Able Seaman John Lesly, who served aboard the Implacable 74 in the Baltic and witnessed the capture of the Sewolod 74 in August 1808, and in the boats of Implacable shared in the destruction and capture of a Russian flotilla of gun-boats and a convoy in July 1809

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Implacable 26 Augt 1808 [42], 7 July Boat Service 1809 [34] (John Lesly.) with faded original ribbon, good very fine £6000-7000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals and Nelson Letters.

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Collection

Provenance: Sotheby, May 1992.

Implacable 26 Augt 1808 [42 issued] - 11 medals known, including examples in the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Naval Museum, and the Honeyman Collection (Huntington Library, U.S.A.).

7 July Boat Service 1809 [34 issued] - 16 medals known, including examples in the National Maritime Museum; Royal Naval Museum (2); Honeyman Collection (Huntington Library, U.S.A.); and the Patiala Collection (Sheesh Mahal Museum, India).

The rolls confirm John Lesly as an Able Seaman on board the Implacable for both actions.

John Lesly (borne as Leslie) was born in Dundee and joined the Implacable as an Able Seaman on 8 March 1808, aged 20 years. He was discharged from the ship on 7 January 1810. Sold with copied muster rolls.

Centaur and Implacable pursue the Russian fleet and capture the Sewolod 74

In August 1808, Sir Samuel Hood in Centaur accompanied by Implacable, Captain Thomas Byam Martin, joined Rear Admiral Nauckhoff and the Swedish fleet in Oro Roads and they all sailed from there on the 25th, in pursuit of the Russian fleet which had appeared off Sweden two days earlier. Due to their superior sailing Centaur and Implacable were soon well in advance and closing on the Russians who appeared to be in disorder. By the morning of the 26th, Implacable was able to bring the leewardmost of the enemy's line-of-battle ships, the Sewolod 74, Captain Roodneff, to close action. After 20 minutes the enemy's colours and pendant were lowered but the approach of the whole Russian force obliged Sir Samuel to recall Captain Martin. A Russian frigate took the crippled ship in tow but when the Russian Admiral hauled his wind, Centaur and Implacable gave chase and forced the frigate to slip her tow. The enemy ships again bore down in support but instead of engaging they entered the port of Rager Vik (also known as Port Baltic or Rogerswick). When boats were sent out to try and tow her in to harbour Centaur stood in and, after driving the boats off, ran across the bow of the Sewolod just as she was entering the harbour. The Centaur then lashed the Sewolod’s bowsprit to her mizen-mast and both ships soon drifted aground. The Russians refused to strike and the battle went on until the arrival of the Implacable finally induced the Russian ship to surrender. Implacable had to heave Centaur off. However, the prize was so firmly aground that after taking out the prisoners and wounded men, Sir Samuel ordered her to be burnt. Implacable lost six men killed and twenty-six wounded including two who did not recover and three who had limbs amputated. Centaur lost three killed and twenty-seven wounded, and the Sewolod 303 killed, wounded and missing.

The boats of Implacable assist in the destruction of Russian gun-boats and a convoy in the Baltic

On 7 July 1809, as a British squadron, composed of the 74-gun ships Implacable, Captain Thomas Byam Martin, and Bellerophon, Captain Samuel War Warren, the 38-gun frigate Melpomène, Captain Peter Parker, and the 18-gun ship sloop Prometheus, Captain Thomas Forrest, was cruising on the coast of Finland, a Russian flotilla of gun-boats and merchant vessels was observed at anchor under Porcola Point. The gun-boats were eight in number, each armed with one long 24 and one long 30 pounder, and manned with 46 men. The position they had taken was of extraordinary strength, being betwixt two rocks, which served as a cover to their wings, and whence a destructive fire of grape could be poured upon any boats that should assail them. Notwithstanding this, it was resolved to attempt the capture or destruction of the flotilla; and Lieutenant Joseph Hawkey, first of the Implacable, was gratified with the command of the enterprise, to consist of the boats of the four ships, 17 in number, containing about 270 officers and men.

At 9 p.m. the boats proceeded to the attack, and, regardless of the heavy fire opened upon them in their advance, pushed on, not firing a musket until they touched the sides of the gunboats, when the British seamen and marines boarded, sword in hand, and carried all before them. Of the eight gun-boats, six were captured, one was sunk, and one escaped; and all 12 merchant vessels under their protection, which were laden with powder and provisions for the Russian army, were also captured, together with a large armed ship. The latter was burnt, but the other vessels were brought safe out.

This truly gallant exploit was not accomplished without a serious loss. Lieutenant Hawkey, the commanding officer of the detachment, having taken one gun-boat, was killed by a grape-shot while in the act of boarding the second; and the last words of this gallant young man were: “Huzza! push on, England forever!” The whole of the loss on the British side amounted to two lieutenants, one midshipman, one second master, eight seamen, and five marines killed, and one boatswain, 25 seamen, and 11 marines wounded. Among the loss acknowledged to have been sustained by the Russians were 63 killed. A great many of the Russian seamen escaped on shore, and several perished in the attempt; and, of the 127 prisoners taken, 51 were wounded.