Royal Naval Biography/Deecker, Samuel Bartlett
SAMUEL BARTLETT DEECKER, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1814.]
Obtained the rank of lieutenant May 24, 1805, and was badly wounded whilst serving as first of the Carnation brig, Captain Charles Mars Gregory, in a most disastrous action with la Palineur, a French vessel of inferior force, about 60 leagues N.E. of Martinique, Oct. 3, 1808.
“At the end of an hour and a half’s cannonade,” says Mr. James, “la Palineur, being greatly disabled in her rigging, fell on board the Carnation. In common cases this would have been the moment for the British vessel to terminate the contest in her favor; but the Carnation was not so fortunate: her gallant commander was dead, and all her principal officers and several of her crew had been either killed or badly wounded ; so that the boatswain, William Triplet, was now the commanding officer on deck. Finding that the British were not, as usual, ready to run on board their vessel, the French took confidence, and became themselves the assailants. The boatswain advanced boldly to repulse the boarders; but, of the 40 or 50 men then on deck, not more than 8 or 10 came to his support. The remainder, headed by the serjeant of marines, John Chapman, deserted their quarters and fled below. The consequence was, that the Carnation became a prize to la Palineur, and that too by boarding.”
The Carnation mounted sixteen 32 pounder carronades, and two long sixes, with an established complement of 120 officers, men, and boys. Of 117 persons on board at the commencement of the action, she had 10, including her commander and purser, killed; and 30, among whom were both lieutenants and the master, wounded – 15 or 16 of them mortally. La Palineur had only fourteen 24-pounder carronades, 2 long guns[1], and about 100 men; her loss has never been ascertained. The French captain died, of yellow fever, in less than an hour after his victory.
The master of the Carnation died on board the Neptune 98, Nov. 6, 1808. The surviving officers were tried by a court-martial, in Fort Royal bay, Martinique, Feb. 28, 1809, when the whole of them, and a few of her crew, obtained an honorable acquittal. In justice to the memory of the departed officers, the following declaration was made by the court:–
“That the conduct of Captain Gregory, from the commencement of the action to the period of his being killed, was most exemplary; and, that Mr. Anthony Metherell (master), Mr. Morgan Thomas (purser), Mr. Thomas Griffiths (carpenter), and all those of her crew who were killed during the battle, did perform their respective duties as became them.”
Of the remainder of the brig’s company then present to take their trial, 32 seamen and marines were found guilty of gross cowardice, and sentenced to 14 years’ transportation, except the Serjeant of marines, who was condemned to death, and, on the following day, executed.
We next find Lieutenant Deecker serving as first of La Junon frigate. Captain John Shortland, in which ship he was also wounded and taken prisoner, Dec. 13, 1809[2]. His conduct on that occasion was very highly eulogised by the court-martial, afterwards assembled at Guadaloupe to inquire into the circumstances attending her capture; and, in order to mark the high sense they entertained of his bravery, perseverance, and skill, his judges most strongly recommended him for promotion; in consequence of which he was deservedly advanced to the rank of commander, by Lord Mulgrave, April 17, 1810. On the 10th Mar. 1811, a pension was granted to him for his wounds, the present amount of which is 250l. per annum.
Captain Deecker subsequently commanded the Vestal 28, armée en flûte, in which ship he was serving when posted, June 7, 1814. He married, in 1818, the eldest daughter of J. Davies, of Weymouth, Esq.
Agents.– Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son.
- ↑ Suppl. Part I. p. 470.
- ↑ La Junon was captured after a long and very gallant defence, to the N.E. of Guadaloupe, by a French squadron, under Mons. Roquefort, consisting of the 40-gun frigates Renommée, Clorinde, Loire, and Seine, the two former fully armed and manned, the latter armée en flûte, mounting 20 guns each, and having on board 400 troops in addition to their crews. The British ship had only 224 officers, men, and boys, of whom 44 were Portuguese and Spaniards.
In this action, as glorious to the British name as the Carnation’s was disgraceful, la Junon had 60 officers and men killed and wounded; and her hull was 80 dreadfully shattered, that the enemy were compelled to burn her the morning after she became their prize.
Among the mortally wounded was the heroic Captain Shortland, of whose services a memoir will be found in the Nav. Chron. vol. 24, pp. 1–21.