men who had been captured in the Minerve, and might have made their
escape from France; and that in the event of any such being found, they
should be immediately sent to the flag ship, at Portsmouth, and their
names be reported to the Admiralty. In the course of a few days, six were
reported, two boatswain’s mates, and four seamen, and marines.” The order
was immediately issued for the court martial on Captain Brenton, to be
held on board the Gladiator, in Portsmouth Harbour; and it is hardly
necessary to add, that the sentence of the court was the honourable
acquittal of the Captain of the Minerve.
Immediately after the conclusion of the court martial, Captain Brenton
having obtained a copy of the sentence, proceeded forthwith to London,
and waited upon Mr. Grenville, who most kindly said, “We have been
quite prepared for the nature of the sentence, and I have been only
waiting to receive it officially, before I should attend to rather an
extraordinary request, made by a brother officer of yours, who has begged
that he may be permitted to resign the command of a fine frigate, just
built and fitted out, and full manned. I can now grant his request, and
make you the offer of becoming his successor.” Captain Brenton’s joy
may be imagined at this most gratifying instance of the First Lord’s
approbation. He certainly did look forward to employment, at no very
distant period; but the utmost he could expect was to have a frigate to
fit out. Here was one of a superior description, all ready for immediate
service. He lost no time in taking command, having joined her on the 10th
February; the Spartan being then under orders to sail the moment the wind
would permit, with the East India convoy.
In his private journal he says, “I left my beloved Isabella only five
days before your birth, my dear Charles. I should most gladly have waited
till that anxious period was over; but my ship was under sailing orders,
and I left your mother under the care of the merciful Providence of Him,
who never deserted her while on earth, and to whom we may now humbly
and firmly hope she has gone. I had soon the happiness of knowing she
was well, and thankful for this additional blessing bestowed upon us, I
sailed to the Mediterranean, without one legitimate subject of anxiety;
on the contrary, nothing but happiness in the retrospect, and the most
cheerful prospects before me.” He adds; “A few days after I joined the
Spartan, my convoy was transferred to the charge of another Captain; and
the Commissioner’s yacht came alongside my ship with £700,000 in cash;
and orders for me to take it immediately to Malta. Here was another act
of kindness on the part of Mr. Grenville. He found in this commission
an opportunity of indemnifying me for my losses and expenses in France,
of which he immediately availed himself. For some time all payments to
the Captains of ships of war for carrying cash had been discontinued,
but it was thought proper to resume it at this period; and the Admiralty
recommended to the Treasurer, this as a fit occasion. The sum of half per
cent. was in consequence allowed for the future, and this gave me £1100.”
Contrary winds detained Captain Brenton at Spithead till the 2nd of
March, when he sailed with a strong N.E. wind, in company with Sir
Thomas Lavie, in the Blanche. The latter, being under orders to cruize
on the coast of France, kept close in with the French shore, and was
unfortunately wrecked the same night in the bight of Abervrach. Sir
Thomas was a member of Captain Brenton’s court martial, and little
thought at that time, how soon it would be his turn to succeed him as a
prisoner in France. The Spartan necessarily keeping the channel course,
was not exposed to this danger. She was off Lisbon on the 7th day,
having orders to call off that place, but having carried away her main
yard in a heavy squall, off the bar, bore up for Lisbon, sending the
Lively, Captain Mackinlay, who was cruising off the coast of Portugal,
to communicate with the British Minister. The Spartan had under convoy
one transport laden with arms and ammunition for Sicily; the master of
which, notwithstanding the most positive orders not to part company with
the Spartan, bore up in the night, whilst they were laying to, waiting
for daylight, off the mouth of the Tagus, and on the following night
ran on shore off San Lucar, near Cadiz, although having a fair wind for
Gibraltar, which was the place of rendezvous, in case of parting company
by accident. The ship was soon taken possession of by the Spaniards; but
before they could get even a small portion of her cargo out of her, she
was boarded by the boats of the Malta, commanded by Captain Buller, and
burnt. The Spartan arrived in two days after at Gibraltar, and having got
a new main yard, and taken on board a small additional sum of money for
Malta, proceeded to Messina, where she arrived about the middle of March.
From thence she proceeded to Malta to deliver the money destined for that
place, but did not go into the harbour, remaining off only a few hours,
and then made sail for Palermo. At the very moment of her departure an
awful event occurred at Malta. A corps, which had been raised in the
Morea, and generally called the Spartan corps (the coincidence was much
remarked upon as very singular) mutinied; and having got possession of
the Fort Ricasoli, determined upon resistance, until such time as what
they called their grievances were redressed. These were that they should
be allowed to retain the lower part of their Greek dress, instead of
wearing the tight trowsers so abhorrent to a Greek. They had no objection
to the jacket, but they could not endure the labour of cleaning their
arms, or pipe-claying their belts, &c. A Greek will be as active as any
one while on actual duty, but when that is over, he considers the time
his own, and is more disposed to pass it sleeping in the sun than in any
other manner. These men, having seized the Fort Ricasoli, were not only
determined to defend themselves, but became the assailants, and turning
the mortars of the fortress towards La Valette, began throwing shells
into it. Providentially having no knowledge themselves of this branch of
warfare, they were obliged to compel some artillery officers whom they
had made prisoners in the fortress to direct the bombardment; and these
officers under the pretence of intimidation, gladly availed themselves of
the opportunity of throwing the shells over the city into the quarantine
harbour, which from the knowledge of the scale of the fortifications they
were enabled to do with great accuracy. The shells consequently fell
harmless. When the mutineers saw that such measures were taken by the
General, as must insure the reduction of the fortress in a few hours,
they came to the desperate resolution of drawing lots who should blow up
the magazine, and who should stand at the entrance, to convey the last
signal of the explosion, both of whom must necessarily perish. Those who
drew the lots took their stations accordingly, and the remainder of the
Greeks having taken such measures as they deemed best to enable them to
get over the wall; the signal was given, and a most tremendous explosion
took place, doing considerable damage to the dockyard, and parts
adjacent. In the confusion occasioned by this unexpected event, nearly
the whole of the mutineers succeeded in getting out of the fortress,
and dispersed themselves over the island, in the hope of being able to
procure boats and to escape; but precautions had been too effectually
taken to allow of this; every point was guarded, and in the course of a
few hours every man was taken. A court martial was instantly assembled,
and a great number were condemned to death; many were executed, and the
remainder sent back to the Morea. It is much to be lamented that the
national feelings of these people had been so unnecessarily outraged.
They maintained to the last that they enlisted under the express
condition, that their costume should not be interfered with, and that
they should not be obliged to clean and polish accoutrements. When
however the usual manœuvres of a recruiting serjeant are taken into
consideration, it is not improbable that even greater exemptions than
these might have been promised; but a Greek is not a man to be tampered
with any more than a Malay.
The Spartan found a squadron lying at Palermo, consisting of the
Windsor Castle, and four other ships of the line, which had been sent
there at the request of the king of Sicily, and were under the command
of Captain, afterwards Rear Admiral Boyle. A gale of wind of most
extraordinary violence came on, whilst the Spartan was with them. The
wind was from the southward, and therefore directly off the land, from
which the squadron were not a mile distant. In consequence of this, the
sea had no space to get up in; but notwithstanding that a dense spray
was lifted up from the water, called by seamen, “a spoon drift,” which
lay along the surface as even as though it were a sheet of snow. Whilst
walking the deck Captain Brenton was surprised by a sharp sound like
a mast going, and looking forward, saw the jib fly up the stay like
lightning, and immediately shiver to atoms. By some accident the down
haul had not been made fast in the forecastle, and the wind getting
into the head of the jib, carried it up like lightning. No other damage
however was done, although the Eagle was for some time in danger, having
been close under Monte Pelegrino. The gale was of short duration, and in
a few hours was succeeded by fine weather.
On the 16th of April the Spartan sailed for Toulon, where she was
ordered to watch the motions of the French fleet; and the wind being
from the westward Captain Brenton ran along the coast of Italy. When
just between the east coast of Corsica and the Italian shore, he fell in
with an American ship, the Urania, Hector Coffin, master, and Greene of
Rhode Island supercargo. Captain Brenton, on sending a boat to examine
this neutral ship, gave particular directions to the lieutenant charged
with this duty, to pay every possible attention to the feelings of the
people, and to avoid giving offence to the master or crew. The search
took place, and as there was some deviation from the regulations laid
down for the conduct of Neutrals by his Majesty’s orders in council,
Captain Brenton sent for the master on board the Spartan, requesting he
would bring his log book with him. On his coming on board Captain Brenton
explained to him the necessity of this measure; with which the master and
supercargo expressed themselves perfectly satisfied, as well as with the
kindness and delicacy with which they had been treated by the visiting
officer. It was at this time nearly calm, so that no detention took
place; and when the breeze sprang up, the American voluntarily steered
for some time the same course with the Spartan. This was on the 27th of
April.
On the 8th of May the Spartan again fell in with the same ship, between
Sardinia and the Island of Ponza; and her being so near the spot where
she had been eleven days before having excited surprise, she was again
examined; and on looking over her log book to ascertain the cause of her
having made so little progress, being hardly forty leagues from where
she had been first seen, Captain Brenton was surprised to find a detail
of her having been boarded, on the 27th of April, by the Spartan, worked
up to the most rancorous pitch of exaggeration; stating that on that day
they were boarded by the English frigate Spartan, had been forced out of
their course, that the master was dragged on board with his papers, and
that the hatches were broken open, &c. On Captain Brenton remonstrating
with the master and supercargo, upon the unmanliness of inserting
such falsehoods in the ship’s book, for no other purpose than that of
exciting enmity between the two countries, whose mutual interests led
them to the cultivation of peace; and reminding them of the declaration
they had both made in the cabin of the Spartan on the day alluded to,
as to the kindness and civility with which they had been treated by
the lieutenant of that ship, who had boarded them; they both appeared
overwhelmed with confusion, acknowledged the justice of Captain Brenton’s
observation, laid the blame upon the mate, whom they charged with having
inserted the offensive passage without their knowledge, and promised
that it should not be made public in America. It is not likely that a
Neutral trading amongst belligerents should pay so little attention to a
document of such vital importance as the log; and that neither master nor
supercargo should inspect it. This affair was the subject of an official
communication from Captain Brenton to his senior officer, and of another
to the Secretary of Lloyd’s Coffee house.
On the 23rd of April the Spartan captured a small French xebec, on the
coast of Italy. The year had not expired since the conversation which has
been related took place between Captain Brenton and Dr. Grey, at Tours.
Dr. Grey had been appointed surgeon of the Spartan, at Captain Brenton’s
request, and he received in consequence the promised Encyclopedia.
Captain Brenton says, “Shortly after this I was again preserved from
captivity by a merciful Providence, which rescued us from the enemy’s
squadron, when every hope of success seemed to have left us.” The
particulars of this escape are contained in the following letter.
“SPARTAN, OFF TOULON, MAY, 1807.
“SIR,
“I have the honour to inform you, that at noon on the 27th
ultimo, the westward end of Elba, bearing N.E. we made sail in
chase of four vessels to the southward, which at half-past five
we observed to be ships of war, and made the private signal,
which was not answered; and wishing to ascertain exactly what
they were, I continued standing towards them until half-past
six, when they bore up by signal in chase of us. We could at
this time see their hulls from the deck, and perceived one to
be of the line, two frigates, and a corvette. We tacked, and
stood from them, but they gained fast upon us, as they had
a fresh breeze from the westward: at eight, it fell nearly
calm, and continued so all night. At day-break we saw the
enemy bearing W. by N. about six miles. The south end of
Capraia being at the same time W.S.W. about four miles. Upon
a light breeze, springing up from the eastward, I made sail
to the northward, in the hope of being able to escape round
the island, which the frigates and corvette endeavoured to
prevent, by running to leeward of Capraia, whilst the ship of
the line hauled round the south end in chase of us. We had
light and partial breezes until noon, when one frigate and
the corvette bore west, about two miles from us, with a fresh
breeze from the southward; the other frigate further off in
the S.W. and the line of battle ship off the south end of
Capraia, bringing up the rear. She had a very light air from
the southward, but I saw the necessity of making every effort
to get to the westward, as the only chance of escaping, and
hauled immediately athwart the headmost frigate: upon our near
approach the breeze appeared to fail her.
“At twenty minutes after twelve she opened her fire, and
continued it for an hour and ten minutes. As I observed that
the light breeze she had was destroyed by her firing, we did
not return a gun,[13] but kept a steady course until we had
brought the enemy to bear south, when we bore up north, leaving
him the choice of yawing to continue his fire, or to confine
it to his bow guns. He preferred the former, by which means he
lost so much way, that we were soon out of gun shot; the other
frigate could not approach, and the corvette avoided us.
“Providentially we received no damage, although exposed for a
considerable time to a point blank fire, scarcely going two
knots; but few shot struck us. I have the greatest reason to be
pleased with the steadiness and good conduct of the officers
and people under my command.
“At half-past five, having a fresh breeze from the S.W. we
had gained so far upon the enemy that they left off chase by
signal; the Commodore shortening sail, and hauling round the
north end of Capraia.
“From a Neapolitan pilot I had on board I learn that this is a
French squadron from Genoa, as he says, he knows of ships of
this description, viz. one of the line, two frigates, and four
corvettes, being fitted out there. We chased one corvette off
the island of Piglio, on the 26th ultimo; and the other two, I
was informed by an American, are employed with convoys between
Genoa and Toulon.
“I have the honour to be, &c.
“JAHLEEL BRENTON.”
“CHARLES ROWLEY, ESQ.”
On the return of the French squadron to Toulon the Captain of one of the
frigates was broke for his conduct; but it is not known whether this was
the Captain of the Pomone, who lost the opportunity of bringing the
British frigate to close action, or the Commander of the Incorruptible
for not joining in the attack upon her.
After this narrow escape, the Spartan proceeded off Toulon in pursuance
of her orders. Captain Brenton’s object was to have reconnoitred that
port, in order to ascertain correctly the enemy’s force, ready for sea,
or under equipment; but he was chased off by a French line of battle
ship. He returned the next day, and made out that there were only four
ships of war in the outer road, two of which were of the line, with
several fitting in the inner road. He considered it of importance that
the senior officer at Palermo should be informed of the state of the
enemy’s squadron in Toulon; and therefore availing himself of a strong
westerly wind bore up for that place, running through the straits of
Bonifacio, where he fell in with the Sirius. Captain Prouse proceeded
to Palermo with the information, and the Spartan directed her course to
Ponza, with an account of the French squadron being at sea; in order
to put the garrison on that island, and the island of Capri, on their
guard. Captain Brenton says, “The Spartan now proceeded on her return
to Toulon; but on the following day met with a disaster, which, in my
estimation, far exceeded in severity any that had ever befallen me,
in the whole course of my professional career. When off Nice, in the
morning of the 14th of May, we gave chase to a polacre ship, which we
continued with light and variable winds until near sunset, when it became
perfectly calm; the chase being still at the distance of six or seven
miles, but the weather so clear that she was distinctly made out to be a
merchant vessel. The officers entreated me to send the boats, which I
was unwilling to do, in consequence of a recent order from the Commander
in chief, not to send any boats where they could not be protected by
their ship; an order that was clearly pointed as an injurious practice,
which had crept in amongst the cruisers, of sending away boats to a
considerable distance, to conceal themselves on points of the coast,
in order to capture the trading vessels, whilst their own ships were
out of sight of the land. Upon this occasion the distance of the chase
was not an hour’s pulling; and I determined to send such a force as I
considered would put all resistance out of the question, and ensure the
return of the boats early in the morning. I accordingly ordered out the
barge, launch, and two other boats under the command of first and second
lieutenants, and manned by volunteers, consequently by the best men in
the ship. A light breeze having sprung up before the boats came up with
the polacre, she had availed herself of it, to get close in with the land
near Nice; and upon approaching they discovered that she had a tier of
guns. I had given the most positive orders to the first lieutenant not to
attack her, should she prove a vessel of force; but this gallant young
man, considering she could not be viewed in this light, when the number
of his men and boats was calculated, at once decided upon making a dash,
and ordering the second lieutenant with one boat to board on the larboard
side, he, with the others, immediately pulled up on the starboard, and
commenced the attack. They were received with the utmost coolness by
the enemy, who poured such a destructive fire into the boats, that
crowded as they were, it produced a most disastrous effect, and prevented
them effectually from boarding. Both the lieutenants fell at the first
fire, covered with wounds; the second, with his midshipman and many of
the boat’s crew, were killed upon the spot, as were many in the first
lieutenant’s division, and indeed each boat was filled with killed and
wounded. The survivors made a gallant but ineffectual attempt to board;
but they were too much reduced in number to succeed; and the boats on
both sides letting go their hold, the polacre passed on a-head with a
light breeze, keeping up a continued fire of musketry while within reach.
“From the very heavy fire which was opened upon the boats on their
getting alongside, and laying their oars in, for the purpose of boarding;
a fire, which had been judiciously reserved for that critical moment; it
was concluded that assistance must have been sent to them from the coast,
as it was scarcely possible that the crew of a merchant vessel could
have composed such an effective volley. The vessel was some months after
captured by Lord Cochrane, in the Imperieuse. The people denied having
received any assistance on this occasion; and we are therefore bound to
give them full credit for their most gallant defence.
“All eyes from the Spartan were of course directed to the quarter in
which the boats were chasing; and it was not until one minute past ten
that a slight scintillation of firing was observed, without any report.
This soon after ceased, and not a doubt existed in the mind of any one
on board the Spartan, that the attack had been successful. We had now
got the breeze, and were steering for the scene of action, every one
expecting to see the polacre approaching with the boats accompanying
her, but a most melancholy disappointment awaited us. The oars of a boat
were at length heard. When within reach of the boat she was hailed; and
the answer told the melancholy tale of their defeat, and that the boats
were all on their return filled with the dead and dying. The following
was the sad list of sufferers:—Killed, one lieutenant, two midshipmen,
twenty-four seamen: wounded, one lieutenant (mortally), and thirty-seven
seamen; scarcely ten men out of about seventy being untouched. The dead
were laid side by side on the main deck, in order to be prepared for
burial, being sewed up in hammocks. The wounded were carried into my
cabin, the only part of the ship where there was sufficient space for
their accommodation in dressing their wounds; and while this was doing,
which took up the greater part of the night, the lower deck was prepared
for their reception; all the hammocks, mess tables, and chests being
removed for the purpose; a measure which became absolutely necessary in
that warm climate, lest the air below, infected by the numbers wounded,
should have generated disease amongst the healthy part of the ship’s
company. The number of these was so much diminished by this fatal event,
that there was little difficulty in finding accommodation for them under
the half deck and forecastle; so that the whole extent of the Spartan’s
’tween decks became a most convenient and well ventilated hospital. On
the following morning the dead were brought up for burial, and arranged
along the starboard waste hammocks, with a man to each, for the purpose
of launching the body overboard at the proper time; the bodies of the
second lieutenant and his midshipman were in coffins at the gangway. I
could with difficulty get through the mournful service, and at the words
‘commit their bodies to the deep,’ when the whole were launched into the
ocean, an universal sensation was experienced by the ship’s company.
The effect may be imagined, but it cannot be described. Four and twenty
active young men in the prime of life, in all the energy of the seaman’s
character, buoyant with spirits and health only a few hours before, now
gone to their awful account. This was indeed an awakening scene, and
undoubtedly left a deep, although perhaps but a transitory impression on
all who witnessed it.”
To keep the sea under such circumstances was out of the question. Captain
Brenton, however, did not quit his station until he had made another
effort to get off Toulon, where he hoped to have fallen in with the
British squadron under Captain Rowley, and also that he might carry the
latest intelligence of the state of the enemy’s ships in that part. But
on the 17th the Spartan was again chased off from Cape Sicie by a French
ship of the line, and two frigates, but as she considerably out-sailed
them, they hauled their wind in for the land; and Captain Brenton made
the best of his way for Malta, where he arrived on the 24th, having
providentially very fine weather, smooth water, and light breezes, so
that the wounded were under as favourable circumstances as possible. They
were enabled to keep the scuttles on the lower deck constantly open; and
the value of this ventilation may be estimated when it is stated, that
such were the effluvia coming from the lower deck in consequence of the
wounds, that it was found most unpleasant to all who were looking over
the gangway.
“The severe fatigue and anxiety experienced by Dr. Grey, the surgeon,
upon this occasion, had such an effect upon his health, that he was under
the necessity of leaving the Spartan, and retiring from the navy.”
There are two circumstances connected with this melancholy catastrophe,
which are too interesting to be passed over in silence. One relates to
the midshipman who was killed in the boat, with the Second Lieutenant,
(Mr. Williams.) He was the son of Admiral Christie, and had been placed
under the particular care of Captain Brenton. On the 23rd of April, when
the boats were sent in, to cut out a vessel, young Christie requested he
might be of the party, to which Captain Brenton readily assented, as it
was his practice to give every youngster, however young, an opportunity
of shewing what he was made of, (according to the professional phrase);
and having done this, he seldom allowed them to be exposed in the boats
again, until they had attained the age of sixteen, when they took their
turn with the others. Christie conducted himself upon this occasion
like a fine gallant boy, and gave great promise of future distinction.
On his coming on board the Captain expressed himself well satisfied
with his conduct, and said, “Now Christie, as you have established
your character, do not ask me again to let you go on any more boat
expeditions, until you are more than sixteen; for I shall certainly
refuse you.” Notwithstanding this warning, when the boats were preparing
to go after the polacre, Christie came up, and begged he might be of
the party; but was decidedly refused. It appeared afterwards that the
Second Lieutenant, (Mr. Williams) an officer of great merit, and for whom
Captain Brenton entertained the highest regard, thoughtlessly suggested
to the poor boy that he should run forward, and get into the boat unseen
by the Captain, under the bows; promising to receive him into his own
boat, and accordingly he did so. The consequence was, that the Lieutenant
and his young friend both fell together at the first fire from the
polacre. Captain Brenton suffered great affliction upon this occasion,
but thoughtless and inexcusable as poor Williams’s conduct was, it never
weakened his regard for his memory; attributing it to the motive by which
he was undoubtedly influenced, a warm admiration for the display of
gallantry in one so young, and the feeling that this very gallantry would
be the boy’s apology for disobedience.
The other circumstance is of a very romantic description, and is given in
Captain Brenton’s own words. “The coxswain of the barge, reported among
the killed and wounded, was a very fine active young man, and had been
indulged with the permission to bring his wife on board the ship. She was
very young at this period, and the attachment between the couple was very
remarkable, as well as the respect they obtained from all on board from
the correctness of their conduct, which was in every respect exemplary.
On the boats returning, and the report of Bodie’s death, (for such was
his name,) his poor little wife was frantic with grief, and flew from one
part of the ship to another, with the most agonizing shrieks. When the
dead were placed on the main deck, she flew to them, uncovering their
faces, and calling out for her husband. She then ran up, and took her
seat on the coxswain’s box, in the barge, which had now been hoisted in,
calling for her husband; and from thence to the Captain on the quarter
deck, imploring him to let her see the body. Calling for some of the
people who were in the barge, upon whom the greatest dependence could be
placed, I desired to know how Bodie had been killed; when one of them
said, ‘Sir, we were boarding the vessel together on the starboard side,
and were getting into the main chains, when I was wounded and fell into
the boat, and Bodie at the same time was killed, and fell between the
boat and the ship.’” The wife was present at this detail, and at length
seemed convinced of her dreadful loss. The greatest attention was paid
to her by all on board, to alleviate as much as possible her sufferings;
and on the arrival of the Spartan at Malta she was received, by Captain
Brenton’s recommendation, into the protection of a very respectable
family. Her situation excited the most lively interest at Malta; a
subscription amounting to £80, was made for her; and she soon after
sailed for England in a Transport, with a letter to Mrs. Brenton at Bath,
by whom she was received, and remained with her for some time, previous
to her departure for Ireland, where her mother was living. Captain
Brenton also gave her a recommendation to the Committee of the Patriotic
fund, which obtained for her £50.
“The Spartan having landed her wounded, and refitted, proceeded to
Messina, in the hopes of procuring a few men from the Trade and
Transports there. She then continued her course for Toulon; and on
approaching the Hieres Islands, in the middle of June, we boarded
a merchant vessel from Genoa, from which we received the following
intelligence. “A polacre, it was said, had arrived there some weeks
previous, which had been attacked by the boats of an English frigate, and
had succeeded in beating them off. When the firing had ceased, the cries
of a man were heard under the stern, and an English sailor was found
hanging on by the rudder chains, and wounded. On taking him on board
he proved to be the coxswain of the frigate’s barge; he stated that he
had been severely wounded in endeavouring to board the polacre, and had
fallen between the ship and the boat, but as he passed a-stern he had
caught hold of the rudder chains, and hung on until the action was over.
The story added, that on the vessel’s arrival at Genoa, the man was sent
to the hospital; and on his wound being cured, had been marched into
France.” No doubt now existed as to the correctness of this statement,
and I immediately wrote to Verdun, requesting my friends would make
enquiries as to the depôt to which Bodie was sent; and on ascertaining
his safety, that information might be immediately sent to Mrs. Brenton,
at Bath, in order to her communicating the joyful news to the supposed
widow. In a very few weeks a letter reached Mrs. Brenton from the Rev.
L. C. Lee, at Verdun, informing her that Bodie had reached that depôt,
and was no sooner known to have been Captain Brenton’s coxswain, than the
greatest interest was manifest in his behalf, and permission was procured
for him to remain there, where every care would be taken of him, and that
he had quite recovered from his wounds. These joyful tidings were soon in
the hands of Mrs. Bodie, at Cork, whose happiness may be easily imagined.”
On the 18th of June the Spartan resumed her station off Toulon, and
found the enemy’s force considerably increased since that port was last
reconnoitred; when four sail of the line were ready for sea, but this
force was now rapidly augmenting. The Spartan was for some time the
only ship employed in watching the movements of this squadron, and was
frequently chased off the land by them; but as the French were uncertain
as to the position of the British Squadron, and concluded they were
cruizing out of sight of the coast, they seldom ran farther than six or
eight leagues from Cape Sicie.
On the commander in chief, Lord Collingwood, having received Captain
Brenton’s account of the disastrous attack upon the polacre, he gave
directions for a court of enquiry to be held upon Captain Brenton for
this affair, consisting of Captains Boyle, Rowley, and Fayerman; he
directed them also to enquire into the circumstances attending the loss
of the Transport, which came out of England under convoy of the Spartan,
and which as has been stated, parted company with, that ship off Lisbon,
and ran on shore near San Lucar, where she was taken possession of by the
Spaniards, but burnt by the boats of the Malta. The following are the
reports made by the Courts of Enquiry—“Present,
CAPTAIN CHARLES BOYLES,
” FRANCIS FAYERMAN,
” CHARLES ROWLEY.
“The Court, pursuant to an order from Edward Thornborough, Esq., Vice
Admiral of the Blue, &c. dated the 6th day of October, 1807, repaired
on board H.M.S. Spartan, and there made a strict enquiry into the
unfortunate result of an attack made by the boats of the said ship on
a Polacre ship, on the night of the 14th of May, and the Court is of
opinion that the Commander in chief’s order of the 16th of June, 1806, on
the subject of sending armed boats from the ships, has not been deviated
from in this instance; as far as their judgment is capable of forming
an opinion, from the narrative received from Captain Jahleel Brenton,
and corroborated by the examination of the officers that were called
before them; who had heard the orders given to the officer commanding the
detached boats, and who assert that the chase appeared to be a merchant
vessel, quite becalmed, about five or six miles distant, and not near any
fort.
Signed, C. BOYLES,
” F. FAYERMAN,
” C. ROWLEY.”
Then follows the enquiry respecting the Transport—
“At a Court of enquiry held on board H.M.S. Spartan, in Palermo Bay,
Wednesday, 7th of October, 1807,—Present,
CAPTAIN C. BOYLES,
” F. FAYERMAN,
” C. ROWLEY.
“The Court, pursuant to an order from Edward Thornborough, Esq., Vice
Admiral of the Blue, &c. dated 6th October, 1807, being in pursuance of
an order from the Right Honourable Cuthbert Lord Collingwood, dated 29th
of May last, repaired on board H.M.S. Spartan, and calling before the
Court the commander and officers of the said ship, made a strict enquiry
and investigation into the cause and circumstances of the Mary, Ordnance
Transport Ship, parting company with the Spartan, when the Captain
was charged with her safety, and taking into consideration the great
value, and still greater importance of the vessel’s cargo. The Court
is of opinion, from the examination and strict enquiry made of Captain
Jahleel Brenton, the master, master’s mate, the boatswain and gunner, the
only officers called, two of the Lieutenants being dead, and the other
Lieutenant at the time in his bed, where he had been for some time; that
every thing was done on the part of Captain Jahleel Brenton to insure the
safety of the Mary Ordnance Transport; and the circumstance of the said
Transport separating from the Spartan, was caused by the carelessness,
negligence, and bad conduct of the Master of the Mary, Ordnance Transport
Ship.
Signed, C. BOYLES,
” F. FAYERMAN,
” C. ROWLEY.”
This affair being thus settled the Spartan resumed her station off
Toulon, and soon after the fleet, under the Commander in chief, Lord
Collingwood, arrived off that port. On Captain Brenton’s going on board
the Ocean, his lordship received him very coolly, and said, “Sir, I am
not at all satisfied with the report of the Captains who composed the
Court of Enquiry into your conduct.” Captain Brenton replied, “and I, my
Lord, am not satisfied with the nature of the tribunal, before which it
took place, as I should have preferred a court martial; and I have to
request you will be pleased to order one to assemble now for the purpose
of trying me.” His Lordship replied, “No Sir, that is discretional with
me, and enough has already been said upon the subject of both; but,”
continued he, “I have another cause of complaint to bring against you.
How came you, while senior officer at Malta, to permit a French Colonel,
a prisoner of war, to return to France on his parole:” adding, “they did
not treat you so when you were a prisoner.” Captain Brenton could not
help being amused with the gravity of the charge, and the commentary upon
it. He explained that the Colonel in question was taken by His Majesty’s
sloop the Weazle, on his passage from the coast of Italy for Corfu in
a small trabacolo; that the colonel’s wife, then on the point of being
confined, and two very young children were with him; that on the Weazle
firing to bring the vessel to, the lady was so much alarmed, that she
was taken in labour, and after giving birth to an infant, died: that
the three children were with the colonel at Malta, and that on a strong
recommendation from Sir Alexander Ball, the civil commissioner, he,
Captain Brenton, had taken upon himself to allow the colonel to go to
Naples on parole, on condition that having placed his children in safety,
he should return, unless exchanged. “Such were my reasons,” added Captain
Brenton, “and in acting as I did, I thought I was only doing, what I am
convinced your Lordship would have done, had you been there.” This could
not draw from his Lordship any sign of approbation, although it was
perfectly true; for his Lordship, with all his dryness of manner, and
roughness of exterior, had a kind and feeling heart, and was a warm and
sincere friend. His prejudices, it is true, were strong, and not easily
subdued. He was notwithstanding accessible to conviction, and ready to
acknowledge the efforts of those officers, whom he knew to have the good
of the service at heart, however he might differ with them on some points.
As the editor feels that he has undertaken a narrative of trials and
struggles, which, generally speaking, pass unobserved and unnoticed by
the world, he does not deem it irrelevant to call the attention of his
readers to the peculiar trials which were included in the first periods
of this service in the mediterranean. Of Lord Collingwood it is hardly
possible to say too much, whether he be considered as an officer or as
a man; and the very circumstance, that differing as he did so widely
from Lord Nelson in qualities and character, he succeeded in securing
to so high a degree the regard and confidence of that distinguished
commander, proves what the opinion must have been which Lord Nelson
formed of his talents and courage. But the character of Lord Collingwood
as an admiral was just that which must have led him to pass a severe
judgment on this unfortunate affair with the Polacre. His courage was
that of a firm well disciplined mind, which had been accustomed to view
danger with indifference, when it came in the way of duty, but which saw
no necessity to go out and brave it, when there was no adequate cause.
His professional life had been chiefly passed in ships of the line, as
forming parts of great fleets, and engaged in great movements; and he had
therefore less sympathy with that spirit of adventurous daring, which
suited the commander of a cruising frigate; and he was disposed to look
with jealousy, if not disapprobation, at the risks which were continually
run for the sake of captures of very little intrinsic value. At this
period also, age had added something of severity to his judgment, and he
was not likely to admit any extenuation of an error, which had cost the
lives of so many valuable men, and which seemed to have been incurred by
acting in opposition to an express order of his own.
The former disaster in Captain Brenton’s naval career might also have
existed some prejudice against him in the mind of the Admiral. The
unfortunate are seldom regarded as wholly clear of blame. The loss of
the Minerve had been justified by the sentence of a Court Martial; but
an old and cautious commander might have suspected that the commander of
the frigate had been rash and indiscreet, if not absolutely in fault;
and might have thought that this unhappy attack on the Polacre was part
of the same conduct, another act of a daring, but inconsiderate and
injudicious officer.
The Captain of the Spartan had therefore to support a prejudice existing
against the Captain of the Minerve, and had much to bear and much to do,
before he overcame the impression which this untoward attack had made
on Lord Collingwood’s mind. That he did succeed in removing it; that he
did succeed in satisfying his Admiral’s judgment, and did conciliate his
good will and approbation, may be an encouragement to others, who under
similar circumstances, think all is lost because a single error has
been committed; and give up and cease to strive to please, because they
feel that they have to work against a strong and perhaps unreasonable
prejudice in a Commander.
The private memoranda afford no information as to the struggles which
this afflicting circumstance must have occasioned; but the reader has
already seen and known enough of the mind and feelings of the subject of
this memoir, to doubt what must have been his resource. We cannot doubt,
that the defeat he had sustained, and the sad and sorrowful tokens of it
in the loss of his gallant people, sent him in tears and humiliation to
the throne of grace; that he there mourned deeply and sincerely over the
rashness of the attempt, and his own imprudence in permitting it; that he
considered himself as guilty in some degree of the deaths of those, whom
he had allowed to expose themselves; and that many and earnest were his
supplications for mercy and forgiveness.
But it may also be certain that this humiliation before God—this severity
of self-enquiry and self-condemnation, prepared him in a peculiar
manner for the trial, he was to meet from men. The Admiral, naturally,
reasonably offended at this, which seemed a wanton waste of life, found
him so humbled, that his resentment was disarmed. The censure that he
might have felt himself bound to pass, on the point of discipline, was,
he saw, anticipated. He could not strike one who was down. He could not
reprove one whose self-reproof was manifest. He was obliged to feel for
the man, whose own feelings had been so acute; and he saw that it was
unnecessary for the interests of the service, to say anything where so
much had been already done within. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall
inherit the earth;” and many are the causes of offence in every service,
which would come to nothing, if they were not raised into importance
by the pride of those who endeavour to defend their error, instead of
acknowledging and condemning it themselves.
We shall have occasion to remark a similar trial in the following
Chapter, where an accident occurred, which appeared to arise from want
of care in the management of the ship; and which for a moment again put
the character of the Captain of the Spartan in jeopardy with an Admiral
of such correctness as Lord Collingwood. The affair in that case was
capable of explanation, and the circumstances under which it happened,
exonerated the Commander of the ship from blame; but those, whose daily
lives are not exposed to such contingencies as belong to active service,
will do well to remember how trifling are the causes which may lead to
consequences so serious, and in this way learn to feel for those whose
forgetfulness or momentary inattention may be visited with such severity.