Beschreibung:

The John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals and Nelson Letters Rear-Admiral David Scott R.N., K.T.S., Master’s Mate of the Unicorn at the capture, in consort with the Santa Margaritta, of two French frigates in June 1796, and afterwards Lieutenant in the Bellerophon at Trafalgar where he was wounded in the head; as First Lieutenant of the Bedford he later escorted the Portuguese Royal Family to Brazil and, in consequence, became ‘the first British subject upon whom the Cross of the Tower and Sword was ever conferred’ Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Unicorn 8 June 1796 [4], Trafalgar [1611] (D. Scott, Lieut.); Military Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight’s badge in gold with hinged loop suspension; together with a related Epaulette for the rank of a Secretary to a Junior Flag Officer, with silver anchor and crown fitments, very good condition for age, one point slightly bent on the second, otherwise good very fine (3) £18000-22000 Footnote Provenance: Spink, November 1999. Unicorn 8 June 1796 [4 issued] - Charles J. Austen, Midshipman (Known); William Dexter Ord (National Maritime Museum but removed from display with suspect clasp); John Green Private R.M.; James Mather Surgeon’s Mate. To this number must now be added David Scott Master’s Mate. Trafalgar [1611 issued] - including 6 officers and 50 men of the Bellerophon. David Scott is confirmed on the published rolls for Trafalgar as a Lieutenant aboard the Bellerophon. His presence aboard the Unicorn is officially confirmed on the ship’s muster roll for the period June 1796 (ADM 36/13195) and he is further confirmed in the New Navy List for 1852 as being in receipt of a Medal with 2 clasps. David Scott entered the Navy as a Volunteer in 1793 and went directly to the West Indies in the Goelan 14, where he served on shore at the reduction of St Domingo, and was ‘severely wounded in the head at Tiburon’. On his return to England in 1794 he was promoted Master's Mate in the Daedalus 32, commanded by Captain Thomas Williams In the early part of 1795 the Daedalus sailed in charge of a convoy of Transports laden with supplies for the Army retreating through Holland. Impeded by wind and ice, two months elapsed before the coast was made, and then, a pilot not being at hand, Mr. Scott was sent in a Hired Cutter with Despatches for the Commander-in-Chief of the Army at Emden. These he succeeded in delivering, although exposed, on his way up the Ems, to a heavy fire from the French at Delfzyl. The pilots whom he brought back with him contriving to run the Frigate aground, Mr. Scott took personal charge of the convoy, conducted it in safety to its destination, and remained for its protection until the Daedalus, nearly a week afterwards, got in. For this service he received the thanks of his Captain and of Sir Home Popham, who at the time was attached to the Army. Unicorn captures La Tribune after a running fight lasting over 10 hours A valued member of his Captain's team, Scott next followed Williams into the Unicorn 32, which on 8 June 1796, when cruising in company with the Santa Margarita 36, Captain T. Byam Martin, off the Isles of Scilly, encountered the French frigates Tamise and Tribune and the corvette Legere. The French ran, the British pursued and after a charge of 14 hours came under a destructive fire from the enemy's stern-chasers. At 4 p.m. the Tamise bore round to engage the Santa Margarita but after only 20 minutes fight was forced to strike her Colours with 32 of her company killed. Seeing the fate of her companion, the Tribune crowded sail to effect her escape from the Unicorn which for the next ten hours engaged her in a running fight. The tenacious Unicorn, however, suffered more severely at first, sustaining much damage in her sails and rigging and at one time being deprived of the use of her main-topsail. Soon after dark the wind fell and Unicorn was able to make good use of her light sails. Little by little she stole up on the Tribune's w