“Spartan, off Toulon, Nov. 3, 1807.“… You may remember how determined I was to wreak my vengeance upon the whole nation. At Malta I was senior officer, and I found a number of French prisoners. I did not exactly order them to the Appel twice a day, as used to be the case with us at Verdun. A colonel had been taken with all his family a few days before, and had lost his wife at sea, leaving him with three dear little infants. You may stare, but I gave him leave to return to France with his family and his physician. This I meant as a small token of remembrance to M. Decrés, but firmly resolved that all the others should remain until all our friends at Verdun were liberated; but like other good resolutions this was not a lasting one. A deputation of captive ladies waited upon me. ‘Messieurs les Anglais, sont des gens pleins d’honneur, qui ne font jamais la guerre aux femmes ni aux enfans.’ ‘Eh de grace, Mesdames retournez dens votre patrie, je ne vous empêche pas.’ ‘Hélas, mon Commandant, sans mon Mari? Le deserterai je dans le malheur? Que deviendrai’ je, s’il succombe sous le poidsde l’adversité? Sa Santé est chancelante, et Monsieur n’ignore pas la douceur d’être dans le sein de sa famille.’ ‘Madame, je me rends, a vos raisons, partez vous et votre mari.’ ‘Et le mien aussi Monsieur? Vite, vite; allez, allez!’ In this manner I was coaxed out of a dozen; they all set out vowing eternal gratitude,” &c.
“Spartan, off Toulon, Nov. 3, 1807.
“… You may remember how determined I was to wreak my vengeance upon the whole nation. At Malta I was senior officer, and I found a number of French prisoners. I did not exactly order them to the Appel twice a day, as used to be the case with us at Verdun. A colonel had been taken with all his family a few days before, and had lost his wife at sea, leaving him with three dear little infants. You may stare, but I gave him leave to return to France with his family and his physician. This I meant as a small token of remembrance to M. Decrés, but firmly resolved that all the others should remain until all our friends at Verdun were liberated; but like other good resolutions this was not a lasting one. A deputation of captive ladies waited upon me. ‘Messieurs les Anglais, sont des gens pleins d’honneur, qui ne font jamais la guerre aux femmes ni aux enfans.’ ‘Eh de grace, Mesdames retournez dens votre patrie, je ne vous empêche pas.’ ‘Hélas, mon Commandant, sans mon Mari? Le deserterai je dans le malheur? Que deviendrai’ je, s’il succombe sous le poidsde l’adversité? Sa Santé est chancelante, et Monsieur n’ignore pas la douceur d’être dans le sein de sa famille.’ ‘Madame, je me rends, a vos raisons, partez vous et votre mari.’ ‘Et le mien aussi Monsieur? Vite, vite; allez, allez!’ In this manner I was coaxed out of a dozen; they all set out vowing eternal gratitude,” &c.
“Spartan, off Toulon, August 8.“… On Friday we had one of the prettiest sporting days I ever remember. A frigate came out of Toulon with a convoy, and we gave chase to her. She ran between the Hieres Islands, round Cape Taillet, and into the gulf of Grimaud, where she anchored under the citadel of St. Tropez, and escaped. We however cut off two of her convoy, and were very near getting hold of a man of war brig, but the breezes failed us. I landed all my prisoners with their property, charmed as they said, ‘De l’honnêteté de M. le Commandant de la frégate, et qu’ils ne manqueroient pas d’en faire une mention honourable au préfet maritime de l’arrondissement.’ I told them they might thank M. Decrés for it, for his attention to me, and I hope he will hear of it, as I shall never forget his kindness.”
“Spartan, off Toulon, August 8.
“… On Friday we had one of the prettiest sporting days I ever remember. A frigate came out of Toulon with a convoy, and we gave chase to her. She ran between the Hieres Islands, round Cape Taillet, and into the gulf of Grimaud, where she anchored under the citadel of St. Tropez, and escaped. We however cut off two of her convoy, and were very near getting hold of a man of war brig, but the breezes failed us. I landed all my prisoners with their property, charmed as they said, ‘De l’honnêteté de M. le Commandant de la frégate, et qu’ils ne manqueroient pas d’en faire une mention honourable au préfet maritime de l’arrondissement.’ I told them they might thank M. Decrés for it, for his attention to me, and I hope he will hear of it, as I shall never forget his kindness.”
War no doubt is a great evil, but when war is carried on in this spirit it loses something of its sufferings, and much of its horrors; and one may be forgiven for dwelling with pleasure on those gleams of light which kindness of heart and liberality cast across the dark and melancholy period of those protracted hostilities.