HMS Amethyst was an 18pdr armed, 36 gun, 5th rate frigate of the Penelope Class, built at the Royal Dockyard, Deptford.
The Penelope Class were a group of three sailing frigates, designed by Sir John Henslow, Surveyor of the Navy and HMS Amethyst was the only ship of the class to be built in a Kent shipyard. The other two ships of the class, HMS Penelope and HMS Jason, were both built under contract for the Admiralty by George Parsons at his shipyard in Burlesdon, near Eastleigh, on the River Hamble in Hampshire.
The Navy Board placed an order with the Royal Dockyard at Deptford in Kent on 4th May 1797, to build an 18pdr armed 36 gun 5th rate ship, to be named Amethyst. The ships keel was duly laid in August of 1798 and the project was overseen by Mr Thomas Pollard, Master Shipwright in the Deptford Royal Dockyard. Pollard had first been appointed a Master Shipwright in December 1782, at Sheerness. He was promoted to Master Shipwright at Plymouth in 1784, then to Chatham in 1793 before moving to Deptford in 1795. At 15:45 on Tuesday 23rd April 1799, the new frigate was launched into the great River Thames, her hull completed. After her launch, the ship was fitted with her guns, masts and rigging at the Deptford Royal Dockyard and the ship commissioned under Captain John Cooke at the end of May 1799.
On completion, HMS Amethyst was a ship of 1,045 tons. She was 150ft long on her gundeck and 129ft 5in long at her keel. She drew 10ft 7in of water at the bow and 14ft 9in at the rudder. She was 39ft 7in wide across her beams and her hold below the orlop was 13ft deep. The ship was armed with 26 x 18pdr long guns on her gundeck, 2 x 9pdr long guns and 10 x 32pdr carronades on her quarterdeck and 2 x 9pdr long guns and 2 x 32pdr carronades on her forecastle. She would also have carried around a dozen or so half-pounder swivel guns along her upper decks and in her fighting tops. The ship was manned by a total of 274 officers, men, boys and marines.
A picture of HMS Penelope, cropped from a larger image showing that ship's action against the French ship of the line Guillaume Tell. HMS Amethyst was identical:
A Londoner, Captain John Cooke was an experienced combat veteran who had come under the patronage of Sir Alexander Hood. He had first gone to sea at the age of 11 and had been appointed Midshipman in HMS Eagle (64) at the age of 13 in 1776. He had seen action at the Battle of Rhode Island and his courage and skill under fire had brought him to the attention of Lord Howe himself. Promoted to Lieutenant in 1779, Cooke had served aboard Vice-Admiral Hughes' flagship HMS Superb (74) in the East Indies. Forced to take a leave of absence due to ill-health, he had missed Hughes' campaign against the Baillie de Suffren. He rejoined the Royal Navy on recovering his health and saw further action aboard HMS Duke (90) at the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782. During the Spanish Armaments Crisis of 1790, his patron arranged an appointment as Third Lieutenant in his flagship HMS London (90), but he was laid off when the crisis passed off peacefully and the ship had paid off. In February 1793, Sir Alexander Hood arranged for Cooke to be appointed First Lieutenant in his flagship, the giant, Chatham-built, First Rate ship HMS Royal George (100). Hood's patronage again brought rewards when, in February 1794, Cooke was appointed Master and Commander in the fireship HMS Incendiary and served to repeat Lord Howe's signals during the Atlantic Campaign of May 1794 which culminated in the Battle of the Glorious First of June. As part of the general sharing-out of rewards after that battle, he was promoted to Captain and proved himself to be a capable and successful commander in action, particularly whilst in command of the frigate HMS Nymphe. Unfortunately, he had also proved to be a strict disciplinarian and this resulted in his being one of the captains sent ashore during the Great Mutiny at Spithead in 1797. HMS Amethyst was Cooke's first appointment after being removed from HMS Nymphe as part of the settlement of the Mutiny arranged by Lord Howe.
Captain John Cooke:
By this time, the Netherlands had been invaded by the French, who had set up a puppet, satellite state called the Batavian Republic. Britain at the time was allied with, amongst other countries, Russia and the two had agreed to invade the Batavian Republic. HMS Amethyst was assigned to the force providing naval support to operations around the invasion and on 13th September, HMS Amethyst landed the Duke of York, who was intended to join the leadership of the campaign. By October 1799, the campaign had failed and the British and their allies were forced to withdraw. After this, the ship was redeployed to the Channel Fleet and began operating out of Plymouth.
On 6th December 1799, HMS Amethyst in company with HMS Beaulieu and HMS Nymphe recaptured the American ship Cato, on the 14th, the ship Dauphin and on the following day, the Cabrus and the Nymphe.
On 29th December 1799, HMS Amethyst captured the French privateer brig L'Aventurier of 14 guns and 75 men, operating out of Lorient. The L'Aventurier had been the privateer which had previously taken the American ship Cato, retaken a couple of weeks before by HMS Amethyst and her crew. The new year brought some further successes. On 15th February 1800, HMS Amethyst captured the French privateer brig Le Vaillant, also of 14 guns, as detailed in the following letter sent by Captain Cooke to the Commander-in-Chief, Channel Fleet, Captain Cooke's old patron, Alexander Hood, by now elevated to the peerage and known as Lord Bridport:
"
My Lord, I beg leave to acquaint your lordship that I, this day (His Majesty's Ship Nymphe being in company) after a long chace, captured Le Vaillant, French Cutter Privateer, a remarkable fast sailer, belonging to Bordeaux, mounting one long eighteen pounder, two long twelve pounders, and twelve long six-pounders and manned with one hundred and thirty one men; had been out four days and had taken nothing.
I have the honour to be, &c &c &c,
JOHN COOKE".
On 24th February, HMS Amethyst was again in company with HMS Nymphe and stood by while HMS Nymphe captured the French privateer La Modeste of 16 guns off Bordeaux.
On 1st April, she captured the 22 gun French privateer Le Mars. This ship was taken into the Royal Navy and was renamed, becoming the 24 gun, sixth rate post-ship HMS Garland. Captain Cooke reported his capture to Lord Bridport in a letter later published in the London Gazette:
"
Amethyst, At sea, April 1, 1800.
My Lord,
I have the honour to acquaint you that His Majesty's ship under my command, captured last night the Mars, French Ship Privateer, belonging to Bordeaux, mounting twenty twelve pounders and two thirty-six pounder carronades and manned with one hundred and eighty men; she had been out on a cruise, had made several captures and was returning into port. I feel peculiar pleasure in having made this capture, as she was esteemed to be one of the finest privateers fitted out of Bordeaux.
I have the honor to be &c &c &c
JOHN COOKE".
On 2nd June 1800, HMS Amethyst joined a force commanded by the famous Captain Sir Edward Pellew, also in command of the ex-French 74 gun third rate ship of the line HMS Impetieux. Pellew and his force were engaged in operations against the enemy in and around Quiberon Bay. Pellew and his force had succeeded in shutting down the coasting trade off in the area. It didn't take long for HMS Amethyst to become involved in the action. On the night of 29th June, HMS Amethyst contributed to a raid which typified the "go get-em" attitude fostered by Pellew. The details of the raid are given in the following series of letters received by Evan Nepean, Secretary to the Board of Admiralty in London. The first is a covering letter written by Admiral Sir John Jervis, the Earl St. Vincent.
Dated on board His Majesty's Ship Royal George
At Sea
4th August
Sir,
I did not think the enterprize of Sir Edward Hamilton or of Captain Campbell could be surpassed until I read the enclosed letter from Sir Edward Pellew relating the desperate service performed by Acting-Lieutenant Coghlan of the Viper Cutter on the 29th July, which has filled me with pride and admiration; although the circumstances of his not completing his time in His Majesty's Navy operates at present against his receiving the reward his is most ambitious of obtaining, I am persuaded the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will do all in their power to console him under his severe wounds and grant him promotion the moment he is in a capacity to receive it.
I am, Sir, &c &c &c
ST VINCENTThe letter from Sir Edward Pellew to Admiral the Lord St Vincent:
Impetieux,
Palais Road
1st August 1800
My Lord,
I have true pleasure in stating to your Lordship the good conduct of Lieutenant Jeremiah Coghlan, to whom, for former gallant behaviour, you had given an acting commission to command the Viper, Cutter, from this ship.
This gallant young man when watching Port Louis thought he could succeed in boarding some of the Cutters or Gun Vessels which have been moving about the entrance to that harbour and for this purpose, entreated the use of a ten-oared cutter from me, with twelve volunteers and on Tuesday night, the 12th instant, he took this board, with Mr Silas H Paddon, Midshipman and six of his men, making, with himself, twenty, and accompanied by his own boat and one from the Amethyst, he determined upon boarding a Gun Brig, mounting three long twenty-four pounders and four six-pounders, full of men, moored with springs on her cables, in a naval port of difficult access, within pistol-shot of three batteries, surrounded by several armed craft and not a mile from a seventy-four and two frigates bearing an Admirals flag. Undismayed by such formidable appearances, the early discovery of their approaches (for they were at quarters), and the lost aid of the two other boats, he bravely determined to attack alone and boarded her on the quarter, but unhappily, in the dark, jumping into a trawl-net, hung up to dry, he was pierced through the thigh by a pike, and several of his men hurt and forced back into the boat.
Unchecked in ardour, they hauled the boat further ahead and again boarded, and maintained against eighty-seven men, sixteen of whom were soldiers, an obstinate conflict, killing six and wounding twenty, among whom was every officer belonging to her. His own loss one killed and eight wounded; himself in two places and Mr Paddon in six. I feel particularly happy in the expected safety of all the wounded. He speaks in the highest terms of Mr Paddon and the whole of his party, many of whom were knocked overboard and twice beat back into the boat, but returned to the charge with unabated courage. I trust I shall stand excused by your Lordship for so minute a description, produced by my admiration of that courage which, hand-to-hand, gave victory to a handful of brave fellows against over four times their own number; and of that skill which formed, conducted and effected so daring an enterprise.
Le Cerbere, commanded by a Lieutenant de Vaisseau, and towed out under a very heavy fire, is given up as a prize by the Squadron to mark their admiration and will not, as I know, be the only reward of such bravery; they will receive that protection Your Lordship so liberally accords to all the young men in the Service who happily distinguish themselves under your command.
I enclose Lieutenant Coghlan's letter and have the honor &c
EDWARD PELLEWActing-Lieutenant Jeremiah Coghlan's letter to Captain Sir Edward Pellew
His Majesty's Cutter Viper
Tuesday Morning
Eight O'Clock
Dear Sir,
I have successded in bringing out the Gun-Brig Le Cerbere, of three guns, twenty-four pounders and Four Six-Pounders and eighty-seven men, commanded by a Lieutenant de Vaisseau. Pray forgive me when I say from under the batteries of Port Louis, and after a most desperate resistance being made, first by her, then by the batteries at both sides and a fire from some small vessels which lay around her, but nothing that I could expect from a vessel lying in that inactive situation was equal to the few brave men belonging to your ship whom I so justly confided in, assisted by six men from the cutter and by Mr Paddon, Midshipman, who, I am sorry to say, was wounded in several places, though I hope not mortally. I am sorry to state the loss of one man from the Cutter who was shot through the head and four of your brave men, with myself, wounded in different parts of the body, the principal one I received was with a pike, which penetrated my left thigh. Mr Pattershall in the Cutter's small boat, assisted with two Midshipmen from the Amethyst in one of their boats. The loss of the enemy is not yet ascertained owing to the confusion.
I remain &c
J COGHLAN
NB. There are five killed and Twenty-one wounded, some very badly.At the end of June, Pellew's force including HMS Amethyst was placed under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren. Following the success of Pellew's force in Quiberon Bay, Warren's force had been detached from the Channel Fleet and tasked with a bigger mission, that of attacking and taking the Spanish naval base at Ferrol and the naval force based there. The Spanish Navy had six ships of the line and four frigates in Ferrol. The ships of the line included three mighty three-deckers, two of 112 guns and one of 98 guns. Warren's force comprised, in addition to HMS Impetieux and HMS Amethyst, the 90 gun second rate ship of the line HMS London, HMS Courageux (74), HMS Captain (74), his flagship HMS Renown (74), the razee frigate HMS Indefatigable (44), the frigates HMS Amelia (38), HMS Stag (32) and HMS Brilliant (28), in addition to the ship sloop HMS Cynthia (18) and the Hired Armed Cutter Saint Vincent (14). On 25th August, the force arrived in the bay of Playa de Dominos along with transport ships carrying troops under Lieutenant-General Sir James Pulteney. After the fort overlooking the bay had been silenced by gunfire from HMS Impetieux, HMS Cynthia, HMS Brilliant and the Saint Vincent, the troops, along with sixteen field guns were landed. Attacked on the beach by Spanish troops, the troops with the assistance of sailors from the ships in the fleet, drove off their attackers. The following day, the British forced their way to the heights overlooking the city and harbour. On gaining the heights, Pulteney decided that the port was too strongly defended and decided to withdraw back to the ships.
After the withdrawal from Ferrol, Warren's squadron in company with the transport ships was making its way along the Spanish coast when a large French privateer was seen to run into Vigo and anchor at a spot near the Narrows at Redondela. The captain of HMS Courageux, Sir Samuel Hood, cousin of the more famous Hood brothers, Samuel, Lord Hood and Alexander Hood, the Lord Bridport, put a suggestion to his admiral that the vessel could be taken in a cutting out raid. Warren agreed and an audacious plan was drawn up in which the men of HMS Amethyst were to participate. Once again, I shall let the letters of the officers commanding the mission tell the story:
Letter from Sir John Jervis, the Earl St Vincent to Evan Nepean, Secretary to the Admiralty:
Dated on board the Royal George
Off Ushant
September 7, 1800
Sir,
I enclose letters from Rear-Admiral Sir John Warren, this moment received by the Brilliant.
I am &c
ST VINCENTLetter from Sir John Warren to the Earl St Vincent:
Renown
Vigo Bay
2d September 1800
My Lord,
I beg leave to inform you that, on having ordered Captain Hood of the Courageux to lead into this bay, I received a letter from him on the same evening and immediately ordered two boats from this ship, the Impetieux, and London and refer your Lordship to a letter which accompanies this, for the account of a gallant action, performed by the boats of Captain Hood's detachment, under Lieutenant Burke's orders, whose merit on this, as well as former occasions, will I trust, induce your Lordship to recommend him to the favour of their Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, more especially as he has been severely wounded in the Service.
I have the honor &c &c &c
JOHN WARRENLetter from Captain Sir Samuel Hood to Rear-Admiral Sir John Warren
His Majesty's Ship Courageux
Vigo bay
30th August 1800
Sir,
Percieving yesterday afternoon the French privateer in the Harbour had removed for security near the Narrows of Redondella, close to the batteries, where I thought there was a probability of her being attacked with success, I ordered two boats from each ship named in the margin (HMS Amethyst, HMS Stag, HMS Amelia, HMS Brilliant and HMS Cynthia)
with those of the Renown, Impetieux and London you sent me and four from the Courageux, commanded by Lieutenants volunteering their services, to be ready at Nine O'Clock, and placed them under the direction of Lieutenant Burke, of the Renown, whose gallant conduct has so often merited your commendation. About forty minutes past twelve they attacked her with the greatest bravery, meeting with desperate resistance, her commander having laid the hatches over to prevent her people from giving way and cheered as the boats advanced, but notwithstanding this determined opposition, she was carried in fifteen minutes.<br />I am sorry to add Lieutenant Burke has received a severe wound, but I hope not dangerous. Our loss has been as per enclosed list, the greater part occasioned by the desperate conduct of her commander, who was mortally wounded. Too much praise cannot be given to those deserving officers and men who so gallantly supported Lieutenant Burke, and towed her out with much coolness through the fire of the enemy's batteries. I need not, Sir, comment on the ability and courage of the commanding Lieutenant, his former services having gained your esteem, and I have no doubt the sufferings of his wound will be alleviated by that well-known attention shewn to officers who have so gallantly distinguished themselves, for which I beg leave to offer my strongest recommendation.
The privateer is a very fine ship, named La Guipe, of Bordeaux, with a flush deck, three hundred tons, pierced for twenty-two guns, carrying eighteen nine-pounders, and one hundred and sixty-one men, commanded by Citoyenne Dupan, stored and provisioned in the completest manner for four months. She had twenty-five killed and forty wounded.
I have the honor to be &c &c &c
SAMUEL HOOD
A report of the killed, wounded and missing in the boats employed in the taking of the French privateer La Guipe in Vigo Bay, in the evening of 29th August 1800:
Lieutenant Henry Burke of the Renown, Wounded
Lieutenant John Henry Holmes and Joseph Nourse of the Courageux, slightly wounded
Three seamen and one Marine, killed
Three officers, twelve seamen and five marines, wounded
One seaman, missing.The rest of 1800 and into 1801 was to see HMS Amethyst operating off the Spanish coast. On the 9th October, HMS Amethyst arrived in Plymouth after a secret mission and while there, her crew collected no less than £36,000 in prize money - enough money to make them all fairly wealthy once they paid off. In early 1801, HMS Amethyst captured two Spanish privateers and the French ship-corvette General Brune. On 26th January 1801, HMS Amethyst, in company with HMS Sirius (36) stood by while HMS Oiseaux (36) chased and captured the French 36 gun frigate Dedaigneuse. On 16th March, she captured the Spanish privateer schooner Nostra Signora del Carmen of six guns and 65 men. Captain Cooke decided that the prize was not in a good enough condition to be taken into the Royal Navy and ordered her to be burned.
In October 1801, Captain Cooke was replaced in command of HMS Amethyst by Captain Charles Tyler. Captain Cooke was not to receive another appointment until May 1804, when he was appointed to command the Frindsbury-built 74 gun third rate ship of the line HMS Bellerophon. During the Battle of Trafalgar, while commanding HMS Bellerophon, Captain John Cooke was killed in action.
An engraved image of Charles Tyler, made much later in his life, when he was a Vice-Admiral:
Charles Tyler was only to command HMS Amethyst for a month until he was replaced by Captain Henry Richard Glynn. Captain Tyler was not to receive another appointment until March 1805, when he was appointed to command the ex-French 80 gun ship of the line HMS Tonnant and he commanded that ship at the Battle of Trafalgar. He went on to become a Vice-Admiral and was knighted in 1815. Captain Glynn's previous appointment had been as Master and Commander in the 18 gun ship-sloop HMS Scourge and HMS Amethyst was his first appointment as a captain. Captain Glynn was ordered to take his ship to the North Sea and the ship spent the rest of the war there.
The French Revolutionary War was ended by the Treaty of Amiens on 25th March 1802. Unlike many other ships, HMS Amethyst was retained in front-line service and remained in the North Sea, engaged on anti-smuggling and anti-piracy patrols. In April 1803, Captain Glynn was replaced in command by Captain Alexander Campbell. In May 1803, the Peace of Amiens fell apart and the Napoleonic War began.
Captain Alexander Campbell was inexperienced. His only previous command appointment had been as Master and Commander in the 16 gun brig-sloop HMS Salamine. His appointment to command HMS Amethyst had been arranged by his patron, Vice-Admiral Lord Keith, who at the time was Commander-in-Chief, North Sea.
As soon as the war started, Napoleon Bonaparte began to draw up his so-called Grand Plan to invade England. He was painfully aware of the almost total dominance of European waters by the Royal Navy and drew up various plans to distract the British for long enough to get his huge invasion army across the English Channel. One small part of this plan was to be played by a French Naval officer called Jean-Jacques de Saint-Faust. By the time the war broke out, the Dutch Navy had been put out of the war, firstly by their comprehensive defeat at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797 and by their craven surrender at the Vlieter Incident in 1799. For the Batavian Republic to have an effective Naval presence, the French formed the Batavian Privateer Company, based in Amsterdam. Saint-Faust was definately a shady character, gallant, handsome and utterly unscrupulous, he had been employed as a spy in London during the Peace of Amiens and was alleged to have been involved in a plot to assassinate King George III. Saint-Faust was promoted to Commodore and appointed to command the vessels of the Batavian Privateer Company and begin to prey on British shipping coming out of the Baltic Sea. The British were dependant on this shipping route; supplies of home-grown timber for the repair and construction of both merchant ships and warships had long-since dried up and the British were dependant on timber imported from the Baltic states. If this trade could be disrupted, the French might be able to gain an advantage.
Despite the British attack which resulted in the Battle of Copenhagen in 1800, the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway was determined to remain neutral in the war. That stated, the Governor of Bergen in Norway was a fan of Napoleon and allowed Saint-Faust to base his force of privateers in the port. Although Saint-Faust's ships wore Batavian colours, their crews were French and they took their orders from Paris. Although ordered to prey on British shipping, Saint-Faust also had other orders. On leaving Holland with his ships and heading to Bergen, he took on three companies of crack French soldiers. His mission was to create a diversion by launching a major raid in the north of the UK, either in Scotland itself, or on either the Shetland or Orkney Isles. The Admiralty were aware of the possibilty of French raids in the north and ordered Captain Campbell to patrol off Bergen.
The winter of 1803 into 1804 saw the worst weather in living memory in northern UK waters and it was all HMS Amethyst's officers and crew could do to prevent their ship from foundering in the appalling weather. By New Years day 1804, Saint-Faust had left Bergen with his three vessels, his flagship, the brig-corvette L'Union, the schooner La Vengeance and the cutter Le Terreur, all packed to the gunwales with soldiers and dangerously overloaded. In appalling weather, HMS Amethyst spotted the force and gave chase. L'Union fled back into Bergen while the other two vessels stood out to sea. Unable to catch L'Union, HMS Amethyst stood back out to sea and attempted to find the other two vessels. They were never seen or heard from again and almost certainly foundered in the storm. They were certainly not alone, a large number of ships fell victim to the weather in the North Sea that year.
By early March 1804, Saint-Faust was ready to try again. His force had been reinforced and now comprised the ship-corvette La Foi Batave (18), the brig-corvette L'Union (18) and the schooners L'Honneur (
and La Vertu (6). HMS Amethyst was all that stood between him and his objective, the Orkney Isles. On 2nd March 1804, the force left Bergen and headed out across the North Sea to launch their raid. The intention was to cause as much damage to the Islands as possible, causing a panic and forcing the British to divert already scarce naval and military resources away from the English Channel and southern England to reinforce defences in the north. The following day, they were spotted by HMS Amethyst. Captain Campbell should have been confident of victory. After all, his ship, although nominally a 36 gun frigate, actually carried 44 guns when her carronades are taken into account. Her total weight of broadside was more than all of Saint-Faust's ships combined. Her crew had mostly been together since the ship was first commissioned five years before and most of them had seen action of some sort or other. Her First Lieutenant, George Hills regarded the ships company as being
as good as most. Campbell however, hesitated. His inexperience was starting to show. He saw that the enemy had been reinforced since he last saw them. He considered that Saint-Faust's ships would be carrying additional troops for the planned raid and correctly guessed that taken together, his crew would be vastly outnumbered. He also had to consider that his crew had just endured the worst winter weather in living memory and in addition to that, of the 225 men aboard HMS Amethyst, 31 were on the sick list. It had been so long since they were able to resupply that they were starting to see cases of the dreaded scurvy. Given the enemy's superior numbers, Campbell decided to engage the enemy at range, rather than closing and boarding. HMS Amethyst was fast and manoeuvrable and after a chase of some three hours, came within range of Saint-Faust's squadron. Seeing that escape was impossible, Saint-Faust ordered his vessels to form a line of battle with La Foi Batave leading and L'Union bringing up the rear, with the two schooners in the middle. At 11:30, HMS Amethyst opened fire on L'Union and received fire from that ship and from the larger schooner in return. By 12:00, HMS Amethyst had caught up with Le Foi Batave and engaged at pistol-shot range (about 30 yards). La Foi Batave aimed her guns at HMS Amethyst's rigging, to good effect, but the British ship's fire was also having an effect. Saint-Faust ordered his ship to reduce sail, knowing that his opponent would have to do the same. This would allow the other ships in his force to catch up and surround his opponent and hopefully, overwhelm the British frigate with superior numbers. Campbell chose not to place his ship alongside the enemy, choosing instead to fight a long-range artillery duel. The larger British frigate, being the faster vessel, forged ahead of La Foi Batave, so Captain Campbell ordered a serpentine course to be steered, slowing her progress and preventing the other enemy vessels to take up station on her stern. Unfortunately, such twisting and turning hindered the aim of his gun-captains and meant that HMS Amethyst's forward guns were frequently unable to bear on the enemy. Now, their struggle for survival in the previous winter's storms was having an effect. Because they had been more concerned for their survival and on the fair days between storms had concentrated on repairing rigging and sails, gunnery practice had been neglected. This meant that the fire from HMS Amethyst's superior artillery was slow and inaccurate. That stated, the steady rate of fire had done considerable damage to the French corvette's sails and rigging and La Foi Batave was finding it increasingly difficult to manoeuvre effectively. Now was the time for Campbell to cross her stern and rake her, a manoeuvre which would probably have succeeded before the other ships in Saint-Faust's force could intervene. Again, Campbell hesitated. His main mast had been shot through by a twelve-pound ball, but was still standing and his mizzen mast was also damaged. The ship's Sailing-Master, Mr John Rodmore was of the opinion that any violent manoeuvring could well bring the mast down, leaving the ship vulnerable to being surrounded and swamped by the enemy's superior numbers. Rodmore's advice to his inexperienced commander was to break off the engagement and make repairs before going after the enemy again. The ship's First Lieutenant, George Hills had the opposite view, he advised Captain Campbell to close the range and finish the fight. Campbell knew the consequences of being seen to be failing to do his utmost against the enemy. "
Remember poor John Byng" was a saying well known in the Royal Navy at the time. If the repairs were not completed quickly and they were unable to re-engage, Campbell knew he faced disgrace for retreating from an inferior enemy. Captain Campbell became flustered and his agony was not helped by badgering he was receiving from the ship's Second Lieutenant, Mr William Balfour, who twice went to the quarterdeck and asked his captain to steer closer to the enemy. Balfour was a native of Orkney, so had good reason to want to fight the French force. Eventually, Mr Midshipman Entwhistle came aft and offered his advice. Campbell, stung by the fact that a trainee was giving him advice, made a decision at last. He ordered that HMS Amethyst be allowed to run ahead of the enemy, out of range and make repairs.
Saint-Faust for his part, was relieved to see the British frigate break off the action and knowing that it was safe to do so, continued on in the frigate's wake while his crew repaired their ship. After about two hours, Saint-Faust ordered that they turn about and return to Bergen. La Foi Batave was too badly damaged to continue on to Orkney, so he decided to return to Bergen to refit his ships. Campbell continued to be over-cautious. Her rigging repaired, HMS Amethyst turned and began a leisurely pursuit of the French. Overnight, when the most important thing would have been to sail hell-for-leather and overtake the enemy in the darkness, Campbell instead continued under shortened sail and at daybreak the next day, HMS Amethyst and her crew were greeted by the sight of the enemy entering the Korsfjord on their way into Bergen. They had escaped.
Lieutenant Balfour was so angry that he was physically sick and was placed on the ship's sick list for two days afterward. The ship's other officers knew that a storm was coming, in that Campbell was sure to face a Court Martial and they would all be called as witnesses. The only thing he had going for him was that Saint-Faust's mission had been thwarted.
When HMS Amethyst received orders to return to Sheerness, everyone aboard felt that their failure to capture or destroy any of the four much smaller and less powerful enemy vessels was shameful and that in their case, the manure was well and truly fan-bound. On the way to Sheerness, all the officers were considering their positions. Mr John Rodmore, Sailing Master, had decided not to move against his Captain. Campbell was after all, following his advice. Rodmore, as Sailing Master was responsible for the sailing and navigation of the vessel and his job was to advise the Captain against any course of action which may leave the ship into danger unless absolutely necessary. Mr George Hills, First Lieutenant, knew that if anyone was to move against Campbell, it should be him. For a First Lieutenant to move against his Captain was risky; after all, he had every right to expect that his next appointment to be a command of his own and he didn't want to put that at risk. He was hoping that Campbell himself would ask for an inquiry in order to clear his name, or that the Admiralty would do so after reading Campbell's account of proceedings. The Third Lieutenant, Mr John Aylmer, had only been commissioned for less than three years and he had no wish to move against his Captain. This left the Second Lieutenant Mr William Balfour. He was convinced that Campbell would face a Court-Martial as soon as the ship arrived at Sheerness. However, for a week after anchoring at the Nore, nothing happened. Perhaps Lord Keith, the Commander-in-Chief was reluctant to move against his protege and although he had heard gossip about the ship's performance off Bergen, this, in his view, was not enough to start Court-Martial proceedings. Eventually, Balfour took the plunge and wrote a formal complaint to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. He had, after all, been wounded at the Second Battle of Cape St Vincent when he was still only 15. He had served under Nelson and admired the famous captains of the time, men such as Cochrane and Pellew and felt that Captain Campbell's behaviour during the action against Saint-Faust's squadron had been little more than disgraceful. He drew up a petition to accompany his complaint which asked for an investigation of "
the late action, between this ship and four small vessels of the enemy on the 3rd March last...and that censure may fall on those only by whom it is deserved". His petition was signed by George Hills, First Lieutenant, himself, Mr Joseph Walker (Lieutenant of Marines), Mr Alexander Manson, ship's surgeon. Mr Rodmore refused to sign it and Mr Aylmer was conveniently absent when it went around. The Admiralty responded quicky and ordered Captain Campbell to face a Court-Martial, which was twice postponed at his request, to grant him more time to prepare his defence. Campbell used the time to point the finger of blame at Mr John Banks, Gunner in HMS Amethyst. Campbell claimed it was Banks' failure to ensure that all the fixtures and fittings, gun carriages, gunnery implements etc were serviceable which led to the poor gunnery displayed by the ship during the action. Banks on the other hand, felt that it was the Captain failure to ensure adequate practice with the guns and his disgraceful handling of the ship in the action which was the main cause of her poor performance. The stress of being held as the scapegoat caused him to seek solace at the bottom of a bottle and he became drunk and abusive. Banks' Court-Martial was up first and on 25th May 1804, he was found guilty of Mutiny, Contempt and Drunkenness. He was dismissed from His Majesty's Service and Blacklisted, meaning that he would never again be employed by the Royal Navy.
On 5th June 1804, Captain Campbell's Court Martial began aboard HMS Glatton at Sheerness. John Banks had by now disappeared so the subject of HMS Amethyst's poor gunnery was never examined in detail. On 8th June, the court Martial Board delivered it's verdict:
"
Captain Campbell is blameable for his conduct in not continuing the action, and in not using sufficient exertion to make good the defects of the ship after the action, whereby he might have been able to renew it, and also in not having done his utmost to preserve his station after the action...And the Court is the opinion that the conduct of the rest of the officers of the Amethyst is not blameable and does therefore acquit them"
The sentence of the Court was that Captain Alexander Campbell was dismissed his ship and placed on the bottom of the list of Post Captains. This meant that he was never to command a vessel of the Royal Navy again. For his part, Jean-Jacques de Saint-Faust was not to suffer any consequences of his failure. Instead he was given another mission, this time to take a squadron of Batavian privateers to the Caribbean. Unfortunately he was captured in the North Sea and spent the rest of the war in a prison hulk off Sheerness.
Campbell used his connections to secure an appointment with the Honourable East India Company, where he commanded one of their finest ships, the Sovereign, on four voyages to India and back. He must have had very wealthy friends - captains in the East India Company were required to submit a £10,000 Penalty Bond in order to ensure their honesty.
After Campbell's Court-Martial and disgrace, Captain James William Spranger was appointed in command of the ship and she was sent to join the squadron under Vice-Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth blockading the Spanish naval base at Cadiz, where French and Spanish survivors of the Battle of Trafalgar were bottled up. Spranger was an experienced commander who had held seven previous commands, the last being the 74 gun third rate ship of the line HMS Duquesne.
On 20th November 1805, the 18 gun ship-sloop HMS Lark was escorting a convoy of 6 merchantmen and was off the Salvages, a cluster of rocks between Madeira and Tenerife when they were surprised by a French squadron of five ships of the line, a razee frigate, three frigates and two brig-corvettes, in addition to what appeared to be a captured British 50 gun fourth rate ship. Captain Frederick Langford of HMS lark dispersed his convoy and immediately proceeded in search of Duckworth's force. He encountered HMS Agamemnon (64) on 26th. On 30th November 1805, HMS Agamemnon reported to Duckworth that she had received intelligence from the 18 gun brig-sloop HMS Lark that a squadron of French ships was at sea near Madeira. HMS Lark had reported that the French force consisted of a giant 120 gun ship of the line, plus four 74 guns ships, the ex-HMS Calcutta (50), three frigates, a corvette and a brig. HMS Lark had escaped an attack on her convoy by the French force under Rear-Admiral Zacharie Allemand. On receiving the news, Duckworth, known for his caution, decided to take a calculated risk. He knew that the enemy force in Cadiz was composed of survivors from the Battle of Trafalgar. He knew that the facilities for the repair of battle-damaged ships in Cadiz were poor compared to those available to the Royal Navy. He would have known, for example, that there were more dry-docks in the Chatham Royal Dockyard alone than were available to the whole French Atlantic Fleet. He considered that the enemy force in Cadiz posed no threat and that it would be safe to abandon the blockade of Cadiz and pursue Allemand's force. Duckworth took his squadron and set off in pursuit of Allemand's force. The French succeeded in evading them and Allemand's squadron was to spend the next year or so conducting commerce-raiding in the Atlantic Ocean in what turned out to be the French Navy's only successful campaign in the entire war.
After failing to find Allemand's force, Duckworth's force sighted another French squadron on Christmas Day 1805. This force, led by Rear-Admiral Jean-Baptiste Willaumez was headed for waters off South Africa intending to undertake commerce-raiding and was also being pursued by a British squadron under Sir Richard Strachan. After his ships became scattered, Duckworth decided to head to the Leeward Islands to take on water for his ships. Duckworth thought, wrongly as it turned out, that Willaumez's force was headed to the East Indies and had no idea that Sir Richard Strachan was also in pursuit. HMS Amethyst was sent to England to pass on the news. Duckworth's intention was to resupply his ships then head back to Cadiz and resume the blockade. Fate intervened when HMS Kingfisher brought news that a squadron of French ships of the line had been sighted at San Domingo and that the French force consisted of the 120 gun ship of the line Imperial, plus four two-deckers, two frigates and a corvette. Duckworth was to engage and defeat the enemy off San Domingo in what is now known as the Battle of San Domingo, the last time that French and British ships of the line were to engage in a set-piece naval battle.
After passing on Duckworth's dispatches, HMS Amethyst was assigned to the Channel Fleet. In April 1806, Captain Spranger was replaced in command of the ship by Captain Michael Seymour. Seymour was another experienced commander, having first held a command of his own back in 1795, when he was appointed Master and Commander in the 8 gun fireship HMS Spitfire. He was severely wounded in 1797 and spent three years recovering from his wounds receiving a pension of 5s a day until 1800, when he was promoted to Captain and appointed to command the 74 gun third rate ship of the line HMS Belle Isle. After spending time commanding the massive, Chatham-built first rate ship of the line HMS Ville de Paris of 110 guns, his appointment prior to HMS Amethyst was the 74 gun third rate ship of the line HMS Illustrious, which he had taken command of while the ship was still on the stocks at John Randall's shipyard at Rotherhithe, then in Kent.
Captain Michael Seymour:
HMS Amethyst under Captain Seymour remained on the home station and had a quiet time until 15th May 1807, when she captured the French privateer cutter La Josephine of 4 guns in the English Channel.
Eighteen months later, HMS Amethyst was patrolling off the Ile Groix when she sighted a large French frigate, of 40 guns, heading out into the Atlantic Ocean. Captain Seymour, in contrast to the hesitant, inexperienced Captain Campbell, was experienced and agressive. He immediately signalled his intent to chase and attack the enemy ship to his immediate superior, Captain Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy (of HMS Victory and Trafalgar fame) in HMS Triumph (74), who immediately changed course to give assistance if required. At 21:00 on 10th November 1808, HMS Amethyst began a running action against the French frigate, now identified as being La Thetis. HMS Amethyst opened fire with her bow 9pdr guns while La Thetis returned fire with 18pdr guns moved to her two stern gunports. At 21:15, La Thetis, which had been running before the wind, suddenly turned to starboard, intending to cross the British ship's path and rake her through the bows. HMS Amethyst, being faster and more manoeuvrable, turned inside La Thetis and came alongside, broadside to broadside. Both ships then sailed in a complete circle, broadside to broadside, exchanging broadside fire before resuming their course before the wind. La Thetis then attempted to cross HMS Amethyst's bow again, but mistimed the move, her bowsprit passing between the British ship's main and mizzen masts. The French ship quickly disentangled herself and resumed her previous course. By now, HMS Amethyst, being the faster ship had moved ahead of La Thetis and at 22:00, turned suddenly to port, across the enemy's bows and raked the enemy through her bows before turning again to starboard and resuming her course. Shortly after that, HMS Amethyst's mizzen mast was hit and came crashing down across the quarterdeck. This was a disaster, the ship, although not crippled, was seriously hindered by the wreckage. While her seamen were cutting away the wreckage, La Thetis' mizzen mast also fell, leaving the ships back on equal terms. At 23:00, La Thetis captain decided that he was not going to escape the British frigate, so decided to use his superior numbers and board HMS Amethyst and try to take her. Seymour had anticipated this move and ordered his men to double-shot their guns with a dose of grapeshot for good measure and hold their fire until the Frenchman was alongside. The two ships collided, bow to bow and Seymour ordered his gunners to fire into the enemy ship at point blank range and to continue to load and fire with everything they had until he ordered otherwise. This had the desired effect and the terrible fire from HMS Amethyst shattered the enemy ship and set her on fire. At twenty minutes past midnight, Captain Seymour ordered his men to cease fire and personally led the charge onto La Thetis' deck. There wasn't much of a fight. La Thetis had had three-quarters of her crew killed or wounded by the merciless fire poured into her hull by HMS Amethyst's gunners. They quickly surrendered. Soon after the surrender, La Thetis' two remaining masts fell. The French ship had lost 135 men killed with 102 wounded. HMS Amethyst's victory had not come without a cost. She had had 19 men killed with 35 wounded. An hour after the action ended, HMS Triumph and HMS Shannon (38) came up and their crews assisted with clearing the prize and transferring wounded prisoners off the ship.
Here is the story of the taking of La Thetis in Captain Michael Seymour's own words, together with a casualty list, sent in the form of a letter to Admiral Lord Gambier, Commander-in-Chief, Channel Fleet
Amethyst
Homoaze
Nov. 15, 1808
My Lord,
I have the most sincere pleasure in acquainting you that His Majesty's ship, The Amethyst, under my command, captured, the 10th instant, at night, the French frigate La Thetis, of forty-four guns, and a crew of three-hundred and thirty men, who had served years together, and one hundred and six soldiers, from L'Orient to Martinique. Being close to the NW point of Groa, she was seen at a quarter before seven PM and was immediately chaced; and a close action began before ten O'Clock, which continued with little intermission, until twenty minutes after midnight. Having fallen on board, for a short time after ten, and from quarter past eleven, when she intentionally laid us on board, until she surrendered (about an hour), she lay fast alongside, the fluke of our best bower anchor having entered her foremost maindeck port and she was, after great slaughter, boarded and taken possession of, and some prisoners received from her, before we disengaged the ships. Shortly after, a ship of war was seen coming fast under a press of sail, which proved to be the Triumph, which immediately gave us the most effectual assistance, that the anxious and feeling mind of such an officer as Sir Thomas Hardy could suggest. At Half past one, the Shannon arrived and took some prisoners from and took La Thetis in tow. She is wholly dismasted, dreadfully shattered and had her commander (Pinsun, Capitaine de Vaisseau) and one hundred and thirty five men killed; one hundred and two wounded, amongst whom are all her officers except three. Amethyst has lost nineteen killed and fifty-one wounded, amongst the former is Lieutenant Bernard Kindall, a most promising young officer of the Royal Marines, who suffered greatly; and that invaluable officer Lieutenant S. J. Payne dangerously wounded; the mizzen mast shot away and the ship much damaged and leaky. No language can convey an adequate idea of the coolness and bravery shewn by every Officer and Man of this ship and their noble behaviour has placed me under the greatest obligation. The assistance I received from my gallant friend, the First Lieutenant Mr Bernard Blenner-Hassett, an officer of great merit and ability is beyond all eucominium. Lieutenants Hill and Crouch, and Mr Fair, the Master (whose admirable exertions particularly at the close of the action when the enemy was on fire, the boarders employed and the ship suddently made two feet of water, surmounted all difficulties) are happily preserved to add lustre to His Majesty's Service. In justice to Monsieur Dede, the surviving commander of La Thetis, I must observe he acted with particular firmness, and was the only Frenchman on the quarterdeck when we boarded her.
I have the honor to be &c
MICHAEL SEYMOUR.
A list of seamen and marines killed and wounded on board His Majesty's Ship Amethyst, Nov 10. 1808.
SEAMEN
Killed.
Peter Mills, Captain of the Forecastle
John Scoffield, Quartermaster
Michael Bryan, Quarter Gunner
Robert Scott, Able Seaman
James Elliot, ditto
Colin Taylor, ditto
Matthew Jorden, ditto
Charles Gordon, Ordinary Seaman
Thomas Patterson, ditto
Thomas Smith, Landman
Mortally Wounded
Mr Richard Gibbings, Masters Mate
Dangerously Wounded
Robert Leverick, Quartermaster
Ezekiel Pilkington, Quartermasters Mate
Andrew McHenry, Quarter Gunner
John Purchase, Sailmaker
John Parrott, Able Seaman
Martin Couch, ditto
Alexander Davidson, Ordinary Seaman
Mag. Slater, ditto
Richard Chapple, ditto
John Pearse, ditto
John Foley, boy of the 3rd class
Severely Wounded
Mr L Miles, Midshipman
John Sparrow, Quartermaster
James Campbell, Quarter Gunner
Jos. Manfree, Ordinary Seaman
Charles Slutt, ditto
John Cheyne, ditto
John Forsyth, Landman
John Dove, ditto
Christ. Landerbaugh, ditto
Peter McCaffell, ditto
Slightly Wounded
Mr Leonard Taylor, Boatswain
Mr Gilson, Captains Clerk
William Dobson, Quarter Master
James Wade, Captain of the After-Guard
John White, Carpenters Crew
John Locke, Able Seaman
Anthony Johan, ditto
James Gould, ditto
Annis Ade, ditto
William Bruce, ditto
William Anderson, ditto
John Walker, Ordinary Seaman
Michael Caley, Landman
Peter Murray, ditto
Keyce Morrell, ditto
Michael McDonaugh, Supernumery Boy
MARINES
Killed
Mr Bernard Kindall, Second Lieutenant
John Mail, Corporal
George Littlejohn, Private
Richard Ward, ditto
Joshua Clayton, ditto
Robert Payne, ditto
William Townson, ditto
Jacob Harrison, ditto
Richard Dalling, ditto
Dangerously Wounded
Mr Samuel John Payne, First Lieutenant
James Jenkins, Private
Henry Williams, ditto
Garrett Kelch, ditto
Isaac Smith, ditto
John Wells, ditto
Richard Prynce, ditto
Slightly Wounded
Samuel Packwood, Serjeant
William Pever, Private<
William Crook, ditto
William Hall, ditto
James Harrison, ditto
John Whatley, dittoThe capture of La Thetis by HMS Amethyst:
By February 1809, HMS Amethyst was patrolling off Rochefort, enforcing the blockade of the French naval base there and was in company with the 38 gun frigate HMS Arethusa. On 5th April, the ship spotted a large French frigate, chased and engaged it. Here is the story of the capture of Le Niemen in Captain Seymour's own words, again in the form of a letter to Admiral Lord Gambier:
Amethyst
Off Ushant
April 12, 1809
My Lord,
I have very sincere pleasure in acquainting you of the capture of Le Niemen, a fine new French frigate of forty-four guns, twenty-eight of which are eighteen pounders on her main deck and three-hundred and nineteen men, two days from Verdun Roads, with six months provisions and naval stores on board and bound to the Isle of France, commanded by Mons. Dupotet, Capitaine de frigate, a distinguished officer who defended his ship with great ability and resolution.
At Eleven in the Forenoon of the 5th Instant, the wind in the east, Emerald in the North within signal distance, Cordovan bearing E by N. 42 leagues, a ship was percieved in the E. S. E. coming down steering to westward, which hauled to the S. S. E. on making us out. She was immediately chaced but at twenty minutes past seven, we lost sight of her and the Emerald and had not gained on the chace.
After dark, the Amethyst's course was shaped to match the probable route of an enemy, which at half past nine, we crossed one, but though within half-gun shot at eleven, from which time till One, the bow and stern chasers were exhanging, her extraordinary sailing prevented us from effecting anything serious. From one till past three AM on the sixth, the action was severe, after which the enemy's main and mizzen masts fell, his fire became faint, was just silenced, while ours continued as lively as ever, when the Arethusa appeared, and on her firing, he made a signal of having surrendered, and proved to be the same frigate recommended to my notice in your Lordship's order of 9th Ultimo. She fell on board us once in the contest. She had forty-seven killed and seventy-three wounded. The main and mizzen masts of the Amethyst fell at the close of the action and she had eight killed and thirty-seven wounded.
To render just praise to the brave and admirable conduct of every officer and man of this ship's company (of whom two officers and thirty-seven men were absent in prizes, the prisoners from which, sixty-nine in number, were on-board), I am perfectly unequal. The great exertions and experience of the First Lieutenant, Mr William Hill and Mr Robert Fair, the Master, I am particularly indebted for. Lieutenants Waring and Prytheroe of the Royal Marines deserve my best thanks.
The Prize's foremast fell the next day, and I left her in tow of the Arethusa, who afforded us in every instance, the most prompt assistance and by Captain Mend's desire I write.
In justice to a most vigilant officer, I have to observe, that from the Emerald's situation, even Captain Maitland's skill would not avail him in getting up to the enemy, and the darkness and squally weather in the early part of the night precluded allhope of his keeping sight of the Amethyst.
I am, &c &c &c
MICHAEL SEYMOUR.In May 1809, as a reward for his capture of Le Niemen, coming so soon after his capture of La Thetis the previous year, Captain Seymour was knighted and created a Baronet by the King. Despite their successes, there was no let-up for HMS Amethyst or her captain and crew. More prize-money was coming their way though. The Admiralty purchased Le Niemen for £29,979.2s.10d and took her into service as HMS Niemen. All that money was distributed amongst the surviving officers and crew of HMS Amethyst and when added to the prize money from previous captures, meant that they were all relatively wealthy men once the ship paid off, if they survived.
Between July and December 1809, HMS Amethyst was part of a massive fleet deployed by the Royal Navy in support of the Walcheren Campaign, where the British attempted to open up a new front in the War of the Fifth Coalition. A huge army of 40,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses, field artillery and two seige trains were landed at Walcheren in the Netherlands. The campaign lasted until early December. There was little actual fighting but before they withdrew, the army had lost over 4,000 men of whom only 106 were actually killed in action. The rest died from the so-called "Walcheren Fever". The campaign achieved nothing. After the failure of the Walcheren Campaign, HMS Amethyst was recalled to Plymouth and paid off for a refit. Captain Sir Michael Seymour was appointed to command his prize, now refitted for British service and called HMS Niemen. After a period in command of HMS Hannibal, he was became a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in January 1815. and became Commissioner at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard. When that post was abolished, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, South America Station. In poor health, he died in Rio de Janeiro on 9th July 1834. He was buried with full military honours in the Cemitero dos Ingleses in Gamboa. His funeral was attended by officers from the Royal Navy, the French Navy, the Spanish and US Navies and senior civilian officials. A memorial was erected in his memory in St. Anne's Church, Portsmouth.
The Seymour Memorial in St Anne's Church, Portsmouth.
The inscription reads:
"
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF SIR MICHAEL SEYMOUR BARONET, KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE MOST HONOURABLE MILITARY ORDER OF THE BATH AND A REAR ADMIRAL, OF THE BLUE SQUADRON OF HIS MAJESTY'S FLEET WHO IN THE 66TH YEAR OF HIS AGE, CLOSED HIS BRILLIANT AND EXEMPLARY CAREER AT RIO DE JANEIRO ON THE 9TH DAY OF JULY 1834 WHEN IN COMMAND OF HIS MAJESTY'S NAVAL FORCES ON THE SOUTH AMERICAN STATION
THIS MOST DISTINGUISHED OFFICER AND AMIABLE MAN WHOSE HEROIC EXPLOITS ARE RECORDED IN THE ANNALS OF HIS COUNTRY, LOST AN ARM WHEN SERVING AS LIEUTENANT ON BOARD THE 'MARLBOROUGH' IN THE MEMORABLE ACTION OF THE 1ST JUNE 1794 AND WHILST IN COMMAND OF THE 'AMETHYST', FRIGATE OF 36 GUNS, CAPTURED AFTER TWO WELL CONTESTED AND SANGUINARY ACTIONS THE FRENCH FRIGATES 'THETIS' AND 'NIEMAN' OF 46 GUNS EACH, FOR WHICH HE RECEIVED A MEDAL AND WAS CREATED A BARONET. HE SUCCESSIVELY COMMANDED THE 'HANNIBAL' (IN WHICH SHIP HE CAPTURED THE FRENCH FRIGATE 'SULTANE') THE 'NORTHUMBERLAND' AND TWO OF THE ROYAL YACHTS AND WAS COMMISSIONER OF THE NAVAL DOCKYARD AT PORTSMOUTH UNTIL APPOINTED TO THE SOUTH AMERICAN COMMAND.".
Between September 1809 and January 1810, HMS Amethyst underwent a Middling Repair at the Royal Dockyard, Plymouth. The ship recommissioned in January 1810 under Captain Jacob Walton. Walton was the grandson of a successful New York merchant who had chosen to emigrate to the UK and join the Royal Navy. HMS Amethyst was again assigned to the Channel Fleet and was deployed on the blockade of the Basque Roads. On January 12th 1811, the French privateer brig Le Theodore arrived in Plymouth with a prize crew from HMS Amethyst aboard. She was followed on 3rd February by HMS Amethyst, which had come in to replenish her stores. After two weeks at anchor, the ship received fresh orders for sea. Captain Walton went ashore to speed up the delivery of her stores and left orders for the ship to prepare for sea, which included weighing one of her bower anchors in order to speed up her departure. With the ship now lying on a single anchor, the wind began to freshen and the First Lieutenant signalled the shore for permission to lay out a second anchor. No answer was received, but Captain Walton returned from the shore shortly after. He was informed of the situation but gave no new orders in response. At about midnight, the wind strengthened and veered to the west, pushing the ship closer to the rocky shore. The anchor holding the ship in position began to drag, so the second bower anchor was released but had no effect. By now, the wind had risen to a howling gale and the ship was driven ashore just after midnight. The Captain immediately ordered that distress guns be fired and her masts were cut away. These fell towards the shore and some of her crew used them as makeshift bridges in order to go ashore and summon help. Attempts were made to use the ships boats to get ashore but these were overwhelmed in the heavy seas and ended up smashed up on the rocks. Some locals had arrived on the beach after hearing the distress guns and between them, they and the remaining sailors aboard the ship managed to rig lines from HMS Amethyst's bowsprit to the shore and used a grating as a makeshift means of getting off the ship. By this time, Messrs Richard Crosby, John Davis and Michael Bruce, masters respectively of the transport ships Lavinia, Diana and Jane, and Mr Thomas Pope, foreman to Mr Blackburn of Turnchapel managed to get a boat alongside the ship. Between them, they made two trips out to the stranded frigate before, on the third return trip, the boat was overwhelmed by the heavy seas and capsized with the loss of Mr Bruce and six of the boats crew. In addition to Captain Bruce and his crew, thirty other men were lost, presumed drowned. Daybreak on the following day saw a complete change in the weather. HMS Amethyst was pinned on the rocks, her bottom badly holed. Shipwrights from the Dockyard arrived and immediately began efforts to refloat the ship. Guns and stores were removed, lighters were attached to the ship with chains and efforts were made to plug the holes in the ships bottom and pump her out. These came to nothing, when a few weeks later, another storm blew up and damaged the ship beyond repair. The decision was made to break up the ship where she lay.
On 19th March 1811, Captain Walton and his officers were tried by Court Martial aboard HMS Salvador del Mundo at Plymouth for the loss of their ship. Captain Walton attempted to point the finger of blame at his First Lieutenant, Mr Edward Stewart. The Court Martial board was having none of it and Captain Walton and the ship's Sailing Master were found to be at fault. The Sailing Master was prohibited from serving in any vessel larger than a sixth rate for a year and both he and Captain Walton were both given severe reprimands. Captain Walton never again commanded a ship of the Royal Navy and in 1820, returned to his native New York and joined the family business.
As a post-script, the remains of the wreck of HMS Amethyst were discovered in 2012 in Plymouth Sound and were surveyed and explored in 2013 and were declared to the Receiver of Wrecks, with some artifacts, including a 32lb cannon ball and bits of copper sheathing were recovered and conserved.
