George Chaplin Holroyd

From 'A Branch of the Holroyd Family' by Thomas Holroyd, 1879:

>> Account of the Action of the 3rd July 1810, between the Ceylon, Windham, and Astell, East Indiamen, and two large French Frigates and a Corvette; copied from the Log of the Honourable C. S. Astell, by George Chaplain Holroyd [who was a Cadet on board].

At daylight three strange sail in sight bearing N.E. close hauled on the larboard tack. Called the hands out, beat to quarters, and cleared ship for action. At four minutes past seven signalled to prepare for battle, shortened sale, Commodore (Ceylon) under top sails;
7.18 Signal to keep in the Commodore wake, bore up to get in the Commodore wake;
7.30 Signal to haul the wind on the starboard tack;
7.35 Land bearing E. half N, the three strangers on the larboard tack bearing N.E by N. distant seven miles;
8.20 Ceylon made the private signal;
8.35 Signal to number strange sale seen;
8.40 Signal to wait the attack of the enemy;
8.45 Signal that the strangers are enemies;
9.16 Two of the strangers were bearing W.by N. distant six or seven miles; it
9.30 The third stranger wore and loosed top gallant sails;
9.55 Blowing fresh, took in main top gallant sail, and made signal to Ceylon that we were over-pressed with sail and not able to keep company on that account;
10.15 Signal to continue our course under easy sail;
10.35 Took in main sail;
10.37 The Commodore telegraphed.........[set of numbers]
11.15 In third reefs blowing;
11.25 The Windham telegraphed the Commodore, .... [set of numbers]
12.00 Two of the strangers astern on the starboard tack coming up, the smallest a Corvette, about three miles distant, carrying 22 guns, reconnoitring the fleet, the other six or seven astern a very heavy frigate, and the third stranger bearing N.by E., nine or 10 miles, to appearance a frigate of the same description;
12.10 The Ceylon telegraphed in the following numbers....[set of numbers]
12.30 The Ceylon bore up to come near us, at the same time the Corvette about one mile distance wore to join the frigate that was astern, the frigate about five miles off;
12.35 Signal to hoist same covers as the Commodore with a pendant;
1.05 The Corvette, three or four miles astern, wore again;
1.15 The frigate, on the starboard tack, bearing N.E. half N. nine or 10 miles distant, tacked and stood towards us under all sail;
1.30 The Commodore hoisted the red ensign and pendant, which we did also, the largest Frigate and Corvette nearly two miles astern;
1.45 The Ceylon made signal to keep in close order closing towards the leading ship or van;
1.55 The Frigates on the larboard tack bearing N. N. E. hoisted English colours, and when she bore S.S.W. tacked again to join her Consort
2.10 The largest Frigate and Corvette, on our weather quarter, distant half a mile. The Frigate, after firing a gun to leeward, hoisted French colours, and immediately opened fire upon us (the Ceylon and Windham ahead), which we returned, and continued in close action. The Commodore and Wyndham firing upon her at the same time;
3.00 The Corvette came into action, bore up under our stern, and raked us, and took her station on our lee quarter, returned her fire with our after larboard guns;
3.15 The Corvette bore up to get without reach of our shot, we still continuing closely engaged with the frigate. The Ceylon and Wyndham still ahead, the Ceylon engaged and the Wyndham firing as her guns would bear;
3.30 The red ensign was shot away and gaff brought down, hoisted the blue ensign;
3.40 Captain Hay was carried off the quarter deck severely wounded in the thigh.
4.15 The Ceylon dropped between us and the enemy, and kept up a spirited fire. Ceased firing and backed the main top sail to get clear of her, when we renewed the action. The Frigate then made more sail, and shot ahead firing into the Ceylon and Windham as she passed, directing most of her fire on the Wyndham, and after engaging her for a short time and getting a little ahead of her, the Frigate wore right athwart our bows; bore up with the intend to board, but could not affect it, she having too much way. When about half a ships' length from us we poured a broadside and commenced a spirited fire of musquetry fore and aft, which completely cleared her upper deck and silenced her. She then hauled her wind on the larboard tack and engaged the Ceylon as she passed. When astern of the Ceylon, the Frigate tacked, and in stays her main and mizen top masts went over the side. As soon as we saw this, hove all aback with the intention of boarding her a second time, but the Commodore and Windham drawing ahead as we thought with a view of diverting the attention of the Frigate that had not been in action and also the Corvette from the disabled one, and of concentrating the whole of our force against her, filled again to get into our station and when abreast of the Commodore gave him three cheers, which he returned and got into our station astern and got all ready to renew the action with the fresh Frigare. She, instead of going to the assistance of her consort, made sail.
5.45 We being the sternmost ship, brought us to close action, pouring in a heavy fire of round and grape shot, and also from musquetry and swivels in her top, which we returned and continued for nearly an hour closely engaged, the Commodore and Windham a little ahead keeping up a heavy fire on the enemy as they could bring their guns to bear, the Corvette on our starboard quarter keeping up a cross fire at us.
6.45 The Frigate shot ahead of us, ceased our fire when she was abreast of the Ceylon, and after engaging her a short time closely, the Ceylon bore up, as we supposed, with the intention of boarding her, bore up to support her. The Ceylon passed under the Frigates' stern, and observing she did not fire we luffed up under his lee quarter and asked him what were his intentions, he replied that he had struck to the Frigate, that Captain Minton and his chief officer were shot, and the ship completely disabled, to continue the contest longer would be sacrificing lives to no purpose; the Frigate was then a short gunshot from us on our starboard bow, and the Windham about a mile astern. Our ship being completely crippled in masts, yards, rigging, and sails, many guns being rendered useless by the long continuance of the action, and making three feet water per hour;
7.20 Put our helm up and stood to the westward. The Frigate perceiving this again opened a tremendous fire upon us, which we returned as long as we were within shot. When without gun shot ceased firing and stood to the Nd and Wd.
7.50 Two of the enemy in chase;
8.00 The enemy gained on us; got the ship in as great state of readiness as circumstances would admit, to defend her to the last extremity, and threw the Honourable Company's dispatches over-board.Account of the Action of the 3rd July 1810, between the Ceylon, Windham, and Astell, East Indiamen, and two large French Frigates and a Corvette; copied from the Log of the Honourable C. S. Astell, by George Chaplain Holroyd [who was a Cadet on board].

At daylight three strange sail in sight bearing N.E. close hauled on the larboard tack. Called the hands out, beat to quarters, and cleared ship for action. At four minutes past seven signalled to prepare for battle, shortened sale, Commodore (Ceylon) under top sails;
7.18 Signal to keep in the Commodore wake, bore up to get in the Commodore wake;
7.30 Signal to haul the wind on the starboard tack;
7.35 Land bearing E. half N, the three strangers on the larboard tack bearing N.E by N. distant seven miles;
8.20 Ceylon made the private signal;
8.35 Signal to number strange sale seen;
8.40 Signal to wait the attack of the enemy;
8.45 Signal that the strangers are enemies;
9.16 Two of the strangers were bearing W.by N. distant six or seven miles; it
9.30 The third stranger wore and loosed top gallant sails;
9.55 Blowing fresh, took in main top gallant sail, and made signal to Ceylon that we were over-pressed with sail and not able to keep company on that account;
10.15 Signal to continue our course under easy sail;
10.35 Took in main sail;
10.37 The Commodore telegraphed.........[set of numbers]
11.15 In third reefs blowing;
11.25 The Windham telegraphed the Commodore, .... [set of numbers]
12.00 Two of the strangers astern on the starboard tack coming up, the smallest a Corvette, about three miles distant, carrying 22 guns, reconnoitring the fleet, the other six or seven astern a very heavy frigate, and the third stranger bearing N.by E., nine or 10 miles, to appearance a frigate of the same description;
12.10 The Ceylon telegraphed in the following numbers....[set of numbers]
12.30 The Ceylon bore up to come near us, at the same time the Corvette about one mile distance wore to join the frigate that was astern, the frigate about five miles off;
12.35 Signal to hoist same covers as the Commodore with a pendant;
1.05 The Corvette, three or four miles astern, wore again;
1.15 The frigate, on the starboard tack, bearing N.E. half N. nine or 10 miles distant, tacked and stood towards us under all sail;
1.30 The Commodore hoisted the red ensign and pendant, which we did also, the largest Frigate and Corvette nearly two miles astern;
1.45 The Ceylon made signal to keep in close order closing towards the leading ship or van;
1.55 The Frigates on the larboard tack bearing N. N. E. hoisted English colours, and when she bore S.S.W. tacked again to join her Consort
2.10 The largest Frigate and Corvette, on our weather quarter, distant half a mile. The Frigate, after firing a gun to leeward, hoisted French colours, and immediately opened fire upon us (the Ceylon and Windham ahead), which we returned, and continued in close action. The Commodore and Wyndham firing upon her at the same time;
3.00 The Corvette came into action, bore up under our stern, and raked us, and took her station on our lee quarter, returned her fire with our after larboard guns;
3.15 The Corvette bore up to get without reach of our shot, we still continuing closely engaged with the frigate. The Ceylon and Wyndham still ahead, the Ceylon engaged and the Wyndham firing as her guns would bear;
3.30 The red ensign was shot away and gaff brought down, hoisted the blue ensign;
3.40 Captain Hay was carried off the quarter deck severely wounded in the thigh.
4.15 The Ceylon dropped between us and the enemy, and kept up a spirited fire. Ceased firing and backed the main top sail to get clear of her, when we renewed the action. The Frigate then made more sail, and shot ahead firing into the Ceylon and Windham as she passed, directing most of her fire on the Wyndham, and after engaging her for a short time and getting a little ahead of her, the Frigate wore right athwart our bows; bore up with the intend to board, but could not affect it, she having too much way. When about half a ships' length from us we poured a broadside and commenced a spirited fire of musquetry fore and aft, which completely cleared her upper deck and silenced her. She then hauled her wind on the larboard tack and engaged the Ceylon as she passed. When astern of the Ceylon, the Frigate tacked, and in stays her main and mizen top masts went over the side. As soon as we saw this, hove all aback with the intention of boarding her a second time, but the Commodore and Windham drawing ahead as we thought with a view of diverting the attention of the Frigate that had not been in action and also the Corvette from the disabled one, and of concentrating the whole of our force against her, filled again to get into our station and when abreast of the Commodore gave him three cheers, which he returned and got into our station astern and got all ready to renew the action with the fresh Frigare. She, instead of going to the assistance of her consort, made sail.
5.45 We being the sternmost ship, brought us to close action, pouring in a heavy fire of round and grape shot, and also from musquetry and swivels in her top, which we returned and continued for nearly an hour closely engaged, the Commodore and Windham a little ahead keeping up a heavy fire on the enemy as they could bring their guns to bear, the Corvette on our starboard quarter keeping up a cross fire at us.
6.45 The Frigate shot ahead of us, ceased our fire when she was abreast of the Ceylon, and after engaging her a short time closely, the Ceylon bore up, as we supposed, with the intention of boarding her, bore up to support her. The Ceylon passed under the Frigates' stern, and observing she did not fire we luffed up under his lee quarter and asked him what were his intentions, he replied that he had struck to the Frigate, that Captain Minton and his chief officer were shot, and the ship completely disabled, to continue the contest longer would be sacrificing lives to no purpose; the Frigate was then a short gunshot from us on our starboard bow, and the Windham about a mile astern. Our ship being completely crippled in masts, yards, rigging, and sails, many guns being rendered useless by the long continuance of the action, and making three feet water per hour;
7.20 Put our helm up and stood to the westward. The Frigate perceiving this again opened a tremendous fire upon us, which we returned as long as we were within shot. When without gun shot ceased firing and stood to the Nd and Wd.
7.50 Two of the enemy in chase;
8.00 The enemy gained on us; got the ship in as great state of readiness as circumstances would admit, to defend her to the last extremity, and threw the Honourable Company's dispatches over-board.

Memo: George Chaplin Holroyd was appointed Captain of two guns on the gun deck, exactly opposite the main mast, which the sailors turn the slaughterhouse, a very honourable station. A ball came through the side of the ship, the splinters knocked him down senseless for a few moments, he got a cut on his forehead over his left eye, and a small one close under his eye. After five hours closer action, being favoured by the darkness of the night, the Astell got off and arrived at Madras on the 1st August, 1810. It is very remarkable that this action happened on the Cambridge Commemoration Day; at that time last year George Chaplin Holroyd was feasting most sumptuously in Trinity Hall. E.H.

The result of the Action was the Capture of the Ceylon and Windham and escape of the Astell.

>> Copy of the certificate sent in by the Commander of the "Astell," to General St. Leger, which was not published at the time, as that Officer did not forwarded to Government.

I do hereby certify that the undermentioned Gentleman Cadets, who were on board of the Astell in the action of the 3rd July, behaved on that occasion with the most exemplary gallantry, and contributed as much as lay in their power to the defence of the ship. Being an eye-witness to their youthful ardour and undaunted intrepidity, I am confident they will prove shining ornaments to the honourable profession which they have embraced, and I cannot refrain from expressing my high admiration of their correct moral conduct and gentlemanly deportment doing the passage from England.

Where the conduct of all is so deserving of encomium, it may appear invidious to select individual merit, but I am irresistibly led to mention a circumstance that redounds to the honour of Mr G. Holroyd. This gentleman having the command of a gun on the main deck, four men belonging to it were disabled at the same moment, and himself wounded in the face. The remaining four (foreigners) were seized with a panic, and quitted their quarters, but Mr Holroyd instantly brought them back, and under his animated example the gun was fought during the remainder of the action with the greatest ardour and bravery.
Signed: Robert Hay, Commander [this followed by the names of the Gentlemen Cadets].<<

An interesting and full account of this gallant action may be found in James's Naval History, Vol 5, p. 262, from which it appears that the East India Company presented each of the Captains with the sum of £500 and bestowed a handsome remuneration upon the remaining Officers and Men. A pension of £460 a year was settled on Captain Hay of the Astell, who was desperately wounded, and £2000 presented to the Officers and Crew. The colours of the Astell were three times shot away; Andrew Peters, one of the seamen nailed the pendant to the main top mast head, and was killed as he descended the rigging.

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