Capture of the Resolue, 1791

This letter, written by Sir Richard John Strachan on November 21, 1791, to his commander, Sir William Cornwallis, details the capture of the French frigate Resolue off the coast of Pondicherry, India. This action took place two years after the start of the French Revolution, just prior the onset of the Reign of Terror, and nearly a decade before Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to power in 1799.

Sir Richard John Strachan letter, November 21, 1791, MS 145, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, a part of the British maritime history collection at the Woodson Research Center.

Practices of the British Army

Notebook written by Lieutenant John Anderson that recounts the daily activities in the life of the British Army. Anderson describes events such as promotions, rules regarding church services, and medical matters. Also included are signed copies of orders, results of court martials, and statements from the Commander-in-Chief regarding battles.

This was written during the time of the Reign of Terror in France where thousands of suspected enemies of the revolution were executed by the Jacobin controlled National Convention. By this time, the newly elected Legislative Assembly had declared war on neighboring countries they believed were housing French emigrants trying to build counterrevolutionary alliances.

Lt. John Anderson notebook, 1794, MS 158, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, a part of the British maritime history collection at the Woodson Research Center.

The Times description of the Battle of Trafalgar

On November 7, 1805, the Times of London published a detailed account of the Battle of Trafalgar, in which the ships of the Royal Navy scored a crushing defeat over the combined fleets of France and Spain, both of which were allied against Britian and under the thumb of Napoleon Bonaparte at that time. The battle is recounted in detail, from the first signal to engage the enemy until the final British victory and the death of its hero, Lord Nelson. Included in the newspaper report are lists of ships damaged or sunk on both sides, as well as casualty lists. In addition, Lord Nelson's last moments are covered in detail.

Forms part of the Sir William Sidney Smith papers, 1794-1862, MS 267, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University. The remainder of the collection includes a genealogy of the Smith family, letters about his brother, John Spencer Smith, ambassador to the Porte at Constantinople, and a battle order issued by Smith aboard the HMS Tigre during the Siege of Acre in 1799.

Orders to Captain Prowse

Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith, RN, directs Captain Prowse of HMS Pompeii in 1806 to sail to the Bay of Policastro, in the Mediterranean Sea, and there to report to Don Alessandro Mandarini, vice-president of Basilicata. Also, he is directed to prevent the enemy from occupying posts near the shore, to abstain from from helping or supplying local insurgents, and to sail north and cruise between Naples and the Procida Passage to prevent the enemy from sending a flotilla or convoys south.

Sir William Sidney Smith papers, 1794-1862, MS 267, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

The Fall of Gaeta, 1806

This letter, from Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith to Sir John Stuart, written on board HMS Pompeii off the coast of Calabria, reports the progress of the French siege of the fortress of Gata and its subsequent capitulation. 

A part of the Sir William Sidney Smith papers, 1794-1862, MS 267, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

The Fall of Gaeta, 1806

Memoranda from the Admiralty, 1807

Series of three memos written by Rear Admiral Wells to the officers of the British ship Zealand. The memos address the proper protocol of discharging sailors and the issue of beer and spirits to warrant officers. These memos were written during the Fourth Coalition period of the Napoleonic Wars, before the start of the Peninsular War in May of 1808. 

These memoranda are a small part of the Memoranda to British Ship Captains from the Admiralty collection (call number MS 204) available at the Woodson Research Center at Rice University. The collection is comprised of a 38 page handwritten logbook containing dozens of memos written aboard specific ships at a specific location during the time period 1807-1809.

Memoranda from the Admiralty, 1808

Memo written by Vice Admiral Wells to the British Navy and Marines about the proper way to discharge sailors who stay on shore overnight so they will continue to receive sea duty pay, not shore pay. This was written during the War of the Fourth Coalition period of the Napoleonic Wars, after the start of the Peninsular War.

These memoranda are a small part of the Memoranda to British Ship Captains from the Admiralty collection (call number MS 204) available at the Woodson Research Center at Rice University. The collection is comprised of a 38 page handwritten logbook containing dozens of memos written aboard specific ships at a specific location during the time period 1807-1809.

Memoranda from the Admiralty, 1809

Memo written by Captain Owen to the naval officers under the command of Sir R. J. Stratham. The memo directs them in the Order of Sailing, the arrangement of ships sailing in a convoy, and Distinguishing Pendants, flags flown to distinguish the ships. This was written during the Peninsular War which occured during the War of the Fifth Coalition period of the Napoleonic Wars.

These memoranda are a small part of the Memoranda to British Ship Captains from the Admiralty collection (call number MS 204) available at the Woodson Research Center at Rice University. The collection is comprised of a 38 page handwritten logbook containing dozens of memos written aboard specific ships at a specific location during the time period 1807-1809.

Orders to Admiral Berkeley, 1809

Order given to Vice-Admiral George Berkeley from the Admiralty instructing him to take the following ships under his command: Zealous, Elizabeth, Implacable, and Norge. The order was given in January 1809 during the Peninsular War in which the Fifth Coalition was formed (Britain and Austria) against Napoleonic France. Most of the fighting took place in and around Spain and Portugal, who were allies of France at the time.

This letter was taken from the Sir George Cranfield Berkeley Papers (call number MS 11) at the Woodson Research at Rice University. The rest of the collection includes correspondences from Sir Arthur Wellesley, troop lists and reports, and correspondences with several members of the Admiralty.

Orders to Admiral Berkeley, 1809

An order given to Vice-Admiral George Berkeley, from the Admiralty, instructed him to take a ship, H.M.S. Barfluer, and its captain under his command. The order was given in February 1809 during the Peninsular War in which the Fifth Coalition was engaged against Napoleonic France.

This letter is part of the Sir George Cranfield Berkeley Papers (call number MS 11) at the Woodson Research Center at Rice University. In addition to the orders from the admiralty, the collection includes troop lists and reports and correspondences with Sir Arthur Wellesley and various members of the Admiralty.

Orders to Admiral Berkeley, 1809

An order given to Vice-Admiral Berkeley from the Admiralty instructing him to take the ship H.M.S. Loire and its captain under his command. In the letter, Vice-Admiral Berkeley is informed of the orders that were given to the Loire, which were to sail to the north-western coast of Galicia, a provience of Northwestern Spain, and to supply to loyal local inhabitants with muskets and ammunition to fight the French.

This letter is part of the Sir George Cranfield Berkeley Papers (call number MS 11) at the Woodson Research Center at Rice University. In addition to the orders from the admiralty, the collection includes troop lists and reports and correspondences with Sir Arthur Wellesley and various members of the Admiralty.

Orders to Captain Schomberg

Series of two March 1809 orders directed to Captain Schomberg of the HMS Loire. In the first, he is instructed to sail to the Western coast of Galicia, a provience of Spain directly north of Portugal, and supply the local inhabitants with muskets and ammunition to fight the French. In the second, he is directed to remain on the Western coast of Galicia and to put himself under the command of Vice-Admiral Berkeley, Commander in Chief of the British fleet along the Portugese coast.

Sir George Cranfield Berkeley papers, 1808-1813, MS 11, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University. Other items in this collection include correspondence from Vice-Admiral Berkeley to the Duke of Wellington and other members of the admiralty, troop lists, and reports.

Correspondence with the Duke of Wellington

Letter written by Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, to Vice-Admiral Berkeley in November of 1811, in which the duke requests passage to England for General Alexander Campbell. This was written during a lull in the fighting of the Peninsular War.

The Duke of Wellington, best known for his victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, rose to prominence during the Peninsular Wars, leading the allied forces to victory against the French at the battle of Vitoria (1813). 

Sir George Cranfield Berkeley papers, 1808-1813, MS 11, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University. The collection also includes correspondences from Berkeley to several members of the Admiralty and troop lists and reports.

Resources

Collections taken from include:

Lt. John Anderson Notebook: Lt. John Anderson notebook, 1794, MS 158, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University

Memoranda to British Ship Captains from the Admiralty: Memoranda to British Ship Captains from the Admiralty, 1807-1809, MS 204. Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Sir George Cranfield Berkeley Papers: Sir George Cranfield Berkeley - Papers, 1808-1813, MS 11, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University

Sir Richard John Stratchan Letter: Guide to the Sir Richard John Strachan letter, November 21, 1791,MS 145, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Sir William Sidney Smith Papers: Sir William Sidney Smith papers, 1794-1862, MS 267, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Other collections about this subject that are not included in this exhibit but are worth mentioning include:

David Latimer Tinling-Widdrington Journal: David Latimer Tinling-Widdrington journal, 1796-1813, MS 139, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University

Peninsular War Letters: Peninsular War Letters, 1808-1813. MS 155 Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Sir John William Phillips Marshall Papers: Sir John William Phillips Marshall Papers, 1802-1850, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Benham, William, and Daniel, and Allied Family Papers: William and David Benham Family papers, ca. 1848, MS 296, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Some books that cover the Napoleonic Wars to a greater extent:

National Maritime Museum (Great Britain), Colville, Q., Davey, J., & Royal Museums Greenwich. (2013). Nelson, navy & nation: The Royal Navy & the British people 1688-1815. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press.

Grainger, J. D. (2014). The British navy in the Baltic. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press.

Davey, J. (2015). In Nelson's wake: The navy and the Napoleonic wars. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Robson, M. (. i. B. n. h. (2014). A history of the Royal Navy: The Napoleonic wars. London: I.B. Tauris.

Gates, D. (1997). The Napoleonic wars, 1803-1815. London: Arnold.