[BITList] News of the Battle of Trafalgar

Wed Aug 19 12:53:24 BST 2015

Any diplomat or officer of the Crown bringing home news of a major British success or victory in battle could expect to be handsomely rewarded. This was certainly so in the case of the officer bearing the Trafalgar dispatches, which duty and honour was entrusted to Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotiere, RN., by Admiral Collingwood - Nelson‟s successor as Commander-in-Chief of the fleet. Lapenotiere, as Commander of HM Schooner Pickle, was appointed by Collingwood to convey his official dispatches to the Admiralty, and thereby to inform the British Nation at large of the great sea-battle and the tragic death of the nation‟s hero. But, in executing this duty and honour Lieutenant Lapenotiere, was nearly frustrated by the actions of another naval officer. This opportunist latched onto a chance of snatching the glory for himself, but details of his actions have largely been obscured by the mists of maritime history. The following account confirms Lapenotiere‟s claim to have delivered the Trafalgar dispatches and reveals his rivals actions, while focusing on their dramatic sea race for England and Glory.

News of the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson‟s death was first made public in an „Extraordinary‟ edition of the London GAZETTE, of November 6th 1805. The Times of the following day gave some fuller accounts of events, albeit mainly as short paragraphs relating to the battle and its aftermath as released by the Admiralty from Collingwood‟s dispatches. But, amongst these key items of news there appeared the following brief report - almost as an aside.

„Captain SYKES of the Nautilus, and Lieutenant LAPENOTIERE, of the Pickle, arrived at the Admiralty together about half-past one o‟clock yesterday morning. The former did not, as was generally understood, arrive from the scene of the action; he fell in with the Pickle schooner, and on learning the intelligence proceeded immediately to Lisbon with the information, from whence he was sent with dispatches, by Mr. GAMBRIER, the British Consul, to England, and landed at Plymouth. Lieutenant LAPENOTIERE made the Port of Falmouth, and, by a singular coincidence, met Captain SYKES at the gates of the Admiralty. This active Officer was yesterday promoted to the rank of Commander.‟

In some respects this laconic account says it all, but on reflection the singular coincidence of Sykes and Lapenotiere‟s almost neck and neck dash for home requires some further amplification. As remarked in the above report, Sykes „... did not, as was generally understood, arrive from the scene of the action; ...‟ In fact the Nautilus was not present at the battle at all, though to the casual reader, the final line of the Times report could even be taken to imply that Sykes was the one then made commander. It was of course John Richards Lapenotiere who was there and then promoted – Sykes having already attained that rank some years previously.

As we shall see, Sykes only learnt of the battle of Trafalgar from Lapenotiere, by passing chance. But, immediately on learning the news, he chose to disobey his current orders to patrol off the south-western tip of Portugal, and set out pell-mell for home in a thinly veiled attempt to steal Lapenotiere‟s thunder. Although not bearing any official dispatches, Sykes clearly hoped to steal a march on Lapenotiere. The bearer of such good tidings as a major naval victory could expect to be handsomely rewarded, as well as being feted, wined and dined as the talk of the town. Though the Times seems quite positive on this point, presumably because Sykes said so, there is now considerable doubt whether Sykes had any dispatches on board from Mr. Gambier. Indeed, given the tight timing of the Nautilus’s movements off the mouth of the Tagus on the morning of Tuesday October 29th, this seems most unlikely – see more below.

Dispatches or not, Sykes clearly set out to beat Lapenotiere to London to break the news, and in the event he only missed making the great announcement to the Board of Admiralty by a very narrow margin. Having failed in this respect he seems to have lost no time in giving a press release, or at least to have spoken openly in all the right places for the news to leak out, as the second sentence in the above Times report openly hints that Sykes had been lording it about in London making extravagant claims.

So - just who were these rival claimants for the honour of announcing the news of the great battle, and the tragic death of the immortal Nelson? Which vessels did they current command? And what were the circumstances behind this novel race? _____________________________________________________________________________________Trafalgar : The Race for Glory. Tony Pawlyn © 2005 Bartlett Library, National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

Any diplomat or officer of the Crown bringing home news of a major British success or victory in battle could expect to be handsomely rewarded. This was certainly so in the case of the officer bearing the Trafalgar dispatches, which duty and honour was entrusted to Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotiere, RN., by Admiral Collingwood - Nelson‟s successor as Commander-in-Chief of the fleet. Lapenotiere, as Commander of HM Schooner Pickle, was appointed by Collingwood to convey his official dispatches to the Admiralty, and thereby to inform the British Nation at large of the great sea-battle and the tragic death of the nation‟s hero. But, in executing this duty and honour Lieutenant Lapenotiere, was nearly frustrated by the actions of another naval officer. This opportunist latched onto a chance of snatching the glory for himself, but details of his actions have largely been obscured by the mists of maritime history. The following account confirms Lapenotiere‟s claim to have delivered the Trafalgar dispatches and reveals his rivals actions, while focusing on their dramatic sea race for England and Glory.

News of the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson‟s death was first made public in an „Extraordinary‟ edition of the London GAZETTE, of November 6th 1805. The Times of the following day gave some fuller accounts of events, albeit mainly as short paragraphs relating to the battle and its aftermath as released by the Admiralty from Collingwood‟s dispatches. But, amongst these key items of news there appeared the following brief report - almost as an aside.

„Captain SYKES of the Nautilus, and Lieutenant LAPENOTIERE, of the Pickle, arrived at the Admiralty together about half-past one o‟clock yesterday morning. The former did not, as was generally understood, arrive from the scene of the action; he fell in with the Pickle schooner, and on learning the intelligence proceeded immediately to Lisbon with the information, from whence he was sent with dispatches, by Mr. GAMBRIER, the British Consul, to England, and landed at Plymouth. Lieutenant LAPENOTIERE made the Port of Falmouth, and, by a singular coincidence, met Captain SYKES at the gates of the Admiralty. This active Officer was yesterday promoted to the rank of Commander.‟

In some respects this laconic account says it all, but on reflection the singular coincidence of Sykes and Lapenotiere‟s almost neck and neck dash for home requires some further amplification. As remarked in the above report, Sykes „... did not, as was generally understood, arrive from the scene of the action; ...‟ In fact the Nautilus was not present at the battle at all, though to the casual reader, the final line of the Times report could even be taken to imply that Sykes was the one then made commander. It was of course John Richards Lapenotiere who was there and then promoted – Sykes having already attained that rank some years previously.

As we shall see, Sykes only learnt of the battle of Trafalgar from Lapenotiere, by passing chance. But, immediately on learning the news, he chose to disobey his current orders to patrol off the south-western tip of Portugal, and set out pell-mell for home in a thinly veiled attempt to steal Lapenotiere‟s thunder. Although not bearing any official dispatches, Sykes clearly hoped to steal a march on Lapenotiere. The bearer of such good tidings as a major naval victory could expect to be handsomely rewarded, as well as being feted, wined and dined as the talk of the town. Though the Times seems quite positive on this point, presumably because Sykes said so, there is now considerable doubt whether Sykes had any dispatches on board from Mr. Gambier. Indeed, given the tight timing of the Nautilus’s movements off the mouth of the Tagus on the morning of Tuesday October 29th, this seems most unlikely – see more below.

Dispatches or not, Sykes clearly set out to beat Lapenotiere to London to break the news, and in the event he only missed making the great announcement to the Board of Admiralty by a very narrow margin. Having failed in this respect he seems to have lost no time in giving a press release, or at least to have spoken openly in all the right places for the news to leak out, as the second sentence in the above Times report openly hints that Sykes had been lording it about in London making extravagant claims.

So - just who were these rival claimants for the honour of announcing the news of the great battle, and the tragic death of the immortal Nelson? Which vessels did they current command? And what were the circumstances behind this novel race? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 
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