The Life of Captain James Cook - Arthur Kitson
ATTACK ON BEAUPORT.
On his return to his camp at Montmorenci he decided to make an attack on
the left of the French lines from boats and from his camp over a ford
which was available at low tide between the falls of Montmorenci and the
St. Lawrence. This attack was to be supported by the Centurion, moored in
the north channel, and by two armed cats which were to be run aground as
near as possible to some small redoubts, the first object of the attack.
Here it is certain that Wolfe and Cook came into personal contact, for on
the latter fell the duty of taking the necessary soundings for the
position to be occupied by the cats, and Wolfe refers in a despatch to a
conversation he had with Cook upon the matter. The attack took place on
31st July, aided by the fire of the Pembroke, Trent, and Richmond, which
were "anchored clear over to the north shore before Beauport, a brisk
firing on both sides," but the boats were thrown into confusion by a reef
(marked on the chart as visible at low water), and were some time before
they could effect a landing, then a heavy storm of rain came on,
rendering the ground, which was steep, very slippery. The troops occupied
one redoubt, but were so dominated by the French musketry that they could
get no further, and Wolfe deemed it desirable to recall them and to stop
the advance across the ford. The two cats were burnt to prevent them
falling into the hands of the enemy, and the losses of the English in
killed, wounded, and missing were 443, those of the French being
estimated at 200. Cook says the repulse was solely owing to the heavy
fire from the entrenchments, "which soon obliged our Troops to retreat
back to the Boats and Montmorency"; whilst Wolfe, in a general order,
throws the blame on the Louisburg Grenadiers, a picked body of men from
several regiments, whom he considers got out of hand. He also, in a
despatch submitted to Saunders, threw some amount of blame on the Navy,
but to this the Admiral strongly objected, and it was withdrawn, Wolfe
saying: "I see clearly wherein I have been deficient; and think a little
more or less blame to a man that must necessarily be ruined, of little or
no consequence."
It has been asserted that Cook led the boats to the attack, but as this
was done by Wolfe himself, according to his own letters, and as Saunders
was also out with them, both officers having narrow escapes, it seems
more probable that Cook would be on his own ship, where, as she was
engaged, his services would be wanted, for it was one of the Master's
most important duties to work her under the Captain's orders when in
action.
A few days before this attack on Beauport was made, the French again paid
the fleet the undesired attention of a large fire raft composed of
several small vessels chained together and laden with all sorts of
combustibles--shells, guns loaded to the muzzle, tar barrels, etc., and
again this was grappled by the boats and towed away to a place of safety;
and then Wolfe, sending in a flag of truce the next morning, said that if
the performance were repeated he should cause the instrument of
destruction to be towed alongside two ships in which he had Canadian
prisoners, and there let it do its worst. This somewhat cold-blooded
threat was sufficient, and the experiment was not repeated.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
During the time the fleet was occupying the Basin, the Masters of the
ships were constantly out making observations and sounding, partly for
the necessities of the fleet and partly to throw dust in the eyes of the
French; and on one occasion Cook had a narrow escape from capture, his
men had to row for it to get away from the enemy, and reaching the Isle
of Orleans landed just in time, for as Cook, the last man, sprang ashore
from the bows an Indian boarded over the stern. The hospital picket
turned out, and the French retreated. His friend, Mr. Bissett, was not so
fortunate, being taken prisoner on 7th July whilst sounding in the north
channel; but he was either exchanged or escaped, for he was only absent
from his ship for a few days.
Wolfe, who was almost always ailing, had an attack of fever, and the
worry of the repulse at Beauport rendered him incapable of duty for some
days; he therefore laid before his Brigadiers plans of future movements,
asking their opinions and advice. These plans were not approved, but it
was suggested that an attempt should be made to land on the western side
of the town and there bring the enemy to action, and Wolfe writes: "I
have acquiesced in their Proposal, and we are preparing to put it into
execution."
The up-river detachment had been strengthened by the addition of a few
more vessels, and Murray with 1200 men had joined in an unsuccessful
attempt to get at the French supply fleet which had retreated to a place
of safety. He had outwitted De Bougainville, who was detached to watch
him, and succeeded in destroying a magazine containing clothing, powder,
and other stores, and intercepted letters which told of the surrender of
Niagara and the retirement of Bourlemaque upon the Ile aux Noix, to which
place Amherst was preparing to follow.
When Wolfe's resolve was taken to follow the advice of his Brigadiers,
Saunders again strengthened the force above the town, placing the
squadron under the command of Admiral Holmes, and on 3rd September his
boats withdrew the artillery and troops from Montmorenci to Point Levi,
and on the night of the 4th all the available boats and small craft were
sent up, one of the last to pass being a small schooner armed with a few
swivels, and called by the sailors The Terror of France. She sailed by in
broad daylight, drawing the fire of every gun that could be brought to
bear on her, but was untouched, and, anchoring close alongside the
Admiral's ship, gave him a salute from the whole of her armament.
The troops which had been quietly marched some distance up the south bank
from Point Levi were taken on board the ships, the last detachment on the
night of the 12th; and Admiral Holmes sailed up the river as if to beat
up the French communications, but when night fell he returned, and the
landing was successfully accomplished, and is described by Saunders in
his despatch as follows:
"The night of their landing, Admiral Holmes with the ships and troops was
about three leagues above the intended landing-place. General Wolfe with
about half his troops set off in the boats, and dropped down with the
tide, and were by that means less liable to be discovered by the
sentinels posted all along the coast. The ships followed them about
three-quarters of an hour afterwards, and got to the landing-place just
at the time that had been concerted to cover the landing, and considering
the darkness of the night, and the rapidity of the current, this was a
very critical operation, and very properly and successfully conducted."
In the meantime the ships in the Basin, some fifteen in number,
distracted the attention of the French by a heavy cannonade on the
Beauport lines, and the boats made a feint as if an attack were
contemplated; buoys had been laid in such a way as to lead to the idea
that the ships were going to moor as close in as possible as if to
support an assault, and every effort was made to draw attention away from
the movement up above.
THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM.
Lieutenant Norman, of the Pembroke, shortly describes the battle in his
log:
"At 4 A.M. General Wolfe landed just below Cape Diamond with the whole
army. At 8 the signal of Boats man'd and arm'd to go to Point Levi,
weighed and dropped hier up. About 10 the enemy march'd up and attacked
General Wolfe, the action lasted not 10 minutes before the Enemy gave way
and run in the Greatest Confusion and left us a compleat Victuary. Our
Army encamped on the plain a back of the Town and made the necessary
disposition for carrying on ye siege. Admiral Holmes hoisted his flag on
board the Lowestaff, just off the Landing place. In this action fell
General Wolfe, of the enemy General Montcalm and his two seconds."
Cook does not mention the death of Wolfe, but says "the troops continued
the pursuit to the very gates of the city, afterward they begun to form
the necessary dispositions for carrying on the siege."
Cook is said by some writers to have piloted the troops to the
landing-place, and has even been set within hearing of the legendary
recitation by Wolfe of Gray's Elegy, but as he was out with the
Pembroke's boats in the Basin at the time Holmes started up the river,
and was probably on his ship, with his hands full driving the
bombardment, and the recital of the Elegy at such a time was probably a
myth, the traditions may be put down to imagination. The boats were
piloted to the landing by Captain Chads of H.M.S. Vesuvius.
The town having surrendered five days after the battle, the movements
made by Saunders in the Basin no doubt aiding M. de Ramesay, the
Governor, in coming to a decision, General Murray was left with a
garrison, and the fleet sailed for England, sending a detachment of the
Northumberland and six others to Halifax with orders that Captain Lord
Colville was to hoist the Broad Pennant as Commander-in-Chief of the
North American Station, and as soon as the season opened he was to return
to the St. Lawrence to render support to any further movements made in
Canada.
APPOINTMENT TO H.M.S. NORTHUMBERLAND.
Before the fleet left, however, Cook's connection with H.M.S. Pembroke
came to an end. Captain King, who was with Cook on his last voyage,
writes to Dr. Douglas that he does not know the exact date of Cook's
appointment to the Northumberland, but he was certainly Master of that
ship in 1758. Here King is in error, for Lieutenant James Norman, of the
Pembroke, has the following entry in his log under date 23rd September
1759: "Mr. Cook, Master, superseded and sent on board the Northumberland,
per order of Admiral Saunders." It has been said that Lord Colville made
this appointment, but of course he could not do so, though he may perhaps
have applied for Cook's services, but it is far more probable that the
appointment was made by Saunders for the special purpose of having the
survey of the St. Lawrence thoroughly well carried out.
CHAPTER 4. 1759 TO 1762. H.M.S. NORTHUMBERLAND.
On the way down the river from Quebec, the fleet appears to have found
the passage very difficult, the dangers of the Channel being aggravated
by the strength of the current and bad weather. The Captain, Vesuvius,
and Royal William were aground for some time, but were ultimately got off
again without much damage; and the Terrible, which was drifting and in
great danger, was only brought up by means of an anchor constructed for
the occasion by lashing one of the quarter-deck guns to two small
anchors. When her large anchors were hauled up they were found to be
broken; and so great was the loss of these articles that Lord Colville
was obliged to press the Admiralty for a fresh supply to be sent out
immediately, as he found it impossible to replace those lost in the
Traverse either at Boston or any other place in America.
RELIEF OF QUEBEC.
Colville's squadron arrived in Halifax on 27th October, Cook's
thirty-first birthday, and as soon as the winter was over, and the ships
were cleaned and fitted for sea as well as the limited appliances would
permit, it left for the St. Lawrence, sailing on 22nd April 1760, but was
"so retarded by frozen fogs, seas of compacted ice, and contrary winds,"
that it did not arrive off the Ile de Bic before 16th May. Here they were
met by a sloop with the news that Quebec was in urgent need of help.
General Murray, hearing of the approach of General de Levis, with a
French force, had left the shelter of the forts, and notwithstanding he
was greatly outnumbered, had offered battle in the open. He had at first
chosen a strong position, but hearing from spies that the French were
busy cleaning their arms after being caught in a heavy storm the night
before, he advanced upon them, and owing to the sudden attack and the
superiority of his artillery, at first gained a considerable advantage,
but afterwards the weight of numbers told, and the British were forced to
retire to the town with sadly reduced numbers, and Quebec was again
besieged. On receipt of this news Colville pushed on with his squadron,
and the arrival of the Vanguard and Diamond on the 17th, followed by the
Northumberland and the remainder on the next day, caused the French to
retire.
During the next four months the fleet passed an uneventful time in the
Canadian waters, the flagship being moored in the Basin, and then on the
12th September they received the acceptable news that Montreal and the
rest of the province of New France had surrendered to General Amherst,
and on 10th October the squadron again returned to Halifax to winter
quarters.
On 19th January 1761, Lord Colville records in his Journal that he had
"directed the storekeeper to pay the Master of the Northumberland, fifty
pounds in consideration of his indefatigable industry in making himself
master of the pilotage of the River St. Lawrence." This is the first
official recognition that has been found of the fact that Cook had gone
beyond the ordinary duties incumbent on every Master in His Majesty's
Service, namely: "To observe all coasts, shoals, and rocks, taking
careful notes of the same." There is no record in any of the official
documents that Cook was specially engaged in surveying the river, but it
is very evident from this entry that he must have done the work during
the four months that his ship was moored in the Basin of Quebec. That is
to say, his promotion to the Northumberland was previous to, and not a
consequence of his survey of the river, and that it was on account of his
fitness for the work, and not because it had been done, as is constantly
asserted, that he had been selected.
THE NORTH AMERICAN PILOT.
Admiral Saunders had issued orders the previous year, that the general
instructions of the Admiralty as to taking observations, soundings, and
bearings were to be carefully carried out, and the information obtained
was, as opportunity offered, to be forwarded to him "so that all existing
charts may be corrected and improved." This information, in the ordinary
course, would be handed to Mr. Bissett, the Master of the flagship, for
comparison and compilation, and he, knowing Cook's fitness for the work,
may have asked for his assistance and thus introduced him to the notice
of Saunders, noted for his quick eye for merit, who, seeing his aptitude,
selected him for the completion of the task. Saunders, after his return
to England, wrote to the Secretary of the Admiralty, on 22nd April 1760,
saying that he had, ready for publication, a Draught of the River St.
Lawrence with its harbours, bays, and islands, and asked for their
Lordships' directions thereon. With their Lordships' approval it was
published, and may be found at the end of The North American Pilot,
London, 1775, together with other maps, some of which are Cook's work. At
the commencement of the book is a letter from Cook to the compiler of the
volume, congratulating him on the collection, and referring to the fact
that some of the charts contain his work, but he does not lay claim to
any special ones. On Saunders' chart there is a long note which
concludes:
"The distances between Isle Coudre and Isle of Orleans, the Pillar Rocks
and Shoals in the south channel were accurately determined by triangles.
The other parts of this chart were taken from the best French Draughts of
this River."
It is doubtful if this triangulation could have been carried out by Cook
during his passage up and then down the river, the only time he had in
1759, but if it were, it argues much greater knowledge of nautical
surveying than he is generally supposed to have had at the time.
During the winters that the Northumberland stayed in Halifax Harbour,
Cook employed his spare time in improving his knowledge of all subjects
that were likely to be of service to him in his profession. He read
Euclid for the first time, and entered upon a study of higher
mathematics, especially devoting himself to astronomy. King in his sketch
of Cook's life, says, on the authority of the man himself, that these
studies were carried on "without any other assistance than what a few
books and his own industry afforded him."
At the opening of the season, Lord Colville dispersed his squadron to
those stations where their services appeared most necessary, and remained
with his ship at Halifax, as it was considered inadvisable to leave such
an important naval post open to attack from the French or the Spaniards.
He had been advised by despatches, dated 26th December 1761, that war had
been declared with the latter nation. During this period of waiting the
words "nothing remarkable" are in constant use in Captain Adams's (the
second Captain of the Northumberland) Journal. Cook utilised this time to
make a thorough survey of Halifax Harbour, the notes of which are now in
the United Service Museum, Whitehall.
At length the period of inaction was ended. Captain Charles Douglas,
H.M.S. Syren, who was cruising off Cape Race, received information that a
squadron of four French ships of the line, having some 1500 picked troops
on board, had made a descent on Newfoundland, and had captured St.
John's, the capital, which had been most shamefully neglected, and its
garrison reduced to 63 men. The Grammont, 22-gun sloop, was unfortunately
in harbour at the time, and was also taken. Douglas at once pressed two
English merchant vessels into the service, and putting a petty officer in
command of one, the William, and his Master in the other, the Bonetta,
despatched them to cruise in search of Captain Graves, the reappointed
Governor of Newfoundland, who was daily expected from England. The
Bonetta soon fell in with the Antelope, Graves's ship, and she
immediately joined Douglas, and then proceeded to strengthen the Isle of
Boys as far as time would allow. Then going to Placentia, a place of as
much importance as St. John's, and more capable of defence, they set
about making preparations to beat off any attack, leaving a garrison of
99 men and as many marines as could be spared. Graves then despatched
Douglas with the remainder of the Syren's marines to take possession of
Ferryland, and sent the ship herself off with letters to Lord Colville,
but the William having missed the Antelope, made her way to Halifax with
the news of what had occurred.
RECAPTURE OF ST. JOHN'S.
Colville at once sent word to General Amherst, Commander-in-Chief in
America, asking him to forward any troops he could spare, and started,
accompanied by the Gosport, and an armed colonial vessel, the King
George, 20 guns, to cruise off the Newfoundland coast in order to prevent
the arrival of French reinforcements or supplies. He met Graves at
Placentia on 14th August, and landed all the marines he could, and then
continued his cruise. Amherst collected every available man from New
York, Halifax, and Louisberg, and putting them under the command of his
brother, Colonel William Amherst, ordered him to use every despatch and
join Lord Colville without delay. This the Colonel succeeded in doing on
12th September off Cape Spear, and the next day they landed at Torbay,
some three leagues north of St. John's. They drove in the French outposts
and took possession of a small harbour named Quidi Vidi, which had been
blocked at the entrance by the French. Clearing away the obstructions
they landed their stores and some artillery, and advancing on St. John's,
compelled its surrender on the 17th. Notwithstanding that, as Captain
Graves reported, "the French had put St. John's in a better state of
defence than ever we had it in."
On the 16th a strong gale blew the English ship some distance off the
coast, and was followed by a thick fog, during which the French squadron
managed to tow out of the harbour, but were in such a hurry to get away
that they did not stop to pick up their boats and immediately made sail,
being so far out of reach in the morning, that though some of them were
seen by the British, it was not realised that they could be the French
escaping from a squadron inferior in strength. Lord Colville, writing to
the Admiralty, says:
"At six next morning it being calm with a great swell, we saw from the
masthead, but could not bring them down no lower than halfway to topmast
shrouds, four sail bearing South-South-East, distance 7 leagues. We lost
sight about seven, though very clear, and sometime after a small breeze
springing up from the South-West quarter, I stood towards Torbay in order
to cover the shallops that might be going from thence to Kitty Vitty. In
the afternoon I received a note from Colonel Amherst, acquainting me that
the French fleet got out last night. Thus after being blocked up in St.
John's Harbour for three weeks by a squadron of equal number, but smaller
ships with fewer guns and men, M. de Ternay made his escape in the night
by a shameful flight. I beg leave to observe that not a man in the
squadron imagined the four sail, when we saw them, were the enemy; and
the pilots were of opinion that they must have had the wind much stronger
than with us to overcome the easterly swell in the harbour's mouth. I
sent the King George as far as Trepassy, to bring me intelligence if the
enemy should steer towards Placentia; and I directed Captain Douglas of
the Syren to get the transports moved from Torbay, a very unsafe road, to
the Bay of Bulls."
As soon as information was received in England that an expedition had
been sent from France, the Admiralty despatched a squadron under Captain
Pallisser in pursuit, and as it arrived in St. John's only four days
after M. de Ternay left, they must have been very close to a meeting.
COOK MEETS COOK.
Whilst the movements leading up to the recapture of St. John's were being
carried on, communication between Colville and Amherst was kept up by the
boats of the fleet under the charge of the third lieutenant of H.M.S.
Gosport, Mr. James Cook, formerly Master of H.M.S. Mercury, who performed
this duty to the complete satisfaction of Lord Colville as signified in
his despatches to the Admiralty. It is certain, therefore, that the two
namesakes must have come face to face here, and most probably previously
in Halifax Harbour.
Entering St. John's Harbour on 19th September, the flagship remained till
7th October, during which time Cook was very busily employed in assisting
to place the island in a better state of defence. In a despatch of Lord
Colville's, dated "Spithead, 25th October 1762," he says:
"I have mentioned in another letter, that the fortifications on the
Island of Carbonera were entirely destroyed by the enemy. Colonel Amherst
sent thither Mr. Desbarres, an engineer, who surveyed the island and drew
a plan for fortifying it with new works: when these are finished the
Enterprise's six guns will be ready to mount on them. But I believe
nothing will be undertaken this year, as the season is so far advanced,
and no kind of materials on the spot for building barracks or sheds for
covering the men, should any be sent there. Mr. Cook, Master of the
Northumberland, accompanied Mr. Desbarres. He has made a draught of
Harbour Grace and the Bay of Carbonera, both of which are in a great
measure commanded by the Island, which lies off a point of land between
them. Hitherto we have had a very imperfect knowledge of these places,
but Mr. Cook, who was particularly careful in sounding them, has
discovered that ships of any size may lie in safety both in Harbour Grace
and the Bay of Carbonera."
Mr. Desbarres's design for the fortification of Carbonera, drawn by John
Chamberlain, dated 7th April 1763, is to be found in the British Museum;
he was afterwards Governor of Cape Breton.
On the return of the Northumberland to Spithead, where she arrived on
24th October, her Master, James Cook, was discharged, the Muster Roll
merely noting "superseded" on 11th November, and the pay sheet records
the deductions from his wages as: "Chest, 2 pounds 1 shilling 0 pence;
Hospital, 1 pound 0 shillings 6 pence. Threepence in the pound, 3 pounds
14 shillings 9 pence," leaving a balance due of 291 pounds 19 shillings 3
pence. He also received from Lord Colville for the Secretary to the
Admiralty the following letter which shows the estimation he was held in
by his immediate superiors, and would doubtless be of weight when the
appointment of a man to execute greater undertakings came under the
consideration of their Lordships.
London, 30th December 1762.
Sir,
Mr. Cook, late Master of the Northumberland, acquaints me that he has
laid before their Lordships all his draughts and observations relating to
the River St. Lawrence, part of the coast of Nova Scotia, and of
Newfoundland.
On this occasion I beg to inform their Lordships that from my experience
of Mr. Cook's genius and capacity, I think him well qualified for the
work he has performed and for greater undertakings of the same kind.
These draughts being made under my own eye, I can venture to say they may
be the means of directing many in the right way, but cannot mislead any.