[H.M.S. ALEXANDER’S MARINE-GRENADIERS RE-ENACTMENT UNIT (PART OF H.R.G.M)] H.M.S. Alexander 1798-1800 Andrea Portelli [13.02.2011] A short essay about the contribution by 74-Gun H.M.S. Alexander during the Mediterranean, particularly at the Battle of Aboukir Bay and in Maltese waters. Table of Contents: Origins - Page 1 H.M.S. Alexander in the Mediterranean and the Battle of Aboukir Bay – Pages 2-7 Siege of Malta – Pages 8-10 Action on 18th February 1800 – Pages 10-11 End of H.M.S. Alexander Page 12 Bibliography Page 13 1 Origins: HMS Alexander was designed by Sir John Williams and constructed at Deptford Dockyards in England. She was launched on 8th October 1778. 1 The vessel was named after Alexander the Great. HMS Alexander in the Mediterranean and the Battle of Aboukir Bay: Prior to 1798, there was no British naval activity going on in the Mediterranean. However the British authorities felt that a naval presence was necessary for many reasons; The presence of an allied fleet in the Mediterranean could have shaped diplomatic relations by coaxing Austria back into the war. Subsequently the need for the Royal Navy to sail to the Mediterranean was precipitated even further when the intelligence reports were coming in that there was a strong French army and naval presence in Toulon and the North Italian ports, with the intention of sailing to Egypt. From there the French would have marched on to India; Britain’s crown jewel and major possession in East. 2 This had prompted Sir George John Spencer, First Lord of the Admiralty, to recommend the recently promoted Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson to sail into the Mediterranean with a naval detachment under his command, to scout and investigate what the French were up to in the Mediterranean.3 By the orders issued to Nelson’s Superior, The Earl of St. Vincent, on 2nd May 1798, Nelson set sail into the Mediterranean with the sloop HMS Bonne Citoyenne, frigates HMS 1 http://bob.plord.net/Ships/Period1/GreatBritain/Alexander.html 2 Robert Gardiner, Nelson against Napoleon : From the Nile to Copenhagen , Chatam Publishing, London 1997 p. 18 3 Ibid. 2 Caroline, HMS Flora ,HMS Terpischore, and three 74 gun vessels HMS Alexander, HMS Orion and HMS Vanguard (Nelson’s flagship).4 It is during this mission that HMS Alexander displayed an act of great service to the squadron, when on 20th May 1798 the squadron encountered a rough storm leaving the Vanguard dismasted and almost lost to the seas. However HMS Alexander, Commanded by Captain Sir Alexander Ball, hooked a series of lines onto the ship and managed to tow it safely to a Sardinian bay.5 HMS Alexander (background) towing HMS Vanguard (foreground) to safety following the storm After receiving word that Napoleon had sailed off for Egypt in June 1798, Nelson gave chase and sent HMS Alexander and HMS Swiftsure ahead to scout. 6 However, Nelson had discovered the presence of the main French Fleet off Aboukir Bay on 1st August 1798, and so one of the greatest naval battles in history was to take place. The battle raged on for the whole day, and as 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid p. 30 3 it was getting dark, HMS Alexander and HMS Swiftsure joined in the battle after returning from their previous reconnaissance, only to discover the French fleet ahead of them. 7 The French fleet was positioned in a defensive line, with shoals right ahead of them, thus making them unable to manouevre . Upon returning from its reconnaissance, HMS Alexander sailed and anchored off alongside the gap between L’Orient (Napoleon’s flagship), and Franklin. HMS Alexander eventually sailed between the gap of L’Orient and Le Tonnant and anchored off at port quarter, thus rendering L’Orient ineffective and unable to return fire. 8 7 Ibid p. 33 8 Ibid. 4 The Battle of Aboukir Bay 1st August 1798 at around 8.30pm (note HMS Alexander) 5 It was during the Battle of the Nile that Captain Ball achieved a distinction and was also wounded during the engagement, which testifies courage and loyalty towards the King’s navy.9 HMS Alexander and HMS Swiftsure were now focusing their fire on L’Orient and Swiftsure’s Captain Hallowell noticed that a fire broke out on L’Orient at around 9pm. The fire had reached the powder magazine below and the L’Orient blew up with an ear-shattering blast. HMS Alexander, which was still close by, was set on fire by the flaming debris but the fire was soon put out by sailing into the wind and by a series of bucket brigades organized by the crew. 10 Captain Ball later claimed that the fire broke out on L’Orient as a result of an incendiary device thrown by one of HMS Alexander’s lieutenants and as a result had prepared his ship against incendiaries and the inevitable hail of fire by L’Orient: “All the shrouds and sails of the ship, not absolutely necessary for its immediate management, were thoroughly wetted and so rolled up, that they were as hard and as little inflammable as so many solid cylinders of wood; every sailor had his appropriate place and function, and a certain number were appointed as firemen, whose sole duty it was to be on the watch if any part of the vessel should take fire.”11 In the end, the Battle of Aboukir Bay was a heroic victory by the Royal Navy, were almost every single French vessel was either destroyed or captured. 9 Michael Galea, Sir Alexander John Ball and Malta: The Beginning of an Era , PEG Publications, Marsa 1990 p. 6 10 Gardiner, Op. cit. p. 35 11 Nicolas Tracy, Nelson’s Battles: The Art of Victory in the Age of Sail, Chatam Publishing, London 1996 p. 118 6 A drawing depicting the heroic victory by the Royal Navy, Nelson and his officers at Aboukir Bay August 1798. Captain Alexander Ball of HMS Alexander is depicted in the top row, 2nd from right. 7 A Portrait of Captain Sir Alexander Ball (Captain of HMS Alexander) dated c. 1805 The Siege of Malta: The Maltese initially accepted their new French Republican masters in June 1798, however the subsequent pillaging of Maltese Churches which ensued had enraged the pious Maltese. Thus on 2nd September 1798 the Maltese openly rebelled against the French Garrison stationed at Mdina and established a National Assembly to request for foreign assistance. 12 12 Patrick Moiné, A Great Coxcomb…, Trafalgar Chronicle (July 22nd 2002) p. 9 8 On 19th September 1798 a Portuguese Squadron under the command of Admiral De Nizza Reale, originally meant to sail for the Nile to reinforce Nelson, appeared off Malta. On the 4th October 1798 Nelson had ordered Captain Ball and HMS Alexander: “You are hereby required and directed to proceed in His Majesty’s Ship Alexander, under your command, off the Island of Malta, taking with you the Ships named in the margin (HMS Terpischore, Bonne Citoyenne and Incendiary), whose Captains have my orders to follow your directions, and to use your endeavour to blockade the Ports of that Island, so, as to prevent the escape of French Ships now in that place....."13 Subsequently the Kingdom of Naples had promised to aid Malta in the form of vessels carrying provisions. Nelson later instructed Ball: “You are hereby required and directed to take under your command His Sicilian Majesty’s Frigates the Sirena and RetuZa whose captains have my orders to follow your directions, and the stores which they have on board for the Maltese people you will order to be landed in such places on the Island as the General or Elect of the Maltese people may require”.14 Although the French had locked themselves up in the 3 cities / Grand Harbour area following the popular Maltese revolts, Gozo still featured a French garrison based at the Citadella in present day Victoria. The commandant of the Citadel, Lieutenant-Colonel Lochey, had refused to capitulate despite harassment from all sides by the local militia. Nelson had ordered Captain Alexander Ball to sail HMS Alexander to Gozo to send an offer of surrender to the French commandant stationed at the Citadel. The offer was accepted on 28th October 1798 and John Creswell, the Captain of HMS Alexander’s Marines, had assumed temporary command of the 13 Ibid. 14 Galea, Op. Cit. p 29 9 Citadel15 until the day after when the deputies of the Island took command and hoisted the colours of King Ferdinand of Naples. 16 On April 25th 1799 a French fleet of 25 men-of-war (heavily armed battleships) had managed to sail out of Brest and avoid the Royal Navy in the English Channel. This fleet was to sail to Malta to reinforce the French Republican forces stationed there. This was an alarming affair for Lord Nelson who had to temporarily lift the blockade of Malta by calling HMS Alexander and the other vessels to Sicily.17 However, the affair seems to have been a false alarm as the French fleet never made it to Malta. Thus HMS Alexander sailed back to Malta on 30th June 1799 to resume the blockade.18 Action on 18th February 1800: A crucial battle was in store for HMS Alexander and her fellow vessels in 1800. Word got out that a French squadron had left from Toulon for Malta on 7th February. This squadron had been sent to relieve the French Garrison in Malta with the necessary provisions, which consisted of food, ammunition and around 4000 soldiers.