Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Centaur 26 Augt 1808 (F. E. Seymour, Midshipman.) good very fine £5,000-£7,000

Buckland Dix & Wood, June 1994; Collin Message Collection.

42 clasps issued for this action.

Francis Edward Seymour was born in London on 2 September 1788, a great grandson of Edward, 8th Duke of Somerset. Francis Seymour joined the navy on 8 July 1801, aged 12 years, and embarked as a Volunteer on board the Malta. In the Leander he assisted at the capture of the French frigate La Ville de Milan on 23 February 1805, and the simultaneous recapture of her prize, the Cleopatra. In the Centaur he was present at the capture, on 25 September 1806, of four heavy French frigates from Rochefort, after an action in which Sir Samuel Hood lost his arm. In the same ship he accompanied the expedition of 1807 against Copenhagen and witnessed the surrender of Madeira. After serving briefly aboard the Victory, he rejoined the Centaur on 7 August 1808, as Acting Lieutenant. In late August, 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 180 killed or wounded, and many more missing.

Seymour was appointed to the Jason on 28 April 1814, as Flag-Lieutenant to H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, under whom he accompanied Louis XVIII to Calais. He was promoted Commander in 1814, and from 1828 until April 1831, was employed as Inspecting Commander in the Coast Guard.

Sold with copied record of service (ADM 196/6) and additional notes compiled by Colin Message.