At the dawn of the 19th century, seizing a vessel with a mass three times greater than that of one's ship and defended by a crew three times as numerous as one's own was a matter of two hours. To do this, you must have the boldness and incomparable courage of Robert Surcouf, nicknamed “the tiger of the seas”.
During the year 1800, Surcouf chose to fight against an English ship of a size much larger than that of his ship: while the Confiance measured 364 tons, the Kent made 1,200. On board, without Surcouf imagining it, there is a garrison of four hundred and fifty men of war that he will have to fight with the help of his two hundred and fifty sailors. Here is what a witness, an American merchant on the Île de France, relates: "The fight which resulted in the capture of this ship [the Kent] will be among the most chivalrous and courageous that the naval chronicle of any country has recorded, a fight that Surcouf himself would perhaps never have attempted if he had ever suspected that his adversary had a force much greater than the usual crew of a Company ship . »
Audacity above all
Since 1792, France has been at war with Europe. At sea, she stands up to England, the hereditary enemy. The latter, which cannot live on its island resources alone, has, beyond the oceans, numerous possessions from which it draws wealth which it transports by the large pot-bellied ships of the "India Company", the Indiamen. Despite their appearance, and although they are armed, and sometimes quite heavily, they are not warships but first and foremost commercial ships. However, maritime navigation presents very great risks. And this is why these behemoths have a certain amount of artillery and a seasoned crew to ensure their defense.
Often, however, for their safety, they walk in convoy, accompanied by a military escort. This is the best guarantee they have to safely bring gold, silver, precious stones, silks, and exotic woods with which their holds are very heavily loaded: real treasures for the industry as well as for the national economy. But, very often, the captains of these vessels are obliged to navigate, left to themselves and the hazards of the journey.
In 1800, Surcouf was just twenty-seven years old. Entering the merchant navy as a cabin boy at the age of thirteen, he acquired his stripes as a commercial officer in three years. The blood boiled in his veins from childhood, and as a young man he soon knew that wealth would come to him from “racing war.” In 1795 he gained command of his first "privateer", the Émilie. Alas, the letter of marque which would have put him in good standing was refused! He adapted very well to it and, stubborn and bravado, crisscrossed the Indian Ocean, prowling, in search of his prey, in the "breastwaters" of Bengal, at the outlet of the vast Ganges delta: it is there the obligatory crossing point for British ships whose holds are filled with riches.
Once done, he always took his prizes, in an insolent manner, to the governor of the Ile de France, now Mauritius. It takes audacity. Because these performances, as brilliant as they are, make him, in the absence of authorization from his government, nothing other than a pirate! Taken by the enemy, he would have been hanged... France, however, benefited from it. After the capture of the Triton, Surcouf had to sue the State to gain possession of what he considered his property. But he knew how to bring laughter to his side: having managed to seize a ship carrying twenty-six cannons and having one hundred and fifty defenders when he had, as his only means of attack, only a " walnut shell”, armed with two cannons and manned by twenty men! His defense: “It was self-defense, Mr. President! » In the change, Surcouf loses a little in currency but gains a lot in fame!
Trust in the Indian Ocean
In the spring of 1800, Surcouf was in Île-de-France. He is available, after his long campaign aboard the Clarisse – two hundred tons, twenty cannons, a hundred crew, fifteen ships captured in eighteen months – which he brought back from the Bordeaux shipyards. In May, he obtained command of the Confiance.
This three-masted, two-deck ship left the same shipyards in 1799, owned by the shipowner Jacques Comte (1), is a fine and sleek ship, built for racing. Its length is 39 m – 28 at the waterline; it gauges 364 tx and is designed to carry twenty-four cannons. For the coming campaign, according to the Logbook, it will only be armed with twenty pieces: twelve of 6 calibers, six of 8 calibers, and two 36 howitzers.
The crew is made up of some two hundred and fifty men who obey the orders of Surcouf, captain, and Joachim Drieu, his second. This staff is disparate, even though most of the men are of European origin. However, in the hands of Saint-Malo, Confidence will work wonders.
Surcouf left the Ile de France on May 10, 1800, in the afternoon. On June 15, while the ship was at anchor in the waters off Java to stock up on wood and water, a sail appeared. This is the Alknomack, an American three-masted ship. La Confiance sets sail again and gives him the lead. The American tried to flee but a few warning shots were enough to make the captain decide to surrender without a fight. This is the first capture in a prodigious series. The campaign will take Surcouf across the Indian Ocean, from Indonesia to Seychelles, via Ceylon. The Praise, the Harriett, the Tiger, the Union, the Charlotte, the Rebecca, and a few other ships will fall into his hands. These catches ensure honorable quantities of wheat, rice, and sugar. These foodstuffs, as well as the ships and prisoners, are sent to the Ile de France.
The meeting with Kent
It is just 6 a.m. on October 7, 1800, daylight is barely breaking. The Confidence then sails in the “fathoms of Bengal”. This is the maritime area located at the outlet of the Ganges, where the multiple arms of the river flow into the sea. The place is strewn with pitfalls to such an extent that a regulation was established as well as a system of buoys specially designed to rescue possible shipwreck victims. Entry cannot be made without a “pilot” who knows perfectly all the dangers of the pass. On those days it will be very useful because the weather is bad. The ship is heading southeast. Suddenly, the lookout alerts: in front of the privateer, a large three-masted ship is heading north. Having seen the Confiance, instead of fleeing, this ship turns around and comes to meet the Frenchman. Without a doubt, he believes he sees in himself a “pilot” who has come to help him pass the famous “breaststrokes”. At 7 a.m., Surcouf was certain: “[…] And as we got very close, we recognized it very well to be a vessel of the English company (2), having thirteen ports open to its battery” recorded the second, Joachim Drieu, in the Logbook dated 14 to 15 Vendémiaire (6 to 7 October 1800). This means that this large ship is an Indiaman belonging to the English East India Company. This is the Kent, commanded by Captain Robert Rivington as Surcouf will soon learn. Its hull is lined in copper, it weighs 1,200 tx and presents to the adversary twenty-six cannons of 18 in the battery as well as twelve others of 9.
It will be the fight of David against Goliath. But this superiority in no way frightens Surcouf, any more than any of the members of the crew of the Confiance, accustomed to this type of daring helping hand. There are about one hundred and sixty of them. Surcouf believes that the Kent, a merchant ship, should not have a larger number on board. Indeed, this figure theoretically amounts to one hundred and fifty men. What the Malouin does not know is that the British vessel has reinforced its workforce during navigation and this in a very significant way and, it must be said, very much despite itself. Indeed, during his passage on the coast of Brazil, Captain Rivington took on board some four hundred sailors, officers, and soldiers - infantry and cavalry, including a general named Saint-Johns, who would take his command in Bengal, as well as civilians, all passengers of a ship in distress, the Queen, an English vessel in keeping with Kent. This means that at the moment when it cruises off the coast of India, it has on board a workforce of around five hundred and fifty people, a large part of whom are seasoned.
While the two ships were moving towards each other, Surcouf spoke to his crew and informed them of his intention to board the Indiaman and seize it by assault. Showing that he does not doubt the success of the enterprise, he already authorizes the looting of the "herds" for one hour with, however, one restriction: the ban on touching the cargo. This is the usage. Surcouf is a gentleman and he is recognized as such on the seas where he sails. Besides, on board the Kent, Captain Rivington is not at all worried. Assured of victory against the “nutshell” who wants to confront him, he invites the personalities he has brought on board to witness the fight that will take place shortly.
It was 7:30 a.m. when the Englishman began the action by firing a few volleys of large-caliber cannonballs. His batteries are too high for his "prey", the shots have no effect and the cannonballs go astray into the sea. The ballet continues. At eight o'clock, a new volley from the Kent, this time, only passed through the mast of the Confiance without causing any other damage than the tearing of a splinter from the "big topgallant mast above the bouquet (3), and cut[er] a shroud (4) from said topgallant mast.” Confidence, aware of its distance, does not retaliate. A quarter of an hour later, the opportunity being more favorable, Confiance and Kent fired another broadside at each other.
The Frenchman, who still does not report any serious damage, is now firing with cannonballs and grapeshot. However, Surcouf decided, taking into account the position of the ships and despite the significant means of defense now visible on the adversary's deck – musketry, rifles, pistols, battle axes, boarding pikes, des singles (5) –, that the moment is right to proceed with the boarding.
La Confiance, firing with all its guns and striking down the Kent Bridge with its musketry served by the men climbed into the shrouds, comes to position itself at the height of the right hip (6) of the adversary. During this maneuver, a chance came to Surcouf's favor: one of the davit anchors (7) of the Kent came to be caught in one of the forward ports of the Confiance, irremediably pinning one of the ships against the other. “We received, however, just as we were hanging on in front, three shots from its most forward battery, which cut off the legs of six of ours,” relates the Log. At the same time, in two waves, one led by Joachim Drieu, the other by Surcouf, the crew of the Confiance propelled themselves aboard the English vessel.
A brief but violent fight
“Captain Robert Rivington,” continues the editor of the newspaper, “was killed on his forecastle at the start of the action by the burst of a shell (8) of 36, thrown by our topmen from above the main yard, and this death contributed greatly to the defeat of his crew. »
On the deck of the ship, which was very crowded, the English fighters had particularly restricted maneuvering. It was in the midst of a jostling situation that they retreated to the rear forecastle. From then on, they found themselves trapped there as in a trap: Surcouf's sailors directed two cannons loaded with grapeshot at them and fired. It's a real butcher's shop. In less than a quarter of an hour – this is the time indicated by Drieu in the Journal – everything would have been settled. The English mention that the engagement lasted in total, that is to say from the firing of the first cannonball until the surrender, one hour and forty-seven minutes. This is precise and entirely admissible. The logbook records four killed and six wounded for the Confiance, fifteen dead and thirty wounded for the Kent (9).
A lot of work now awaits the winner. First, he must ensure the disarmament of the prisoners. The number of the latter is considerable. They will remain, in part, on board the Kent, which will be commanded by Joachim Drieu. At the same time, care was provided to the wounded on both sides as well as the immersion of the dead. Furthermore, it is necessary to uncouple the two ships by freeing the anchor caught in one of the ports of the Confiance. The operation is delicate. It will take all night. The two ships were not separated until 9 a.m.! Finally, the transfer of prisoners from one ship to another, as well as part of the crew of the Confiance – around sixty men – intended for the Kent maneuver, is long. Bad weather complicates operations. In addition to the personnel, personal effects and food – particularly biscuits, poultry, and water – must also be transported from one side to the other in sufficient quantity. These operations did not reach their conclusion until half past ten. The Kent command cell is now made up of Drieu, commander, and Dumaine, lieutenant on the Confiance, becoming second on the Kent.
At 11 a.m., finally, with the breeze picking up, the boats that served as shuttles came back on board and the two captains made arrangements for departure. The return to Port-Louis is going fairly calmly. On October 5, two days before the encounter which was so harmful to Kent, Surcouf had crossed paths with an Arab three-master containing horses and a cargo of dates which, coming from Muscat, at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, was going to Calcutta, in the northeast of India. After checking the papers and the merchandise, Surcouf left it free to move around. Confidence thus comes to cross its path again. In order not to remain handicapped with a useless mass of prisoners, the Malouin gets rid of all the able-bodied men by loading them, as well as their effects, on board the Arab ship. He therefore only keeps, on Kent and Confiance, the sick and wounded. The journey was long since it was only on November 16 that the two vessels, sailing together, reached Port-Louis.
Port-Louis celebrates, of course, the entry into the port of Confiance with its capture. Surcouf is still disappointed. The Kent holds contain no gold or silver. Certainly, it would have been more judicious to capture the ship on its return to Europe. The goods would have been of a completely different interest. There is mainly only hardware, crockery, lead, copper as well as weapons, clothing... But this merchandise will only bring in 10,600 piastres (10). It is the vessel itself that constitutes the main catch. Its purchase by a Danish merchant will bring in the sum of 30,900 piastres.
Kent's odyssey under the English flag therefore ends there. It is under the new name of Cronenberg that he will return to Norway. As for Robert Surcouf, the capture of Kent ends his third stay in the Indian Ocean. This would have been very profitable for him. It was on board the Confiance, the holds full of foodstuffs, that he set sail again on January 29, 1801. The return trip to France was eventful. The Saint-Malo corsair once again demonstrated his qualities as a navigator and man of war. The English put a price on his head: five million francs! On April 13, 1801, he stopped at La Rochelle. But Robert Surcouf is in a hurry to reach Saint-Malo. There, he is particularly expected. He is twenty-seven years old and he is thinking about securing his future. On May 28, he married Marie-Catherine Blaize, his junior by six years. Saint-Malo is indeed a city of privateers and, consequently, of shipowners. Everything lives therefrom and for the race. Robert's in-laws do not escape tradition since there are a few sailors there, but above all important merchants, with already assured wealth.
The peace of Amiens puts an end to the enthusiasm of seamen for combat. Ships now remain at anchor or in port basins. During the short peace, Surcouf took care of his business as a wise trader. The war resumed on May 16, 1803. Bonaparte learned of the exploits of Le Malouin. Without any document supporting this anecdote, it appears that Napoleon offered Surcouf a job in the imperial navy: commanding two frigates with the rank of captain (11). But Surcouf, if the fact is true, is too eager for independence to accept such an offer. This did not harm him since he was made a knight of the Legion of Honor on July 17, 1804.
Is he tired of racing the seas? Does he favor the sweetness of family life over the thrills of being a sea wanderer? This only lasted a short time but, until the spring of 1807, he worked on building ships. And – nostalgia? – he returns to sea and repeats his exploits aboard the Revenant and then the Renard. All his cruises are successes. When, in 1809, he definitively laid down his bundle on the ground, Robert Surcouf was only thirty-five years old. To his credit, he has some forty catches in four years of sailing in the Indian Ocean alone! He continues to arm himself, for racing or trade but personally remains on land.
Businessman
However, the Empire is coming to an end. And this end sounds the death knell for the race. Surcouf is now a rich man. It was at the risk of his life that he accumulated this fortune. Under the skin of an adventurer, he was a shrewd businessman. As a member of the Legion of Honor and upon designation by the Emperor, he sat on the electoral college of the district of his hometown and then joined the municipal council. In 1814, faced with the danger facing France, he accepted the position of colonel of the urban cohort of the district of Saint-Malo. A thousand men just fit for the parade. But, already, Louis XVIII returns to the throne of France.
Surcouf joined Napoleon on his return from the island of Elba. He opposed the royalists who were trying to hand over Fort de la Conchée to the English, a fortified islet protecting the harbor of Saint-Malo. On the king's second return, he declared that, above all, "remain French" and pledged allegiance to the new government. He then retired from public life. This means that, even though he has never done anything wrong and the nation owes him so much, he is placed under the eye of the police.
The end of the race
Ultimately, the homeland showed itself ungrateful towards the great man that was Robert Surcouf. Its catches in the Indian Ocean brought in large sums of money for the State. Just as the Empire did not even grant him the title of baron which would have been well deserved, the Restoration, in 1817, completely ignored him. During the Duke of Angoulême's visit to the fortified city, Surcouf, the most famous corsair of all time, was not even invited to the meal of honor! But, when it comes to honor, he has far too much to look gloomy.
He continues to live off the income from his businesses. Suffering from an illness that had been gnawing at him for a long time, he died on July 8, 1827, on his property in Riancourt, in Saint-Servant, a stone's throw from the "corsair city". His body rests in the Rocabey cemetery (12).
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