from doing so, through the unfeeling conduct of Captain Anthony Wilkinson, who shortly afterwards perished in the Ville de Paris.
The removals consequent upon the glorious victory over De Grasse had placed Captain Buckner in the Royal Oak 71; and Captain Wilkinson succeeded him in the command of the Prothée. On the arrival of the fleet and prizes at Port Royal, it was found difficult to obtain a lodging for Mr. Love; but his son at length succeeded in finding one, and remained (longer than he had obtained permission to do) in attendance upon him. A few hours previous to the Russell’s departure for England, the youth was desired by Captain Buckner to apply for his discharge into her, and at the same time to request that one of the Prothée’s boats might be sent to remove his wounded parent from the shore; instead, however, of obtaining either the one or the other, he received a severe reprimand for being so long absent; the unfeeling officer at the same time saying, “because a man is wounded, it is no reason that others should run from ship to ship!”
Under such distressing circumstances, Mr. William Love took French leave, got back to his anxious father the same evening, hired a canoe, and brought him alongside the Russell just before she got under way. On his being hoisted in, some one observed; “what is the use of bringing a dying man here?” to which the wounded officer himself replied, “worth a hundred dead men yet.”
On being told of the clandestine manner in which Mr. William Love, prompted by filial affection, had quitted the Prothée, Captain Saumarez desired him not to be uneasy, as he should rate him midshipman, and assign him no other duty than that of attending upon his father. The benevolent captain then enquired what Mr. Love usually had for his dinner, and ordered his steward to take care that he was furnished with the same daily. Through the kindness of that most amiable officer, and the care and attention of others on board the Russell, Mr. Love was able to appear with crutches before he reached England, although obliged to undergo a second amputation. Both he and his wife died at Chertsey,
