Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Exmouth, Edward Pellew, Viscount, 1757-1833
In no former general action had the casualties been so great in
proportion to the force employed. One hundred and twenty-eight were
killed, and six hundred and ninety wounded, in the British ships, and
thirteen killed and fifty-two wounded in the Dutch squadron. Yet,
except the _Impregnable_, which had fifty men killed, no ship suffered
so much as is usual in a severe engagement. Generally, in fleet actions,
the brunt of the battle, and the chief amount of losses, fall upon a
few; but here every ship had her allotted duty, and was closely engaged
throughout. After the _Impregnable_, the frigates suffered the most,
particularly the _Granicus_, which took a line-of-battle ship's station;
and the _Leander_, which was much cut up by the Fish-market and other
batteries, and as late as seven o'clock was obliged to carry out a
hawser to _the Severn_, to enable her to bear her broadside upon one
which annoyed her. The loss in the other line-of-battle ships was
remarkably small. They had together but twenty-six killed, including the
casualties in their respective boats.
Lord Exmouth escaped most narrowly. He was struck in three places; and a
cannon-shot tore away the skirts of his coat. A button was afterwards
found in the signal locker; and the shot broke one of the glasses and
bulged the rim of the spectacles in his pocket. He gave the spectacles
to his valued friend, the late gallant Sir Richard Keats, who caused
their history to be engraven on them, and directed, that when he died,
they should be restored to Lord Exmouth's family, to be kept as a
memorial of his extraordinary preservation.
On the 28th, at daylight, Lieutenant Burgess was sent on shore with a
flag of truce, and the demands of the preceding morning; the
bomb-vessels at the same time resuming their positions. The captain of
one of the destroyed frigates met the boat, and declared that an answer
had been sent on the day before, but that no boat was at hand to receive
it. Shortly after, the captain of the port came off, accompanied by the
Swedish consul, and informed Lord Exmouth that all his demands would be
submitted to. On the morning of the 29th, the captain of the port came
off again, being now accompanied by the British consul; upon which
Captain Brisbane, of the flag-ship, went on shore, and had a conference
with the Dey. Sir Charles Penrose, whom the Admiral had expected to the
last, arrived this day in the _Ister_ frigate, from Malta, where he had
waited for his expected orders, until he heard that Lord Exmouth was in
the Mediterranean. Lord Exmouth committed to him the management of the
negotiations, the only compliment he could now offer. Where nothing
remained but submission for the vanquished, the arrangements were soon
concluded, and next day the final result was officially communicated to
the fleet.
"_Queen Charlotte_, Algiers Bay, August 30, 1816.
"General Memorandum.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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