know not, but I rather think I shall go out with the Fleet now at Spithead. We are ultimately to be paid off at Woolwich, I have rum and tamarinds for you, and in what quantity you wish, for I have abundance. My dear wife is much obliged by your kind inquiries. I have no doubt but you will like her upon acquaintance, for although I must be partial, yet she possesses great good sense and good temper. We are at a Court-Martial. Ever yours truly, HORATIO NELSON. Charles Pole desires me to say everything kind for him. TO PHILIP STEPHENS, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Boreas, Spithead, July 10th, 1787. Sir, As I understand that no official accounts are yet received by their Lordships of the reasons why his Majesty's Ship Pegasus, commanded by his Royal Highness Prince William Henry, proceeded by the way of Jamaica to Halifax in Nova Scotia, I think it my duty to acquaint the Board that on the 23rd of January last, Lieutenant Isaac Schomberg, First Lieutenant of his Majesty's Ship Pegasus, wrote me a letter of which No. I. is a copy. From his Royal Highness having but a few days before released Lieutenant Schomberg from Arrest, and from other antecedent circumstances, together with the extraordinary attack of accusing his Royal Highness of having put his name to what had not happened, I judged it proper to suspend him from duty, and directed his Royal Highness, as by No. II.9 Other reasons which influenced my conduct were, by being convinced that it was impossible Lieutenant Schomberg could ever serve properly after what had happened; and I was not without hope that when a Commander-in-Chief arrived, some mode might be adopted by him 8 Vide p. 209, ante, 9 Vide p. 208, ante. to prevent a Court-Martial, and to get Lieutenant Schomberg removed from the Pegasus. His Royal Highness also acquainted me that Lieutenant Schomberg had told him before the Officers of the Pegasus, that his Royal Highness was now grown so very particular that no Officer could serve under him, and that sooner or later he must be broke; therefore he should stand a Court-Martial, and if they did not break him, he should apply to quit the Ship. This, I hope, their Lordships will consider a sufficient reason for my suspension of Lieutenant Schomberg. Indeed I was so much inclined to think that some other Officers would write for Court-Martials to vindicate their conduct, that I thought it proper to give out the Order No. III; and I was convinced from appearances that if I had not suspended Mr. Schomberg, I should soon have had an application from another quarter. On the death of Captain Wilfred Collingwood, I sent a blank Commission to his Royal Highness, which he filled up. I thought it was the least compliment I could possibly pay him. By return of the Rattler his Royal Highness acquainted me that Lieutenant Hope wished to exchange out of the Pegasus into the Boreas. This request I thought proper to comply with. I transmitted to Commodore Gardner by his Royal Highness their Lordships' secret orders. I also desired H. R. H. to give Commodore Gardner a copy of Commodore Sawyer's orders. If there were Ships enough assembled a Court-Martial might be held, the prisoner released, and H. R. H. made easy in his mind. If the Ships could not be assembled, H. R. H. had ample time to comply with Commodore Sawyer's orders. My reason for attending to the Commodore's order, although it was in some measure contrary to their Lordships' orders, was, that had the Pegasus fell in with the ice, and any unfortunate accident happened, it might have been said Captain Nelson should have paid more attention to what an old Officer and Commander-in-Chief directed. Their Lordships will not impute any other reason for my not sending the Pegasus away agreeable to their orders, as she sailed completely refitted for her voyage to North America, and every object of his Royal 1 Vide p. 210 ante. Highness's visit to this Station was accomplished. Numbers IV. and, V. are my letters to Commodore Gardner, and his Royal Highness's orders. I have the honour to remain, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, No. VI. are Extracts from his Royal Highness's Letters to me.3 3 All the Letters referred to, except the following, have been already inserted: Vide pp. 223, 236, 237. FROM H. R. H. PRINCE WILLIAM HENRY TO CAPTAIN NELSON, Pegasus, May 3d, 1787. Sir, I this morning received your letter informing me of your having appointed Lieutenant Wallis to the command of the Rattler, and I have to own the receipt of the blank Commission, which you, in your usual polite and civil manner, bave authorised me to fill up. I have appointed Mr. Stephen George Church to be second Lieutenant of his Majesty's Ship under your command, strongly recommending him to you as a deserving, diligent and attentive Officer, for the thorough knowledge I have of his character during eight years of service together. Lieut. William Hope, third Lieutenant of the Pegasus, having applied to me to request he may be allowed to exchange from the Pegasus into the Boreas, I beg leave, in compliance with Lieutenant Hope's application, to represent the matter for your decision. I have no objection to the exchange, as the request was made in a modest and proper manner. W. May 11th, 1787. It is highly requisite for his Majesty's Service that Lieutenant Isaac Schomberg should be brought to trial, particularly after having been kept under suspen. sion rather than confinement for one hundred and seven days. Justice calls loudly for a man so long in his situation to be as soon delivered from his captivity as possible. The only means to effect that must be a Court-Martial. You, Sir, are thoroughly acquainted with all the proceedings, and know the uneasiness of mind I bave suffered, and the vast desire I must have to see the affair of this unhappy and deluded man settled; and as you have mentioned to me in your letter that his Majesty's Ship Maidstone has gone in search of that piratical Vessel, and as no official accounts are yet come out concerning the approaching arrival of a Commander-in-Chief to his Majesty's Ships on this Station, and as the time is now almost come for his Majesty's Ship under my command to return to the Coast of North America, where it is likely that there will not be a sufficient number of bis Majesty's Ships and Vessels to try the said Lieutenant Schomberg, I entirely coincide in opinion with you, Sir, that it is not only for the advantage of his Majesty's service, but that justice requires that his Majesty's Ship Pegasus should proceed, in her way to North America, to Jamaica. I am using the utmost TO PHILIP STEPHENS, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Autograph, in the Admiralty.] Boreas, Spithead, July 11th, 1787. Sir, I am just honoured with your letter of yesterday's date, wherein you inform me that as I was not duly authorised by their Lordships to fill up Appointments, they cannot by the rules of the Board be confirmed. When Sir Richard Hughes, Baronet, resigned the Command of the Leeward Island Station in July 1786, which he informed me (by his order) was in obedience to the directions of the Admiralty Board, he left me the instructions of their Lordships to him, countersigned by himself, and, amongst others, the power of giving Commissions; also the power of holding Court-Martials, and directing them to be held; and also their Lordships' orders relative to improper Appointments. I therefore could not but suppose myself duly authorised, and with the sanction of their Lordships; or, otherwise, I should during the time of my command have been informed to the contrary. If from this, what I supposed full, authority, my Appoint dispatch, and am confident I shall have the honour of paying my personal respects to you in a few days at furthest, my health being so much better that I am able to conduct the duty of the Ship. W. May 13th. My going to Jamaica is really necessary, not only for my own ease and peace of mind, but for the King's service, to deliver this miserable object from his long confinement. The Sloop's going with me is a judicious arrangement of yours, to prevent delay. Gardner being an Officer of experience and judgment, will be able to give me good advice how to pursue the best mode through this difficult and disagreeable affair. I wish to God it had never happened, or that Schomberg had seen his error sooner. W. I thank you for allowing the Sloop's going to England. I am extremely anxious that the King should be as soon as possible acquainted with the issue of this trial. W. ments are not confirmed, I shall be looked upon in the Service as an Officer who arrogated to himself powers with which he was not invested, for the Service can never know what Sir Richard Hughes left me. Indeed the most serious consequences might have happened, and what might have embittered my future days. Had there been Ships enough on the Station, I should not have sat at Court-Martials, and consequently the Courts would have been illegal. A man belonging to the Rattler was sentenced to death. As Senior Captain of five Ships, or as an Officer detached from the Fleet by a Commander-in-Chief, I had not leave to carry a sentence of death into execution. Sir Richard Hughes's Flag was struck, and I was only under the orders of their Lordships; therefore I felt myself empowered to carry any sentence of death into execution; which would have been the case of the unhappy man belonging to the Rattler, had not his Royal Highness interceded for his pardon. Thus was I near, if not cutting the thread of life, at least of shortening a fellow-creature's days. The Law might not have supposed me guilty of murder, but my feelings would nearly have been the same. I had always been bred up with the idea of obeying my Commanding Officer most correctly; and what must I feel at finding the Commander-in-Chief's directions a mere nullity? I have heard that reports are circulated that I knew Commodore Parker was near the Station when I sent the Pegasus and Rattler away, and that I knew he had been at the Island of Madeira. I assure the Board the report is false. Indeed, on the day the Pegasus sailed, a report came from Antigua, (said to be brought by a Ship that arrived there eleven days before,) that the Jupiter sailed from Spithead the latter end of March, but there appeared to me no foundation for it. Indeed, since November last, I had almost always a Ship at Barbadoes, to look out for a Commodore, but I never had the idea of the arrival of one about this time. Their Lordships may be assured that one of the happiest 4 The Appointments were not confirmed. Mr. Church was however made a Lieutenant on the 15th of August 1787; but Lieutenant Wallis was not promoted to the rank of Commander until the 20th of January 1794. |