George Eyre

While making his way there he ran into the French fleet on 9 June, the French having sailed from Toulon some days earlier and headed east along the coast. Despite pressing on sail Speedy was overrun and captured.[1][5] Eyre was taken aboard one of the French ships, and later transferred to the flagship of the fleet's commander, Rear-Admiral Pierre Martin. Martin asked him if he had heard of the decree from the National Convention which declared that 'no quarter should be given to either the English or the Hanoverians'.[7] Eyre replied that they had not, on which he was told by Martin that "...I must tell you that it is now un guerre à mort [a war to the death]; and if I had been the first to come alongside of you, I should have instantly sent you to the bottom."[7] At this point the main British fleet was seen approaching, and Eyre was hurried back to the first ship he had been brought onto, and the French hurried into Gourjean roads, taking Speedy and the captured British crew with them.[7]^[a]

Eyre and the crew were landed and marched to Antibes, where they were imprisoned with the crew of a Sardinian frigate that had been captured the day before Speedy. The crew had been imprisoned on Martin's flagship Sans Culotte and had been severely treated, with their captain, Ross, not being allowed to wash or shave.[7] The British were placed in a dungeon at Antibes, with only straw to lie on, awaiting the decision of the authorities.[8] After three weeks in this state, they were marched to Aix-en-Provence and were confined in the prison there.[8] After a month imprisoned in Aix, Maximilien Robespierre fell and the Reign of Terror came to an end. The British were paroled. Eyre and the officers were taken to Romans, in Dauphiné where Eyre remained until May 1795 when he was released in exchange for a French officer.[8] He faced a court-martial for the loss of Speedy, but was honourably acquitted.[8]^[b]

Eyre was next appointed to command the sloop HMS Albacore, before being made post-captain on 6 June 1796 and given command of the 20-gun HMS Prompte.[1][8][9] He went out with Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian to the West Indies and took part in the reduction of Saint Lucia.[1] While there he was appointed by Sir Hyde Parker to command the 44-gun HMS Regulus and carried out a number of cruises, capturing several prizes and winning himself riches and recognition.[8] While cruising off Puerto Rico on 11 July 1798 Eyre located five merchant ships at anchor under a shore battery at Aguada, and decided to attempt to capture or destroy them. The ship's boats were sent in under Lieutenants Good and Holman while Regulus and a prize schooner stood close by to support them. The wind failed however, and neither ship could get near enough to support them, but Lieutenant Good pressed on, and boarded the ships.[8] With no wind he was unable to bring them all out, and so destroyed the two he was unable to sail out. British casualties, despite being under fire for the whole operation, amounted to one man wounded.[8] Eyre returned to Britain in September 1799, transporting Vice-Admiral Richard Rodney Bligh.[8][10]

Lord Cochrane, a later commander of Eyre's first command Speedy. Eyre helped to evacuate his garrison from Rosas.

Eyre was then unemployed for a while, with the exception of a brief period in temporary command of HMS San Josef from 11 February to 18 March 1801, succeeding Thomas Hardy and in turn being succeeded by William Wolseley.[11] He finally received a posting in July 1806 when he was appointed to the 64-gun HMS Ardent, but was soon moved to command the newly built 74-gun HMS Magnificent.[10][12] Magnificent initially served with the Channel Fleet, which was then under Admiral Lord St Vincent, before going out to the Bay of Biscay with Sir Eliab Harvey's squadron.[13] Eyre moved to the Mediterranean in June 1807, coming under Lord Collingwood's orders while stationed off Cadiz.[13] With the Spanish rising on 2 May 1808 and the surrender of the French squadron in Cadiz on 14 June, Collingwood sent Eyre to patrol off Toulon. Shortly afterwards he was sent to Rosas to support the Spanish there, and several days later evacuated Lord Cochrane and his garrison from Fort Trinidad.[13]^[c]

Eyre was next appointed by Lord Collingwood to take command of the squadron in the Adriatic in April 1809, a command that then consisted of three ships of the line and seven or eight frigates.[13] In October 1810 he was sent with Magnificent, HMS Belle Poule and HMS Kingfisher to join Captain John William Spranger's squadron and assist in the capture of Cephalonia, Zante and Cerigo, part of a long running campaign in the Adriatic.[10][12][13] Santa Maura initially remained in French hands, and became a base for small cruisers which were an annoyance to the British forces. Eyre resolved to attack and capture it and together with General John Oswald and troops of the 35th Regiment of Foot made a landing on 22 March 1810.[14] The French withdrew to a citadel, protected by three redoubts, which the British attacked. During the heavy fighting Eyre was hit in the head by a musket ball and knocked to the ground, narrowly avoiding death as three other balls passed through his clothing.[14] Eyre handed over command of the expedition to Captain James Brisbane of HMS Belle Poule while he recovered, and was well enough to resume command on 25 March. The British forced the French to surrender on 16 April, the British casualties being seven dead and 39 wounded.[10][12] Eyre was personally thanked by Admirals Sir George Martin and Sir Charles Cotton, and the Lords of the Admiralty.[15]

With the islands secure Eyre enforced the blockade of Corfu. On 6 February 1811 he encountered an enemy relief convoy bound from Otranto to Corfu, consisting of 25 ships.[15] Eyre captured 22 of them, carrying grain, ordnance and 500 troops.[15] Eyre also stationed several frigates in the northern part of the Adriatic under the command of Captain William Hoste.[15] Hoste went on to win a significant victory over a French squadron under Bernard Dubourdieu at the Battle of Lissa. Eyre spent a total of two years commanding the station, the time spent almost constantly at sea, only briefly putting into port to refit and replenish supplies.[15] He was succeeded in the post by Captain Charles Rowley and went to join the fleet of Toulon. On the occasion of his departure his subordinate, James Brisbane wrote

My dear Commodore, - It is with the sincerest pleasure that I hasten to execute the wishes of my brother officers, of informing you, in the name of all of us who lately served under you in the blockade of Corfu, that we have sent directions to England to have a small piece of plate prepared, which we request your acceptance of, not for its value, but as a testimonial of our high esteem and affectionate regard, and a memorial of the happiness which we experienced while serving under your orders. Ever, my dear commodore, yours, with great regard, most faithfully and sincerely,

— James Brisbane, Belle Poule, Malta, June 1, 1811[15]

The Mediterranean fleet was by now under Sir Edward Pellew, and Eyre was sent to the Spanish coast to support the Spanish forces fighting the French. Eyre was particularly active off the coast of Valencia and evacuated the garrison of Oropesa del Mar, earning the thanks of General Joaquín Blake y Joyes.[15] On being ordered back to England in 1811 Pellew also wrote a private letter of thanks, following on from his earlier declaration that 'I have to express my complete approbation of Captain Eyre's methods, and have much satisfaction of employing the services of that most excellent officer in the aid of the Valencia patriots.'[16] Eyre arrived in England in 1812, his health having been affected by his five years on a foreign station, and requested and received permission to go ashore. As a mark of his services in the Adriatic and off Spain he was knighted by King George III.[12][16] Eyre was appointed a Colonel of Marines on 4 June 1814 and was nominated as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath following the expansion of the order on 12 January 1815.[10][16]