by John Marshall

“ On the 6th April, 1809, Captain Seymour captured le Niemen of 46 guns and 319 men. The enemy had 47 killed and 73 wounded: the Amethyst, of whose crew a Lieutenant and 37 men were absent in prizes, sustained a loss of 8 slain and 37 wounded. In the course of the following month, Captain Seymour was raised to the dignity of a Baronet of Great Britain, as a reward for his gallant conduct in thus adding a second large frigate to the royal navy [3] . ”

“ At length, after acting as Captain of several line-of-battle ships and frigates, our officer obtained the permanent command of the Amethyst, rated at 36, but mounting 42 guns, with a complement of 261 men and boys; in which ship, whilst cruising) near l’Orient, he fell in with, and after a long, sharply contested, and bloody action at close quarters, captured la Thetis, a French frigate of 44 guns and 436 men (including soldiers) ; of whom, according to Captain Seymour’s account, 136. were killed and 102 wounded. The Amethyst had 19 slain and 51 wounded. ”

“ Mr. Seymour left the Ganges in 1783; and from that period was almost constantly employed in different ships till Nov. 1790, when he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, in the Magnificent 74. His next appointment was to the Marlborough, another third rate, in which ship he lost an arm on the memorable 1st June, 1794 [1] . ”