Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez. Vol IIRoss, John, Sir
History
Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez. Vol II
Ross, John, Sir
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Saumarez, James, 1757-1836
At three A.M. having got the Dictator, Calypso, and prize brigs
in the fair way, we attempted to get out through the passage,
when we were assailed by a division of gun-boats from behind
the rocks, so situated that not a gun could be brought to bear
on them from either vessel. In this situation the prize brigs
grounded, and notwithstanding every exertion on the part of
Lieut. James Wilkie of this ship, who was on board the Laaland,
and had extinguished a fire on board her, which was burning
with great fury, and Lieut. Hooper of the Calypso, in the Kiel,
we had to abandon them complete wrecks, humanity forbidding us
setting them on fire, owing to the number of wounded men they
had on board.
Captain Stewart's letter concludes with the highest praise on all the
officers and men in the squadron he commanded, and subjoins a list of
nine men killed, and thirty-seven wounded and missing. The enemy
admitted that they had lost three hundred men, but it was supposed
that five hundred was nearer the number. We are sorry to record that
some of the Danish officers violated their parole and treacherously
rose on their protectors, after medical aid had been afforded them
under the sacred sanction of a flag-of-truce!
Sir James enclosed Captain Stewart's narrative in the following letter
to the Secretary of the Admiralty:
SIR,--I have the highest satisfaction in transmitting to you,
to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the
inclosed letter, which I have this day received from Captain
Stewart, of H.M.S. Dictator, detailing the particulars of a
most gallant exploit, performed by him and the two sloops and
the gun-brig named on the margin (Podargus, Calypso, and
Flamer,) upon the Danish frigate Nayaden, three large sloops of
war, and numerous gun-boats, within the Rocks of Wardoe, on the
coast of Norway, supported by batteries on the shore; in which
the enemy's frigate has been totally destroyed, and the sloops
of war completely disabled, besides several of the gun-boats
sunk. It is impossible to express in an adequate manner the
undaunted spirit displayed by Captain Stewart, and all the
officers and men under his orders, in this arduous enterprise,
which, I am assured, will be duly appreciated by their
Lordships. Captain Stewart speaks in the strongest terms of the
gallantry and zeal of Captain Robilliard, of the Podargus;
Captain Weir, of the Calypso; and Lieut. Thomas England, of the
Flamer gun-brig; he also recommends Lieut. Buchanan, first of
the Dictator, to their Lordships' favourable notice.
I have, &c. &c. &c.
JAMES SAUMAREZ.
J.W. Croker, Esq.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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