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
[16] Brigade of Guards:--Earl Ludlow, Sir Charles Morgan,
Captains Eld, Greville, Asgill, and Perrin. Captain Saumarez,
23rd, or Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Captain Coote, 37th Regiment.
Captains Graham and Barclay, 76th Regiment. Captains Arbuthnot
and Hathorn, 80th Regiment. Captain ----, name unknown.
Captain Saumarez being the senior officer of the British troops, during
the time they were prisoners at Winchester and at York Town, in
Pennsylvania, had the charge and superintendence of 3000 men, stationed
at each of these places during nineteen months, which caused the
greatest anxiety, and often-times the utmost distress. In consequence of
his unremitting zeal and exertions upon this arduous service for the
comfort and welfare of the soldiers under his superintendence, as well
as to prevent their deserting to the enemy, from whom they received
every enticement to do so, he was frequently offered passports and
encouragements to go to England, and abandon the soldiers, by the
American authorities; but flattering himself that he was most useful to
them, and being impelled by a sense of public duty, he voluntarily
continued a prisoner on parole, until, in May 1783, he had the
satisfaction at the end of the war of conducting the first division of
the army to New York, where upon his arrival he was honoured in
obtaining the thanks and approval for his conduct from Sir Guy Carleton,
the Commander-in-chief, and also from the Field Officers of the Royal
Welsh Fusiliers.
Soon after his arrival within the British lines, he was permitted to
embark for England. On landing at Portsmouth, he had the mortification
of hearing he had been placed on half-pay, in consequence of the army
having been reduced, although he had fought in three general actions,
several skirmishes, and two sieges, since he purchased his company in
1779. Having repeatedly offered his services, he was preferred to a
company in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1787, upon the augmentation of
the army, and when war was expected to take place; but was unfortunately
reduced three months after, as the peace continued. In 1789, he was
appointed to a company in the 7th or Royal Fusilier regiment, and joined
it in Scotland: soon after he embarked at Leith for Gibraltar, to join
his colonel, his Royal Highness Prince Edward, who was pleased to form a
company selected from all the bad and worst-behaved soldiers in the
regiment, and appointed Captain Saumarez to command and take charge of
them: some time after this, he was honoured with his Royal Highness's
best thanks, for the reformation he had caused in the conduct and
discipline of these men, and for doing this without corporal punishment.
The Duke was pleased to honour him with the appointment of Equerry, and
afterwards of Groom of the Chamber to his Royal Highness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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