Appendix O
James, (now the Right Honourable and Reverend Baron de Saumarez,) eldest son of Lord de Saumarez, was born at Guernsey on the 9th October 1789. Being brought up, almost from infancy, under the impression that he was intended for the church, and being naturally of a mild disposition, no idea of any other profession ever entered his mind—a circumstance which has excited general regret and considerable surprise in the naval service; as there can be no doubt that, instead of being at this day rector of a small living, he would have been at the very top of the profession of which his heroic father had been so bright an ornament. Although of the profession which was chosen for him, and in which his family had little interest, he has proved himself an excellent and useful member; still it must be confessed that there is a general feeling of disappointment among the officers of the navy, that the eldest son of their “acknowledged chief” had not embraced that honourable service.
In consequence of his father’s frequent absence, and change of station with his ship, it became necessary to send him to a place of instruction at an earlier age than usual, to avoid the danger of his being carried about from port to port,—a circumstance which could not but be felt severely by his mother. He was accordingly placed at Newport, in the Isle of Wight, with the Rev. George Richards, where he remained till the commencement of 1799. It was, however, before he was sent to school, in the year 1793, that the following occurrence took place, which will give the reader some idea of the feelings of such a family, under such circumstances, in time of war. The happiness that the gallant captain felt in visiting his family when obliged to put into port, can only be justly appreciated by the affectionate husband and father who knows the value of such happy moments, snatched as it were from the fatigue of service, and how great and substantial is the relief they afford to the anxiety of a naval life! Lady Saumarez was at this time living at Stonehouse, that she might be at hand to receive her husband when he put into Plymouth; their eldest son was his mother’s companion. One evening, tidings were brought to her that the Crescent had arrived and anchored in Cawsand Bay; the boy was playing in the passage with his nurse, awaiting the appearance of his father, when at length the short hasty rap was heard! All ran to the door, and in the hurry of opening it the light was extinguished, and total darkness obscured the objects of his affection; but the eager, parental tone with which the words “Where art thou, my darling boy?” were uttered, left such an impression on the mind and feelings of the son as never to have been forgotten.
Early in 1799, young Saumarez was removed to the Rev. Mr. Morgan’s grammar school at Bath. Mr. Morgan had the reputation of being an excellent master to boys of any promise; it may be inferred that he was of this denomination, as his pupil not only left the school with an excellent character, but on his going to Harrow, in the autumn of 1801, he was immediately placed on the fourth form, which had the privilege of being exempt from fagging. We have heard him express the highest gratification at having been there with Lord Byron and Sir Robert Peel, who were in the form above him.
At Harrow he employed his time so well, that he reached the head of the school; having throughout conducted himself to the satisfaction of Dr. Drury, and afterwards of Dr. Butler, who succeeded as head-master, for both of whom he entertained a sincere regard.
In the year 1807 he went to Christ Church, Oxford, where, after three years, he passed his examination for academical honours in a manner which not only gained him great credit, but, we were told, would have ensured him the honours of the first class if he had aimed at obtaining them. In December 1812 he was admitted into deacon’s orders by Dr. Bathurst, bishop of Norwich; and in the year following the Bishop of Oxford ordained him priest.
In the interval he did duty as curate of Bicester, and afterwards in the same capacity at Benson; at both which places he so endeared himself to the parishioners, that the late Dr. Barrington, the revered and excellent bishop of Durham, told his father that “he had not left a dry eye in the place.” Nor was he less respected and beloved at Ewelme, where he lived after his marriage, than he was at Staverton, in Northamptonshire, to which place he removed, and where he resided several years surrounded by a flock for whom he had the sincerest regard, preferring to labour in his sacred profession as a curate than to remain an idle servant in his Master’s vineyard. His health becoming impaired, he was on the point of quitting Staverton, when he was appointed by Lord Eldon to the living of Huggate in Yorkshire.
His gallant father once paid him a visit at Oxford, when he was an under-graduate of Christ Church, on which occasion he called on the celebrated Doctor Jackson, then dean, who manifested great pleasure at seeing Sir James; and on parting, took him by the hand, and, shaking his full-bottomed wig, said, “Mind, Sir James, that you act up to your instructions, and burn, sink, and destroy every Frenchman you meet with.”
On the 5th October 1814, the present Lord de Saumarez married Mary, the amiable daughter of the late Vice-admiral Lechmere.
Thomas Le Marchant Saumarez, the second son, was born at Teignmouth, on the 2nd September 1799, and died 2nd November following.
The Honourable Thomas Le Marchant Saumarez, third son, was born at Guernsey, 30th October 1803; he was educated for the army, and was a lieutenant in the seventy-first regiment. He was married, on the 1st October 1829, to Catherine Spencer Beresford, youngest daughter of Colonel Spencer Thomas Vassall, and died 4th July 1834, without issue.
The Honourable John St. Vincent Saumarez, the fourth son, was born at Guernsey on the 30th May 1806; he was named after the illustrious and distinguished Admiral Earl St. Vincent, at a time when his lordship’s friend, the heroic father, was named to command the Channel fleet.
He chose the army for his profession, in which he has served in America, and other places, and is now a Captain in the Rifle Brigade. Married on the 2nd July 1838, to Caroline, eldest daughter of William Rhodes, Esq. of Bromhope Hall, and Kirskill in the county of York.
Mary Dobrée Saumarez, the eldest daughter, was born at Bath on the 7th December 1792. This beautiful and accomplished young lady was cut off in the twentieth year of her age, in September 1812, to the inexpressible grief not only of her affectionate and disconsolate parents, but of all who had the happiness to be acquainted with her amiable and excellent qualities.
The Honourable Martha Harriett, second daughter, was born at Bath, and is residing with her now only parent.
Carteret, the third daughter, was born at Bath the 26th November 1796, and died young.
The Honourable Amelia, the fourth daughter, was born at Dartmouth, and was married on the 3rd September 1822, to William Young Herries, Esq. of Spotts, in Kirkcudbrightshire; they have one son (Alexander), who is now ten years of age, and is the only grandchild of the illustrious lord.
Footnotes
1 The letters, which have already appeared, were received on the 31st of August.
2 It was reported that the San Antonio had struck before the Cæsar came up, but this cannot be true; because, when the Cæsar came up, both ships were still before the wind, firing at each other, and the Cæsar had her cross-jack-yard shot away.
3 Before commencing the bombardment, Sir James sent in a flag of truce, to inform the governor of it, and requesting that he would send the women, children, and inoffensive inhabitants away from the scene of action.
4 It is worthy of remark, that the French commanding officer, who was killed, had in his pocket a watch belonging to the commander of the Carteret, of which he had been robbed when taken prisoner in 1800.
5 See APPENDIX G, for a list of the English, Swedish, and Russian ships.
6 The lamented Mr. Canning was then secretary of state for foreign affairs; and it was a seaman of the Victory of the same name that franked the shot: sailors having an idea that to stop a letter post-paid, or franked, is death by the law.
7 The Erebus sloop and Baltic, besides a brig, were converted into fire-ships.
8 In Sweden the high officers of state carry a staff, which is in fact their commission; therefore the staff of power was that of the commander-in-chief of the army, which the King always kept; but, when seized by another, he lost the power, every person by the law of Sweden being obliged to obey whoever is in actual possession of this staff.
9 Sir James, before leaving Wingo Sound, sent Captain Acklom home with the following letter, and a detailed account of the capture of the island, which will be found in the Appendix:
Victory, Wingo Sound, 24th May 1809.
My dear Lord,
It is with great satisfaction I have the honour to inform your lordship of the capture of the island of Anholt, which, although not a very productive island, will prove of great importance for the purposes as stated in my public letters, more particularly when excluded from the ports of Sweden. Captain Acklom is a very deserving officer, who has been on the station all the winter; being known to his grace the Duke of Portland, he flatters himself with the hope of promotion.
Lieutenant Daniel Ross, acting on board the Kangaroo, is an old follower of mine, and a most deserving man. I shall feel greatly obliged to your lordship for his promotion.
I hope to be enabled to sail for the Baltic this evening; but the late calms and baffling winds have proved against us, and delayed the ships getting through the Belt.
I have, &c. &c. &c.
Jas. Saumarez.
The Right Hon. Lord Mulgrave.
10 It has been already mentioned that a reinforcement was granted to Admiral Puké’s expedition; but Lieutenant John Ross being at that time acting in command of his Majesty’s sloop Ariel, and detached on a particular service, the request that he might be again appointed as adjutant to the Swedish fleet could not be complied with.
11 Translated from the Swedish by Lieutenant J. Ross.
12 The order alluded to was from the Treasury to the Customs, desiring the officers to transmit the effects of the Duchess of Brunswick to London under the office seal.
13 The Order of the Sword, fourth class, was conferred on Captains Hope, Reynolds, Mansell, and John Ross, and the Order of Wasa on Dr. Jameson.
14 Isaiah, xxxii. 17.
15 The action of July 1779.
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.
17 In the year 1800, when the author was acting Lieutenant of H.M.S. Weasle, he had the misfortune to be taken prisoner in one of the boats, and was on the point of falling a sacrifice to the injustice of those in power at St. Malo, when Sir Thomas, who had the care of the French prisoners at Guernsey, being aware of his situation, sent in conjunction with the Governor, the late Sir Hew Dalrymple, an offer to the Prefect at St. Malo of forty men for his exchange, which, although it had not the effect of procuring his liberty, was certainly the cause of saving his life, at a period when the execution of a fellow-creature was a matter of little moment; and the author soon after found means to escape.
18 Ships taken:—Le Terrible; Le Monarque, 74; Le Neptune, 70; Le Trident; Le Fougueux, 64; Le Severn, 50.
19 See a biographical notice of this distinguished officer, page 348.
20 See a separate notice of this distinguished officer in page 332.
21 Disabled on the night of the 11th, and returned to Guadaloupe.
22 Taken on the 12th of April.
23 Joined at St. Kitt’s.
24 Not in the Fleet on the 12th.
25 Came from England with Sir G.B. Rodney.
26 Joined the fleet off Antigua.
27 Not with the fleet in the action.