This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. http://books.google.com 3%. SJ3. LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE EARL OF ST. VINCENT. VOL. I. EASLL ©F ST Y OT, hnA&uaxil of i -" - ^' LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE / . : JOHN, EARL OF ST. VINCENT, G. C. B., ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET, &c. &c. &c. EDWARD PELHAM BRENTON, CAPTAIN IN HER MAJESTY'S NAVY, AUTHOR OF THE " NAVAL HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. " ETC. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON : HENRY COL BURN, PUBLISHER, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1838. s3 3. LONDON : T. SHOBERI., JDN., LEICESTER STREET. LEICESTER SQUARE. TO THE RT. HON. THE EARL OF MINTO, FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY, THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY HIS LORDSHIP'S MOST OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. When the printing of this work was nearly completed, I received " Sir John Barrow's Life of Lord Howe;" and, as the author of that book and myself appear to have touched on the same subjects, it may be right to say, that we have held no previous communication together. In a note at p. 428 of Sir J. Barrow's book, mention is made of the loss of a letter written by Earl Howe to Earl St. Vincent. It is my duty to state, that neither my sister nor myself ever saw that document. If I had been in pos session of it, I should have sent it to Sir John Barrow for his work, or should have published it in my own. I should not, however, now have alluded to the subject, if it had not been pain fully associated in my mind with the affidavit of the Executors of Earl St. Vincent, spoken Vlll PREFACE. of at p. 7 of this volume. Our researches in the muniment room were limited to the " Letter and Order Books." We never presumed to look at any letters addressed to his lordship. I have lately learnt with much concern the death of Mr. Newnham Collingwood. Had I known it earlier, I should not have spoken of him with any mark of disapprobation ; and I trust, even as it is, his surviving relatives will not think I have treated him with any thing like personal disrespect. In the following pages I have endeavoured to draw a faithful picture from life. My duty was to avoid every thing like concealment, extenuation, or flattery. Professing to be of no party, I may, probably, subject myself to the censure of many, but I shall have the satisfaction of knowing, that impartial men will concur with me; and, wanting this, I should still have the approval of my own con science. A partizan can never be relied on, either as a biographer or an historian. 1 8, York Street, Gloucester Place, February 10th, 1838. LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE EARL ST. VINCENT. CHAPTER I. Preliminary Observations — Origin of these Memoirs — Genealogy of Earl St. Vincent — Early Life — Education — Removed to Greenwich School — Is diverted from the Law by the advice of his Father's Coachman — Determines to go to sea — Runs away from School and conceals himself on shipboard — Distress of his Mother and Sisters — He obtains the consent of his Parents, and is introduced to Lady Burlington — By her to Commodore Townshend — Joins the Glou cester, and sails for Jamaica — His bill Protested — His Resolution — He is Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant — Serves at Quebec with General Wolfe and Sir Charles Saunders, and is made Commander — He obtains Post rank — Is appointed to the Alarm, the first coppered frigate — She is nearly lost at Marseilles — Is appointed to the Foudroyant — Is in Lord Keppel's Action — Observations on that affair. As the present work owes its origin to my in timate personal acquaintance with the noble and distinguished individual who is the subject of it, I think it well at the outset to make a brief allusion to the circumstances which afForded me the honour and advantage of that acquaintance, VOL. I. B A PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS: and which ultimately led to the commencement and completion of the present undertaking. The connection of my family with the Earl of St. Vincent was owing to one of those fortuitous circumstances which are so frequent in the naval service. My brother, the present Rear- Admiral Sir Jahleel Brenton, had been ap pointed first lieutenant of the Alliance store- ship, bound to the Mediterranean with supplies for the fleet on that station ; but, just before she sailed, he received a private letter informing him that he was appointed first lieutenant of the Diamond, a very fine frigate, at that time com manded by his friend Sir Sidney Smith. Delighted with this piece of good fortune, my brother immediately made it known to his captain, the late worthy and gallant Vice- Admiral Cumming ; but that officer told him, that, situated as he then was, on the eve of sailing with so important a charge, he could not allow him to quit the ship until his successor had joined. That successor, fortunately, as it turned out, did not join, and the ship proceeded to Gibraltar, and thence to Corsica. At the latter place, my brother, through the kindness of his captain, represented his situation to Sir John Jervis, who sent for him, inquired into his private history, and then said to him, " I have PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 3 appointed you first lieutenant of the Gibraltar, of eighty guns. Go to Calder, and he will tell you more about it." After the Gibraltar had received so much damage on the Pearl Rock in 1796, (her escape from which danger was altogether miraculous — see Naval History) she was ordered to England. Sir John Jervis removed my brother into the Barfleur, and, after the glorious termination of the battle of the 14th February, took him into the Ville de Paris. He then inquired if he had any brothers ; — " for," said he, " I will do the best I can for the sons of officers." On being informed that my youngest brother was in the Romney, with his godfather, Sir James Wallace, on the Newfoundland station, he sent for him, and as soon as he had served his time, made him a lieutenant in the Petterel sloop of war. * The admiral then inquired for me, and, being informed that I was with Vice-Admiral the Honourable William Waldegrave, he said he could not do better for me at that time. As soon, however, as the Vice- Admiral was succeeded on the Newfoundland station by Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Pole, Lord St. Vincent, who had, in the • He was subsequently, after some very successful cruises, and having made many valuable captures, morlally wounded in hoarding a French letter of marque off Barcelona. b2 * PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. mean time, come to the head of the Admiralty, wrote to him, and asked him to promote me. Sir Charles never had a vacancy as long as I was with him ; but I was instantly removed from sixth to be first lieutenant of the Agincourt, his flag ship. In the following year, I was removed to go out in the Theseus to the East Indies, with my friend Admiral Waldegrave, after wards Lord Radstock. But this arrangement was not effected, his lordship never having hoisted his flag again ; and the Theseus was sent out to the West Indies, with the squadron under the orders of the late Admiral Sir George Camp bell. On our arrival at Jamaica, I was appointed commander of the Lark sloop of war. This was the act of Lord St. Vincent, who, being First Lord of the Admiralty, had included me in the promotion of the 29th of April, 1802. His kindness followed me to the day of his death ; being, as he said, " the son of an officer, and having had a brother killed in the ser vice." On my return home in the Lark, in August, 1802, I paid off my ship at Woolwich, and waited on his lordship at the Admiralty. He received me very kindly ; and, in the following year, on the renewal of the war, he gave me the ORIGIN OF THESE MEMOIRS. O command of the Merlin sloop of war. I saw no more of Lord St. Vincent until I returned from the coast of North America in the Spartan, in 1813, when he invited me to Rochetts. My eldest sister had long been staying there on a visit to Lady St. Vincent, and indeed the whole of my family at different times experienced the greatest attentions from him. During this visit, his Lordship frequently led me to converse with him on many subjects connected with the naval service, and, by the depth of his observa tions, soon convinced me that he had a master mind. Deeply sensible of the advantages I thus en joyed, in my free intercourse with this great man, I availed myself of every occasion to obtain his opinions and sentiments, on the events of the war in which he had borne so conspicuous a share, both as a commander-in-chief and as a cabinet minister. I soon afterwards told his lordship that I committed to paper whatever he said to me on historical subjects. His answer was, " You are perfectly right, sir, I wish you to do it." En couraged by this kindness, I asked if his lord ship would have any objection to furnish me with a history of his early life, as far back as he could remember. 6 ORIGIN OF THESE MEMOIRS.