In the month of December following, the Tisiphone formed part of a squadron under Admiral Kempenfelt, when that brave officer captured a number of French merchantmen in the face of a superior force, commanded by Count de Guichen[1]. This success was in a great measure owing to the zeal and activity of Captain Saumarez, who first discovered the enemy; and immediately standing towards them, succeeded in taking several of the transports, one of which, a ship of 30 guns, had 400 troops on board. He was then detached by the Rear-Admiral with the intelligence to Sir Samuel Hood, Commander-in-Chief in the West Indies, whom it was necessary to apprize of the sailing of this armament. On his passage, he very narrowly escaped capture by two French frigates; from which danger he rescued himself in the most masterly manner, by making a number of night-signals, and burning false fires, thereby inducing the enemy to suppose that his was the advanced ship of an adverse squadron.
On delivering his despatches to Sir Samuel Hood, Captain Saumarez received a commission, appointing him, though then under twenty-five years of age, to the command of the Russell, of 74 guns[2] in which ship he took a distinguished share in the memorable action between Rodney and de Grasse, April 12, 1782[3], being at one time, during the heat of the engagement, separated from the main body of the English fleet, and exposed to the fire of many adversaries. The loss sustained by the Russell on this occasion consisted of 10 men killed and 29 wounded. Subsequently to this action the Russell, being found in a very disabled state, was sent to England as one of the escorts to the homeward bound trade; and soon after the war terminating, Captain Sau-
- ↑ See p. 58.
- ↑ His Post commission bears date, Feb. 7, 1782.
- ↑ See note at p. 35, et seq.
in India, and having hoisted his flag on board the Cato, arrived safely at the Cape of Good Hope, in his way thither, but was never afterwards heard of.
Captains Philip and Thomas Saumarez, the two officers alluded to above, were in the expedition to the South Sea, under the orders of Commodore Auson. The former was slain in the engagement between Lord Hawke and M. de Letendeur, off Cape Finisterre, Oct. 14, 1747. The latter, when commander of the Antelope, a 50-gun ship, captured the Belliqueux, a French 64.
