Royal Naval Biography/Humphreys, Salusbury Pryce
SALUSBURY PRYCE HUMPHREYS, Esq.
A Magistrate for the Counties of Buckingham, Chester, and Lancaster.
[Post-Captain of 1804.]
This officer is the third son of the late Rev. E. Humphreys M.A. Rector of Montgomery, in North Wales, and of Clungunford, near Ludlow, in Shropshire, by Mary, eldest daughter and co-heiress of the late Rev. Salusbury Pryce, D.D.
He was born at Clungunford Rectory, Nov. 24, 1778; and entered the naval service as a Midshipman on board the Ardent 64, commanded by Captain, now Admiral, Vashon, during the Spanish armament, in 1790. From that ship he was removed to the Trusty of 50 guns, bearing the flag of Sir John Laforey, Bart, commander-in-chief at the Leeward Islands; by whom he was successively placed under the protection of Captains Matthew Squire and Francis Laforey, commanding the Solebay frigate and Fairy sloop of war, in which latter vessel he returned to England after the capture of Tobago, April 15, 1793.
Mr. Humphreys next joined the Severn a 44-gun ship fitting for the conveyance of Lord Dorchester, his family, and suite, to Quebec, from whence she returned to the home station in 1794. He subsequently removed with Captain Paul Minchin into the Hebe frigate, and continued to serve under that officer, and his successor, the present Vice-Admiral Scott, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by his patron, Sir John Laforey, at the Leeward Islands, in April, 1796.
We next find Lieutenant Humphreys co-operating with the army under Sir Ralph Abercromby, during the siege of St. Lucia; and the Fury sloop to which he had been appointed appears to have brought home that officer’s despatches relative to the unsuccessful attack upon Porto Rico, in April, 1797[1]. His gallant conduct, and a miraculous escape experienced by him when serving on the coast of Holland, in Aug. 1799, have already been noticed at pp. 235 et seq. of this volume.
After the occupation of the Helder, Aug. 28, 1799, Lieutenant Humphreys left the Juno frigate and joined the Isis 50, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Mitchell, whom he accompanied up the Zuyder-Zee, in the Babet of 20 guns[2]. At the termination of the expedition against Holland, he was appointed to the Stag cutter, which vessel formed part of the squadron sent under Captain Henry Inman, of the Andromeda, to attempt the destruction of four French frigates, at Dunkirk, in the summer of 1800[3]. His promotion to the rank of Commander took place, while serving with Sir Andrew Mitchell, in the Windsor Castle, April 26, 1802; and his advancement to post rank, while commanding the Prospero bomb, at Portsmouth, May 8, 1804.
In the month of May, 1806, Captain Humphreys was appointed to the Leander of 50 guns, at Halifax; but removed shortly after his arrival there into the Leopard, of similar force, a more efficient ship, which had been sent from England to receive the flag of the Hon. George Cranfield Berkeley, commander-in-chief on the American station.
From the circumstance of Vice-Admiral Berkeley living principally on shore, the Leopard was employed as a private ship, in common with the rest of the squadron; and thus it was that Captain Humphreys had to perform a very unpleasant duty, the nature of which will be seen by the following official documents:
“By the Hon. G. C. Berkeley, Vice-Admiral of the White,
Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c. &c.
“Whereas many seamen, subjects of his Britannic Majesty, and serving in his ships and vessels, as per margin[4], while at anchor in the Chesapeake, deserted and entered on board the United States’ frigate, called the Chesapeake, and openly paraded the streets of Norfolk, in sight of their officers, under the American flag[5], protected by the magistrates of the town and the recruiting officer belonging to the above-mentioned American frigate, which magistrates and naval officer refused giving them up, although demanded by his Britannic Majesty’s Consul, as well as the Captains of the ships from which the said men had deserted.
“The Captains and Commanders of his Majesty’s ships and vessels under my command are therefore hereby required and directed, in case of meeting with the American frigate the Chesapeake at sea, and without the limits of the United States, to shew to the Captain of her this order, and to require to search his ship for the deserters from the before-mentioned ships, and to proceed and search for the same; and if a similar demand should be made by the American, he is to be permitted to search for any deserters from their service, according to the customs and usage of civilized nations, on terms of peace and amity with each other.
“Given under my hand at Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 1, 1807.
(Signed)“G. C. Berkeley.”
“To the respective Captains and Commanders
of his Majesty’s Ships and Vessels
on the North American station.”
H.M.S. Bellona, off Willoughby’s Point, Virginia,
June 23, 1807.
“Sir,– I have the honor to enclose you a copy of a letter, I received this evening, from Captain Humphreys, of H.M.S. Leopard, representing to me, that in carrying your orders of the 1st instant into execution, he was under the necessity of firing into the U.S. frigate Chesapeake; and am sorry to say, that I have been informed several men were killed and wounded on board her. The Chesapeake is returned to Hampton roads, and as she passed us this morning, I observed that her hull, masts, and sails had suffered material injury. As Captain Humphreys has so fully explained every circumstance, it becomes unnecessary for me to say more on this subject only that I beg leave to state, I am perfectly convinced Captain Humphreys could not have fulfilled your instructions, without having recourse to the measures which he adopted. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“J. E. Douglas.”
“To the Hon. Vice-Admiral Berkeley, &c. Halifax.”
“H.M.S. Leopard, at Sea, 22d June, 1807.
“Sir,– In obedience to your signal this morning, to weigh and reconnoitre S.E. by E. I have the honor to acquaint you, that having arrived off Cape Henry, to the distance of about four or five leagues, I bore up, pursuant to orders from the commander-in-chief, to search for deserters on board the United States’ frigate Chesapeake. On arriving within hail, an officer was despatched, according to my instructions, to show the order to her commander, together with the following note from myself:–
“‘The Captain of his Britannic Majesty’s ship Leopard has the honor to enclose the Captain of the United States’ frigate Chesapeake, an order from the Hon. Vice-Admiral Berkeley, Commander-in-chief of his Majesty’s ships on the North American station, respecting some deserters from ships, therein mentioned, under his command, and supposed now to be serving as a part of the crew of the Chesapeake.
“‘The Captain of the Leopard will not presume to say any thing in addition to what the commander-in-chief has stated, more than to express a hope, that every circumstance respecting them may be adjusted in such a manner, that the harmony subsisting between the two countries may remain undisturbed.’
“The boat, after an absence of three quarters of an hour, returned with the following answer:–
“‘I know of no such men as you describe; the officers that were on the recruiting service for this ship, were particularly instructed by the government, through me, not to enter any deserters from his Britannic Majesty’s ships: nor do I know of any being here.
“‘I am also instructed, never to permit the crew of any ship that I command to be mustered by any other but her own officers: it is my disposition to preserve harmony; and I hope this answer to your despatch will prove satisfactory,
“‘James Barron,
“‘Commander of the U.S. ship Chesapeake[6].’
“On the receipt of this letter, motives of humanity, and an ardent desire to prevent bloodshed, induced me, if possible, to endeavour to make the search, without recurring to more serious measures, by repeatedly hailing and remonstrating, but without effect. I then directed a shot to be fired across the bow; after which he was again hailed: the answers again were equally evasive. Conceiving, therefore, that my orders would not admit of deviation, I lament to state, that I felt myself under the necessity of enforcing them, by firing into the United States’ ship: a few shot were returned, but none struck this ship. At the expiration of ten minutes from the first shot being fired, the pendant and ensign of the Chesapeake were lowered. I then gave the necessary directions for her being searched, according to my instructions; and herewith send you a statement of the number and names of the deserters found on board. Several other English subjects composed part of the crew of the frigate; but as they did not claim the protection of the British flag, and were not within the limits of my orders from the Commander-in-chief, I therefore allowed them to remain[7].
“After the search had been made, and previous to separation, the American Captain sent me a note, which, with my answer, I have the honor to subjoin, &c. &c.
(Signed)“S. P. Humphreys.”
Captain of H.M.S. Bellona.”
Copy of a letter from Commodore Barron to Captain Humphreys.
“Sir,– I consider the frigate Chesapeake as your prize, and am ready to deliver her to any officer authorised to receive her. By the return of the boat I shall expect your answer; and have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
(Signed)“James Barron.”
“At Sea, June 22, 1807.”
Answer.
“H.M.S. Leopard, at Sea, June 22, 1807.
“Sir,– Having, to the utmost of my power, fulfilled the instructions of my commander-in-chief, I have nothing more to desire; and must, in consequence, proceed to join the remainder of the squadron, repeating, that I am ready to give you every assistance in my power; and do most sincerely deplore, that any lives should have been lost in the execution of a service which might have been adjusted more amicably, not only with respect to ourselves, but to the nations to which we respectively belong. I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
(Signed)“S. P. Humphreys[8].”
Vice-Admiral Berkeley’s approbation of the conduct of Captain Humphreys on this occasion was conveyed to him in a letter of which the following is a copy:–
“Halifax, July 4, 1807.
“Dear Sir,– I received Captain Douglas’s account, with your official letter, of the transaction which took place on the 22d ult. with the American frigate; and as far as I am enabled to judge by it, you have conducted yourself most properly. It is a matter, however, that will create much discussion, and I trust you have taken minutes of every thing which passed between the time of your boat coming on board, and the time when you were compelled to act with decision. I have despatched a cutter to England with every circumstance which has hitherto reached me, and Mrs. Humphreys is apprised of your perfect safety, and of your having fulfilled my directions. I hope you mind the public accounts which have been published of this affair as little as I do; we must make allowances for the heated state of the populace, in a country where law, and every tie, both civil and religious, is treated so lightly. It is the business of the French party to inflame the minds of the multitude, and possibly it may be the inclination of their rulers to fan that flame. The Norfolk newspaper appears to me, to have other views in its abuse of you and the English nation, which in due time will be developed. I have left the arrangement of the ships in the Chesapeake to the direction of Captain Douglas, as their operations must be governed so much by local events, that it is impossible for me to give decisive opinions, until I receive his Majesty’s ministers’ official documents, by which I must be governed in my future conduct, a * * * * * * * * * * * * *. I remain, with great truth, your’s very sincerely,
(Signed)“G. Berkeley.”
The correspondence which ensued between Captain Douglas and the Mayor of Norfolk, already alluded to at p. 652 of our first volume, the resolutions of the citizens of New York; and the proclamation of President Jefferson, requiring all armed vessels, bearing commissions under the government of Great Britain, immediately and without delay to depart from within the harbours and waters of the United States, are given at length in the Naval Chronicle for 1807[9]. An official letter from Colonel John Hamilton, the British Consul at Norfolk, in Virginia, to Captain Douglas, dated June 25, 1807, describing the violent conduct of the inhabitants of that town and Hampton, is also given in the 28th volume of the same work, from which we make the following extract:–
“I have this moment the honor of your letter of the 23d instant, with the copy of that written to you by Captain Humphreys, explaining the circumstances under which he found himself obliged, in the execution of his orders from the commander-in-chief, to fire into the United States’ ship of war the Chesapeake. However sincerely I deplore with you that a mutual accommodation for the search for deserters being refused by Commodore Barron, under his construction of the orders of his government, rendered it necessary, on the part of the Captain of H.M. ship Leopard, in pursuance of his orders, to resort to force, yet I am happy to find, that the firmness and moderation which he employed, previous to the last appeal, were such, as might have been expected from Captain Humphreys, no less as a British officer, than in his individual capacity.”
It is imposible for us to enter into the detail of the voluminous correspondence which afterwards took place between the governments of Great Britain and America. By what has been stated, it must be sufficiently evident, that from the commencement to the close of the affair between the Leopard and the Chesapeake, the behaviour of Captain Humphreys was not only unimpeachable, but, in a very high degree, praise-worthy. We cannot but regret that those ships, under the same commanders, had not been opposed to each other during the late conflict with America, although the British “line-of-battle ship[10]” was inferior in size weight of metal, and men, to the United States’ “36-gun frigate,” there is very little reason to suppose that the result would not have been similar to that of their encounter in 1807. This, however, was not to be the case – Captain Humphreys having returned to England with his Admiral in 1808, has ever since been on half-pay; his sword converted into a ploughshare, and his naval uniform exchanged for a magisterial gown. Commodore Barron being tried by a court-martial for his conduct, was sentenced to be suspended from all command in the American navy for five years, and to receive no pay during that period – the President confirmed this sentence; and he has never since been employed afloat[11].
Captain Humphreys married, first, in 1805, Jane, eldest daughter and co-heiress of John Tirel-Morin, of Weedon Lodge, near Aylesbury, Bucks, and Hanover Square, London, Esq. By that lady, who died in 1808, he had one son, upon whom his grandfather’s estate is entailed. Secondly, May 31, 1810, Maria, daughter and heiress of William Davenport, of Bramall Hall, near Stockport in Cheshire, Esq. by whom he. has issue five sons and two daughters. His eldest brother, Thomas, a D.D. and one of the six residentiary Prebendaries of Chester cathedral, changed his name to that of Trevor, on the death of an uncle whose property he inherits, and married the eldest daughter of the late Chancellor Briggs, of the same diocese. Another brother, John, is in the law.
Agent.– ___ M‘Inerheny, Esq.
addendum.
SIR SALUSBURY PRYCE HUMPHREYS.
(Vol. II. Part II. p. 891.)
Was nominated a Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath in Sept. 1831; and a Knight Commander of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order in Feb. 1834. This long neglected, gallant, and patriotic officer, received the honor of knighthood on the 21st of the latter month.
- ↑ See Vol. I., notes at pp, 134 and 113.
- ↑ See Vol. I. note at p. 415 et seq.
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part I. p. 290.
- ↑ Bellona, Belleisle, and Triumph 74’s; Chicester store-ship, Halifax sloop, and Zenobia cutter.
- ↑ See Captain Lord James Townshend.
- ↑ He at the time was a Commodore, and had a Captain (Charles Gordon) serving under him.
- ↑ Four men belonging to the Melampus frigate and Halifax sloop were seized as deserters; about twelve men and boys, British subjects, were allowed to remain on board the Chesapeake for the reasons stated above.
- ↑ The American ship had 3 men killed, 8 badly, and 10, including the Commodore, slightly wounded.
- ↑ See Nav. Chron. Vol. XVIII., pp. 118 to 128 inclusive.
- ↑ See Commodore Barron’s report to the Secretary of the American navy, in Nav. Chron. Vol. XXVIII. p. 357 et seq.
- ↑ The Leopard mounted 22 long 24-pounders, 22 twelves, 2 nines, and six 24-pounder carronades total 52 guns. The Chesapeake had 28 long eighteens, 2 twelves, and 16 32-pounder carronades. The former was 1044 tons burthen; and had on board 356 officers, men, and boys (including 13 supernumeraries); the latter 1135 tons, with 415 of her regular crew on board, besides several passengers.