’Admiral Saumarez versus Napoleon – The Baltic, 1807-12.’ By Tim Voelcker.
The Boydell Press, 2008. List Price: £45.00; ISBN 978–1–84383–431–1; Hardcover, 280pp; 7 maps, 1 diagram, 1 photograph, 5 paintings and 2 miniatures (all reproduced in black and white); Appendices; Bibliography and Sources; Index.
Written in connection with the author’s thesis for his Phd in Maritime History from Exeter University, this book is a timely addition to the few other generally available works on the subject. These include the first biography of Sir James Saumarez, written in 1838 just two years after his death, by Sir John Ross one of the Admiral’s lieutenants during the Baltic Campaign, later an Arctic explorer: ’Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord Saumarez’, 2 Vols; and the more balanced account by A.N. Ryan, ’The Saumarez Papers: Selections from the Baltic Correspondence , 1808-12’, reproduced by the Naval Records Society in 1968. Tim Voelcker’s work is all the more welcome in that that the author has not only had access to research material and documents held in various archives, both in Britain and Sweden, than was perhaps available to earlier authors, but has strived (and succeeded in the reviewer’s opinion) to write an honest, reasoned account of the events. The book is also timely, in that it was published on approximately the 200th Anniversary of the events that it describes.
The opening chapter introduces the reader to the tense political situation in the Baltic in 1807 prior to the British Baltic Fleet’s arrival, whilst the second devotes some pages to Sir James Saumarez’ early years in the Royal Navy, thereby providing the background for his later career and achievements. Born in Guernsey in 1757, and thus being just one year older than Horatio Nelson, Saumarez first went to sea in 1769 when he sailed to the Mediterranean in the ’Montreal.’ Thereafter he spent five years in the Middle Sea, where his fluency in French was found to be useful in an early, but successful, attempt at the diplomacy which was to become so crucial in his later years in the Baltic. The period 1775-82 found him embroiled in the American War of Independence, where he received his baptism of fire at Charleston in 1776. He was first promoted to commander of the fireship ’Tisiphone’ in 1781, then the following year was made post in the 74 gun ’Russell’, taking part in the Battle of the Saints under Rodney. In this he somewhat pre-empted Nelson at St Vincent, by taking his ship out of the line to re-engage the French but, unlike the relationship between Nelson and Jervis, Saumarez unfortunately incurred Rodney’s displeasure. However, the action was typical of his character in always seeking to engage the enemy, in which regard he was also somewhat similar to Nelson and which was to stand him in good stead.
There then followed a period ’on the beach’ in Guernsey , during which time he married the love of his life, Martha, before being appointed captain of the 36-gun frigate ’Crescent’. In her he fought a celebrated single ship action against the French frigate ’La Reunion’ off his native Guernsey and for which he was knighted. In 1795 he became captain of perhaps his most well-known ship, the ’Orion’, and three years later was to be re-acquainted with Nelson in the famous episode where he and Captain Ball, in the ’Alexander’, came to the aid of the admiral’s dismasted flagship, ’Vanguard’. Later in the year Saumarez was effectively to become the second in command at the Nile, although he was not acknowledged as such by Nelson, nor was he raised to the expected peerage, omissions which were to be the cause of some friction and resentment, although he did receive the Order of the Bath. Saumarez was not present at Copenhagen, but more than made up for this in two successful actions at Algeciras, in 1801. He was also to miss Trafalgar.
Having briefly covered Saumarez’ early career the remaining chapters, as one would expect, are devoted to his five years as Commander-in-Chief in the Baltic. This goes into some considerable detail to explain the actions of those on all sides, British, Swedish, Danish and French, and it was by no means clear to the British Government, nor indeed to Saumarez himself in the early stages, how the Swedes should be treated. They were looked on as potentially hostile, certainly by the Government, but it was largely Saumarez' increasing display of tact and forbearance towards Sweden that changed minds in London. Chapters include such episodes as the Crisis at Rogervik in present day Estonia, where the Russian fleet following the destruction of the ’Sevolod’, was blockaded by the British and where Saumarez was dissuaded with some difficulty from trying to bring about the fleet action that he had initially craved but which might have exacerbated delicate relations with Russia; that of the Carlshamn cargoes, in which a number of British merchant ships and their cargoes were sequestered by the Swedes in that port, much to the consternation of British merchants and the Government, but which was really a face-saving measure by the Swedes, designed to allay the suspicions of French agents; and the Conversion to Peacemaker which describes Saumarez' gradual change from the man of action to that of skilled diplomatist, and where he is one of the first to realise that playing the heavy hand in the Baltic would have caused more problems than it solved and went some way to softening, or even diverting, the demands on Sweden from London.
Towards the end of his time in the Baltic, Saumarez had won over the Swedes and was making an impression on the Government in London that with the experience he had built up, he was the only man who could satisfactorily deal with the crisis in the north. On occasion he could also influence events, such as when he allowed the French General Bernadotte free passage across the Baltic to his new adoptive country, Sweden, even though he was still considered by those in London as an ally of Bonaparte. Saumarez however was convinced that this was not the case and that he had abandoned his former master. Whether by accident or design the British fleet, as well as two convoys of merchant ships, approximately 1,000 vessels all told, happened to be present as he crossed in his yacht. Bernadotte could not have failed to be impressed, firstly by the power of the Royal Navy, and secondly by the strength of the trade of the Baltic and it seems that Saumarez may have thought of this when granting him free passage. Bernadotte and Saumarez were seemingly much alike, the former a soldier the other a sailor, and both practical, forward-looking men. It is a great pity that they never met, but only conversed by letter, since one feels they would have had a lot in common. Saumarez contact with the Swedish Court and Government was through men like Count Axel von Rosen, the Swedish Consul in Gothenburg, who he came to know as a friend and wise counsel, likewise with Baltzar von Platen of the Swedish Government, the admiral and diplmat who was responsible for the Göta Canal.
Throughout the narrative, the author gives an insight into Saumarez' personal life and the loving relationship with his wife Martha, referring to some of their letters in the text where pertinent and where often Martha gives her husband sage advice on the situation in the Baltic – and also on his warm clothing! That they thrived on such communication was clear, even though the correspondence was often delayed. They had eight children, one of whom sadly died whilst Saumarez was still in the Baltic and could not return home. He finally returned home to England and Guernsey in 1812 when, as with his flagship Victory, his sea going days were over. He took up the appointment as Port Admiral at Plymouth and in 1830 was promoted to Admiral of the Red, the coveted peerage following in October, 1831. He died in 1836, at the age of 79, and was buried at Castel where he was joined by his beloved Martha in 1849. Finally (!), the book is a great read (at least this reviewer found it difficult to put down!) and will repay re-reading, especially since the subject matter is somewhat complex. It is likely to become the definitive account of a largely unknown, but becoming more widely recognised, episode towards the end of the Napoleanic Wars for many years. If there are any faults I believe they are minor ones and largely to do with the illustrations. There are two portraits of Saumarez as an admiral, one a pleasing one by Samuel Lane, the other a slightly arrogant looking Saumarez by Thomas Phillips, which one somehow distrusts! It would have been nice to have seen one in colour, preferably that by Lane, and perhaps reproduced as the dust jacket rather than the action depicted off Guernsey which was rather earlier in Saumarez' career. I would also have liked a few more maps and thought that a brief summary of the main personalities would have been useful. Highly recommended for those who enjoy naval biographies of the period, those more interested in the politics rather than the battles, and certainly those who imagine that naval involvement in of the Napoleonic Wars ended with Trafalgar!
_________________ Kester.
Last edited by Devenish on Wed May 25, 2011 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
|