Horatio Howard Brenton : a naval novel

Preface

THE reader of the following pages will find them filled with details of the thoughts and feelings of human lives, which have really existed, and with the chief incidents in the career of one whom some of the greatest men of the past generation were proud to call their friend. The story here submitted for perusal, may be received without hesitation, as a genuine contribution to the history of humanity. The scenes described in it are photographs, and not pictures; the conversations recorded in it, actually fell from lips which are but just cold; family documents, of undeniable authenticity, and even the records of several of the public offices, might be, and may be, if necessary, produced to attest its truth.

iv PREFACE.

But although this is the case, there has been a peculiar difficulty attending the publication of this story, which, from its very nature, must not be enlarged upon, and which renders it necessary to appeal to the reader’s kind and candid consideration. He is asked to remember, during the perusal of this book, that it is a biography, and yet a novel; and that if it be a romance, itis a true one. At the same time, it is right to acknowledge, that much that might have been inserted has been suppressed, and that most of the names are feigned ones. The apology for this is so obvious, that none is offered.

To make an open parade of the secret history of a family, to expose to the public eye, the errors of passion, and the agonies of breaking hearts, is to assume a certam amount of responsibility ; and in the present instance, that responsibility has not been hghtly undertaken. It is left for candour to decide how wisely or how well.

KE. B.

HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON.

Chapter I

I was born, as my family Bible indicates, at 11.55 p.m., on the 4th of May, 1794—-where, not stated—son of Horatio Howard Brenton, Esq., and Charlotte (Hope), his wife.

My mother thought that I had some relationship, on the side of my grandfather, to the Earl of St. Vincent: at all events, he felt sufficient interest in my early career, to let me know, unmistakeably, his opinion whenever I acted contrary to his rules or ideas of naval discipline, or, rather, furnished me with his maxims to prevent my falling into error.

WOLER Me B

My father was once wealthy: how he became so, I know not; but his passion for purchasing estates which he could not readily pay for, involved him in mortgages, and, somehow, threw his affairs into such confusion, that his available property would not cover apparent liabilities. In this state having, as he was fond of saying, destroyed his own comfort for the welfare of his children, and having, at the period of my birth, been long at variance with his father, he died, leaving me under the guardianship of a supposed connection, Ellen Percy, and the husband of my mother’s sister, Dr. Percy Howard, and, apparently, heir to some pittance.

I was at school when he died, at the Rev. Dr. Johnson’s, at

; and, as it was a matter of economy, necessity, or because I was too young, perhaps, to understand the loss of a parent who but seldom saw his wife or children, I was not sent for on the occurrence of this event, but continued to suffer a species of genteel imprisonment nearly one year, whilst the wife of the schoolmaster made me feel how wrong it was to be dependent, and to be left at school, ‘where the utmost attention, comfort, and kindness would be ensured to those interesting children whose parents, being absent, would experience another home.’ Oh! yes—lI did find it quite another home !—but did I not pine for another ?—-mine had been pretty comfortable.

When I did go home, it was to the Rectory of Ashdown Vale, some fifteen or twenty miles from London.

Here my mother, sister Charlotte, and Ellen Percy, were collected; the Rector, his wife (my aunt), and a brat cousin, Fanny Howard, the innocent cause of many little nameless miseries.

Ellen Percy was my guardian angel; she was supposed to be about eighteen, and, by her fortune, and understood position, was Chancellor of the Exchequer, if not Prime Minister, in our household. Charlotte was six—Fanny, five—I was eight—my very

B 2

4 ILORATIO HOWARD BRENTON.

pretty nurse, and servant to Ellen, Louisa Hardy, eighteen—her father, the butler, about forty-eight.

When I think upon this portion of my life, it seems to have been all summer. When I first entered upon it, after the coldness and harshness of school, I almost feared to enjoy it; it seemed too exquisitely happy. Often and often did I lean out of my casement, of a morning, whilst the blackbird was fretting the summer jennetin with his golden bill, and almost thank God for the friends whom he had given me, for the beauty of the world in which he had placed me. A kind of shame withheld my words. It was now that I began to feel that Ellen Percy was something more to me than my sister or my cousin, or even than my mother, whose cold shyness and melancholy bearing towards me, were, by a kind of tacit consent, never alluded to amongst us. My young guardian was very beautiful; her hair was of a golden chestnut colour, and seemed to have entangled amongst it a perpetual

HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON. a sunlight ; she was of middle height, and of an exquisite figure, to which a bust, a little smaller than is usual in English women, gave an air of exceeding delicacy. Her arms were suffused with a faint rosy glister, and blushed almost as readily as her face. She never said she loved me; but sometimes, in our summer afternoon rambles, when I sat at her feet, sorting the flowers which we had gathered, she would gaze at me with such deep, earnest eyes, that I would fling my arms about her neck, and draw her head down to mine, in a burst of irresistible affection. But always after I had done this, she would seem full of painful thought, and be a little severe to me.

As I am speaking of the long rambles which I used to take with Ellen, and which formed the chief charm of my existence at this time, | may mention here an incident which occurred in one of them, and which [ entirely forgot until subsequent circumstances brought it painfully to my remembrance. On reaching, on the occasion to which I allude, a little woodland path, which almost always formed a portion of a walk, I found, lying on the path, a letter directed ‘to Miss Ellen Percy.’

“You must have dropped this yesterday,” I said, giving it to my companion ; “ but how cold you look, Ellen—shall I fetch your shawl ?”

“Yes, do, dear, if you please.”

And off I ran. I found Charlotte in the garden, and made her give me her scarf, and was returning with so much speed, that I did not see a tall man, who was standing at the entrance of the path in which | had left Ellen, until I had stumbled against him with considerable violence. I looked up, with a smile, to make my apologies, when my words were suddenly checked by the ghastly expression of hatred, which glared from the man’s face, the lower part of which was hidden by a handkerchief, stained with blood, which he held up to his mouth. I passed on; and from a feeling, which I could explain neither then

HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON. i nor now, said nothing to Ellen of the circumstance. But I had reason afterwards to remember, that instead of permitting me to arrange the scarf around her shoulders, she wrapped it round her hands, like a muff, and expressed a great anxiety to return home immediately.

It must not be supposed that, during my stay at home, my education, either mental or physical, was neglected.

Mr. Howard found means to make the boy of nine his companion, and instructed me in every manly exercise and amusement. He took me daily, accompanied by his niece, through all the houses of the poor, to the schools, and, in the evenings, joined me in his field at the back of the Rectory, where cricket, or some game or amusement for the evening, engrossed the interest of all ages, and kept up the animosity against him of the only ‘Brewer's Drudge,’ who hung out a sign in our hamlet, and who was eventually compelled to emigrate.

Under the particular and unceasing care of this amiable Rector, and the patronage of the more than loved Ellen, I was not slow in advaneing. He was a great geologist, chemist, turner, and carpenter—and I never was out of his company. I did not let the time pass without becoming not only bitten, but even mischievously determined on carrying my small stock of knowledge to its utmost extent. Every useful book, both elementary as well as amusing, was purchased for me. I had made great proficiency in Latin and Greek, for my age; but ull this was doomed to be eclipsed by a preference for the sciences.

Some of our summer vacations were passed at a brother of the Rector’s, a naval surgeon, residing not far from Portsmouth; and, having made the acquaintance of young Herbert Fitzjames, then a middy on board the Amazon, ] was not slow in picking up naval ideas, and a most unaccountable desire to follow up fireworks. I was literally mad after gunpowder, and this soon became the only, but eternal

HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON. J cause of misery to all about me. At home, every indulgence, under the immediate superintendence of my guardian, who had a very light gun made for me, was permitted, and I shot well. But this would not satisfy me, and I was guilty of secretly buying gunpowder, and making blasts in clay, which drove the pieces placed over the hole high in the air, and delighted me. I was even thoughtless enough to drive the ducks near these blasts to witness their fright. One, alas! fell a victim, and I ‘succeeded to’ my first ‘severe admonition.’

When first that ice is broken, how frequent

‘admonitions’ follow !—and yet, my guardian angel Ellen had made me feel deeply the heighth from which I had fallen. She did not fail to show, by her tears, how warm an interest she felt for her adopted pet—how it pained her to upbraid !

It soon became evident that I was becoming spoiled, in a household, every member of which seemed to have no other object in life than to make me happy. And I was again packed off to school, where, for two years, I became the pet of my master, the dread of his wife, and the evil genius of gunpowder in the establishment.

My master was of a very peculiar turn. He invariably mixed himself with the scholars, joined in their games, illustrated their studies, and advanced them immensely. He prohibited the use of gunpowder, under the most severe penances; yet never could be induced, by his heartless wife, to punish me for what he always deemed a ‘proof of spirit.” But he punished others severely—not for buying gunpowder, but for petty falsehood, and for tale-bearing against me when found out. This maxim he inculeated with birch.

“Sir, if you had told me the honest truth, you would have disarmed me; I could not nerve my arm to punish an honourable boy. You, Mr. Howard, are charged with being the culprit. You fearlessly, with that truth-telling brow, could not deceive any one, if asked a direct question. Is it true, that you purchased that powder? If I err, you will honestly put me right. These two boys bought or begged of you the powder found on them, and they now charge you with being the sole actor. What reply have you to make ?”

“‘T decline any reply, sir.”

“Then, sir, I shall punish you, by ordering you to bed—as for these, I know how to deal with them.”

They were, I found, birched.

I did not now dislike school as I had formerly ; but the passion for a life on the sea— with which my acquaintance with Fitzjames had inspired me—became uncontrollable; and I determined to do something which should convince people that I had no intention of passing any considerable portion of my life in writing copies or learning the Latin Gram- ‘mar. In all my sorrows I flew for consolation to my favourite gunpowder, and I determined it should aid me in escaping from my present monotonous existence. I took my measures with secrecy and dispatch, and I py HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON.

arrived very nearly at the completion of a mine, at which I laboured some three weeks, which was to upset a wall of some notoriety, and which would have entailed great danger and great expense to repair. My savings, and various modes known to boys at school—catching birds, making and rigging sloops, &c.,—enabled me to provide about three pounds of common blasting powder. But I was providentially saved from the disgrace which must have resulted from the fulfilment of my plan; for, on the Thursday preceding the Saturday on which I had intended my great explosion to take place, I received a note from the Rector, stating that his brother, Dr. Howard, had been appointed surgeon of the Cleopatra, Captain Lofty, and he had been offered a vacancy for a youngster as volunteer. The letter was thus couched :—

“My Dear Horatio, “My brother has on offer of an entry in the Royal Navy for a volunteer.

The captain is a very strict disciplinarian— flogs even his ‘middies’ (if they deserve it). Turn the matter well in your own mind— think deeply as to whether you would risk all in such a ship, and let me know your decision.

‘¢T will not advise.

“Yours affectionately, “PERCY Howarp.

“March 1, 1806.

““P.S.—Make your yea or nay known to your master.”

No thought was necessary—I was now twelve years old, and more manly than others at fourteen ; I had a pre-disposition to see and serve with one of these Tartars—lI had schooled myself into a perfect conviction that I would gain his favour by the most diligent attention to my duty ; I wrote, ‘‘ Yes, immediately, ifyou please,” through the letter diagonally, and handed it at once to the master, who was reading Dr. Howard’s letter; I could see a tear in one corner of his eye, as he caught my hand with a convulsed grasp, and drew me down stairs to his wife; when, throwing himself into his easy chair, and both letters on the table, he said, “‘ Read those, and see how nearly you would have spoiled all.” She read them and cried, and left the room.

My master had my kit packed, and after dinner addressing the boys, and making each shake hands with the ‘future hero of the school,’ under three hearty cheers he handed me into a post-chaise, and himself conducted me to the Rectory. -He remained that night, taking an affectionate farewell, but in the morning he departed before any of us awoke.

CHAPTER Ii

WE set off immediately, and I was filled with an intoxication of delight ; I pitied every one whom I met on the road, for not being about to join H. M. §., Cleopatra, as a volunteer. The quiet fields seemed quieter to me ; and the old red-brick houses that couched like sleeping lions, amongst the woodlands, appeared to belong to quite another world than mine. As I passed the sign-posts that directed to this retired village, or to that modest town, I could scarcely refrain from a shout of triumph that I was bound for the great sea-port, where the masts of the vessels were to be seen over the roofs of the houses.

Forty-eight hours spent at an hotel in Portsmouth, saw all my kit most carefully packed, marked, and stowed in one chest, and a small washing-box ; such being the order of the ship.

The Doctor had dismantled and let his house, and was living on board. He did not call for me until the morning of the memorable, and, to me, eventful 4th of March. He then introduced his captain—not knowing that I had met him the preceding afternoon — an upright, very handsome man, of five feet eleven, elegantly dressed, and, in manner, the most accomplished, fascinating gentleman. You could trace in the commanding forehead, the muscular eyebrow, and the curl of the lip, the habit of self-command, of restraining some passion by which he felt encumbered. His stay was short, his pat on the cheek with a little caress of the back of the fingers, grateful ; but when he said, “‘I am sure we shall be good friends,” my heart jumped !

HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON. Ang

When I looked round I found all were in tears, nobody could tell why, but the bright sun shone through them all; and the first maternal caress I ever experienced, then shook me like a thunderstorm. I had found a mother in essence, at the moment we were, perhaps, doomed to part for ever! Who can describe the agony of that day’s parting? I will only name the characters—the first, too sacred to repeat—next, my sister; she had been at a boarding-school, and, as our holiday times did not chime in well together, excepting at Christmas, I had seen little of her during the last two years; how she raved ; implored me to write “only to her; she would tell all the news; she would keep all my secrets.” As for Ellen, her grief was intense ; she had packed away numerous mementos, which I had yet to discover when I unpacked my seachest. Many books, such as she knew I prized, had little sentences, known only to ourselves, written in their margins; they were her

VOL. I. C maxims, and oh! how valuable they proved to her, as well as myself! Then, Louisa Hardy, her own maid, my nurse, attendant, and worshipper—the Rector, his wife, and Fanny, now breaking into an interesting girl, and somewhat a pet; all had their last words, not forgetting the good old butler, who clung by me to the last, till his ‘God bless you, Master Horatio,’ sent him off to hide his tears.

I was stupified. I had only now discovered how very deeply I was cared for, and how deep a debt I had incurred to so many individuals.

I was not a Jight-headed youth, but I was as light-hearted as any son of Adam. It was necessary that I should show myself able to command my feelings. I made the attempt; the Doctor seized my hand, placed his arm horizontally before me, and, with his own deep, thrilling ‘God bless you all. I will take care of him!’ waved off any movement to follow; and I was hurried down to my tailor’s, shipped my uniform, and, meeting the captain with his barge’s crew attending, went off, with the orders for sailing, to that beautiful frigate of that day, H.M.S., Cleopatra.

Off flew the barge to Spithead; but such a set of bargemen!—then known as coach horses. Let the reader fancy such a set as Noah never entered or discharged from the ark, at least with tails. Fifteen of the finest of Nature’s moulds, five feet ten inches, to six feet in stature, broad in proportion, but beautiful in model. It was cold, and Captain Lofty— ‘our captain,’ par excellence in future—would not allow his men to be unnecessarily exposed, overworked, or in any manner ill-used. They, therefore, were in fine cloth blue trousers, very full; white stockings ; and polished shoes, barely two inches within the toe; scarlet kerseymere waistcoats; shirts, very elaborately worked in the collars by their ladye-loves; a flowing Barcelona; black glazed hats, with Cleopatra, in gold letters on a blue garter, in

C2 the front ; flowing ends of broad ribbon, fluttering in their eyes; and queues—such queues as would astonish even the Duke of Kent !—but of them anon.

We had now reached the frigate ; everything had been clearly anticipated. How I got on board, passed the guard and assembled officers, to receive their captain, I scarce can tell—I was entirely bewildered ; and led by the hand by the Doctor, up to the first-heutenant, he most respectfully touched his hat, saying, “Come on board, sir;” and, “ This, sir, is young Howard, come to pay his respects.”

“Fine lad. Aye—aye—belay there. You are welcome, youngster, to the Cleopatra—in the second-lieutenant’s watch—and forty-eight hours allowed to sling your hammock—‘ haul taut the yard tackles.’ You will breakfast with me, youngster, the first morning watch you keep—mind that, Doctor.”

Down I dived with the Doctor and wherefore I know not, but the captain’s coxswain informed me — that, until I got my sea-legs, he was directed to keep a bright eye on me. I again went on deck.

One short sententious exclamation, as the first-lieutenant came up from the cabin, where he had held some little conference with the captain—

“« Silence !”

As if silence had not prevailed in that wellordered ship.

‘Where is Mr. Ball ?”

Seilere, sir)”

“‘ How’s the tide ?”

‘¢ Just on the turn, sir.”

An eagle-looking, sharp-faced, little bowlegged being, with a chain hanging round his neck, like a squirrel, held his pipe in hand, evidently reading the first-lieutenant’s thoughts —‘‘Up anchor!” had barely escaped his lips, when everything appeared, for a few moments, in utter confusion ; but before I could have written the words, all was again attention; the capstan bars, the radii of that great lever power which was to raise the anchor, were fixed, and swifted—that is, a rope extended on the outer extremities from end to end, forming an outer rim, by which all could be made to bear an equal strain; and the bars, also, if carelessly left unpinned, prevented from flying out and committing havock, as in the late case of H.M.S., —_—, at Plymouth.

Each officer having duly reported all ready, at their respective stations ;—‘“‘ Heave round,” was given by our gallant first-leutenant ; and I omit all the other well-known operations. The ship was under-weigh, and, with a leading wind, stood out past St. Helen’s, cleared the Isle of Wight, and bore up, down Channel. Our instructions, I learned, were to call in at Torbay, for any of the stray convoy left behind by the previous ship of the line; to see them safely up to her charge, and proceed on to join the Commander-in-Chief, at Halifax. This, somehow or other, had fallen to my knowledge, through the good Doctor; and, when I first made it known in our berth (we

HORATIO HOWARD BRENTON. as)

had two), such a cheer broke forth from my new messmates, that I almost deemed them mad. What could the name of Halifax imply? I began almost to fancy that I had committed some egregious blunder, and that this was a laugh at me; but I was wrong. I learned better afterwards, and I would again join in the cheer, if I should be sent back to that station.

However, I must first describe owr mess :-— I was permitted, by the captain’s wish, to join the starboard berth ; the caterer was the clerk —one assistant surgeon, and all the youngsters. The other was occupied solely by master’s mates, supernumeraries, and midshipmen, all sent there by higher authority, the mates alone being nominated by the captain.

The clerk was a good scholar, an excellent man, and well qualified to preserve order, in which he was assisted by the assistant-surgeon, an Englishman, and lately serving in one of the royal hospitals. But, to my great joy and astonishment, whom should J’ find an invalid and confined to his cot, but my old friend, Herbert Fitzjames, whom I had often met at Portsmouth, and who was now a supernumerary to join the admiral’s ship on the North American station.

After due initiation, by being cut down— finding my level, after the ordinary course of boys—behold me, then, one of the aspirants of her H.M.S., Cleopatra—sea-sickness mastered, and able to eat quite as much as any reasonable creature should be permitted.

The officers in general did not much interest me. The second-lieutenant, a very smart, gallant young fellow, Saumarez, was a very distant connection of the captain, but he acknowledged no relationship but the ties of duty: all were his children, and all felt it by some channel. Saumarez sent for me on the fourth day, addressing me thus :—“ Now, young fellow, you have been placed in my watch to learn your duty; I am very young myself, so is our captain—and yet no seaman on board can look him straight*in the face;

he would look you hull down in five seconds, and, before you could turn the hands up about ship, he would have all canvass on her, and wear her, as the studding sails went aloft to mystify the enemy—in fact, no man can study his dodges, and the only way to become his friend, is to follow in his wake: therefore, youngster, when once you get hold of his coat tails, if he does not wear a jacket, hold on, for your life—for, if he ever shakes you off, he is too slippery to catch a second time.”

This I saw clearly. I was told, by my messmates, ‘to take very particular care of my nails—never allow them to be faulty, and never too long to break—moreover, until I became a master’s mate, that a stripe of tar, which would not wash out, was not a blemish in the Cleopatra.”

Lieutenant Saumarez added :—‘‘ Now, my boy, I will give you just the outline of what I expect, what I did, and what—if you are wise— you will try to come up to. During the day the captain and first-lieutenant will not allow you to sleep. But come to me at ten and two, in the first and middle watches, fully prepared to inform me of any positive acquirement in nautical knowledge, and I will then give you your orders. — Quartermaster.”

Sire lera

“You will take this young gentleman under your especial tuition. You will instruct him in knotting, splicing, and all other handiwork; and you will further explain to him how to clear the wreck, when masts or yards are carried away—how to send fresh ones up; in fact, every night you will be satisfied that he has learned some new point of duty on which I may examine him.”

“* Aye, aye, sir; I understand you.”

Our first-lieutenant, Noble, was a specimen sue generis. No one could understand him ; he was a splendid specimen of a nondescript. He was dry, witty, funny, pleasant, severe to himself—could take a liberty, and it would be deemed a mark of the highest compliment by any one—so much was he beloved and respected; a man among men, the leader of the boys on shore; and, yet, no one ever ventured to become familiar, or take a liberty with him! The captain never could make him out. But there he had his match. .He was just a little further off that incomprehensible being. There was this difference between them :—every one respected and would lay down their lives for the captain; and yet, excepting the surgeon, he had no friend. In fact, as I afterwards found, ‘he was too clever.’

And now I was fairly at sea, and never thought to ask myself whether the reality came up to my ideal. It was so different, indeed, that the comparison never entered into my head. In the October of the year, pacing at twilight amongst the fallen leaves of the garden, the great desire of my heart used to come upon me, and fill me with an irresistible longing to fly from all common and accustomed things; I felt jealous, if I saw the wind swaying the branches of a tree, for I desired that the whole air of heaven might be expended on the sails of the ship which was heaving on my imagination. But, now that I had attained it, what I longed for seemed as far distant as ever; and I had no time to think of it, for I was overwhelmed with a new sense—the perception of human character. What Saumarez told me about Captain Lofty, somehow took a strong hold on my mind, and | found myself taking a great deal of pains to discover how far this account was correct; I soon discovered this examination of character to be the most inter- — esting pursuit I had ever entered on; and I pursued it in respect to all the ship’s crew who came under my notice. I don’t want to make myself out to have been an extraordinary boy ; and I merely mention this matter here, because I have found, and am convinced, that one of the first results, and chief moral advantages of a naval life, is the habit it gives of judging of men and human actions correctly. I leave others to find the reason for this; I merely state the fact.

But, if it were not quite what I had expected, I was not long in making up my mind that the life I now led was a glorious one. I liked all my messmates, and was amongst them one of those pets which people treat roughly to show their liking for. This was well; for it helped to correct that tendency to cling to those around me, which was the fault in my character, which had been much fostered by the peculiar position of my child-