196 HEREDITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL OFFICERS. 



59. JAMES SAUMAREZ. 



JAMES SAUMAREZ was born March 11, 1757, in Guernsey, one of the Channel 

 isles. He had early shown a taste for the navy, so his father, who had 6 sons and 

 a restricted income, arranged with a naval captain to have his name borne on the 

 books of a ship-of-war at the early age of 10. At the age of 18 he was appointed 

 passed midshipman on the Bristol, the flagship of Commodore Peter Parker's 

 squadron, then starting out to help quell the rising revolution in America. Lord 

 Cornwallis was on board and was so struck by Saumarez's activity and efficiency 

 that he offered him a commission in his own regiment as his aide-de-camp, but 

 Saumarez, after some hesitation, declined. In his first action against Charleston, 

 South Carolina, the Bristol was driven off, but not before Saumarez had shown 

 a bravery that won him a lieutenancy. His gallantry at a fight with a Dutch 

 fleet on the Dogger bank in 1781 resulted in a command. As captain of the Rus- 

 sell he fought under Rodney and Sir Samuel Hood in the battle with the French 

 fleet, April 12, 1782. The two fleets passed each other in single file, going in oppo- 

 site directions, exchanging broadsides. Saumarez, near the head of the column, 

 had cleared the French rear when he saw a neighboring British vessel, commanded 

 by a captain of senior rank, turn out of the line to pursue the enemy. Without 

 orders Saumarez gladly did the same, but, while the former captain (apparently 

 concluding that he should wait for orders) returned to the line, Saumarez kept on 

 after the French ships. Just then, Rodney in the center and Hood in the rear, 

 taking advantage of a favorable wind, started to dash through the enemy's line. 

 The battle-line changed to a confused battle between individual ships and by good 

 fortune the Russell engaged the French flagship and had already defeated her 

 when Hood arrived in time to receive her surrender. This brilliant achievement 

 was due to the good fighting sense of Saumarez and his willingness to take responsi- 

 bility, although only 25 years of age and less than 12 months from his lieutenancy. 

 After 10 years of retirement on land, the outbreak of war with the French in 1793 

 brought him another opportunity. In the frigate Crescent he intercepted on 

 October 20, 1793, the French frigate Reunion, which was in the habit of attacking 

 British merchant ships at night. By adroit tactics he succeeded in defeating 

 the enemy's ship, losing one man to 118 of the French. For this exploit he was 

 knighted. Saumarez was now attached to Jervis's fleet and participated in the 

 battle off St. Vincent. Also, he was under Nelson in the battle of the Nile, 

 where his ship Orion was largely responsible for the destruction of 3 of the enemy's 

 ships, including the flagship Orient, which blew up. Returning to England, 

 Saumarez was given command of the Ccesar (84 guns); for 3 or 4 months he 

 blockaded the storm-swept bay of Brest, and in 1800 was sent against the French 

 and Spanish fleet at Cadiz. Learning that 3 French ships had anchored off Alge- 

 ciras, Saumarez (now rear admiral) went for them with 6 ships-of-the-line, attacked 

 them under the guns of the fortifications, but was defeated, losing one of his ships. 

 However, a few days later, his opportunity came; 2 giant Spanish ships and 4 

 others of large size appeared, united with the 3 French vessels, and began to 

 engage his 5 wounded ones. At night the swiftest of Saumarez's fleet engaged 

 the Spanish giants, which in the darkness mistook each other for the enemy 

 and destroyed each other. A third was forced to strike her colors. The enemy's 

 fleet was broken up. 



