AAR. November Nation v Nation: A Dark Day.

Preamble.

Admiral Joshua Pound sat in his day cabin aboard the Royal George with his Flag Captain Josiah Pennyman opposite to him on the long Settle. To his right stood George Farthing Captain and Commander of His Majesty's Sloop of War Swan, clutching his hat so tightly as if it were saving him from drowning.

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Pound turned towards Pennyman with the opened dispatches still in his hand clutched almost as tightly as Farthing's hat.


" Dispatches from the Admiralty Josiah" he said waving the Buff packet with it's red ribbon and seal slit open." Farthing here has just delivered them from the Cape. hence they are nearly four months old, but I felt you should know the contents before any Indiaman puts in and the news gets all around Bombay. Apparently there has been a Mutiny among the Channel fleet at Spithead last April followed shortly by one at the Nore in May. The First Sea Lord dispatched this information to all foreign stations immediately before the outcome of the Mutiny is known, but he is very clear that we are to prevent the news from becoming general knowledge amongst our Squadrons. To that end I have summoned all ships Captains to repair aboard the Flagship for appraisal of the situation."

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Farthing here tells me that the original message was sent by Post Office Packet, which was unfortunately apprehended by the French three weeks ago. that is why we are only just informed of this catastrophe.
All ships must expect an attack by the French within days."
Despite all efforts to keep the information secret, within hours of the next Merchantman putting in to Bombay Roads, the news spread like wildfire throughout the Squadron, and three ships raised the red flag.

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Two days later, news arrives that a strong French Squadron is sailing down the coast towards Bombay.

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Pound calls all his Captains to the flagship exhorting them to appeal to the loyalty of their men to put to sea and defend Bombay against the Old Enemy.
As he gets The Royal George underway, the Admiral really does not know whether any of his ships will answer the call to duty.


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Bligh.

November Nation v Nation: A Dark Day.



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As Admiral Pound surveyed the ships in the inner harbour, he could espy signs of some of them readying themselves for sea, reefs were being shaken out, anchors made short, but on at least two ships little action could be evidenced, and the Amelia, Captain Rufus Taylor who had recently absorbed a large number of replacements seemed to be making no preparations at all.


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So much for the OB. Well he would form line as the ships came out.


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He summoned his Flag Lieutenant, Vincent Pomeroy, and instructed him to make the signal " Form line as convenient", followed by prepare for battle," and bend on the flags for "Engage the enemy" straight after it came down, ready to break when ordered.


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As the French drew even nearer one by one the British Squadron started to emerge from port headed by the Flagship Royal George.



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With a fair wind veering two points East of South the ships started to round the headland, and Pound got his first glimpse of the enemy Squadron.


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Seeing that the British Line were outnumbered and with the intention of cutting the enemy line, the George headed straight for the leading French Frigate.


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They exchanged fire from their forward guns as soon as they came within range of each other. The George's Carronades sweeping the deck of the Courageous did far more service than the return fire of the enemy, and wiped many of the crew from the Tops.


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Meantime, the Amelia was only just getting underway, after some very slick talking from her Captain Richard Sterling, aided by the Boatswain's mate.


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Captain Pennyman now cut the French Line with the George, and delivered a first shot double shotted raking broadside to the next in line Aquilon 74.


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It was so devastating that the French vessel lost steerage way and began to drift off with tide and wind out of the battle.

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In consequence her return fire was a rather feeble response.

As soon as her Captain had assessed the enormity of the damage below decks she struck to the George.


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The Royal George now altered course, and under battle sails alone, moved on down the line whilst reloading.

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Her next adversary was the double shotted Le Berwick 74, which with her forrard guns alone did serious damage against the fire of the George, now single shotted, and slightly down on guns.


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The next British ship to cut the line was the Frigate Orpheus, Captain Grenville Tanner, who passing through the gap left by the stricken Aquilon. raked the next French 74 Le Berwick with her stern battery double shotted and first rounds.


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Despite her lack of weight of metal she succeeded in bringing down the foretop mast already damaged by the George, and sails from the Main top mast also.


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She simultaneously took on the French Frigate Courageuse, who had maneuvered broad onto her Starboard bow. Unfortunately the return broadside started a small fire on the Orpheus's Main Deck.

Subsequently Captain Tanner was to be mentioned in the Admiral's Despatches for his skill and courage in placing his ship in such a position that he could fire on both the Frigate and 74.

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At this point in the battle the wind backed one point to the south, not materially effecting the headings of either Squadron at this precise time.

Moving on down the battle line Royal George next encountered the Genereux, and in th subsequent exchange of fire took heavy damage.


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The quarter deck was cleared of many men, and Pennyman realized that his Admiral was amongst the fallen. The Admiral was on the deck half supporting himself by one arm. The other leaking blood profusely hanging limply by his side.


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After seeing Admiral Pound taken below to the Surgeon, Pennyman surveyed the devastation done to the Royal George.


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Battered but not yet a complete wreck the George limped toward the rear of the French Line.




By now the battle was becoming general, and HMs Phoenix 74. Captain Joseph Porter, opened his account with the already badly hit Le Berwick.


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One double shotted broadside against the feeble reply from the 74 was all it took to bring down its colours as planks below the waterline were stove in and fire started.

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This was the state of the battle after two and a half hours, with all but two British Frigates engaged, and the Royal George all but out of action, and the struck Le Berwick drifting downwind towards the Frigate Orpheus who was trying to take it in tow. the state of play between the two fleets was pretty finely balanced.


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Coming under fire from Courageous Orpheus was forced to cast off its tow, to enable it to defend itself.


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Both the Passing Amelia, who was finally entering the fray, and the Frigate HMS Sybille Captain Angus Groat were able to come to Amelia's assistance and exchanged fire with the French Frigate.


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Amelia's own return of fire at extreme range doing no damage.


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As Captain Pennyman maneuvered the George out of the battle line he cut across the stern of the French Generaux 74 and raked it's stern damaging both mast and steering.


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This was to have consequences later in the battle.

Pennyman simultaneously fore- raked the Frigate Unite with his Starboard broadside.

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As Swiftsure bore away, Porter raked his stern unmercifully, before taking on the following French ship Genereux.


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Three leaks were started, a fire broke out and the Frenchman's steering was also hit.

The exchange of fire from the tops did much clearance of both ships upper deck crews as men fell dead and wounded in heaps.


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The French Line now swayed away from the hell of the British broadsides, and this allowed HMS Bellerophon, new to the action to hit the Swiftsure with a broadside at long range.


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This change of orientation of the French ships also saved the Phoenix from the Genereux's broadside, although being unloaded Porter could not emulate the Bellerophon's Captain Sterling by firing upon it.


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However, with her loaded Port cannon she blasted the French Frigate Unite at close range.

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Unite, herself. being engaged in trying to finally silence the Royal George.


Sensing that the battle was now reaching a crucial stage, Pound's Flag Captain Pennyman, now de facto Squadron Commander, broke out the signal "General chase" at the masthead of the Royal George, before the ship could succumb to the French. Frigate.


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Meanwhile Swiftsure had hit Sybille long range and started a fire aboard the Frigate.


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The wind now veered a point back to the East, which did nothing to help the hands deal with the fire aboard Sybille.

Meanwhile Orpheus had at last overhauled Courageous, and Tanner was dueling to the death with her having decided to board if at all possible.

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However, before she could board her forward battery took out the last of the French crew, and her colours were lowered.

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Genereux, was now taking more rounds from the Phoenix, each gunner marking his target as she came to bear.


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Sybille also chipping in with a long shot, but receiving a heavier return for her impertinence.

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Bellerophon was also in the thick of the action, and whilst Sterling's marines exchanged Musket balls with Genereux topmen, his starboard battery mauled the Unite, who could not retaliate with anything more than two guns, neither of which found the mark on the British ship.

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Phoenix now cut across Unite's bow and a vicious hail of lead was exchanged from both ships tops.


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At this point the battle stood thus, after five and a half hours fighting.


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Genereux, now took further damage from Bellerophon and was forced to surrender owing to its vast crew casualties, with both its Captain and Commodore wounded.


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The demise of the Genereux, and the capture of the French Commodore Dumont, seemed to signal a general retreat for the remaining French vessels.

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Only Phoenix and Unite exchanging a farewell kiss before the action petered out with both Squadrons in an appalling state.


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As Admiral Pound dictated to his secretary from his sick bed, a close shave, but a victory of sorts for the British, although the Squadron was in no state to engage the enemy again for many a month to come.


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Taking their prizes in tow the Squadron limped back to Bombay.
Bligh.

The Butcher's Bill.


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British Squadron.

R. Admiral Sir Joshua Pound. RTP. Wounded.



HMS Royal George. RTP. Captain Pennyman. Captured Aquilon.

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HMS Bellerophon. RTP Captain Richard Stirling.

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HMS Phoenix.RTP. Captain Joseph Porter. Captured Berwick and Genereux.

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HMS Amelia. RTP. Captain Rufus Taylor.

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HMS Orpheus. RTP Captain Grenville Tanner. Captured Courageous. Mentioned in Dispatches.

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HMS Sybille. RTP. Captain Angus Groat.

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French Squadron.

Unite escaped.

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Aquilon taken.

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Genereux taken.

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Courageuse taken.

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Le Berwick taken.

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Le Swiftsure escaped.

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Bligh.

Goodness me, what a huge and awesome battle.

A definite victory, but at a high cost. The George rained absolute hell on the French line!

Cheers Hugh.
Actually took 7 hours real time to play.
Rob.

that sound about right. Last time I did a big game it took 2 days on and off.

Excellent report Rob, gave those Frenchies a telling off

What an engagement Rob. Well fought.

I've actually started playing with frigates over ships of the line, it speeds up game play markedly.

I quite enjoy the protracted battles, as long as they don't run over into the next day Hugh.
As I usually start about five in the morning after I let the cat out it does not often come to this.
Rob.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Capn Duff

Excellent report Rob, gave those Frenchies a telling off

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Union Jack

What an engagement Rob. Well fought.

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Thanks shipmates.
To quote another one of our famous leaders: It was certainly hard pounding gentlemen.:happy:
Rob.

I love another of his quotes.
"By God, sir, I've lost my leg!"
"By God, sir, so you have!"

...which apparently actually was:
"I have got it at last."
"No? Have you, by God?"

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The above photo shows Lord Uxbridge recovering from the shock of losing his leg – a leg which later went on to become a celebrity in its own right.

His leg was shattered by a cannon shot at the Battle of Waterloo and removed by a surgeon. The amputated limb went on to lead a somewhat macabre after-life as a tourist attraction in the village of Waterloo in Belgium, where it had been removed and interred.

Henry Paget, 2nd Earl of Uxbridge, later the 1st Marquess of Anglesey, commanded 13,000 Allied cavalry and 44 guns of horse artillery at the Battle of Waterloo. At about 2:30pm, at a critical stage in the battle, he led a charge of the 2,000 heavy cavalry of the Household Brigade and the Union Brigade to throw back the French. The charge succeeded in sweeping the French infantry away in disorder, but Uxbridge was unable to rally his troops, who ran on in pursuit and were cut up by counter-attacking French cavalry. Uxbridge spent the rest of the battle leading a series of charges by British light cavalry formations, and had eight or nine horses shot from under him.
One of the last cannon shots fired on 18 June 1815 hit his right leg, necessitating its amputation above the knee. According to anecdote, he was close to the Duke of Wellington when his leg was hit, and exclaimed, “By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg!”, to which Wellington replied “By God, sir, so you have!”
After receiving his wound, Lord Uxbridge was taken to his headquarters in the village of Waterloo. There, the remains of his leg were removed by surgeons, without antiseptic or anaesthetics. In recognition of his bravery, the Prince Regent created him Marquess of Anglesey and made him a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath five days after the battle.
Lord Uxbridge, true to his nature, remained stoical and composed. According to his aide-de-camp, Thomas Wildman, during the amputation he smiled and said, “I have had a pretty long run. I have been a beau these forty-seven years, and it would not be fair to cut the young men out any longer.” According to another anecdote his only comment through the dreadful procedure was, “The knives appear somewhat blunt.”
According to the account of Sir Hussey Vivian recorded by Henry Curling in 1847:

Just after the Surgeon had taken off the Marquis of Anglesey’s leg, Sir Hussey Vivian came into the cottage where the operation was performed. “Ah, Vivian!” said the wounded noble, “I want you to do me a favour. Some of my friends here seem to think I might have kept that leg on. Just go and cast your eye upon it, and tell me what you think.” “I went, accordingly”, said Sir Hussey, “and, taking up the lacerated limb, carefully examined it, and so far as I could tell, it was completely spoiled for work. A rusty grape-shot had gone through and shattered the bones all to pieces. I therefore returned to the Marquis and told him he could set his mind quite at rest, as his leg, in my opinion, was better off than on.”

A further anecdote reports him saying “Who would not lose a leg for such a victory?” The saw used to amputate his leg is held by the National Army Museum. Uxbridge was offered an annual pension of £1,200 in compensation for the loss of his leg, but refused.
The owner of the house where the amputation took place asked if he might bury the leg in his garden, later turning the site into a kind of shrine, as for a relic. Visitors were first taken to see the bloody chair upon which Uxbridge had sat during the amputation, before being escorted into the garden, where the leg had its own ‘tombstone’, inscribed as follows:

Here lies the Leg of the illustrious and valiant Earl Uxbridge, Lieutenant-General of His Britannic Majesty, Commander in Chief of the English, Belgian and Dutch cavalry, wounded on the 18 June 1815 at the memorable battle of Waterloo, who, by his heroism, assisted in the triumph of the cause of mankind, gloriously decided by the resounding victory of the said day.

The leg attracted an amazing range of tourists from European society of the very top drawer, from the King of Prussia to the Prince of Orange. It was a nice earner for Monsieur Paris and his descendants, all the way down to 1878, when it was the occasion for a minor diplomatic incident. Uxbridge’s son visited, to find the bones not buried, but on open display. On investigation by the Belgian ambassador in London, it was discovered that they had been exposed in a storm which uprooted the willow tree beside which they were buried. The ambassador demanded repatriation of the relics to England but the Paris family refused, instead offering to sell the bones to the Uxbridge family, who, not surprisingly, were enraged. At this point the Belgian Minister of Justice intervened, ordering the bones to be reburied. However, the bones were not reburied; they were kept hidden. In 1934, after the last Monsieur Paris died in Brussels, his widow found them in his study, along with documentation proving their provenance. Horrified by the thought of another scandal, she incinerated them in her central heating furnace.


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Uxbridge himself used an articulated above-knee artificial leg invented by James Potts, with hinged knee and ankle and raising toes which became known as the Anglesey leg, after his marquessate. One of the artificial legs designed by Potts and worn by the marquess is still extant, preserved at Plas Newydd in Anglesey, as is also a leg of the hussar trousers worn by the 1st Marquess at Waterloo. The loss of his leg did not impede the Marquess of Anglesey’s career – he rose to become a Field Marshal and Knight of the Garter, twice serving as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and twice as Master-General of the Ordnance; he is the “Marquess of Anglesey” after whom many British pubs are named.

Thanks Wiki.
Rob.

Family history 1553-1815
William Paget, 1st Baron Paget.

The Paget family descends from Sir William Paget, a close adviser to Henry VIII, who in 1553 was summoned to Parliament as Lord Paget de Beaudesert. His younger son, the third Baron, was a Catholic opponent of Elizabeth I. In 1589 he was attainted and his title forfeited. However, his son, the fourth Baron, was restored to the title in 1604. In contrast to his father he was a prominent Protestant. He was succeeded by his son, the fifth Baron. He was Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire for the parliamentarians between 1641 and 1642, when he joined the Royalists and was dismissed. His son, the sixth Baron, was Ambassador to both Austria and the Ottoman Empire. On his death the title passed to his son, the seventh Baron. He had already been created Baron Burton, of Burton-on-Trent in the County of Stafford, in 1711, prior to succeeding to the barony of Paget in 1713. In 1714 he was further honoured when he was made Earl of Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex. However, the earldom and barony of Burton became extinct on the death of his grandson, the second Earl (son of Thomas Catesby Paget, Lord Paget), in 1769.

The barony of Paget, which could be passed on through the female line, devolved on his cousin Henry Bayly, who became the ninth Baron. He was the son of Sir Nicholas Bayly, 2nd Baronet, of Plas Newydd, and Caroline, Lady Bayly (d. 1766), daughter of Thomas Paget and granddaughter of the Hon. Henry Paget, second son of William Paget, 5th Baron Paget. In 1770 Henry Bayly assumed the surname and arms of Paget only. Twelve years later, in 1782, he succeeded his father in the baronetcy, and in 1784 the earldom of Uxbridge was revived for him, when he was made Earl of Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He was a prominent military commander who gained fame at the Battle of Waterloo, where he lost his leg. A few weeks after the battle he was made Marquess of Anglesey.

Any relation of yours Neil?
Rob.

Be nice if it was, but to date can't find the link.