Minutes of the proceedings at a court-martial, assembled on board His Majesty's ship the Princess royal in Portsmouth harbour, on Monday the first day of December, 1783; And held by adjournment to the 11th day of December, 1783; for the trial of captain Evelyn Sutton, late commander of His Majesty's, ship the isis, upon a charge exhibited against him by captain George Johnstone, late commander-in-chief of a squadron of His Majesty's ships and vessels employed on a particular service. Copied from the minutes transmitted to the Rt. Hon. the lords commissioners of the admiralty, By the deputy judge advocate to the fleet.

FIRST EDITION, [4],62p, old annotations to title, occasional light foxing, bookplate of Charles Sturt to paste down, bookplate of Alington to front free endpaper, manuscript note to pastedown on binding, “June 18th 1785 bound by Samuel Maying, Bridport”, contemporary quarter calf, marbled boards, slightly rubbed, 4to, London, for W. Nicoll, 1784.

AN EXTREMELY SCARCE record of the minutes of the Court-Martial brought against Captain Evelyn Sutton (c.1750-1817) by Captain George Johnstone.

Sutton was the son of Lord Robert Manners-Sutton. He became lieutenant in 1765 and promoted to commander in 1768, a position he retained until 1770. In January 1771 he was appointed Captain of the H.M.S. Preston. Sutton had an exciting career, participating in the American Revolutionary War and capturing the French schooner Juene Nannette in 1777. The following year he completed the fastest voyage to Gibraltar (6 days) on the H.M.S. Prospertine. While in Gibraltar, Sutton was involved in gathering intelligence which played a major part in the despatch of Vice-Admiral Byron’s fleet to North America on the 9th of June. He participated in the Battle of Ushart in 1778 and later took the H.M.S. Isis to St. Helena and the West Indies.

On the 16th April 1781 Captain Sutton commanded the H.M.S. Isis in the Battle of Porto Praya under Commodore George Johnstone. The ship was damaged when the French squadron attacked the British while at anchor, preventing any possibility of pursuit. The following day Johnstone charged Sutton with “delaying and discouraging the public service […] and for disobeying the verbal orders and public signals of the said Captain Johnstone…”, removing him from his command and placing him under arrest. As it was impractical to immediately arrange a court-martial, Sutton was carried to the East Indies under a relaxed confinement. He was brought to trial in December 1783 after his return to England. The court unsurprisingly acquitted him of any misconduct. The following year Sutton brought a civil action against Johnstone and was awarded £6,000 in damages. Although this was subsequently overturned, he had the satisfaction of knowing that his plight was viewed with great sympathy by many of his contemporaries, including a young Captain Horatio Nelson. Where as Johnstone was regarded as an incompetent bully who looked to divert blame for his failures elsewhere.

Provenance: From the library of Charles Sturt (1764 – 1812), acquired the year after he inherited Critchill House from his father. In 1876 Charles Sturt’s grandson was created Lord Alington.

No copy at Auction since 1955.

ESTC:T176085