Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez, Vol. IRoss, John, Sir
History
Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez, Vol. I
Ross, John, Sir
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Saumarez, James, 1757-1836
I immediately sent Mr. Parker to take possession of the ship,
and send the first and second captains on board the Crescent.
They informed me that the ship they had surrendered was La
Reunion, mounting thirty-six guns and three hundred and
twenty-one men. When we came into action, another frigate was in
sight to the eastward, which we took to be her consort; we
therefore lost no time to exchange prisoners, and repair our
damages, in the best manner we could: she, however, proved to be
the Circe, and joined us four hours after the action ceased.
The circumstance that has made me most happy from this
engagement is, that we have not had a single person hurt by the
enemy, and but one man injured, who had his leg fractured by the
recoil of a gun. There being little wind the sea was perfectly
calm; and I had the satisfaction to observe that most of our
shot were perfectly well directed. The enemy's frigate is indeed
most sadly a wreck, thirty-four men killed and eighty-four
wounded, many of them mortally; one officer only has suffered,
being badly wounded. She was commanded by Citizen Denain,
capitaine de vaisseau, to whose obstinacy they ascribe the
sacrifice of many lives.
It is unnecessary for me to observe, my dear Richard, the great
happiness I derive from the consciousness that this event will
afford you and all our friends particular satisfaction. My dear
Martha, too,--I scarcely know how I shall disclose the
circumstance to her; it embarrasses me as much as if it were a
mournful subject. One observation is incumbent on me to make,
namely, that Captain Yorke used every possible exertion to join
us sooner, and that he has most readily afforded us every
assistance we required,
I now remain, your ever affectionate brother,
JAS. SAUMAREZ.
Captain Saumarez had now realized his ardent desire for an opportunity
of distinguishing himself, such as was afforded to his gallant
brother-officer of the Nymphe; and it is a singular coincidence that
each should have written to his brother on the day of action, under
similar circumstances of triumph and excitement. These interesting
documents seem to have decided the superiority of the British over the
French navy, at the commencement of the French revolution, and in
reference to that of Saumarez, we cannot but dwell with admiration on
the humility and acuteness of feeling with which it is replete!
The Circe, which had joined four hours after the action, was
despatched to Guernsey to execute the service on which Captain
Saumarez had been ordered; but the Crescent and her prize, in
proceeding to Spithead, were detained by light winds and calms. On the
22nd, she arrived off the Isle of Wight, when Lieutenant Otter was
sent to Portsmouth in the boat with the following official letter:
Crescent, off the Isle of Wight, 22d Oct. 1793.
SIR,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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