DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0167
LIFE OF LORD CAMELFORD. 143
unmerited disgrace is said to have preyed with such vio-
lence on the spirits of that meritorious officer, as to pre-
cipitate his death, which took place not long afterwards.
Having attained the rank of master and commander,
his Lordship was appointed to the command of his Ma-
jesty’s sloop Favorite. That vessel and the Perdrix were
lying’ in English Harbour, Antigua, on the thirteenth of
January, 1798. At this time Captain Fahie of the Per-
drix, was absent at St. Kitts, and had left his first lieu-
tenant Mr. Peterson in charge of his ship. Lord Camel-
ford, who was consequently the commanding officer at
English Harbour, issued an order, which Mr. Peterson
refused to obey, conceiving that his Lordship had no right
of command over the vessel of a senior officer. The two
ships were hauled alongside each other in the dock-yard
to be repaired, and the companies of each vessel collected
round their respective officers at the commencement of
the altercation. High words ensued ; the lieutenant still
refused to obey, and soon afterwards twelve of the crew
of the Perdrix arrived at the spot armed, whom Mr. Pe-
terson drew up in a line, and placed himself at their head
with his sword drawn. Lord Camelford calling out six
of his armed marines, ranged them in a line opposite
Lieutenant Peterson’s men, at the distance of about four
yards. His Lordship retired, but returned almost in-
stantaneously with a pistol, which he had borrowed from
an officer in the dock-yard, and advancing towards the
lieutenant, asked him whether he still persisted in not
obeying his orders. “Yes, I do persist,” was his reply:
on which Lord Camelford immediately put the pistol to
his breast, and shot him through the body. The unfor-
tunate Peterson fell backward, and neither uttered a
word, nor moved afterwards. After this decisive measure,
the crews retired quietly to their respective ships, and
Lord
unmerited disgrace is said to have preyed with such vio-
lence on the spirits of that meritorious officer, as to pre-
cipitate his death, which took place not long afterwards.
Having attained the rank of master and commander,
his Lordship was appointed to the command of his Ma-
jesty’s sloop Favorite. That vessel and the Perdrix were
lying’ in English Harbour, Antigua, on the thirteenth of
January, 1798. At this time Captain Fahie of the Per-
drix, was absent at St. Kitts, and had left his first lieu-
tenant Mr. Peterson in charge of his ship. Lord Camel-
ford, who was consequently the commanding officer at
English Harbour, issued an order, which Mr. Peterson
refused to obey, conceiving that his Lordship had no right
of command over the vessel of a senior officer. The two
ships were hauled alongside each other in the dock-yard
to be repaired, and the companies of each vessel collected
round their respective officers at the commencement of
the altercation. High words ensued ; the lieutenant still
refused to obey, and soon afterwards twelve of the crew
of the Perdrix arrived at the spot armed, whom Mr. Pe-
terson drew up in a line, and placed himself at their head
with his sword drawn. Lord Camelford calling out six
of his armed marines, ranged them in a line opposite
Lieutenant Peterson’s men, at the distance of about four
yards. His Lordship retired, but returned almost in-
stantaneously with a pistol, which he had borrowed from
an officer in the dock-yard, and advancing towards the
lieutenant, asked him whether he still persisted in not
obeying his orders. “Yes, I do persist,” was his reply:
on which Lord Camelford immediately put the pistol to
his breast, and shot him through the body. The unfor-
tunate Peterson fell backward, and neither uttered a
word, nor moved afterwards. After this decisive measure,
the crews retired quietly to their respective ships, and
Lord