NOTES

TO THE HISTORY OF MEDALS, ETC.

P. 17. The Ribband to which the Admiral’s Medals were suspended from the neck, was the sameas that worn by the Captains.

Pp. 17 and 19. The Medal given to Lord Collingwood, for the Battle fought on the 1st of June 1794,is inscribed, cuthbert collingwood, esquire, captain of h.m.s. the barfleur on the 1st ofjune mdccxciv. the french fleet defeated; and the Medal for the Battle of St. Vincent,CUTHBERT COLLINGWOOD, ESQUIRE, CAPTAIN OF H.M.S. THE EXCELLENT ON THE 14tII OFFebruary MDCcxcvn. the Spanish fleet defeated. These Medals, together with the one con-ferred on Lord Collingwood for the Battle of Trafalgar, are now in the possession of his eldest daughter,the Honourable Mrs. Newnham Collingwood.

P. 22. Anno 1801.— Medals were not given for the attack on Copenhagen on the 2nd April 1801;but the following Letter, which has been lately published in the “ United Service Journal,” (January1841), from Lord Nelson to Captain Samuel Sutton, who commanded the Amazon frigate in thatBattle, shews Nelson’s expectation that Medals would have been conferred, and that he displayed hischaracteristic anxiety that his Companions in Arms should be rewarded:

“ Merton, 22nd November 1801.

“ MY DEAR SUTTON,

“ I have been so much engaged and hurried about no notice being taken by the City ofLondon of our 2nd of April, and by Lord St. Vincent, who in contradiction to what I thought a mostpositive assurance that we were to have Medals, now tells me that he has always thought it improperto recommend the measure to the King. You may judge my feelings: the result you shall know;but I am fixed never to abandon the fair fame of my companions in dangers. I may offend, andsuffer; but I had rather suffer from that than my own feelings. I am not well; and this thing hasfretted me. Remember me kindly to all my friends with you, and believe me ever your most obligedand affectionate Nelson and Bronte.

“ Captain Sutton, Amazon, Deal-”

Pp. 46, 56. Medals given by Mr. Davison to the Officers and Seamen for the Battleof the Nile. —The anecdote related by Mr. Wynn in the House of Commons is also stated in Southey’sLife of Nelson (ed. 1840, p. 165), where Mr. Davison’s generous act is thus mentioned : “ Nelson, inremembrance of an old and uninterrupted friendship, appointed Alexander Davison sole prize agent forthe captured ships : upon which Davison ordered Medals to be struck, in gold, for the Captains; insilver, for the Lieutenants and Warrant Officers; in gilt metal, for Petty Officers; and in copper, forSeamen and Marines. The cost of this act of liberality amounted nearly to £2000. It is worthy ofrecord on another account; for some of the gallant men, who received no other honorary badge of theirconduct on that memorable day, than this copper Medal, from a private individual, years afterwards,when they died upon a foreign station, made it their last request, that the Medals might carefully besent home to their respective friends—so sensible are brave men of honour, in whatever rank they maybe placed.”

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