“…faithful and attached companions…”

Sir Edward Pellew and the young gentlemen of HMS Indefatigable

ByHeather Noel-Smith

and Lorna M. Campbell

National Museum of the Royal Navy Seminar Series, 14th May 2014

The Action between H.M. Frigates Indefatigable and Amazon and the French Droits de L'Homme off Ushant, 13th January 1797 by Derek G. M. Gardner, CC BY lorna.m.campbell@ilcoud.com.

“We then much to our astonishment saw her to be a line of battle which of course surprised us but as we had begun then we must go through with it.”

-Nicholas Pateshall

Nicholas Lechmere Pateshall, circle of Domenico Pellegrini, © Sotheby’s.

“We then went at her again like bull dogs ...”

-Nicholas Pateshall

Nicholas Lechmere Pateshall, circle of Domenico Pellegrini, © Sotheby’s.

“...every creature was too earnestly and too hardily at

work to attend exactly to the run of

the ship…the sea was high, the people

on the main deck were up to their

middles in water, some guns broke

their breechings four times …all our masts were much wounded,

and the maintop mast completely

unrigg'd, and saved only by uncommon

alacrity.”

- Edward Pellew

Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth,

by James Northcote, © National Portrait Gallery.

“…the men fought half way up their legs in water, cheering

and inspiring courage to all

around by their own animated

gallant example.”

- Robert Carthew Reynolds

Robert Carthew Reynolds by John Buncombe © Christie’s.

“…wherever a man fell, ten sprang up to take his place.”

- Jean Baptiste

Raymond de Lacrosse

Jean Baptiste Raymond de Lacrosse by Antoine Maurin. Public domain

image.

Destruction of the Droits de L’Homme by Ebenezer Colls, © National Maritime Museum.

The Droits de L’Homme by James Lynn, © Bonhams .

“... the enemy, who had so

bravely defended

herself, lying on her broadside,

and a tremendous surf beating

over her.”

- Edward Pellew

Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth,

by James Northcote, © National Portrait Gallery.

Le Vaisseau Le Droits de L’Homme, from La France Maritime by Amedee Grehan.

“... a gale of wind – a dead lee shore,

and an enemy’s at that – a crippled

ship – an exhausted crew and the

Penmark Rocks, that dread of

seamen, to be weathered – these

were the difficulties which

presented themselves to

Pellew as the day dawned.”

- Edward Hawke LockerEdward Hawke Locker by

Henry Wyndham Philips © Royal Museums

Greenwich.

Destruction of Le Droits de L’Homme by I Brydon, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

“... at eleven A.M. we made the breakers,

and, by the blessing of God,

weather’d the Penmark Rocks

about half a mile.”

- Edward Pellew

Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth,

by James Northcote, © National Portrait Gallery.

Vaisseau Droits de l’Homme by Leopold le Guen, public domain image.

London Standard, 1848

Lloyds Weekly London Newspaper5 November, 1854

Pellew Papers, Devon Archives, CC BY lorna.m.campbell@icloud.com.

Sir Edward Pellew, private collection.

Captain Sir Edward Pellew,

later, Admiral Lord Exmouth.

HMS Indefatigable Joining the Western Squadron by J.T. Serres, 1800, © Christies.

George John, 2nd Earl Spencer.

First Lord of the Admiralty, 1794 - 1801

George John, 2nd Earl Spencer,

by John Singleton Copely,© National Portrait Gallery.

Pellew to Spencer, 28 February 1799, © The National Archives.

“Is it fair then to presume Sir EP has  no sensibility, no attachment, no feeling, that his heart must be adamant, that he can part from faithful, and attached Companions, grown from boys to manhood under him, without a sorrowful Countenance, or a Moistened Eye. He grants it may be thought so. But he begs to assert the Contrary”

- Sir Edward Pellew to Lord Spencer

The Droits de L’Homme Engagement

Muster table of His Majesty’s Ship the Indefatigable between 1st January and 28th February 1797, CC BY lorna.m.campbell@icloud.com.

Age in 1797

Fleetwood Pellew

Fleetwood Pellew, by George Chinnery, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

First shipsNymphe

1793 - 1794Arethusa

1794 - 1795Indefatigabl

e1795 - 1799

George Chace Thomas Groube James Bray

Philip Frowd William Kempthorne

Richard Broughton

John Gaze John McKerlie George Cadogan

Pownoll Pellew John Thomson Jeremiah Coghlan

Robert Reynolds George Tippett John Harry

William Warden Henry Hart

Alex McVicar Nicholas Pateshall Fleetwood Pellew

Place of birth

The Western Squadron leaving Falmouth by Derek G M Gardner, © Bonhams.

Friends & Patrons • Richard Broughton• George Cadogan• William

Kempthorne• Robert Reynolds• John Thomson• William Warden

Family• Philip Frowd• Pownoll Pellew• Fleetwood PellewSilhouette of Captain Pellew, later Viscount Exmouth, by

William Wellings, © Christie’s.

Background and family circumstances

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

“Mr Pateshall”

Mr Pateshall, © Herefordshire Archives.

Admiral Sir

Edward Pellew

Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, by

William Owen, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Annotations to Osler’s Life of Admiral Lord Exmouth, private collection.

“Capt Bell and Capt Thomas Groube were both taken from a West Indiaman. Capts Gaze and McVicar the same (merchant vessels).”

- Fleetwood Pellew

A British Vessel Taking a Prize, by E.B. Eagles, 1805 © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Naval General Servic

Naval General Service Medal role, © The National Archives.

Broughton court martial

Broughton Court Martial, © The National Archives.

Kempthorne court martial

Kempthorne Court Martial, © The National Archives.

“The navy has lost its brightest jewel, you and your family the best of husbands and fathers, a wide circle of us a matchless friend and the country a stay and defender.”

- William Kempthorne to Fleetwood Pellew

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan by Sir Francis Grant, © Haggerston Press.

The Honorable

George Cadogan

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan

Admiral Cadogan, courtesy of Paul Frecker,

http://www.paulfrecker.com/

Robert CarthewReynolds

From Picturesque Views of Diamond Rock by Joseph

Constantine Stadler, © Royal Museums Greenwich

Kingston and Port Royal from Windsor Farm by James Hakewill, © The British Library.

A new map of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland &c. from the latest authorities, 1807, by John Cary, © David Rumsey Map Collection.

South Park Road Cemetery, © Madhu, http://theurgetowander.com/

The Battle of Trafalgar by C. F. Stanfield, public domain image.

The Bombardment of Algiers, by George Chambers, 1836, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Sheerness Yard from the window of the Fountain Inn by Henry Moses, 1824, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Nicholas Lechmere Pateshall

Nicholas Lechmere Pateshall, circle of Domenico Pellegrini, © Sotheby’s.

Muskat Harbour from the Fisher-mens Rock, by Lt R. Temple, 1813 , © Royal Museums Greenwich.

The Charts and Plans Referred to in the Report from the Committee Appointed to Examine into Mr Telford’s Report and Survey, 15th June 1809.

HMS Vernon in a trail of sailing with the Experimental Squadron, unknown artist, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

The Repertory of Patent Inventions, Vol XIII, January – June 1849. London.

Leith Pier and Harbour by J Waddell, © Peter Stubbs, www.edinphoto.org.uk, used with permission.

Houses of Parliament Westminster, Thomas Rowlandson, 1808, public domain image.

The Anti-Corn-Law Bazaar, Theatre Royal Manchester, 1842, © West Sussex County Council.

Marine Society Trading Card, 1818, © British Museum.

Yard of Probationary House of the London Female Mission, © NMRC, English Heritage.

The Antiquarian Society by George Cruikshank, 1812, © The British Museum.

Nelson’s Column under construction by W.H.F. Talbot, © National Media Museum.

Captain Sir Edward Pellew, later 1st Viscount Exmouth by Thomas Lawrence, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Captain Sir

Edward Pellew.

“My dear Fleetwood the will of God be done. You have lost the best of Father’s and I the most generous and kindest of friends that ever lived…..I will mourn in solemn silence the man who has ever been most dear to my heart….. He will find his reward in heaven whither his great spirit is flown.  I never saw his equal not can I expect ever to look on his like again.” 

- Jeremiah Coghlan to Fleetwood Pellew

“While I had life my heart was deeply impressed by your

multiple kindnesses.”  

- William Kempthorne

Captain Jeremiah Coghlan,

“Intrepid Jerry”

Captain Jeremiah Coghlan by John Miers and John Field, © Royal

Museums Greenwich.

The Wreck of the East Indiaman Dutton in Plymouth Sound, 26 January 1796 by Thomas Luny © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Admiral Sir John Jervis,Earl St Vincent

Admiral John Jervis (1735–1823), Earl St Vincent by William Beechy © City of

London Corporation.

Sword inscription © Peter Finer.

© Peter Finer.

Sabre presented to the Intrepid Coughlan.

Acting-Lieutenant Jeremiah Coghlan of HMS Viper by

Admiral The Earl St Vincent.

Blockade of Toulon, 1810-1814: Pellew's action, 5 November 1813 by Thomas Luny, © Royal Museums Greenwich.

Panorama in 360º of Rio de Janeiro, looking North-east, 1826 by William John Burchell © Collection Museum Africa, Johannesburg.

PCC Wills PROB 11: 2910, Will of Jeremiah Coghlan

The Hampshire Advertiser, Saturday, March 30, 1844.

Further Information

• Indefatigable1797.wordpress.com– http://indefatigable1797.wordpress.com

• Heather Noel-Smith–Heather.noel-smith@sky.com

• Lorna M. Campbell– Lorna.m.campbell@icloud.com