THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 16, 1996 TAG: 9606140278
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Olde Towne Journal
SOURCE: Alan Flanders
LENGTH: 82 lines
DURING THE FIRST of May 1779, French Capt. Pierre Raphael Charlet and his crew were busy loading 366 hogsheads of tobacco on their ship the Le Soucy off Portsmouth.
Shielded by the colonial garrison at nearby Fort Nelson, while other local militia manned positions on both sides of the Elizabeth, the French had little to think about except their return voyage to Bordeaux with the following tide. However, British Commodore Sir George Collier had other plans not only for the colonials but also for the unsuspecting French.
On May 9, as many of the townspeople and the astonished French crew looked on, six of Collier's warships arrived farther down river and deployed 28 transports carrying 1,800 troops. Instead of a frontal assault on Fort Nelson, the British landed without opposition on what is today Port Norfolk and made a force march behind the fort. Knowing they were outnumbered and outmaneuvered, the hapless defenders beat a hasty retreat, leaving Captain Charlet and his crew witness to one of America's least noble moments of the Revolutionary War.
Little more would have been known about the ferocity of Collier's daring raid - which netted him Fort Nelson, Gosport shipyard and more than 137 vessels in the harbor - had it not been for the incredulous Captain Charlet. Outraged at having to destroy his vessel lest it be captured by the British, Charlet requested that a formal protest be made to none other than King George III. His testimony was copied and translated by a notary and stored in the historical records of Norfolk County. Even now, 217 years later, Charlet's plea is worth hearing once more.
``... On Sunday, the Enemy intended to make a Disent on Portsmouth the Fort of which Place having in it but a few Soldiers were incapable of making any Defence, and the Inhabitants in great confusion, each shifting for himself, induced him to go on Board his Ship, unmoor and use his utmost endeavours to move her further up the River, and as far out of the reach of the Enemy as was his power.''
Charlet hauled the Le Soucy into the ``South River'' just off Gosport yard, where he anchored until the next morning.
``... At about Ten in the morning,'' his testimony continues, ``the Enemy being within Cannon Shot of the Fort, he with the utmost hast set sail, and being without a Pilot by sounding the River with great Difficulty got Three or Four Miles further up, until the Ship grounded.''
Now in desperation, Charlet rigged a cable or heavy line to his ship and went ashore to fasten it to a tree. After spending a tense night ashore and hailing every passing vessel about news of the British, the French learned that the enemy, ``upwards to Two Thousand,'' were in possession of Fort Nelson and most of Portsmouth.
``At day break he sent a Man to the Masthead,'' Charlet's account continued, ``to observe the Motion of the Enemy, in no manner doubting they would soon attack him both by Land and Water, they having a large Gally or Ship of War drawing a small Draught of Water with flat bottom Boats and Ships long Boats of too great strength to presume a Resistance not being capable to bring more than Seven Guns on One Side which would have been but badly served as the Sailors showed no disposition to make an Opposition.''
After counsel with his officers and mates, Charlet had no choice but to ``burn the Ship, that so valuable a Cargoe and a Ship which with small expence might be fitted out as a Frigat of War to the great injury of the Nation and her Allies should not fall into their hands. ... In the evening he caused all the Pitch and Tar to be put under the Scuttles of the main Deck ready to be fired on the approach of the Enemy.''
Waiting in a long boat with provisions for his crew, Charlet finally spotted the even sweeps of the British oarsmen moving swiftly and destructively up the Elizabeth at 7 that evening. At that point, the account says, ``He dispatched away the long Boat and Crew, reserving only the Boatswain to light the Fire, which having fully accomplished he proceeded to join the Boat and Crew.'' The notary account is signed by Charlet and witnessed by members of his crew, including Pierre Vollet, first lieutenant, Louis Vignier and Amie Bourgeois, second lieutenants.
Whether or not they ever received just compensation, the record is silent. But it was indeed a fact there was much loss of property in Hampton Roads during those terrible days of May 1779. But you have to leave it to the French to have the courage to formally protest their loss to the King of England. Our history of that terrible event is the richer for Captain Charlet's nerve. ILLUSTRATION: King George III received a protest from Capt. Pierre
Charlet, who was outraged at having to destroy his vessel lest it be
captured by the British. by CNB