James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez

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James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez bigraphy, stories - Royal Navy admiral

James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez : biography

11 March 1757 – 9 October 1836

Admiral James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez (or Sausmarez), GCB (11 March 1757 – 9 October 1836) was an admiral of the British Royal Navy, notable for his victory at the Battle of Algeciras.Charles Mosley, editor. Burke’s Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke’s Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1111.

Naval service

Early service in the Mediterranean and American Revolutionary War

In 1770, Saumarez joined the in the Mediterranean. In 1775 he transferred to Sir Peter Parker’s flagship in North America. Saumarez distinguished himself under Parker, showing his courage at the attack of Charleston in 1776. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1778. He commanded the 8-gun galley , but had to run her ashore and burn her on 30 July 1778 when the French fleet under Admiral d’Estaing arrived at Narrangansett Bay. Saumarez then served on the Victory, then Vice Admiral Hyde Parker’s flagship, , in which he was present at the Battle of Dogger Bank on 5 August 1781, when he was wounded. He was promoted commander for his gallant services and appointed to the fireship Tisiphone. In 1782, Saumarez sailed his ship to the West Indies with despatches for Samuel Hood and arrived in time to witness the closing stages of Hood’s operations at St Kitts on 25 January 1782.

Battle of the Saintes

While commanding the (74 guns), he contributed to Rodney’s victory over de Grasse at the Battle of the Saintes on (12 April 1782). During the battle and under his own iniative, Saumarez took his ship out of line to assist in the capture of De Grasse’s flagship, Ville de Paris. This action prompted Admiral Rodney to remark that, "The Russell’s captain is a fine fellow, whoever he is."

When the war in America finished, Saumarez went ashore and did not go to sea again until 1793 when he was given command of the frigate, , a 36-gun fifth rate frigate.

Action of 20 October 1793

It was in Crescent that Saumarez was involved in one of the first major, single ship actions of the war when he captured the French frigate La Reunion, in the Action of 20 October 1793. British casualties were exceptionally light, with only one man wounded during the engagement. In reward, Saumarez was knighted by King George III and given a presentation plate by the City of London, although Saumarez later received a bill for £103 6s 8d (the equivalent of £9,700 as of 2011), from a Mr. Cooke for "the honour of a knighthood". Saumarez refused to pay, telling Cooke to charge whomever had paid for Edward Pellew’s knighthood after his successful action. Saumarez later wrote to his brother that "I think it hard to pay so much for an honour which my services have been thought to deserve".

Battle of Cape St Vincent

While in command of a squadron consisting of three frigates and a lugger and cutter, on 8 June 1794 on the way from Plymouth to Guernsey, he encountered a superior French force of two razees, three frigates, and a cutter. The French squadron outgunned the British, but Saumarez, with some masterful maneuvering, succeeded in getting his frigates to safety in Guernsey harbour. (The British lugger and cutter had returned to Plymouth at the start of the action.)

After being promoted in 1795 he was appointed to the 74-gun , in the channel fleet, where he took part in the defeat of the French fleet at the Battle of Groix off Lorient, on 22 June. Orion was one of the ships sent to reinforce Sir John Jervis in February 1797, when Saumarez distinguished himself in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. During the early stages he helped repel a sustained attack on the British line and covered the retreat of when she was forced to retire from the action. Colossus had sustained serious damage, her sails being virtually shot away and it looked as though she would be raked by Spanish warships, until Orion intervened. Later, when the engagement had turned to a general melee, Saumarez forced the Salvador del Mundo to surrender before attacking the Santissima Trinidad with the help of . Saumarez was certain he had forced her surrender too when the arrival of the remainder of the Spanish fleet forced Jervis to break off the engagement.