1801.
Observations on the Battle of Algeziras.--Copies of the Journals
of the Spencer, Audacious, and Venerable.--Remarks on
them.--Further particulars.--The Spanish account.--The French
account.--Bulletin from the Moniteur.--Anecdote of an occurrence
at St. Malo.--Sword presented to Linois.--Lines on the
occasion.--His improvement of Naval tactics.--Epigram.--Anecdote
of the intrepidity of one of the Caesar's men.
It has been mentioned in the preceding chapter that, owing chiefly to
the minutes of Captain Ferris's court-martial, and to the
discrepancies in different statements, a controversy has arisen on the
subject. In order to avoid the possibility of our becoming a party
thereto, correct copies of the logs, which are now at the Record
Office in the Admiralty, are subjoined, after having been compared
with those at Somerset House.
Copy of the Log of his Majesty's ship Spencer, 6th July 1801.
Moderate and cloudy,--spoke his Majesty's ship Caesar, which
informed us of having intelligence of three sail of French
line-of-battle ships and a frigate being in Algeziras
Bay,--answered the signal to prepare for battle at
anchor,--employed clearing ship for battle at anchor; at 6h.
Apes hill S.E.; at half-past 6 beat the general to
quarters,--ship clear for action; A.M. light airs and variable;
at 4h. sprung up a breeze from the westward; at 7h. 58m. saw
three French sail-of-the-line and one frigate, lying under the
protection of the Spanish batteries of Algeziras, and a strong
fortified island to the southward, and a number of forts and
redoubts to the westward of them.
At 8h. 17m. the batteries commenced firing on the Venerable,
Pompee, and Audacious,--Venerable commenced firing; at 9h. 11m.
we commenced firing; at 9h. 35m. found the sheet-cable cut
through by the enemy's shot; at 9h. 48m. anchored between the
Caesar and the Hannibal, Audacious astern, the Pompee on our
larboard bow, having a battery and the French Admiral's ship to
oppose us on our larboard beam, a battery and gun-boats ahead;
at 10h. 33m. dismasted and disabled a gun-boat that was rowing
to the assistance of the others; at 10h. 39m. cut the cable per
Admiral's order whilst wearing,--the gun-boats attempted to
approach us from under the land, but the brisk fire that was
kept up made them retreat in great disorder; at 11h. 3m.
answered the signal to come to the wind on the larboard tack
(No. 98); at 11h. 7m. commenced firing at the outer ships of the
enemy, which was kept up at intervals.
At 11h. 37m. observed the Hannibal under the batteries at the
north end of the town, with her main-top-mast shot away and
aground, but keeping up a brisk fire on the enemy's ships and
batteries; P.M. Hannibal still on shore, but keeping up a brisk
fire at the enemy's ships and batteries; at 1h. 16m. observed
the Hannibal to slacken her fire, shortly after the ensign
hauled down and hoisted union downwards; at 1h. 35m. observed
the enemy's boats boarding the Hannibal; at 1h. 44m. ceased
firing,--found the ship had suffered considerably in her hull,
having several shots on both sides between wind and water. Our
loss in the action was six killed, twenty-seven badly wounded,
two of whom died of their wounds. The fore-mast, bowsprit,
main-top-mast, main-top-gallant yard, and main-top-sail yard
badly wounded; the boats and booms shot through in several
places; the cutter and yawl that were towing astern were sunk by
the enemy. At 6h. 30m. anchored per signal, and moored ship in
Rosia Bay, Gibraltar.
The following is a correct copy of the Audacious's log, at Somerset
House.
This log, like the former, begins in the evening of the 5th July 1801.
Wind S.W. P.M. moderate and hazy; half-past 2 tacked,--Cape
Trafalgar S.E. three or four leagues,--got springs on the
anchors; at 8h. standing up the Gut of Gibraltar,--Admiral S. by
W. three-quarters of a mile; at 12h. taken aback, came to the
wind on the land-tack; at 6h. Gibraltar Rock N. by E. four or
five leagues,--shortened sail to let the Pompee go ahead to her
station; at half-past 7, saw the enemy's ships at anchor in
Algeziras Roads, consisting of three line-of-battle ships, a
frigate, gun-boats, &c.; three-quarters past 7, the batteries
commenced firing on our ships as they passed; twenty minutes
past 8, the enemy's ships began to fire on our ships; at
half-past 8, the action became hot on both sides,--the
Venerable, Pompee, and Audacious as yet only in action; at
half-past 9, the Caesar, Spencer, and Hannibal joined the action
against the ships and batteries; at 11h. cut the cables, and
tried to tow the ship's head round to the eastward, to bring
the ship's broadside to bear on her opponent, but without
effect; by this time the sails and rigging being much cut up,
and the ship unmanageable, got the kedge anchor with a five-inch
hawser out on the starboard bow, and succeeded in bringing the
broadside to bear; at noon, light airs inclining to
calm,--Caesar, Spencer, under way, still in action.
P.M. dark weather; at forty-five minutes past 12, the Venerable
and Pompee hauled to the wind on the starboard tack; at 1h. cut
the sheet-cable, and slipped the end of the kedge hawser, and
spring on the sheet-anchor,--got the boats ahead to tow,--found
the ship drifting under the island fort, which did us
considerable injury,--the rocks close under the lee-bow,--cut
away the best bower-anchor to check her head, and bring her
broadside to bear, it being calm; at twenty minutes past 1, a
light breeze sprung up off-shore,--cut away the best
bower-cable, and made sail on the starboard tack,--observed the
Hannibal on shore, and the enemy take possession of her; at 4h.
anchored in Rosia Bay, Gibraltar.
The next is the journal of Captain Hood of the Venerable.
6th July 1801.
Monday, 6th July, wind variable off Algeziras,--Gibraltar Bay,
light breezes, and variable,--the captain went on board the
Caesar,--all sail set,--squadron in company,--the captain
returned,--got the sheet-cable through the stern-port, and bent
it to the anchor,--got springs on the sheet and bower-anchors;
at 2h. Captain Hood went on board the Admiral; at 3h.
returned,--received a midshipman and seven men per the Plymouth
lugger, and from the Boladore, Spanish lugger; at 4h. Cape
Trafalgar, N.E. seven or eight miles,--all sail set,--made and
shortened sail occasionally for the squadron, and tacked
occasionally,--A.M. do. weather; at 4h. made more sail; at 7h.
discovered the enemy, consisting of three two-decked ships and a
frigate, with an Admiral's flag flying, at anchor under the town
and batteries of Algeziras, protected by many gun-boats,
&c.--all sail set, standing in for the enemy, followed by the
Pompee, Audacious, Caesar, Spencer, and Hannibal; at 7h. 50m. the
batteries opened their fire on us,--Pompee and Audacious one
mile and a half distant from us astern.
At 8h. it fell calm; at 8h. 20m. the Pompee and Audacious,
bringing up the breeze, passed us to windward, when the enemy's
ships opened their fire on us; at 8h. 14m. a light air sprung
up,--passed the Audacious to leeward, at which time the Pompee
and Audacious opened their fire; at 8h. 20m. the breeze dying
away, came to with the sheet-anchor, as did the Pompee and
Audacious,--hove in the spring; and at 8h. 30m. opened our fire
on the French Admiral's ship: at 10h. the Caesar anchored on our
bow, and sent a spring on board of us; at the same time the
action became general, and the Hannibal got on shore, after
attempting to cut off the French Admiral's ship.
At 10h. 20m. the Pompee drifted between us and the French
Admiral's,--hove in our spring, and brought our guns to bear on
the other enemy's ship on our bow, and the other's stern: at
12h. the Pompee drifted between our fire and the enemy's,--slipt
the sheet-cable, and eight-inch hawser, the spring, with the
intention of getting alongside the enemy's southernmost
ship,--light air springing up at the time from the N.E.; in
awaiting this opportunity, the mizen-top-mast, fore-braces, and
jibb halyards, with various other standing and running rigging,
shot away, and main-mast badly wounded: at 11h. 15m. breeze
dying away prevented our intention,--opened our fire on the
southernmost ship; at 12h. calm and hazy,--Caesar, Hannibal,
Audacious, Spencer, and us still firing on the enemy's ships,
batteries, and gun-boats,--boats of the squadron towing off the
Pompee to Gibraltar; P.M. calm,--still firing on the enemy's
ships, which were warping farther in-shore.
At 12h. 40m. sent Lieutenant Collis in the pinnace to assist the
Hannibal; at 1h. 40m. finding it impossible to near the enemy's
ships with safety, it being calm, and a strong current setting
in-shore, their batteries firing red-hot shot and throwing
shells, ceased the action as per signal, as did the other ships,
and steered for Gibraltar,--observed the Hannibal ceased firing,
and hoist the colours reversed, having her fore and mainmasts
shot away, and being in ten foot water, rendered all assistance
useless.
24 Nov. 1801.[36]
S. HOOD.
[36] The journal of Lieutenant Collis of the Venerable, the
officer who was sent to assist the Hannibal, and was taken
prisoner when on board, but who was sent to Gibraltar on parole,
need not be given, as it is an exact copy of the captain's log.
Thus the logs and journals of the captains and officers of the
Spencer, Audacious, Venerable, and Caesar, all agree that the Hannibal
struck her colours between 1h. 20m. and 1h. 40m. The Pompee, being by
this time near the Mole at Gibraltar, could not see nor take minutes
of that circumstance. The Spencer, according to her position at that
time, was in the best situation for seeing the Hannibal, and
accordingly her log is the most particular. The Caesar's log need not
be given, as it would be merely a repetition of Captain Brenton's
narrative. All these agree with Colonel Connolly's testimony, and
their evidence is quite conclusive as to the following facts; namely,
that the Hannibal struck her colours before the main-mast fell; that
these colours were hoisted union down by the enemy, who had possession
of the ship before the boats came alongside from the Venerable and
Caesar, and that to save her was quite impossible.
The following further particulars relative to the action are given in
the extract of a letter from an officer of the Caesar, dated at
Gibraltar:
There is one point that needs explanation; namely, when the
Caesar cut her cable at half-past ten o'clock, it was from a fine
breeze springing up, and the hope of closing with the enemy.
Orders were given for that purpose to the Audacious and
Venerable; the Caesar wore round them, and brought her broadside
to bear on the Indomptable's bow, lying there (about three
cables distant from her) a considerable time, with the
fore-top-sail to the mast (aback). The Audacious, bringing up a
breeze from the north-west, passed between us and the enemy,
who, in this part of the day, suffered materially, his
fore-top-mast going about five minutes before twelve o'clock.
Shortly afterwards, the Audacious and Caesar were becalmed upon
the broadside of the Indomptable, without being able to bring
one of their guns to bear,--the Caesar not more than three
cables' length from the island battery, and the Audacious still
nearer,--both ships drifting on the reef.
It was at this time that Sir James Saumarez formed the
resolution of attacking the island with marines. Boats were
signalised for the purpose; but, being all employed with the
Pompee, or sunk by the enemy's fire, it was found
impracticable. A breeze again sprung up, and Sir James directed
his ship to be laid alongside of the Indomptable, in the firm
resolution of carrying her. The sails were trimmed for that
purpose as well as the crippled state of the masts would allow,
but a calm ensued. The Venerable had never received the breeze
from the time of her cutting, and still lay unmanageable. The
Spencer had drifted considerably in repairing her rigging.
The following is a translation of the Spanish official account of the
battle of Algeziras, 6th July 1801:
The division of three French line-of-battle ships and one
frigate, under the command of Rear-admiral Citizen Linois, that
sailed from the road of Toulon on the 25th last June, destined
for Cadiz, came in sight of this station and bay on the 1st of
July; and, the Levant wind having failed on entering the
Straits, they cruised between the coast of Africa and that of
Europe, in which they captured the English brig of war the
Speedy, of sixteen guns, that was a Mahon packet, and was
conducting to Gibraltar a prize, the merchant brig the Union,
loaded with oil and provisions.
The continuation of the westerly winds obliged the said division
to come into this port on the 5th instant, at seven in the
evening. From that moment, recollecting the desperate attacks of
the English at Alexandria and Copenhagen, we could not but
expect that their squadron, which had been seen off Cadiz on the
3rd instant, under the command of Rear-admiral Saumarez, would
come and attack this division. So it happened.
As soon as the English received intelligence where the French
had anchored, they steered directly for the Straits; and, on the
6th instant, at half-past six in the morning, six English ships
doubled the Point of Carnero, and, coming round the island of
Algeziras, advanced in a line within half cannon-shot of the
French ships. The batteries of St. Garcia and the island opened
their fire upon the English; and afterwards the frigate and
republican ships.
As soon as the English line came opposite the French ships at
anchor, they opened upon them an animated, bold, and unremitting
fire. The English Admiral having placed himself against the
French, and the British ship Hannibal being under sail,
cannonaded furiously the French Admiral, who, with superior
spirit and success, resisted them; insomuch that, having carried
away the Admiral's mizen-mast, and sails of the main and
fore-mast, with no small damage of his hull, the commander of
the English ship Hannibal, despising the fire from the battery
of St. Jago, pushed on to his succour; and, intending to place
the French Admiral between two fires, by running between him and
the shore, had the imprudence, being unacquainted with his
position, to place himself within a quarter of a gun-shot of the
battery, and ran aground. He relieved his Admiral, who, after
this, went out of the action; but he lost his own ship and crew,
as the fire from the battery and French Admiral dismantled him,
and killed three parts of his ship's company.
Until this ship's surrender, which was about the time of the
retreat of the English Admiral, the fire was constant upon the
two French ships and frigate, as well as upon the seven Spanish
gun-boats, the batteries of the island, St. Garcia, St. Jago, La
Almiranta, and Almirante, which, as opportunity offered,
returned their fire.
The battle lasted from half-past eight o'clock in the morning,
when the fort of St. Garcia opened its fire, till two in the
afternoon, when the last shot was fired from the French ship
Indomptable. The persevering, active, and tremendous fire of the
enemy, and that of the two nations (French and Spanish), were
only distinguishable by the prudence, skill, and greatness of
soul with which the allied chiefs directed theirs, and the
audacity, temerity, and confusion which were shown in that of
the English. The idea of this kind of fighting, which we form
from the account of the battles of Alexandria and Copenhagen,
does not, in proportion to the numbers engaged, bear any
comparison with that of Algeziras, either in point of bloodiness
or obstinacy.
The English, after having left the glory and the field of battle
to the two nations, covered with shame, and taught by
dear-bought experience, have only given an unequivocal proof of
their inveterate hatred to France and Spain; since, not being
able to obtain any advantage over the French and Spanish forces,
they directed their fire against an inoffensive town, which
received no small injury in the buildings. This is the only
glory which the arms of Great Britain have to boast of.
The Pompee was towed out of the action by eight boats, who came
to her succour from the garrison of Gibraltar. She was kept
afloat by casks, or otherwise could not have been brought in.
The ships of the French Republic which sustained this attack
were the Formidable, 84, Citizen Linois; Dessaix, 74, Moncousu,
killed; L'Indomptable, 84, La Londe, killed; the frigate Muiron,
36, Martinencq; five Spanish gun-boats damaged, and two sunk. In
the French ships, three hundred and six killed; one hundred and
eighty-four wounded. We suppose in the English squadron above
five hundred are killed, and from two hundred and seventy to two
hundred and eighty wounded.
MADRID GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY.
Merida, 10 July 1801.
The general commandant of the camp at St. Roque, in a despatch
of the 6th instant, transmitted by a courier extraordinary,
communicates an account of an action which has been fought
between six sail of the line, and other vessels of war,
belonging to the English, and the French squadron of three ships
of the line, and one frigate, lying at anchor in the harbour of
Algeziras; and of the glorious result which has taken place for
his Majesty's arms, and those of the Republic, his ally.
About eight in the morning of that day, (viz. the 6th,) there
were seen, coming out of Gibraltar, one ship of eighty-four
guns, five of seventy-four, a lugger of sixteen, another of ten,
and a polacre of ten, two armed launches, and fourteen boats.
This force, under the command of a Rear-admiral, stood into
Algeziras, for the purpose of attacking the French squadron then
anchored in that port, which, as has been already stated,
consisted of three sail of the line, and one frigate. The
commanders of this squadron, being aware of the enemy's
intention, made their dispositions for defence, placing
themselves, as well as they were able, under the cover of our
batteries, and waiting in this position for his approach.
The action commenced at nine; it was very obstinate and bloody
on both sides, and likewise on the part of our batteries, which
decided the fate of the day. The action was continued till two
in the afternoon, at which hour the English drew off with the
loss of one ship of the line; taking in tow another, which was
dismasted and damaged in the hull; and having sustained very
great loss and damage in the rest of their vessels. Their loss
in men must have been considerable, as it is certain that a
great number were killed and wounded on board all the ships. The
French also have been equal sufferers, the killed and wounded
in their squadron being estimated at eight hundred: that of our
troops has been less; out of the whole, only the royal regiment
of Ronda has lost eleven men.
The fire of our batteries was so hot and well supported, that
the enemy suffered most from them; and particularly it is to
that of St. Jago we owe the capture of the English ship, for her
bold manoeuvre of attempting to pass between the French
Rear-admiral's ship, the Formidable, and the shore, made her
take the ground; and, notwithstanding the utmost exertion to put
her afloat, it being found impossible to move her, the fire from
the battery very soon dismasted her, and compelled her to
strike. The French vessels, and our batteries, have likewise
received a good deal of damage; but they are already in a course
of repair; and the most active dispositions are making in order
to cause the enemy to repent, should he have any intention of
renewing the action with troops so animated and well-conducted
as ours and the French have proved themselves in the engagement
of the 6th.
The French account of this action, as we have already noticed, was
still more exaggerated than the Spanish; and, unfortunately for the
friends and relatives of the Admiral, officers, and men of the
squadron, it made its way to England some time previously to the
_true_ accounts,--causing much uneasiness. The _Moniteur_ announced
that
On the 5th July, at eight o'clock in the morning, the cannonade
commenced against six English ships, which lost no time in
coming within musket-shot of the French vessels. The action then
became very warm. These two squadrons seemed equally animated
with a determination to conquer. If the French squadron had any
advantage in point of situation, the English had double their
force, and several of their vessels had ninety guns each:
already had the English ship, Hannibal, of seventy-four guns,
contrived to place herself between the French squadron and the
shore. It was now eleven o'clock A.M., and this proved the
decisive moment. For two hours the Formidable, the French
Admiral's ship, successfully opposed three English ships.
One of the British squadron, which was singly engaged with a
French vessel, struck her colours at three-quarters past eleven.
Immediately after, the Hannibal, exposed to the fire of three
French ships, which fired from two decks, also struck her
colours: about half-past twelve, the English squadron cut their
cables, and sailed away. The Hannibal was boarded by the
Formidable. Of six hundred men, who composed her crew, three
hundred were killed. The first ship that struck her colours was
retaken by a great number of gun-boats, and other vessels, sent
out from Gibraltar. This action covers the French arms with
glory, and shows what they are capable of accomplishing.
Rear-admiral Linois _proceeded to Cadiz with the Hannibal, in
order to repair her damage_.[37] We wait with impatience the
returns of the loss sustained by each ship.
[37] This was a gratuitous falsehood.
These accounts appear to have reached Paris on the 11th July. On the
19th, the following bulletin reached St. Malo.
Three French ships of the line and a frigate, under the command
of Rear-admiral Linois, were attacked on the 6th instant by six
English sail of the line and a frigate. The English were
completely beaten, and took refuge in Gibraltar, leaving in
possession of the French the Hannibal, of seventy-four guns:
another ship of the line had struck, but was towed off by a
great number of gun-vessels, which sailed from Gibraltar to her
relief.
About this time, the Jason frigate, having been wrecked near St. Malo,
the captain and crew were made prisoners. The author was sent in with
a flag of truce by Commodore Cunningham, of the Clyde, to negotiate
for the exchange of prisoners; when the French officer, with an air of
triumph and exultation, handed him a copy of that bulletin: but, as
soon as the negotiation was ended, the author had the pleasure of
handing to him, in return, the Gazette account of the victory of the
13th, which Sir James Saumarez had gained over Linois, and which the
Commodore had received, fortunately, on that day. The Frenchman's
chagrin may be easily imagined, when he threw down the Gazette, with
the exclamation '_Ce n'est pas vrai_!'
On the statement of Linois' victory, as it was called, reaching Paris,
a handsome sword was sent to him; which, however, did not reach him
until after his subsequent defeat. On this occasion the following
Epigram was written.
In the days of the Bourbons, a man was _rewarded_
For _standing_ the brunt of the day:
But, now, this old maxim in France is _discarded_,--
Men are honoured for _running away_!
In the French accounts nothing was mentioned of their running their
ships aground to escape from the English, which is, indeed, the only
thing Citizen Linois deserved any credit for doing. At the same time,
it could not fail to convince both the French and Spanish troops, of
the want of confidence he must have had in his crews, and of their
evident inferiority: it was certainly a new mode of fighting, which
called forth the following lines on this improvement in naval tactics.
To mar our skill, fam'd Linois, thou hast found
A certain way,--by fighting ships on _ground_;
Fix deep in sand thy centre, van, and rear,
Nor e'er St. Vincent, Duncan, Nelson, fear.
While, o'er the main, Britannia's thunder rolls,
She leaves to thee the trident of the _shoals_!
In concluding this chapter, we shall relate the following anecdote of
British heroism, derived from Captain Brenton's Naval History.
When, in the hottest part of the action at Algeziras, the Caesar
_broke her sheer_,--that is, her situation was altered by a puff
or flaw of wind so as to change the direction of her head, and
turn her round, that her guns could not be brought to bear on
her opponent,--the captain ordered the boat to be lowered down
from the stern, to convey a warp to the Audacious; but the boat
was found to be knocked to pieces by the enemy's shot. Before
other means could be resorted to, Michael Collins, a young
sailor belonging to the Caesar's mizen-top, seized the end of a
lead-line, and exclaiming, "You shall soon have a warp," darted
into the sea from the tafrail, and swam with the line to the
Audacious, where it was received, and by that means a hawser was
run out which answered the intended purpose.