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The work is a meticulously compiled memoir and correspondence of Admiral Lord James Saumarez, presented in a series of chronologically ordered chapters that trace his naval service from the refitting of the Orion through the battles of Cape St. Vincent, the Nile, and Algeciras, to his eventual promotion to rear‑admiral and baronetcy. The opening pages list a succession of engagements, letters, and official orders, interspersed with detailed ship logs, diagrams, and errata, giving the reader a sense of the document’s exhaustive nature. It begins with a terse catalogue of movements, Orion joining the Channel Fleet, Saumarez’s role in the action against the Spanish, and the subsequent exchange of prisoners, before moving into longer narrative sections that include private letters to family, official despatches, and genealogical notes on the Saumarez lineage.
Written in the formal, report‑like style of late‑18th‑ and early‑19th‑century naval officers, the text combines official dispatches, personal letters, and occasional anecdotal commentary. Its language is dense and factual, reflecting the period’s emphasis on precision and decorum. Readers with an interest in naval history, military biography, or the social world of the Royal Navy during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars will find the volume rewarding, while those who prefer a more dramatized narrative may find its documentary tone demanding.
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1796, 1797.
Orion taken into dock.--Is refitted, and joins the Channel fleet.--Detached on a particular service.--Returns.--Proceeds to reinforce Sir John Jervis.--List of his fleet.--Battle with Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent described in a private letter.--Conduct of Saumarez in the action.--Salvador del Mundo strikes to the Orion, and is taken possession of by her lieutenant.--Engages the Santissima Trinidada.--She strikes to the Orion.--Remarks on that occasion.--Lagos Bay.--Lisbon.--Sir James sails on a cruise with Admiral Sir H. Nelson.--Returns.--Commands the advanced squadron.--Several private letters.--Commands the advanced squadron off Cadiz.--Mutiny in the fleet.--Anecdote and remarks thereon.
The Orion was ordered into harbour; and on examination it was found she had been so much strained during the last cruise, particularly in the November storm, subsequently known by the name of "Admiral Christian's gale," besides having sprung her lower masts, that it became absolutely necessary for her to be taken into dock. During the next four months Sir James obtained, leave of absence; and it was not until the 7th of May 1796, that, having rejoined his ship, he was called into active service, the Orion being placed in Rear-admiral Lord Hugh Seymour's division of the grand fleet which was fitted for foreign service.
After a short cruise off Brest, the Orion proceeded to reinforce the fleet under Sir John Jervis, off Cape St. Vincent. This squadron consisted of the Sanspareil (flag-ship), Orion, Triumph, Juste, Hector, and Theseus, of the line; Phaeton and Latona, frigates; and Incendiary, fire-ship. On arriving off their station, Captain Saumarez was detached to Fayall by Lord Hugh's order, dated the 13th June, to obtain stock, wine, &c. for the use of the squadron; and was directed to meet his lordship at ten leagues to the westward of that island; after which the squadron returned to Cape St. Vincent, and from thence, in the month of September, they joined the Channel fleet, under Lord Gardner.
On the 11th of December the Orion returned to Spithead, in order to refit and replenish in water and provisions, after a six months' unsuccessful cruise. This occupied but a short time; and on the 17th of the same month Sir James proceeded in the Orion, with a squadron under the orders of Admiral W. Parker, to reinforce Sir John Jervis, off Cape St. Vincent. This squadron consisted of the Prince George, 98; Namur, 90; Irresistible, Orion, and Colossus, of 74 guns; and Thalia frigate. The junction with Sir John was effected on the 6th of February. Thus reinforced, the Admiral had under his command--
Guns. 100 Victory, Admiral Sir John Jervis. Captain Robert Calder. Captain George Grey.
Britannia, Vice-admiral Charles Thompson. Captain Foley.
98 Barfleur, Vice-admiral Hon. W. Waldegrave. Captain J.R. Dacres.
Prince George, Rear-admiral W. Parker. Captain John Irwin.
Blenheim, Captain Thos. L. Frederick.
90 Namur, Captain James H. Whitshed.
74 Captain, Commodore Horatio Nelson. Captain R.W. Miller. Goliath, Captain Charles Knowles. Excellent, Captain Cuthbert Collingwood. Orion, Captain Sir James Saumarez. Colossus, Captain Geo. Murray. Egmont, Captain John Sutton. Culloden, Captain Thomas Troubridge. Irresistible, Captain Geo. Martin.
64 Diadem, Captain Geo. H. Towny.
38 Minerve, Captain Geo. Cockburn.
32 Lively, Captain Lord Garlies. Niger, Captain Ed. Jas. Foote. Southampton, Captain Jas. Macnamara.
Slps Bonne Citoyenne, Captain Chas. Lindsay. Raven, Captain W. Prowse.
Cut. Fox, Lieutenant John Gibson.
Sir John Jervis was well aware that the Spanish fleet might be nearly double his force, but he kept working up towards the position where he expected to meet them. On the 13th, in the morning, the Minerve, Captain Cockburn, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Nelson, (which was afterwards shifted to the Captain, 74) having on board Sir Gilbert Elliot, late viceroy of Corsica and others, came into the fleet with intelligence that on the 11th, soon after quitting Gibraltar, she had been chased by two Spanish line-of-battle ships; and that afterwards, when in the mouth of the Straits, she got sight of the Spanish fleet. Before sunset the signals were made for the British fleet to prepare for battle, and to keep in close order all the night, during which the signal-guns of the Spaniards were distinctly heard. At half-past two, A.M. the Portuguese frigate Carlotta spoke the Victory; and her captain (Campbell) gave information that the Spanish grand fleet, commanded by Don Josef de Cordova, was only five leagues to windward; that they had sailed from Carthagena on the 1st of the month, and consisted of twenty-eight sail of the line, viz.
Guns. 130 Santissima Trinidada. (four-decker).
112 Concepcion. Conde de Regla. Mexicano. Principe de Asturias. Salvador del Mundo. San Josef.
80 Neptuno. San Nicolas.
74 Atalante. Bahama. Conquistador. Firme. Glorioso. Oriente. Pelayo. San Antonio. San Domingo. San Firmin. San F'sco de Paula. San Genaro. San Ildefonso. San Juan Nepomuceno. San Pablo. San Ysidro. Soberano. Terrible.
There were also twelve frigates, some gun-boats, and seventy transports with troops, which were disembarked at Algesiras.
It is not positively known what the destination of this powerful fleet was; some accounts say Cadiz, others Brest. It is, however, certain that their admiral did not expect to meet more than ten or twelve sail of the line with Sir John Jervis, and that he anticipated an easy capture, and a triumphant entry into port with his prizes. His dismay may therefore be easily imagined at seeing the English fleet of fifteen sail of the line close to him, in excellent order of battle, while his own fleet was in such a scattered situation as to render it impossible to prevent his intrepid enemy from cutting off a group which had separated from the main body of his fleet, and which in vain attempted to rejoin by crowding all sail.
As it is not our intention to enter into the particulars of this memorable battle, excepting as regards the Orion, an extract from the admiral's despatch will be sufficient to show the bold and decisive step which he took on that occasion, and by which he succeeded in obtaining a most glorious victory over double his force.
Victory, Lagos Bay, 16th February 1797.
The hope of falling in with the Spanish fleet, expressed in my letter to you of the 13th instant, was confirmed last night by distinctly hearing the report of their signal-guns, and by intelligence received from Captain Foote, of his Majesty's ship Niger, who had, with equal judgment and perseverance, kept company with them for several days, on my prescribed rendezvous, (which, from the strong S.E. wind, I had never been able to reach,) and that they were not more than the distance of three or four leagues from us.
I anxiously waited the dawn of day; when, being on the starboard tack, Cape St. Vincent bearing E.N.E. eight leagues, I had the satisfaction of seeing a number of ships extended from S.W. to S., the wind then W. by S. At forty-nine minutes past ten, the weather being extremely hazy, La Bonne Citoyenne made the signal that the ships seen were of the line, twenty-five in number.
His Majesty's squadron under my command, consisting of fifteen ships of the line, happily formed in the most compact order of sailing in two lines. By carrying a press of sail, I was fortunate in getting in with the enemy's fleet at half-past eleven, before it had time to collect and form a regular order of battle. Such a moment was not to be lost; and, confident in the skill, valour, and discipline of the officers and men I had the happiness to command, and judging that the honour of his Majesty's arms, and the circumstances of the war in these seas, required a considerable degree of enterprise, I felt myself justified in departing from the regular system; and, passing through their fleet in a line formed with the utmost celerity, tacked, and thereby separated one-third from the main body. After a partial cannonade, which prevented their rejunction till the evening, and by the very great exertions of the ships which had the good fortune to arrive up with the enemy on the larboard tack, the ships named in the margin[11] were captured, and the action ceased about five o'clock.
[11] The San Josef, Salvador del Mundo, San Nicolas, and San Ysidro.
That the Orion was one of those ships which distinguished themselves will best appear from the private letter of her brave commander to his brother, written only the day after the action; a circumstance which cannot but give such a communication a value far superior to a more elaborate composition. The log also of his ship, written at the time by the master, to which we have had access, completely accords with the facts so clearly stated in the letter.
Orion, Lagos Bay, 15th February 1797.
You will be happy to receive an account from me of the important victory obtained by our squadron over the Spanish fleet, consisting of nearly double our force. The Admiral having received previous information of their sailing from Carthagena, and of their cruising off the entrance of the Straits, gave us timely notice of the intelligence by the signal to prepare for battle.
Early on Tuesday morning, the weather being hazy, with light winds, the frigates on the look-out made the signal for discovering the enemy, and soon after we discerned several ships to leeward, and the body of the fleet to windward. We were then on the starboard tack, standing to the southward. The signal was made to different ships to chase; and, shortly after, for the fleet to form in line of battle as most convenient. The enemy at this time were bearing down to join their ships to leeward; but we came upon them so fast, that, before they could effect the junction, the headmost ships, which were the Culloden, Prince George, Orion, Blenheim, and Colossus, with the Victory and the rest coming up, it was effectually prevented. They then hauled their wind on the larboard tack, and our Admiral made the signal for the fleet to tack. Our sternmost ships then became the headmost.
Commodore Nelson, who had joined from Elba the day before, shifted his pendant to the Captain, the leading ship, and distinguished himself most eminently. The Culloden, Blenheim, Prince George, and Orion, were the next that came up, and were warmly engaged for nearly three hours with the body of the enemy's fleet, who had not had the time, or address, to form into any order. But it is only doing them justice to say, they defended themselves very bravely.
We were, for above an hour, opposed to a three-decker, the Salvador del Mundo, which finally struck to this ship; we lowered the boat from the stern, and gave orders to Mr. Luce, the first lieutenant, to take possession of her; still making sail for the other ships, and following Admiral Parker in the Prince George. The Excellent, which had passed us to windward, had made a line-of-battle ship, the San Domingo, strike some time before this.
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