These letters were written by the then Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood in 1781-1783; some are his official reports to the Admiralty, others private letters, chiefly to his friend George Jackson, Second Secretary of the Admiralty, in which he freely gives his low opinion of his successive senior officers, Graves and Rodney. There is also some semi-official correspondence between Hood and Rodney, and extensive extracts from Hood’s official journal.
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INDEX Actpeon, the, 157, 161 Active, the, 27 Affleck, Commodore, 61, 100 Agamemnon, the, 122 Ajax, the, 42, 48, 86, 135 Alarm, the, 118, 125, 126 Albemarle, the, 153 Alcide, the, 27, 42, 48, 49, 65, 68, 86, 108, 119, 129, 130, 154, 159; and the Shrewsbury, 37 Alecto, the, 117 Alert, the, 108, 128 Alfred, the, 48, 63, 65, 66, 76, 86, 88, no, in, 113, 115, 117, 120, 124; damaged, 66 America, North, troops in, xxxiv. American insurgents aided by the French Government, xxxi. Amsterdam, xxvii. Andromache, the, 101, 108, 118, 125 Anson, the, 148 Antigua, 49, 55 Arbuthnot, Admiral, xvn., xxiv. Ardent, the, 102 Arethusa, the, 96 Armed neutrality, the, xxv. Article xix. of Fighting Instructions, xxxvii. Barbadoes, 14 Barfleur, the, 7, 88; scurvy on board, 145 Barras, M. de, squadron of, xxxiv. Basseterre of St. Kitt’s, xli., 55 Bayne, Captain, no, in Bedford, the, 61, 100, 121 Belliqueux, the, 7, 27, 75, 87, 89, 116,119,125,127, 183; and Barfleur, collision between, 8 ; reconnoitres the Chesapeake, 49 Bickerton, Captain, 5 Bienfaisant, the, 10 Blast, the, 75 Boreas, the, 24 Bouill^, Marquis de, 79, 83 ; destroying every fort at Basseterre, 9i Bourgogne, 14 note Bourne, Captain, of the Marines, 90 Bread sent on board the Princesa, very bad, 51; great scarcity of, in the fleet, 60 Brest, an armament preparing at, 58 Bretagne, 14 note Brimstone Hill capitulates to the French, 75, 91 British fleet. See Fleet, English Brown, Doctor of Resolution, 83 Brutus, the, 94 Byron, Captain, 102 Caesar, the, 19, 102 Caicos Channel, 153 Calder, Admiral Sir R., xvii. Canada, the, xvii., 37, 48, 122 ; extracts from log of, 64, 123 Cape Henry, 28, 40 Caton, the, 56, 134 Centaur, the, xxiii., 13, 48, 65, 68, 75,86,87, 89, 108, 116, 119, 120, 127, 129, 130 Centurion, the, 147 Cerberus, the, 9, 10 Ceres, the, 133, 135 Champion, the, 71, 72, 73, 74, 86, 1 33> *35 ; captures the Ceres, 133 166 LETTERS OF LORD HOOD Chatham, the, 38 Chesapeake, the, battle of, xxxvii., 40; and Lord Cornwallis, 30; French fleet anchored in, 34 • Rear-Admiral Graves’ account of, 40; Rear-Admiral Graves’ action in, criticised by Sir George Rodney, 44 Christie, Brig.-General, 25 Christopher’s, St. See St. Kitt’s Clinton, Sir Henry, xxxiv., 26 Codrington, Admiral SirE., quoted, xv. Colpoys, Captain, of the Orpheus, 42 Colquhoun, Mr., quoted, xxii. Conqueror, the, 118, 122, 128 Cornish, Captain, 96 Cornwallis, Captain, 37, 157 Cornwallis, Lord, 29 ; in Virginia, xxxiv.; proposed attempt to relieve, 36 ; capitulates, 39 Corvo Island, 8 Courland Bay, 20 Couvert, the, 64, 68, 70, 86, 87 Cranstoun, Lord, appointed to the Formidable, in Crescent, the, 9, 10 Christie, General, 25 Crespigny, Mr., 45 Curasao, xxx. ; and Sir George B. Rodney, 21 Curgenven, Captain, 89 Darby, Admiral, 10 De Grasse, Comte. See Grasse, Comte de Delanoe, Lieutenant, 27 Delaware, Capes of, 28 Deseada, 95 Destouches’ action with Arbuthnot, 20 note Digby, Rear-Admiral, supersedes Admiral Graves, 37. See also Hood, Sir Samuel Dillon, Comte, appointed Governor of St. Kitt’s, 83 Dodd, Captain, of the Lizard, 60 Dominica, 61, 92, 95, 96, 99, 100, 101. 118, 124, 126 Douglas, Sir Charles, viii., xiii., xxxi., 102. 104, 106 ; Hood comments on, 105 ; weak and irresolute, 105 Douglas, Sir Howard, viii. Drake, Rear-Admiral, approves Hood’s conduct, 15, 25 ; instructions from Sir Samuel Hood, 27 Drake, the, 65, 70, 86 Du Guay Trouin, the, 4, 6, 7 Duke, the, 124, 128, 135 Duncan, Admiral Lord Camperdown, xliii. Duncan, Captain, of the Medea, 35, 44 Du Plassi, Mons., governor of St. Vincent’s, 24 Dutton, the, xxii. Elliot, Sir Gilbert, viii. Endymion, the, 125, 142 English fleet. See Fleet, English Eurydice, the, 50, 55, 70, 72, 73, 77, 131, 135 Everett, Captain, 33 Expedition, the, 86 Fame, the, 122, 135 Fayhie, Lieutenant, of the Russell, 90 Fier, the, 14 Fleet, English, and French fleet off the Chesapeake engage, 31 ; for the Leeward Islands, 58 ; great scarcity of bread in the, 60; engagement of Nevis Point between French and, 67 ; at St. Kitt’s, 68 ; sails for Dominica, 100 ; engagements with French fleet near Guadaloupe, 101 Fleet, French, under Count de Grasse, xxxi., 14, 19 ; at Fort Royal, 16; and English fleet engage at Lynn Haven Bay, 31 ; at anchor in the Chesapeake, 34; at Martinique, 51 ; appears off St. Lucia, 60; at St. Kitt’s, 62, 83 ; off Nevis Point, 67; anchored off Nevis, 91 ; engagements with English fleet near Guadaloupe, 101 Fly, cutter, the, 7 Ford, Captain, of La Nymphe, 27, 96 Formidable, the, 103, in, 122, INDEX 167 124, 131, 135, 144, 157 J confusion on board, 106 Fort Royal Bay, 12, 25 ; French fleet at, xxxii., 16 Fortunee, the, 68, 70, 78, 86, 87, 88, 144 ; sent to Antigua, 50 Frazer, General, 89 French commanding officers at variance, 79 French fleet. See Fleet, French Galvez, General Don Bernardo, 138 Cell, Captain, 9 Gibraltar, the, 7, 24 Glorieux, the, 108, 129, Goodall, Captain, 133 Granada, the, 85 Grand Duke, storeship, 50 Grasse, Count de, xxi., 30, 33, 53, 79; carries his fleet into Fort Royal, xxxii. ; action near Fort Royal with Lord Hood, 12; French fleet under, 14, 19; leaves the Chesapeake, 56; at Martinique, 59 Graves, Rear-Admiral, xxxviii., 26 ; superseded by Admiral Digby, xl. ; criticised by Sir S. Hood, 30; note to Sir S. Hood, 34 ; account of the battle of the Chesapeake by, 40; letter to Mr. P. Stephens, 40 Gros Islet, the, 86 Guadeloupe, no Guarico, Spanish ships and troops at, 98 Guichen, Count, 14; battle with, off Martinique, xi. Hare, Lieutenant, 89 Harvey, Captain, 60 Hector, the, 19, 108, 129, 130 Hercules, the, 108, 122, 126, 135 Holland joins France, xxvi. Hood, Sir Samuel, served under Rodney, x. ; detested Rodney, x. ; commissioner of Portsmouth Dockyard, x.; promoted to flag rank by Lord Sandwich, xi.; a hard judge of others, xiii.; was uncharitable, xvi,; was arrogant, xvi. ; his virtues, xvi.; portrait of, xlvii.; letters to Mr. Stephens, 2-7, 24, 48, 56, 57, 59, 62, 63, 89, 94, 161 ; sails for West Indies, 7; action near Fort Royal with the Count de Grasse, 12 ; letters to Mr. Jackson, 12, 18, 28, 36, 39,95, 101, 130, 134, 137, 140, 144, 145, 147, 149,150,154, 161 ; criticises Sir George Rodney, 15, 19, 23, 97, 104, 130, 136; letters to Sir George Rodney, 17, 109, 112, 132 ; asks Mr. Jackson to assist Captain Linzee, 23 ; takes command of the fleet at the Leeward Islands, 24; sails for Antigua, 25 ; meets Rear-Admiral Graves and Sir Henry Clinton on Long Island, 26 ; instructions to RearAdmiral Drake, 27; letters to Rear-Admiral Graves, 27, 33 ; goes to examine the Chesapeake 28; criticises Rear-Admiral Graves’ ability, 30, 37 ; note to Rear-Admiral Graves, 35 ; sails from Sandy Hook for the Barbadoes, 48; presses Commissioner Laforey for stores, 49; letters to Rear-Admiral Digby, 52, 53 ; orders to Captain Stanhope of the Pegasus, 55 ; arrives at Barbadoes, 60; receives a letter from Governor Shirley from St. Kitt’s, 61 ; Journal of, 85, 113; account of the capture of the Ville de Paris, 101-108; comments on Sir Charles Douglas, 105 ; letter to Lord Robert Manners, 129 ; ordered to Altavela, 132 ; captures French ships near Porto Rico, 133 ; criticises Admiral Pigot, 139; and Sir Joshua Rowley, 146 ; letter to Admiral Pigot, 153 ; no ambition for a seat in the House of Commons, 155 ; and Mr. Alexander Currie, of the ship Dumfries, 162 Hope, Captain, of the Crescent, 7 ; intelligence from, 9 Hotham, Admiral, xiii. Hughes, Sir Edward, xxxviii. i68 LETTERS OF LORD HOOD Hughes, Sir Richard, 160 Hyder Ali, xxvii. Inglis, Captain, of the St. Albans, 55 Intrepid, the, 13, 32, 41, 42, 48, 49, 65, 86 Invincible, the, 3, 7, 48 Iris, the, 29 Jackson, Mr., letters to. See Hood, Sir Samuel Jamaica saved, xliv.,to be defended, 58 Jane, the, 70, 86 Janus, the, in great distress, 62 Jason, the, 134 Johnstone, Commodore, 14 Keppel, Lord, xx. Kempenfelt and Guichen, xxxii. Kites, St. See St. Kitt’s Laforey, Commissioner at Antigua, 49 L’Aimable, 133 La Motte Piquet, xxxiv. La Vache, Isle, 134 Laurens, Mr., taken, xxvi. Leander, the, 160 L’Espion, 92 Linzee, Captain J., 21 ; loses his ship Thetis, 23 Lion, the, 37 Lively, the, 36, 144 Lizard, the, 60, 62, 68, 72, 73, 75, 76,86 London, the, 31, 32, 35 Long, Mr., 5 Lucas, Captain, of the Salamander, 162 Ludlow Castle, the, x. Lynn Haven Bay, 31 Macbride, Captain, 10 Magnificent, the, 116, 121,124,133, 139,148; captures L’Aimable, 133 Man, Captain, 9 Manners, Lord Robert, letters to the Duke of Rutland, vii., xviii., 78, 81, 84 ; seriously wounded, 108 ; death of, 130 Marin for Marigny, 12 Marlborough, the, 116, 117, 126 Martinique, blockade of, xxxii., 15 ; Count de Grasse’s fleet at, 51 ; Count de Grasse returns to, 59 ; arrival of French force at, 97, 98 Mathews, Admiral, xxxix. Medea, the, 29, 34 Mercury, the, xxvi. Minotaur, the, 14 Mohawk, the, 94 Molloy, Captain, at the engagement off the Chesapeake, 31 Monarca, the, 7 ; disabled, 8 Monarch, the, 33, 48, 49, 59,60, 62, 88, 89, 119, 121, 122, 127, 133 Montagu, the, 12, 41, 42, 48, 121 Montserrat, 55, 85 Moore, General, Life of, quoted, xxxi. Morgan, Sir H., buccaneer, xxx. Morne Fortunee, 13 ; defence of, 13 Motherbank, the, 4, 6, 7 Namur, the, 114, 122, 124 Nevis, island, road of, 25 Nelson and Hotham, xiii., xvi., xlv.; Captain of Albemarle, 153 New York Dockyard, xxxix.; Captains order stores at, 53 Nonsuch, the, 148 Nymphe, the, 25, 27, 60, 63, 65, 66, 86, 96; reconnoitres the Chesapeake, 49 Orpheus, the, 42 Oyster Bay, squadron in, 54 Panter, Mr. George, a broker, 16 Panther, the, 7, 24 Parker, Sir Hyde, xi. Parker, Sir Peter, 45 Parry, Lieutenant, 4 Pasley, Captain, of the Jupiter, 147 Pegasus, the, 43, 48, 50, 77, 78 Pigot, Admiral, xiii., xliii. ; Hood advises, 139 ; criticisms on, 148 Pluton, the, 158 Prescott, General, 89 ; returns from Brimstone Hill to Antigua, 79 President, the, 62 Prince George, the, 48,68, 118, 128, 135 INDEX 169 Prince William, the, 7, 45, 46, 51, 86, 116, 120, 121, 133, 154, 159 Princesa, the, 7, IQ> 41, 42, 48, Si, 86, 122 Proserpine, the, 57 Prothee, the, 114, 118, 126, 133 Prudent, the, 61, 62, 64, 65, 68, 75 Pye, Admiral, 2, 5 Rainsford, General, regiment of, 2 Ramilies, xxiii. Ranger, the, 12, 39, 49, 51, 56,-57, 59 Repulse, the, 122, 148 Resolution, 48, 75, 89, 126; bad state of the ship, 84; ordered to sea, 84 Reynolds, Captain, 37 Rhode Island, 26 Richmond, the, 29 Robertson, Mr., brings an action against Sir S. Hood, 163 Robinson, Captain, 91 Robust, the, in great distress, 62 Rochambeau, Marquis of, French troops under, xxxiv. Rodney, Sir George, 13 ; Hood’s hatred of, xiv.; and St. Eustatius, xxix.; in bad health, xxxiii. ; criticised by Hood, 15,19, 22,97,104 ; and Tobago, 20 ; and Curasao, 2i;sailsforEngland,24; criticises Rear-Admiral Graves’ action in the Chesapeake, 44; letter to Jackson, 44 ; letters to Sir Samuel Hood, 100, 109, in, 112, 132. .See also Hood, Sir Samuel Rowley, Sir Joshua, xiii., 146 Royal Oak, the, 48, 49, 108, 113- 116, 121, 124, 125, 129,130, 132; at St. Kitt’s, 60 Russell, the, 12, 13, 50, 61, 62, 65, 66,90, 118, 128, 135 St. Albans, the, 50, 55, 60, 66, 69, 86,87, 115, 118, 124, 125 St. Christopher’s. See St. Kitt’s St. Domingo, 58 St. Eustatius, 22 ; capture of, xxiv.; depot of contraband, xxviii. ; division of the spoils of, 12 ; taken in an extraordinary manner, 57 St. Helen’s, ships at, 5 St. Kitt’s, invested by the French fleet, 62; English fleet at, 68 ; surrender of, to the French, 81; Comte Dillon appointed governor of, 83 ; French fleet at, 83 St. Lucar, n St. Lucia, island of, 19; troops for, 3 ; saved, 23 St. Pierre, 25, no St. Simon, Monsieur, 91 Salamander, the, 48, 75 Sampson, Robert, 10 Sandwich, Lord, xi.; promotes Sir S. Hood to flag rank, xi.; his reasons, xii. Sandwich, the, 23, 56 Sandys, Captain, 64 Santa Monica, the, 13 Saumarez, Lord de, 64 Scourge, the, 13 Scurvy, in the English fleet, 143 ; on board the Barfleur, 145 Shrewsbury, the, 12, 41, 42, 48, 49, 65,86 ; totally disabled, 32 ; and the Alcide, 37 Skin, George, intelligence from, 10 Snake brig, the, 12, 16 Solano, Admiral Don Jose, 150 Soleby, the, lost on Nevis Point, 62 Southampton, the, 142 Spithead, ships at, 4, 6 Stanhope, Captain, 50 ; orders from Sir S. Hood, 55 ; illness of, 63 Stephens, Mr., letters to. See Hood, Sir Samuel Stoney, Captain, 5 Suffren, Bailli de, on the coast of Malabar, xlv. ; at Porto Praya, 14 note Surinam captured, xxx. Swallow, the, 4, 7 Sybille, the, 7, 13, 25, 27, 48, 49, 50, 64, 68, 78, 86, 87, 142 Symons, Captain, appointed to the Alfred, in Taylor, Captain, 57 Terrible, the, 19, 42,85 ; destroyed, 43 170 LETTERS OF LORD HOOD Thetis, the, 7 ; lost, 13 Tisiphone, the, 63, 64, 70, 72, 73, 89 Tobago, 20; captured by the French, xxxiii. Torbay, the, 12, 45, 46, 48 Tortola, 55 Triton, the, 61, 75, 118 Triumph, the, 24 Union, the, 14 Valiant, the, 113, 119, 127, 134 Vaudreuil, Marquis de, 83, 158 Vaughan, General, and St. Eustatius, xxx. ; and Curasao, 21 Vestal, the, x. Ville de Paris, xvii., 14, 67, 74, 91, 103,107, 122,130, 136 ; captured, 102 Warrior, the, 117,120,127,133,135, 148 Washington, General, xxxiv. West Indian trade, xxii. Whitby, the, 61 Yams for the English fleet, 94 Yarmouth, the, 113, 116, 121, 122 Yorktown, surrender of Cornwallis at, xxxix. Zebra, the, 117, 118 PRINTED BY SFOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET
David Hannay was born in London on 25 December 1853, son of a former naval officer who became a journalist. He was educated at Westminster School, and followed his father and also became a journalist. At one stage he was for some months vice-consul at Barcelona, where his father had been Consul. He was a specialist on the works of Smollett and Captain Marryat. He became a recognised authority on Spanish affairs and South American politics, and was a frequent contributor to The Times. He died in 1934.
He was one of that group of journalists before World War I who helped to form public opinion on sea power and the need for an adequate fleet, so that he rendered national service through his writings, and by the influence he had over young officers in the Royal Navy when lecturing at the Royal Naval College. He was a founder member of the Navy Records Society.
His publications include
• The Letters of Lord Hood (Navy Records Society, 1895).
• A Short History of the Royal Navy, 2 volumes (1898, 1909).
• The Sea Trader: His Friends and Enemies (1912).
• Naval Courts Martial (1914)
• The Great Chartered Companies (1926).
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