V. The Achilles: Letters - 1760

Leters - 1760

To the Secretary of the Admiralty (P.R.O., Ad. I, 1491)

Achilles in Plymouth Sound. 16th January 1760.

Sir,
I this evening arrived here with His Majesty's Ships Achilles, Nottingham, Brilliant and Juno. The Lowestoft parted company on the 31st of December after a very hard gale of wind, and the Alarm Cutter I have never seen since the 24th of last month, on which day I ordered her to look into Bantry Bay and the River Kilmair. The Tamer I sent on the 4th instant to try if she could get in with Crook Haven before me, to know if there was any Orders or Intelligence of the Enemy; I saw her again on the 5th, but she parted that night in a hard gale of wind.
I am &c.
Sam^l Barrington.

P.S. Since I wrote the above the Alarm Cutter is arrived.

By the Hon. John Byron, Commander of His Majesty's Ship Fame.

Pursuant to an Order (fn. 1) from the Right Hon. the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,

You are hereby required and directed to put yourself under my command, and follow all such Orders and Instruc tions as you shall from time to time receive from me for His Majesty's Service. For which this shall be your Order.

Given under my hand on board His Majesty's Ship Fame in Plymouth Sound this 25th March 1760.

Signals
1st
When I would speak with you, I will put abroad a Red Pendant at the Maintopmast head; If with a Lieutenant the same Signal and a Weft in the Ensign; and for a Boat without an Officer, the Weft will be only hoisted half staff up.

2nd
If at any time I would have you stay by the Mary, when I give chace, I will make your Signal and hoist a St George's Ensign in the Mizen Shrouds; and if I should afterwards find it necessary for you to leave her and follow me, I will hoist a Dutch Ensign at the Mizen Peek and fire a Gun.

3rd
If I would have you take the Mary in tow, I will hoist a French Ensign at the Mizentopmast head.

Dated on board His Majesty's Ship Fame in Plymouth Sound the 25 March 1760.

Additional Signals (fn. 2)
You are hereby required and directed to follow the General Printed Sailing and Fighting Instructions, except such as are altered by the undermentioned Regulations: viz:

1st
[This is 2nd in Byron's Signals of 11 August 1758]

2nd
[This is 4th in Byron's Signals of 11 August 1758]

3rd
[This is 5th in Byron's Signals of 11 August 1758]

4th (fn. 3)
Whenever the Sail or Sails you are in chace of, shall appear to you of superior force to yourself, you are to make the Signal for seeing a Fleet.

5th (fn. 4)
When I would have you make sail ahead to the distance of three miles, I will hoist an English Jack at the Maintopmast head; if only a mile and a half, a Pendant over the above Jack; and when I would have you keep astern at the same distances, I will hoist a Dutch Jack at the same place.

6th
[This is 12th in Byron's Signals of 11 August 1758]

7th
[This is 13th in Byron's Signals of 11 August 1758]

8th
[This is 20th in Byron's Signals of 11 August 1758]

9th
The Signal for your Weekly Account will be a Flag half White, half blue, at the Mizen Peek.

By Night
[Byron's Night Signals of 11 August 1758, omitting 4th]

Fighting Instructions by Night
For the better knowing each other coming up with or engaging the Enemy, you shall carry two lights of equal height at the Mizen Peek; and if you are ahead of me, another in your Stern Lanthorn, but the light in your Stern Lanthorn shall only be carried whilst you keep sight of the Enemy.

Given under my hand on board His Majesty's Ship Fame in Plymouth Sound the 25 March 1760.

By the Hon. John Byron, Commander of His Majesty's Ship Fame.

You are hereby required and directed to send a Midshipman and eight Men on board the Pallas prize, for which this shall be your Order. (fn. 5)

Dated on board the Fame at sea the 1st April 1760.

By the Rt Hon. the Lord Colvill, Commodore & Commander-inChief of H.M. Ships and Vessels in North America.

If the Ships under my command happen to be dispersed or separated by fogs, bad weather, or other ways, and meet again, the Captains of the two nearest Ships are hereby directed to make the following Signals, as soon as they can be clearly distinguished, for knowing each other:

The Ship to windward shall hoist the largest Pendant she has at the Foretopgallant mast head, lower down all her Topsails, and hoist her Maintopgallant staysail with a flown sheet. The Ship to leeward shall display an English Ensign at the Foretopgallant mast head, another at her Mizentopmast head and a Jack at the Ensign Staff.

Dated on board the Northumberland at Quebec 7th June 1760.

By command of His Lordship, John Steet.

Line of Battle (fn. 6)
The Falkland to lead with the starboard, and the Rochester with the larboard Tacks on board.

Dated on board the Northumberland at Quebec June 7th 1760.

By command of His Lordship, John Steet.

Line of Battle
The Repulse to lead with the Starboard, and the Scarborough with the Larboard Tacks on board.

Dated on board His Majesty's Ship Fame at Louisbourg the 17th June 1760.

Additional Signals by the Hon. Captain Byron
You are hereby required and directed to follow the General Printed Sailing and Fighting Instructions, except such as are altered by the undermentioned Regulations, viz^t:

1st, 2nd
[Byron's 1st and 2nd of 11 August 1758]

3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th
[Byron's 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th of 11 August 1758]

7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th
[Byron's 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th of 11 August 1758]

By Night
[Byron's 1st to 5th of 11 August 1758]

6th
If any Ship in the Squadron discovers a strange sail in the night and chaces, the next Ship is to follow immediately to her assistance, without waiting for the Signal for so doing.

Signals in a Fog
[The same as Byron's of 11 August 1758]

Given under my hand on board His Majesty's Ship Fame in Louisbourg Harbour the 17th June 1760.

If (fn. 7) I would have all the Ships bear down into my wake, I will hoist a Blue Ensign at the Mizen Peek, and if I would have a particular Ship come within hail, the same Signal with that for the Captain.

Fighting Instructions by Night
[1st and 2nd are the same as Byron's Fighting Instructions by Night of 11 August 1758]

3rd
And when in a Line of Battle, I would have the sternmost Ships tack first, I will shew two Lights one in [sic] under the other at the Bowsprit End, besides the usual Signal for Tacking, and each Ship ahead of me is to repeat it.

Given under my hand on board His Majesty's Ship Fame at Louisbourg the 17th June 1760.
J. Byron.

(Public Record Office, Ad. I, 482) Captain Byron to Lord Colvill, at Quebec

Fame, Bay of Chaleurs. July 14, 1760.

My Lord,
I send your Lordship enclosed a copy of a letter I received from General Whitmore informing me of some French Ships and Troops arriving at Ristigouchi in this Bay, upon which I immediately put to sea with His Majesty's Ships Achilles, Dorsetshire, Repulse and Scarborough. I parted company with them the first night in very bad weather, and got here five or six days before them. We took an armed Schooner of six carriage guns and ten swivels with our Boats near Point Goacha, but forty seven Men she had on board escaped in the Woods. I went in the Barge to discover where the French Ships lay and after rowing four or five leagues got sight of them. As soon as I returned, I sent to sound the Channel but found it extremely narrow and difficult; however we got the Ship within three leagues of them and the first Battery. The next day in running up to them we got aground where I thought we never should have got off again. The Enemy seeing us in that situation, I have since learnt, were coming down to board us, but thought better of it. The Schooner carried our small Bower out with two Cables an end, and after nine or ten hours work we got off.

The next day our Ships appeared. The Repulse and Scarborough joined me, but the former got aground in doing it and lay some hours. The Achilles and Dorsetshire remained four or five leagues below us. I went up with the two Frigates to the first Battery, but we were all aground a dozen times before we could accomplish it. As soon as we fired in the Fame, they ran from the Battery, which was a regular built one with 12 four-pounders and one six. We landed our People, destroyed it and about two hundred houses. The French Ships got up higher two or three leagues, but we observed were often aground. We lightened the two Frigates as much as possible, as there was not above two fathom and a half water, and after infinite difficulty they got up pretty near them. The French Frigate lay close to a Battery of six guns, four twelves and two sixes. After firing two or three hours, the Frigate struck and afterwards blew up. She was called the Machaut and mounted 30 twelve-pounders. Much about the same time, a large Storeship blew up. In short they destroyed in all twenty two Vessels, most of them with valuable cargoes. The French say they have lost at least two hundred thousand pounds, besides the Settlements being totally ruined. Out of another Storeship we got sixty two English Prisoners, and then set her on fire with her whole cargo on board; unfortunately in her we lost six of our own People. Le Blanc came in here from Miramichi with nine Vessels the day before I did. He has done great mischief to our Trade; but I believe it is out of his power to do more for some time, as he has lost all his Fleet. The French had about thirty killed and wounded. We had only four killed, and nine or ten wounded (excepting those lost in the [Store] Ship). I have sent the Repulse to Halifax to refit, as her Masts, Hull and Rigging are much shattered. As soon as ever he can get ready he is to return to Louisbourg. I take the opportunity of sending your Lordship this by Captain Wallis, (fn. 8) who had heard of these Ships, and was coming up the Bay as we were going down.
I am &c.
J. Byron. (fn. 9)

By the Hon. John Byron, Commander of His Majesty's Ship Fame.

You are hereby required and directed to remain here with His Majesty's Ship under your command, and give Governor Whitmore all the assistance in your power towards demolishing the Works of the Fortress. For which this shall be your Order.

Given under my hand on board His Majesty's Ship Fame at Louisbourg this nth September 1760.

By the Rt. Hon. the Lord Colvill, Commodore & Commander in Chief of H.M. Ships and Vessels in North America.

Whereas you have represented to me that the Fame is in a very sickly and leaky condition, and the Achilles and Dorsetshire likewise sickly, insomuch that I do not think it proper to employ these three Ships on any farther service this season. You are hereby required and directed to proceed with them to England as soon as you conveniently can, leaving the Devonshire to assist in the Demolition of Louisbourg.

Dated on board the Northumberland at Quebec 14th September 1760.

By command of His Lordship, John Steet.

(P.R.O., Ad. I, 1491) Barrington to the Secretary of the Admiralty

Achilles in Plymouth Sound. 9th November 1760.

Sir,
I beg you will acquaint my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that when I sailed from hence in March last, my first Lieutenant, Mr Henry I'Anson (fn. 10) (who has been with me ever since I have had the honour of commanding this Ship, and for whom I have a great regard) was left sick on shore, Mr Luttrell being then second and Mr Simonton third. Mr Caldwell came on board with a Commission as third Lieutenant, without the others being ordered up, so that their Lordships will please to observe that I have on board the Ship at present one second, and two third Lieutenants, and my first Mr I'Anson I still return as left behind sick. I hear he is now well and fit for duty, and therefore hope they will please to order him to the Ship. I beg their Lordships would not think I have any objection to either Mr Luttrell or Caldwell; on the contrary they have given me great satisfaction; but they will please to observe that Mr Simonton, who has been bred up with me, their Lordships were pleased to give me at my own request, and him, as well as Mr I'Anson, I hope they will continue in the Ship, as they may imagine I must prefer the having these Gentlemen who have been so long with me.
I am &c.
Sam^l Barrington.

(P.R.O., Ad. I, 1491) Barrington to the Secretary of the Admiralty

Achilles, in Plymouth Sound. 14th November 1760.

Sir,
I have received your letter of the 12^th instant, and inclosed have sent you a copy (fn. 11) of the Orders which I thought was authority enough for me to proceed to England without joining Captain Byron, having at that time seventy four Men sick on shore at Louisbourg, where I then was by Captain Byron's Orders, as their Lordships will see by the inclosed. They arrived at Louisbourg the 25th of September, directed to Captain Byron, and which I thought proper to open as it was upon His Majesty's Service. He had then been sailed a fortnight, to cruize off Cape Gaspey by Lord Colvill's Orders, in pursuance of some he had received from the Admiralty, with the Fame, Dorsetshire and Norwich. Upon the receipt of the Orders I sent a Schooner in the service of the Government with them to Captain Byron, acquainting him with my situation, and hoped he would think that the sickly condition I was then in was a sufficient excuse for my not joining him (which I thought uncertain) but proceeding for England according to the intent of Lord Colvill's Orders. As I have never joined Lord Colvill or have ever received any advice of the destination of his Ships but what I have already mentioned (which was in pursuance of their Lordships' Orders), except the Devonshire, who I left at Louisbourg, I thought it only necessary to acquaint them with my arrival, having nothing more material to say. Indeed I find I omitted acquainting them with my sailing from Louisbourg which was on the 13th of last month, for which I hope their Lordships will forgive me, and am Sir, &c.
Sam^l Barrington.

[P.S.]
From the time of the receipt of the Orders to the time I sailed, the wind would not permit me to go out of the Harbour.