The American War, which had called forth so much gallantry among the Falmouth Packets, was now nearly over. The date was fixed for the cessation of hostilities, but before it arrived one more glorious memory was added to the records of the Packet Service.
Nearly eight years had passed since Mr. (at this time Captain) Rogers, in the “Windsor Castle,” repulsed and captured the French Privateer, “Jeune Richard.” It was this Packet, now commanded by Captain R. V. Sutton, which, four days before the close of the war, encountered the American Privateer “Roger.” The weather was very hazy; and neither ship saw the other until they were scarcely more than a mile apart. The enemy hoisted English colours; but Captain Sutton, on making the private signal, found that it remained unanswered, and accordingly prepared for action.
At 7.15 P.M. the American was coming up fast, and the Falmouth men opened fire with their stern guns. The enemy replied with such guns as could be brought to bear, and very shortly ranged up alongside the “Windsor Castle,” lying now on one now on the other quarter, and maintaining steadily a very galling and destructive fire. This lasted for more than two hours; but shortly after 9.30 P.M. the fire from the “Roger” slackened, and she dropped astern. Captain Sutton availed himself of the opportunity to repair the rigging, which was much cut, so far as possible. Only one man was hit in this first action, namely the master, Mr. Foster, whose knee was smashed by a musket ball.
The attack was not renewed for some hours, but throughout the night the “Roger” ranged up frequently within musket shot, keeping the crew constantly at their quarters, and permitting no interval for rest. At daylight she hoisted American colours, on seeing which the Packetsmen opened fire, and a warm contest ensued for about half-an-hour, at the end of which time the “Roger” hauled off to repair damages. The damages of the “Windsor Castle” were by this time such as it was not possible to repair in the intervals of an action. Her eight 9–pounders were ill pitted against the metal carried by the enemy, which consisted of ten 12–pounder carronades, two long sixes, one long 18–pounder on a traverse, and one five and a half inch brass howitzer.
At half-past eight the “Roger” made sail again, and laid herself once more alongside the “Windsor Castle.” It was obviously a final effort. The little crew of Packetsmen, who had been at their quarters for fourteen hours continuously, were greatly fatigued, but responded with the utmost spirit, and Mr. Foster, though suffering great pain from his wounded knee, returned on deck and did his duty with the rest. Three men were wounded about this time, and as the surgeon, Mr. Krabbé, was below attending to their wounds an 18–pound shot entered the cabin where they lay, and caused a splinter which wounded him dangerously, breaking several of his ribs.
On deck Captain Sutton continued to defend his ship with a courage deserving of high praise. The two vessels lay within pistol shot of each other; and so long as it was possible to manœuvre Captain Sutton defeated all efforts on the part of his opponent to take up a raking position, or to board. At 9.45 A.M., however, the “Roger” bore down with the evident intention of boarding; and, on endeavouring to handle his ship, Captain Sutton found her quite unmanageable, and lying like a log upon the water. Not one brace or bowline was left to the yards or sails; almost the whole of the running and standing rigging was shot away; while the after-yards swinging round brought the ship by the lee. This gave the Americans the opportunity to board on the larboard quarter; and as the boarding netting in that part of the ship was cut to pieces, there was no obstacle to their attack. At this moment Mr. Foster was again severely wounded, and obliged to quit the deck. The fire of musketry from the “Roger” redoubled, and Captain Sutton felt that he had no alternative but to sink the mails, and to surrender. The last of the heavy portmanteaux was sunk before the colours were struck; and when Captain Sutton laid down his sword it could not be said that he had not done his duty to the last.
Captain Sutton, with his master, mate, carpenter, and a boy, were sent back to England on a merchant vessel. The remainder of the crew were sent in their own vessel to Norfolk, where the “Roger” was owned. The following extract from The Norfolk Herald of the 28th April, 1815, throws some light on their subsequent treatment.
“The following statement of an affair which took place in this harbour on Wednesday evening last, we have prepared from the evidence given before the inquest which was held on the bodies of the two unfortunate men who were killed. We have been more minute in stating the facts than the importance of the case should seem to demand; but we deem the detail necessary to prevent misrepresentations which might obtain credence, to the prejudice of that magnanimity and justice which the United States, in all their intercourse with England, have ever strictly adhered to. The crew of the ‘Windsor Castle,’ brought in by the Privateer ‘Roger,’ were on Wednesday last put on board a small schooner, and sent down to Craney Island in charge of Mr. Westbrook, an officer of the ‘Roger,’ with a guard of eight United States’ soldiers. Owing to a low tide the schooner anchored some distance from the island, and the prisoners had to be debarked in a row-boat. Mr. Westbrook took thirteen of the Englishmen, with four of the guard to row the boat, leaving eleven others in charge of four soldiers on board the schooner. Before his return to the schooner, the prisoners on board rose upon the guard, and endeavoured to disarm and throw them overboard, in which, owing to the suddenness of the assault, they had nearly succeeded. Mr. Westbrook got alongside the schooner while the soldiers were yet struggling with the superior numbers of their assailants, but they still held their arms. Desirous to quell the mutinous proceedings of the Englishmen he expostulated, entreated, and threatened, but to no purpose; and it was evident from their expressions that they were determined on taking possession of the schooner and making their escape in her. He then leaped on board and attempted to rescue one of the soldiers, when the fellow who held him, quitting his hold, seized the tiller and aimed a blow at Mr. Westbrook, who warded it off and ordered the released soldier to fire at him, which he did, and killed him. At the same time another soldier, having disengaged himself, shot his opponent dead. The mutineers, having the other two soldiers confined, exclaimed, ‘Now is the time, boys! don’t give them time to load again,’ and were rushing forward to seize Mr. Westbrook, when he drew a pair of pistols and commanded the mutineers in a firm and determined tone to go below, declaring that he would shoot the first man who refused. This decisive conduct had the desired effect; they all immediately descended into the hold, where they were put in close confinement. The conduct of Mr. Westbrook was truly praiseworthy. His intrepidity certainly saved the lives of the soldiers, and prevented the conspirators from carrying off the schooner, an act which, it is said, they premeditated. The two unhappy wretches who threw away their lives in this affair are represented by the mate of the ‘Windsor Castle’ to have been habitually turbulent and mutinous.... The verdict of the jury of inquest entirely acquitted the two soldiers of any blame in taking their lives.”
It may be added that Captain Sutton gave a very different character to the two sailors who perished in this bold attempt to escape, and that the Postmaster General, regarding their conduct as natural and praiseworthy, pensioned their relatives as if the men had been killed in action.