HKHtiii.'/ffttmKtc «?;:?-^: 'mM rc-'O^. >r<«jc; {^f^ I a %-%,■■ >■%•■%.%."%,•-%,■! ►■%'■%>'%-'%■•%. *.-^l.<^'%. LJBIUIIY OF CONi^RESS. "^Ql <1 «^^^S* -*-». Di ST -^ .^-^^ W^^ ^ 7" *« ^:'^' ■ .^ ^ '•^^ ,'.' ■ j^ ,:■<'''''- ^-' ' '^ ^B^«1 ^i ; ^ K^l "^■^ i: ««^>«- -< car^ o ■ tf -«« c< St. CTcr « 'mm ^^"rt& TWO LETTERS RESPECTING THE CONDUCT OF Rear Admiral Graves ON THE COAST OF THE UNITED STATES, JULY TO NOVEMBER, 1781. BY WILLIAM'gRAVES, Esq., OF THE INNER TEMPLE. sshttxC?-^ ' Wdsh* , J MORRISANIA, N. Y. 1865. ■VtU' V\A>. Only loo Copies Printed. No. iO. Cteo^vo^ I^.^aw^to ^^^",1 •t'l 1 Press of J. M . Bradstreet & Son INTRODUCTION ^ I ^HE following Trad:, concerning a very important event in the War of -*- the American Revolution, was written by William Graves, Efq., the eldeft brother of Admiral Thomas Graves, and privately circulated for the purpofe of defending the latter from the ferious charges which were brought againft him, fubfequent to the furrender by Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. Concerning the author of the Trad, very little is known beyond the fafts that he was the eldeft fon of Captain Thomas and Elizabeth [Budgell) Graves; that he was a member of the Inner Temple, a Mafter in Chancery, and during feveral years a member of the Houfe of Commons, reprefenting the borough of Eaft and Weft Looe, in Cornwall ; and that he died at his Chambers, in the Inner Temple, in June, 1801, aged feventy-feven years. The prefent edition of the Trad is as perfedl a fac-fimile of the original as can now be made ; and, with a hope that it will prove ufeful to thofe who (hall be engaged in the ftudy of the military hiftory of the United States, it is refpedfully iflued. H. B. D. MoRRISANIA, N. Y., j4pri/ 4, 1 864. TWO \ \ LETTERS FROM W. GRAVES, Efq; RESPECTING THE CONDUCT OF REAR ADMIRAL GRAVES, I N NORTH AMERICA, From the beginning of JULY to that of NOVEMBER, 1781. B *^* Thefe Letters were originally defigned for Tbe Morning Chronicle of the 21ft and zzd of January, 1782, at the opening of the fefTion of Parliament; but the publication was laid afide for feveral particular reafons, and, among others, from a probability of the Admiral himfelf being foon in England. The prefent impreffion is merely for private ufe, to avoid the trouble of mak- ing tranfcripts for intimate friends. The fafts are as fully, corrcftly, and impartially given, as any materials which the compiler could get at enabled him to give them ; although he is per- fuaded that, for want of communication with the Admiral, his cafe is not done juftice to, and that this is a very imperfeft ftate of it. ( 3 ) LETTER I. SIR, 'Y reafon for troubling you with this letter is what has been both pub- licly and privately propagated, with much induftry, to the difadvan- tage of a very near relation, who by being abroad muft be entirely ignorant of what is faid at home. Upon the firfl day of this feflion of parliament (as I was foon informed, and read alfo the next morning in the Morning Chronicle of the i8th of November, 178 1,) it was aflerted by Lord Denbigh, that "Rear Admiral Graves had "received repeated advices from Sir George Rodney in May, July, and Au- " guft laft, of an intended French naval expedition to the Chefapeak, with a " recommendation to colled: his whole ftrength, and meet Sir Samuel Hood ofF "the Capes of Virginia; that Sir Samuel proceeded there in due time, dif- " patched immediately a frigate to Admiral Graves to let him know his arri- "val, waited afterwards nine days for his coming, and, being then tired, failed "with his own fquadron for New York, looking by the way into the Chefa- "peak and Delaware, where he could fee neither friend nor foe; that he found "Admiral Graves at Sandy Hook, not even preparing to fail ; and that at laft, " when the Admiral moved from thence towards the Chefapeak, he left four " fhips of force behind him." To this, the common report made his lordfhip add, " the Admiral had the like information and dired:ions from the Admiralty, I "but ( 4 ) " but that he had equally difregarded them." No fuch aflertions were hazarded in the Houfe of Commons : although, on the St. Euftatius day, Sir George Rodney ftated the merit of his own proceedings in the Weft Indies, and the advices which he had fent to the commander in chief by fea at New York, and fpolce in the higheft terms of Sir Samuel Hood. And in the laft letter from Sir Henry Clinton, dated the 13th of November, he writes, " Had it been " poffible for the fleet to have failed at the time it was firft imagined they " would have been able to do, I have not the leaft doubt that Lord Cornwallis "would have been relieved by the joint exertions of the navy and army, and I " therefore cannot fufficiently lament that they could not have been made "fooner." And this refers plainly to that General's letter to Lord Cornwallis, of the 24th of September, informing his lordfhip, "that the relief would fail " the 5th of Oftober*." Now, Sir, as the Admiral, whilft in North America, could not be apprized of what was palTmg here, and, by being removed from thence to Jamaica, cannot for a long while have any intercourfe with this country, I think it my duty to lay before the public fo much of his proceedings, relative to thefe charges, as I have any good ground for afcertaining. lih.QfirJl of Sir George Rodney's advices was this. "Sandwich, St. Euftatius, 3d May, 178 1. "SIR, " A very confiderabie French fquadron having arrived at Martinique from " Europe on the 29th of laft month, I think it my duty to give you informa- "tion thereof, that you may be upon your guard fliould they vifit the coafts " of America, in which cafe I fhall fend every aftiftance in my power. " I have the honour to be, &c. "G. B. RODNEY." It was addrefTed to Vice Admiral Arbuthnot, fent by the Garland, Captain Chamberlayne, and arrived (as I am informed,) at New York the 19th of June, whilft Mr. Arbuthnot was there. On the 5th of July the Vice Admiral failed for Europe ; and the naval command in North America fell of courfe to the next fenior officer. Rear Admiral Thomas Graves, the fliips of the line there at this time being fevenf. * See London Gazette, December 16, 1781. ■j' London 90 guns, and 8 carronades, Bedford Robufte J- 74 Royal Oak America ") Europe !■ 64 Prudent ) About ( 5 ) About the 19th or 20th of July came advices from the Admiralty, by the Hornet, of fome fhips with money and fupplies for the rebels being upon the feas for Bofton. In confequence of which, Rear Admiral Graves, then lying ready without the bar at Sandy Hook with fix fhips of the line, failed fo foon as the wind permitted, which was the 21ft, ordering th.e Adamant of 50 guns, that only wanted water, to get fupplied, come over the bar, and follow him; which fhe did, and joined him the next day at fea. The Royal Oak likewife, which had been fent on the 6th of June by Mr. Arbuthnot to Halifax to careen, came from thence about this time, and joined the fquadron near St. George's Bank on the 28th of July: the probability of a rencontre with the Rhode Ifland fleet, then called eight fhips of the line, had made this aflembly of the whole New York fquadron very defireable. From this cruize they returned to Sandy Hook the i6th of Auguft, and the next day went over the bar to refit as foon as poffible ; but the Robufte and Prudent, being extremely infirm, were ordered into dock ; the former (not be- ing coppered) to be fliripped and caulked, and her bottom thoroughly ex- amined ; and the latter to take in new mafts, thofe which fhe had being unfer- viceable and unfafe, their wounds in the aftion of the i6th of March having opened during the late cruize, and endangered their falling. Whilfi: Admiral Graves was at Bofton, Sir George Rodney's /^^ok^ difpatch arrived at New York, of which I could get from him* no other than the fol- lowing general minute. " Sandwich, * In confequence of what fell in the Houfe of Lords, the fame night (as we were dividing in the Houfe of Commons,) I afked Sir George Rodney for the dates and particulars ot his three difpatches to North America, when, with great franknefs and politenefs, he told me, "I fhould " have copies of them, for he thought I had a right to them," telling me withal, " that the " difpatch of the 7th of July was the moll material of all." The next day he gave me a run- ning minute of them ; but on my reminding him of his promife of copies, he affured me he would have fuch made and fent to me. After waiting feveral days, I called twice at his houfe for the purpofe ; and, not finding him at home, I wrote two or three notes to refrefh his me- mory ; but from the hurry (I fuppofe) of bufmefs, he omitted to fend to me any copies. How- ever, the St. Euftatius affair brought him to the houfe ; when he dated his feveral advices, and appeared to have tranfcripts of them : I applied to him, as we were rifing, for thofe tranfcripts ; and he then, after turning over all his papers three or four times, drew out feveral, and gave them to me. I did not at that time look into the contents, but did fo the next morning, when I found the difpatch of the 7th of July to be only mifTmg : whereupon I wrote direflly to Sir George to mention the omiifion, and pray it might be fupplied. In anfwer, he fent a very gen- teel note (December 5,) faying, "The copy of his letter of the 7th of July was in his letter- " book left at Plymouth, lout a copy was, he believed, fent to the Admiralty." Upon this I wrote to Mr. Stephens to beg a tranfcript, alluring him, if I had it from him, I would not print it. I had no anfwer ; but, on meeting him ten days afterwards, he told me he had made a dili- gent rummage zmoT\% their papers at the Admiralty, and it could not be found. So foon as I heard of Sir George getting to Plymouth, I wrote again to intreat the favour of a copy of this letter of the 7th of July from his letter-book : I have had no anfwer. Being aware of his mul- tiplicity of bufinefs, I wrote at the fame time to a friend there to wait upon Sir George and his Secretary for the purpofe: the latter, (Mr. Paget,) upon being applied to, faid he would look out the copy, if there was one, and fend a tranfcript the next morning; but this not being done, my friend went to Sir George himfelf, at the Commiffioner's houfe, December 24, who received C him ( 6 ) "Sandwich, Carlifle Bay, yth July, 1781. " Acquainting Vice Admiral Arbuthnot, that the French fleet, under De GrafTe, had quitted Martinique with the trade of that ifland, and were un- doubtedly gone to Cape Fran9ois ; that in all probability they would after- wards proceed to the Chefapeak ; therefore recommending it to him to join, with all his force, the fquadron I fhould either bring or fend to his afliftance off the Capes of Virginia, ftationing frigates to look out for that purpofe, and to give my fquadron the neceffary information relative to affairs in America." This difpatch (of which I wifh I could give the very words, that they might fpeak for themfelves,) was brought to New York by the Swallow floop, Capt. Vv^ells; and Commodore Affleck, who then commanded the port, within twenty- four hours, fent the Captain to fea with it again in queft of Admiral Graves. A privateer coming within fight of Captain Wells, he purfued and took her with ipirit ; but falling-in afterwards with three privateers, he was obliged to run the Swallow afhore upon Long Ifland, and, to prevent his difpatches from coming to the hands of the enemy, he funk them v/ithout opening. He got back again himfelf at laft to New York, but not till after the arrival of Sir Sa- muel Hood at Sandy Hook, and then waited upon Admiral Graves : the Ad- miral was much difiatisfied with him for having gone out of his way to chafe when carrying difpatches ; but I hear the Captain fays he was neither apprized nor aware of there being any importance in his difpatches. I cannot learn that any information or diredtions upon this head came from Europe to Admiral Graves. None of his cruizers, though many were out, brought him any intelligence from the Capes of Virginia or the Chefapeak either of Sir Samuel Hood or the enemy ; nor did any arrive from Sir Samuel himfelf This officer came to Sandy Hook the 28th of Auguft, under a frefli of wind, with fourteen fail of the line, and his frigates followeci the next day. By him Admiral Graves had the firfb account of the French Weft India fleet being failed for, and probably gotten to, fome part of the North American coaft ; but Sir Samuel did not know their ftrength, and came with a full per- fuafion that our force was a match for theirs, and reprefented his own fhips as fit for fea for a month. On the evening of the fame 28th came advices of De Barras having left Newport In Rhode Ifland with his fquadron the Satur- day before (the 25th.) The Admirals confulted with the General ; and Rear Admiral Graves in- ftantly determined to feek the enemy, and to fail with the firft wind for the him with his ufual politenefs, aflured him of his good intentions towards, and his great defire to ferve. Admiral Graves, whole character he well knew was moll unjuftly injured ; and, after palling fevcral high encomiums upon him, told the gentleman that if any copy of this letter was in his poflefTion, he would certainly fend it to him when he got aboard: but no copy has been fent, and Sir George is failed from Plymouth. chance ( 7 ) chance of falling-in with one of the French fquadrons before joined by the other. He had got five of his fhips of the line and one fifty quite ready. The only fhips befides of two decks at New York were the Prudent and Robujie, the former of which had all out, and was careening, and the other had no mafts ; and neither could be equipped within ten days. It would have been a great fatisfadion to the Admiral to have been able to take thefe two fhips, not only from their rate, but becaufe they were commanded by the Captains Bur- nett and Cofbie, who had fo lately diflinguifhed their valour under Mr. Ar- buthnot in the very fame feas. A line of battle was delivered the 30th ; and, the wind ferving on the jifl, the whole fleet made the beft of their way for the Chefapeak, without any /in- terruption, but from the complaints of the Weft Indian fquadron, the Terrible on the third day of failing making the fignal of diflrefs. The fleet brought-to; when the Terrible was found to have come from the Leeward Iflands wfth five pumps at work, the Jjax but little better, and the Montagu a leaky fliip ; that fome of the refl had fprung mafts, and feveral were very fhort of water and bread. Thefe defecfls were fupplied as quickly and as well as the fituation would admit, and the fleet proceeded with the utmoft expedition. In the morning of the 5th of September, between 9 and 10 o'clock, as the mouth of the Chefapeak began to open, the frigate ahead defcried the enemy on the furthermofl fide of the bay. They were difcerned from our great fhips between 10 and 11 at anchor within Cape Henry in Lynnhaven Bay, and were judged to be about fifteen fliips of the line! At noon, whilft we' were running m, they were difcovered to be getting on their way. About a quarter after i o'clock the fignal was made for the leading fhip (in Sir Samuel Hood's divrfion) to lead more towards them, and our fleet continued to approach as f,~" fafl as pofTible in a line abreafl, as far as the fhoal of the middle ground would ' ' let us, It being then changed for a line ahead, the wind on our flarboard quar- ter, until our rear came abreafl of the enemy's van, they being at this time ftanding out of the bay in a line ahead. About 2 o'clock their fleet difclofed itfelf fully to our view, and were found to confift of twenty-four large fhips of the line ; upon which it was taken univerfally for granted that De Grafl^e mufl have been joined by De Barras. About 1 1 minutes after 4 our fleet wore, '-^ which gave the van to Mr. Drake, and the rear to Sir Samuel Hood ; and the Admiral continued to prefs on his fleet as much as he could, and frequently re- peated the fignal for leading more towards them. About three quarters after 3 o'clock he flung out the fignal for a line ahead at a cable's length ; and foon ■ after, our line feeming to be pretty well formed, the five vanmoft fiiips of the enemy to be very particularly extended, and as many of their rear not clear of Cape Henry, fo that we could ad againfl: them with the advantage of three to two, the Admiral thought it a favourable moment for attacking them, and accordingly made the fignal for each fliip to bear down and engage her oppo- nent, filled his own main-topfail, and bore down ; and three minutes afterwards repeated the fignal for clofing with the enemy. At eleven minutes after 4 he ^ hauled 7 ;~ A; / ^ ' - ' «IA 1-9 \ \l ( 8 ) hauled down the fignal for the line ahead, that it might not interfere with that for engaging clofe, and about a quarter after 4 the van and centre entered into adion. All the fhips however not appearing fufRciently extended, the Admiral at 22 minutes part 4 hoifted anew the fignal for the line ahead, but within 5 minutes took it in, and never let it out again during the day, and then diredtly made the fignal afrefh for clofe adiion, which about a quarter after 5 he likewife repeated*. Neverthelefs, the feven rear or flernmoft of our fhips, from fome caufe * To prevent any mifreprefentation of mine, through want of leamanfhip, I fhall here give a tranfcript of the proceedings aboard the London, as minuted down at the time by the Admi- ral's lecretary, who fent me a copy ; although it will be intelligible, I am afraid, to none but failors. " An account of the proceedings of the fleet, under the command of Rear Admiral Graves, in " an aftion with the French fleet off Cape Henry, on the 5th of September, 1781. " Half paft 9, A.M. the wind at N.N.E. the Solebay made the fignal for a fleet in S.W. " At 10 Cape Henry bore W. fix leagues. Half pall 10 made the fignal to prepare for aftion. " Signal to call in all cruizers. At 1 1 difcovered a fleet of large fliips at anchor near Cape " Henry, fuppofed to be the enemy. Made the fignal for a line of battle ahead at two cable's " length. At noon the King's fhips getting into their llations. Cape Henry W. ;l S. four or " five leagues. Moderate and fair weather. Half pafi 12 difcovered the enemy's (hips getting " under fail. Three quarters pail iz made the fignal for the line ahead a cable's length. " At I hauled down the fignal for the line ahead, and made the fignal to form an E. and W. " line at a cable's length. At 8 minutes pail i made the fignal for the rear divifion (Admiral " Dralce) to make more fail. The weather inclinable to be fqually, took a reef in the topfails. " At 20 minutes pall i made the fignal for the leading ftiip to lead more to ftarboard. 25 " minutes pafl i repeated the figual for the rear of the fleet to make more fail. Half pail i the " Centaur's, fignal to keep her llation. 35 minutes pafl i the fignal for the leading fhip to lead " more large or towards the enemy. 39 minutes past i made the Rcfolatkn, America, and "■ Bedford's, fignals to get into their flations. At z found the enemy's fleet to confill of 24 " fhips of the line and 2 frigates, their van bearing S. three miles, ftanding to the Eailward, " with their larboard tacks on board, in a line ahead. 4 minutes pall z, finding our van ap- ♦' proaching too near a fhoal (called the Middle Ground,) made the preparative fignal to veer. " 1 1 minutes afterwards made the fignal and wore together ; brought-to in order to let the " center of the enemy's (hips come abreafl of us. 21 minutes paft 2 made the Bedford's fignal " to get into her llation. Half pall 2 made the fignal for the leading fhip to lead more to llar- " board (in order to approach the enemy). 40 minutes pall 2 made the Salamaiider's, fignal to " prime. 52 minutes pall 2 made the Royal Oak's fignal to keep the line. 55 minutes paft. «' 2 made the Tcrrible's fignal to get into her llation. 56 minutes pall 2 made the Priaccjj'a's " fignal alfo, and at 3 the Alcides fignal likewife. At 17 minutes paft 3 repeated the fignal " for the van fhips to keep more to ftarboard (or towards the enemy). At 27 minutes pail 3 " made the fignal for the rear of the fleet to fill. Half paft 3 made the fignal for the fhips " aftern to make more fail. 34 minutes paft 3 made the fignal for the fhips in the van to keep " more to ftarboard (or towards the enemy). 46 minutes paft 3 made the fignal for a line " ahead at a cable's length. The enemy's fhips advancing very flow, and evening approach- ". ing, the Admiral, judging this to be the moment of attack, made the fignal for the fhips to " bear down and engage their opponents; filled the main-topfail, and bore down to the enemy. " 3 minutes afterwards repeated it. At I I minutes paft 4 hauled down the fignal for the line " ahead, that it might not interfere with the fignal to engage clofe. At a quarter paft 4 the " van and centre of our fleet commenced the aftion. 22 minutes paft 4 hoifted the fignal again " for the line ahead, the fhips not being fufficiently extended. 27 minutes pail 4 hauled down " the fignal for the line ahead, and made the fignal for clofe aftion. 40 minutes paft 4 the " Royal Oak's fignal to keep her ftation. 1 1 minutes paft 5 the Montagu's fignal to get into her ftation. ( 9 ) caufe of which I am ignorant, did not come into the engagement; and by the return they appear to have had no men killed or wounded, nor any the leaft " ftation. 20 minutes paft 5 repeated the fignal for clofe aftion. Half paft 5 the rear divifion •' bore down (Sir Samuel Hood). 35 minutes paft 5 made the So/eiiiy's and Fortunee\ fignals " to come within hail. 15 minutes pall 6 the Admiral fent the Solcbay to the (hips in the rear, " and the Fortunee to thofe in the van, with orders for the fliips to keep in a parallel line with " the enemy, and well abreaft of them, during the night. 23 minutes paft 6 the fignal for the " line ahead at a cable's length, and hauled down the fignal for clofe aftion. Half paft 6 the " fire ceafcd on both fides. A quarter paft 7 made the night-fignal for a line ahead at two ca- " ble's length afunder. At 9 the Montagu hailed, and faid fhe could not keep the line, being " fo much damaged. At 10 the Fortunee informed the Admiral that the Shrewjbury had the Cap- " tain and many men wounded, and firft Lieutenant killed, both her topfail yards fhot away, " and was then employed getting one up. The Intrepid was much difabled in every refpeft. " The PrinceJ/'a'?, maintopmaft fo much wounded as to expeft it every moment to fall. At 7 " Cape Henry N. W. 3 leagues. " Found our main and foremafts dangeroufly wounded, ftanding and running rigging " much cut, inner gammoning of the bowfprit ftiot through, (ails much damaged, three guns " dilmountcd, one of which was thrown overboard, four men killed, and eighteen wounded. " The wind from N. N. E. to N. E." I have likewife icQw the journals of two of the officers of the London, fent to the Admiralty, which confirm the truth of this minute. LINE of BATT Frigates. ?3 Ships. L E. O 2 Commanders. o c 3 o Divifion. Santa Monica | to repeat. j Richmond Solcbay La Nymphe ]^ to repeat. j Adamant Salamander fire fliip. Sybil to repeat. La Fortunee 2d Alfred Belliqueux Invincible Barfleur Monarch Centaur America Refolution Bedford London Royal Oak Montagu Europe Terrible Ajax Princefla Alcide Intrepid Shrewfbury Capt. Bayne Brine Sax ton ( Sir Samuel Hood j Capt. Alex. Hood • Reynolds • Inglefield ■ Samuel Thompfon Ld. Robert Manners Thomas Graves ( Rear Admiral Graves \ Capt. David Graves Ardefoif Bowen Child Hon. Wm. Clem. Finch Charrington f Rear Admiral Drake "| I Capt. Knatchbull j Charles Thompfon Pye Molloy Mark Robinfon 74 64 74 90 74 74 64 74 74 98 74 74 64 74 74 70 74 64 74 The Alfred to lead with the ftarboard, the Shrewfbury with the larboard tacks on board. D 600 500 600 768 600 6;o 500 600 600 800 600 600 500 600 55° 577 601 50' 600' 16 14 18 5 22 18 35 52 90 246 I16 "a -u J- o ^ .-go; n ^ « o « (m »-. 3 2 Su: •-; o y o c/2 "^ — . • ■^•- ^ damage ( lo ) damage : the centre and rear of the enemy were therefore able to advance in fupport of their van, which had borne away ; but the Ville de Paris avoided clofing with the London as much as poffible. The firing ceafed with the day. The van of the enemy had been broken, fo that (as I apprehend) had all our line been able to go into battle at once, according to the Admiral's inten- tion, fomething decifive muft have happened. Many of the French fhips might perhaps have been forced afhore, as well as prevented from coming up to the alTiftance of their van; and their fleet upon the whole (fuperior as it was) beaten, or at leafl: obliged to have fled ofi-" the coafl;. The next day Captain Duncan of the Medea, who was fent to look into the bay, returned, and reported tliat he had (etn two large fhips with two decks, and one fmall, come to an anchor off York River, and five fail m.ore working down the Chefapcak, and that two other large fhips of war were difcovered going trom Elizabeth River to Hampton Road. The 8th, the Iris rejoined the fleet, after cutting away the French buoys in Lynhaven Bay ; and on the fame day arrived the Pegafus, Captain Stanhope, from the Weft Indies, with Sir George Rodney's //;/r<^/ and laft difpatch, which was what follows. "Gibraltar, at fea, 13 Aug. 1781. SIR, " Herewith I have the honour to enclofe you intelligence which I received from St. Thomas's the night before I failed from St. Euftatius, and to ac- quaint you that I left Sir Samuel Hood preparing to fail with all poffible dispatch vvith 12 fail of the line, 4 frigates, and a firefhip, for the Capes of Virginia, where I am perfuaded the French intend making their grand effort. Permit me, therefore, to recommend it to you to colleft all the force you can, and form ajunftion with Sir Samuel there. You will, I hope, ere this reaches you, have heard of his approach by his fafteft failing frigate, which I directed him to difpatch for the purpofe of looking out for intelligence off the Chefapeak and Delaware. " The French fleet under Monfieur de Grafle, when they left the Grenades to colled: their convoy, confifted of 26 fail of the line and two large fhips armed en-flute; and I imagine, at leaft 12 of thofe fliips, and in all proba- bility a part of Mr. de Monteil's fquadron, will be in America; and it is not impoffible they may be joined by fome Spanifh fliips. " It is certain that the enemy intend to make an early campaign in the Weft Indies after the hurricane months; I have therefore diredied Sir Samuel Hood to return immediately after the full-moon ofOftober, and I muft re- queft not only that he is on no account detained beyond that period, but that you will add to his force what line of battle fhips can poffibly be fpared from the fervice in America during the winter feafon. " Befides ( II ) " Befides the fquadron Sir Samuel Hood brings with him, two line of battle " fhips, which I fent to ftrengthen the convoy to Jamaica, have my orders to " proceed from thence through the Gulph, and join him at the Chefapeak " without delay. " I have the honour to be, &c. " G. B. RODNEY." This difpatch was addrefTed to Vice Admiral Arbuthnot, or the command- ing officer for the time being, of his Majefty's fhips employed in North America. The Terrible now made the fignal of diftrefs full in view ot the enemy ; but they did not attempt to renew the engagement, though the wind often favoured them, and the Englifh lay-to for the purpofe ; and, when the wind once favoured the latter and they tacked upon the enemy, fo foon as the Englifh van reached their centre, they broke their line, and made off. The two fleets, however, continued in fight of each other until the 9th, when the French took advantage of the wind during the night to prefs fail, and lofe fight of the Englifii. On the loth the Terrible was ftripped, and the nth, after dark, fet fire to, our fleet being then off the coaft of Virginia, to the Southward of Cape Henry, from whence it immediately afterwards bore up again for the Chefapeak, where they found the French had gotten in, and Mr. De Barras arrived from Rhode Ifland, his fquadron having entered the bay on the loth, whilft the two fleets that had combated were at fea. With advice of the foregoing material events, Rear Admiral Graves now difpatched the Medea, Capt. Duncan, to England, with pofitive orders not to wait for private letters, nor touch at New York, nor to lofe one moment's time on his paflage on any account. The 16th, the Prudent, from New York, joined the fleet upon its return to- wards Sandy Hook, where the whole anchored on the 19th, when their re- equipment and repair were fet about with the utmoft alertnefs. The 24th, in the evening. Rear Admiral Digby came in from Europe with the Prince George of 90, Canada of 74, and Lion of 64 guns, and brought Ad- miral Graves his firft notice of his deftination, by the delivery of Admiralty or- ders, dated before the middle of July, for him to proceed with the London to Ja- maica, and put himfelf under the fenior ofiicer on that ftation, iffenior to himfelf. The nth of Odober arrived the Torbay of 74, and Prince William of 64 guns, from that ifland, in purfuance of Sir George Rodney's orders. The utmoft, and very uncommon, exertions had been made throughout the naval department to get the fhips ready again for fea, but fomc crofs accidents intervened to retard them; in particular, the Alcide fell aboard the Shrew/bury, and carried away her bowfprit and fore-yard, juft as fhe had repaired her da- mages in the late fight. All, however, except the Sbrewjhury, Montagu, and Eu- rope, get down to Sandy Elook the 17th, when the Admiral gave out his line of battle; the next day they embarked their troops; and on the 19th, the three 4 laft- ( ^2 ) laft-named fhips joining the reft, and taking in their lot of foldiers, the whole armament proceeded tor the Chefapeak. It confifted of 25 (hips properly of the line, there being three fhips of 90 guns (with fix or eight additional carro- nades in each), fourteen of 74, one of 70, and feven of 64, befides two of 50*, with 7149 land-forces on board, to which the general would have added another regiment or two, but there was not room for them. On the 24th, when near Cape Charles (the hithermoft headland of the Chefa- peak,) the fcouting veffels brought intelligence of the furrender of Lord Corn- * L I N E of B A T T L E . The PrinceiFa to lead with the ftarboard, and the Bedford with the larboard tacks on board. Frigates. Sybil Britannia Peleverencc to repeat fignals. L'Enfer fire-fhip Felicity Rattlefnakc Carysfort Volcano fire-fhip Orpheus to re- \ peat fignals. | Aniphion Conflagration fire-fhip. Blonde Lively Salamander fire- fhip. Pegafus to re- peat fignals. Oflrich La Nymphc Santa Margaritta ?3 3d 2d 3d Ships. Commanders. Princefla Alcidc Lion Canada Pr. George Refolution Intrepid Montagu Warwick Pr. William Centaur Europe Robufle London Royal Oak America Shrewfbury Torbay Adamant Ajax Prudent Monarch Barflcur Invincible Belliqueux Alfred Bedford Rear Adm. Samuel Drake Capt. Knatchbull Charles Thompfon Fooks Hon. Wm. Cornwallis SRcar Admiral Digby Capt. J. Williams Lord Robert Manners Pye Molloy Bowen Hon. G. K. Elphinfton • G. Wilkinson Inglefield Child Cofby ( Rear Admiral Graves -' Capt. Kempthorne ( Morice Burnett Samuel Thompfon Knight Gidoin David Graves Charrington Barkley Reynolds iRear Adm. Sir Samuel Hood Capt. Alex. Hood Saxton Brine Bayne i Commodore Affleck Capt. Thomas Graves 577 600 500 600 768 600 500 600 Divifions. 50 350 64 500 650 500 600 800 74 600 64 500 600 600 35° 55° 500 600 961 768 74 600 64 500 74| 600 74! 617 Rob. Digby, Efq; Rear Admiral of the Red. Thomas Graves, Efq; Rear Ad- miral of the Red, and Commander in Chief. Sir Samuel Hood, Bart. Rear Ad- miral of the Blue. wallis ( 13 ) wallls fome days before. His Lordflilp had opened a treaty the 17th, fettled the terms the i8th, and figned them the 19th. At this period the enemy's fleet confifted of 34 fail of the line, formed into a crefcent, with the faille de Paris in the centre ; and they lay at the entrance of York River, between the fands called the Horfe-fhoe and York-fpit, where our {hips muft have had tne difadvantage of banks, flioals, and tides, to limit and obftrudt their operations. However, we flood clofe into the back of the fands, to offer them battle, for two fucceffive days. The Admiral would indeed have been glad, his men of war being now in good order, to have tried the fortune of another action in free water, as he knew, if well fought, it muft at leaft have fo maimed De GrafTe, as to difable him from adhing this winter againft our Leeward iflands ; in the fame manner as he would have been incapacitated from coming to North America, had he been defeated or crippled in the Weft Indies: let the viftory fall of either fide. But the French fhewing no difpofi- tion to come out, our fleet haftened back on the 29th to land the troops, and anchored again on the 2d of November at Sandy Hook; the Admiral having previoufly detached the Ranger floop to the Leeward Iflands, to apprize them of the ftate of things. The General and Admirals held a confultation upon their return: Sir Samuel Hood declared, he fhould not go over the bar, but mufl return forthwith to the Weft Indies: a feparation was refolved. Rear Admiral Graves refigned the command of the North American fleet to Mr. Digby*, and, agreeably to the Admiralty orders, failed on the loth, at 6, in the morning, fingly, with the London for Jamaica; on the nth Sir Samuel Hood went off with 18 fhips of the line and feveral frigates; and the old, de- cayed Robufte and Europe were allotted for the next convoys to England. I am. Sir, Your moft humble fervant, Inner Temple, W. G R A V E S . a9th January, 1782. * He being the next below, as Mr. Rowley, at Jamaica, is the next but one above, Mr. Graves, on the lift of Rear Admirals of the Red. LETTER ( -5 ) LETTER II. SIR, Inner Temple, 20th Jan. 1782. AS the Compte De Grafle is the hero, who has lately gained fo much credit by fea for the enemy, at our expence ; and as the blame for his career not having been flopped has been lain upon Rear Admiral Graves ; I think it will be proper to hear what the Count himfelf fays of the ftand which was any where made againft him, in the courfe of his naval cam- paign ; for, the whole having been one connected chain, if any link had been bro- ken, he could not have gotten to North America. I mean to give an abridgment of his own narration, and add the original, word for word, at the end, putting references (by capital letters in the margin,) from my fummary to his detail. Where, indeed, mention is made of Sir Samuel Hood and Sir George Rodney, I fliall fubjoin fhort notes, and cite our feveral London Gazettes, containing their circumftantial refpedive relations. Impartiality may be expefted from an enemy towards individuals who have afted againfl; him, if not towards their ftate ; and comparifon is a common method of fettling the refpeftive merits of concurrent officers, where the circumftances have been fomewhat fimilar. On thefe accounts; as alfo becaufe the world has been led to believe that the whole demerit of our late misfortunes in the Chefapeak was to be derived from the negligence of Rear Admiral Graves, and from his want of circumfpeftion; and that nobody befides could be queftionable for the infufficiency of our oppofi- tion to the Count, or for his getting into that bay at all, notwithftanding he had brought both his fleet and army from the Weft Indies, where different Ad- mirals had commanded, and met with him : I find it neceflary to relate the whole of his voyage. I fhould, in truth, be inexcufable for giving a partial, when I could give a complete, relation of his operations, as they had one uni- form tendency, towards the accomplifhment of his laft great atchievement. Ne- I verthelefs. ( i6 ) verrthelefs, I fhall do this briefly. " * The Compte De Grafle left Breft the " 22d of March, and on the 29th of April drove off, under his fire, 18 Englifh " fhips of the line which had blocked Martinico for fifty days; their advantage " in fpeed, and the part which they took of running before the wind, obliged " the Count on the third day to give up their purfuifj", in order to go to •■= See the original. No. (l). + Sir Samuel Hood, in his reprefentation of his cannonade, dates De Graffe's fhips to be at firft 19 of the line, with two armed en f.utes ; but that, after the firing began, they were joined by the ihips from Fort Royal (without faying how many; moil accounts lay 4) ; that the aftion became general about noon, but at a great diftance ; that, after much manoeuvring, the two fleets were at 6 in the evening four miles dillant from each other, the French then coniitling ot 24 fhips of the line; and that the next day (the 30th of April), at 25 minutes paft 12, he "judged •■ it improper to dare the enemy any longer to battle, and thought it his indifpenfable duty to " bear up, and that he made the fignal for it at 8 o'clock." But it appears from his lubfe- quent relation, that the enemy however did not ceafe from firing at Ibme of his fhips until 7 o'clock the next morning (the ift of May), from which the Torbay of 74 guns received a good deal of damage: fo that the two accounts differ more in the manner of telling than in luitance ; for what the French czWs flying with the wind in the poop, the Englifh terms bearing up, but both mean withdrawing or retiring from fight. All Sir Samuel's fhips came into aftion, and in his own four men were wounded. LINE of BATTLE, given out the 8th of April, 1 78 1. Alfred to lead with the (larboard, and the Shrewsbury with the larboard tacks on board. Frigates. Amazon Lizard, to re- peat fignals. Pacahunta, to repeat fignals. Ships. 3d 2d 3d Alfred Belliqueux Alcide Invincible Monarch Barfleur Terrible PrincefTa Ajax Reiolution Montagu Gbraltar Centaur Ruffell Pr. William Torbay Intrepid Shrewfbury Commanders. Capt. Bayne Brine Charles Thompfon Bickerton Reynolds Sir Samuel Hood Capt. Knight Fergulon Sir Thomas Rich Symons Ld. Robert Manners Houlton Rear Admiral Drake Capt. Knatchbull Knott Sutherland Douglas Gidoin Pye Molloy M. Robinfon O Si5 600 500' 600 600; 2 600' 767I- 600 560 55° 600 600 667 650 650 500 600 500 600 Mem. In cafe any line of battle fhip or (hips fhould be called away the fhip that would have followed the one abfent is to take her place. o 4 16 26 16 6 27 23 '4 36 161 Divifion. pa ^ E ^-° E §^^^ E -a IS — -a q rt P ,_ -.S a ra " CO u .5 S , OS cq 13 ^ E .- -a I w Fort ( 17 ) " Fort Royal in Martinico. After ftaying forty-eight hours, he feigned an " attack upon St. Lucia that he might carry Tobago, which was taken in the " face of Rodney himfelf, who with 22 fhips againft 24 would only be a wit- " nefs, taking care to keep a refpeftful diftance, and conftantly refufing a " combat, which the French offered him with a good grace*. The fleet pro- " ceeded then to St. Domingo. The i6th it anchored at the Cape; on the " 23d the Intrepide of 74 guns blew up ; and fo did the Inconftante-\. The " 5th of Auguft it lailed again, and, paifing before the Havannah through the " Bahama Straits, anchored on the jothj in the bay of Chefapeak. The Cato " of 50 guns, the Guadaloupe of 24, feveral floops, and a great number of " tranfports, were at this time fecuring to the Marquis de la Fayette fub- " fiftence and communications, and rendering him mafter of the fea. " The Count immediately difpatched the Concorde to notify his arrival off " Cape Henry, and embarked in fmall craft the 3300 land-forces which had " been diftributed among the 28 fliips of war that compofed his fleet. The " Glorieux, Aigrette^ and Diligente, chafing ahead, when he entered the (C) " bay, difcovered the Guadaloupe frigate and Loyalijt floop at anchor under " Cape Henry, and purfued them to the entrance of York river: the floop was " taken ; and the Glorieux, accompanied by the two frigates, anchored at the " mouth of the river to block it, and was reinforced the next day by the Fail- " lant and Triton. The river James was alfo taken poffeffion of; the Experi- " ment, Andromache, and feveral floops, were placed there; the higher part of " this river, in which the difembarkation was to be made, is eighteen leagues " diftant from the anchoring ground in Lynhaven bay, where the fleet lay " waiting for news from General Wafliington and the return of its boats, when " on the 5th of September, at 8 in the morning, the look-out frigate made the " fignal for 28 fail in the Eaft, directing their courfe for the Chefapeak; the " wind being in the N.E. It was a little afterwards perceived to be an enemy's " fleet, and not the Count de Barras, who was expected : they were under a " prefs of fail, and very foon near enough to be eafily diftinguiflied to be *' ranged in line clofe to ftarboard, their fliips of force in their van. The (D) " Count de Graffe immediately gave orders to prepare for battle, and for get- " ting on way. At noon, the tide ferving, the fignal was made to fet fail, " and to form an expeditious line in getting on way. This was done in lefs (E) * Sir George fays, " his reafons for not attacking them were becaufe they had it in their " power to entangle his Majelly's fleet among the Granadillas, to decoy them into the channel " between Granada and the Spanifh main, where the currents are fo rapid, that his fleet might " have been drove far to leeward, while the enemy had it in their power to anchor under the «' batteries of Granada." See LonJati Gazette, 4 Aug. 1781. f Of 40 guns, by BelPs Univerfal Neptune. \ Monfieur Rochambeau fays, " He received letters from the Count De Grafle, which in- " formed him of his arrival in the bay on the 2'ith of Augujl ; that the Count, after the fight, re- " entered it on the iith of September, when he found De Barras there, who had come in the " loth, bringing with him the befieging artillery in ten tranfports ; and that two Englifli fri- " gates (the Iris and Richmond) found themfelves between the two fleets, and were taken." See Supplement a la Gazette de France, 20th Nov. 1781. No. (II.) Letter (M). F " than ( i8 ) " than three quarters of an hour, notwithftanding the abfence of 1800* men " and 90 officers, employed in the difembarkation of the troops; and the Count " de Grafle gave a verbal order to Mr. de Monteil, Commodore, to take the " command of the rearj". " The Englifh came from the wind, and had kept it by forming on a line (F) " clofe to ftarboard. At 1 o'clock they wore, and lay upon the fame tack " with the French, without being ranged however in parallel lines, the rear " of Admiral Graves being infinitely to the windward ot his van. At 3 o'clock (G) " (after fome manoeuvres) the leading fliips of the two fleets approached " each other within mufket-fhot. At 4 the aftion began in the van with a " brifk fire, and fucceffively the fliips in the main body came in for their fliare. * In De GralTe's letters to Rochambeau, he calls them no more than 1500. See the account of the latter ( No. II. ) at letter ( Nj. Le Sicur de Bougainville. ■\ His line was the following : Ships. Guns. Men. Le Pluton 74 800 La Bourgogne 74 800 Le Marfeillois 74 800 Diadeine - 74 800 Reflechi - Augufte - St. Efprit Caton Cefar 64 80 84 64 74 550 987 987 550 800 Deftin 74 800 La Ville de Paris - 106 I 200 Viftoire - 74 800 Le Sceptre - Northumberland 74 74 800 800 Palmier - 74 800 Solitaire - Citoyen - 64 74 550 800 Scipion Magnanime 74 80 800 887 Hcrcule - *7.'7 Languedoc Zel£ 74 84 74 800 1000 800 Heftor - Souverain- 64 74 550 800 Le Comtc de Grafle. Le Sieur de Monteil, Chef d'Efcadre. Their number of guns and men I have taken from BelPs XJnwcrfal Neptune (principally), where the Caton is fet down as of 64, and, from her being put into the line, I fuppofe fhe mud be a different (hip from the Caton of 50, which Mr. dc Graffe before mentions to be in one of the rivers attending upon de la Fayette, and never af'terwards has taken notice of as having re- joined him ; although he fpecifies the return of the Gloricux of 74 guns. The laft fliip of the line, together with the Triton and Vaillant (of 64), the Experiment and Caton (of 50), Concorde (of 36 j. Aigrette and Andromache (of 32), Diligente (of 26}, and Guadaloupe (of 24), at this time were up the rivers York and James. < "At ( 19 ) ^ At 5, the wind, having continued to fhift, threw the French van too far to (H) ^ windward, and the Count, being anxious to make the action general, and to ^' difpofe the enemy fo to do, ordered his van to bear up a fecond time : that of Admiral Graves being roughly handled, he took advantage of the wind, '^ which rendered him mafter of the diftance, to avoid being attacked by the French rear, which was making its utmoft efforts to get at his rear and centre. ^ The fetting of the fun put an end to the combat. The Englifh kept the I wmd, and, having preferved it the next day, employed themfelves in refit- ting. The 7th, at noon, the French getting the wind, the Count approached the enemy, and manoeuvred in the evening to keep the wind durino- the ' night. The 8th, at day-break. Admiral Graves availed himfelf of a ihfft of ' wind to get to windward; the Count wore his fleet, and (after various ma- noeuvres of both fleets) the wind was yielded to the French, from whom the ' Englifli had gotten to a diftance with all their fail fet. The night gave the (I) ^ Englifh again the wind ; but in the evening of the 9th, the Count gained ^ It by his management, and by the advantage of being able to make more fail [ than the Englifli fquadron, his fliips having fuffered lefs. The Count then • perceiving the difficulty of forcing Admiral Graves to an engagement, and ■ fearing left fome fliiftings of wind might not permit him to get before him ■ to the Chefapeak, took the part of returning there to continue his opera- tions, and take aboard again his crews. The Glorieiix and Diligente rejoined him the loth at night. The nth the Iris and Richmond frigates fell into his hands, and his fleet anchored under Cape Henry, where the Count de Barras* had arrived the evening before. '' The French fleet was compofed of 24 fliips and 2 frigates ; Admiral Graves, reinforced by Hood, had 20, of which two were three deckers, and 9 frigates or floopsf. By their own confeflion, five of their fhips have *His fquadron confifted (according to Mr. Arbuthnot's account, of" March 20, fee London (gazette, 24 April, 1781 ), of the following fhips. Le Due de Bourgogne Neptune Conquerant Ardent 1 84 74 Eveille Jafon Provence Romulus r64 40 La Concorde 36 La Surveillante 32 Le Furet 30 Le Senfible 28 La Charlotte 20 Des Corvettes. And I believe the Sagittaire of 50 had joined him fince. tSee Admiral Graves's account, London Gazette, 6 Oaober, 1781, by which it appears he had 2 of 90 (with 6 or 8 carronades in each). I 2 of 74 I of 70 4 of 64 I of 50 (the Adamant); but this laft was not in his line, nor engaged. For his line of battle fee p. " been ( 20 ) '' been confiderably mauled, and particularly the Terrible of 74, which they " burned the 9th at night, flie not being able to keep above water. The 15 " firft fhips of the French line v/ere all that took any fhare in the aftion, and " had only the fame number to fight, the 5'-' in the Englifh rear having refufed (K) " to come within reach. " The 1 8th the Count De Grafle quitted the anchoring ground in Lynn- " haven bay, and took that beyond the Middle Ground and Horfhoe banks; *' his fleet anchored in line of battle within, and at the outlet from, thefe two (L) " banks, ready to moor, if Admiral Graves, reinforced by the arrival of " Digby, had attempted to relieve Lord Cornwallis : there were alfo three " fhips appointed to go and moor themfelves at the entrance of James river. " The 17th of Odiober Lord Cornwallis defired a fufpenfion of arms for " twenty-four hours ; two only were granted ; and then he defired to capi- " tulate ; a day was employed in difcuffing the articles, which were figned the " 19th. At the pofts of York and Gloucefter were found 1500 Englifii fea- " men, and about 40 veflels, of which one {hip was of 50 gunsf, which has " been burnt, and 20 tranfports, that have been funk : in the number is the " Guadaloupe frigate of 24 guns." The foregoing relation is not a boafting parade of his own exploits, and con- firms feveral of the paflages advanced by me. From the whole courfe of facfls related in this and the former letter, and the comparifon of the Englifli and French relations, the world muft now judge whether the Count de GrafTe might have been ftopped in his triumphant pro- 1 grefs ; and, if fo, in which of the ftages with the moft advantage ; as well as which of our naval commanders exerted himfelf, in faft, the moft for the pur- 1 pofe ; and confequently where, and on whom, the principal blame, if any, I fhould be laid, all circumftances confidered. { It is evident from Sir George Rodney's laft difpatch, of the 13th of Auguft, ' he never apprehended that more than a part of De Graffe's and of De Mon- teil's fquadrons would go to North America; for which reafon (I fuppofe) he fent the 1'orbay and Prince William to Jamaica, merely to ftrengthen a convoy, and came home himfelf in the Gibraltar, that vaft and powerful fhip, which would certainly have borne the fhort paflage to New York, as fhe ftood the long one to England. It turned out, however, that De Grafle brought all the fhips of the line of his own and of De Monteil's fquadronj to the Chefapeak, excepting * In my relation I reprefcnt feven of our (hips not to have been engaged, and this was the fadl ; lo that the fifteen French fhips had no more than twelve Englifh to contelt with. •j- The Charon of 44. J The fquadron of De GrafTe and De Monteil confifted (I believe) of the following (hips: Guns. Guns. *La Ville de Paris . 106 *Le Languedoc ) „ * St. Efprit j + * Augufte * Magnanime 80 * La (21 ) excepting the A5lionnaire of 64 guns, left at St. Domingo for a convoy, anci the Intrepide, which blew up there. Had therefore Sir George's fecond difpatch, of the 7th of July, found Rear Admiral Graves at New York, by arriving before he went off Bofton, and had the Admiral, in confequence of it, proceeded immediately with his whole fqua- dron for the Capes of Virginia, to look out for Sir Samuel Hood's from the Leward Iflands, without waiting for any farther advice of or from him, one of thefe two Englifh fquadrons feparately, or both conjunftly, by cruifing there- about, might have fallen-in with De Graffe ; in either of which cafes, we fhould certainly at that time have had 27 French fhips of the line, and one, if not two, of 50 guns to encounter, and could have had no other poffible acceffion ourfelves than the Robufte and Prudent, which were in dock at New York when the adiion took place. But on the other hand, at the time of that adion, their Glorieux, 1'riton, and Vaillant, with the Experiment (and I believe the Caton of 50 guns,) were up the rivers of the Chefapeak attending their army, together with 1 800 men and 90 officers of the crews of their other 24 fhips of the line, all of which would have been in the fight had it happened on De Graffe's firft arrival off the Capes. Had our fleet deferred failing from New York for a week or ten days, in order to wait for the Prudent, De Barras would have been joined to De Graffe and De Monteil, and we fhould have had then the united force of their three fquadrons, excepting the Triton and Vaillant, to contend with ; for the Glorieux rejoined De Graffe the loth of September, the very day that De Barras arrived : fo that the enemy would have had 34 fhips of the line, inftead of 24, in the battle; and we but the fame 19 and the 50 which compofed our ftrength on the 5th of September, with the addition of the Prudent, for fhe joined the fleet on the 1 6th, and could not have reached us fooner. Guns. Guns. *La Bourgogne L'Aftionaire *Le Cefar * Caton-j: * Citoyen * Heftor * Deftin * Reflechi -64 r) L- * Diademe * Solitaire ^% Glorieux § Triton * Hercule § Vaillant II Intrepide §Le Caton j * Marfeillois ■74 § Experiment ' 50 * Northumberland II L'Inconftante 40 •r^ * Palmier §La Courageufe § Aigrette § Andromache * Pluton '32 * Sceptre * Scipion §La Diligente 26 * Souverain §La Guadaloupe 24 *La Viaoire Pliefieurs Corvettes. *Le Zele Un grand nombre de ' "■ranfports. * In the aftion. ' § Out of the aftion up the rivers. II Burnt. \ Quere whether this be or not the fa me fhip with the Caton of 50 guns. For ( " ) For thefe reafons, chance feems to have rendered the moment of our conflicfl as opportune as it could have been, that is, when the enemy's force to op- pofe us was the leaft ; and had we fucceeded on the 5th of September in de- feating De Grafle, and driving his {hips from the coaft, De Barras could not have landed the French artillery, and his fquadron would probably have been impounded and captured in the bay. It is not therefore without reafon that Ad- miral Graves, in his letter to Lieutenant-Colonel Simcoe (which I have feen), [ ( I I faid, " the 5th of September ivas, I confefs, a moment of ambition with me." The ftory of Sir Samuel Hood having been nine days oiF the Chefapeak, I waiting for the Admiral, is fo impoffible to be true, under the circumftances be- I fore related, that it deferves notice again only to be expofed. With refpedt to Sir Henry Clinton's afflirance to Lord Cornwallis, that the relief by fea would be ready on the 5th of October, I can fay nothing; not knowing what ground Sir Henry had for fuch afliirance. And with regard to his not having the leaft doubt but that, had it been then ready, it would have been efFeftual ; the world muft judge from any antient or recent atchievement of a fimilar nature, in naval hiftorv, how far 25 Englifh fhips of the line, with two fifties, were capable or likely to have forced 34 French fhips of the line (of fuperior ftrength) fituated advantageoufly. If it be fuppofed that the Englifh could have evaded the French main fleet anchored ofFYork river, by clinging the fouthern fhore of the Chefapeak, running up James river, and landing the troops before that fleet could advance thither; I will only defire the map to be looked into, and the probable information to the enemy of our approach from their fcouting vefTels, together with the fmallnefs of the diftance t"rom the mouth of one river to that of the other, and the time requifite for the difembarkation of our 7000 troops, to be confidered. But if, by grofs inattention in the French, fuch a projecft could have been executed, let me afk what probably would have been the ultimate fate of the whole Englifh fleet, after being once gotten up James river, and there blocked by more than 38 fhips of war of the enemy .'' This is all which I fhall trouble you with on the part of a flag oflicer now in feas very remote, who, from being confcious of having done his duty, to the beft of his abilities, for his Majefty's fervice, in moft critical circumftances, cannot have the leaft fufpicion of any artifice being ufed to difguife or conceal fafts, in order to make the world miftake him for the caufe of the late misfortunes in the Chefa- peak. The returning of Mr. Arbuthnot fooner, and the going of Mr. Digby later, than was intended, were folev the occafion of Mr. Graves having any the leaft command in chief in America for a moment: and had it been pofTible to have fent Mr. Digby both earlier and ftronger, the laft unfortunate fcene, which we all lament over, would never have happened at all. \ I am, Sir, &c. W. GRAVES. P. S. On ( ^3 ) P. S. On the laft day before the recefs of the Houfe of Commons, according to the newfpapers, Admiral Keppel faid, " he had ever been of opinion, that if " a proper ufe had been made of the force under Admiral Graves, Mr. De " Rochambeau would never have been fufFered to land in America, and the " difafter of Lord Cornwallis would have been prevented." Ffuppofe the Ad- miral muft allude to the time of the Rear Admiral's failing for North America. The fad; was this. On the 20th of March, 1780, he had notice of a command, and fliortly afterwards orders to get 8 {hips of the line at Spithead ready for fea. By the 8th of April he was ready, and moved to St. Hellens. Several acci- dents happened to fome of his fhips, and he got to Plymouth with a part of them only on the loth; and, not having the number of fViips fpecified, he could not fail on the nth with Mr. Walfingham, who then put to fea from that port. His fquadron was afterwards reduced from 8 to 6 fhips of the line ; and on the account of Walfingham's convoy, which had returned from apprehenfions of an enemy, the Rear Admiral was directed to wait for and attend them to a certain latitude. This prevented his failing when he would otherwife have done fo ; and mifchief happened to his reduced fquadron by a ftorm on the 7th of May, whilft lying in Plymouth Sound waiting for the convoy. At laft, however, by orders dated the 13th of May, he was directed to fail with fix parti- cular fhips of the line, and one frigate, without Walfingham ; and he accordingly put to fea on the 17th of that month at 8 o'clock in the evening, after fun-fet, with the firft prafticable wind, which becoming foon foul, he beat againft it for three days, and at laft cleared the channel ; after which he loft no other time on his paffage than the fhifting of the prifoners of a large French Eaft India- man, which he had fallen upon and captured by the way, neceffarily took up, and, in eight weeks exadlly, arrived at New York, that is on the 13th of July; and there he put himfelf under the direftion of Mr. Arbuthnot, agreeably to his laft orders. The fquadron which failed from Breft on the 2d of May, at 5 in the morning, and confifted of 8 fhips of the line and a frigate, got on the American coaft the fame day, or but one day fooner. And Mr. Digby, with 3 fhips of the line and a frigate, has been lately nine weeks and four days in going from Plymouth to New York, although by the Gazette it appears that he loft not a moment on the way, and fell in with nothing. (No. ( 24 ) N.B. The foregoing narration is as juft as the means within my power have been able to render it ; but I fhall forthwith fend a copy to Rear Ad- miral Graves at Jamaica, that he may corred: the nautical errors, if any, and fupply the deficiencies in point of fad: and reafoning. lift Tanuary, .782. W. G. E R R A T Page 4. I. II. "fooncr ;" which refers, &c. 5. 1. 10. r. off Bofton. 8. (note) 1. 28. r. board. 13. 1. 17. Ranger ihould be in Italics. 15. 1. 10. ftrilie out the comma after "margin." 16. after No. (l) add, p. 25. 17. 1. 27. r. 27 fail; and lift line of note, after letter (M) add p. 31. 18. (note) 1. 2. after (N) add p. 31. La Ville de Paris (hould be no guns; Languedoc So; Heftor 74. so. (note) La Ville de Paris (hould be no guns; Le Languedoc, St. Efprit, and Augufte So guns, and Magnanimc 74 guns. 21. add *He6tor at bottom of the firft column, and ftrike It out of the fecond. Ibid. col. 2. 1. 16. r. Plufleurs. 22. 1. 36. r. folely. 26. 1. 3. r. I'air. — 1. 6. r. debouqua. — In 1. 28. ftrike out the comma after compofoicnt. 28. 1. 28. r. entrepr.rent. — 1. 32. r. donne. ( 25 ) / . (No. I.) SUPPLEMENT A LA GAZETTE de FRANCE. Du M A R D I, 20 Nov. 1781. " Precis de la Campagne de I'Armee Navale aux Ordres du Comte '' De GraJjTe. ' T E Comte de Grafle parti de Breft le 22 Mars, avec un convoi de cent ' \_j cinquante voiles, apres une traverfee fans exemple pour fa brievete, ' chafla le 29 Avril a coups de canon dixhuit vaifTeaux de guerre Anglois qui ' avoient bloque la Martinique pendant cinquante jours ; la fuperiorite de ' leur marche, & le parti qu'ils prirent de fuir vent arriere, forca le troifieme /^\ 'jour le Comte de GrafTe de renoncer a leur pourfuite pour aller au Fort ' Royal de la Martinique. Apres y avoir pafle quarante huit heures, on feignit ' une entreprife fur Sainte Lucie, lorfqu'on ne vouloit qu'enlever Tobago. ' Cette colonie fut prife en prefence de Rodney luimeme que, avec vingt deux ' vaifleaux contre vingt quatre, ne vouliit qu'etre temoin, obfervant de fe tenir a ' une diftance refpeftueufe, & refufant conftaniment le combat que les Fran9ois ' lui ont prefente de bonne grace. Tobago etant approvifionne de tout ce qui * lui etoit neceflaire, I'armee fe rendit a Saint Domingue avec un convoi de (") H " deux ( 26 ) " deux cents voiles, pris a la Grenade, a la Martinique, & a la Guadaloupe. " Le i6 Juillet elle mouilla au cap, ile de Saint Dominguc. Le 23 \ Intrepide " de 74 canons fauta en la'ir par le feu pris dans unc harique de tafia. Le " meme accident arriva a V lacunftante fur I'ile a vache. " Le 5 AoCit I'armee apparreilla de St. Dominguc, & dirigea fa route pour " paffer devant hi Havanna, afin d' y prendre de I'argcnt ; elle debouqua en- " fuitc par Ic canal de Bahama. Le 30 Aoiit elle mouilla dans la have de " Chefapeak. Le Marquis de la Fayette commandoit ii Jamftown un corps " d'Americains qui ohfcrvoit les mouvemens du Lord Cornwallis, dont les " forces etoient plus confiderables ; ce dernier occupoit la pofte d'York, fur la " rive droite de la riviere de ce nom, & celui de Glocefter fur la gauche, vis-a- *' vis d'York. Le Caton de 50 canons, la Guadeloupe de 24, plufieurs corvettes " & un grand nomhre de tranfports, afluroicnt fcs fuhfiftanccs, fes communica- " tions, & le rendoient maitre de la mer. Le Comte de Graffc fut inftruit de " tous ces details le foir meme de fon arrivec par un officier que le Marquis " de la Fayette avoit poste, au cap Henri pour I'y attendre. " La fregate la Concorde depechee a St. Domingue par le Comte de Barras, " chargee dcs depeches des Generaux Wafhington & Rochambeau au Comte " de Grafic, lui faisoit connoitre la fituation de Icur armee, & les fucces que " les ennemis avoient dans la Virginie & le Maryland fous les ordres du Lord " Cornwallis, que Ton pouvoit furprcndre fi les forces maritimes devenoient " fupericures a cellcs des enemis. " Le Comte de Grafie, perfuade de I'importance de fecourir ces deux pro- " vinces, d'y entrcprendre la prife du Lord Cornwallis dans les poftes qu'il oc- " cupoit, & de fe rendre maitre de la baie de Chcfqicak, depecha fur le cJiamp " la Concorde pour annoncer fon arrivee fur le Cap Henry, embarqua 3300 " hommes aux ordres du M. de St. Simon, lefquels furent repartis fur les " vingt huit vaiflcaux de guerre que compofoient fon armee. Le retour de " la Concorde a Newport annonca aux Generaux Wafliington & Rochambeau " les difpofitions du Comte de Graffc. Ces generaux fircnt alors marcher leur " armee fur la riviere d'Klk, qui fe jette dans le Nord-Eft au fond de la baye " de Chefapeak. " Le Comte de Barras fut aufl'i prevenu des memes difpofitions ; ce General " fermement perfuade de I'avantage qui refulteroit de fa reunion a I'armee du " Comte de Grafle dans la baye de Chefapeak, fe difpofa a s'y rendre, non- " obftant la liberte qu'il avoit de pouvoir agir en chef dans la partie du " nord. tQ\ " Le G/orieux, {'Aigrette, & la Diligente chaflbit en avant de i'armee lorf- qu'elle entra dans la baye ; ils eurent connoifilince de la fregate la Guadeloupe " & de la corvette la Loyalifle mouillee au Cap Llenri : ils les pourfuivirent "jufqua I'entree de la riviere d' York. La corvette fut prife; le Glorieuz " accompagnee des deux frigates mouilla a rembouchure de la riviere pour en " former le blocus, & fut renforcti le lendemain par les deux vaiffeaux le Fail- " lant & le Triton: on s'empara aufli de la riviere de James qui fe jette dans la " Chefapeak, ( ^7 ) Chefapealc, quatre lieues plus an fud que celle d'York. \J Experiment , * VAndromaque, & pluficurs corvettes furent portees dans cette riviere, de ma- * nierc a coupcr ia rctraite du Lord Cornwallis fur la Caroline, & proteger en ' meme temps nos canots & chalouppes fur leflquels s'embarquerent 1683300 ' homines du M. de St. Simon, pour les trafporter dans le haut de la riviere ' de James, a la diftance de dixhuit licucs du mouillage de Lynnhaven, oc- ' cupe par I'armee navale. Lc M. de St. Simon y arriva Ic 2 Septcmbre, le * M. de la Fayette le 3, avec le corps qu'il commandoit, & ils fe portcrcnt le ' lendemain fur Williamfbourg, qui n'eil qua cinq licucs d'York. " Le theatre de cette importante operation etoit done une efpece de pre- ' fqu'ilc d'environ quinze lieues de I'Eft 11 FOucft;, & dcquarre a cinq du nord ' au fud, formee par les rivieres York, James, & la baye de Chefapcak. Les * poftes de Jameftown, Williamlbourg, ancienne residence des gouverncurs dc ' la Virginic, York & Hampton, fc trouvcnt dans cette prcfqu'ile. " L'armeeattcndoitau mouillagedc Lynnhaven les nouvelles de la marche du ' General Wafliington, & le retour de fes canots & chaloupes, lorfque le 5 ' Septcmbre a huit hcurcs du matin, la fregate cic decouvcrtc fignala vingtfept ' voiles dans I'cfl:, dirigeant leur route fur la baye dc Chefapcak: les vents ' etoient de la partie du Nord-Eft. II fut peu apres reconnu que la flotte fig- ' nalee etoit ennemie, & non le Comte de Barras qu'on attcndoit : ils for^oient ' de voiles & furent bientot i\{{'ci pres pour que Ton appcrcut facilement qu'ils ' fe rangeoient fur la ligne du plus pres ftribord, en faifant paffer les vaifl'eaux (D) ' de force a leur avantgarde. Lc Comte de Grafle au moment ou ils furent ' fignales ordonna de fe difpofer au combat; dc faire revenir les batimcnts a ' rames qui etoient a I'aiguade, & de fe tenir prets a appareiller. A midi la ' maree permettoit de mettre fous voile, le fignal en fut faid ainfi que celui de ' former en apparcillant une ligne de viteffe. Les captaines mirent dans leurs /p\ 'manoeuvres une telle celerite, que nonobftant I'abfcnce de pres de 1800 ' liommes & go officiers employes au debarquement de troupes, I'armee fut ' dans moins de trois quarts d'heure fous voile, & fa ligne formee dans I'ordre ' fuivant : le Pluton, la Bourgogne, le Marjeillois, le Diademe, le Reflechi, V Augujie, ' le '. :au.'^' > J- ,>::>.-^ ,^*2' » , r^to : >:«»»< lltt ■A% ^ii^^: r»».^as»-> ■-.' i^ M^ — ^*> ■ T3> ?>2 :j^ Wi >^». .■^ &^ ■^^:^e^ ^ ^,;-/f ■A ». ^j-- ::^^ • ''^ ►i*^^ ■t>4„ ■■> -.■•"5>J'W' '' ■ -.IBS''', '"5 ?i3^^.^ri>-^ v^^^^ ^S.. c^^f^ ^S^^ft^ jry^^^-^it^ ^'BRARVOPCONGR^ 011 782 291