Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez, Vol. I

Name: Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez, Vol. I
Author: Ross, John, Sir

Ross, John, Sir

Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Saumarez, James, 1757-1836

I BEG you will be pleased to inform my Lords Commissioners of
   the Admiralty, that, being unable to gain Spithead from the
   prevailing calms, I have thought it expedient to despatch
   Lieutenant Otter with the intelligence I have the honour to
   convey to their lordships.

   Having been prevented by the action with La Reunion from
   complying with their lordships' orders, I directed the Hon.
   Captain Yorke, who joined me in his Majesty's ship Circe, to
   proceed with the pacquets I was charged with for the commanding
   officers of his Majesty's troops at Guernsey and Jersey, and
   from thence to proceed to St. Maloes, and return to Spithead,
   agreeable to their lordships' orders.

   I beg to observe, that Captain Yorke gave me every possible
   assistance, and has taken one hundred and sixty prisoners from
   the Reunion, which I directed him to land in the island of
   Guernsey.

   I have the honour to be, sir,
   Your most humble servant,
   JAS. SAUMAREZ.

   To Philip Stephens, Esq.

The Crescent arrived at Spithead on the following day, and with her
prize was ordered into harbour; the former to have her damages
repaired, and the latter to be surveyed and purchased for his
Majesty's service.

Before we submit the interesting official and private letters which
Captain Saumarez received on his arrival, and which may be considered
as the best proof of the sensation which this gallant action created,
it becomes our duty to state the comparative force of the two
frigates.
                                                            Weight
                                                             of
      _Crescent._  No. Size. No.  Size.    No. Size. Total. metal.
    Broadside guns 13  18pr. 4  18pr. car. 1    9pr.  36   315lbs.
      _Reunion._
    Broadside guns 13  14pr. 3  40pr. car. 4    7pr.  40   330lbs.
     Difference of guns, and of weight of shot in favour
     of La Reunion                                     4    15lbs.
        _Crescent._               Men   257     Tons 888
        _Reunion._                Men   320     Tons 951
     Difference in favour of La
     Reunion                             63           63
     N.B. The weight has been reduced to English pounds.

The Crescent lost her fore-top-mast; her sails and rigging were much
damaged, but very few shot struck her hull; and the only man hurt was
at the first broadside, when his leg was fractured by the recoil of a
gun.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

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 BEG you will be pleased to inform my Lords Commissioners of
   the Admiralty, that, being unable to gain Spithead from the
   prevailing calms, I have thought it expedient to despatch
   Lieutenant Otter with the intelligence I have the honour to
   convey to their lordships.

   Having been prevented by the action with La Reunion from
   complying with their lordships' orders, I directed the Hon.
   Captain Yorke, who joined me in his Majesty's ship Circe, to
   proceed with the pacquets I was charged with for the commanding
   officers of his Majesty's troops at Guernsey and Jersey, and
   from thence to proceed to St. Maloes, and return to Spithead,
   agreeable to their lordships' orders.

   I beg to observe, that Captain Yorke gave me every possible
   assistance, and has taken one hundred and sixty prisoners from
   the Reunion, which I directed him to land in the island of
   Guernsey.

   I have the honour to be, sir,
   Your most humble servant,
   JAS. SAUMAREZ.

   To Philip Stephens, Esq.

The Crescent arrived at Spithead on the following day, and with her
prize was ordered into harbour; the former to have her damages
repaired, and the latter to be surveyed and purchased for his
Majesty's service.

Before we submit the interesting official and private letters which
Captain Saumarez received on his arrival, and which may be considered
as the best proof of the sensation which this gallant action created,
it becomes our duty to state the comparative force of the two
frigates.
                                                            Weight
                                                             of
      _Crescent._  No. Size. No.  Size.    No. Size. Total. metal.
    Broadside guns 13  18pr. 4  18pr. car. 1    9pr.  36   315lbs.
      _Reunion._
    Broadside guns 13  14pr. 3  40pr. car. 4    7pr.  40   330lbs.
     Difference of guns, and of weight of shot in favour
     of La Reunion                                     4    15lbs.
        _Crescent._               Men   257     Tons 888
        _Reunion._                Men   320     Tons 951
     Difference in favour of La
     Reunion                             63           63
     N.B. The weight has been reduced to English pounds.

The Crescent lost her fore-top-mast; her sails and rigging were much
damaged, but very few shot struck her hull; and the only man hurt was
at the first broadside, when his leg was fractured by the recoil of a
gun.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez, Vol. I

Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez, Vol. I

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