Chapter 12
Facts and fiction: a very dear rose-pod, the Battle of Algeciras and a court-martial
For Captain Christie-Pallière and Admiral Linois please see Chapter 11
The Battle of Algeciras
What Jack and the Speedies are witnessing from aboard Desaix is 'The Battle of Algeciras Bay', which refers to two separate battles in July 1801. You can find accounts and descriptions of the two battles here and at wiki
The Battle of the Nile
Jack is sometimes thinking of the Battle of the Nile, and you can find accounts and descriptions here and at wiki
He is thinking of the fire aboard The l’Orient which is also commemorated in Heman’s Casabianca
OF AUBREY AND COCHRANE
Desaix and Christy-Pallière
Jack Aubrey - snippets
There had been kindness, great kindness, from the moment they exchanged formal salutes on the quarter-deck of the Desaix and Jack stepped forward to give up his sword:
Captain Pallière had refused to take it, and with the most obliging expressions about The Sophie's resistance, had insisted upon his wearing it still.
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'Do you think they will attack?' asked Captain Pallière, turning to Jack. 'Or do you think they will anchor off Gibraltar?'
'To tell you the truth, sir,' said Jack, looking over the sea at the towering Rock, 'I am quite sure they will attack. And you will forgive me for saying, that when you reckon up the forces in presence, it seems clear that we shall all be in Gibraltar tonight. I confess I am heartily glad of it, for it will allow me to repay a little of the great kindness I have met with here.'
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'Well,' said Captain Pallière, 'let it not spoil our breakfast, at all events.'
'Signal from the Admiral, sir,' said a lieutenant. 'Warp in as close as possible to the batteries.'
'Acknowledge and make it so, Dumanoir,' said the captain. 'Come, sir: gather we rose-pods while we may.'
It was a gallant effort, and they both of them talked away with a fine perseverance, their voices rising as the batteries on Green Island and the mainland began to roar and the thundering broadsides filled the bay; but Jack found that presently he was spreading marmalade upon his turbot and answering somewhat at random. With a high-pitched shattering crash the stern-windows of the Desaix fell in ruin; the padded locker beneath, Captain Pallière's best wine-bin, shot half across the cabin, projecting a flood of champagne, Madeira and broken glass before it; and in the midst of the wreckage trundled a spent ball from HMS Pompée.
'Perhaps we had better go on deck,' said Captain Pallière.
Thomas Cochrane
On going aboard *Dessaix*, and presenting my sword to the captain, Christie Pallière, he politely declined taking it, with the complimentary remark that "he would not accept he sword of an officer who had for many hours struggled against impossibility," at the same time paying e the further compliment of requesting that "I would continue to wear my sword though a prisoner" - a request with which I complied; Captain Pallière at the same time good-naturedly expressing his satisfaction at having terminated our exploits in the cruising line, they having in fact special instructions to look out for us.
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At the time of their first appearance I was conversing with Captain Pallière in his cabin, when a lieutenant reported a British flag over Cabritta point, and soon afterwards the top-gallant masts became visible. We at once adjourned to the poop, when the surprise of the French, at the sight of a more numerous squadron, became not unreasonably apparent; Captain Pallière asked me "if I thought an attack would be made, or whether the British force would anchor off Gibraltar?" My reply was "that an attack would certainly be made, and that before night both British and French ships would be at Gibraltar," at the same time adding that when there, it would give me great pleasure to make him and his officers a return for the kindness I had experienced on board the *Dessaix*!
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After having satisfied himself that an action with a superior force was inevitable, Captain Pallière remarked, "that it should not spoil our breakfast," in which he had invited to join him. Before the meal was ended, a round shot crashed through the stern of the *Dessaix*, driving before it a shower of broken glass, the *debris* of a wine bin under the sofa.
We forthwith jumped from table, and went on the quarterdeck, but a raking shot from Sir James Saumarez’s ship sweeping a file of marines from the poop, not far from me, I considered further exposure on my part unnecessary…
The Court-Martial
Jack Aubrey
Chapter 12
The court-martial starts with the paragraph:
The flag broke out aboard the Pompée; the gun boomed; the captains assembled for the court-martial. - It was a very grave occasion, and in spite of the brilliance of the day, the abounding cheerfulness on shore and the deep chuckling contentment aboard, each post-captain put away his gaiety and came up the side as solemn as a judge, to be greeted with all due ceremony and led into the great cabin by the first lieutenant.
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Question by the court Captain Aubrey, have you any reason to find fault with any of your officers or ship's company? Answer No. The utmost endeavour was used by every person on board.
Question by the court Officers and ship's company of the Sophie, have any of you reason to find fault with the conduct of your captain? Answer No. -
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Question by the court Are you a sufficient judge of nautical affairs to know whether every effort was used to escape from the force that was pursuing the Sophie?
Answer I know very little of nautical affairs, but it appeared to me that every exertion was used by every person on board: I saw the captain at the helm, and the officers and ship's company at the sweeps.
Question by the court Was you on deck at the time the colours were struck and what distance were the enemy from you at the time of her surrender?
Answer I was on deck, and the Desaix was within musket-shot of the Sophie and was firing at us at the time.
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Jack's clearing eyes caught Keats' smile, saw Captain Stirling pick up that familiar, rather shabby sword, holding it with its hilt towards him, while with his left hand he smoothed a piece of paper by the inkwell. The president cleared his throat again in the dead silence, and speaking in a clear, seamanlike voice that combined gravity, formality and cheerfulness, he said, 'Captain Aubrey: it is no small pleasure to me to receive the commands of the court I have the honour to preside at, that in delivering to you your sword, I should congratulate you upon its being restored by both friend and foe alike; hoping ere long you will be called upon to draw it once more in the honourable defence of your country.'
Thomas Cochrane
Does not recount the court-martial but here is the excerpt about it from David Cordingly’s "Cochrane the Dauntless" (US: The Real Master and Commander)
The court martial for the loss of the Speedy was held on board the 80-gun ship Pompee on 18 July 1801, less than a week after Sir James Saumarez und his victorious squadron had returned to Gibraltar. The Pompee was anchored in Rosier Bay…and the President of the court was her commander, Captain Charles Stirling. He was assisted in his deliberations by four other officers, all of whom had distinguished themselves in the night action off Cabareta Point. The senior of the four was Richard Keats…Alongside him was Captain Samuel Hood. Next in seniority was Captain Aiskew Hollis…The junior captain present was Jahleel Brenton.
Cochrane was asked to explain the circumstances relating to the loss of his ship which he did briefly and without heroics. He pointed out that he had endeavoured to keep to windward of the enemy but “found not withstanding all our endeavours to keep the wind that the French ships gained very fast…” When he had concluded his description he was asked whether he had any reason to find fault with any of his officers or men and he replied that the utmost exertion was used by every person on board. The officers and ship’s company of the Speedy ere then asked whether they could find any fault with the conduct of their captain, to which all replied ’None’
(…)
Surgeon Guthrie was then called to give his version of events. He was asked:
‘Are you a sufficient judge of nautical affairs to know whether every effort was used to escape from the force that was pursuing the Speedy?
He replied, ‘I know very little of nautical affairs but it appeared to me that every exertion was used by every person on board I saw the captain at the helm, and the officers and ship’s company at the sweeps.’
“Was you on deck at the time the colours were struck and what distance were the enemy from you at the time of her surrender?’
“I was on deck, and a French two-decker was within musket shot of the Speedy and was firing at us at the time.’
No more witnesses were called and, after checking the views of his colleagues Captain Stirling announced that the court was of the opinion that Lord Cochrane, his officers and ship’s company, had used every possible exertion to prevent the king’s sloop falling into the hands of the enemy, ‘and do therefore honourably acquit them and they are hereby acquitted accordingly.
(Court-martial of Lord Cochrane and his officers for the loss of the Speedy 18 July 1801 -PRO:ADM 1/5357 - Public Record Office, now National Archives, Kew, London )