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Lot Essay
Despite Napoleon's increasingly fragile hold over Europe and the growing strength of the Allied Forces ranged against him during the winter of 1813-14, the Emperor still nurtured hopes that the French Navy would yet save him from disaster. Accordingly, every effort was made to concentrate ships in strategic locations and, to this end, three sail-of-the-line, including the Romulus, 74-guns, and three frigates, including the Adrienne, were ordered out of Toulon on 12th February [1814] to meet and escort into port another French '74' on passage from Genoa. Sir Edward Pellew, Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean and just returned to the Toulon station from Minorca, sighted the French ships at daybreak on the 13th and ordered his force into action. The French bore away immediately and made for Hyères Bay, to the east. Pellew's fifteen sail-of-the-line attempted to cut them off whilst the flagship Caledonia, assisted by the Boyne, hotly engaged the Romulus, which was covering the French rear. Although it was an unequal fight in which Romulus lost 70 men killed or badly wounded, the two British men-o'war were under heavy fire from the French shore batteries and Boyne, in particular, suffered severe damage aloft. In the event, the French ships made it into Toulon harbour safely but it was a bruising encounter for them and their commanders were unwilling to venture out thereafter.
Edward Pellew, later Viscount Exmouth, one of the greatest frigate captains of his time, was born in 1757, the son of Samuel Pellew, the commander of a Dover packet. Entering the Royal Navy in 1770, he served in the American War of Independence and, in 1793, captured the first French frigate of the Revolutionary War for which exploit he was knighted. Created a baronet for his gallantry in saving the crew and passengers of a transport wrecked in Plymouth Sound in 1796, the next year he achieved considerable fame for his daring frigate attack on the French 74-gun Droits de l'Homme which resulted in her complete destruction. Earning official recognition by preventing a mutiny in the Bantry Bay squadron in 1799, he was later promoted Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies in 1804 where he destroyed the Dutch fleet in 1807. Subsequently Commander-in-Chief in both the North Sea (1810) and the Mediterranean (1811), he was appointed Admiral of the Blue in 1814 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath the next year. Created Viscount after his success at Algiers in 1816, his last post was as Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth from 1817-21. Promoted Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom in 1832, he died the following year.
Edward Pellew, later Viscount Exmouth, one of the greatest frigate captains of his time, was born in 1757, the son of Samuel Pellew, the commander of a Dover packet. Entering the Royal Navy in 1770, he served in the American War of Independence and, in 1793, captured the first French frigate of the Revolutionary War for which exploit he was knighted. Created a baronet for his gallantry in saving the crew and passengers of a transport wrecked in Plymouth Sound in 1796, the next year he achieved considerable fame for his daring frigate attack on the French 74-gun Droits de l'Homme which resulted in her complete destruction. Earning official recognition by preventing a mutiny in the Bantry Bay squadron in 1799, he was later promoted Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies in 1804 where he destroyed the Dutch fleet in 1807. Subsequently Commander-in-Chief in both the North Sea (1810) and the Mediterranean (1811), he was appointed Admiral of the Blue in 1814 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath the next year. Created Viscount after his success at Algiers in 1816, his last post was as Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth from 1817-21. Promoted Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom in 1832, he died the following year.