tavern, where Captain Edward Tyrrell established the “rendezvous” for his press gang. Tyrrell was an interesting, resourceful man, and his correspondence to the Admiralty concerning the problems associated with impressment is interesting to read. Captain’s Correspondence “T,” ADM/1/2596 (1795) and ADM/1/2597 (1796–97), PRO; John Charlton, The Tower of London (London, 1978), 112–13.
5 There may have been an unusual infestation of rats on shipping at this time. The log of George Chatterton, Master on the Gorgon, to which Nagle was assigned, contemporaneously noted that the crew was “pointing the Foresail and repairing the Damaged Mainsail which had beeneat by the Rats in several Places.” HMS Gorgon, Master’s Log, ADM/52/3057, PRO.
6 According to George Rude in Hanoverian London, 1714–1808 (Berkeley, Cal., 1971), 228–29,shipbuilding was the most depressed of the major industries of Britain in the 1790s, particularly along the Thames. Nagle’s in-laws, the Pitmans, were a family of boat and shipbuilders who apparently had migrated from their home on the Isle of Wight in the 1780s or at the beginning of the French Wars. As of 1795, they were thinking of going back, and by 1796, it would seem that the Pitmans were at Portsmouth.
7 Presumably John Great rise Smyth, who had been first mate on the Rose under Captain Gray on the previous voyage. Rose, “Ledger” and “Receipt Book,” L/MAR/B/59V, L/MAR/59 V-2, India Office Library, London.
An Old Agamemnon
They Would as Soon Have Faced the Devil Himself as Nelson
1796
I N 1796, WITH N APOLEON on the move in Italy, and Spain entering the war against Britain, the Royal Navy was on the retreat in the Mediterranean. Much to the chagrin of the more hard-nosed naval officers, like Sir John Jervis, commander in chief in the Mediterranean, and Captain Horatio Nelson, the theater would have to be abandoned altogether. On October 19, the French invaded Corsica, a British possession from 1793 to 1796. By November 2, Nelson, on board the Captain , 74, and in company with the Egmont , 74, had evacuated Bastia, capital of the island of Corsica, including the viceroy, Sir Gilbert Elliot. The author of this passage, An Old Agamemnon who signed the piece “M.C.,” describes the scene.
IN THE YEAR 1796 [actually, 1795] Captain Nelson had charge of a small squadron, under Admiral [of the Blue William] Hotham, which was sent to co-operate with the Austrian general, in order to drive the French from the Riviera de Genoa. It was during the night that the admiral got under weigh, but did not get sight of the enemy for several days, when a partial action took place [on July 13,1795]. L’Alcide (74) struck, but the rest of the fleet got a wind, which blowing right on the land, enabled them to get close in shore, while the English fleet, at seven miles distance, were completely becalmed. About half an hour after L’Alcide struck, a box of combustibles, which were stowed in her foretop, accidentally caught fire, and, despite of all exertions to extinguish it, the flames spread so quickly that the ship was soon an entire mass of flame. The crew were seen running to and fro in a state ofdistraction. Our fleet lost no time in manning their boats, and we succeeded in rescuing upwards of 200 of the crew. Our boats were the last that left the vessel, and had not got a mile from her ere she blew up, with a tremendous explosion, scattering in the air those of her unfortunate crew that remained on board, and who could not have been less than 300 souls. Our ship, the Agamemnon, had none killed, and not more than one or two wounded. But we got a number of shots under water, and we had sharp work at the pumps to keep her dry. We anchored only a few hours at St. Fiorenzo, and then Captain Nelson was again despatched in the Agamemnon.
Nelson at this time was made colonel of Marines, which he had long wished for, but little expected. It was pretty well known that great changes were about
5 There may have been an unusual infestation of rats on shipping at this time. The log of George Chatterton, Master on the Gorgon, to which Nagle was assigned, contemporaneously noted that the crew was “pointing the Foresail and repairing the Damaged Mainsail which had beeneat by the Rats in several Places.” HMS Gorgon, Master’s Log, ADM/52/3057, PRO.
6 According to George Rude in Hanoverian London, 1714–1808 (Berkeley, Cal., 1971), 228–29,shipbuilding was the most depressed of the major industries of Britain in the 1790s, particularly along the Thames. Nagle’s in-laws, the Pitmans, were a family of boat and shipbuilders who apparently had migrated from their home on the Isle of Wight in the 1780s or at the beginning of the French Wars. As of 1795, they were thinking of going back, and by 1796, it would seem that the Pitmans were at Portsmouth.
7 Presumably John Great rise Smyth, who had been first mate on the Rose under Captain Gray on the previous voyage. Rose, “Ledger” and “Receipt Book,” L/MAR/B/59V, L/MAR/59 V-2, India Office Library, London.
An Old Agamemnon
They Would as Soon Have Faced the Devil Himself as Nelson
1796
I N 1796, WITH N APOLEON on the move in Italy, and Spain entering the war against Britain, the Royal Navy was on the retreat in the Mediterranean. Much to the chagrin of the more hard-nosed naval officers, like Sir John Jervis, commander in chief in the Mediterranean, and Captain Horatio Nelson, the theater would have to be abandoned altogether. On October 19, the French invaded Corsica, a British possession from 1793 to 1796. By November 2, Nelson, on board the Captain , 74, and in company with the Egmont , 74, had evacuated Bastia, capital of the island of Corsica, including the viceroy, Sir Gilbert Elliot. The author of this passage, An Old Agamemnon who signed the piece “M.C.,” describes the scene.
IN THE YEAR 1796 [actually, 1795] Captain Nelson had charge of a small squadron, under Admiral [of the Blue William] Hotham, which was sent to co-operate with the Austrian general, in order to drive the French from the Riviera de Genoa. It was during the night that the admiral got under weigh, but did not get sight of the enemy for several days, when a partial action took place [on July 13,1795]. L’Alcide (74) struck, but the rest of the fleet got a wind, which blowing right on the land, enabled them to get close in shore, while the English fleet, at seven miles distance, were completely becalmed. About half an hour after L’Alcide struck, a box of combustibles, which were stowed in her foretop, accidentally caught fire, and, despite of all exertions to extinguish it, the flames spread so quickly that the ship was soon an entire mass of flame. The crew were seen running to and fro in a state ofdistraction. Our fleet lost no time in manning their boats, and we succeeded in rescuing upwards of 200 of the crew. Our boats were the last that left the vessel, and had not got a mile from her ere she blew up, with a tremendous explosion, scattering in the air those of her unfortunate crew that remained on board, and who could not have been less than 300 souls. Our ship, the Agamemnon, had none killed, and not more than one or two wounded. But we got a number of shots under water, and we had sharp work at the pumps to keep her dry. We anchored only a few hours at St. Fiorenzo, and then Captain Nelson was again despatched in the Agamemnon.
Nelson at this time was made colonel of Marines, which he had long wished for, but little expected. It was pretty well known that great changes were about
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