Correspondence book, 1799 May 4-1801 Jun 9

This vellum-bound volume contains copies of letters written and received by James Hawkins Whitshed, Rear Admiral of the White, on board Queen Charlotte.

Letters sent:

• Acknowledgement of various Admiralty orders and routine reports related to the ship’s complement, condition, fitting, etc.
• Copy of a letter to Evan Nepean stating “I am just arrived off [Gibraltar]. Earl St. Vincent having sailed from hence, I will lose no time in trying to form a junction with his fleet.” Whitshed reports that both the French and Spanish fleets have passed the Gut and St. Vincent has sailed in pursuit of them, 1799 May 19
• Copy of a letter reporting intelligence on the movements of the French fleet, consisting of 29 sail, seen between Majorca and Minorca on the 13th steering to the NE. He also reports that the Spanish fleet met with a heavy gale and “several of them are much crippled,” 1799 May 21
• Copy of a letter to St. Vincent announcing Whitshed’s imminent appearance with his squadron and included intelligence and a report received from Capt. Bowen reporting that the French force has been diminished by at least five sail and perhaps more, “a more sanguine mind would perhaps conclude a much greater number disabled.” Bowen also reports information obtained from a Swedish freighter, boarded by a French frigate off Majorca. The Swedish captain reports that the French force was 13 days out of Brest and that he did not observe any troops aboard the frigate. He also reports falling in with a damaged Spanish line of battle ship and frigate and later with a group of three line of battle Spanish ships and three frigates in the area of Cape Palos, all appearing to have lost various masts in a storm. He also reports an encounter with another merchantman whose master reported an encounter with another fleet between Majorca and Minorca, consisting of 33 sail (most of them ships of the line that were supposed to be French), 1799 May 21
• Copy of a letter indicating that Whitshed shifted his flag to Barfleur (19 July 1799) and a separate letter stating his intention to then shift his flag to the Temeraire (Torbay 13 October 1799)
• Copies of numerous requests to the Admiralty for stores, particularly cables, and for re-ballasting of the “extremely crank” Temeraire at the earliest opportunity. Whitshed later reports that he has left Sir James Saumarez, senior Captain, in command of the Caesar, Atlas, Magnificent and Resolution in Torbay and directed Captain [Peter] Puget to Spithead, 1799 Dec 24
• Copies of letters indicating that, after sailing to St. Helena, Whitshed returns to Torbay, taking command of the squadron based there that now includes Temeraire, London, Venerable, Pompee, Ramillies, Hector, Saturn, Achille Royal George and Ajax.
• Copy of a report to St. Vincent regarding the results of Whitshed’s investigation, with Captain Thornborough of the complaints stated in a letter to the Admiralty signed “Robust’s Ships Company.” Whitshed reports that having examined the entire ship’s company, man by man, he can find only “31 seamen, landsmen and boys who have the smallest cause of complaint to offer, all disavowing the Letter.” While he reports that those few complaints made are chiefly against Mr. Bennet, Masters Mate, for beatings, he encloses a list of complaints and complainants, but concludes “it was fully impressed on my mind that the causes of this discontent arose from Mr. Bennet’s improper conduct and heightened, I fear, not a little by a general relaxation throughout from the highest to the lowest class of officer,” 1800 Aug 25

• Copy of a parole statement for French prisoners of war serving under Rear Admiral Perri [Jean-Baptist Perée], captured on 10 June 1799 by a squadron under the command of Lord Keith
• Numerous statements of condition, repairs, etc. for various ships, including Queen Charlotte, Barfleur and Temeraire, as well as copies of orders, requests for provisions, surveys, discharge, promotions, transfer, etc. received from various ships and captains.
• Copy of a letter from Captain Elphinstone of Hector reporting a collision with an unnamed three-decker and the damage resulting from the incident, 1799 Jul 15
• Copy of a letter stating “having received information that seven vessels are fitting out at the port of Cherbourg with combustible matter . . . the several captains under your command should keep themselves continually on their guard, to keep guard boats and armed vessels properly stationed every night and not to suffer any vessels to approach . . . without having been properly boarded and carefully examined,” 1800 Jul 10
• Copy of a letter from Whitshed to Capt. [George] Countess of HMS Robust stating “To my very great astonishment I find that there is neither Mate or Master or provisions for them on board of the two vessels laden with provisions for the Fleet . . . despite the request for a convoy. You will . . . proceed to join his Lordship as I do not think it right you should be detained for their abominable neglect,” 1800 Jul 10
• Copy of a letter from St. Vincent ordering Whitshed to “carefully investigate” a letter received from the ship’s company of the Robust and report on his findings. The letter from the ship’s company states “It is with the greatest reluctance that we are obliged to put your Lordship to this trouble to redress the Grievances we now lye under in regard to our ill treatment . . . since [this captain] has joined us, the ship is nearly commanded by a MastersMate whose name is Bennet . . . there is scarcely a day that this ship is not in the utmost confusion . . . particularly towards night as the Masters Mate generally gets dunk towards night . . . he says he will make some of us jump overboard and the remainder he will make miserable . . . the greatest part of the ship’s company are men that have been in his Majesty’s service during the War and shewed their loyalty . . . if we complain to the Captain of anything its no use . . . the scarcity of water and fire for firing there is plenty in the ship . . . we humbly solicit your Lordship to redress these Grievances as soon as possible,” 1800 Aug 9
• Copy of a letter received from Marsden stating that Whitshed should “recommend to officers under your command, who may . . . preside at courts martial . . . in case any man should be capitally convicted, not to insert in the body of the sentence any recommendation to Mercy . . . but to communicate the same by letter that the Person convicted may be kept in ignorance of such recommendations until their Lordships may think proper to make the same known,” 1800 Nov 20
• A copy of an order promoting Whitshed to Rear Admiral of the Red Squadron, 1800 Jan 1