The Life of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, Tenth Earl of Dundonald, Vol. II

It is not necessary to detail the later correspondence that ensued upon this subject. Lord Dundonald found that the final reparation which he sought was not, then at any rate, to be conceded to him by the Government; and therefore he resolved to employ his last remaining powers in seeking from his countrymen that thorough justice which he rightly considered would result from an honest review of the incidents of his life.

During 1858, and in the beginning of 1859, he was engaged in the preparation of his "Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru, and Brazil from Spanish and Portuguese Domination."²⁴ That work was immediately followed by his "Autobiography of a Seaman," of which the first volume was completed in December, 1859, the second in September, 1860; bringing down the story to the date from which it has been continued in the present work.²⁵

That his mind was full of vigour to the last is best proved by that autobiography. But the body was worn out. After two years of great physical suffering, passed in the house of his eldest son at Queen's Gate, Kensington, he died on the 31st of October, 1860, eighty-five years old.

He was buried in Westminster Abbey, where in his last moments he had expressed a desire to rest, in company with other great servants of the nation. A public funeral was not granted to him; but his son was permitted to conduct that funeral in a way worthy of his great reputation, and agreeable to the wishes of all classes of his countrymen. Through the personal intervention of her most gracious Majesty and the Prince Consort, moreover, who counteracted the efforts of subordinates, his insignia of the Order of the Bath, which had been ignominiously spurned from King Henry the Seventh's chapel, one-and-fifty years before, were restored to their place on the 13th of November. Thus his last and most cherished wish was fulfilled, and another precious boon was added to the many favours for which his family can never cease to be grateful to their Sovereign and her noble husband.

The burial was on the 14th of November. The pall-bearers were Admiral Sir George Seymour, the Brazilian Minister, Admiral Grenfell – who five-and-thirty years before had been associated with Lord Dundonald in securing the independence of Brazil – Captain Goldsmith, Captain Schomberg, Captain Hay, and Captain Nolloth. Among the mourners was Lord Brougham, who had come from Paris to render this last honour to one who had been his friend through fifty years. Standing over the grave, and looking round upon the assemblage, he exclaimed, "No Cabinet minister here! no officer of State to grace this great man's funeral!" But the funeral was graced by the reverent homage of hundreds gathered within the Abbey walls, and of the thousands who, though absent, acknowledged that England had lost one of her bravest warriors and most unselfish patriots, one whose warfare had been marked by acts of daring rarely equalled, and whose patriotism had brought upon him sufferings such as few in modern times have had to endure. The solemn anthem chanted over his grave, "His body is buried in peace, but his memory shall live for ever," echoed far and wide, and awakened in every breast keen sentiments of sympathy for what he had borne and of pride in what he had done.

 
Ashes to Ashes! Lay the hero down
Within the grey old Abbey's glorious shade.
In our Walhalla ne'er was worthier laid
Since martyr first won palm, or victor crown.
 
 
'Tis well the State he served no farthing pays
To grace with pomp and honour all too late
His grave, whom, living, Statesmen dogged with hate,
Denying justice, and withholding praise.
 
 
Let England hide her face above his tomb,
As much for shame as sorrow. Let her think
Upon the bitter cup he had to drink —
Heroic soul, branded with felon's doom.
 
 
A Sea-King, whose fit place had been by Blake,
Or our own Nelson, had he been but free
To follow glory's quest upon the sea,
Leading the conquered navies in his wake —
 
 
A Captain, whom it had been ours to cheer
From conquest on to conquest, had our land
But set its wisest, worthiest in command,
Not such as hated all the good revere.
 
 
We let them cage the Lion while the fire
In his high heart burnt clear and unsubdued;
We let them stir that frank and forward mood
From greatness to the self-consuming ire,
 
 
The fret and chafe that wait on service scorned,
Justice denied, and truth to silence driven;
From men we left him to appeal to Heaven,
'Gainst fraud set high, and evidence suborned —
 
 
We left him, with bound arms, to mark the sword
Given to weak hands; left him, with working brain,
To see rogues traffic, and fools rashly reign,
Where Strength should have been guide, and Honour lord —
 
 
Left him to cry aloud, without support,
Against the creeping things that eat away
Our wooden walls, and boast as they betray,
The base supporters of a baser Court,
 
 
The crawling worms that in corruption breed,
And on corruption batten, till at last
Mistaken honour the proud victim cast
Out to their spite, to writhe, and pant, and bleed
 
 
Under their stings and slime; and bleed he did
For years, till hope into heart-sickness grew,
And he sought other seas and service new,
And his bright sword in alien laurels hid —
 
 
Nor even so found gratitude, but came
Back to his England, bankrupt, save of praise,
To eat his heart, through weary wishful days,
And shape his strength to bearing of his shame,
 
 
Till, slow but sure, drew on a better time,
And Statesmen owned the check of public will;
And, at the last, light pierced the shadow chill
That fouled his honour with the taint of crime.
 
 
And then they gave him back the knightly spurs
Which he had never forfeited – the rank
From which he ne'er by ill-deserving sank,
More than the Lion sinks for yelp of curs.
 
 
Justice had lingered on its road too long:
The Lion was grown old; the time gone by,
When for his aid we vainly raised a cry,
To save our flag from shame, our decks from wrong.
 
 
The infamy is theirs, whose evil deed
Is past undoing; yet not guiltless we,
Who, penniless, that brave old man could see,
Restored to honour, but denied its meed.
 
 
A Belisarius, old and sad and poor,
To our shame, not to his– so he lived on,
Till man's allotted fourscore years were gone,
And scarcely then had leave to 'stablish sure
 
 
Proofs of his innocence, and their shame,
That had so wronged him; and, this done, came death,
To seal the assurance of his dying breath,
And wipe the last faint tarnish from his name.
 
 
At last his fame stands fair, and full of years
He seeks that judgment which his wrongers all
Have sought before him – and above his pall
His flag, replaced at length, waves with his peers.
 
 
He did not live to see it, but he knew
His country with one voice had set it high;
And knowing this he was content to die,
And leave to gracious Heaven what might ensue.
 
 
Ashes to ashes! Lay the hero down,
No nobler heart e'er knew the bitter lot
To be misjudged, maligned, accused, forgot —
Twine martyr's palm among his victor's crown.²⁶
 

"Victor and Martyr." Those are the words fittest to be inscribed on the monument that will be set up in the hearts of Englishmen in honour of the Earl of Dundonald. Entering life with great powers of mind and great physical endowments for his only fortune, he made his name famous, and won immortal honour to himself by daring and successful enterprises in the naval service of his country, which none have surpassed at an age so young as his, and which few have rivalled during a long life-time spent in war. But he sought to follow up those triumphs of his prowess on the sea by peaceful victories at home over private jealousy, official intrigue, and political wrong-doing, and thereby he brought on himself opposition which, boldly resented, caused the unjust forfeiture of the rewards that were his due, and weighed him down with a terrible load of disappointed hope and undeserved reproach. Seeking relief from these grievous sufferings, and opportunity of further work in a profession very dear to him and in generous aid of nations striving to throw off the tyranny to which they had long been subjected, he entered the service of three foreign states in succession. But in helping others he only brought fresh trouble on himself. He rescued Chili and Peru from Spanish thraldom, only to find that the people whom he had freed therefrom were themselves enthralled by passions which even he could do nothing to overcome, and which drove him from their shores, barely thanked and quite unrecompensed. He fought the battles of the young empire of Brazil against Portugal, doubled her territories, and more than doubled her opportunities of future development, only to be cruelly spurned by the faction then in power, and denied the fulfilment of national pledges which a later generation has but tardily and slightly regarded. Harder yet was his treatment by the Greeks, who, having asked him to lead them in their contest with their Turkish masters, refused to follow his leadership, gave him no assistance in his plans for fighting on their behalf, and, in return for the services which, in spite of all the difficulties in his way, he was able to render them, offered him little but insult. Thus more than half his life was wasted – wasted as far as he himself was concerned, though the gain to others from every one of his achievements was great indeed. Returning then to peaceful work in England, he chiefly spent the years remaining to him in efforts to win back the justice of which he had been deprived, and in efforts, yet more zealous, to benefit his country by exercise of the inventive talents in which he was almost as eminent as in warlike powers. But those talents were slighted, though from them has, in part, resulted an entire and wholly beneficial revolution in the science and practice of naval warfare. And, though many of his personal wrongs were redressed, he was allowed to die without the complete wiping out of the stain that had been put upon his honour.

Of this long course of suffering, it must be admitted, he was himself in some measure the cause. Endowed, as few others have been endowed, with the highest mental qualities, he lacked other qualities necessary to worldly advancement and the prosperous enjoyment of life. Truth and justice he made the guiding principles of all his actions; but he knew nothing of expediency, and was no adept in the arts of prudence. Unrivalled strategy was displayed by him in all his warlike enterprises; but against the strategy of his fellow-workers he was utterly defenceless. He made enemies where a cautious man might have made friends, and he allowed those enemies to assail him, and to inflict upon him injuries almost irreparable, with weapons and by onslaughts which a cautious man would easily have warded off. Judged by the harshest rules of worldly wisdom, however, it must be acknowledged that these faults brought upon him far heavier punishment than he merited. And perhaps it will be deemed by posterity that they were faults very nearly akin to virtues.

The same want of prudence caused trouble to him in other respects. It led him, in furtherance of the inventions and other projects by which he sought to benefit the world, into expenses by which his scanty sources of income were very heavily taxed. It also sometimes made him the victim of others. Guileless himself, he was not proof against the guile of many with whom he came in contact. Every kind word sounded in his ear, every kind act appeared in his eye, as if it proceeded from a heart as full of kindness as his own, and he often lavished sympathy and gratitude on unworthy objects. But shall we blame him for this?

Kindness, indeed, was as much a characteristic of him as valour. While the world was full of the fame of his warlike achievements, all who came within the circle of his acquaintance marvelled to find a man so simple, so tender, so generous, and so courteous. When he was bowed down by sorrows that nearly crushed him, he sought comfort in zealous efforts for alleviating the sufferings of others.

Fortunate circumstances would have placed him in a station of universal honour, which he could have occupied to the admiration of all on-lookers. But the circumstances of his life were unfortunate; and therefore he had to endure such hardship as falls to the lot of few. The harsh judgment by which he suffered has already been reversed. It will be atoned for when his worth is properly acknowledged by his fellow-men.

APPENDIX

CAPTAIN ABNEY HASTINGS'S LETTERS TO LORD COCHRANE

So much had to be said in the body of this volume in evidence of the insurmountable difficulties raised by the Greeks themselves to Lord Cochrane's efforts to aid them as efficiently as he desired, that there seemed no room, without wearying the reader, for there citing more than two or three of the letters addressed to him by Captain Abney Hastings. They have, therefore, been reserved for quotation here. Their publication is desirable for two reasons. In the first place, they show how Captain Hastings, whom all the historians of the Greek Revolution join in praising, was harassed, and his work rendered almost useless, by causes which Lord Cochrane, in a much more difficult position, was blamed for not overcoming. In the second place, they will serve as a contribution to the biography of a high-minded and valiant man, a sharer in Lord Cochrane's zealous efforts on behalf of Greece, and in the misfortunes incident thereto, of whose memorable career the world knows little.

I

Karteria, Hydra, March 26th, 1827.

My Lord,

The usual contrarieties of the machine prevented my following you yesterday according to your desire. Observing you went to Poros, I thought I should act in conformity with your wishes by coming here to take in coals, and avoid all possible delay. I have got on board enough for about four days more. I have expected you all day, and not seeing you I have taken upon myself to depart for the service you destined me for; although I am not quite certain I know the exact station. I shall go off Grabousa and endeavour to find Captain St. George. I leave a letter here for the primates, requesting them to load a small vessel with coals for my return, which I wish to take in on the opposite side. This measure, far from occasioning delay, would be advantageous in that respect as well as having less close connection with the Hydriots, whose presence always has the effect of setting a bad example to the Greeks I have on board. I should feel obliged to your lordship to insist on this measure. Perhaps it would be advantageous for your lordship to decide upon the port you intend to occupy immediately, and send there all the coals and other stores wanted for your naval force. Since you object to an island in the Great Archipelago, I am of opinion, with Colonel Gordon, that Ambalaki is the best suited for your station. If all the coals were there, much delay would be saved to the steam-vessels. One of the causes our engine went so badly was that some fire-bars being burnt the fire fell through, and we could not keep up the steam; another was, I had taken up the paddles (which previously had two-feet dip) six inches; the engine consequently went faster, but the pumps would not supply sufficient water. I have lowered them again. Pray leave your further orders for me here, as I shall touch for coals as aforesaid on my return.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

II

Karteria, Poros, April 9th, 1827

My Lord,

I have the honour to transmit you an account of the Karteria steam-vessel up to March 16th, by which you will perceive that with the 500l. credit I have on Messrs. Baif at Zante, I still have a credit of 363 dollars in my favour. Not accustomed to keep such accounts, there may be errors, but if any they are certainly against myself, as I may have omitted charging expenses; whereas, I have never charged but what has really been expended, nor have I ever charged anything for myself, directly or indirectly. Wages will become due again the 16th of this month, for which I shall require about 800 dollars. Having but a few days' salt meat on board, I beg your lordship to cause an order to be written, enabling me to receive such quantity as you may deem requisite.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

III

Karteria, Scopulo, April 19th, N.S., 1827.

My Lord,

Northerly winds prevented my passing Cape Doro until the 15th. Having spoken a vessel from Skyro, I learnt that an Austrian merchant vessel loaded with corn and ammunition for Negropont was laying at that island under convoy of an Austrian vessel of war, and that the corvette of Tombasi was there watching the merchant vessel. I touched at Skyro the night of the 15th, and found that the Austrian was gone, supposed for Syra, followed by an Hydriot schooner of Konduriottes, who is supposed to have made some arrangement with the Austrian to deliver the cargo to him. The Greek corvette had sailed, as I was told, for this. I arrived here the night of the 16th, and found that the brig and schooner were zealously employed on the service they had been sent upon. Having steamed more than I had at first intended, I was in want of fuel, and set them at work here to obtain me wood, which they have done with more alacrity than I expected during Easter holidays. The engine of course required repairs. I sent off the schooner to inform the vessels of the blockade, when I should join them, and appointing a rendezvous. I sail immediately, and hope to take or destroy the vessels at Tricheri and Volo tomorrow. I send this by the primates of this island, who carry a letter to your lordship offering their services. They have been apparently much oppressed in all these islands by the heroes of the earth, and are anxious to obtain protection from the naval force. This island is fertile, and could (and could be made to) pay well for protection. The others have claims equally strong for protection. St. George, De Skyro, Scopulo, Skatho, &c., &c., have more than 2,000 Liapis quartered upon them at this moment. If Athens is relieved, these worthies might be turned into Negropont with much effect. I am told the Turkish transports are still at Tricheri and Volo, not doubting to clear the Gulf of Greeks à force d'argent– however, I hope to be with them to-morrow.

I suspect fuel could be obtained cheaper here than at Megara; and I see no reason for incurring the expense of transport of wood to Poros for construction of gunboats when a great majority of the Greek vessels are constructed here. The wood does not grow here. It is brought from Agora on the main. The deputies —tout bêtes comme ils sont– can inform your lordship of these things.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

P.S. – Having taken the coals out from between the boilers and side of the ship, I am anxious to fill this space with wool, as a protection against shot. The coals stowed there are an inconvenience for many reasons, and something is necessary to replace them as a protection for the boilers. If your lordship would be good enough to order Tombasi to procure me wool for that purpose, I think you would be ultimately satisfied of its utility.

IV

Karteria, off Tricheri, Monday,

April 23rd, N.S., 1827.

My Lord,

I have the honour to inform you that in pursuance of your orders, I carried the squadron under my command, consisting of corvette Themistocles, brig Aris, schooner Aspasia, and schooner Panayia, before the port of Volo, the evening of the 20th. I found eight vessels at anchor in the port; immediately I directed the Themistocles and Aris to anchor off a battery at the point, and cannonade it whilst I entered the harbour with boats and schooners. At 4.30 p. m. they anchored with much gallantry, and soon silenced the musket-shot from the battery. At the same moment I entered the harbour with the boats and schooners, and we shortly took possession of seven brigs: they were all on shore, and most without sails bent. However, by 9 p. m. we succeeded in getting out five prizes, three loaded with provisions and ammunition, two light; and this most fortunately without the loss of a man killed or wounded, although we lay at anchor in the harbour four hours and a half, exposed to the fire of the Castle of Volo. The ship has received no material injury, although several shot struck her. We set fire to two prizes we could not succeed in getting out; one light brig remains, but we shot away her foremast and did her such damage in her hull as will (I hope) prevent her putting to sea again. Last night I entered Tricheri with the boats of Themistocles, Aris, and Aspasia, to endeavour to carry out a brig of war, Turkish, of sixteen guns and two mortars, but found her protected too advantageously by batteries and musketry. I send the prizes to your lordship under the convoy of the Aspasia, and shall remain here a few days to endeavour to destroy the Turkish brig of war, and shall then return to join your lordship. I beg leave to assure your lordship before I conclude that in these affairs I have met with the most cordial support from the captains of the vessels under my orders, and that their conduct, as well as that of all the officers and men of the squadron, has been highly meritorious.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

P.S. – As the schooner Panayia will participate in the prizes, I have ordered her to remain on the blockade, although not sent by your lordship.

V

Karteria, at Sea, April 24th, 1827.

My Lord,

An hour after I had the honour of sending you my last letter, detailing the affair of Volo, I stood into Tricheri with the vessels under my command, viz., Themistocles, Aris, Panayia.

The Turks in this place had one brig-of-war which (erroneously in my last I rated at sixteen guns) mounted but fourteen long 24-pounders and two mortars; she was made fast in a small bight, with a plank on shore and high rocks on each side of her, behind which were posted a strong corps of Albanian troops; she was likewise protected by a battery close under her bow and five other batteries in other parts. Four small schooners lay quite hauled up on the beach. To attempt to carry away vessels so posted and defended by men who wanted neither alacrity nor resolution would have been exposing the lives of the crews in a very unwarrantable manner. I therefore resolved to burn the brig, which we effected in less than an hour. I did not make any attempt upon the schooners, which I considered too inconsiderable to justify a loss in capturing them. In this affair the captains, officers, and crews conducted themselves all much to my satisfaction.

Inclosed I have the honour to transmit to you a return of the killed and wounded in this affair, which, I am happy to say, is trifling. I have left the rest of the squadron to maintain the blockade.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

A return of the killed and wounded on board of the Greek squadron, at Tricheri, April 23rd./11th.

F. A. Hastings.

VI

Karteria, at Sea, April 26th, N.S., 1827.

My Lord,

Passing by Kumi, I observed several vessels at anchor there, and a great number of large kyekes, &c., hauled up on the beach. I stood in, and overhauled them, and found, as I suspected, that a most scandalous and extensive commerce in grain is carrying on to that place with the Turks, chiefly in Greek vessels. A brig under Russian colours was chiefly discharged; a Psarian schooner was nearly full, and the magazines on shore were full. I set about loading the grain from the magazines, but was unable to take off more than one-third of what was in them; and I have good reason for supposing that other magazines equally stored are to be found in the town, about an hour's distance.

Here there were only a dozen Turks, who fled at our approach. In the evening no less than nine small vessels were seen standing in to Kumi. I weighed and boarded six of them; three being entirely empty, I allowed to pass; two I detained and have brought with me.

The want of men, of time, &c., has prevented my putting a finishing hand to this infamous traffic; but I have no doubt your lordship will see the propriety of sending a vessel of war without delay to destroy these depôts. It is idle to talk of blockading the Gulf of Negropont whilst such an extensive commerce is carrying on at other points of the island.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

VII

Karteria, Poros, April 28th, 1827.

My Lord,

Captain St. George going to join you, I take the opportunity of informing you, besides what my other letters contain, that my information from Kumi imports that Negropont contains two months' provisions for the army of Kutayi and fortress, and that all their hopes are in the Turkish fleet, expected daily. It seems to me of the first importance that the Greek fleet should be ready to encounter the Turks; and the Gulf is a place particularly favourable to the smaller, lighter, and more skilful party. Might I suggest, my lord, the propriety of sending a couple of light vessels upon whom you could depend to cruise off the Dardanelles, and give information in time? The corvette, brig, and schooner off Tricheri requested me to represent their want of provisions, and the necessity they have of paying their crew regularly; many I suspect have already quitted them: with Greek sailors no arrears of pay can exist – hitherto they have been accustomed to receive their wages in advance; if they can be made to go to sea without that advance it is a great point gained; to omit fulfilling the engagement would be to ruin all confidence and oblige the sailors to return to their ancient demands.

With respect to Kumi, I beg leave to urge the necessity of sending a vessel (perhaps better Captain St. George than a Greek, who probably would not dare do his duty there, was he so disposed) to destroy the infamous traffic existing there. May I beg of your lordship to order here the Marine Tribunal from Napoli to adjudge the prizes taken; also to issue a public order respecting the distribution of prize-money, by which I may be guided in my payments? You will observe that in my letter respecting the affair of Tricheri I mention simply having burnt the brig-of-war without saying how. That letter being a despatch for publication, I thought it as well not to proclaim to the enemy the use we made of red-hot shot. It was by those I burnt the brig, and could quite as easily burn by the same means the largest ship ever built. Might I suggest the advantage that would result from using the same projectile from almost every ship? each vessel might as well as me have a furnace in her hold for the feeding of two of her guns – the effect would be tremendous. If the fleet was ready before the Turks came out, a slight excursion to Salonica might be attended with profit and advantage. I shall require a little time to repair damages. I have lost my larboard cat-head, my jib-boom, second topmast, main-gaff, bowsprit shot through, and the engine requires various repairs – the steam waste-pipe is completely gone, and I must get another made. I hope and trust your lordship has still the intention of forming a national fleet and a dockyard; without this your difficulties will be multiplied beyond measure. I merely mention this because I hear intrigues are on foot to prevent such measures. I, a stranger, who belong to no party, and who neither fear nor love the Hydriots and Spetziots, will tell you the truth on these points. Although your orders prescribed for me to remain a fortnight on the blockade of the Gulf of Negropont, I was forced to return – wanting ammunition, fuel, provisions, and various repairs. I shall use my endeavours to be ready for sea as speedily as possible. Before I conclude, give me leave to congratulate your lordship upon your brilliant success at the Piræus. I have no doubt it is but a prelude to more important successes.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

VIII

Karteria, Poros, April 30th, 1827.

My Lord,

May I beg leave to present to you my very particular friend, Mr. Nicolo Kalergy? You will find him a young man of good education, talent, and, what is of still greater value, of great probity. I have known him many years, and esteemed him equally long. By his private fortune he is independent, and has consequently always refused to meddle in the intrigues he regrets so much to see cause the misfortunes of his country. So much for introduction. Mr. Nicolo Kalergy has been good enough to wait upon you to receive your orders respecting the prizes I have lately captured. These vessels contain grain chiefly, and therefore would in that state be of no use to you. Your commissaries must turn it into biscuit before it is sent to the Piraeus. The Government has sent for the Admiralty Court from Napoli to sit here upon the judgment of vessels detained. As to the sale, I am of opinion that to appease the jealousy of the seamen a public sale should be held, and your commissaries purchase it if they please. They will thus always obtain it cheaper than they could buy it at Syra, and thus nobody can complain. I am anxious to receive from your lordship an order respecting the distribution of prize-money, and this, I think, should be public. Hitherto the Government has received fifteen per cent. upon all prizes. Of course your lordship will arrange as you think proper upon this subject; but if any part of a prize goes to the public purse, it is only but just it should aid in the payment of the wages of seamen. I am now paying a month's wages out of my own pocket, which I hope and trust your lordship will reimburse me, as I cannot continue this system. Anything can be done in Greece by prompt payments; with arrears nothing is to be done. My friend has much and various information respecting every part of Greece, and can furnish you with much useful matter. I do not doubt but you will shortly appreciate his merit.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

P.S. – May I beg of you, my lord, to furnish me with a commission of lieutenant for Mr. Darby, the only officer doing duty as a sailor on board – in truth, he is no sailor, and does not pretend, but he is brave, diligent, and a gentleman, and has served with me for about four months?