1794.1

HONORARY MEDALS.

19

The manner in which the Distinction was conferred, excited much discontent;and two Officers in particular, (Captain Collingwood, and Lieutenant Donnelly)considered themselves to have been unjustly treated. All Captains, on board ofwhose ships the Flags of the Admirals, who were honoured with gold Chainsand Medals, were flying in the Battle, received the Medal except Captain Cuth-bert Collingwood, of the Barfleur. It is impossible even to guess at the causeof the omission, more especially as the command of the “ Barfleur” had entirelydevolved upon her Captain, in consequence of Rear-Admiral Bowyer’s wounds;but the affront was soon after as spiritedly resented, as it had been deeplyfelt. In the Action off Cape St. Vincent, on the 14th February 1797, CaptainCollingwood commanded the “ Excellent,” and when informed by his Admiral,Earl St. Vincent, that he was to receive a Medal for his conduct on that day, hetold his Lordship, with great feeling and firmness, that he could not consent toreceive a Medal, while that for the 1st of June was withheld. “ I feel,” said he,“ that I was then improperly passed over; and to receive such a distinction now,would be to acknowledge the propriety of that injustice.” To which EarlSt. Vincent replied: “ That is precisely the answer which I expected fromyou, Captain Collingwood.” 3

The two Medals were afterwards, and as Captain Collingwood thought, bydesire of the King, transmitted to him, at the same time, by Lord Spencer, withan apology for the former omission, his Lordship saying, “ I congratulate youmost sincerely, on having had the good fortune to bear so conspicuous a parton two such glorious occasions, and have troubled you with this letter, only tosay, that the former Medal would have been transmitted to you some monthsago, if a proper conveyance had been found for it.” 3

The case of Lieutenant Donnelly (afterwards Admiral Sir Ross Donnelly,K.C.B .) is remarkable, because it formed a precedent which was followed onevery other occasion. That officer was First Lieutenant of the “ Montagu;”and her commander, Captain James Montagu, having fallen early in theaction, Mr. Donnelly fought the ship during the rest of the day, and was men-tioned in Lord Howe’s letter, as one of those officers who had distinguishedthemselves. But though promoted, he was refused the Medal; Lord Spencerinforming him that “ the Medals were limited by His Majesty’s express com-mand to those Admirals and Post Captains only, who are mentioned in the

3 Lord Collingwood’s Correspondence, 4to. p. 39.