Certificate For Hms Brunswick 14th July 1794 ‘ These Are To Certify The Principal Officers And Commissioners Of His Majesty’s Navy That All The Muster Paper Supplied His Majesty’s Ship Brunswick, Late John Harvey Esq. Commander Between The 1st March & 30th June 1794, Was Duly Expended For The Use Of The Said Ship.
given Under My Hand On Board His Majesty’s Ship Brunswick The 14th July 1794.
row. (rowland) Bevan. Lieutenant.’.
A trifle dusty with signs of old folds, some creasing and small tears to top and bottom edges, not affecting script. A very good example of an item of ship's accounting from the period.
£250.00
Details
THE GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE (1794)
Date
1794
Item Description
Manuscript. Single sheet of laid, watermarked paper, 7 x 12 inches, laid onto a sheet of later paper which was an album leaf. Inscribed on one side in ink.
Notes
During the early part of the French Revolutionary Wars HMS Brunswick, captained by John Harvey, (born in Elmton near Eythorne, and buried in Eastry), was part of Admiral Howe's Channel Fleet squadron, patrolling the Bay of Biscay to intercept French merchant convoys from the United States. A French Fleet, led by Admiral Villaret, set out from Brest to meet a convoy and, upon learning of this, Howe's squadron gave chase and finally, late in May, encountered the enemy some two hundred miles west of Land's End, when several indecisive minor actions took place. After two days of fog, dawn on 1st June revealed the French Fleet a mere six miles away and Howe manoeuvred for attack. In the event the attack was not well co-ordinated and HMS Brunswick, in trying to sail between the French ships Achille and Vengeur du Peuple, became entangled with Vengeur. When asked by Brunswick's Master should they cut themselves loose, Harvey replied 'No! We've got her and we'll keep her'. The two ships then proceeded to batter one another severely. Harvey, mortally wounded early in the fight, refused to leave the deck and ordered more fire into Vengeur. The two ships finally separated and Brunswick, badly disabled and unable to rejoin the fleet, bore up and made for Spithead where Harvey was landed on the 12th June but later died. Vengeur, holed beneath the waterline, finally surrendered but eventually sank.
During the battle, seven French ships were sunk and several captured and as a result, a number of Admirals were enobled and numerous other officers promoted. All First Lieutenants, including Bevan, were made Commanders. Indeed, although Bevan signs the note on 14th July as Lieutenant he had in fact been promoted eight days earlier. Bevan was further promoted to Post-Captain in June1808 and was still a Captain on the Navy List as late as 1835.
This item, innocuous in itself, is in context an interesting and historic artefact.
[Stock No. 18902]
