of his own life, and that he positively would not go unless forced at the point of the bayonet.

DAVID SPROUT,

Commissary-General for Naval Prisoners.

Affidavit of John Cramond.

[In letters, 490.]

City of New York.-The Deponent, JOHN CRAMOND, came before me, and made oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God.

On the 19th February, 1781, he was taken in the Romulus by a French 64 and two frigates, going from Charleston to the Chesapeake; as also were Captain George Blair, Captain James Parker of the engineers, Captain Stair Agnew of the queen's rangers, and the Rev. John Agnew, chaplain to the same regiment; and carried to Rhode Island, where they were all confined on board a prison ship till 2nd June, when they were sent to Boston in the frigate Hermione, Captain de la Touche, and thence in the frigate La Concorde to Cape Français, where they arrived on the 6th July. There they were kept in close confinement till the 25th October, when they were sent by different vessels to France. By the 6th of December they had all arrived at Brest, except Captain Blair, who had been embarked on board La Sensible frigate, which was found unfit for the voyage and compelled to put back. In France they were all closely confined, and refused the use of pen, ink, and paper-except Captain Parker, who was allowed to draw a bill. No one was allowed to see them, or to bring them necessaries. From Brest they

were taken to St. Dinant Castle, where they remained in close confinement till the 18th December. They were then removed to Saint Malo, where Captain Parker, Captain Agnew, and the Rev. John Agnew were left on the 2nd January, 1782.1

[While the prisoners were on board the Hermione, they were treated by Monsieur de la Touche more like criminals

Presumably Mr. Cramond was then released; but he does.

not say so.

than prisoners of war; and Cramond was informed by one of the officers that it was for political reasons. On the passage to Cape Français in La Concorde, he was again told by the lieutenant and by the doctor that it was in consequence of a letter sent by Monsieur de la Touche and the Congress that they were now prisoners, and would be so kept during the war.]

From this and many other instances during the deponent's captivity he verily believes Monsieur de la Touche, at the instance of the rebel Congress,' has been the cause of the above named gentlemen's long, cruel, and unjust confinement.

JOHN CRAMOND.

It must seem more probable that La Touche had neither forgotten nor forgiven the very angry criticisms on his conduct in the action with the Iris a few months before, which had been published in the New York papers.

APPENDIX C

AN UNRECORDED SERVICE OF NELSON'S.

1

During Hood's last cruize in February and March 1783, along the north coast of Hispaniola, the Albemarle, then commanded by Nelson, was more or less in company; and towards the end of March performed a little service which has somewhat curiously-escaped the notice of all Nelson's biographers. It has been left to a French writer to bring it to our notice. M. Lacour-Gayet (ii. 436-7) thus describes it :

'L'escadre de Vaudreuil à Porto-Cabello se gardait avec beaucoup de négligence. Un jour qu'une partie des officiers et des équipages étaient à terre, une frégate inconnue pénétra dans la rade. Tout à son aise, elle examina et compta les bâtiments de l'escadre. On finit par s'apercevoir de sa présence insolente. Vaudreuil donna l'ordre à la Cérès de lui donner la chasse; il fallut deux heures à la Cérès pour mettre à la voile. C'était trop tard; la frégate ennemie échappa à toute poursuite. Elle était commandée par un officier de vingt-quatre ans : il s'appelait Nelson.'

A reference to the Albemarle's log corroborates the French story. It would seem that on 21 March, being then in latitude 19° 28′ N, the Albemarle received orders to examine the coast of South America, presumably to ascertain the position and state of Vaudreuil's squadron. On the 22nd, at noon, her latitude was 17° 31'; on the 24th, 15° 34'; on the 25th, 14° 13'. The 26th she seems to have spent in examining Bonira (Bonaire, Buen Ayre),

1 Ante, p. 253.

and on the 27th was in latitude 10° 53'. On the 28th at noon she was off Cape Blanco; and for the 29th the entry is :

A.M. -past 10, abreast of Tourine (Turiamo). 11, made the French fleet in Porto Cabello. -past, Porto Cabello SW by W 6 or 7 miles. Counted II sail of the line of battle ships, one of which wore a flag at the fore and a pennant at the main; and one do. at the mizen topgallant mast head, and several smaller vessels. Hauled our wind to the northward. Noon. Latitude 10° 38'.'

What seems a little curious, in the total absence of any letters elucidating the cruize, is that, having obtained this intelligence, the Albemarle did not make the best of her way to rejoin the fleet. On the contrary, she seems to have continued her perquisitions. On the 31st March and 1st April she was off Curaçao; on the 2nd, back off Bonaire; but on the 3rd, 10 A.M., a butt end started on the starboard bow. The carpenter was of opinion it was not safe to keep the wind. Bore away for Jamaica, where she arrived on the morning of the 7th.

Rowley was there in command and Hood came in a few days later, but there does not appear to be any written report of Nelson's intelligence. It must have been given to Rowley viva voce, and repeated to Hood; but as the order to cease hostilities had reached Jamaica on the 29th March-the very day Nelson was counting the French ships at Porto Cabello-the intelligence had no longer any practical value.

INDEX

Names marked with are in the Dictionary of National Biography.