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.