Frigate Commander (38 page)

. . . no inclination to speculate upon the Neutrals as many of my brethren have done, and some with great success, it is a species of gambling that I am not disposed to enter into.

However, their luck was about to change.

On 2 June the two frigates captured a Spanish Felucca from Vera Cruz laden with sugar and cochineal. Then the
Juno
captured a 12-gun letter-of-marque brig laden with indigo and sugar. Three days later, they had more success, capturing what Moore described as a ‘
beautiful
’ copper-bottomed Spanish schooner laden with yet more cochineal, indigo and sugar. The crew of the schooner, when examined, were found to be carrying 2,000 dollars about their bodies. Moore was deeply suspicious that this was really part of the cargo of the ship and that they had pocketed it when they realized that they were not going to escape. The men were questioned closely and, perhaps surprisingly, Moore decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and let them keep the money.

The two frigates were now burdened with nearly a hundred Spanish prisoners, who were consuming water at an alarming rate. Moore was also worried that they might introduce some form of contagion, especially as the ships were now free of fever. In reality though, Moore was also losing men through accidents. On 13 June, a young seaman who had volunteered from an English Fencible Regiment at Cork, fell from the mizzen topsail yard and was killed. It was their fourth fatality through accident or disease since leaving Port Royal.

Moore’s next encounter was not with the Spanish, but with an American frigate, the
General Greene
, armed with thirty-two 12-pounder guns. The American commander hove to at Moore’s request, and the Lieutenant sent on board was – perhaps surprisingly under the circumstances – received with
‘. . . much civility by the American Captain’.
From the American ship, Moore learned that a Spanish convoy had sailed from Pensacola, escorted by a large frigate. The two frigates had not long parted when the
Melampus
sighted a brigantine flying what appeared to be an unrecognized American provincial flag. Moore was suspicious and fired several shots in an attempt to bring her to, but before this could be achieved, the American frigate intervened, placing herself between the
Melampus
and the stranger. Furious, Moore had another shot fired at the brigantine

. . . to show that I was not to be led from my purpose by such an unof-ficer like conduct, and finding their frigate still kept close to the Brigantine, I prepared for action and in passing the Frigate on our way to our object, hailed and asked if they knew what vessel that was which we had fired so many shot at. I was answered from the frigate that she was an American from New Orleans bound to Salem, and under her convoy . . . I then said, I mean to send an officer on board to examine her papers, and if she is under your convoy I will be obliged to you if you will direct her to bring to for that purpose. I was answered that they had no objection to our examining her papers and that they would direct her to bring to. The frigate then hailed the brigantine and told them to shorten sail and bring to while we examined her.

Moore sent a boarding part over to check her papers. The brigantine was carrying cotton, and seemed innocent so Moore let her go, though it is questionable what he would have done if he had found grounds for suspicion;

I certainly was not pleased with the conduct of the American frigate on this occasion, it appeared to me to be neither discreet nor dignified, as it is certainly to be presumed that the Brigantine making sail after speaking the frigate was in pursuance of her directions, she therefore suffered with a bad grace what could have been no discredit to her if she had made no shew at first of contesting.

It obviously has to be seriously doubted that the Americans saw it in the same light – and indeed, the incident might be seen as a precursor to the tensions between the two nations that were to explode a decade later. The incident amply illustrates the care that Moore had to take, for not only was he on unfamiliar ground, but there were large numbers of American ships in the area, including many privateers.

The
Melampus
’ bad luck seemed to continue a few days later when a seaman fell from the foremast rigging, hit one of the guns and dropped into the sea. Moore’s Coxswain leapt over the side to try and save him, but found only his hat. A boat was lowered, but the man was nowhere to be seen;
‘A sad accident happened,’
on the following day,

when we were reefing the topsails, one of our best Top men, a fine young Welch sailor fell from the Main top sail yard and was killed on the spot. This is the Third sailor we have lost by accident this cruise, besides the three men who were swept off by the cursed fever.

On 29 June, Moore fell in with a licenced Spanish vessel and put forty-six of his prisoners on board with a generous one-week’s supply of water and provisions. Dundas in the
Juno
was soon reporting a shortage of water and, reluctantly, Moore had to order him back to port. This was a blow because it was unlikely that the
Melampus
on her own would be able to engage three Spanish frigates. Moore continued westwards past Cuba where he fell in with the frigate
Quebec
, commanded by Captain Henry Bayntun. The two frigates cruised together for several days until they were separated during a violent storm. Moore was at his most poetic when describing it in his journal:

Between 9 & 10 at night we had a sudden squall with a tremendous clap of thunder which obliged us to put before the wind and clew up everything. This continued about 20 minutes with the most violent rain and the lightning as it were streaming from the clouds close to us and all around, while we could scarce hear or see for the dreadful explosions of the thunder and the continuous flashes of blue forked lightning darting down and across us. I expected some fatal calamity every instant either to the ship or the crew, but we escaped completely, and the heavy laden clouds, pregnant with the thunder, passed away to leeward, the air cooled and the sky became clear and serene. I have never before seen lightning so terrible, and I think we were in very great danger. One of the ships on the Jamaica Station has been struck repeatedly when cruising in the Gulph and has lost several men, besides having on one occasion her main top mast shivered to pieces.

On 12 July, the
Melampus
was about twelve leagues WSW of the Isle of Pines and Moore calculated that, with twenty tons of water remaining and the crew consuming more than a ton per day even in rationed amounts, he only had enough left for twelve days. It was time to turn back for Port Royal. The crew had already been on salt provisions for some time, but so far they were still healthy and seemed in good humour and spirits. The situation made Moore aware of the real disadvantage of his current station for his cruising ground was so far from Port Royal that he could spend little time there once he arrived. He decided to stop at Grand Cayman where the frigate’s purser purchased a small supply of vegetables and other refreshments, including turtle, but the island could only supply them with sufficient water for three days. They set off again for Jamaica but progress was painfully slow, and on 20 July Moore had to ignore a strange sail to leeward, even though it might be a valuable prize, because he could not afford to lose a minute in getting back to port. However, when a privateer felucca fell into his lap on the 22nd, he did not hesitate to deviate slightly to take her as a prize. With their water running out, the
Melampus
finally reached Port Royal on 28 July, where she found the
Juno
safely in harbour with their prizes.

Back in port, Moore found that Lord Hugh Seymour had replaced Hyde Parker as Commander-In-Chief, and there was naval gossip and news from Europe to catch up with. There were rumours that the Austrians might soon make peace with the French and Moore found himself speculating how long it would be before Britain and France made peace. He believed that the French had made no military impression on England at all,
‘. . . but our expenses must in the end ruin us’.
Moore strongly desired peace now:
‘I long to enjoy society, ease and Liberty, Liberty, Liberty.’

The
Melampus
was caulked and fitted with new main course and topsail yards, but the stay in harbour saw a resumption of the dreaded fever and one of the Midshipmen,

. . . a very fine boy,
died
; From perfect health he was carried off in the course of five days. He was nephew to Sir William Grant the Solicitor General, and was really a most promising youth. I have left another young Gentleman in a very dangerous way at the Naval hospital, and I fear his health is destroyed for ever.

On 21 August, the
Melampus
and the
Juno
were ordered to cruise between Cape Corrientes and Cape Catouche (Cabo Catoche) the southernmost point of the Gulf of Mexico. Moore was also given permission to leave the
Juno
there while he entered the Gulf to search for a privateer off Yallaks Point. The general opinion was that the new station was a good one for intercepting Spanish ships sailing between Old Spain and Vera Cruz. Moore and Dundas agreed to share prize money until 15 October, which was when Moore planned to separate for the Gulf. The two frigates called briefly at Grand Cayman for turtle but were unable to obtain any. Instead they purchased fowl and plantains, much cheaper than could be purchased at Jamaica,

. . . but dear enough of all conscience . . . if we did not get some Prize Money the Sea Officers on this station must ruin themselves as every article they purchase costs about four times the price they do in England. This last cruise will pay me better than any one I ever made on the home station but I shall not be able to remit a sixpence to England, it will all go here, I hope it will cover my expenses while on the station, that is all I expect of it.

On 30 August they stopped and seized a Spanish merchantman carrying thirty cases of
‘Lady’s Sigarrs’
, 500 dollars and a small parcel of indigo. She was of only little value, and Moore doubted that her sale would even cover the expenses involved. After some hesitation, he put a quartermaster and five men on board and sent her in to Jamaica, but could not help remarking that,
‘I wish we had not seen her’.
As they were now on the edge of their cruising ground, Moore was reminded once again of the long distance between their position and their base. This was going to be problematic when it came to sending in prizes, as he was already very short of Midshipmen. There was little chance of getting them back from Port Royal before the end of the cruise and, on top of this, there was always the danger that the prize and crew could be lost through shipwreck or recapture, which
‘. . . cuts up our ship’s company terribly’.
The
Juno
had already lost twelve men in a prize which had disappeared after they had sent her in.

Another problem was fever, which had broken out on both ships. The
Juno
had already lost seven men since leaving Port Royal and within less than two weeks she lost six more. Although Moore had been able to supplement her crew with three of seven men he pressed out of an American privateer, he was becoming anxious about the effect the
Juno
’s losses were having on the morale of her crew:
‘A great despondency pervades the ship’s company, as soon as a man is taken ill he gives himself up.’
It was almost with some apology that Moore recorded an ailment of his own:

I have been grievously tormented by a whitlow on my fore finger, which by the unskilful treatment of the Surgeon’s Mate (the Surgeon being ill) I was afraid I should have lost, it is, however, now in a fair way and I hope soon to have the entire use of it.

By 26 September the two frigates had been on station for two weeks without seeing another vessel, but at least the fever seemed to be abating. Although the
Juno
had lost another man, the
Melampus
had lost no men and Moore wondered if this was because

. . . the Surgeon of the
Melampus
gives them great quantities of Calomel, which in general brings on salivation, after the fever is over.

When at last the two frigates did sight a strange sail, it turned out, after a chase, to be an American vessel. Although disappointed, Moore was pleased to hear from the American Master that the English frigate
Seine
, commanded by Captain David Milne, had captured the French frigate
Vengeance
in the Mona Passage off St Domingo,

. . . after a handsome action, in which the
Seine
had one Lieutenant and 12 men killed and 29 men wounded. She had carried the
Vengeance
into Jamaica.
¹⁰⁴

The next day, Moore’s luck changed, but not without difficulty and cost. On the morning of 30 August, the two frigates sighted another English frigate in chase of a schooner. The frigate was identified as the
Retribution
(formerly the infamous frigate
Hermione
)
¹⁰⁵
, and Moore and Dundas joined in the chase. The
Melampus
, being the best sailor of the three, soon sped ahead and when the wind dropped,

I made the signal for the Boats manned and armed to chase her. Some hours after dark when the Schooner was within random shot of the
Melampus
, being the headmost of the three ships
[we]
ran aground and stuck fast, I instantly made the signal to the other ships to avoid the danger and ordered Captn Dundas to anchor the
Juno
in a convenient position for the
Melampus
to heave off by her. Almost at the same instant that the
Melampus
struck, the schooner ran aground and was attacked by the boats. The
Juno
’s boat in which Mr Burns, the 1st Lieutenant was, not waiting for the other boats, ran on board the schooner in spite of a heavy fire of grape and musketry, he was almost instantly killed with 2 of the seamen and several others being wounded the boat was beat off in great confusion just as the
Melampus
’s barge and cutter got along side, but on seeing the fate of the
Juno
’s boat they hauled off along with her. Altho I saw by the firing that the boats were vigorously opposed yet I could not spare any more boats to assist them in a second attack until the
Melampus
could be hove off, I therefore sent to Lieutenant Handfield
¹⁰⁶
to desire him to watch her motions with the boats he had and not to run any risk unless she attempted to get off until I could send the Launches to his assistance. In the mean time by great exertion the
Melampus
was hove off the bank, but by this time it was near daylight and the schooner had got off and endeavoured to make off along shore to the Eastward
[of Cape Catouche].
We made signals to the boats and they followed her along shore until after day light when they boarded her without meeting any further resistance. She proved to be a Government vessel called the
Aquila
from the Havana bound to
Campeachy
mounting 14 brass 10 pounders and manned with 100 men commanded by a Lieutenant de Frigate carrying the New Governor of the province of Yucatan and his suite. She had jettisoned all but three guns, had boarding netting all round and was completely fitted with small arms and pikes.