The extremely rare and unique name late Napoleonic Wars Frigate Action Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, 1 Clasp: Eurotas 25 Feby. 1814, awarded to Landsman William Stanhope, Royal Navy, who was serving aboard the 38 gun frigate Eurotas and was present for the 25 February 1814 engagement with the French 40-gun frigate Clorinde when in the Bay of Biscay and off Brest. In this sanguinary action, the began at five p.m. on the evening of 25 February and lasted on and off through to the following morning, both ships were badly damaged. By 7.30 p.m the Eurotas was totally dismasted and unmanageable with he commander, Captain John Phillimore, severely wounded and command having devolved to Lieutenant Robert Smith. At the same time the Clorinde, with her fore yard only standing, set the remains of her foresail, and her fore stay-sail, and stood away out of gunshot. Smith took the command of the Eurotas, the wreck was cut away, and every exertion made during the night to get up jury masts and keep after the enemy. Soon after six the next morning, the Eurotas with three effective masts, again made sail after the enemy, then about four miles distant, and in the same dismasted state as on the previous evening. At about noon, while evidently gaining on the chase, to the mortification of everyone on board the Eurotas, a British 36-gun frigate and a 16-gun sloop appeared on the horizon, the Dryad and the Achates. The crew of the Eurotas could only watch on as the Dryad and Achates completed the formalities of their hard-fought action. However, upon Captain Galway of the Dryad being offered the sword of the French Captain in surrender, he honourably refused it, observing that it was only due to Captain Philimore. The Eurotas had two Midshipmen and 19 men killed, and her Captain, two officers and 36 men wounded. The Clorinde had 30 killed, and 40 wounded. Lieutenant Robert Smith was promoted to Commander for this action. In all only 32 men claimed the clasp ‘Eurotas 25 Feby. 1814’ to the Naval General Service Medal when it was belatedly issued in 1848, with William Stanhope being a unique name on the medal roll.
Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, 1 Clasp: Eurotas 25 Feby. 1814; (WM. STANHOPE.)
Condition: toned, ligjhtly polished on high points, suspension slightly slack, generally Very Fine.
William Stanhope saw service towards the end of the Napoleonic Wars as a Landsman in the Royal Navy and aboard the 38 gun frigate Eurotas and was present for the 25 February 1814 engagement with the French 40-gun frigate Clorinde when off Brest.
On 25 February 1814, the Eurotas, under Captain John Phillimore, discovered the French 40-gun frigate Clorinde on her way to Brest after a cruise. The British frigate gave chase and, being faster, at five p.m. passed under the stern of the Clorinde and gave her her starboard broadside. Then getting alongside her antagonist, a furious contest of 20 minutes followed, in which the mizzen mast of the Eurotas was shot away, as well as the fore top-mast of the Clorinde. The French frigate then shot ahead, but with the Eurotas luffing up, the ships were again side by side and the action continued with re-doubled ardour. At 20 minutes past six the Eurotas lost her main mast, and about the same time the mizzen mast of the Clorinde came down. Ten minutes later, the foremast of the Eurotas went overboard, which was followed by the fall of the mainmast of her opponent. The British ship was now totally dismasted and unmanageable, and at 7.30 p.m. the Clorinde with her fore yard only standing, set the remains of her foresail, and her fore stay-sail, and stood away out of gunshot. Captain Phillimore having been severely wounded by a grape shot in the shoulder, Lieutenant Robert Smith took the command of the Eurotas, the wreck was cut away, and every exertion made during the night to get up jury masts and keep after the enemy.
Soon after six the next morning, the Eurotas with three effective masts, again made sail after the enemy, then about four miles distant, and in the same dismasted state as on the previous evening. At about noon, while evidently gaining on the chase, to the mortification of everyone on board the Eurotas, a British 36-gun frigate and a 16-gun sloop appeared on the horizon, the Dryad and the Achates. The crew of the Eurotas could only watch on as the Dryad and Achates completed the formalities of their hard-fought action. However, upon Captain Galway of the Dryad being offered the sword of the French Captain in surrender, he honourably refused it, observing that it was only due to Captain Philimore. The Eurotas had two Midshipmen and 19 men killed, and her Captain, two officers and 36 men wounded. The Clorinde had 30 killed, and 40 wounded. Lieutenant Robert Smith was promoted to Commander for this action.
In all only 32 men claimed the clasp ‘Eurotas 25 Feby. 1814’ to the Naval General Service Medal when it was belatedly issued in 1847, with William Stanhope being a unique name on the entire medal roll.
