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THE NAVAL HISTORY 
GREAT BRITAIN. 



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ADMIRAL. hORD DK S A T M A R K 7. . 



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NAVAL HISTORY 
GREAT BRITAIN, 

DECLARATION OF WAR BY FRANCE IN 1793, 
TO THE ACCESSION OF GEORGE IV. 

BY WILLIAM JAMES. 

A NEW EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS AND NOTES, 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE BURMESE WAR AND THE BATTLE 
OF NAVARINO, 

BY CAPTAIN CHAMIER, R.N. 



IN SIX VOLUMES. 
VOL. III. 

LONDON: 

RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 

pabltibcr in Octiiutp to |)ts fiU\tttf. 

1837. 

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CONTENTS. 



1800. 

BunsH AMD Fbxkch plbits, 1 — State of the Britigh navy, ibid. — Buona- 
paile'a negotiation for peace, 4 — Expedition lo the Morbihan, S — Lord Keith 
ID the MedileiTBnesn, 6 — Lost of the Quecn-Chorlotle by fire, ibiil. — Siege 
andbombordnient of Genoa, 9 — Cutting out ibe Prima giDey, 11— Surrender 
of Genoa, 12-M!^nTenLon between Francs and Austria, IS — Blockade of 
Malta, 15— Surrender of Malta, 20— Treaty of EUArich, ai— Death of 
Geneial Kl^ber, 2A — BanisB and Sfamss fleets, 35 — General Fulteney 
at Feirol, ibid. — Liqht bqoadhonb and binolk ships, 27 — Constellaiion 
and Veogeaace, ibid. — Capture of the E^Has, 31 — N^rgide with Bellone and 
ccoMorti, 33 — Mutiny on board, and loss of, the Daua^, 34 — Capture of the 
Ligurienne, 35 — Peterel and a Turkish 80-gun ship aground, 36 — Capture of 
the Carmen and Florentina,3a — Boat* of Calypso offTiburon, ibid. — I^kand 
French privateer, 3C) — Boat-attacks at St.-Croix, ibid. — Sameat Quiinper,40 
— Same at Noirrooutier, ibid.— Cutting out the D^irfe, 42 — Capture of the 
Concorde and Mfd^e, 45 — Seine and Vengeance, 46— Capture o'the Guepe, 
50 — Captain HiUyar at Barcelona, ibid.^Rover and Santa-Rilla, S2 — Gipsy 
aod Quidproquo, ibid. — Kent and Confiance, 53 — Boston and Berceau, Jl — . 
lieutenant Beanfbtt at Fuengirola, 55 — Milbrook and Bellone, 5G — Netley 
and San-Miguel, 58 — Deilruction of tlie lUolaise, ibid. — Lieutenant Argles 
in Quiberon bay, 59 — Capture of the Admiral-Pasley, ibid. — Colonial 
BXTBDiTioNB, ibid. — SutTendcr of Cnrafoa, 60 — Lieutenant Filton at 
Cqiafoajfii: 

1801. 

State ot thi Butuh wavy, 63 — British and Danish fleets, 63 — Northern 
coofederacyasauut England, ibid. — Attack upon the Freya, ibid. — Hostility 
of RoMiB aod onned neutrality, 64 — Naral force of Russia, &c. 66 — Arriral 
of Sir Hyde Parker in the Sound, ibid. — Lord Nelson at Copenhagen, 60 — 
Armistice with Denmark, 81 — BanisB akd Swedtbb fleets, Ibid.-^Nego- 
tiation with Sweden, ibid. — Anecdote of Lord Nelson, ibid. — BamaH ANn 
RcrssiA!! nsBTS, 63 — Recal of Sir Hyde Parker, ibid. — Lord Nelson at 
KaTe),ibid. — His departure from the Baltic, 83 — Arrival and departure of 
Vice^dmiial Pole, ibid. — Beitibb Attn Fsencb fleets, ibid. — Invasion- 
flotilla,84 — Boats of Jamaica, &c. at St-Valeiy, 86 — Buonaparte's attempts 
to relieve hii Egyptian army, 87 — Escape of Admiral Ganteaume from Bmt, 
88— ConcordQ UM BraTouie, ibid. — CiuiH of Admiral Ganteanme, S^—His 
TOL. Ill, b 



VI CONTENTS. 

(ucccuM in the MediterTtmean, 90 — Captnre of Succeu and Sprightlj', ibid. 
^^uadrons in search of M, Ganteaume, 91 — Pursuit of M. Ganleaume by 
Sit John Warren, 93 — Capture of the Swifisure, 94— Sieee of Porto- Ferrajo, 
QS — CaptoreofCarifere, 96 — Recapture of Sacceai, 97^DestrucUDn of Unt- 
Toure, ibid. — British expedition lo Egypt, 9B^Death of General Abercromhy, 
103-~-CapIute of Suez, 107— Capture of Marabou and Alexandria, 108 — 
Also of Egyptienne, It^g^ner^, &c., 109 — Bbitibh and Fb an co-Spanish 
rLEEfa, 111^-SaIe of Spaoish ships to France, ibid. — Sailing of M. Linois 
fiom Toulon, 1 ii — Sir James Saumarei at Algeziras, 113 — Sailing of Spanish 
squadron from Cadiz, 123 — Its arriTal at Algeiiras, 12* — Sailing of Brilish 
squadron fram Uihraltat, las — Sir Jaraes Saumarez in the i(ut of Gibraltar, 
ii7 — ^LioHT 8QU4DBOMB AND siNOLB BHIFI, 133— Melpom^iie and S(n&. 
gal, ibid. — Mercury's boats, 133 — Capture of the Sans- Parei lie, ibid. — Boats 
of Cyane at Guadaloupe, ibid. — Capture of Eclair, 134 — Abeigavenny's 
render and Santa-Maria, ISA — Capture of the D^daigneusc, 1 36 — Bord«lais 
with Curieux and consorts, 137 — Penguin and French corretle, 1313 — Phcebe 
and A&icaine, 139 — Boats of Andromicha at Levita, 143 — Boats of Trent 
at Brehat, ibid. — Sibylle and ChifTonDC, 143— Speedy and Gamo, 14S— 
Kangaroo and Speedy nl Profaso, 146 — Boats of Mercury at Ancona, 147 — 
Boat* of same and Corso at Tremili, ibid.— Cutting out the ChevrettF, 149 — 
Capture of the InventioD, 1£3 — Boats of Atalinte in Quiberon bay, ibid. — 
Victor and Fiecbe, 153 — Sylph and French ft igale, ISS — Boats or Lark at 
Cuba, 1S8 — Pasley and Spanish lebec of war, ibid. — Same and Vergen>deU 
Hosario, 156 — Colonial sxmditiohs. West Ikdhs, ibid. — Capture of 
Sl.-BaTtfaolainei*, St.-Marlin, St.-Thomas, St.-John, Santa-Crui, St.>F.ustBtia, 
and Saba, ibid. — CoASt or Atuca, 160 — Capture of Madeira, and peace 
bMweaa Fiance and Portugal, ibid. — East Indibb, ibid. — Surrender o/ Ter- 
tuttt, lie. ibid. — Peace between England and France, ibid. — Treaty of 
Amieni, 101— Colonial raitoiatioo), ibid. — Noara AmucA, ibid^— West 
Indiai, l«8—Coait of Africa, ibid.— East Indies, iUd. 

1802. 

9tATl OF 9BG BUTHB NATT, 103— Seriew of kiiDnal abstracU, 1M— 
AUBBiCA ASD tBe BaUabt SfATEs, 166 — TIrt George- Washington at 
Algiers, 167— War wiili Tripoli, 168 — Foavcs ahd Sr.>poic»oo, 170— 
French expedititm to Sl.-Domingo, ibid .—Buonaparte and Touasalnt-LouTer- 
ture, 171 — Imprisoomeot and death of Toussaint, 173— Death of Gencial 
Lederc, 173. 



RiXBWAL OP VAK, 174— BuTiSB AND French rLEETt, ibid. — Siat« of British 
UTy, ibid. — KinKofEngJbnd'i message lo parliament, 175 — Warlike prepo- 
ntions on both sioes, ibid. — General Dceaen^s mission lo India, 176 — Admiral 
CwDmllif off Brest, 177 — iDvasion-flotilla, 17B — Capture of Jnaboidable 
and Commode, 17»— Boatl of Uydia naoi Harre, ibid. — Bombardment of 
Dieppe, St.- V^iny CD Caus, and GittDville, ibid. — Also of Calais, 180— Leda 
off Calais and Boulogne, 181— Lieutenant Sbippard off Boulogne, ibid.— Sir 
Richaid Bieboioo in tlte Mediterraoon, 182— Lord Nelson off Toulon, ibid. 
~ Fnoch foice there, ibid. — BacaptuicofAmbutcadet IB3— Newlj discovered 
WKhorage by Captain Rytres, 1B4 — LioBt BqCADBOMi and ontoLE SHin, 185 
— Capture of Aim»teur,ibid. — ^Alsoof FianchiseaDd BacGbante, 186 — Boats 
ofLou«ttIiteBaa,le7— CaptUMof Mignonncibid.— tiercule and Pour, 
•ninnla, 188 — Capture and loet of Crtele, ibid.— Capture of MiDene,180 — 
Boala of Naiad at the Sainttl, 191— Elephant and Duguay-Trouin, 193 — 
Boadicet and same, 193— CuUoden with Duguay'Trouin and Guerh^, ibid. 
— Bacoaa and Lodi, Ifti— Same and Mntlna, 1B5 — Same and Petit»-f tUe, 



CONTENTS. vii 

it»d.— Tbe LoTd-Nelwn &nd Ballcine, 19S— Seagull tad Lord-Nelion, ibid. 
— DmI of ShMntMi in Bri>st bay, 19T— Prineesi-AogtBta ffilh Union anil 
Wraak, 199 — Boau of Atalante off Pennerf, ibid. — Boali of Osprej at 
TriDJdwi, 300— Boats of Merlin ■nd;Mllbn>o1c off Calais, ibid.— Boal* of 
Blanche in Mancenille bay, 201 — Lieutenant Nicolls and ihe Albion, ibid. — 
Mr, Smilb and French tchooDer, 204 — Mr. a'Couft and French schooner, 
ibid, — BoBti of Bleaheim and Drake at Martinique, ZOS — Lois of the 
Shannon, 306— Boat* of Merlin at Tatihou, ibid. — Colonial EXPEDtTtoxs, 
West Indies, ibid.— Capture of Sainte-Lude, 307 — Also of Tobago, 
Demera», Esiequibo, and Berbice, ibid.— Commodore Loriiig at Si.- 
Domingo, SOB— CaptDta of the Surveillanle, ibid. — Lietitenant tV'illnuahby 
■nd Ihe Clorinde, ibid. — Capture of Clorinde, 209 — Evacuation of Cape 
Nicalai Mole, 210 — BiST Ihdiu, ibid,— M. Linois at PondichRiry, 311 — 
Admirals Rainier aod Linois, fil2 — M. Linois at Bencoolen, Sellatur, and 
BatKTi&, 313. 

1804. 

\ of the Britiih nav^, i 

1 tor inrading England, 215 — Admiral Corawallis off B-„., _.. 

Buonaparte's natal regulations, ibid. — He is made Emperor of Fiance, 317 
— Rear-admiral Graves and French squadron, ibid. — Force in Brest, ibid.< — 
Planofopemiiona for Brest fleet, ibid .—I iifasion- flotilla, 316— Description 
of prames, &c, ibid. — Defeniive preparatioos in England, 319 — Capture of 
Jeune-Isabelle, 219— Also of Vincejo, S30 — Cruiser and Rattler off Boulogne, 
223 — GuD-bri^ and French prames, S97 — Bombardment of Havre, ibid. — 
CommodoTe Ui*en and Boulc^e flollIU, ibid. — Bruiser olf Boulogne, 329 — 
Archer and Bloodhound off Cape Grinez, ibid. — Immortality off Boulogne, 
230~Catamaran expedition, S3 1— Captain Henniker off Grosnei, 23i-^ 
Captain Hancock off Oileode, ibid. — Catamarinsat Calais, 235 — Lord Nelson 
offTouloD, ibid.— Rear^miial Campbell and Toulon (hipi, 23T — Amaton 
and Fhtebe and Poiquerotles, ibid. — Lord NeUoa and M. J-a Touche- 
Ti^Tille, 336 — Intended cruiie of latter, 339 — ^Also of Admiral Villeneuve, 
341 — DirectioDi to Lord Nelson regarding Spain, 34a — Lioht squ&dhohs 
AMD sikoIpE ships, ibid. — Commodore Hoodi and the Diamond-rock, 343 — 
Cnttii^ out the Curieux, 3M— Eclair and Grande-DMd^ 346— Boat 
of Eclair at Guadaloupe, ibid. — Commodore Dance and Admiral Linois, 
848 — Lieutenants Cumpston and Kiiig at Trinity, Martinique, 353 — 
Lieutenant Furber at St-Pietre, ibid. — Capture of Moiambique, SS3 — The 



Blonde, S56— Loss of the Apollo, 25S — Cutting out the Atalante, 261— 
Swift and Esp^rance, 263 — Wilbelmina and Psych^, ibid. — Hippomenes and 
Buonaparte, 2SS — Boats of Narcissus, &c. at La Vandour, 370— Destruction 
of Charente and Joie, S71 — Lilly and Dame-Ambert, ibid. — Tartar and 
Hitondelle, 272- Boats of Galatea at the Sainlei, 873— Capture of the 
Blonde, 276 — Centurion with Marengo and consorts, ibid. — Capture of 
Spanish treasure ships, SBl — Colonial eipeoitioms. West Inoiei, 263 — . 
Captain Tucker and the fiscal of Cura^oa, ibid. — Captain Bligh at Cuin9oa, 
284 — Capture of Surinam, 289— Coast of Africa, 390 — Capture and re- 
capture of Goiif, 291— Ahebica and the Babiabt states, ibid. — 
War widi Tripoli, 302 — Capture of ihe Philadelphia, 394 — Bombaidment 
oflMpoli, ibid. — Peace betweoi America aod Tripoli, 295. 



BarmH and Fibitcr flists, 996 — State of the British navy, ibid.— IVeaty. 
between France and Spain, 297— Admiiol ConmUis off Uahant, 39B — Loid 



Gardner off Brest, S99 — Lord Gardner and M, Ganteanme,ib)d. — Napoleon's 
plan of opieTBlions for hii fleet, ibid.— Admiral Comnallw and M.Ganteauine, 
301— Eicape uf a strong division of Brest fleet, 305— InrBsion-flotilla, ibid. 
—Captain Honyman off Ostende, 306— Captain A dato off Ficamn, 307- 
Lieutenant Garrety off Granville, 308— Suticnder of Plumper, ibid. — Can- 
tain King off Dnnkerque, 309— Captain Digby off Calais, 310— CapUin 
Owen off Vimeieux, 311 — Full stRngth of invasion-flotilla 315 — Heviewby 
Hapol^n of his army embarking, 310 — Buonaparte's real plan in arming the 
flotilla, 318 — H'a measures on bearing of Sir Robert Calder's action, 320— 
Bbitish ano Fkancd-Spanibh n.HETB, 3S8 — Subserviency of Spain to 
Buonaparte, ibid. — Foree.under Lord Nelson ofTToulon, ibid. — Sailing of M. 
Villeneuve from Toulon, 323 — Sailing of Lord Nelson in chase, ibid. — Sea- 
hcH^e and Com^lie, 324 — Ph<zbe and Inilomplable, ibid. — Lord Nelsoo'i 
arrival in Egypt, 325 — Return of French fleet to Toulon, ibid. — Departure of 
M. Villeneuve a second time from Toulon, 327 — Lord Nelson's second chase 
of him, 328 — Learns that M. Villeneuve has passed the Stiaits, 339--Jonc- 
lion of Admirals Villeneuve and Gravina, and departure from Cadii, 330 — - 
liieir anival at Martinique, 331 — Forged despatcn in the Moniteur, ibid.— 
Departure of Lord Nelson from Gibraltar, 332 — Anchors in Jjigos bay, ibid. 
— Departure for West Indies, 334 — Fruitless voy^e to Trinidad, ibid, — 
Returns to Europe, ibid. — Napoleon s ignorance of Lord Nelson's movemeols, 
335 — F,ipedition to retake the Diamond rock, 336 — Its recapture, ibid. — 
Design of Buonaparte in the West Indies, 337 — Departure of cotnbined fleet 
from Martinique, 338 — Captureof a British convoy, ibid. — Successful luseof 
Captain Cribb, 339— Admiral Villeneuve off Cape Finisterre, 340 — Lord 
Nelson at Gibiallar, ibid. — Anecdote of hitn, 341 — Lord Nelson at Spithead, 



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NAVAL HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. 

A BBFBRBKCB to the abstract of the British navy, drawn up 
for the commencement of the year 1800, will show a alight 
decrease in the number of line-of-battle ships.* This partly 
arises from the removal, by the pair of" Converted" columns, of 
four 64-gun ships to an under-line class. A similar cause ex- 
plains the decrease in the total of " Cruisers ;" from which, 26 
of the 27 converted ships have been withdrawn, in order, as may 
Ik inferred &om the denominaUon of the classes, to serve for the 
conveyance of troops in the several expeditions of the preceding 
and present years. On the other band, notwithstanding that 
decrease, the total of commissioned cruisers remains the same as 
in the last abstract, and the grand total of the navy shows an 
increase of 36 vessels. 

This is the first year since the war commenced, in which the 
** Launched" and " Purchased" columns appear vacant of line- 
of battle ships; and the whole six acquired by the " Captured" 
column, were of little comparative value. The few ships and 
Tessels in the " Ordered" column, are accounted for by the aug- 
mented numbers in the successive annual prize-columns, as well 
as by the number of fine fihipf which had been ordered and 
launched in the preceding years of the war, particularly in 
1796, 7, and 8. 

The numerical amount of vessels, added to the navy of 
&igland by captures made from the respective navies of the 

* See Appendix, Annual Abstract No. 8. 



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2 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. 1800. 

powers at war with her, is greater in this than in any preceding 
year;* but some of the other 3reaTs, the last eepecially, show, by 
the " Tons," that those years greatly exceeded the present in the 
real quantum of strength acquired. The wrecked cases still 
continue to comprise nearly the whole annual loss sustained 
by the British navy : the three captured vessels, indeed, did 
not exceed a small sloop of war in their united totmage-i' 

The year 1797, as we formerly stated, gave the 32-pouD(]er 
carronade, for a quarterdeck and forecastle gun, to line-of-battle 
ships in general;! and, to complete the triumph of General 
Melville's piece of ordnance, the year 1799 saw the carronade 
established, in a similar manner, throughout the different classes 
of firigates. On the Slst of May in that year, ui^ed by the cap- 
taina of moat of the frigates that were nttiw, the navy-Jxmd 
obtained an admiralty order to arm them all, 17 in number, with 
carronades,^ chiefly 32-pouDders, on the quarterdeck and fore- 
castle, except in the pair of ports on each of those decks which 
opened against, or in the wake of, the rigging. Towards the 
end of the year, namely on the 12th of December, the order for 
carronades was extended to frigates in general, and made to in- 
clude all the ports on the quarterdeck uid forecastle, except the 
two foremast ones. The reason of ttie exception is clear: long 
guns, at any elevation to be given them through port-holes, car- 
rying farther than carronades, two of them nould be useful as 
bow, or, if shifted, as stem chasers. 

The order in question, and one we have to notice in tiie ensu- 
ing year, completed the demolition of the rating system, or that 
system of classification founded upon the number of long guns 
only mounted by the respective ships. || As tlie 74, by the sub- 
traction of 12 of her 18 umg nines, to make room for the same 
number of carronades, had, in strictness, been reduced to a 62- 

• See Appendir, Nm. 1, 2, *, and 4. 

+ See Appeodiz, No. 5. 

i See Tof. iL, p. 106. 

§ The number of ouTontide*, which the oidnBnce-board was directed im- 
mediately to supply, were one hundred sad sixty-six 3S-poundera and forty- 
two Sl-ponndeis. The irigatca for whidi the former were ordered, were at- 

40 (Y)LaTiiiia . , . building 16, with 4 ivne^ making 50 guns. 



f . . Active . . . fitting, 1 

ooj •■ Boadicia .. „ I ,. 

n ••!-«>« •■•• - 1 

L . . Huaw . . . „ J 

f (J) Jason .... „ 1 . 
„ Immortality „ 

J6^(C) Aigle building Ui 



ditto 



36^ (C) Aigle . 

„ ApoUo . . . „ I 

L(i))D*cade. .. „ J 
lliia makes but 142 out of one hundred and eixty-six S2-poun<lere : tl>e r#- 
maioing 24 had been ordered for two prize fn^tes (12 each) wh^ were 
afterwards found on survq', not worth fitting out. t 

Ij See vol. i, p. 87. 

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1800. STATE OP THE BRITISH NAVY. 3 

gun ehlp ; so tbe 38, 36, and 32 eun frigates were now, accord- 
n^ to tbe same rigid rule, reduced to frigates of 30 and 28 guns, 
being two guns more than they each moimted upon their main 
decu : whereas the total number of guns, established upon the 
three latter clasees respectively, were, at the least, 46, 44, and 
40. It was this that threw such confusion into the Steel's lists of 
ihose days ; some of tjie frigates having their carronadee enu- 
merated, others not, as information happened to reach tbe pal>- 
lisfaer. 

The number of commissioned officers and masters, belonging 
to tlie British navy at the commeocement of the year 1800, was. 

Admirals 38 

Vice-admirals ..... 41 

Rear-admirals 47 

„ superannuated 31 

Post-captauiB 615 

„ superannuated 19 

Commanders, or sloop-captains . 3d4 

Lieutenants 2091 

„ superannuated 60* 

Masters 527 

and the nnmber of seamen and marines voted for the service of 
tbe same year, was, for the first two mouths, 120,000, and for 
the remaininglO months llO.OOO.f 

We left General Buonaparte on the 9th of October, 1799, 
ist landed at Fr^jus, from the French frigate Carr^re, in which 
le had escaped from Egypt. He hastened to Paris, and, both 
on his journey to, and on hie arrival at, the French capital, was 
most enthusiastically received by all ranks- Havii^ a powerful 
■nny to second him in any thing he might undertake, Buona- 
parte, on the lOth of November, at the head of his soldiers, dis- 
wdved the executive directory, and on the next day changed 
the government to a consulate, composed of three members, 
R(^r-Ducos, himself, and Sieyes. Early in December the 
plan of the new constitution was settled, and Buonaparte ma- 
naged to oust Koger-Ducos, and Sieyes, and get himself ap- 
E'nted chief consul, having as his coadjutors, Cambac6r^ and 
brun. 

One of the first measures of the new government of France 
was, to attempt theroiovationof tbenavy. The consulate issued 
Kverul state-papers on the occasion ; enjoining, among other 
importaot regulations, the exercise of the men in great guns and 
small arms, and of the ships in inanceitvring. Even swimmit^ 
was included among the exercises ordered. The number of offi- 
cers was fixed to bne as follows : 

Vic^^miraui 8 1 Capitaines de frigate . . 180 

Contre-amiraux .... 16 Lieutenants de vaiaseau . 400 
CapitaiDCS de vaisseau . , 150 | Enaeignes de vaisseau . . 600 

* WiththeinAof coranuuiden. t See Appendix, No. 6. 

b2 .C^ooglc 



t 



4 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETI-S. 1800. 

As the beat means of carrying into effect these new regula- 
lione, a board of admiralty was appointed, resembling tluLt of 
England as nearly as national customs and prejudices would 
admit. One of tne state-papers, published on this occasion, 
represented the French navy to consist of 48 sail of the line at 
sea and in the different ports ofFraDce,and 13 building, of which 
eight were nearly ready for launching, and 42 ship end brig cor- 
rettes. Tlie gun-brigs and smaller vessels, down to 177 flat- 
bottomed boats, constructed for the descent on England, were 
stated to amount to 243, making a grand total of 398 ships and 
Tessels. A very large proportion of this total, consisting of non- 
cruising .and insignificant vessels, may fairly enough be com- 
pared with the largest total, 757, in the abstract of the British 
navy for the commencement of the present year. 

Among the first diplomatic acts of Buonaparte at his assump- 
tion of the chief-consulship was a letter, dated the 25th of 
December, 1799, addressed to the King of England, containing 
proposals for a general peace.* To this letter Lord Grenville 
replied, stating the terms to be inadmissible ; and the negotiation 
was broken off. It was considered to be merely a plan of the 
subtle chief to induce England to grant an armistice by sea, of 
which immediate advantage was to be taken, in the transit of 
troops and the entry of convoys with provisions and naval 
stores. 

At the commencement of the present year the British Channel 
fleet, composed of 28 sail of the line, under Admiral Sir Alan 
Gardner in the Royal-Sovereign, cruised off the port of Brest, 
blockading the combined French and Spanish fleet, composed, 
as already mentioned, of 45 sail of the line. 

On the 9th of March the 64-gun ship Repulse, Captain 
James Alms, having been detached by Sir Alan Gardner to 
cruise off the Pwimarcks, for the purpose of intercepting some 
provision- vessels expected at Brest, experienced a violent gale of 
wind ; in the height of which Captam Alms, by the rolling of 
the ship, was thrown down the companion-ladder, and so seriously 
injured as to be incapable of doing any further duty on deck. 
For two or three days previous the weather had been so thick 
as to render it impracticable to take an observation; and on the 
lOtb, at about 10 p. m,, the Repulse, then going about six knots 
an hour, struck on a sunken rock, supposed to be the Mace, 
about 25 leagues south-west of Ushant. After beating on the 
rock for nearly three quarters of an hour, during which the 
water rushed in so fast that the lower deck was flooded, the 
Hepulse got off, and, by great exertions, was kept afloat lonff 
enough to be able to approach and run aground upon the Frea<m 
coast, near Quimper. 

On the Itth, at 10 h. 30m., a.m.. Captain Alms, and his 

* For K copy of the ori^nal letter, see Appendix, No. 7. 

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1800. EXPEDITION TO THE MORBIHAN. 6 

ship's cconpany, quitted the Repulse, then etranded, and made 
good tbeir landing on ooe of the Gl^oan islands, situated about 
two miles from the continent. From this island the British 
officera and crew were sent as prisoners to Quimper, except the 
fiist lieutenant, John Carpenter Rothery, the master, Geoi^e 
FiDD> two midshipmen, and eight seamen ; who got into the 
,Iai]ge cutter, and, on the fourth day, after experiencing much 
bad weather and being neavly lost, reached the island of 
Guernsey. 

In a few months afterwards, on his return home, Captaia 
Alms, his officers, and crew, were tried by a court-martial for 
the loss of the Repulse. The first lieutenant and master were 
dismissed the ser?ice, and declared incapable of serving again, 
for having disobeyed the orders of the captain, who, as already 
stated, was incapacitated from active duty by a serious ac- 
cident: the captain and remainder of the crew were honourably 
acquitted. 

In the latter end of March Lord Bridport resumed the com- 
mand of the Channel fleet off Brest, bringing with him 17 sail, 
making, when Sir Alan Gardner had gone home with seven 
ships to refit, a fleet of 38 sail of the line. On the 24th of April, 
however. Lord Bridport resigned the command of the Chanad 
fleet then in port, and Admiral Sir Alan Gardner sailed vnth it 
oa a cruise. Two days afterwards Admiral Earl SL-Vincent 
hoisted bis flag on board the 90-gua ship Namur at Spitbead, 
as the commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet, and soon after- 
wards joined it off Brest. 

Od the 1st of June, Earl St-Vincent detached Captain Sir 
Edward Pellew, with the Impetueux and six other 74s, also 
five frigates, one sloop, and five troop-shipa, having on board 
about 5000 troops including 200 artillery, commanded by 
Major-general Maitland, for the purpose once more of rendering 
assistance to the Chouans, and other royalists in Quiberon bay 
and the Morbihan. On the 2d the squadron anchored in the 
bay ; and on the 4th the 32-gun frigate Thames, Captain 
William Lukin, l&^un sbip-sloop Cynthia, Captain Micajah 
Malbon, and some small-craft, attacked the south-west end of 
Quiberon, and silenced the forts, which were afterwards de- 
stroyed by a party of troops, landed under Major Ramsay. 
Several vessels are represented to have been brought off, and 
Bome scuttled, with the loss of only two men killed and one 
-wounded on board the Cynthia. 

On the 6th, before daybreak, about 300 men of the Queen's 
regiment landed in the Morbihan, covered and sustained by a 
division of amall-craft and gun-launches under Lieutenant John 
Pilfold, first of the Imp6tueuz. This united force brought off 
two brigs, two sloops, two gun-vessels, and about 100 prisoners. 
The F^nch l&^un brig fn&olente and several smaller vessels 
■men bonit, the guns of the fort destroyed, vid the magazine 



6 BHITISH AND TREIfCH FLEETS. — CHAHHEL. 1800. 

Mown vp ; all with the loss of mly one seaman killed ia the 
lioats, and some slight hurts. A descent upon Belle-Isle .was 
intended to be the nest operation ; but, intelligence being i»> 
ceived that the force on the island amounted to 7000 meo, the 
enterprise was abandoned as impracticable. The British troops 
then landed and encamped aooa the small island of Hooal^ 
situated about two leagues to tne south-east of Quiberon p«nt ; 
whence they subsequently re-»nbarked, and proceeded tor the 
Mediterranean. 

Before we quit the neighbourhood of the Channel and bay of 
Biscay for the Mediterranean, we have to notice the loss of a 
second British ship of the line, off the coast of France. On the 
4th of November, in the night, while the British 74-gun ships 
Captain, Captain Sir Richani John Stracbon, and Marlimrongii, 
Captain Thomas Sotheby, were cruising in company between 
die islands of Groix and BeU^Isle, the latter ship struck on the 
Bividaux or Berradeux shoal. Here the Marlborough hung fat 
several hours ; but, by the great exertions of her officers and 
crew in throwing overboard a part of her guns and the whole of 
ber heavy stores, the ship got off. The Marlborough, however, 
had received so much damage that, even after all her masts had 
been cut away and the remainder of her guns thrown ovef- 
board, the quantity of water she made obliged the officers and 
crews to leave her to her &te. The Captam, and a Danish brig 
which had just joined, received the whole of them ; and shortly 
afterwards the Mariborough sank at her anchors. Under these 
circumstances no blame could attach to ber captain, his officers, 
or ship's company, and a court-marUal pronounced their full 
acquittal. 

There being no longer a French fleet to watch in the port of 
Toulon, Vice-«dmiral Lord Keith and his cruisers were principally 
employed in blockading the island of Malta, and in c«-openiting 
with the Austrians in their efforts to expel the French from 
Piedmont and Tuscany. On the 16th of March' Lord Kath, 
having, with Lieutenant John Stewart and four other persons, 
landed at Leghorn from his flag-ship the Queen-Charlotte, 
ordered Captain Todd to get under way, and proceed to recon- ' 
noitre the island ofCapiuia, distant about 36 miles from Leghorn, 
ttnd then io the possession of the French ; and which island 
there was some intentiui of attacking. On the succeeding 
morning, the 17th, when only three or four leagues from Leghorn 
on her way to Caprma, the Queen-Charlotte was discovered ts 
be on fire. Every assistance was immediately forwarded from 
the shore ; but a great many boats were deterred from ap- 
proaching the ship, in consequence of the firing of the guns, 
which were shotted, and which, when heated by the fire, du- 
charged their contents in all directions. 

Among the survivors on this melancholy occasion, was the 
carpenter, Mr. John Baiid. His account is as follows : " Ai 



18O0. LOSS OF THE QUEEK-CHABLOTTE BT TIBE. 7 

■bout 20 minates after six o'clock in the moming, as I was 
intfag myt^, I heard througbout the ^p a general cry of 
JSrt ! I immediately ran up the fore-tadder to eet upoo deck, 
and found the whole halF-deck, the froirt bulk-bead of the 
atfaBiral's cstun, the coat of the mainmBSt, and t^ boats' eover- 
ii^ on tbe booms, all in flames ; which, from erery report and 
Vsobabili^, I (q)ptehend was occasicHied by some hay, that was 
lying under dte balMeck, haviag heeu set on fire by a match in 
« tab, which was naaally kept there for signal gans. The 
aninsail at this time was set, and almost itutantly caught fire, 
die peofde not being able, on account of the flaotes, to come to 
tbe cloe-ganets. 

" I immediately went to the forecastle, and found Lieatemml 
4the Honooiable George Heneage Lawrence) Dundas and the 
boatswwn encouiaging the people to get water to extinguish the 
fira. 1 applied to Mr. Dnndas, seeing no other officer in the 
fiirepart of the ship (and being unable to see any on the (juarter- 
4ecK from tbe flames and smoke between them), to give me 
Msistance to drown the lower decks, and Becure the hatches, to 
pcevent the fire firora Mling down. lieutenant Dundas accord- 
B^y went down himself^ with as many people as he could 
fmrail inran to follow him; and the loiverdeck ports were 
opened, the scuppers plugged, the fore and main liAtches s»- 
cored, the cocks turned, water drawn in at tbe ports, and the 
pumps kept going by the people who came down, as long as 
tfaey could stand at them. Owing to these exertions, I think 
tbe lower deck was kept free from fire, and the magazines pre- 
•ored irom danger for a long time : nor did Lieutenant Dnndas 
or myself quit this station until several of the middledeck gnns 
eane throa^ the deck. At about nine o'clock, finding it 
impossible to remain any longer below. Lieutenant Dundas and 
myself went out at the foremast lowerdeck port, and got upon , 
tiw forecastle ; on which, I apprehend, there were then alxiut 
160 <A the people drawing water, and throwing it as far aft as 
possible upon the fire. 1 continued about en hour on the fore- 
castle, till finding all eflbrts to extinguish the flames unavailing, 
I jnmped frcxn the jib-boom, and swam to an American boat 
approacbii^ the ship ; by which boat I was picked up and put 
into a tartan, then in the chaise of Lieutenant Stewart, who had 
omoe off to llie assistance of the ship."* Captain Todd, with 
Mr. Bainbridge, the first lieutenant, remained upon deck to the 
lut moment giving orders for saving the crew, without pro- 
Tiding, or apparently caring, for their own safety. 

We shall now enter upon the sorrowful task of showing what 
loss (rfiives was the consequence of this dreadful accident Tb« 
■amber of persons on shore at Leghcnn, including five who did 
not know the sbip had been ordered to sea, were the admiral, 

* Scbombe^ voL iii., p. 431. 

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8 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. — MEDITEB. 180O. 

one lieutenant, the admiral' secretaiy, with his two clerics, (we 
chaplain, one master's mate, two miaBhipmeD, and twosemnto^ 
total 11. Those saved from the wreck by the boats that came 
off were, three beuteoants, two lieutenants of marines, one car- 
penter, one guimer, three midshipmen, one secretary's clerk, and 
146 seamen and marines, total 156 ; making 167 as the whole 
number saved. iNow for the contrary side. Those who perished 
appear to have been, one captain, three lieutenants, one captain 
of marines, one master, one purser, one surgeon, one boatswain, 
four master's mates, 18 midshipmen, one secretary's clerk, one 
schoolmaster, one captain's clerk, three surgeon's mates, and 
about 636 seamen, boys, and marines; making the total loss 
amount to 673 souls. 

A sad calamity indeed ! lamentable to humanity for the loss 
of so many individuals, and, considering the origin of the acci- 
dent, and the time of day in which it happened, not very credit- 
able to the discipline of the ship, lie Queen-Charlotte, and 
her sister-vessel the Royal-Geoice, were, next to the Ville-do- 
Paris, the largest British-built ships at this time afloat. It was, 
then, no trifling loss which the British navy sustained, when the 
" "■ ■ ■ IB, and 



Queen-Charlotte, with all her guns> stores, and provisi 
upwards of three fourths of her numerous ship's company, 
perished in the flames. 

The above, vrith a slight verbal alteration, is precisely as the 
account stands in the hrst edition of this work ; and yet the fol- 
lowing paragraph has since appeared in the work of a contem- 
porary: "We should have hoped, that the bmvery, perseve- 
rance, and self-devoUon of Captain Todd, who, to the last 
moment gave orders to save the hves of his men, regardless of 
his own, would have secured his memory from the imputaticns 
cast on it by a contemporary historian, who observes, that ' the 
accident was not very creditable to the discipline of the ship.' "* 
What " imputations^ are here cast upon the memory of Captmn 
Todd ? Who was the first, our contemporary or ourselves, to 
record the " self-devotion" of that officer ? Wat the accident, 
which is admitted to have originated io the manner we have 
stated, creditable to the discipline of the ship ? Were the 
Queen-Charlotte's crew, in short, in a state of discipline ? Let 
our contemporary answer the latter question himself. Referring 
to the conduct of the Queen-Charlotte in the mutiny at Spitheaa 
in April, 1797, Captain Brenton says, " This ship, from the 
shamefully relaxed state of discipline in which she had been 
kept while the flag of Earl Howe was flying on board of her, 
naturally became the focus of all mutiny, a character which she 
maintained until she was burnt off Genoa. "t If we required 
higher authority than Captam Brenton's, the same writer has 
furnished us with it in the following extract of a letter from 

* Brenton, vol iii.,p. 112. f Ibid., vol. Up. 414. 

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1800. SIEOE AND BOUBABDUENT OF GENOA. 9 

Earl St-Vincent to the secretary of the admiralty, dated April 
1^ 1799 : " The Queen-Charlotte will be better here than on 
liome service, for she has been the root of all the evil you hare 
been disturbed with."* 

The commencemeiit of the present year saw the famous army 
of Italy, which under BuMiaparte had performed such prodigies, 
reduced to less than 25,000 men, ead those in the greatest 
misery for the want of food and clothing. A powerfiil Austrian 
army, under General Melaa, presented an effectual barrier by 
land, and the cruisers of Lord Keith shut out all supplies by 
sea. On the 21st of April, after having sustained some severe 
losses in action with the Austrians, and left at Savona a gar- 
rison of 600 men under Brigadier-General Buget, General 
Mass^na retreated upon Genoa; and General Hildas imme- 
diately commenced the siege of that strong and important 
fortress. 

Hie Austrian force blockading the fortress of Savona was 
under the command of Major-general Count St.-Julien; and 
the British fleet cruising before the port consisted of the 36-gun 
frigate Santa-Dorotea, Captain Hugh Downman, the 18-gun 
Vbrig-sloop Chameleon, Lieutenant Samuel Jacksou acting,, and 
the Neapolitan brig Strombolo, Captain Settimo. By Lord 
Keith's orders, the sea-blockade of Savona had been more 
especially committed to the care of Captain Downman; and the 
boaXs of his little squadron with a highly commendable perse- 
verance, rowed guard off the harbour's mouth during 41 nights; 
until, in fact, the garrison reduced by famine, on the iSth of 
May surrendered to the allies. 

llie blockade of the port of Genoa was undertaken by Lord 
Keith himself; who, afier the accident to the Queen-Charlotte, 
shifted his flag, first to the 74-gun ship Audacious, Captain 
Davidge Gould, and subsequently to the Minotaur 74, Captain 
Thomas Louis. The principal part of the vice-admirars force 
consisted of frigates sloops, and Neapolitan gun and mortar 
boats. These had on several occasions successfully co-operated 
with the Austrian army io attacks upon the outworks of Genoa. 
The services of the 38-gun frigate Phaeton, Captain James 
NichoU Morris, had been particularly noticed by the Austrian 
general, Baron d'Ott, who had succeeded General M^las in the 
command: and who, in the early part of May, had pushed his 
advance to the village of Coronata, and compelled General Mas- 
s^a to retire within the walls of Genoa. 

Within the first two or three weeks of May the town had 
been bombarded three times by the gun and mortar vessels and 
armed boats of the ships, under the direction of Captain Philip 
Beaver, late of the 28-gun frigate Aurom. Being much annoyed 
by these attacks, the French determined to board the bombud- 
u^ force by a flotilla of their own, consisting of one lai^e galley^ 

• fireaUm, vol.ii^ p. 836. CtOOqIc 



10 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEEtS. — MKDTFER. 1800. 

rowine 52 oars, and moonting two ^tntnely long btua 3^ 
pounders besides smaller pieces, aa armed cutter, three anoed 
settees, and several gun-boats. Od the 20tfa, is the aftersooo, 
this flotilla, standing along outside of the new or Bouth-westem 
mole-head, exchanged several shot with some of the !^tish 
flhipa in passing ; particularly with the Audacioiis, who was once 
or twice nulled by the long SG-pounders of the galley. At sua- 
«et the flotilla took up a position under the guns of the tw» 
Bwles and the city bastions, which were covered with troops, 
Bumifesting a determined reustance. 

IiTotwithstanding this formidable indication, tbe bombardii^ 
flotilla, at about 9 p. h., quitted the Minotaur to make a fooru 
attack upon the town and shipping. On the 2lBt, at about 1 a.m., 
a btisk cannonade was opened upon tlie town, and quickly re- 
turned from various points ; particulvly from the long 36-pouiul- 
«r8 of the Prima galley, now lying chain-moored close to tha 
inside of the old or eastern mole-ht^d. Being unable, from his 
lighter metal, to ofier any effectual check to this annoyance by 
a cannonade. Captain Beaver resolved to attempt carrying the 
galley by boarding. For this Bervice a detachment of 10 Ixwt^ 
containing between them about 100 officers and men, inunedi-^ 
ately drew off from tbe flotilla. While the British were imjceed- 
ing with all possible silence, in the hope to approach undt»- 
eovered intheprevailingtdarknes6,a gun-boet stationed between 
the two mole-heads opened her 6re upon them. Every moment's 
delay now adding to the danger, the boats dashed on towards 
the galley. On arriving alongside a new obstacle presented 
itself. The gangway, or gunwale, of a galley projects three feet 
and upwards from the side of the hull, and that of the Prima ' 
was strengthened by a stout barricade, along the summit of which 
were mounted several blunderpieces and walL-pieces. As an 
additional obstruction to the advance of boats, the oars were . 
banked or flxed in their places, ready for use, with the bandies 
secured to the benches or thwarts. Thus, with a crew of 267 
fighting men, and those by the gun-boat's alarm, prepared for 
resistance, the Prima galley, even had she not oeen chun- ' 
moored in a harbour the entrance to which was guarded by 
numerous batteries, would have been a formidable object of 
attack. 

All this, however, as we shall soon see, was of no avail. The 
first entrance was made amidships ou the starboard side, in the 
most gallant manner, by a boat of the Haerlem, under the com- 
mand of Midshipman John Caldwell; who was promptly sup- 
ported by some of the other boats. In the mean time the boats' 
crews of the Minotaur's cutter, commauded by Captain Beav«', 
and of the Vestal's launch, by Lieutenant William Gibsoa, sup- 
ported by the remaining boats,had clambered up the images on the 
fuarter, to carry the poop, where a considerable number of 
'rench soldiers bad assembled. After a desperate stru^Ie 
the British succeeded in their object; and, as they gained footing 



1800. CFTTING OUT THE PBQIA GALL£Y. II 

<ai one side, the greater part of their oppoDoite fled overboard 
Ml the other. Almost immediately afterwards the night burjfee, 
or commodore's broad pendant, the only colours flying on board 
the galley, was hauled down by Lieutenant Gibs(»i, first of the 
Vestal, and all further resistance ceased. 

The boats were imnaediately ordered ahead to tow ; and the 
slaves, in seeming cheerfulness, manned the sweeps, cryii^ out, 
in broken Englisn, " Bless the king of Gribraltar i^' After mtaa 
delay, the galley was cleared from the chains by which she had 
been moored to the mole, and began moving to the entrance of 
the harbour under a tremendous fire of shot, shells, and mus- 
ketry ; the latter from a numerous body of troops drawn up on 
tha mole-heed ; round which the galley passed within 10 yards, 
with no greater loss or damage than five British seamen wounded 
one shot through the head of the mainmast, and some cut ri^ 

fii^. Of the galley's people, one was killed, and 15 wounded, 
y the British when they boaided : a few others, in all probar 
bility, were drowned ; and many succeeded in gaining the shore. 
According to the French accounts, tlie captain, Bavastro, was 
anumg the latter, and bad leaped into the water on seeing that 
-oO Ligurian gr^iadiera, stationed on board hie vessel, had trea- 
cherously fired only three muskets at the assailants.* From 
the testimony of the latter, there is not the least ground for this 
accusation; and, in Lord Keith's letter ^n the Gazette, the cap- 
tain of the galley is named Pathaio Galleano. 

Soon after the Prima had passed the mole-head. Captain 
Beaver quitted her in his boat to acquaint Lord Keith with his 
success, and the command devolved upon Lieutenant Gibson, 
already mentioned as the officer, who, with his own huid, had. 
struck the galley's colours. Before the galley had got quite out 
of gun-shot of the mole-head, an alarm was raised of fire below. 
, Lieutenant Gibson instantly rushed down, and found a half- 
dnmken French sailor, with a light and a crow-bar, in the act 
of breaking open the door of the magazine, for the purpose, ai 
he unhesitetingly declared, of blowing up the vessel and alt oa 
board of her. The man was promptly secured and a senti^ 
placed over the hatchway. Had the wretch succeeded in hw 
TillaoouB attempt, between 400 and 500 souls might have 
perished ; for, besides the British officers and men who had cap- 
tured the galley, and the 60 or 70 French soldiers and seamen 
KBoainii^ on board out of those that had belonged to her, there 
were upwards of 300 miserable beings chained to the oars. 

It was principally by the exertion of these very slaves, that 
the galley shot so quickly past the mole-head, and thus 
«Bca^ destruction by the batteries. So vigorously did these 
practised rowers continue to ply their sweeps, that the galley 
neariy overran the British boats towing ahead. As soon as the 
galley had got out of gun-shot, the slaves, by the pennissiCHi <^ 
* Victoirra et CkiiKjnetes, tome %]i., p. 198. 



12 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. — MEDITEB. 1800i 

the British commanding officer, released themselves from their 
fetters. This operation they performed with sutprising quick- 
ness ; and, now that the galley's lateen sails began to supersede 
the use of the oars, the poor fellows were jumping about the 
deck in a delirium of joy; heaping blessings upon those who 
had restored them to liberty, and evincing so different a feeling 
towards their former masters in the galley, that the latter for 
their personal safety, were transferred to the boats towing astern. 

Tlie half-frantic wretches little dreamt of the fate for which 
Lord Keith had reserved them. To that we shall come presently. 
We must first express our regret that Captain Beaver, who, 
throughout this dashing enterprise, appears to have conducted 
himself in the most gallant manner, was not allowed to write 
the official letter ; as, doubtless, he would have named the 
officers who served under him. Not one officer, besides CaptaJD 
Beaver, is mentioned in Lord Keith's letter; and it has neen 
with no inconaiderable difficulty that we have been enabled to 
give the names of two of the number. 

Shortly after daylight on the 21st the galley was brought to 
an anchor under the stern of the Minotaur, and a more beautiful 
Teasel of the kind had never been seen. Her extreme length 
was IS9 feet, and her breadth 23 feet six inches. In her hold 
were 30 large brass swivels, intended to have been mounted 
upon her forecastle and poop. Not being a vessel adapted for 
the British navy, the Prima was sold to the Sardinians, for, we 
believe, the comparatively small sum of 16,000 dollars. 

The garrison of Genoa, as was well known to the British 
admiral cruising off the port, was in a state bordeiing on famine. 
Had there been a doubt on the subject, the lank and miserable 
appearance of the galley's crew must have instantly removed it. 
Perhaps it is conformable to tlie laws of war, however repugnant 
to those of humanity, to press an evil of this sort upon an enemy. ^ 
At all events Lord Keith, with that object in view, restored to 
General Mass^na the few French or Ligurian soldiers and sea- 
men which, out of the small number taken, had survived the 
sudden change from starvation to plenty. His lordship did 
more : he actually sent back the galley-slaves, or 260 of them at 
least, about 50, fortunately for them, having been blown off the 
coast in the Expedition 44. Lord Keith must have been cei-tEun 
that the poor slaves would, at the least, have been rechained to 
their oars. What some would consider a more merciful fate 
awaited them. It having been made known to General Massena 
that, by their aid principally, the galley was moved from her 
strong position inside of the mole, he ordered the victims of 
Lord Keith's breach of faith (for, surely, there was an implied, 
if not an expressed promise not to betray human beings so 
peculiarly circumstanced), to be taken to the great square of the 
town and shot ! 

Starved at length into compliance, Geueial Mass&ia, on the 



.180Q. CONVENTION BETWEEN FRANCE AND AUSTKU. 13 

4th of Jane, consented to evacuate the town of Genoa, and, with 
the 8000 of hU troops that were able to march, retire to Nice. 
In some preparatory conierences held on shore between General 
d'Ott, Lord Keith, and General MasBeoa, the latter expressed 
as much contempt for Austria, as he did respect for England ; 
observing to Lord Keith, " Milord, si jamais la France et 
I'Angleterre s'entendre, elks gouvemeraieDtle monde."* Much 
more passed in the same strain. There was, no doubt, a little 
policy in all this ; and it may indeed be gathered from an np< 
parently authentic account of the negotiation for the surrender 
of Genoa, that the French general seldom paid a compliment to 
the British admiral or nation, without exacUng in return some 
Bolid concession. On the 5th, the Minotaur, Audacious, and 
Gen^reux 748, Charon store-ship, Pigmy cutter, and a small 
Neapolitan squadron, anchored in the mole of Genoa. 

On the very day on which the treaty was signed for the 
evacuation of Genoa by Massena, the hrst consul of France, 
having with a powerful army crossed the Alps, entered the city 
of Milan, the capital of Lombaidy, and on the same day pro- 
claimed afresh the Cisalpine republic. The Austrian general, 
Melas, OB soon aa this news reached him, abandoned the whole 
of Piedmont, and concentrated his forces at Alexandria. On the 
7tfa of June, Buonaparte, still unacquainted with the surrender 
of Genoa, quitted Milan to attack tlie Austrians. On the 9th 
and 10th he defeated General d'Ott, who bad evacuated Genoa 
after three days' possession, at Casteggio and Montebello. On 
the 14th was fought the famous battle of Marengo, in which 
Buonaparte defeated General Melas, with a Iosm to the latter of 
4600 left dead on the tield of battle, nearly 8000 wounded, from 
6000 to 7000 prisoners, 12 stands of colours, and 30 pieces of 
cannon, and with a loss to himself of only 2000 killed, 3600 
^ wounded, and 700 prisoners. 

On the 15th, at Alexandria, a convention for a suspension of 
anns was signed between the two commanders-in-chief; by the 
terms of which France was to be put in possession of the 12 
following fortresses: Toitona, Alexandria, Milan, Turin, Piz- 
zigbittone, Arona, Placenza, Qori, Seva, Savona, Genoa, and 
Fort Urbin. Repossession of^he city of Genoa was taken on 
the 22d of June by General Suchet, and on the 24th General 
Massena himself returned to it. This reoccupatioa was so 
sodden and unexpected, that the Minotaur found some difficulty 
ID warping herself out of the mole in time. We must ii*w leave, 
for a while, the shores of northern Italy, to attend to operations 
in another quarter of the Mediterranean. 

. At the close of the year 1798 we left the French general, 
Vaub<»8, with about 3000 soldiers and seamen, shut up in the 
fortress of Vatetta, menaced on the land side by a powerful force 

* Victoires et Conqufites, tome xii^ p. 210. 

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14 BRITISH AND rRENCH FLEETS. — MEDITER. ISOOl 

of Maltese, Neapolitans, and British, and blockaded at the montfa 
of the harhour oy a squadron of British and Portuguase shij». 
In the latter end of January, 1799, the garrison, already be- 
ginning to be straitoied for prorisions, received a supply by a 
ecbooner from Ancona ; and in the early part d February the 
French 36-gun frigate Boudeuse, from Toulon, with a iitill 
greater quantity of stores, including some munitione of war, 
managed to elude the vigilance of the blockading squadron and 
enter the harbour. 

During the remainder of the year, however, not a vessel was 
able to get in, and General Vaubois and his troops, in con- 
Bequence, began to experience the miseries of fomine and dis- 
ease. Among the means taken to alleviate the sufferings of the 
garrison, was the orderii^ out of the city of a portion <tf the in~ 
habitants. This was done from time to time, until the origin^ 
number of 45,000 was reduced to barely 9000. On the Ist of 
Kovember, 1799, Rear-admiral Lord Nelson, then with his flag 
on board the 80-gun ship Foudroyant, commanding the block- 
adiug force, sent in a summons to surrender. To which General 
Vauoois replied : " Jaloux de m6riter Testime de votre nation, 
comme vous recherchez celle de la nfitre, nous sommes r6solus 
de d^fendre cette forteresse jusqu'4 I'extr^mit^." 

So strictly had the island of Malta been blockaded since the 
arrival of the Boudeuse, that the French were kept in ignorance 
of the revolution of the 9th of November; nntil January, 1800* 
when an aviso, with despatches from the new government, and 
Moniteurs to the middle of December, contrived to enter the 
port All was now joy and enthusiasm in Valetta ; and Uie 
garrison, both officers and men, were so elated at the advance- 
ment of Buonaparte to be chief consul, that they rashly swore 
never to yield up tlie island to the enemies of-France. 

In the early part of February, Vice-admiral Lord Keith* 
cruised off Malta with the 

Gnn-Bldp 

" '»"'^^' ISS°^i?'^';i;i'Ei^*°- 

f Audacioua „ Davidge Goult). 

74^ Northumberland... „ George Martin, 

tAlexondeT Lieutenant William HarringtoD, acting. 

64 Lkm. „...„.,„. Captain Manley Dixon. 

Sirena^Ne^ralitan frigate^ and two or three sloope. 

On the 16tb Lord Keith received intelligence from Csptain 
Shuldam Peard of the 32-gun frigate Success, cruising off the 
Bonth-west end of Sicily, that a small French squadron was 
approaching the island, with the view of attempting to throw in 
a supply of troops and provisions. This squadron consisted of 
the 74-gua ship G6n^uz, bearing the flag of Keaivadmiral 

vie 



tSOOL BLOCKADE OF MALTA, 15 

Vtnie, wlio had beea exchanged bood after his caj^re in the 
preceding June, 28-gun frigate Badine, two eorvettee, and aere- 
fal transports, faavin? on board about 3000 troops, with which 
they had sailed from Tonlon on the 7th. To intercept and prt- 
Teat the disembarkation of this force, Lord Keith, with the 
Que^nCharlotte, kept as ckwe to the entrance of the harbour of 
Valetta aa the battenes would admit, and directed by signal, th» 
only mode of cranmunication the weatlier would admit, the 
Foodroyant, Auda(»ous, and Northumbeiiand to chase to wind- 
mrd or in the Bonth-etist, and the Lion to look oat off the 
pasai^ between Goca and Malta. The Alexander, at this 
time, was under way on the south-east side of the island. 

On the 18th, at daylight, the Alexander fell in with and 
chased M. Perr^e's squadron in sight of Lord Nelson's three 
ahips. At 8 A. M. the Alexander &ed at and brought to the 
Vilie-de-Marseille anned store-ship. At 1 h. 30 m. the Badine 
and smaller Tessels tacked ; but the G6i^reux, not being able 
to do so without comii^ to an action with the Alexander, bore 
up. The Success frigate being at this time to leeward, Captain 
Peaard, with ereat judgment and gallantry, lay athwart the 
hawse c^the French 74, and laked her with several broadsides. 
Presently afterwards, however, the Success became exposed to 
a broadside from the Gr6n6reux, and by it had one man killed, 
her master and eight men wounded. At 4 h. 30 m. p. m. the 
Foadroyant, followed closely by the Northumberland, got near 
enough to discbarge two shots; whereupon the Oen^reuz 
finding it impossible to escape from her pursuers, fired the usual 
ceieinonious broadside, and struck her colours. Great praise 
was awarded to Lieutenant Harrington, who, in the absence of 
Captain Ball, serving with the allied forces on shore, com- 
muxled the Alexander, for his excellent management on first 
descrying the French squadron ; and the spinted behaviour of 
Ikptain Peud did not escape his lordship's notice. The Suc- 
cess, indeed, bad watched M. Perry's squadron from the 
nuHneat of its appearance off Sicily, and had immediately 
ftppriEed Lord Kenh of its approach. 

One omission we regret to obaerve in Lord Nelson's letter: 
some notice of the loss sastained by the O^n^reux just pre- 
Tiously to her surrender ; and which loss, although of a single 
man, was, in all probability, the principal cause of that ship's 
cMnparatively feenle re^tance. Rear-admiral Perr^, having 
received a severe splinter-wound is the left eye, said to those 
about him, " Ce n'eet rieu, mes amis, coutinuons notre besogne." 
He tiien gave an order for some mancEuvre, and had scarcely 
done so, when a round-shot took off his right thigh. This brave 
officer inm>ediately fell insensible on the deck, and died a few 
minutes atlerwards; deplored by his countrymen, and highly 
respected and esteemed oy all the British officers, some of them 

.Googk 



16 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS.— MEUITER. 1800. 

the most distinguished in the sernce, whom he had preriotisly 
met either as enemies or friends. 

Of the importance of the supplies on board the Geoereux and 
her convoy to the French gamson in Valetta, some idea may be 
formed, by the following prices of the principal articles of food : 
a fowl 16 francs, a rabbit 12 francs, an eg^ 20 sous, a lettuce 18 
sous, a rat 40 sous, and fish six francs per pound. In addition 
to this the typhus fever was making destructive ravages among 
tlie troops, and the only bouili^ served to the sick m the hos- 
pitals was made of horse-flesh.* In this emergency General 
Vaubois determined to despatch Rear-admiral Decrees, with the 
Guillaume-Tell, to announce to the first consul, that the place 
could not hold out longer than the month of June. 

Shortly after the capture of the Gen^reux Lord Keith pro- 
ceeded with the Queen- Charlotte to Leghorn; off which port 
that ship's fate was sealed in the distressing manner already 
detailed. In the early part of March Rear-admiral Lord Nel- 
eon, being indisposed (mentally, if not corporeally), retired to 
Palermo, and thence, by the way of Leghorn and Vienna, to 
England ; leaving the blockading squadron off Malta in charge 
of Captain Trouoridge of the Culloden. During the latter's 
temporary absence, the British naval force cruising off the 
island, at the latter end of March, consisted of the 64^un ship 
Lion, Captain Manley Dixon, 80-gun ship Foudroyant, Captain 
Sir Edward Berry, 74-gun ship Alexander, Lieutenant William 
Harrington still acting for Captain Alexander John Ball, and 
the iS-pounder 36-gun frigate Penelope, Captain Henry 
Blackwood, accompanied by two or three sloops and smaller 
vessels. 

On the 30th, at U p. h., the Guillaume-Tell, Captain Saul- 
nier, bearing the Jlag, as already mentioned, of Rear-admiral 
Denis Decree, taking advantage of a strong southerly gale and 
the darkness that had succeeded thesetting of themoon, weighed 
and put to sea from the harbour of Valetta. At llh. 65 m. p.m. 
the Penelope, whose commander had been ordered to keep under 
way between where the Lion lay at an anchor and the harbour's 
mouth, discovered the Guillaume-Tell on her larboard or weather- 
bow, under a press of sail, steering with the wind on the star- 
board quarter. The Penelope immediately despatched the 
Minorca brig, Captain George Miller, with the intelligence to 
the commodore, and apprized the latter by signal, that the chase 
was on the starboard tack. As soon as the French 80 had 
passed on, the British frigate tacked and stood after her. Half 
an hour after midnight, having arrived close up with the chase, 
the Penelope luffed under the Guillaume-Tell's stem, and gave 
her the larboard broadside. She then bore up under the lar- 

* Victoires et Coaquetes, tome xiii., p. 142. 

.Google 



1800. BLOCKADE OF MALTA. M 

board qnftrter of the Guillaume-Tell, and gave her the starboard 
broadside, receirmg in retam only the 80-gun ship's stem- 
ebasers. 

Aware that, if he brought to, the ships then Ti»ble on the 
vetge of the horizon would soon take part in the fight. Rear- 
admiral Decr^ continued his course to the northward and east- 
ward. The Penelope, whose rate of sailing exceeded that of 
ber adversary, and whose manceuvres were directed by a prac- 
tised Beaman, continued pouring in her raking broadsides, with 
sacb effect that, just before the dawn of day on the 3Ut, the 
GniUaume-Tell's main and mizen topmagts and main yard came 
down. The ship was thereby reduced, with the exception of 
her mizen, to her head-sails, and these were greatly damaged by 
tile Penelope's shot. From such a succession of raking fires, 
the Guillaume-Tell had also, no doubt, sustained a considerable 
ktaa of men ; whereas the Penelope, whose object was to ayoid 
exposing heiselfto a single broadside from so powerlul an anta- 
gonist, Dad the good fortune to escape with only a slight damage 
to her rigging and sails. The frigate's loss, al^ough not 
nunerically great, included among the killed her master, Henry 
Damerell ; and her wounded amounted to one midshipman (Mr, 
Sibthorpe), one seaman, and one marine. 

At 5 A. H., or a little after, the Lion, who at 1 a. h., after 
baring despatched the Minorca to the Foudroyant and Alex- 
ander to leeward, had slipped her cable and chased in the 
direction of the firing, arrived up with the chase, showing a rocket 
and a blue light every half hour as a signal to the ships astern. 
Steering between the Penelope and the crippled Guillaume-Tell^ 
and so near to the latter, that the yard-arms of the two ships 
barely passed clear, the Lion ranged up on the larboard side of 
ber opponent, and poured in a destructive broadside of three 
found shot in each gun, The Lion then luffed up across the 
bows of the Guillaume-Tell, the latter's jib-boom passing be- 
tween the former's main and mizen shrout^. In a few minutes, 
to the advantage of the Lion, whose object, with so compara- 
tively small a complement, was neither to board nor be boarded, 
tbe French 80'b jib-boom was carried away ; and the 64 gained 
a capital position athwart the Gu ill an me- Tell 's bows. Here^ 
aided occasionally by the Penelope, the Lion kept up a steady 
cannonade, until about 5h. 30m. a.m.; by which time the 
Goillaume-TeU's heavy shot had bo dami^d the Laon, that the 
latter became unmanageable and dropped astern, still firing, 
however, as did also tbe frigate, whenever an opportunity 
«ffered. 

At 6 A. u., the Foudroyant, who since midnight had slipped 
and made sail from her anchorage about three miles north-east 
«f Valetta lighthouse, arrived up with a crowd of sail, and, 
passing in that state close to the French ship's starboard side, 
■o close that the Foudroyant's spare anchor just passed clear of 

VOL. 111. C I 



19 BRITISH AND rKGHCH TUEETS.-rUEVTTER. 1800'. 

the Giimaume>Teir8 mizen chiwUf Sir 'Edward BMry called 
upon the latter to itrike, following up hU demand with a treble- 
shotted broadside. To this the Guillaum&-Tell replied ia a 
aimilar maiuier, and with each effect as to cut away a great deal 
of the Foudroyaot's ri^iog. Having incautiously amved up 
with lo much sail set, the Foudroyaat necessarily shot ahead, 
and could not, for several minates, regain her pontiOB alongeide 
of her opponent. That object being at length ejected, the 
filing recommenced ; and the Guillaun)&-Tell s second broad- 
side Drought down the fore topmast, Baaintopsail yard, jib-boom, 
and spritsail yard of the Foudroyant Having also had her 
foresail, mainsail, and staysails cut to tatters, the British 8d 
dropped from alongside, leaving the Lion, who now lay upon 
the Guillaume^Tell's larboard side, and the Penelope upon the 
same quarter, occasionally firing at her. 

At fib. 30m., A.M., the French ship's main and mizeamaats 
came down. By this time, havine cleared away the wreck of 
her fallen spars and partially refitted herself, the Foudroyant 
had again dosed the Guillaume-Tell, s«d, aAer the exchango 
of a few broadsides, n^rly fell on board of her. At 8 a. m., uo 
foremast of the Guillauroe-Tetl was shot away. At 8h. 20 m. 
A, M., Cape Pasaero bearing north.half-eaat distant seven 
leagues, the Foudroyant and Lion being, one on her starboard, 
the other on her larboard quarter, and the Penelope close ahead, 
the Guillaume-Tell, rolling an unmanageable hulk, on the water, 
with the wreck of her masts disabling most of the guns on the 
larboard side, and the violent motion from her dismasted state 
requiring the lowerdeck porta to be shut, hauled dowQ her 
cofonre. 

Both the Foudroyant and Lion were in too disabled a state to 
take possession of tbe Guillaume-Tell ; that ceremony, therefor^ 
devolved upon the Penelope. Tbe damages of the Foudroyanjt 
were very severe : her mainmast, mizenmast, fore topmast, and 
bowsprit were wounded in several places ; and her mizenmhat 
was so much injured, that, in four hours atter the acticm, it came 
down, wounding in its fall five men. The Foudroyant had also 
received, iu her hull, several of the Guillaume-Tell's shot. The 
masts of the Lion were likewise wounded, and her hull struck ; 
but not to so great an extent as the Foudroyant's. The damages' 
of tbe Penelope were confined to ber rigging and smls. 

Tbe loss sustained by the Foudroyant, out of a complement 
of 719 men and boys, amounted to eight seamen and marine* 
killed, ber commander (slightly), one lieutenant (John Aitkin 
Blow), her boatswain (Pbilip Bridge), three midshipmeoi 
(Edward West, Granville Proby, and Thomas Cole), and 6» 
seamen and marines, exclusive of the five that suffered by the 
fall of tbe mizenmast, wounded. The Lion, out of a crew oa 
board of only about 300. men and boys, bad one midshipmaB 
(Hugh Roberts) and seven seamen and marines killed, uia <mm 



•3fe 



JSQBL BLOCKADE OF MALTA. 19 

midBhipman (Alexander Hood) and 37 seamen and marines 
wounded. lie Penelope's loss, of one killed and three, in- 
clBding one mortally wounded, has already appeared ; making a 
total of 17 killed, and 101 wounded. The only French account,. 
which has been published on the subject, represents the loss of 
the Guillaume-Tell at upwards of 200, in lulled and wounded 
tt^ther. This was sut of a complement, as deposed by her 
officers, of 919 men, being 81 less than the number stated in 
Captain Dixtm's letter. 

A moie bercHC defence than that of the Guillaume-Tell is not 
to be found ammg the records of naval actions. Its only com- 
peer, in modem times at least, vas fou^ in the same seas, and 
witlun less than a degree of the same latitude. If the British 
bare their Leander and Gen^uz, the French have their Guil- 
laume-Tell and a British squadron; and the defeat, in either 
case, was more honourable than half the sit^le-ship victories 
which have been so loudly celebrated. 

Nor, when the GuiUaume-Tell's case is mentioned, must the 
TOodnct of the Penelope frigate be fb^otteo. Without Captain 
Blackwood's promptitude, gallantry, and perseverance ; withont 
those repeated raking fires, of the effects of which Admiral 
2>ecr^ so justly complained, the Guillaume-Tell would most 
probably have escaped. The decided inferiority of a 64-^iib 
ahip, especially with two-thirds only of her crew on board, ren- 
dered the bold approach of the Lion creditable to Captain Dixon, 
his officers and men. 

It was the Fondroyant's arrival that so turned the scale. 
litis ship expended in the action, according to a return which 
haa been published, the following quantity of powder and 



Powder, in barrdi 162 

Shot, a2-pouiiden laoo 

„ 24 „ 1240 



Had the Foudroyant, single-handed, met the Guillaume-Tell, 
titkK combat would have been between two of the most powerful 
ships that had ever so met; and, although the Fouaroyaufs 
dight inferiority of force, being chiefly in nuiAber of men, was 
not that of which a British captain would complain, still the 
chances were equal, that the Guillaume-Tell, so gallantly 
manned, and eo ably commanded, came off the conqueror. 

As soon as the three crippled ships had put themselves a 
little to rights, the Penelope, as the most efficient, took the 
'prize in tow, and proceeded with her to Syracuse. Subsequeotly 
the Guillaume-Tell arrived at Portsmouth; and, under the 
name of Malta, became, next to the Tonnant, the largest two* 
o 2 



..Google 



J» BRinSH AND FRENCH FLEETS. — MEDITER. loW. 

decked ship belonging to the British navy. The prindpal 
dimensions of the two oO^an shipB were as follows : 



The losa of the GoiDaume-Tell, the only remaining line-of- 
battle ship of the fleet of Vice-admiral Braeys at theT)attIe of 
the Kile, was calculated still more to depress the drooping 
spirits of the garrison of Vaietta. A fifth and a sixth summons 
were sent in hy the commanding officer of the blockading force ; 
and by the last it was intimated, that a Russian fleet had arrived 
at Messina, on its way to co-operate in an attack upon the city. 
General Vaubois slili refused to surrender; saying: " Cette 
place est en trop bon £tat, et je suJs moi-m£me trop jaloux de 
bien servir mon pays et de conserver mon hooneur, pour 6;outer 
voa propositions. ' 

By tne beginning of August all the ^beasts of burden had 
been consumed, end dogs, cats, fowls, and rabbits, for want of 
nourishment, had also disappeared. Firewood began likewise 
to fail; but this was remedied by breaking up the Boudeuse 
frigate. The cisterns were dried up, and the troops were dying 
from 100 to 130 a day. Being now coavinced that he must 
soon capitulate, General Vaubois wished to save to the republic 
the two fine 40-gun frigates, Diane and Justice. 
. Accordingly, favoured by a dark night end a fair wind, the 
two French frigates, on the evening of the 24th, put to sea from 
Vaietta harbour. They were, however, seen and immediately 
pursued by the 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Success, Captain 
Shuldham Peard, and the G^n^reux and Northumberland 
74s, Captains Manley Dixon and George Martin ; which last- 
named officer had, since May, succeeded Captain Troubridge in 
the chief command. Af^erashort runniiig fight with the Suc- 
cess, the Diane, with only 114 of her crew onboard, hauled 
down her colours ; but the Justice, under cover of the darkness, 
effected her escape, and subsequentiy arrived at Toulon. The 
Diane was a fine frigate of 1 142 tons, and was afterwards added 
to the British navy under the name of Niobe, there being a 
Diana already in the service. 

On the 3d of September General Vaubois held a council of 
war; at which the French officers gave as decided a proof of 
their present wisdom, in unanimously concurring to treat for a 
surrender, as of their past folly, in having unanimously swora 
that they never would do so. Accordingly, on the 4th, a 
jflag of truce was sent to Major-general Figot commanding 
.the allied forees on shore; and on the 5th the major- 
^neral and Captain Martin, on the part of the British, and 



1800. SURRENDER OF MALTA. 21 

General Vanboia and Reai^admiral Villeaeuve, on the part of the 
French, settled the terms of capitulation. These, aUke ho- 
noureble to both parties, were executed on the same day ; and 
the fortress of Valetta and its dependencies were immediately 
sarreudered to the British. Of the two 64s in the port, one 
only, the Ath^nien, was in a seaworthy state, and she was 
a remarkably fine ship of 1404 tons. The Carthagenaise frigate 
was in a simiiar-state^ to the DIgo, and therefore not worth 
leuoring. 

We must not quit the subject of Malta without naminv, as 
the principal person to whom the loyal inhabitants were indebted 
for tJie expulsion of their cruel invaders. Captain Alexander John 
Ball of the Alexander 74. This ofiicer had served on shore 
during the greater part of the blockade, and, by the warmth of 
his attachment no less than the wisdom of his measures, had 
endeared himself to the Maltese. Captain Ball therefore was 
the fittest person to preside over them ; and to that office, some 
short time after the surrender of tlie island, he was appointed 
by the British government. 

When we last quitted the shores of Egypt we left the two 
commissioners from General Kleber, and those from the 
grand vizier, on board the Ti^, C^tain Sir Sidney Smith, 
contending with a gale of wind. That gale prevented the 
ship from returning to Alexandria until the 17th or 18th of 
January. In the mean time, however, the conferences had been 
carried on ; and the result was, that the parties landed and re- 

t aired to the newly captured fort of El-Arich, and there, on the 
4th of January, signed a convenUon for the evacuation of 
^ypt by the I^rench army. Or rather, a convention to that 
effect was signed by General Desaix and M. Poussielgue, as 
the plenipotentiaries of General Kleber, and by Mustapba- 
Rachid Efiendi and Mustapba-Rasycheh Etfendi, as the pleni- 

gjtentiaries of his highness the Grand Vizier ; but not by Sir 
idney Smith. On the 28th, at Salabieh, this treaty was ratified 
by General Kleber, and subsequently, we believe, by the grand 
Tuier. 

The convention consisted of 22 articles, the chief of which 
were, that the French army should evacuate Egypt, embarking 
at Alexandria, Rosetta, and Aboukir; that there should beau 
armistice of three months, or longer if necessary ; that all sub- 
jects of the Sublime Porte prisoners amon^ the French should 
be set at liberty ; and that vessels containing the French army 
shoold have proper passports to go to France, and not to be 
molested by any of the belligerents. 

The moment this convention was signed, Sir Sidney Smith 
•mt a copy of it to his government by the hands of Major 
Douglas of the Tigre's marines ; and on the 2Sth of March, 
1800, the convention was announced in the London Gazette as 
<Hie by which it had been agreed " that the French troops now 



VH BRITISH AJNP FRENCH FL£ETS.~lCEDrrER. 1800. 

in Egypt should enicnate the country, and should be allcnved 
to return to France." This notice of the El-Arich tre^y by the 
official organ of the British goreniment implied an approval of 
the measure ; but, lon^ before its appeannce in the Gazette, the 
conrention had been disowned and denounced by a pai^, with- 
out whose entire concurrence it could not be canied into effect. 

Having employed all the month of February in making ar- 
mngements for removing his anny according to the terms of the 
treaty, General Kleber might well be surprised when, in the. 
early part of March, he was informed by the captain of the 
l^eeeuB 74, then c^niiung off Alexandria, that, by Sir Sidney 
Smith's orden, he could allow no other vessel * to depart ham 
the ports of Egypt, Sooa afterwards came a letter from Sir 
Sidney himself, dated at the Isle of Cyprus on the 20th of 
February, informing the French general, that the coromander^in- 
ehief of the British fleet in the Mediterranean had received 
orders which opposed the immediate execution of the treaty of 
El-Arich. Almost immediately upon this communication f<d- 
lowed a letter from Lord Keith himself, in which his lordship 
acquaints the French general, that he has received positive 
orders to consent to no capitulation with the French troops in 
Egypt and Syria, unless they lay down their arms and surien- 
der as prisoners of war, abandoning all the ships and stores in 
the port and citadel of Alexandria; that, in case of such capi- 
tulation, the troops would not be allowed to return to France, 
withoat exchange; that all ships having troops on board, and 
sailing from Egypt with passports sign^ by others than those 
who nave a right to grant them, will be detained as prizes. 

The instant he had read this letter, General Kleber deter- 
mined to give battle to the grand vizier, who had already been 
making several hostile demonstrations : he, nevertheless, replied 
calmly to Lieutenant Wright, the bearer of it, " You shall know 
to-morrow the answer I mean to give to your admiral." That 
very night the French general had the letter of Lord Keith 
printed ; and, the next morning, with " Proclamation " for a 
bead, and with " Soldats ! on ne repond ^ une-teJIe insolence 
que par des victoires : pr^pares-vons a combattre ! " for a post- 
script, issued it to bis army. 

Although, as we have elsewhere stated, ^r Sidney Smitii did 
not affix Eis ugnature to the formal convention concluded at El- 
Arich, he appears to have signed, cMijointly with General Dft- 
saix and M. rouesielgve, a preliminary document containing the 
basis of the treaty, and the third and last article of which runs 
in these words : " That the French army evacuate F^ypt, with 
arms and baggage, whenever the necessary means for such eva- 
caatioQ shallnave been procured, and to withdraw to the porta 

• Genenfa Dnaix, Davouit, aad a few oAer officen of distinctioa had 
alieady sailed for Fnnce. 



.CtOo^Ic 



muet 
OBdei 



1800. TSSATT OF EI^ARICH. S3 

which ihall be agreed upon. Thii agreement bean date oa 
bowd the l^re, " 8 Nivose," or December 29, the Tery day on 
which the French commieaioflers repaired on board at Sir Sid- 
ney'a inTitation. It was natural, therefore, that Sir Sidney 
flhonld feel highly mortified and indignant at the refusal of hu 
sapeiiora to ratify a treaty which he (it baa never been contended 
aDSothfrntatirely) planned and matured. His letter to M. Pob»- 
mdgae, of date March 8, forcibly depictares the bittemesa of 
■buferiingB OD the anhject. 

Id all the Teniona of thii affur to which we hare had aceeu, 
It ii atated that Lord Kd^, in refiuing to ratify the treaty, waa 
Merely complying with the instructions he had receivea from 
bia goremment. Indeed, his own words to Qeneral Kl^ber 
■re : " I ioftirm yon that I have received positive orders from his 

ues^ to consent to no capitulation with the French army 

kder your command in Egypt and Syria, unless Slc." But 
what says Iiord Keith, in a letter dated more than two months 
afierwaids, and addressed to M. Ponssielgue ? " I have given no 
osders or anthority against the observance of the conventioa 
between the grand vizier and General Kl^ber, haviug received 
BO orders on this head from the king^s ministers. Accordingly,* 
I was of opinion that his majesty should not take partia it; 
bi^ since the treaty has been concloded, his majesty beii^ 
desirous of showing his respect for his alHes, I have received 
iiMttrucli<His to allow a passage for the French troops." 

Upon the whole, therefore, we are disposed to acquit the 
British government of the chief blame in this most discreditable 
fanstness, and to traiafer it to Yice-admiral Lord Keith ; who, 
donbtleis, had a precedent to quote in the still more disgracefbl 
breach of laith committed by Lord Nelson in Naples bay ; and 
who might naturally feel somenhat personally affected at b«ng, 
by Sir Sidney Smith's blightfid interference, thus suddenly cut 
4>n from becoming a principal sharer in that golden harvest 
which the great expedition on foot was almost certain to reap. 

Whatever, or whoever, may have been the cause of the rup> 
tore ^the El^Aricb treaty, that rupture stimnlated the injured 
party, against every calculation of force and number, to wreak 
the most signal vengeance upon the Turks, who nndoubtedly were 
not those t)y whom the breach of faith had been committed. 
47nlnckily for them, however, they happened to be in immedtale 
«ODtact'with tbe enraged French army ; the grand vizier, with 
bia host of turbans, having possessed himself of the different 
strongholds, the instant the French had quitted them on their 
way to the coast to embark under the terms of the tieaty. 

Ilie first battle was fought on tbe 20th of March, at tbe vil- 
lage of Matarieh (built upon the ruins of the ancient Udiopolis), 

* " Although" appeals to be the proper word, but tbu> it staods In a waA. 
(Bmiton; vol. iii., p. 97) now betbre m, and the only aathori^ on the autgoct 
to which, at this looment, we have the meuia of refeniog. 

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24 BRTTISH AND FBEMCH FLEETS. — MEDITEH. 1800. 

between tlie French army under General Xl£ber, stated at 
10,000 men, and the Turkish army under the Grand Vizia 
Jnseur, stated at the enormons amount of from 60,000 to 80,000 
men. After five days' fighting in the plains of the province of 
Cbarquieb, during which the Turks were driven from village to 
Tillage, the French gained the eDtire victory ; and the grand 
vizier, taking horse at Salalieh, fled across the desert with 
scarcely 500 foUowerB, leaving his camp, artillery, and baggage 
to the conquerors. Of the loss on the French aide we are not 
ioformed, but it was probably of trifling amount ; while the loss 
of the Turks, including those left dean on the field, or different 
fields of battle, massacred by the Arabs, and who perished in the 
desert, is represented to have exceeded 50,000. 

After the suppression of a revolt at Cairo, and the ezpulsioB 
of a small British force under Lieutenant-colonel Murray, which 
had been disembarked from the 60-gnn ship Centunon, and 
some smaller vessels at Suez, General £l£ber, towards the end 
«f the month of April, found himself again in tolerably quiet 
possesuoa of the principal posts formerly occupied by the 
rrench army in Egypt, 

It was not, it appears, until towards the middle of June, that 
General K16ber received any intimation of the desire of the 
British government to renew the conventiim which bad beea 
broken off in the manner we have related. Either feeling not 
disposed to trust a second time to those who had once deceived 
bim, or fancying himself too firmly established in his possession 
to be easily ousted, the French general refused to negotiate ; 
and instantly began strengthening the principal defences along 
the coast, and making the best errangemente in his power to 
repel the attack which, be considered it likely, would sooa 
be made by the British. 

An event, however, soon occurred, which the French Egyptian 
snny had good reason to deplore. On the 14th of June, as 
General Kleber, accompanied by the architect Protain, was 
walking along a terrace belonging to his palace at Cairo, a 
Btranger, indifferently habited m the oriental costume, wshed 
out of an adjoining gallery and stabbed the general with a 
poniard. Mortally wounded, General Kleber nad only time 
to support himself agabst the wall of the terrace, and call out 
to a domestic whom he saw approaching, "A moi, guide, je suis 
assassin^ !" M. Protain, in the mean while, having no arms but 
a small stick, was endeavouring to hold the murderer tilt some one 
arrived to secure him ; but the latter, stabbing M. Protain badly, 
but not mortally, in six places, disengaged himself, and, having 
replunged his dagger into the heart of his first victim, fled into 
the gardens of the palace. On seeing the commander-in-chief 
fall, the guide, instead of running towards him, hastened to the 
bouse of General Dumas, where a large party of general officer^ 
Vras then assembled. 



1800. GEVERAI. PVLTEKEY AT FERROL. SS 

After a lone: search, » suspected individual was taken, named 
Soley man-el- Halebi, a native of Syria, aged 24 years, and by 
professicm a clerk or writer. When accused of the crime, he 
stonily denied it; bat the bastinado, applied to the soles of the 
poor wretch's fbet produced a confession. Let us hasten to 
relate the horrid basiness that followed. The man was evidently 
a rel^ious fimatic : indeed he is so described in the French 
acconnts;* and no greater proof of the feet is required, than 
that, althoagh tortured to death in a manner which might have 
shaken the constancy of a North-American Indian, Soleyman died 
sinking, in a loud and steady voice, the creed of his faith. 

A few days before the French army, now under the command 
of General Aballah-Jacques Menou, assisted at this most dis- 
graceful exhibition, their late commander-in-chief was buried 
-with military honours in the suburbs of Cairo ; and we must do 
him the justice to say, that General Kl^ber, among his enemies, 
DO less than among his friends, bore the character of a brave 
officer and an honourable man. The character of bis successor 
will be sufficiently developed, as in our next yearns account we 
proceed in bringing to a cl<»e the French Egyptian campaign. 

BRITISH ADD BPANIBH FLBBTS, — ATLANTIC. 

Some account has already been given of the operations, along 
the south-west coast of France, of a British squadron under the 
command of Captain Sir Edward Pellew. Early in the month 
of August Hear-admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, who con^ 
mandra another detached squadron cruising in the bay of Biscay, 
taking Sir Edward under his command, made sail for, and or 
the 25th arrived in the bay of Playa-de-Dominos on the coast of 
Spain, with the 

96 LondoD .... Captain John Child Purvis. 

r_ 1 Rew-admirai (b.) Sir J. B. Warren, bart., K.B. 

Renown • - ■ J Captain Tl.onU Eyies. 
74J Impftueun ... „ Sir Edward Pellew, bart. 

'LCouregeuz ... „ Samuel Hood. 

(C^tun .... „ Sir Ricbaid Joha Stmcban, bt, 

Tliere were also four or five frigates and sloops besides a fleet 
of transports containing a strong oody of troops, commanded by 
ijeutenant-general Sir James Pulteney; and which troops in con- 
junction with the ships of war, were to attack the defences that 
protected the following Spanish squadron, lying ready for sea in 
Hie harbour of Ferrol : 

(;gn.dilp Qna-iUp 

„_ 5 Real-Carloa, 1 80 Argonaula, 

' ( San-Hennenegildo, _. J Sa»- Antonio, 

96 San-FerDBDdo, | ( Swk-AugugUn. 

• Victoirea et Cooquetei, tome xJi., p. 268. 

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S6 BBIIIBH AND EPASISB FLEETS.-~A.TIJLNTIC. 1800. 

On the same evening, after a fort of eigbt 24-poaiiden had 
been ulenced hy the fi^ of the Imp^uenz 74, Brilliant 2B-g;Bk 
-lirigate, Cjmthia eloop, and St-ViDcent gun-boat, the troope were 
.<liBembarked on the Bhoree of the bay, tSoag with ] 6 field-pieoeit 
without the loss of a mao. "^f^J were aUended b^ a detad^ 
ment of seameo from the ships of war, to carry sealmg-ladden 
and drag the guns up the heights ; a service which the fleamcB 
performed with their accustomed alacrity. 

Scarcely had the British troops gained the Biunmit of the first 
lidge, when the rifie-corps under Lieutenant-colonel Stewait 
fell in with, and drove back, a detachment of the enemy, with 
some loss, including among the wounded the heatenant-colonel. 
At daybreak on the 26th, a considerable body of the enemy was 
repulsed, chiefiy by the brigade under Major-^eral the Eari 
<n Cavan. This advantage, with the comparatively slight )om 
of 16 killed and 68 wounded, gave the British the complete and 
undisturbed poflseseion of the he^hts of Brion and Balon, whii^ 
-overlook the town and barboar of FerroL The general says, in 
his despatch, that be had now an opportunity of observing 
tely the a' ' ' " ' 



minutely the situation of the place, and of forming, from the 
reports of priBooers, an idea of the strength of the enemy. He 
did so, ana requested the British rear-admiral to embark the 
tra<^s and their cannon. All of which was done the same 
evening, in the ablest manner; and, as at the diaembarkatton, 
without the loss of a man. 

If General Pulteney's " prisonerB," in their reports, were as 
wide of the truth as Don Francisco Melgarejo's " French sailor," 
the Spaniards would not want men or gong to frighten away an 
invader. The sailor insisted that the British had landed 15,000 
men, and that they had 1000 killed, including a lieutenant- 
general and a colonel, and 800 wounded. The Spaniards them- 
selves declare, that they had, at no time, more than 4000 men 
underarms, including &00 sailorsandsomeiiiilitia; whereas we 
'find, by Lieutenant-general Pulteney's letter in the Gazette^ that 
seven nritish r^ments (one with both battalions) and a rifle- 
corps shared in the loss. The probability then is, that there 
were at least 8000 British, to combat 4000 Spanish troops. 
That they did not do so, was matter of just triumph to the 
latter. At all events the navy perfonned its part ; and so would 
the army, or even two thirds of it, had " circumstances permittect 
it to act" 

With his squadron and fleet of transports. Sir John afler^ 
wards proceeded to Gibraltar, and there formed a junction with 
a much larger force under the Mediterranean commander-in- 
chief. On the 2d of October Lord Keith smted from Gibraltar 
with 22 ships of the line, 37 frigates and sloops, and 80 trana- 
ports, having on board about 18,000 men, under the command 
of General Sir Ralph Abercromby. With this powerful force, 
the vice-admiral, on the 4tfa, came to wt aochor m the bay of 

vie 



1800. CONSTEEUnOH AND VENGEANCE. 



pmsesaitH 



Cadiz, and niiiii»ifiii1 the town to snrroider, in order to get 
"isesBitHi of tke Spanieh equadrc»i at anchor in the harbour. 
e rejdjof Don Thomas de Morla, the governor of Cadiz, ao 
UDMf the two British commanders-in-chief that the plagaa 
I ngmg in the town and environs, put a stop at once to all 
KHtile measures against the miserable inhabitants, and sent the 
expedition back t« Qibraltar, to be employed against a diSerent 
CDemy in the manner we shall hereafter have to relate. 



LIGHT BQUADBOXB AHD SIKQLB SHIPS. 

Having ^ven an accoant of the first engagement fought 
between an American and a French frigate, we shall offer no 
apology for inserting in these pages an account of the second. 
On the let of Februaiw, at 7 h. 30 m. a. m., the United States' 
36^im frigate ConsteUation, still commanded by Commodore 
Thranas Truxton,* being about five leagues to the westward of 
&Bseterre-road, Guadauiupe, working to windward, discovered 
in the sontii-eaBt quarter, standing south-west, the French 40- 
gon frigate Vengeance, Captain Slbastien-Louis-Marie Pichot. 

The American commodore immediately went in chase ; and 
M. Pichot ran from him, for the reason, as alleged afterwards by 
some of the French officers, that the Vengeance had her decks 
oicumbered with hogsheads of sugar, which she had brought 
from Guadaloupe, and wae carrying to Europe. Let that have 
been as it may, at 8 p. h. the Constellation got within hail of 
the Vengeance, and received a fire from her stem and quarter 
gnna. In a little time the former, having gained a position 
4}n the French frigate's weather quarter, opened a very destruc- 
tive fire; and to which, from her position, the Constellation 
Kceived a much less effective return, than if she had run fairly 
alongside. The mutual cannouade continued, in this manner, 
until nearly 1 a. m. on the 2d ; when the Vengeance, owing to 
the damaged state of the Constellation's ri^n^ and masts, par- 
ticularly her mainmast, was enabled to range ahead out of gun- 
shot, and the battle ended. 

The force of the Constellation, in guns, men, and size, has 
already been given.-t- The anuament of the Vengeance, with the 
addition of four brass 3&-pounder carronades, was the same as 
that of her sister-ship, the Resistance, captured in March, 
1797 ;:[ and her complement may also be stated the same as the 
latter^B, exclusive of about 60 passengers. 

The loss sustained by the American frigate amounted to one 
officer and 13 seamen and marines killed, and two officers and 
23 seamen and marines wounded. That of the Vengeance is 
represented, in the American accounts, at 150 in killed and 

• &e voL iL, p. 323. f Ibid.,p.S24. % Ibid^p.81. 



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2S UGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800. 

wounded ; but, according to a published letter from one of her 
passeogera, it amounted to only 20 men killed and 40 wounded. 

The officer killed on board the Constellation was Mr. James 
Jervie, a young midshipman, who, with some of the men, fell 
overboard with the mainmast. " It seems this young gentle- 
man," Bays Commodore Truxton, "was apprized of the mast 
going in a few minutes, by un old seaman ; but be had already 
so much of the principle of an officer ingrafted on his mind, 
not to leave bis quarters on any account, that he told the men, 
if the mast went, they must go with it ; which shortly afterwards 
occurred, and only one man was saved." 

Although, undoubtedly, the American frigate was the superior 
both in force and efTectiveneas, yet, had the Constellation made 
a prize of the Vengeance, no one can deny that it would have 
reaounded to the honour of Commodore Truxton, and been a 
subject of fair triumph to so young a navy as that of the United 
States. But, if it be true, as the French captain is represented 
to have stated, that the flag of the Vengeance came down three 
times during the contest, wnat was the Constellation about that 
she did not attempt to take possession 1 It would seem that the 
Constellation, notwithstanding she was to windward, persisted in 
remaining at too great a distance fh)m her antagonist, to observe, 
in the dark, what the latter was doing. According to Captain 
Pichot's account, indeed, the Vengeance lost all three masts bv 
the Constellation's fire ; and yet Commodore Truxton, althouga 
GO minute in his "Journal" as to tell us that, previous to tne 
action, he got " the large trumpet in the lee gangway ready to 
speak " the French frigate, takes no notice of the loss ofiier masts. 

The most extraordinary circumstance, however, remains to be 
told. The Vengeance, M. Pichot declares, was compelled, owing 
to the inexperience of her crew, to remain stationary for three 
days, while jury-masts were erecting; and, during the whole of 
that time, the Constellation lay to windward, with her fore 
and mizen masts still standing (her mainmast had fallen a few 
minutes after the firing had ceased), and yet did not bear down, 
or evince the least inclination, to renew the engagement. The 
Constellation, soon afterwards, made sail for and anchored in 
Port-Hoyal, Jamaica ; and the Vengeance, no less happy than 
surprised at such an escape, steered lor Cura^oa, where ihe ar- 
rived in a very shattered state. 

No sooner did the commodore's account of his rencontre 
reach the United States, than his fellow-citizens, particularly 
those of his own, or the federal party, set to work to bring to 
an issue on paper, that which had been left undecided on the 
ocean. Tliey pronounced and published the action as a victory; 
ate dinners, and drank themselves drunk, in honour of it ; and, 
when the commodore arrived in iport, assailed him on all sides 
with addresses of congratulation, founded on assertions that tbe 
commodore's letter had never sanctioned, and from which. 



LI 



1800; . FAIRV AND HARPY AND PALLAS. 29 

altbough not possessed perhaps of a very extraordinary share, 
his modesty must have recoiled. 

We formerly mentioned, that the merchants of London pre- 
sented the commodore with a piece of plate for haviag captured 
the Insurgente. Such was actually the spirit of party in the 
United States, that the democrats abused Commodore Truxton, 
calliog him Tory, Sic., for having accepted it. Ahout the 
middle of the year 1800 the commodore was promoted to the 
command of the 44-gun frigate President ; but the moment the 
democrats came into power, ou March tbe 4th in the succeeding 
'ear, be was displaced, and, as a proof how liberal republics can 
le, was never afterwards put in command. The more moderate 
among the dembcrats, however, did at length relent a little ; and 
Commodore Truxton got appointed (of all places for a commo- 
dore!) sheriff of Phdadelphia; iu which office he realized an 



On the 5th of Vebruary, at 6 a.m., the British ]6-guQ ship- 
sloop Fairy (armed similarly to Rattlesnake, vol. ii., p. 34S), 
Captain Joshua Sydney Horton, and 18^un hris-sloop. Harpy 
(same force as Racoon, vol. ii., p. 369), C)aptain Henry Baiely, 
weighed and set sail from St.-Aubin's bay in the island of Jersey, 
with the wind a fresh breeze at north-west, to reconnoitre the 
port of SL-Malo, and discover if a French frigate, which on the 

ireceding evening bad chased the 14-gun brig Seaflower, Lieut; 

Hurray, had got into that harbour. At II h. 30m.A. m., Cape 
Frehel bearing soutb-^t distant five or six miles, a large ship, 
evidently a frigate, was discovered in the south-south-west quar- 
ter, running down close alongshore to the westward, with a light 
breeze uearly aft, or from the soutli-south-east. This was the 
French 3&-gun frigate Pallas, Capt^tin Jacques Epron, from St.- 
Malo bound to Brest, and the same, as it appears, that had 
chased the Seaflower. 

. At about 20 m. p. m., seeing no chance of bringing the Pallas 
to action while she remained so close under the land, Captain 
Horton tacked and stood off, in the hope that the frigate would 
follow tlie two sloops to an offing. This the Pallas immediately 
did ; and at 1 p. h. an engagement, within pistol-shot, com- 
menced between her and the Fairy and Harpy, the latter close 
astern of her companion. The action, during wiiich the Harpy 
obtained several opportunities of raking the Pallas, continued 
antil 3 p. H. ; when the French frigate ceased firing, and made 
all sail to the northward and eastward, having tbe wind now 
from tbe south-west. 

So great were the damages which the Fairy and Harpy had 
received in their rigging and sails, that it was not until 3 h. 15 m. 
T. u. that the sloops were in a condition to make sail in chase. 
About this time the Pallas, observing two sail nearly ahead, or 
in the north-east by north, hauled up to the northward and 
irestward. Captain Horton immediately made the signal for 

,., Google 



in 
Ml 



89 LIGHT SQVABItONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800 

the Harpy, who was the more Bdvanced in the chase, to eodea- 
yam to gain the wind of the easmy. At 4 p. h. three sail, 
including the two already noticed as seen by the Pallas, were 
discovered by the two sloops. No doubt beuigentatained that 
the vessels approaching were frieads, the Fw^ made the ugnal 
for an enemy ; which was repeated by flw Bfarpy, both sloops 
filing guns eveiy five miautes to enforce attention to it. 

These ahips, then wc^uns up from the northward with a light 
wind from the Boatb<east by south, were the British 38-gini 
frigate Loire, Captain James Newman Newman,'^0-gan ship 
I>ana^ Captain Lord Proby, and 16-gun ship-sloop Raillenr, 
Ci^itain William James Turquand ; and all of which had sailed 
&ota Plymotith on the 27th and 28th of Januaiy, purposely to 
intercept the Pallas and a corvette, expected to be on their way 
from SL-Malo to Brest. At 4 h. 16m. p.m. the Pallas bore 
away laige ; and, in order to deceive her new pnreners and dift- 
tiact their attention, hoisted English colourtf and endeavoured 
to repeat the signal made by the Fairy and Harpy. At 4 h. 
30 m. P. M. Roche Douvre bore from the Fairy north-north-east 
distant six or seven miles; and at 6h. 30 m. p. ■. the Pallas bore 
weet, and the Harpy west by south, the breexe now light from the 
south-east ^ 

At 7 p. M. Captain Bazely received orders to go ahead, as kr 
as signals were discernible between the two sloops, and make 
the private signal to the two ships, the Loire and Dana^, upon 
her lee bow. This was done, and subsequently the Fairy also 
made the private signal ; but it was not answered by either the 
Loire, Dana6, or Railleur, which latter was conndeiably ahead 
and to windward of her two consorts. Notwithstandmg this 
apparent remissness, Captain Horton was tolerably satisfira that 
the ships approaching were friends, and therefore stood on in 
chase of the Pallas. We may add to this, that Captun New- 
man also knew (although that is no excuse for not answering the 
private signal), that the two ships and brig in sight were the 
Pallae, Fairy, and Harpy ; having learnt (mm Lord Proby, who 
had been detached for information to Jersey, upon what miaaoa 
the two sloo^ had sailed. 

At about? h. 45 m. p.m., observing ahead, and close under 
the Seven Islands, a ship approaching, which was the Raillenr, 
the Pallas tacked ; and at 8 p. h., while passing about three 
miles to windward of the Harpy, and at a still greater distance 
from the Loire, both on the opposite or larboatd tack, was fired 
at, of course, without effect, oy the Loire. The latter and the 
Harpy then tacked in chase ; and at about 9 p. v. the Lc»re 
spoke the Fairy, who had also just tacked, and whose com- 
mander informed Captain Newman of the name and force of the 
Pallas, at that time " about a gun-shot and a half" vpaa the 
Fairy's weather quarter. Whether owing to bad management, 
bad sailing, or duabled rigging from her previous action witft 



1800* CAPTURE or THE PALLAS. 31 

tlu two Bloopi, the Pallas was gradaally gained upon by the 
cbasing ■laps, the Ltwe, Rullenr, and Harpv especially. 

At alx)ut 10 h. 30 m. p. u. the Loire had weathered her op- 
poneot to much as to be able to aet her tof^llaat etudding- 
aa^ and at U f. u. anived up with the Pallas. Tbe Railleur,' 
being ahead of the Loire, was directed to fire her broadside and 
drc^ aatem. This the sloop did ; and immediately afterwards, 
&• neaieat of the Seven lalands bearing Bonth-west by south 



t about 750 varda, the Loire commenced a close action 

with the Pallas, who opened a spirited fire in retom. In a 
little time a battery upon the island, of sereral guns and a 
bowitMr, began a smart fire upon the British flhips, and did 
coundeiable damage to the Loir^ In this way the action con- 
tinued between the French fri^te and shore-battery on one 
aide, and the Loire, Railleur, Harpy, and Fairy on the other ; the 
oombataats all on the starboard tack, with the wind, as before^ 
blowiiu; moderately from the south-east. 

At about I h. 30 m. A. H. on the 6tb, the Harpy fetched close 
onder the stem of the Railleur, then engaging tne Pallas with 
gnat oJlantry, and poured her broadsiae mto the French 
Sigate 8 quarter. This was repeated with such destructive 
fiwct, as to induce some one on board the frigate (especially a» 
a nan had been shot while ascending the mizen shrouds with a 
kutem to repeat the signal of surrender) to hiul the brig with 
the exclamation, " Ne tirez pas encore, messieun, nous sommea 
il Tons." The Harpv then ceased her fire, as about the same 
time did the hdae, Railleur, and Fairy. The Loire and Harpy 
each loweied down a boat and sent her first lieutenant (Edmund 
Kayner and James Watson) to take possession of the prize. 
Concaving from a bustle abaft on board the Railleur, that a man 
had &llen mto the water. Lieutenant Watson yawed out of big' 
oMsae : in consequence of this, the Loire's boat reached the 
Pitllas a few minutea before the Harpy's ; but the latter had the 
hdooor of ccmveying Captain Epron to the Loire. 

The established complraoent of the Loire was 284 men and 
boya; but she had on board no more than 260, about 100 of 
vmun had "volunteered" from the prison-ships, and ran from 
ttuat quarters almost as soon as the action commenced. Of 
thoae 260 in crew, the Loire lost three seamen killed, and three 
jiudahipiDe& (Watkins Owen Pell, Frands William Eves, and 
Jfdm Allra Hedway), IS seamen, and one marine wounded. 
The RaiUenr, out of a complement of 76 nun and boys, had one 
ndidBhipman (William Prothers) and oue'gunner's mate killed,' 
aind three seanun and one marine wounded. The Fairy, out of 
K ctMnplement of 120 men and boys, had, in the day action, four 
■eunen killed, her commander (slightly), purser (Mr. Hughes), 
and six seamen wounded, four of them badly ; but in the night' 
action the Fairy had only one seaman wounded. The Harpy,' 
out of a crew the same as the Fairy's, had one seaman killed-^ 



32 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1600. 

and three wounded in her first action, but escaped without anv 
casualty in her second ; making the total loss on the Britisn 
side nine killed and 36 wounded. 

The official letter of Captain Newman does not mention a 
word of any losa having been sustained by the Pallas : a very 
improper omission, as it leads to an inference that the enemy's 
frigate struck her colours without having lost a man in the 
action. That such was not the case ia clear, as well from the 
state of the ship's hull, which was pierced by shot in several 
places, as from the state of her lower masts, all three of which, 
just before daylight on the 7th, went over her side in a squall. 

Captain Newman states that the crew of the Pallag numbered 
360 ; but the officers of the latf^ r swore, in the prize-court, thai: 
they had 362 men when the action, meaning, we presume, that 
with the two sloops, commenced. Hence the 12 men con- 
stituting the difference between the two statements, were, in all 
probability, killed in the preceding or day action. A greater 
loss than that must, we suppose, have been incurred in the night 
action, when the Loire^s tieavy broadsides came into plav; 
but, for the reason already stated, we are unable to give tne 
particulars. 

Instead of exhibiung the usual comparative statement, we 
shall merely say, that, unaided by any of her consorts, the 
Loire, mounting 46 guns (long 18 ana 9 pounders, with 32- 
pounder carronades), was more than a match for the Pallas ; 
and that the latter'a defence was highly creditable to her officers 
and crew. 

The Pallas was a remarkably handsome frigate of 1029 tons, 
and had never before been at sea. She was of course purchased 
by government ; and, under the name of Pique, long continued 
a &vourite 36-gun frigate in the lists of the British navy. 

For what, on one side at least, may be called a single-ship 
action, the details of the occurrences which led to the capture of 
the French frigate Pallas have given us considerable trouble, and 
are not yet drawn up to our entire satisfaction. Not, however, 
because there has been so little said or written on the subject, 
for few actions of the kind have given rise to so much discus- 
sion, as the pages of the Naval Chronicle can testify ; but owing 
to the obscure and contradictory statements which have been 
published, all resting upon authority equally respectable. At all 
events, no one can deny that the conduct of Captains Horton 
and Bazely was highlv ^Itant and praiseworthy. Nor must the 
efforts of the Harpy Be disparaged simply because she was an 
l&-gan sloop. The Harpy was armed in the same manner sk 
the Pelican, that had rendered herself so famous in beating off 
the M^^; and the former's 32-pounder carronades, in the 
close and raking position in which they were frequently fired, 
did considerable mischief to the Pallas, as Captain £pron him- 
self was candid enough to acknowledge. 



,i,zedi!v Google 



180a CAPTURE OF THE HEUKEUX. 33 

Although, owing to some omisaon in Captwn Ifewman's 
Irtter, a tittle delay occurred in doing jnstice to the claims of 
CSaptain Bazely, that officer, as well as his hrotber commander, 
Quitain HortOD, was at length promoted to post-rank. 

On the 1st of March, in the middle of the night, the British 
12-poander 3&^un frigate N^r^ide, Captain Frederick Watkins, 
cniising off the Penmaicks, discovered to windward five ships 
and a schooner. As soon aa she had made the necessary pre- 
paration for battle, the N^r^ide hauled up for the strangers ; 
which, at daylight on the 2d, were seen to be all armed vessels, 
and were then lying to, as if determined to have a contest with 
the British frigate. Nor will it be ctmsidered that the French 
coDimodore bad formed a very rash resolve, when the force of 
his squadron is stated. 

The laigest ship was the Bellone, of Bordeaux, measuring 
643 tons, and mounting 24 long 8-pounders on the Totun deck, 
and eiz brass 36-pounder carronades on the quarterdeck and 
i(«ecaatle ; total 30 guns, with a complement of at least 220 
men.* llie three remtuning ships, also from Bordeaux, were 
the Veogeance, of 18 long 8-poandeni- and 174 men, Favorite, 
of 16 long 6-poanders and 120 men, and Huron, of 16 long 4- 
pomMlers and 87 men ; and the schooner was the Tirailleuse, of 
14 long 4-pouuders and 80 men ; making a total of 94 guns and 
681 men. 

Joflt as the N^r&de arrived within gun-ahot of these seemii^ly 
ptffioacioafl privateersmen, their hearts ieiled them, and the rour 
ships and schooner made all sail on .different courses. The 
Bntish frigate went in immediate chase, and continued the pur- 
suit until night shut out the fugitives from her view. On the 
2d, however, at daylight, the N^r6ide regained a sight of one of 
the ahips ; and, afur a 12 hours' chase and a run of 123 miles, 
d^tured the Vengeance. 

Oft the 6th of March, at 8 a. v., in latitude 50° 2 north, 
longitude 14° 43' west, the British 18-pounder 36-guQ frigate 
Phcebe, Captain Robert Barlow, was.oome down upon, and 
fired at, by the French ship privateer Henreux, of 22 long brass 
12-^nnders and 220 men. The latter, as it appeared, mistook 
the Phcebe for an Indiaman, and did not discover her mistake 
until she had arrived within point-blank musket-shot. The 
Henreux then wore upon the Phoebe's weather bow, and hauled 
to the wind on the same tack ; hoping, by a well-directed fire, 
to disable the Phcebe'a masts, rigging, and sails, and thereby 
efiect her escape. The fire from the British frigate, however, 
was too powerful to be withstood by so comparatively inferior a 
fiMj and the Heureuz struck her colours. 

* In Ca^n Watkins's letter ia the Gaiette, 420 ; probabljr ■ typo- 
f niid. i IS^uuden^ but we know they were only fr^unden, 

VOL. III. D ..Google 



34 LIGHT aQDADBONS AND aiNGLB BHIPS. ISOO. 

The Phoebe had three ■ewmen k^Ud, or mortally wooaded, 
and three slightly woonded ; the Heareoz, 18 aien lulled, and 
26 woooded, most of whom lost limbs. The latter ma a v«it 
complete fluBh-decLed ship^ ei^pend and eo^pee-foattmea, 
highly finished, and of lai|^ dimensicNU, aiBasanng 696 Ions. 
She was therefore readily puicbaaed for die use of the Bntiifa 
navy, and, mida t^e same name, becane classed as a 22-g«B 
poslrship. 

On the 15th of March the British 20^ ship Qatia^ Cap- 
taia Lord Froby, while watching the Frendi deet in BrMt, 
became lost to the aerrioe under the following discreditable dr- 
cutnstaaces. At 9 h. 30 m. p. u., Jackson, one of tlie captains 
of the foretell and aduj had been secretaiy to Parker in the 
Nore mutiny, assisted by some prisoners and a put of the orew^ 
rushed on the quarterdeck, knodced down the master, and cat 
him sevoely over the head. They thai threw him down the 
mmn hatchway, and hattgned down the grating, placing over it 
the boats, filled with shot By this means the remander <^ 
the crew were prevented from retaking Uie ship. When the 
mutiny broke ont, all the officers, except Lord ProW, the 
marine-officer, and the master, were in bed. On being inntmed 
by the maiineofficer of wbut had happened, Lord Proby 
attempted to get up the after hatchway, tmt found it already 
guarded by nearly 20 men. One of tHem cut his lorddiip on 
Oie bead ; and no possibility existed of forcing the hatchwfty. 
"" " Lndthemahi " 



Lord Proby and the mahue-officer titen omthved i 
about ten cutlasses, four moskets, and some pocket^istols. 
These were distributed among the most tnistwwthy of about 40 
men ; who^ when the business conunenced, were asleep in their 
hammocks. The hope then was that the mutineers woidd be 
forced to keep the sea ; but the wind unftHtunately chained, 
and they were enabled the next morning, Uie 16tb, to fotdi 
under Fort ConqoSte in Camaret bay, where they anchorad the 
ship. Jackson then sent tite jollyboat on board the French 
16%un brig-corrette Colombe, at anchor in the bay ; and which 
brig on the 14th, with a convoy under her charge, had been 
cluued in by the Bana^ herself. At 2 p. M. the ^t lieutenant 
of the Colombe, accon^tanied by a detachment of soldiers, went 
on board the Baoa^, mid asked Lord Proby to whom be sui^ 
rendered. His lordship replied, " To the French nation, hot 
not to mi^eers." Both vessels then steered for Brest, whoe 
they arrived on the I7th, after having been chased duringseveral 
hours by the frigates Anson and Boadicea, Captains Philip 
Charles Durham and Richard Goodwin Keats; who, deceiTca 
by Jackson's hoisting Uie horary and numerical signals, ami- 
posed the Dsna^ to oe in chase of an enemy. Lord Frobv 
had, however, thrown out of the cabin-window, and aunk 
with lead attached to it, the box coatainiBg tha pml* 
ngoals. 

:, Google 



.1800. CAFTDItE OP THE LIODAIENIIX. ^ 

TI»!olScer.ortheD«iaewijrel«iiiied«Bre»l; but the shin'. 
OTmpany, includmE the motineeni, were, to the ffitonishmmt 
•od chigna of tCe latter, gnrched to Dimn prijon. Vi^ 
^tanOfc.^, togrther with the coouna»an,t of marioe, „d ijl 
tke other Freoeh officen at the port, hehaved with mat polite: 
Sr«;±?*^°'" ^ ^b^-^ to officer, , f^X. rf 
tte 6nn« elpieeuig th«r otter detertitioii of the coadnet of 
ttematineei.. Oaptam Loni».Uon iacob, formerlT of the 
a^to Inple BaUooe, captured with the Hoche in the vear 
^. iwblj o&red to me loais d'or, for all the bant of 
&ghiid notes of the oScen. Seretal of the Utter ^» 
•a^rard., were permitted to return to England on their 

On the 20lh of March, m the evening, aa the Biidih 

Ohm. a^ 16.««n ■h.p-,loop Peterel (am«l lii. the Fai,^ 
.CapJam Praara WiUam Aualen, were cniising ia the baiPrf 
1I«|«B6, Captorn Oh,er directed the Peteiel to keep cCii 
*»fe ^way of decepti™, thereby to capture any 7^1, that 
■lEht be mamng along the coast 

i^^Vi! 1"' T"^ "™ ""^ "f * MoTOy of 60 sail 
W Crtteboond to Toulon and Maraeille, onde, tte protecSi 
of anamed ship, bng, and lebec, were descried a>i^ ch.«»I 
•Hi twoof lh«n, a bart «>d bombard, both Uden with^S 
«aptnred. On the same afternoon, when near to Cane Coo! 
JTtSl "^ "m? to action with the th.« armed Vessels; 
tat whch after a short cooteat, obsanring the Mormaii 
^^^iLf^l^^-^^ °P finmTleewanl. n,»S 
*Z^ St^^L ^'^ "l'' •°^''»=' O""' *= Cerf of 14 long 
r^/'5?°1™ "^ '''™' 90 men, the other, the leioiffi 
<aa<nad after the «ptsm of the G&fren,), commided b? the 

fS^' S?..5T'°* "' '?« '"^ 6-pounders, and about 

c^rete^ch »a> the liguname of Ti lone O-poundei, Si 

SrJS^T^.""?^"'.*'"^""' IM meSTLienten™ 
Kansois-Auguste Pelahond, after suslainiog the. fire of th. 

jAmi60va«lB,«>«f«mei™«.Mfa»i dirtance only, ofl£ 
*o», strack her colours; at which time the Peteiel J^ witfc 
•BllmtaiofthetownofMarBeillo. oi=™i was wiinm 

AUho^ *is ajmce ™ perfbnned mate a hSiry fire (mm 
aantes of the Ume, the sloop rsmuned on a roS whLh K. 
-™ hjd toidHd, th. pS. dam.g«i wei S.^^* ^ 
A»bdes m her sula, ud to the npaelting of four of her ( I3! 
TOmderjcannoades. Her first lieutcnM^gunuer, strf 30 mdl 

ba)fSiofwh0B.bedidiiothaTe.,M»,hiirt. The Isgnriem 

° 2 .(Ic 



36 UOHT SQUAI^ONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800. 

had her comnaander 9nd one seBmaii killed, and one seaman and 
one marine wounded. 

Admittuig the actiTe interference of the batteiy on shore to be 
a feir set-off to the mere appearance of the Mennaid to leeward, 
Hm affair was ver^ creditable to the officers and crew of the 
Peterel. Lieutenant Pelabond, hod he lived, would donbUeas 
have expressed hia sentimeiita oa the premature 6ight of bis two 
consorts. As it was, the conduct of Captaiu Raccord, although 
among the members of his court-martial we obserre the fighting 
names of Bombart and lafeniet, was pronounced " irr^roach- 
, able." One thing we are bound to state : the Cerf la there 
described as " nne demie-chebeck," end not as a ship-corvette. 
The vesset, whatever may have been her rig or force, was, wc 
believe, totally wrecked ; but the LejoiUe anerwardB got off and 
reached Maiveille. 

Tie Ligurienne was a fine vessel of faer class, well equipped 
with stores of all kinds, in excellent repair, and sot two yean 
old. She waa built iu a very peculiar manner, being fesbsned 
throughout with screw-bolts, so that she might be taken to 
pieces, and set up again, with ease; end was originally in- 
tended, according to the account given by the prisoners, to 
follow Bnonaparte to E^ypt- Screw-bolts were not ^ualifica- 
tiouB reqtured in a Briti^ cruise ; and therefore the Ijgarienne 
being fonnd unadapted in other respects, was not purchased 
into the service. 

Before quitting Captain Austen, we shall relate another 
instance of nis eood condnct; and in which, without coming to 
actual blows, he perfbnned an important, and not wholly im- 
nerilous service. On the 13th of August, at 10 a. u,, as the 
Peterel, being then attached to the squadron of Sir Sidney Smith 
oa the coast of ^ypt, was standing in towards Alexandria, 
with the wind at north-north-west, a diip of the line, totally 
dismasted, was perc^ved agronnd between Aboukir island and 
the fort or castle. The Peterel immediately hauled to the wind, 
and stood in the direction of the grounded vessel ; which was a 
Turkish 80-gun ship, of remarkable beauty commanded by 
Indiee-Bey. 

At noon the Peterel anchored in four fath(»ns, abont a mile 
and a half to the sonth-east of Abookir island; and a number 
of djerms were seen to put off firom the ship and pull towarda 
the shore. At half-past noon three Turkinh corvettes, that had 
come fitim the eastward, anchored about a mile outside of the 
Peterel. By this time the latter had hoisted out her pinnace ; 
and in it was immediately despatched the master, MnJcdia 
Thompson, with nine men, to endeavour to set the i^p on fiie^ 
and prevent the French fixim obtaining any of the stores, gnns, 
or ammunition. 

The master was soon on board ; and by 2 h. 30 m. s.h., he 
9iid his active party had completely set die ^p in flames. In 



1800. C&JPTURE 07 THE CABMEN AND FLOBEHTINA. 37 

another luinr Mr. Thompson retained to the Peterel, bnn^ng 
with him 13 Greeks, m1 that remaiDed of the 80-guii ship's 
crew ; one part, with the commander, having surrendered to the 
French, and the other part having managed to escape to the 
three corvettes. To the nearest of these, not one of nnich, from 
aa alleged dread of being fired at from the shore, would afford 
the sli^test asiistance in preventing the French from plundering 
tbe wreck, Captun Austen sent tiie 13 Crreeks. As a protu* 
thai the captain's promptitude had heen of use, the French had 
already got out of the ship one of the quarterdeck guns, and 
were taking measures, when the Feterel entered the bay, to 
remove the remainder. At 6 p.m. the Feterel wdghed, aud- 
Btood back to the westward; and, not long afterwards, the 
captain pacha testified his sense of the service Captain Austen 
had penbnned, by presenting him with a handsome sabre and 
och pelisse. 

On the 6th of Apii), in the afternoon, as a British squadron, 
conposed of the 74-gun ships Leviathan, Captain Jamea Car- 
penter, bearing the flag of Kear^miral John Thomas Dnck^ 
worth, and Swiftsure, Captain B^jamm Hallowell, and the IS- 

W under 36-gnn frigate Emerald, Captun lluHnas Moutiay 
aller, was cntiung m the neighbourhood of the bay of Cadi^ 
12 sul were discovered from the mast-bead. Chase was given; 
and at 3 A. K. on the 6tb, the Emerald crossed and capttued a 
Spanish ship, of 10 guns and 70 men, part of a convoy of 13 
ahips and brigs, which had sailed on the 3d from Cadis, bound 
to Sooth America, under the protection of three fiigates, two of 
which were the Carmen, Captain don Fiaquin Force), and 
Flnentina, Captain don Mannel Norates, both of the 34-gim or 
12^aiider class. 

At daybreak all the Spanish ctmvoy had disappeared except 
a br^ ; and she was so near and the weather so ralm, that tha 
boats of the Leviathan and Emerald, under the orders of Lieu- 
teoant Charles March Gregory, second of the Leviathan, were 
deteched in pursuit of her. After " a smart skirmish of forty 
ninates," but in which no loss appears to have been sustained 
<» either ude, the " Los-Anglese, or Barcelona, of 14 carriage- 
gnns, six swivels, and 46 men, laden with bale goods, was cap- 
tered by Lieutenant Gregory and his bdlt-party. 

By the time this brig nad been secured, thiee sail were seen, 
east, west, and sooth. The Swiftsuie, being to leeward (the 
wind very light fiom the northward), was diivcted to chase 
■oath, and ue Emerald, east; while the Leviathan herself 
ateoed to the westwud. At noon the Emerald made the signal 
tor six sail in the north-east. On this the Leviathan put about 
and stood after the Emenld, and at dusk saw nine sail from tha 
mast-jiead. 

It was at this time nearly calm ; but at 1 1 p. m. a fresh 
Imeze qirang np from the uorth-weat Profiting by it, tha 



38 UGHT SQUADRONS AND SXNOU: BHIP8. I8OOI 

Leriathan and Emerald eteered north, in the hope soon to crow 
the Btraneers. At midnight three ssil were seen ; and at 2 a. k. 
' on the 7ui, two of them weie ascertaiiied to be Agates, standii^ 
to the noTth^ioTth^west, and close together, llie British 74 
and frieate now steered a parallel course, proportioning their 
sail to uiat of the strangers, in order to be ready to comm«)ce 
the attack just before ^yhreak, the rear-mdnnnil jodicioasly 
CfHiHdering, that a fire comntemwd in the dark might alarm the 
convoy and lead to their escape. 

At dawn of day the Leviathan and Emerald bore down npcn 
the Carmen and FlorentiDa, who had evidently miatakes then 
Jbr a part of th«r convoy. On being hailed by the Leviathui, 
the weatheimoat fiigata crowded sailto get off; as did also her 
cooBsort, then close apon her bow. A volley of mnakdry fiulinf^ 
to indnoe the nearest frigate to strike, the Leviathan gave a yaw 
and fired all her guns tefore the gangway, in the hope to bring 
down some of the frigate's masts ana yards, but wititoat effect. 
In B few minutes, however, the Emerald baviog m a very nnritMl 
■■ well aa jadiciouB manner, closed with the leewardmost frigate^ 
the two became so disabled in their sails and ri^ng, that after 
firing a few straggling and inefiectual shot, end just as the 
lieriathan had nined a position to dischai^e her brtKidfiide intO' 
both frintea, tn^ hanled down their colonn. 

The Emenild immediately proceeded in chase of the third 
fivate, but, appearing to lose grnmd in the pumit, was n- 
culed and ordered to secure as many as she coatd of the convene ; 
fcur of the largest of which, before dark, fell into her faanos. 
In the mean time the Leviathan lay by the two Spanish frigates, 
nntil they were in a state to make sail; which was not qnm two 
hours after the surrender. The 74 then stood aftorthe temaining 
frigate ; but the latter had by this time so increased her distance, 
thttt the Leviathan gave up the pursuit, and proceeded with ber 
priaes to Gibraltar. 

As a proof that the Carmra and Florentina had not strock 
iheii coloors without making an honourable resistance, the firsts 
oat of a crew of 340, had erne officer and 10 men lulled, and 1^ 
men woniided; the second, out of a crew of 314, one officer and 
11 men killed, her captain, first lieutenant, and lOmen wounded. 
Each fiigate was laden %ith 600 quintals of quicksilTer, for the 
lae of t^e mines at Lima. He Carmen measored 908, and the 
Florentina 903 tons, uid both were added to the British navy •» 
l!i-potindar 36-gQn fiigatea. 

On the 13th of Apnl Captain Joseph Baker, of the 16-gaB 
ahip-sloop Calypso, bemg off Cape IHberon, despatched the nte»- 
tar, Mr. William Buckl^, in the six-oared cutter, widi 10 mee, 
properly anned and pronded, and a swivel in her bow, to cmiae 
for two days under the cape, in order, if possible, to interoept 
some of the small-craft that nsnally narwate within a nule of 
Oe flhoie; On the following day, the IStli, at II A. v., Mik 



nOO. fiOAT-ATTACKB AT STv^BOIX, QUDIPXSt, ETC. 3» 

Buckly perccmd, and immediately polled towards, a schooner 
^riog becaimed under the Isnd. Ab the boat approached witluo 
hail, the schoooer desired her to keep oflfand, findhigthe order 
not attended to, (»)cned apon her a-nre of musketry. Heedless 
flfthis, the Bri^sh in the boat boarded, and after a short bat 
■Bart conflict <m the deck carried, the French prhrateep- 
adiooner DUmnt^of ox csrriage-siinfltSO stands ofarms, and 
38 ma actnaUv as faood. In thu ray gallant boat-attack, 
tteBhtiBh had only OBe man wonnded; the French, seven, and 
AoK dangenaaly. 

Oa the 21st of April, rt 6 h. 30 m. a. x., the British hired 
lagger Lark, of 14 gaas (twelve 12-poander carrcmades and two 
fbwsX ond 50 men and boys, ZJeottnant Thanas Hemy Wil- 
•s^cniiaii^ off ^Vlie passage into iteTexd, discovered and 
s^Mad a Fioich cvtter-privatew, wlu^ after the exchange of 
■ Ihr hroadaidea, ran hera^ on sfaose ; but, as the Lark was 
VBsble to get near enon^ to dP>troy her, this privateer even- 
tailly EDt (^aod reached m safety the IjpBel road. 

On ue 26th, at 3 p. ii., the Lark diased and soon came up 
with another French cutter-pri vateer, which, after ei^^agine the 
logger for sotoe time, ran oo shore upon the Vhe idana. Here 
tlw catter, which was the Inprenable, Captain Sparrow, of 12 
tamg 3, uid two loi^ 8 ponndeis, and a crew of 60 men, d»- 
fended heneitf piattj well fcr nearly an hour ; at the aid of 
vriiiclt her men b^an escaping to the shore, nnder the. cover of 
A p«r^ of troops estimated at abodt 1 00. 

Seamg this, lientcnant \t^ilsoa pat aS in the Lark's small 
boa^ awl directed the maater, Hr, Tluoias Geltins, to follow 
m the large bo^ With Us haadfol of mln, and in the &ce of 
» nsait fire of musketry from the shore, to which by this time 
■11 die French crew bad escaped, lieatenant Wilson boarded 
the If^Roiable. Rn^g his endeavours to gettbecutter afloat 
gicatfy impeded by the mnsketry from the troops, the lieutenant 
delated uie master in the la^ boat to dislodge them from the 
aaad-hanka behind which they had taken shdta'. This d<»e, 
lbs British sooceeded, without the slightest loss, in getting off 
fte privateer, and carried her into Yarmouth roads. To odd to 
the vahis of this eallant exploit, the Imprenable had been a 
£reat pest to British commerce in the North Sea. 

Ota the 10th of Jane Rear>admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, 
erajsing c^ the Penmarcks with tbe Renown and Defoice 748, 
Cisntains llionas Eyles and Lord Hmry Paulet, and Fisgard 
KM Unictna fixates, Captains IlKHBas Byam Martin and Philip 
Wilkinsmi, detached the boats of the squadron to attempt to 
cat««t.or destroy a convoy «[ brigs and chane-roar^ lying at 
St.-CrDix, a small harbonr mthm die Penmarok rocks, and 
, kaown to be laden with wine uid provinoas for the Brest fieet. 

In the evening tbe boats, eight in nnmbcs', namely, two Iran 
dw Keoown, commanded by lieutenant Hemy Burke, two 



40 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800. 

from the Fl^rd, by Lieutenant William Dean, and Lieutenant 
of marines Mark. A. Gerrard, two from the Defence, by Lieu- 
tenant Thomas Stamp, and two from the Unicom, by Lieutenant 
William Price, assembled on board the Fiagard, then at anchor 
as near as possible to the shore. At II f. h., favoured by the 
darkness. Lieutenant Burke proceeded to execute the sernce 
intruBted to him. The freenneaa of the wind prevented the 
boats from reaching the enemy's anchorage until after daylight 
on the 11th; when, irf opposition to a heavy battery, tluee 
armed vessels, and a constant fire of musketry from the shore, 
the British captured one gun-boat, Nochette, mounting two 
Iong24-poundei8, two chasse-ouu^es, one of six, the other of 10 
gunB,and eight merchant veesels. The remainder of the convoy, 
amounting to 20 sail, escaped capture by running npon the rocks. 
This spirited little affair cost the British only three seamen 
and one marine wounded. Among the officers not already 
named, who distinguished thepiselves oo the occasion, were 
acting Lieutenant Hevy Jane of the Renown, master's mate 
John Fleming, and ueutenant Killogrivoff, a volunteer from 
the Russian service. 

Oi) the night of the 23d of June the same British squadron, 
with the exception of the Unicom, having anchored off the 
Gl^nans, the boats, under the immediate directioa of Captain 
Martin, proceeded to attack a French corvette mounting 26 gnns, 
a brig of 18, lugger of 16, and cutter of 10 gnoB, l}ring at 
anchor, in company with several sail of merchant vessels, in 
Quimper river. At daybreak on the 24th the boats arrived off 
the entrance of the river ; and, for their protection in ascending 
it, two cUviuons of lArines were landed, that on the right com- 
manded by lieutenant Henry Burke of the B«nown, and that <Mi 
the left, by Lieutenant Mark A, Gerrard, of the Fisgard's marines. 
The boats, under Lieutenant Robert Yarker, in the mean time, 
pulled vrith all expedition to the attack, but soon found that the 
vessels had retired to an inaccessible distance up the river. 
Xieutenant Yarker then landed, and stormed, carried, and blew 
up, a battery mounted with two or three 24-pounders. Two 
other small ftirts, with their magazines, were also blown up by 
the British before they retumed to their ships, and that without 
the occiiTFeace of a mngle casualty. 

Having received information tt^t a French corvette, with a 
large convoy from Sable^'Oloone bound to Brest, ¥ras lying 
wimin the island of Noirmoutier, Sir John on the Ist of July 
anchored in Bouraeuf bay, with the intention of detaching the 
boats of his three ships against this force, consisting of the 
armed shipTher6se, of 20 guns, a lu^;er of 12 guns, and a 
cutter and two schooners, each of six guns, moored witiiin the 
sands at the bottom of the bay, in a strong position of defence, 
and under the protection of six batteries at the soudi-east end 
of Ncannoutier, besides flanking guns at every projecting point. 



IBOO. BOAT-ATTACK AT NOIKHOUTIEB. 41 

Having assembled on board the Fiegard, the boats pulled off 
in the evening, in three divisionB, contaioiog between them 192 
officers, seamen, and marines, under the ordeta of Lieutenant 
Burke, assisted by lieutenante of marines John Thompson and 
Charles Henry Ballinghall, of the Renown, Lieutenant William 
Dean, and lientenants of marines Mark A. Gerard, of the 
I'isgudiand Willuun Ghurettand Hugh Hutton, of the Defence. 
At midoigbt the British in the boats boarded, and, after much 
lesistance and lose on the part of theFrench, carried the ship 
and the three other armed Tessels, together with 15 sail of 
merchantmen ; all, as well as the armed vessels, laden with 
fionr, com, provisions, bale-goods, and ship-timber, for the fleet 
at Brest. Fioding it imposuble to bring off his prizes, Lien- 
tenant Burke canMd them to be efiectually destroyed. 

In high glee at having performed ^is essential service without 
any 1ms, the British now proceeded on their retnm ; but unfer- 
tnnately, in attempting to pass over the sand-banks, the boats took 
tiie ground, and in less than ten minutes, lay perfectly dry. In this 
helpless sitnation, Lieutenant Burke and his party became exposed 
to a continnal 6re from the forts on Noirmoutier island, and from 
about 400 French soldiers, Notwithstanding so fonnidable an 
oppOKtioa, the British commenced an attack upon some other 
vesselB afloat near them, in the hope to secure one sufficiently 
large to carry them all off. This tney accomplished, and, with 
great intrepidity and exertion, drew her upwards of two miles 
over the sands, until ^e floated ; by which time the men were 
nearly up to their necks in water. It appears that ^ officers, 
seamen, and marines (several of them, mclading Lientenants 
Bnrke, lliompson, and Ballinghall, woonded) were now taken 
prisoners ; but that the remainder of the party, numbering in all 
100, forced the French to retreat, and then got back to theit 
ships by means of the boats they had taken. This was a very 
gallant, and, but for the latter luuf of it, would have been a very 
SQccessfiil and important, boat-service. 

On the27Ui ef June a British squadron, composed of the 12- 
pounder 32^an frigate Andromeda, Captain Henry Inntan, 28- 
gnn frigate Nemesis, Captain Thomas Baker, one 20-gun ship, 
two ship-sloops, one b(»nb-re8se1, and 11 fire-ships, gun-brigs, 
hired cotters, and lu^;ers, assembled off Dunkerque, to attempt 
the destruction of the four French ftigates, Poursuivante, of the 
44-gnn or 24-pounder class, Carmagnole, of the 40-gun, and 
D^r^ and Incorruptible, of the 3^s^ class; and which four 
fikntes had long been blockaded in uat port. 

Contrary winds and a succession of un&vourable tides 
afibrded do opportunity of making the attack until the 7tb of 
Jnly. On that evening the sbip-sloop Dart (sister vessel to the 
Arrow already described*). Captain Patrick Campbell, followed 

■ See ToL ii„ p. 844 : but the Dart Bpi>eRn to have mounted two addi- 
tional cBiTUMdeB oa bet qoaiterdeck, oi 90 in all. 



42 UGHT BQUASBONS AND SINGLE 8HIFS. IMO; 

by the Biter and Boxer gun-brigs, lieotetuDts William yomnui 
&Dd Thomas Gilbert, and the four fire-riiipa Wasp, Captain itiuk 
Edwarde, Falcon, Captain Henry Samnei Bntt, Comet, Captaia 
Thomas Leef, and Roaaric^ Captain James Carthew, with the 
onttera and small-craft attemung them, entered Dnnkerqne' 
roads. At aboat midni^t the Dart and ber companions got 
flight of the French ships. Soob afterwards me of the latter 
bailed the Dart, and aeked whence she cane. Tbe answerva^ 
*' De Bordeaux," The Fienchman ihita desired to know wbat 
convoy that was astem, meaniDg the gon^brigs and fire^bips. 
The re[4y was, " Je ne sals pas." 

This conTersation ended, the Dart continued to pass on mt- 
molested, antil she arrived idoogaide of the innermost frigate bnt 
one, when that frigate opoied aptm ber a very heavy file. Tlii» 
the Dart was ^tabled to retam with 16 donbte-ehottad 32- 
poanders, discharged in mnch qnicker repetiti<m. than coumoiv 
owing to the canonadea being mounted on the noo-recoil piin- 
dple. The Dart then ranged m, and boarded the innermoit 
fiigate, the D6sir^, by mnning her bowsprit between the latter** 
fiirunast and forestay, having previoasly let go a etam-amiiot to 
check her own way. The ttnt lienteoaot, James M'Demei^ 
at iht head of a division of seamen and marines, immediately 
boarded the French frigate on the forecastle, carryii^ all bdbrft 
bim, but not without being badly wounded in the arm. He then 
hailed the Dart, to say he bad possession of the ^ip ; bid as ha 
feand the crew would rally, and he was woimded, he requested 
that an officer might be sent to take diarge. Having cut ber 
■tent-cable, the Dart bad just swung alongside the DMife ; oo 
vhoae qoarter Lieutenant William Isaac Fearce instantly leaped 
with a seoood division of men. This officer ctHnpletdv repused 
dw French crew, who were ralljring at the after natchwav. 
Lieutenant Pearce then cut Uie frigate's cdbles, got the D6siree 
imder sail, and steered her over the banks that could not have 
been passed half an hoar later in the tide. 

In this dashing enterprise, which was concluded in about 16 
minutes, the Dart had only one seaman killed, her first lieutenant 
already named, one masto-'s mate (James Hall), and nine seamen 
and marines wounded ; while the loss sostamed by the D£sir6e, 
a fine new frigate of 1016 tons, was supposed to liave amounted 
to fiill 100 in lulled and wounded togemer, including nearly the 
whole of the officers present. The established complement of 
theD^sir^ was fiwnSOO to 360 men; but it does not appear 
that Hie frigate had all ber crew on board. Tba exact number 
that was on board we are, however, unable to state ; espedally 
as, from some unexplained cause, no head-money certificate* 
were signed, or at least recorded. 

The four fire-ships were admirably conducted, and not aban- 
doned by their officera until comfrietely in flames : on board the 
Comet, indeed, the captain and one seanan were woonded by 



Um COTTDIO OUT THE DESIREE. 4» 

the cxpjouon. By alacrity, however, in cutting their cab)eB> 
«hitii^ which they w«re exposed to the fire, within piatol-Bhot of 
the Dart, and of the gnn-bngs Biter and Boxer, the tniee remain- 
ing French frigateB eecaped before the wind, and ran out of the 
road to a short distance down the chanop) that passea within the 
Break sand. One of them here got on ahore, but at daylight 
OD the 8th got off; and all three ships sabflequeatly reined 
dieb anchorage. 

Daring the attack the hired 14~gun cutter Kent, Lientenant 
Robert Baron Cooban, found employmmt for some French gnn- 
boatfl that would otherwise bave annoyed the attacking vessels. 
In this caniionade the Kent had one seaman wounded ; and the 
i2-gm hired cutter Ann, Lieutenant Robert Young, end the 
gon-bflg Biter, Lieutenant Samuel Norman, bad each one seaman, 
and AelftttCTh^ commander, wounded, in the service which they 
were respeetirdy reuderinff. The better to direct the enterprise, 
Giqitain Inman, with 30 voTunte^? from the Andromeda, had em- 
barked OD board the hired lugger Vigilant, Mr. WilHam Dean,. 
maetta, and proceeded with the odier vesBels into Dunkerqne 
fotds. C^taia Inman, very bumandy, sent the prisoners, many 
oTwiiom were dreadfiiUy mangled, to Dunkerque on their parole. 
Few this he received the tbaukB of Commodoie Castagnier. If 
mil the prisoners were thus sent away, the leasoQ is explained 
«d^ th^ were no head-money certificates. 

For his skill and nllantry in laying on board and captnring 
the D£sir6e, Captain Campbell was advanced to pofit-ranx, and 
•l^iraited to the 20-«un aim Ariadne : in point of rank, cer- 
twily a step forward, but, from the Dart to the Ariadne nearly 
two steps backwards, as respected the relative forse ana 
eflfeetivmesa of the two vessels. As the least reward &at could 
be bestowed upon an officer who bad behaved so gallantly and 
■■ffered so severely. Lieutenant M'Denneit was promoted to the 
nok ofconnnander; and we ahonld, we confesa, have been gra- 
tified at seemg Lieutenant Pearce among the newly made com- 
manders of the. year. 

We nneerely liope that those careful gentlemen, the established 
]Rlots, got ihm deseliSf for having pusillaiumously abandoned 
the cbiuge of their ships when their Bervices were most required. 
Ve wish we knew their names, in order to hand them down with 
lieoofflii^ iirianiy. Fortunately the master of the Ann cutter, 
Mr. Heorr Moor, was competent to take charge of the Dart ; 
■ad Mr. James WfaeaUand, mate of the Ann, uso volunte^ed 
Int serncea, Ibese, with some men obtained out of smngglen. 
fsabled Captain Cam|A»dl to send a pilot to each gun-bng and 
fire-naad. 

lln D6nr£« waa afterwards added to Ate British navy aa « 
S^gnn firigate, and Captain Inman, very deservedly, was ap- 
yai S e d to comnnsnon her. One mistake we are bound to 
nelify: it is as to the Fiendi gun-force of the D£sk6e, as w^ 



44 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800. 

as of one of the other frigates in her company. In his letter to 
Captain Inman, Captain Campbell states the maindeck guns of 
bow the Desiree and Incorruptible to have been " 24-pounderB ;" 
and every one of our contemporaries, relying on such good 
authority, have assigned the D^tree guns of that caliber. But 
this French frigate, in ^ct, was armed the same as No. 6 in the 
table at p. M of the first volume, except in having two S-pound- 
era more, and two carronadee fewer, than the number there 
specified. 

In the latter end of July, while the 14-gua cutter Viper, coin- 
manded by acting Lieutenant Jeremiah Ct^hlan, and attached to 
Sir Edward Pellew's squadron, was watching Port-Lonia, it 
occurred to the former young officer, that he might succeed io 
boarding one of the cutters or guD-vessels, which were constantly 
moving about the entrance of that harbour. His first step was 
to request of Sir Edward Pellew a tea-oared cutter, with 12 
yolunteers. Having obtained the boat and men, Mr. Coghlan, 
on the night of the 26th, placed in her a midshipman of the 
Viper, Mr. Silas Hiscutt Paddon, and six seamen, making with 
himself a total of 20. With this ten-oared cutter, a boat from 
the Viper, and another from the Amethyst frigate, Mr. C<^hlan, 
set out to board a French gun-brig, mounting three long 34, and 
four. 6 pounders, full of men, moored with springs on her cables, 
lying in a naval port of difiicult access, withm pistol-shot of three 
batteries, surrounded by several armed smaA-crafi, and not a 
mile from a French 74 and two frigates. 

Undismayed by such formidable appearances, regardless of 
the early discovery of his approach, as evinced by the gun-brig's 
crew bemg at quarters, or even of the lost aid of the two otosr 
boats, which in B[»te of all the endeavours of their respective 
crews, could not keep pace vrith the cutter, — in the very teeth 
of all these obstacles, Mr.C<^hlaQ and his handful of aien 
boarded the gun-brig on the quarter. Owing to the extreme 
darkness of the night, the leader of this resolute band jumped 
into a trawl-net hung up to dry. In this belplem situation Mr. 
Coghlau was pierced through the left thigh with a pike : sevoal 
of his men were also hurt; and the whole were forced back into 
the boat. 

Unchecked in ardour, the British hauled their boat &rthet 
ahead ; and, again boarding the gun-brig, maintained against 
87 men, 16 of whom were soldiers, an obstinate con&ict, dnrii^ 
which many of the British were knocked overboard, and the 
whole, a second time, beat back to their boat Notwitfistanding 
this, however, the assulants returned to the charge with un- 
abated courage ; and, after killing six men, and wounding 20, 
amcMu; whom was every officer bdonging to her, Mr. Cogfatan 
and ms truly gallant comrades cairieid the Cerwre. His own 
loss on this splendid occa^on was one man killed and aght 
ironoded, himself in two places, and Mr. Paddon in az. mth 



1800. CAPTUKE OF THE CONCORDE AND MEDEE. 45 

Ae aid of the two other boats, the British towed out thor prize, 
undet a heavy but ineffectual fire from the batteries. 

Tile language of Sir Edward Fellew, in his letter to Earl St- 
Vincent,^ describing the affair, is so veiy enei^etic and appro- 
pitate, that we cannot do better than transcriw bis words : " I 
tnut I shall stand excused by your lordship for so minute a de- 
BCriptitm, produced by my admiration of uiat courage, which, 
hwtd to hand, gave victory to a handful of brave fStows over 
four times their number, and of that skill which formed, con- 
dncted, and effected bo daring an enterprise." The officers and 
nen of Sir Edward's Sfjnadron, to mars their sense of such dis- 
tingiUBhed bravcay, gave up the Cerbdre as a prize to the con- 
amtan ; and Earl St.-yincent was so much pleased with Mr. 
Cbgblan's intrepidity, that he presented him with a handsome 
swmd. Moreover, the young man obtained, what his aspiring 
mind valued above all other gifts, a confirmation of his rank as 
bentenant ; and that, although be had not quite served the time, 
which the regulatiotis of the navy required, and which had 
never been dispensed with, we beheve, previous to this g-"--'^ 



On the 4tii of August, soon after daylight, the British 64^n 
■hip Bellicnieux, Captfuu Kowley Bulteel, being off the co&st of 
Biaxil witn a fleet of outward-bound Indiamen under her pro. 
tectim, discovered four sail in the north-west or leeward quarter, 
steering abont north by east These were the French 40-gun 
frigate Ctmcorde, Commodore Jeao-Fran^ois Landolplie, 36-^ua 
frigates M^^, Captain Jean-Daniel Coudin, and Franchise^ 
C^>tain Pierre Jurien, and a captured American schooner fitted 
oat as a tender. This squadron bad sailed from Rocbefort on 
the 6th of March, 1799 ; and, after committing serious depre- 
datioDS upon the coast of Africa, had refitted at Rio de La 
Ptota. 

At. 7 A. M., hoping to pick up a prize or two, the French 
commodore hauled his wind, tacked, and stood towards the 
convoy; which, to facilitate the junction, bore down. At noon, 
vriien a nearer approach brought into full view the China ships 
with their two tiers of ports and warlike appearance, the French 
dura bore up under a press of sail, and by signal separated. 

llie BelUqueux immediately steered for the Concorde as the 
lugest ship ; and at S h. 30 m. p. h., after a partial firing of 
lUiDut 10 minutes' duration, by which do one on either side 
appears to have been hurt, compelled the French commodore, 
with a CKWf as assertedj of 444 men, to haul down his colours. 
In the mean time four of the Indiamen, the Exeter, Captain 
Henry Meriton, Bombay-Castle, Captain John Hamilton, Contts, 
Captain Robert Torin, tmd Neptune, Captain Nathaniel Specs, 
all 1200-ton ships, had been ordered by signal to proceed kt 
dbase ; the first two, of the M^^, and the other two, of the 
Franchise. 

.Google 



40 UOHT SqnAOBONS AND SINOLS 8H1FS. .1800. 

According to Captain Bolteel's letter in the Qasette, the 
Uld^, witE a crew of 315 meo, was captured at 7 p. h. 1^ die 
^Bombay-Castle and Exeter ; but the Knowing Bomewhat dif- 
jereut, and, we moat add, not very conajetcnt aeconnt, afqwan 
in the woik of a contemporary: "Hie chaeewaaloiffi, and at 
imdnkht Captain MeiibHi, of toe Exeter, finiad himseu' coming 
veiy nat up with tlie enemy, while the Bombay-Gaatle, another 
IwuamaD, commanded by CtqvUin ^uxiilton, waa atiU very Su 
astern. The position was critical, and the British officer, with 
great presence of mind, formed his determination; mDning 
alongside of the Frenchman with all his ports a[^ he cooi- 
manoed him to sairender to a anperior force ; with this order, 
sopipouDg himself under the gons of a ship of the line, the 
French captain instantly comphed. Meriton gave him bo time 
for deliberation, but sent an <ri£cer and brought him on board, 
and he delivered his sword to the EuKliah captain* in doe form, 
tm the quarterdeck. The Bombay-Castle was stil! at a great 
distance, bnt on her comuig up, the prisooers were qmckly 
taken out and divided. By wis time titt I^ench captain began 
to recover from hia surprise, and looking very attentively at the 
little guns on the quarterdeck, asked Captain MeritOD woat ship 
it waa to which he had sorrendeied 1 Merit4Ni drily answered 
' To a merchant-ship :' the indignant FrencbiBBn bemed to be 
allowed to return with his people to the frigate and ng^t the 
battle again."* 

The remaining* French frigate, the Franchise, I^ throwing 
everboaid a part of her gans, together irith ber anchors, boata, 
and booms, and by the timdy i^proach of night* effected her 
escape ; as did also the aimed sduioner. Owinr to the late 
period at which the Concorde and M£d6e (both tf whidi were 
armed precisely according to the establishment of tlwr re- 
spective classes, already so frequently adverted to) arrived in % 
port of England, and to the turn which oflaurs had then taken, 
neither frigate was purchased for the use of the British navy. 

On the 20th of August, at 8 h. 30 m. a. h., the British Sft-gnn 
fiigate Seine, Captain David Milne, cmini^ in the Mona pas- 
sage with the wind easteriy and ver^ h^t, saw, right dwad, 
standing to the northward on the starboard tack, the Freocfa 
fr^;ate Vei^;eance, Captain Pichot (the Consldlatian's late an- 
tagonist), sot many days frrom Curocoa, bound to Fnaoe. The 
Seine immediately mode all soil in cnase. At 10 a. m., the wind 
havii^ come more northerly, so as to jHerent the Vengeance 
from weathering Cape Raphael on the Wv-Domii^ dwre, the 
French ship tacked, and steered eonth- n o a th so at under oU sail. 
At noon, or soon after, the wind shifted bock to the eastward, 
batvras still very light; and both ihipecDntinaed oader aciowd 
of eeiiTaas. At 4 p. h. the Veageuiee b^an finng her ateni- 

« Bmitoo>v^liL,p.Ml. 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



1800. SKOTE AND TKNGSANCE. 



At nil. 30 no. F. H. theSdne, haTiag guned so in. 
tiie dmse as to be dose on her opponent's quarter, fired sevenl 
iROadndes et ber; bat the YengeBnce stiil stood on, filing in 
ictam all tbe guns she could bnng to bear. This greatlj 
damaged the rigging and suls of die Seine, and con^)eUed her, 
tA about midnigTit, to drop astern. 

The remainder of the night was occupied in reeving fresk 
rig^ng, and preparing to renew the combat ; each ship canying 
crerj sail she could set On tiie 2lBt, at 7 h. 30m. a. m., tha 
Sdne got agam witbin jgon-shot, and at 8 a. m. close alonnide^ 
«f the Vengeance, 'tae action now recomnieaced, ana ct»i- 
tinoed, with unabated fury, until 10 b. 30 m. a.m.; when the 
Vengeance, bavins lost her foremast, mizenmast, and miun top- 
maat, all of which had fallen in-boajd, and being terribly shat-- 
tered in her hall, surrendered. This was made known by an 
officor, who hailed the Seine from the end of the French ship's 
bowBptit. 

Tlw S^e lost none of her mastS) but had her mainmast 
Ixidly wounded, and received several shot in her remtuning masts 
and iinll. Her loss, out of a complement of 281 men and boys, 
wnoonted to her second lieutenant (Geoi^ Milne) and 12 Be»- 
men killed, and (me lieutenant of marineB Archibald Mac- 
dcnald), her master (Andrew Barclay), captain's clerk (Mr. 
BomeX 22 seamen, three mating andf one boy wounded. The 
loss of ibe Vengeance, Captain Miine merely says, " has ben 
very great." As 291 were the number of furiaoneis recnved out 
of her, and 326, according to the depoution of her officers in the 
^ze-court, the number of persons on board when the action 
«iHnm»ced, we may fairly set down the killed at 35 ; and the 
woooded, if in the usual proportion, were probably about 70 
or 80. 

Ilie Seine, late the French frigate of that name taken by the 
Jason and I^qtie in June, 1798,* carried two long nines and 
«ght 32-'poanaeT camnadea more than the establishment of her 
claas-t llie force of the Vengeance has already, on more than 
me occasion, been referred to.f Captain Milne calls the eights 
of the Vengeance twelves ; but no French frigate, not even the 
Forte of MOl, nor the Egyptienne of 1430 tons, mounted a 
heavier caliber than 8-pounders on the quarterdeck and foro- 
dstle. Moreover the Vengeance, aa Captain Milne admits, was 
a sister-vessel to the lU^stance ; and the latter, aa has already 
lieen shown, carried 8-pounderB.§ In calling the 36-poiiader 
carrooades 42s, Captain Milne has only erred as other captains 
faave done; but, m adding, "The weight of metal I faave 

• 8eevoLU.,p.S9a 

f F«t<rtudi(M:IeaerZuitlies>iuUtableBtp. 91rf ihefint volume. 

i Sn vc^ i^ p. S41, aud nL il, p. 80. 

$SeavaLii,p.8L 



dbv Google 



4S UOHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800. 

mentioned in French poundB," he has given tlie French a caliber 
thev never possessed- With respect to " sbif^ne guns on the 
mam and quarter decks," it appeals, that the Vengeance bad 
every brcAaside port already filled. But even admitting that the 
Vengeance fought a gun on one broadside which she transported 
from the other, the Seine did the same ; as appears from the 
following extract of a letter from Sir David Milne to Sir Robert 

Seppings, one of the surveyors of the navy. " In La S e 

I had Uie qaarter-galleries formed into ports, and in action that 
slup fought a gun there, by transporting it on (from) tlie other 
side."* Having, as we hope, cleared up these points, »e can, 
with more con&ence, present the following as the 

COMPARATIVE FOBCE OF THE C0UBATAMT8. 

VSHSUItCB. 



CoDsiderii^ theinferiontyin effectiveness between the French 
and the English ship'B eight carronades to have been compen^ 
sated by the foiwer s tier of swivels along the gangway, we may 
pronounce this to have been as pretty a frigate-match as any 
ftiugtit during the war. There ie on the face of the statement, 
imdoubtedly, a numerical superiority in favour of the French 
ship, but fta too slight for a British ship to notice ; above all, 
not such as to justify the captor in sa^ng, " Yoor lordship will 
perceive the Vengeance is superior m size, guns, and number 
of men to his majesty's ship I have the honour to command." 
It is suffident to say, that this was an action which, both in the 
conduct and the resiilt, did great credit to Captain Milne, his 
officers, and ship's company; and, let us be just in adding, it 
was one, also, in which M. Pichot, on finding that to run would 
not avail hira, made a maniiil resistance, surrendering only when 
his ship was reduced to an unmanageable hullc. 

As soon as the prisoners were removed and the wreck of the 
masts cleared, the Seine, taking her prize in tow, proceeded with 
her to Jamaica. On the 25th, in the morning, the mainmast of 
the Vengeance, having been badly wounded, fell over the side. 
On the 27th in the evening, the two ships, the prize with nine- 
feet water in the hold, anchored in the lurbour of Port-Royal. 
Shortly afterwards, as was fully his due. Lieutenant Edward 
Chetham, first of the Seine, was promoted to the rank of comr 
mander. 

The Vengeance was purchased for the use of the British navy, 
and became classed with the frigate that had captured her ; but, 
owing to her damaged state and the heavy coat of repairs at 
Jamaica, the ship never again quitted porL As the exa^erated 

* Sir Robert Seppings'i iMta to Lord Helnlle upon Cinular Sterna, p.- IS. 

Google 



1800. BENE AND VENGEANCE. 49 

toeonnt pna oi the size of the Vengeance, namely, that she 
was as large as a Britisli 64, tended greatly to mislead the 
public as to the merits of the action which had led to her 
captore, we beg to be allowed to digress a little, to show how 
tbe mistake arose. 

When a captured vessel is parchaBed hj ^oremment, it is at 
so much a too, according to the age and condition of the prize. 
Hence the ship's measurement must be taken before the earn caa 
be fixed. In tbe case of the Vengeance, the master-shipwright, 
shipwright's assistant, and boatswain, belonging to Port-Royal 
yanl, took her dimensions and computed her tonnage, but in 
sach a way that they made the eister-ship of one that was 1 182, 
measnre 1370 tons. As the Vengeance was prevented front 
coming home to be properly measured, no way remains to prore 
the errooeons calcination of the dock-yard officers, but by 
maalogy. For instance, in the year 1803 the same officers 
meuored, among many other ships, the French prize-frigates 
Glorinde, Snrreillante, Vertu, and Creole, and the 74-gun ship 
Saqnesne. The fbllowing little table will show that, in their 
way of performing the task, tbe Fort-Royal dock-yanl officers 
coald not hare node a ship of 1180 tons measure less thaa 

137a 

Clorinle, meantred at Juanica lS7fi Heasured in England I16I 

SnrreiUante, „ 1235 „ tOM 

Vttto, „ 1245 „ 1073 

Duqnone „ 3151 • „ * 1903 

C Foundered on her wbt home; f 
CkM^ „ 1S07 i but ms known to be nmi- [ 107S 

f Ur in ute to Vertu, » ) 

lA.n (Actual meaBurement of Il^t,,B_ 
^"^ I iiitiuice,»ftenf»rds Fisgard J "^ 

Consequently, the arerage rate per ton, at which these six 
French ships were purchased, being 10/. lOi. for the Clorind^ 
12L lOf. fortheSurveillanteand DuquesQe,7/.forthe Vertu, 8/. 
10(. for Cr&>le, and 6/. 55. for the Vengeance, government paid 
ll,L37iL lOs. more than they had ^reed to give. 

On the 29th of August, while the British souadron, already 
tnoitioned as nnder the command of Sir John Bortase Warren 
in the 74-gun ship Renown, was, with several transports in 
company, proceeding along the coast of Spain to its ulterior des- 
tination, a large French ship-privateer, alarmed by the appear- 
ance of so formidable a force, was seen to run into Vigo, and to 
anchor at a spot near the narrows of Redondela, and close to 
some battenes. In the evening a division of boats, 20 in 
number, from the ships of the squadron, placed under the 
cvders of Lieutenant Henry Burke of the Renown, proceeded to 
attack the privateer ; which was the Gugpe, mounting 13 long 
^pounders, and manned with 161 men. 

At about 40 minutes past midnight the boats-got alongdde ni 

VOL. III. B t 



iO LIGHT SQUADBOMS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800. 

die ship; the crew of which had pieiioii»ly cheered, to show 
that they were prepared. Motwithstanding this, and that the 
Gufipe's commander, Cittzea Dupan, had laid over the hatches 
to keep biB men to tbdr quarterB, the British resolutely boarded, 
and in 16 minutes carried' the vessel ; with the loss of three 
aeamen and one marine tilled, three lieutenants, 12 tfeainen> 
Vtd five marines wounded, and one leatnan missing, probably 
drowned. 

Among the wounded ofEcers was the gallant leader of the 
party. Lieutenant Burke, an officer who had previously dia- 
tinguished himself on more than one similar occasion; aod 
who, immediately after this additional proof of his gallantry, 
obtained the rank of commander. The two other wound«l 
iJeutenants were John Henry Holmes and Joseph (misnamed in 
the Gazette James) Nourse, both of the Courageux. The loss 
en board the Gufipe, as a proof bow obstinately she had beea 
defended, amounted to 26 men killed and 40 wounded, including 
among the mortally wounded, her brave commander. This 
formidable French privateer had been fitted out at Bordeaux, 
and was stored and proviuoned, in the toost complete manner, 
for a four months* cruise. 

On the 3d of September, at about 8 p. h., eight boats from tht 
74^un ship Minotaur, Captain Thomas Louis, and armed en 
fl&te (late 12-pounder 32^n) frigate Niger, Captain James 
Uillyar, placed under the orders of the latter, assisted by Lieu- 
tenants Charles Marsh Schovberg, and Thomas Warrand, Mid* 
BhipmeR James Lowry, and Richard Standieb Haly, and Lieute- 
nant of marines John Jewell, proceeded to cut out or destroy 
two Spanish armed ships, or corvettes, at anchor in Bareelona 
To&di; one, the Concepcion, alias Esmeralda, the other, the Paz, 
each described as mounting 22 long 12 and 8 pounders, and 
ladea with stores, reported, but which did not prove to be the 
case, for the relief of Malta. 

At the time these eight boats were detached upon the servic<^ 
one of them was boarding a Swedish galliot bound into the port; 
and, to join this boat and give directions to her commander. 
Captain Hillyar palled, in the first instance, for the galliot. On 
arriving alongside the latter, the British boats hooked on, and 
they and the Swedish gaUiot »f couiae stood together towards 
the mole of Barcelona. 

Having approached within about three quarters of a mile of 
the nearest battery, and being reminded, by two shots which 
passed over the galliot, that it was time to retire from under the 
■belter of a neutral vessel, Captain Hillyar and his party pulled 
away towards the object of attack. Portly afterwards the 
Ojtennost of the two Spanish armed ships, the Esmeralda, 
discharged her broadside at the boats, but without effect, her 
shot falling short. Pushing on with their accustomed alacritT> 
the Biittsfa were alongside 2ie EamNalda bcfin* the ship could 



1800. CAFTAIH mLLYAB AT BABCELONA. 61 

reload her guns. This was at 9 p.H. ; and in a few miontei 
•Aerwards, but aot without a emart Btrug^Ie, Captain Hillyar 
and his party boarded end carried the Esmeralda. 

The announcement of this victory, by the cheers of the 
British, was the signal for the Spaniards in the other ship to cut 
tfaor cable, and endeavour to run close under the battery at the 
Bole-head ; but the ship canting the wrong way, and the British 
being alert in their movements, the Paz, before 10 f. k., in spite 
of B heavy fire from four strong batteries, 10 knu-boats, two 
sdiooDeis, each armed with two long 36-pounaerB, and a fort 
apcm Mount loni which threw shells, shared the fate of her coi^ 
sort. At about II p. m. the two prize-ships, and the boats 
that had taken them, covered as they stood to the offing by two - 
men of war, were brought off in safety; with a loss to the 
British of only two seamen and one marine killed, the Minotaur's 
master, Mr. Reid and four seamen wounded. On board the 
Paz, one seaman was killed and four wounded ; and on board 
file Esmeralda, two seamen were killed, and 17 wounded. 

Each of the captured ships is represented to have measnred 
•boot 400 tons, and to have been laden with proviaioae and 
Itores supposed for Batavia. Besides which they were to have 
taken on board between them 300 Batavian troops from the 
itlaod of Majorca. Admitting the crew (for no number is stated 
in the gazette letter) to have amounted ouly to 50 men, we have 
a ship of 400 tons, carrying, besides a cai^o of pravisioos, 200 
men, and mounted with " 22 brass guns, 12 and 9 pounders." 
We must therefore be permitted to consider, that the *guns of 
die Esmeralda were only 8 and 6 pounderB ; and that even the 
tnajority of the guns were of the lesser caliber. Still the exploit, 
performed as it was in the very teeth of a £orce both afloat and 
ashore bo very superior, reflected the highest honour upon the 
victorious party. 

It is true that some altercation took place between the courts 
ttf Spain and Sweden relative to the alleged seizure of the gal 
liot to surprise the ships; but it led to nothing except, for a 
while, to mislead public opinion as to the merits of the case. A 
contemporary states that the capture of the Paz and Esmeralda, 
"led to the promotion ofCapuin Hillyar and Lieutenant Schom- 
be^."* If so, the operation as r^ards Captain Hillyar at least, 
was rather a tardy one; for he was not, we find, made post untJl 
February, 1804, rather more than six months after the senior 
lientenant who had served under him at Barcelona attained the 
same rank. 

On the 10th of September, as the British privateer-bri^. 
Hover, of Liverpool, Nova-Scotia, armed with 14 long 4-pouna- 
•rs and 54 men and boys, under the command of Captain God- 
fiey, WOB cmising near Cape Blanco on the Spanish Main, the 

* Brantmi, vol. iii., p. K 

"2 Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



52 UOHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1600. 

SpaniBh Bcbooner Santa-Ritta, mounting 10 long 6-pounder6 and. 
two English 12-pouoder can-tmadeB, with about 85 men, and 
accompanied by three gun-boats also under Spanish colours, and 
which, as well as the schooner, had the da; before been 
equipped by the goremor of Puerto-Caballo, on purpose to cap- 
ture the Rover, came out from near the land to fultil tbdr orders. 
The light breeze which had been blowing having died awaV, the 
schooner and two of the gun-boats, by the aid of a nnmber of 
oars, gained fast upon the brig ; keeping up as they advanced a 
steady fire from their bow-guns, which the Rover returned with 
two guns pointed from her stem, and, as her opponents drew 
near, with her small-arms also. 

Apprized, by their motions, that the schooner intended to 
4>oard on the starboard quarter, and the two gun-boats (the third 
appeared to keep aloof) on the opposite bow and quarter, the 
nover suffered them to advance imtil they got within about 15 
yards of her: she then manned her oarson the larboard side, 
and, pulling quickly round, broneht her starboard broadside to 
bear right athwart the schooner's oow ; upon whose decks, then 
filled with men ready for boarding, the brig poured a whole 
broadside of round and grape/ Immediately after this, ber 
acUve crew passed over to the guns on the opposite side, and 
raked the two gun-boats in a similar manner. The Rover then 
commenced a close action with the Santa-Ritta, and continued 
it for an hour and a half,- when finding her opponent's fire grow 
slack, the Rover, by the aid of a light air of wind, backed her 
head-sailB, and brought her stem in contact with the schooner's 
side. The British crew then rushed on board of, and with 
scarcely a show of opposition carried, the Santa-IUtta. The two 
^n-boats, seeing the fate of their consort, sheered off, apparently 
in a very shattered state. 

Notwithstanding this long and hard-fought action, the Rover 
had not a man hurt ; while, on board the Santa-Ritta, every 
o£Bcer, except the commander of a detachment of 26 soldiers, 
was killed : the whole of the killed, as found on the deck, 
amounted to 14, and the wounded to 17. The prisoners in- 
cluding the latter, numbered 71. These, being too many to be 
kept on board, were all, except eight, landed ; the Rover^s cap- 
tain having previously taken irom them the usual obligation not 
to serve aeain until exchanged. This was an achievement that 
did great nonour to Captain Godfi^y, his officers, and crew ; and 

{■roved how well the hardy sons of Britbb America could emn- 
ate their brother-tars of the parent country. 

On the 8th of October, at S a, m., the British schooner Gipsy 
(tender to the 74-gun ship Leviathan, Captain James Carpenter, 
bearing the flag of Rear-admiral Duckworth), of 10 long 4- 
pounders and 42 men, commanded by Lieutenant Coryndoa 
Soger, cruising off the north end of Guadeloupe, chased and 
soon overtook an armed sloop ; which, on the schooner's firing a 



1800. KENT AND CONFUNCE. 53 

alkot at her, hoisted French colours tuid began cannonading in 
retarn. During one honr and a half the two vessels continued 
warmly engaged at dose quarters ; when the Gipsy, receiving 
neat aDnoyasce from the musketry of her opponent, hauled a 
uttle further ofT. Here the Gipsy l^ept up a sharp fire with round 
and grape shot, and at 10 h. 30 m. a. m. compelled the sloop, which 
was the Quidproquo, of eight guns, 4 ana 8 pounders, and 98 
men, commanded by M. Tourpie, represented to ha\e been for- 
merly a capitaine de vaisseau, to strike her colours. Eighty of 
tile 98 men were Guadeloupe chasseurs ; and it was to save his 
people from their powerful musketry that the Gipsy's commander, 
vrith so much judgment, had hauled off to a long-gun range. 

The Chpsy had three seamen killed, and mne, including 
Lieatenant Boger, wounded ; the Quidproquo, her captain and 
four seamen killed, and 11 wounded. Although upon a smaU 
scale ibis action was not the less creditable to those who, by 
tbeir skill and luaTcry, had brought it to a successful ter- 



On the 9th of October the honourable East India company's 
■Up Kent, of 26 guns (20 long 12, and six long 6 pounders), 
commanded by Captain Robert Rivington, being off the Sand- 
Iteads, on her way from England to Bengal, fell in with the 
-French ship-privateer Confiance, of 20 or 22 long 8-pounders, 
commanded by M, SurcoufT, a very able and expenenced officer. 
An action immediately ensued, and was maintained with great 
bravery by the Indiaman, for one hour and 47 minutes ; during 
which the two vessels were frequently foul of each other. At 
lo^h the Kent was carried by boarding ; her crew, besides- 
their inferior numbers, being very ill-supplied with weapons of 
defence, while the assailants were all armed with sabres, pikes,, 
and pistols. After having given decided pr6ofs of his bravery,. 
Captain Rivington received, at the moment of boarding, a 
XDOBket-ahot through his head. 

Besides the lose of her captmu, the Kent had 13 men killed, 
including four or five of her passengers, and 44 men wounded,^ 
including also several passengers. The loss on board the Con- 
fiance does not appear to have been recorded. It is, indeed, to 
be regretted, that on these interesting occasions some capable 
-person does not take the pains to collect and publish the par- 
ticolars. Many highly creditable actions between merchaitf 
ships and enemy's privateers are either given to the public with 
incn marks of doubt, that an historian is fearful of admitting 
tfaem into his paces ; or they are so summarily stated, that the 
account, when the most is made of it, amounts to little more 
than that one vessel was captured by another. 

The Confiance was a ship of 490 tons, and had, it is said, a 
complement of 260 men. The Kent was a new ship, of 820 
tool, and had probably about 90 or 100 men in crew, exclusive 
of 38 male and three female passengera. Seven or eight of 



64 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1800. 

those paesengen had been taken from the Queen Indiaman, 
when she was consumed by fire at St.-Salvador. So long and 
manful a resistance with such limited means, was veiy bonotu^ 
able to the oflGcera, crew, and passengers of the Kent. In tht 
following month M. Surcouff arrived with his prize at the Isle of 
Fnnce. 

We may remark, in passing, what an advantage the Kent 
would have derived, had she mounted on her qnartradeck and 
forecastle, a tier of 18 or 24 pounder carronades, instead of long 
sixes. A few discharges of grape from the former would proba- 
bly have induced the Confiance to keep at long-shot, and then 
the Kent's l2-pounder8, well-plied, would either have captnnd 
or repulsed her. 

Having already tecoVded two actions fought between Atneri- 
' can and French snips ofvrar, we will here give a brief account of 
the third ; the last, indeed, of any consequence, which occnrred 
during the short interruption in the amicable relations of the 
two countries. On the 12th of October, in latitude 22^ Sff 
noTtli, longitude 61° west, the United Sutes, 32-guii frigate 
Boston (of the same lone-gun force, we believe, as Z) in the 
table at p. 91 of the first volume, with 12 carronades, 3^ 
pounders, in addition), Captain Little fell in with the FrenciL 
ship-corvette Berceau, of 22 lone eighth and tno English 13- 
pounder carronades. Lieutenant Louis-Andr^ Senee. An action 
ensued, and continued, with mutual spirit, for two hours ; when 
the Berceau, having had her masts reduced to a tottermg 
state, and being dreadfully shattered in hull, atruck her colona 
to the Boston ; whose masts, rigging, and soils, were also eo^ 
derably wounded and cut. 

Out of a crew of aboof320 men and bc^, the Boston lost 
her parser and fl seamen and marinea killed or moital^ 
wounded, and eight others wounded who recovered. The precise 
loss of the Berceau does not appear in Captain Little's letter. 
We are only enabled to state, tnat, out of a crew of about 200, 
-exclanve of 30 passengers, it waa verv considerable in both 
killed and wounded ; and that, among the fonner, was her cap- 
tain. We may add, also, that the fore and main masta of the 
Berceau tdl over the side soon after her surrender. 

Who csin read of a two houre* resistance under ench a di«- 
jiarity of force as, without the aid of a comparative statement, « 
it is dew mast have existed between these two ships, withoiA 
benw aorprised that no account of this action is tb be found m 
«oy Fpench pablicatim. Is it, then, French victories only thit 
French «ws can listen to, or French patriotism record ? Too 
true it is. Ilie most insignificant triumph n pn£bd np to Ae 
vkiei, irtiile an n ns n c eearful action, no matter how resolutelj 
and ably fimgfat, is pened over in silence. This will never nu^ 
« navy. Much credit is due to the American captain for his 
candoor (not the less estimable for its rarity on bis side of the 



1900. UEUTENANT VEAVtOTLT AT FUENOIROLA. 65 

Atlantic*) in publicly acknowledging, that " the captain of 
the Bercean fought hia ship gallantly, so long as she was in a 
ataation capable of being defended." Captors, did they but 
know their true interest, always gain by such acta of fairness. 
Hie public places a greater reliaoce upon ttieir remaining state- 
ments ; and, after alt, is there not more honour in contj^uering a 
brave than a cowardly enemy f 

As soon as she haH cleared away the wreck of the Berceau's 
masts, and properly secured her own, the Boston took her prize 
in tow, and on the 14th of November anchored with her in Nao- 
tBcket road. A treaty of peace had, sitioe the 30th of Septem- 
bcr, been signed at Paris between France and America ; and 
the Berceau, after being thoroughly repaired and refitted, waa 
icatored to the French government. 

On the Z7th of October, late in the evening, the boats of ths 
British 3^un frigate Phaeton, Capuin James Nicholl Morris, 
placed under the orders of her first Lieutenant, Francis Beaufort, 
sopported by Lieutenant Geoi^ Huish, Lieutenant of marines, 
Duncan Campbell, and midshipmen Augustus Barringtoo 
Hamihon and Anthony Coliings Stantoh, proceeded to attack 
the Spanish natioDal polacre-ship San-Josei, mounting two long 
24-poundeTs in the bow, two long brass Impounders for stertv 
chasers, and four 12 and six 4-pounder8, all oiass, on her sides, 
baving on board 34 seamen (out of a crew of 49, a boat's crew 
being absent) and 22 soldiers or marines, and lying moored 
Bnder the fHX)tection of five guns mounted upon the fortress of 
Fuengirola, near Malaga. 

The launch, with an 18-pounder carronade in her, not bang 
able to keep up with the barge and two cutters. Lieutenant 
Beaufiut was proooeding with only the latter, v/hea he was 
Bnexpectedly fired at by a French privatavr-schoooer, which 
bad entered nnseen in the nieht, and lay in a position to flank 
tbe ship. The three boats, however, still advanced ; and on 
dw 28tb, at 5 a.m., in the tace of an obstinate resistance of 
musketry and sabres, boarded, carried, and brought off the 
polacre. 

In this gallant affair one seaman was killed alongside. Lien- 
tenant BeaufcNTt was flnt wounded in the head, and afterwards 
foeeived several slius thrangfa his left arm add in his body; 
Lieat«iant Oimpbell received several slight sabre-wounds ; and 
Mr. Hamilton was shot through the thigh while in the boat; 
notwithstanding wlucfa he gallantly boarded with the rest. A. 
■eaman also was wounded ; making the loss, on the part of the 
British, one killed and four wonnded. Of the San-Joaef's crew, 
ax men were found badly, and 13 slightly, wounded. 

Being a fine fiut-sailmg little vessel, the San-Josef was im- 

Bwdbtely oommisaioned as a British sloop of war under tlw 

name of Calp^ the ancient name of Gibraltar. It would hava 

• *ni« Baaton writcn, for instance, in their McotiDt of tWa very action 

dedued that the two ships wen - of neariy equal force," ^^ [ q 



S6 . UGHT SQUASROHS AND SDfQLE SHIPS. 1800. 

gratified us to be able to state, that the officer, who as the coa- 
auctor of the enterpriae had so g;allaiidy and effectively cch 
operated; as well as go seriovsly suffered, in capturing the 
vessel, an officer " in whom," says Captain Moms, " I have 
ever found a most capable and zealous assistant," had been 
appc»nled to command her. But Yice-admiral Lord Keith, 
t£e Mediterranean commander-in-chief, chose to appoint to the 
Calp^ an officer who, whatever may have been his merit in other 
respects, was both junior to Lieutenant Beaufort, and an utter 
stranger to the transaction at Fuengirola. 

Among the few vessels in the Bntish navy to which the non- 
recoil pnnciple of mounting the carronade had been extended, 
^as the Milbrook, a schooner of 148 tons, whose sixteen IS* 
pounders were so fitted, and whose commander. Lieutenant 
Matthew Smith, put such confidence in the ]dan, that he ven- 
tured, as we shall presently show, to attack a ship mounting 
double his number of guns. * The cammades of the Arrow and 
Dart sloops were also fitted upon the non-recoil principle ; and . 
it is related of the latter of these vessels, that, when the British 
troops landed in Holland, in August, 1779, she fired one of hei 
forecastle 32-pounder8 68 times without breaking the breeching^ 
or injuring the carriage, or even the paint that covered, or the 
pitch in the seams of it The Eling schooner, armed with 18- 
pounders, is represented to have fired, on the same occasim, 
400 round shot from her aftermost carronade, without doing the 
slightest injury on board, or even breaking a single pane of glasa 
in the cabin skylight. 

All this, if true (and ihe statement is officially founded), 
would appear to refute most of the objections made to non- 
recoil guns : that they destroy the upperworks, break tha 
bfeechings, dismount themselves, and expose the men, who are 
obliged to load outside the bulwarks, to the enemy's fire. The 
last is certainly a very serious objection, and one, we believe, 
which yet keeps Its ground. But we must not, in digressii^, 
foiget lieutenant Smith and his exploiL 

On the 13th of November, early in the morning, the Mil- 
brook, then lying becalmed off the bar of Oporto, descried a 
French ship, wearing a pendant, and, to ell appearance, a frigate 
of 36 guns. Having under his protection two biigs of a New- 
foundland convoy, and observing several other vessels in the 
offing, which, if as he conjectured English merchantmen, were 
equ^Iy an object of desire to the Frenuimen, Lieutenant Smith 
got out his sweeps, and pulled towards the enemy. At 8 a. k. 
file schooner received a broadside from the ship, which was the 
celebrated French privateer Bellone, of Bordeaux. Before the 
Bellone could bring her second broadside to bear, the Milbrook 
had fired three broadsides, and by the time the former had fired 
her third, the schooner had discharged eleven bnradsides. Such 
was the rapidity of firing where no time was lost by running out 

^gUOB, 



ISOOi. UILBBOOK AlfD BEIXONE, t7 

The carronades of the Milbroolc were seetningly fired with aa 
much preciBion as quickness ; for the Bellone, from broadsides 
iell to single ?dds, and showed, by ber sails and rigging, bow 
mnch she bad been cut up by the scbooner'B shot. At about 
10 A. H. the ship's colours came down ; and Lieutenant Smith 
used immediate endeavours to take possession of her. Not 
banog a rope left wherewith to hoist out a boat, be launched 
one over the gunwale ; but, having been pierced with shot in 
Twious directions, the bcMit soon filled with water. At this time 
the Idilbrook, having had 10 of her guns disabled, her masts, 
yaids, sails, and riggmg wounded and shot through, and all her 
sweeps cut to (neces, lay quite unmanageable, with her broad- 
nde to the Bellone's stem. In a htt^ wbiJe a light breeze 
wpisog up, and the Bellone, hoisting all the canvass she could 
Bet, soQght safety in flight 

Out of the 47 men of her crew, the Milbrook had eight sea- 
men and one marine severely, and her master (Thomas Fleteher, 
bnt who would not quit the deck), sni^eoti's mate (I. Parster), 
and one seaman, slightly wounded. Tne loss sustained by the 
Bellone, as rumourra at Vigo, into which port she was com- 
pelled to put, amounted, out of a crew probably of 260 or 260 
men, to 20 kijled, her first and second captains and 46 men 
wounded. 

The guns of the Bellone, as already bos been stated, consisted 
«f 24 long French S-pounders and six or eight brass 36-poQnder 
cvronades. The ship, therefore, was almost qnadruply superior 
to the Milbrook ; anid Lieutenant SmiUi, by bis gallantry and 
seunanlike conduct, not only preserved from capture a valuable 
oiMlvoy, but added, in no slight degree, to the naval renown of 
bis country. This became appreciate in the proper quarter, and 
iJeotenant Smith was promoted to the rank of commander. 
Also the English fiictory at Oporto, to evince their sense of the 
aerrice performed by the Milbrook, voted Lieutenant Smith thdr 
thanks, accompani^ by a piece of plate of 60/. value. 

There was another Britisn schooner, armed much in the same 
manner as the Milbrook, and cruising cm the same station, whose 
conunander, altbongb not afforded an opportunity of repulsing a 
ship like the Belkne, distinguished himself greatly by bia 
aebvitv in capturii^ privateers, and in protecting Bntish coo- 
Toys from their depredations. The serviceable and far from 
mgkmouB career of the Netley, Lieutenant Frands Godolpbin 
Bond, b^an in the months of Kovemher and December of the 
neceding year; and, on <me occanon in particular, Lieutenant 
Bond captured a Spanish privat^r, with more men in her than 
he bad on board aa a crew. 

We shall pass over several cases in which the Netley captured 
^■anish privateers and retook their prizes, to relate one instance 
<■ decided ^lantry on- the part of her commander and crew. 
On the 7th of November in the present year, being off the rock 



68 UOHT 8QVADB0K8 AND SmOLE SHIPS. 1800l 

of Lisbon, Lieutenant Bond received inrormation that a Spanistt 
priTateer-schooner wag lurking in the neighbourhood, and that 
the vesEels of the Newfoundland convoy, being diBperaed, were 
daily expected to approach the Tagun. Having, in the evening, 
stood in close to toe shore, the Netley, afler dark, discovered 
the above privateer, and a brig-prize which she had that monw 
ing made, at anchor. Despatching her boat to take poBaessimi 
of the brig, the Netley gallantly ran on board of, and, dropping 
her anchor, carried, without the discharge of a shot or the loai 
of a man, tlie Spanish privateer San-Miguel, alias I'Alerta, of 
nine guns, descnhed as lit and 6 pooaden, and 65 men. With 
tbeee her two prizes, the Netley, on the 8th, anchored in tha 
l^gos. 

On the 17th of Noreniber the Britisfa 74-^uii ship C^jtain, 
Captain Sir Richard John Strachan, 33-gim frigate MagicteniMy 
Captain William O^lvy, and hired armed catter Nile, Lieutenant 
Geoi^e Argles, and lugger Soworrow, Lieutenant James Nichot- 
soo, croisiog off the entrance of the Morbiban, to intercept a 
French convoy, discovered the French 20-gun ship-corvette luo- 
laise, the commodore of a convoy, endeavouring to get nnder 
the protection of the batteries. The Nile, by her skilful manage- 
ment, prevented the cMrette from reaching the ogrih shore ; and 
the latter, upon the Magicienne's approach, ran into Port' 
Navalo; where she took the ground, and struck her colours. 

Captain Ogilvy immediately despatched the boats of the Ktt- 

S'cienne, under the orders of Lieutenants George Skottowe and 
e Horrourable Edward Rodney> to endeavour to board and 
. bring off or deatroy the ccMrette ; but the R^laiM rehtnsting 
ber coloun, and making Bail, fired upon the boats and ran far" 
fher into the port. On seeing thia tne Magicienne recalled her 
boat*. Lieutenant Rodney, however, being determined not to 
return empty-banded, gallantly captured, with his single boat, a 
merchant vessel from under one of the batteries. 

Being resolved to attempt the destniction of the ctwette. Sir 
Richard sent the boats of his iittle squadron, under the orders of 
lieutenant William Hennah, assisted by Lieutenants Charlaa 
Clyde and Richard William Clarke (the latter, of the Maribo- 
Fough, a portion of whose men were also present*), and also, we 
believe by the two lieutenants already named of the Magiciemw. 
The enterprise, thus intrusted to Lieutenant Hennah, was ooo* 
ducted with great judgment and gallantry; and, notwithstand- 
ing a heavy hre from the shore on all sides, the R^olaisa waa 
boarded and destroyed. To add to the value of this explmt, it 
waa performed with no greater lots to the British than one seamaa 
killed and seven wounded. 

On the 7th of December the Nile cntter, while craising off 

the mouth of the river Vftiine in Quiberoa bay, discovered a 

convoy of 1& or 16 vessds coming ronnd Uie punt of CroiMC ; 

• 8eep.8, 



1800. THE ADHIBAI^PASLEY AND SPANISH 0UH-BIU03. S9 

hot, hating just before detached the lurcher cotter, Lieutenaat 
Robert Forbes, to cruise off the Morbihan, Lieutenant Aigles, 
instead of gtMng in chase, permitted the French vesselB to 
approach nearer to the point of SL-Gildas, in order to have the 
auistance of his consort in overtaking and capturing them. 

la the evening the Nile stood ont from the shore and made 
the necessary signals to the Lurcher, who, being to windward, 
tsmed all the vessels and they made for the Vilaine. At 8 p.m., 
inst aft the battery on Pointe Saint- Jacques was hailing her, the 
Nile captured one small vessel, and manning her, sent her along- 
dkore; by which means, before 4 a.h. on the Stfa, five more 
vessels were taken. The whole coast was by this time alarmed, 
and die battery of Notre-Dame at the entrance of the river 
Penera kept np ao brisk a fire as to send three ehot through the 
hut Teasel hoarded ; hot the JBritisb, notwithstanding, brought 
lier off with only one man slightly scratched by a splinter. The 
LoTcber, in the mean while, had succeeded in taking three more 
of the convoy, making nine in the whole. This enterprise 
veflects great credit upon the conjmandera and crews of the two 
CBttera ; and shows what serions annoyance may be done to tax 
enemy, even by such small vessels as the Nile and Lurcher, 
n^en under tha guidance of an active and intelligent officer. 

On the 10th of December, the British armed brig Admiral- 
Pasley, of 16 guns, 14 of them l3~pounder carronades, with 40 
men and boys, commanded by Lieutenant Charles I. Nevin, 
being off Ceuta on faer passage from England to Gibraltar with 
detpatcbes, was attacked in a calm by two Spanish gnn-vesselt 
of the largest class. Afler an engagement of an hour and a half, 
dnrine the greater part of which the gun-vessels kept entirely 
out of range of the Admiral-PasleyV paltry carronatfes, while 
the former, with their heavy long guns were cutting tiie brig to 
inecea, the Admiral-Pasley, having previously thrown overboard 
her despatches, hauled down her coIoutb. 

Aa a proof that the Admiral-Pasley had not been given away, 
faer loss amounted to three seamen killed, her commander (m 
tfame places), master (Mr. Gibbs, badly), and eight seamen 
wounded. The captors carried their pnze first to Ceuta, and 
afterwards to Algesiras. Here we have an example showing, in 
fl>e dearest manner, the unfairness of pronouncing upon the 
neiita of an action until its particulars are known. Fortunately 
for tlie Admiral-Pasley's commander, the court-martial that sat 
upon him took cognizance of all the circumstances ; and, 
mliongh captured in a l&^n brig by two Spanish gun-boata, 
Idientaiant Nevjn was honourably and deservedly acquitted. 

OOtOKIAL SZPBDITI01I8. — WEST IDDIBS. 

On the 11th of September, while the British 13-pounder 
36-gua frigate M^r^de, Captain Frederick Watkins, was cruising 



60 COLONIAL EXPEDinONS.— VTEST INDIES. 1800. 

off the port of AmBterdam, in the island of Cungoa, the Datcit 
inhabitants of the latter, tired out with the enormities of the band 
ot 1600 republican ruffians that were in possesHon of the west 
part of the island, sent off a deputation to claim the protectioa 
of England. On the ISth the capitulatioD, surrendering the 
island to his Britannic majesty, was signed in form, by the 
goremor, Johan Rudolph Lausser, sn the one put, and by Cap- 
tain Watkins, of the N^reide, on the other. The vessels, large 
and small, lying in the harbonr of Amsterdam, numbered 44 ; but 
no ships of war were am<»ig them. 

In one of his despatches announcmg this event, Captun Wat* 
kins speaks of the " activity and spirited conduct of Lieu- 
tenant Michael Fitton,* commanding the Active schooner, theu 
in company with the N^r^e. Amoug the many occasions 
which called forth that eulc^um, one, although it did not end 
decisively, may merit a place here. The Active was a schooner 
of about 80 tons, tender to the Abergavenny &4, the flag-ship at 
Jamaica, and carried eight 12-4)ounder carronades, with a crei^ 
of about 45 men and boys. The service upon which the Active 
had been ordered by Captfun Watkins, was to watch the month 
of the harbour of Amsterdam, while the N^r^ide cruised in the 
offing. Iliis the schooner continued to do for several days, stand- 
li^ in frequently so near, as to be j ust out of range of the long 
18s and 24b on Fort Fiscadera, and in full view of five or wx 
fVench privateers lying moored close to the walls of it, and one 
of which was the Quidproqiio, already mentioned as captured 
by the Gipsy.f Upon these privateers Lieutenant Fitton looked 
irith a longing eye, till he could resist no longer. Observing 
that, at a certain hour every day, the officers went on shore at 
the fort to dine; and aware that, owing to his daily practice of 
standing across and across without molesting them, the priva- 
teersmen or garrison paid very littl« attention to the Active's 
manoeuvres, Lieutenant Fitton resolved to afford them an unex- 
pected treat Having seen the boats pass as usual, and being 
in perfect r^diness, the Active stood close in, and bringing her 
lir^side to bear, opened the contents of it right into the stems 
of the cluster of privateers. 

Instantly all was bustle on board the latter and in the foit 
and the boats, in their hurry back, became also exposed to. a 
destructive fire from the schooner ; some of whose IS-pounder 
shot, so well and closely directed as they were, could not have 
&Uen harmless even in the fort itself. Ine instant he saw the 
guns of the latter in motion (and the people in chai^ of them 
appeared not very brisk), Lieutenant Fitton crowdea sail awi»r, 
in such a direction, however, as to expose no wider mark to the 
enemy than the Active's stem, This, as he anticipated, the 
artillerists at the fort failed io bit; although some of the shot 

• See vol iL, p. ass. - f Seep.aS,^ 

:, Google 



1800. LIEUTENANT FITTON AT CURACOA. 61 

jHerced the schooner's aaila, and a few others fell near enough 
to dash the spray on board. As the smallest of the fire or six 
prirateen baa, undoubtedly a larger number of men than the 
Active, any attempt by her to cut them out would have been 
madness in her commander. Probably the privateers were of 
o^miion that the N£r^de, who with her boats might easily bare 
executed the service, would shortly make the attempt ; for, in a 
a few days afterwards, they took advantage of a clear coast, and 
made seuI, each laden with a cargo of plunder. Nor was Lieute- 
nant FltttHi in a situation to intercept any one of these mis- 
chievoos freebooters, the Active having sailed for Jamaica with 
the captain of the N6r6ide'B despatches. 



iiizedbv Google 



STATE OF THE BRITISH NAVY. 



The abstract of the British oayy, for the commencement of 
the present year,* shows a considerable increase in its line-o^ 
battle total; but the number of line-cruisers in commiagioa 
remains the same as in the last abstract, and the lower totals 
exhibit, in reference to the latter, a very slight improvement ia 
their numbers. As one cause of this, the " Captured column, 
owing chiefly to the reduced state of the Dutch, and the block- 
aded state of the French and Spanish navies, does not amount 
to half what it did in the preceding year.f 

A ve^ slight diminution occurs m the wrecked and foundered 
cases of the British navy in the year 1800; and the accidental 
losses of that year, including the melancholy loss by fire, ended 
the lives of upwards of 1300 British officers, seamen, end 
marines. All four of the foundered vessels belonged to the 
aloop-classes, and three of them had been French privateers. 
The number of cruisers employed in watching the enemy's ports, 
the boldness and perseverance with which their commanders 
performed that arduous duty, and the frequent gales of wind 
-which occurred during the winter months of the year, render 
eleven wrecked cases, out of eo many ships as were then at sea, 
no extraordinary number.]; 

The carronade still maintained, and more than maintained its 
ground. On the 21st of February, 1800, an admirally-order 
had issued, directing that in future all ships of 24 and 20 guns 
should be fitted on the main deck for 32-pounder carronades, in 
lieu of the long nines they had hitherto carried. This was ^ving 
the ships a great increase of force, without the necessity oi 
detaching so many men to the guns ; a 9-pounder long gun, re- 
quiring seven men to fight it, but a 32-pounder carronade only 
SIX. Heuce a greater Dumber remained to handle the small- 

• • See Appendix, AnniMl AbitFKt No. 8; 
f See Appeudis, Ho. 8. 
i See Appendix, No. 9, 

*.n.^,Googlc 



Unl. 1IEUE8I8 AND TBETA. 63 

anna, and, a very imporUnt dnty ia action, to attend to the 
ligging and sails, and to work the ship in a proper manner. A 
few active seamen, promptly sent to repair a shroud or stay, 
will frequently save a mast; and a manoeuvre, the success of 
which may decide' the fate of a battle, oftea depends upon 
alacrity in splicing the old, or in reeving the new ruoning- 

^be Dumber of commissioned officers and masters, behmgiiu; 
to the British navy at the commencement of the year, 1801, 
indndiDg among the flag-officers all that were promoted on the 
lat of January, in cwisequenee of the union of Great Britain 
and Ireland, as estahlisbed by act of pailiament on that day, 
was. 

Admirals . . . ... 46 

Vice^dmirals ' 39 

Reai^admirals .... 59 

„ superannuated 29 

Post-captains .... £16 

» » .18 

Commanders, or sloop-captains . 391 
. Lieutenants . . . . , 2136 
„ retired, with rank of 

coitamanders 48 

Masters 617 

and the number of aeanwn and marinei, voted for the service of 
that year, was 120,000 for the first three lunar months, and 
135,CK>0 for the remaining ten.* 

Althonffh no Dutch navy existed capable of giving alarm to the 
British, Holland's northern neighbours, with Russia at their 
bead, confederated tc^ther, to force England, either by diplo- 
macy or war, to abandon a long recognised right, that of search- 
ing the ships of neutrals for contraband of war. This sudden 
•proar in uie jiorth arose oat of a circumstance, of which we will 
here present a summary. 

On the 25th of July, 1600, at 6 p. h-, a British squadron, of 
three frigates, the Arrow sloop, and a lugger, fell in with the 
Danish 40-gsn 18-pounder frigate Freya, Captun Krabbe, 
having under her convoy two ships, two brigs, and two galliots. 
Captain Thomas Baker, of the 28-gun trigate Nemesis, the 
semor British officer, hailed the Freya, to say be should send 
his boat on board the convoy. Captain Krabbe replied that, 
if snch an attempt were made, be would fire into the boat. Both 
threats were put into execution ; and an action ensoed, which, 
with so decided a superiority against her, ended of course in the 
Freya's submission. This aflair, unhappily, did not pass off 
without loss. The Nemesis and Arrow had each two seamen 
killed and several wounded. The Freya bad also two men 

• aesAppsadix K«.JX 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



64 BSinSH AND DANISH FUXTS. 1801. 

killed and fire wonaded, two of the ktter badly. The Eaglisli 
vessels, accompanied by the Danish frigate and her convoy, 
then proceedea to, and anchored in, the Downs; where the 
Freya, by the order of Vice-admiral Skeffington Lntwidge, the 
eommanaer in chief on that station, still kept flying the Danish 
ensign and pendant. 

As, besides this fracas, a somewhat similar circumstance had 
occoired in the Mediterranean, the British goremment lost do 
time in despatching Lord Whitworth to the court of Denmark, 
to place the buwness on an amicable footing. To give ad- 
ditional weight to bis lordship's arguments, he was accompanied 
by a squadron of four eail of the line, (to which six more were 
ajterwards added), three 60^n ships, and several frigates and 
smaller veeselB, under Vice-admiral Archibald Dickson, in the 
74-gun ship Monarch. On the 29th of August Lord Whitworth 
terminated the negotiation with the Danish minister. Count Bern- 
storff; and a convention was mutually signed, agreeing that the 
Freya and convoy should be repaired at English expense, and 
then released ; that the right of the British to search convoys 
tshonld be discussed at a future day th London ; that Danish 
vessels should only sail under convoy in the Mediterranean, to 
protect them from the Algerines, ana should be searchable as 
foimerly ; and that the convention ^ould be ratified by the two 
courts m three weeks. * 

Russia, although the ally of ^gland, took offence at the 
attack upon the Freya, and particularly at the passage throurii 
the Sound of a British squadron. The first overt act of tiie 
Emperor Paul's displeasure, was to sequester all British pro- 
perty in his dominions ; the next, was to place bis army and 
navy upon a war-establishment On the 22d of September, 
however, about three weeks after it had been ordered, the seques- 
tration was taken off. But on the Sth of Movemb^, the news 
of the capture of Malta having exdied fresh anger in the breast 
of the emperor, an embargo was again lud on all the British 
Bhipj^ng in the ports of Russia, amounting, at this time, to about 
200 saiC This was followed, in December, by a convention be- 
tween Russia and Sweden, aereeing to the re-establishment of 
an armed neutrality between uiose powers. Denmark also, at 
the instigation of the first of these powers, and of Prussia, was 
induced to join the confederacy. 

The menacing attitude thus assumed by the three principal 
northern powers requiring to be met in a corresponding way by 
England, the latter, on the 12th of March, despatched from 
Yarmouth roads, under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde 
Parker, in the London 98, with Vice-admiral Lord Nelson in 
the St.-Greorge 98, as his Becond, a fieet of 16, afterwards aa^ 
mented to 18, sail of the line, with as many frigates, sloops, 
bombs, fire-ships, and smaller vessels, as made the whole' amoant 
to about 53 sail : on board a division of which fleet had em- 



ADMIKAI. SIR IIYDJ-: PiVK KKll, HAJl^ 



Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



4 i.o,;^isi, , 



1801. ARBIVAL OF ADMIRAL PARKER IN THE SOUND. 65 

bailied, the 49th regiment under Colonel Isaac Brock, two coat- 
paniea of the riSe-corps, and a detachment of artillery, the whole 
under the command of Colonel Stewart. 

The nominal or paper force of the ^ree powem agEUQEt which 
this fleet was desttnea to act, was Russia 82, Denmark 23, and 
Sweden 18 sail of the line, besides, between them all, about 89 
frigates, corvettes, and brigs, and nearly twice the number of 
armed smaU-crad. But Russia, eren as late as October in the 
present year, did not possess more than 61 sail of the line ; of 
which number 31 were in commission in the Baltic, and the re- 
mainder in the Mediterranean and Black seas. Those 3 1 slups 
were divided between Petersburg, Archangel, Cronstadt, and 
Kevel. Perhaps the effective number, or that which might be 
bronght to act as a fleet, did not exceed 20 sail of the line ; and 
these were badly equipped, ill-appointed, and worse manned. 
The Swedes, atone time, had 11 sail of the line at Carlscrona 
leady for sea, and, by all accounts, in tolerably fighting trim. 
The Danish fleet at Copenhagen consisted, in the middle of 
March, of 10 sail of the line ready for sea, exclusive of about 
the same namber in an unserviceable state. 

This m^es 41 Raasian, Swedish, and Danish efiectire ships 
4^ the line, instead of 88, the number stated by several writers 
to have been afloat in this quarter. It must have been a very 
Iiapi^ combination of circumstances that could have assemblea 
in cme spot 25 of those 41 sail of the line ; and against that 25, 
made up, as die number would be, of three difier^t naticms, all 
mere novices in naval tactics, 18, or, with a Xelson to command 
them, 16 British sail of the line, were more than a match. 
Without this explanation, it might seem the height of rashness 
in the British government to send to the Baltic so aj^Hueatljr 
small a force. 

In the hope that Dennmik, in spite of her hostile demonstra* 
tions, would prefer negotiation to war, the Honourable Nicholas 
Vansittart, with full powers to treat, had, about a fortnight 
previous to the saili^ of the fleet, departed for Copenhagen ia 
the 32-gun liigate Blanche, Captain Graham Eden Hamond. 
Adverse winds Icept the British fleet from reaching the Tfaze of 
Nwwav nntil the ISth ; and still heavier gales, during the two 
sacceeoing days, scattered the vessels, especially uie small- 
cnft, in all directions. To collect these, the admiral, on the 
2lBt, anchored at the entrance of the Sound, within sight of 
Koll point on the Swedish shore. Some of the smaller vessels 
were unable to rejoin ; and tiie Blazer gun-brig was driven 
under the Swedish fort of Warberg, and there captured. In the 
height of the bad weather the T^gun ship Russel parted com- 
pany, by ugnal, to take the Tickler gnu-brig in tow ; and» 
during the dark and haxy night that ensued, was only saved 
firom being wrecked herself, by the great exertions of her officers 
and crew. 
. TOL. in. t ^- , 

Dci,l,zedl!vCjOOglC 



fiS BSITIBH AND DIKISH VLEin. 1801. 

On the 23(1 the ffiancfae returned to the fleet, Inriaff on board, 
with Mr. Vaiuittart, Mr. Ornminoiui, the £ritiah charge d'affrirsB 
at Copenhagen ; and from the Danish gOTemment, instead of a 
reply of conciliation, cane, as wae to be expected, one of opoi 
defianoe. Much valuable time iiad thus been lost, and the 
Danes were takine advantage of it in aticDgtheniag their meMW 
of defence ; the unnidable appearanoe of which had alteadj 
excited tite snrpme of the British envoy. 

The pilots, who, not having to share the honoars, Mt it to be 
their interest to magnify the dangcis (^ the expedition, occasioned 
a few more days to be dissipated in inactivity. In the amrse of 
these Adfoiral Pariter sent a flag of truce to the governor of 
Elsineiu', to inquire if he meant to oppose the passage of the fleet 
through the Souwl. Govenrar Strieker replied, that the guns of 
CieseiAu^castte would certainly be fired at any British ships of 
war that eppniacbed. At length, at € a. ll. on the SOtli, the 
BritiBh fleet got under way, asd, with « fine breexe at tt«^ 
noitii-west, proceeded into the Sound, in hne ahead ; the van 
diviskxi commanded by Lord Nelson in the Elephant 74, into 
which ship, as a liglrtec and ncne active one than the St.- 
Geoige, he had, ibe preoediDg day, shifted hi* flag ; the centre 
division, by the ■comnander'Uircbief ; and the lear division, by 
Reu^cbniral QraTes. At 7 a. m. the batteries at Elsineur con- 
menoed firing at the Monarch, who was the leading tfaip, and at 
the other ^ps, as they passed in succession. The distanoe, 
however, was ao great, uiatnota shot Etrack the ahips; nor did 
any but the van-diipa fire in retrnn, and these inly two or three 
bpoadsides. The sevm bomb-veiselB, however, threw shells; 
20O of which were stated to bare fallen in Cr<»tenbarg and Hel- 
aingen, and, amooe other daanges, to have killed two, and 
wounded 15 men. The bursting of a 24-pounder on boanl the 
Isis, whereby aevec nten were killed and wounded, was the only 
casualty that attended the British in their pass^e through the 
Sound. 

As the ^ait at Elancur is less than three miles across, a inid- 
A a nne l passage would undoubtedly have exposed the ships to a 
fire from Cronenburg castle on the one side, and from the Swedish 
city of Helsinbutg oo the other ; bat the latter, the batteries of 
which, instead of being a sabject of dread as the pilots had given 
out, mounted only ei^t guns of a light caliber, did not make 
even a show of opposition. On <^wervinE this, the Biitish in- 
clined to the Swedish shore, passing whwn lass than a mile «f 
it; and thus avwded a fire which, as coning from nearly 100 
pieces of cannon, could not fail to have been mghly destnicdve. 
About noon, or soon aftn, the fleet anchored at some distance 
^bove the island of Huen, which is about 15 miles fix>m the city 
of Copenhagen. The commandeivin-cfaid', Vice-admiral Lord 
NelaoD, ana Rear-adaiinl Giavee, accocnpanied by Captain 
Domett, and the commanding officer of the troops, tbea pr»> 



18BL LOBO NXisoir it cofehkaqw. 67 

flnM, IB the Lark linger, to reooisMitre ibe eoem^'B de&ooes. 
They wore boob Bscertained to be of Hbe most fonaidable deaerip- 
tini. This led, in tbe evening, to a. council of war: at wMcb, 
MDtml, nnidiffas ui^d to forego, or at leftstdelaythe attack; 
brt Lon] KelssD prevailed, and ^er«d, witii 10 sail of the line 
ml all the Btaall-CTafl, to carry tbe busineBs through ia a proper 

Admiral Parker, to hia credit, cheerfully accepted the oSw, 
tad panted to his «Bterprifliiig second two sail of the Kne more 
Aan be had asked ; that is, two 50-gun ships, which, in theae 
BOithern parta, are oonsidued as <^ the line, partly becanae of 
Am lig^t draaght of water as two-decked ships, and partly 
because a sinnlar description of vessel ia nsnally to be fomid 
in the opposite line. Tile detachment thus intrasted to Vice- 
adnwal Laid Nelson, bv the time the ■whcAe had ioined, coorasted 
ofthe ■" 



Monndi 

BeBou 
Gaines 
Russel. 



H Aitlait 

1 fotfpheou 
54 GlattOD 



(b.) Leid Ncfan. K.BL 

C^taki Tfaioniu F«le)t. 

Bear«din. fw.) Tbomu Graves. 

Capuun Kichord Retalich. 

„ George Harray. 

„ James It<ri>ert Mosk. 

„ Sir Tbot. Boulden ' 

a Thoa. Francis Fremaatle. 

„ WiUiam Cuming. 

„ Robert Derereux FancourL 

„ llioims Bcttie. 

„ John Laidbid. 

„ Wailam Bli^. 

„ James Walker. 

n Heoiy IGon. 

„ Henry Inman. 

n Graham Sdea HamoDcL 

„ Samuel Sutton. 

, Jonas Rose. 

. William Bolton. 

H John Ferris DeronduM. 

K James Brisbane. 

, William Birchan. 

Explosion, Heda, Sulphur, Terror, Volcano, and 

jw. Otter and Zephyr. 

Hr force at Copenhagen was not the only obstacle to be «ni>- 
MOBnted;> die approa^ to it was by a chaanel estvamel^ 
vtrkate, and httU knows. To increase the dilfieulty of lum- 
j i^ the Danes, very j adicionsly had remored or mtsplacsd 

e buoys. On the aame ni^ht, therefore, on whiA Sir Hyde 
Wd come to the happy deoaion of intrus^ig the afiair to IJ*rd 
VdaoD, the lattw, aeeompaaied among othen by Captain 
Brabane of the Gmiser, pioceeded in bis boat to aMotaut and 



dkilps. 



Alcmkie 
Jamaica 

jDait ! 

Ham. 
«Meu, Dii 



Rtiagil 
tbebnoi 



8lc 



68 BRITISH AND DANISH FLEETS. I80I. 

lebnoy the outer channel, a narrow passage lying between the 
island of Saltholm and the Middle Ground. This was a veiy 
difScnlt, as well as a very fatiguing duty, and the vice-adoiiru 
n^oiced greatly when he had accomplished it An attack from 
the northward was at first meditated : but a second ezaminatioa 
of the Danish position on the Slst, and a favouruble change of 
wind detennined the Tice-adaural to commence his operations 
from the southward. 

On the morning of the let of April the British fleet weighed, 
and shortly afterwards reancfaorra off the north-western ex- 
tremity of the Middle Ground, a shoal which extends along the 
whole sea-front of the city of Copenhagen, leariog an mter- 
Tening channel of deep water, called the Konig-SUefe, or King's 
Channel, about three quarters of a mile wide; and in which 
channel, close to the town, the Danes had moored their block- 
ships, radeauB, prames, and gun-Teesels. The distance of the 
anchorage from the city of Copenhagen was about six miles. 
In the course of the foreno<Hi, Lord NelstHi, embark ing on board 
the Amazon with some chosen friends, reconnoitred tot the last 
time, the poution he was about to attack ; and Boon after his 
return at 1 f. h., the aieual to weigh appeared at the Elephant's 
masthead : a signal, which was received by the different ships' 
companies with a-ahout that must have been heard at a consi- 
derable distance. Immediately afterwards the vice-admiral's 
squadron, amounting in the whole to 36 sail of square-rigged 
-veflsels got under way and set sail, in two divisions, with a ught 
but &T0urable wind ; leaving Admiral Parker at anchor ytit 
the 



.St-Oeotge 
'Wamot . 



Ixndon . . . . ^ Captain < 

oe- C >. Robert Waller Otway. 

" " „ Thot. Haitenasn mtdy. 

„ Chaifesiyiet 

„ Lord HeiU7 Paulet. 

„ Robert Lambert. 

„ Jaa. William Taylor Dixon. 

„ John Dilkea. 

„ Arch. CoUingw. Dickton. 

The ships of Lord Nelson's detachment, preceded by the 
Amazon, entered the Upper Channel ; coasting along the edge 
of the right-hand shoal or Middle Ground, until they Iwd reached 
and partly rounded its southern extremity. Here, off Diaco 
point, at about 8 p.m., just as it grew dark; the detachment 
anchored ; the north-westernmost Bntish ship beingthen distant 
about two miles from the southermnost ship of the Danish line. 

The same north-westerly wind, which had blown so fair pass- 
ii^ along the outer channel, was now as foul for advancing bj 
the inner <me. Ihis, however, occasioned no delay ; for m M 
difficult a navigatioD, daylight was as fully indispetuable u a 

vie 



1801. LOBD NEUON AT COPENHAGEN. 69 

fair wind. Part ot this Disht, as many othen had been, was 
passed in active service, (^ptain Hardy proceeded in a small 
KKtat, to examine the channel between the British anchorage and 
the Danish line, and actually approached near enough to sound 
Tound the first ship of the latter ; using a pole, lest the noise of 
throwing the lead should lead to a discovery. On his return, 
at about II p. h., Captain Hardy went on board the Elephant, 
and reported the depth of water up to the Danish line, lliift 
asBDiance of the practicability of the channel was gratifying newB 
to Lord Nelson, and prevented him from steeping during the 
remainder of the ni^t. T 

We will now endeavour to give a description of the formidable 
tone, which was to be the object of the momii^;'B attack. It 
cmsisted of two-decked ships, chiefly old and in a dismantled 
state, frigates, prames, and radeaus, mounting altogether 628 
guns, as particularized in the following table : 




These 18 vessels were moored in a line from a nule to a mile 
and a half in extent; flanked at the north end, or that nearest 
the town, by two artificial or pile-formed islands, calldCl the 
Trekroner batteries, one of thir^ 24, the other of thirty-eight 
36 pounders, with fiimaceB for beating shot ; and both of which , 



* B. 3. Btutd* for MiKihfiH, Fr. fbr^mnw, and SatL for niilMs. 

JFm the mode of equslizuig the Daukh ondEnslitb GslibeniBee voLi., p. ^ 
Bdieved to b« exclunve of Boldien and artilkiTiiieD. 



Google 



70 IKinaH AND DANISB TLEETS. 1801. ' 

batteries were connnaded by the two twOHlecLed. block-ships 
Man and ElepbaBten, 

Th« entrajice into the harboor and docks, which latter lie in 
&t heart of the city, was protected by a chain thrown serosa it ; 
also by some batteries on the northern shore, and particularly hr 
the Trekroner or Crown batteries already described. In u£- 
ditif» to this, the two 74-gnn sbipa Dannemark and Trekroner^ 
a 40-gim fti^te, two 18-gun brigs, and seTeral armed zebees, 
with nunaces for ' ' ' ' ' 



I for heating dot, lay moored in advants^ 
pomtirafl off the harbour'a month. Alonf the ahora of .Amg* 
island^ a little to the southward of the noatii^ line of defience 
w«re serera] gun. lod Bwrtar battertea ; thaa making the whole 
line (tfdtfenee, ib front of Copetdugen^ eorcr an extent of ba- 
tweea thi«e and fonr miles. Th« DaDioh nsral comnumdnig 
nffieer wa* Commodon Olfert Fischer, who had his broad pea- 
sant on board the Dumehng 6*3 ; mix was there a want of mc^ 
both skilful and brave, to work the Danish guns either afloat or 
<o Khare, Obe spirit, indeed, seemed to aii i ma t a all Z>enmarfc, 
.and that was to repel the invade* by ewry possible nsans. 

Tite day ol the 2d of April opened, as the British bad hcped 
it would, with a Javoursible or south-atstcEly wiad. The sigoal 
ibr aB captains on board the ftig-shtp was hoisted almost as 
MOO as it conM be mm; and at 9 a.m. the several caplaina 
were made acnuaaBtsd with, the staloou a m ignad them, Aa cir- 
cnmstanccs, which will be mcnticned ia their place^ preMnteck 
the plan's being Btric% followed^ it may sofice t« state, that all 
the lin&«f-bflttle ships were to anchor W the stem abwaat of 
the diffetent vessels con^Mnng the enan^^ Bae, and for whick 
purpose they had already prepared I fa t n advgg with csblte ottt 
of their stem^orts. The Amazoi^ Kuacbe, AlcB^ne^ Anew; 
and Dart, with the two fire~shipa, j^ace' nader the iaiaediata 
directions of Captain Biou, were to co-<weratc in the atta^ 
tipon the ships atatvmed at the harbours nionlb, and to act 
otherwise as circumstances might require. The: bomb-vesada 
-were to station tbemseWes oatuoe the British line, so ae to tiiroir 
tteir shdtls over it ; and the Jamaica, with the bcigs and gan^ 
Tcssebt wvs to take « position for raking the southern extremity 
of the Danish Ime. A similar station was assigned to the 
USurfe. ft was also intended that the 49th resiment under 
Colonel Stewart, and 600 seamen, under Captain Fremantla of 
the Ganges, should storm the principal of the TrekstHier hat- 
tenee^e instant diat the canBonade nota the ships bad silenced 
itefiie. 

At 9 A. H. Che pifots and several of the masters were ordered 
on board the Elephant. Their hesitation and indecision, about 
the bearings of tne shoal and the line of deep water, might-well 
provoke a tsora patieat man than Loid KelMn. At 9 h. 30 n. 
Ai.K.,howen^taaaigaal waamadetowui^iiraiKCcaaioil. The 

* Spelt Anisk bj Sontbey, aadotbet suthcu. 



180L LOm KELSOH AT OaPKtBUBSS. H 

"Edgar led. Tbe AgfunemnoQ wis to hare fellowcd ; bat, htnng' 
•Doooied r&ther outside, than off, tlie end of tlio great shoal, aha 
could not weather it, acd was obliged again to briog ap, in six 
ftthoBBs' water. Here the ciirreBt was so stroiig against her, 
Ihat, altfaoogh the ship afterwards re^weigbed, aad coatinned for 
a iaag time to wup with the Btrexm and kedge anchors, tha 
rtgamemmm was compelled a second time to bring up, nearly in 
tiie spot fo»tt which soe had last weighed. In toe mean tune 
tiie Polyphemus by signal, had Collowed the Edg^ar; and the 
iais steeEed d^t uie former. Owing to the nn&ki^btess <w 
■DSteadiacBs of ber master, Mr. Alexander Briarl^, wha had 
■odcrtafcoL the office of plotf tbe Beltona, ia spite q£ a &ir 
•mai and ample roow, kn^ed the Middle Gteond loo ckoseh^ 
•■d gKHndea «bicBat of, and about 450 yards distant fiom, tba 
mr of da DanisL lisa. Fc^owmg dosely, the Kuval aiso 
fmamdai, with her iib-boom almost orer tbe Bdlona's taffiaiL 
Ib canfdince witn the wish of tbe pilots, ta^ Mp had been 
osdend to pns bar leadet on tba atanoard aide, tienk a soppo 
ntioD that the water shoaled on the hwboard shore; whoeas 
fiiapfaBH Haidy bad proTed, thai tbe watEi kept deepening- all 
the: way te the eMmv'a bne. Tbe Etefduot waa mat to tbt 
B imad.; and I.«rd Nmsob, as soon as he pereeired tbe itata of 
IWi diip and tba Bi^kaa, ordczcd the: mIu to be pot andar* 
Waady and pasud t» the westwaid, oc abxig tibe hrhntrfl hrai. 
«f thoaadups; a% nay Guftuntely, did all tbe sbrna astetaof 
AeEfeptML 

At tbe same nMnwt Ifad. Lud Nels<m's detachment weighed, 
AAnini Patket'a e%ht abqwdid ihessaie; sad the htter toah 
iq^ a new ponbna amtewhat Bcanr to tba month of the hadhoeTf 
hntsbUattoogTestadiatftBcetodeHaorotbMimaiacflthe BEKt& 
wing of defiaue. A oeaier appsoach, indeed, with both wind 
and canmt agwinat tbe ships, waa impcacticable; in aafficietit 
tian^aHeask^tormdieraByacliveserT^in ttte ei^agemeat. 

At 10 A.M. the caDBonsde oommaMod ; wnd, iw nsHly batf 
an. ben^ th» pciacMttl Bnti^ dips engaged vera tbe 'Ptininb' 
■PS, li^ Edgar. Ardent, and Momicb. A<k abont H b.30>h 
A.M. tbe OlatboD, Elephant, Gwigi*^ and Defiance, got to their 
statioBS ; as did sereml of the frue^es aad smaller leads, and 
tte acbsB became gennaL Tbe Desiree was of great ■crnaaiii 
■akiag tltt Piovesteci^ and drawing off a partof ber hefcvy firs 
btm the PoLyphenraa aad Iitsj particnlarlyfitHn the latter, lAa 
bore the bnutt of i^ «■ her hsary bss wilt preaently sbtNK 
Owing to the strei^th of the current, the Jamtuca, wiA. tbe 
gen-Yeaaets, coold not get near eooo^ to he of any serrice in 
OS action ; nor wera tbe boo^Tesaus able to eiecute muck 
"Kbe absence «f Ae Reasd, BeUoiia, and Aganwmnfw, oeea- 
■med aerenl oi tbe British ships to bave a greater share of the 
enemy's fire, ^an had been allotted to them, or than they were 
well able to bear. Among th& many aufierers on this acc o un t 



72' BRITISH AUD DANISH FLEETS, 1801. 

'W8S tlie Amazoa wbo, with the four other shipB intrusted to 
Captain Riou, had most gallantly taken a position (the three 
Aigates in particular) right against the Trekronen batteriea. 

At the end of a three hours' cannonade, few if any of the 
Danish block-ships, prames, or rideaus, had ceased fiiixig ; nor 
CDuid the contest be said to have taken on either side a oecisiTe 
turn. It was at this time that, in consequence, as is understood, 
of the pressing solicitations of the captain of the fleet, founded 
upon mfonnation received a full hour before that signals of 
distress were at the mast-heads of two British line-of-battle 
ships (the Bellona and Russel), and the signal of inability on 
board a third (the Agamemnon), coupled with the imperfect viaw 
which the London's distance from the scene of action enabled 
Sir Hyde himself to take of the relative condition of the parties 
in it; observing, also, the zig-zag course and neceasariiy slow 
progress of the Defence, RamiUies, and Veteran, whidi had 
Deen detached as a reinforcement to the vice-admiral, the com- 
mander-in-chief was persuaded to throw out the siguAl for dia- * 
continuing the engagement,* 

The manner in which Lord Nelson lec^ved this signal ia 
Tery forcibly depictured in a popular biographical work. 
"About this time," says Mr. Southey, "the signal-lieutenant 
called out that Mo. 39 (the signal for discontinuing the action) 
was thrown out by the commander-in-chief. He continued to 
walk the deck, and appeared to take no notice of it. The 
agnal-officer met him at the next turn, and asked if he should 
Tepeat it ' No,' he replied, ' acknowledge it' Presently he 
called after him to know if the signal for close action was still 
hoisted ; and, being answered^ the affirmative, said, ' Mind yoa 
)ceep it so.' He now paced ^e deck, moving the stump of his 
lost aim in a manner which always indicated gre«t emotion. 
* Do you know,' said he to Mr. I^rgusson, ' what is shown on 
board the commander-in-chief? Number 39 ! ' Mr. Feigusson 
lAked him what that meant 'Why, to leave ofF action.' Then, 
shrugging up his shoulders, he repeated the words — ' Leave off 
action 1 Now d — n me if I do i You know, Foley,' turning to 
the Captain, ' I have only one eye, — 1 have a right to be bSnd 
sometinies:^ — and then putting the glass to Eis blind eye, in 
that mood of mind which sports with bitterness, he exclaimed, 
'I really do not seethe signal.' Presentlyheexclaimed, 'D — a 
the signal ! keep mine for closer batUe flying ! That's the way 
J answer such signals. Nail mine to the mast' "t 

■ It is but common jiutice totranb Sir Hyde Parker to state, that he mBdo 
the signal " to discoatinue the action," in order that Lord Nelson mi^t wilb> 
^wfhiiu dieooDtest, iTiOwins to the difi^nnt ibipsniiableto reach tboist*. 
tion, some bang a^roioKf, befell bit force iDMiffident to inaiDtaiii the atiackt 
ibritwagevidentttutSir HydAdivwtaicouldiiotproffbr the least assistance! 
the signal vas made with a generous intoitioD, and Mr. Southey tws added a 
Aote similar to this ia hisserand edition of his Life of Ndsm..— Ed. 

f Southey's Life of Nelson, voL ii., p. 124. - 

.Googk 



1801. LORD NELSON AT COPENHAGEN. 73 

lliiiB, the fflgnal to discontinue the action was answered only, 
not repeated, on board the Elephant ; and, although the Defiance 
TBpeated it. Rear-admiral Greaves would not sufifer the signal to 
be bcasted any where but at the lee maintopsail yard-arm, and 
still kept No. 16, the signal for close action, flying at the main 
topgallantmast head. The frigates and sloops now hauled off 
from the Trekroner batteries, and, by doing bo, were probably 
saved from destruction. It waa while miavoidably presenting 
ber stem to those batteries, that the Amazon had her gallant 
captain shot in two, and sustained the principal part of her loss. 

At 1 h. 30 m. p. H. the fire of the Danes slackened ; and, at a 
little before 2 p. v., it ceased along nearly the whole of the line 
aatem of the Zealand. Some of tne prames and light vessels 
had also gone adrift ; but few, if any of the vessels, whose Saga 
liad been struck, would Buffer themselves to be taken poesession 
of. They fired at the boats as the latter approached, and the 
iMtteries on Amsg island aided them in this irr^;nlar war&re. 
" This arose," says Mr. Southey, " from the nature of the 
tistion ; the crews were continually reinforced irom the shore : 
and fresh men, coming on board, did not inquire whether the 
flag had been struck, or, perhaps, did not heed it; many, or 
most of them, never having been engaged in war before, know^ 
tng nothing, therefore, of its laws, and thmking only of defending 
tMir country to the last eztremi^J" 

At all events it greatly, and very naturally, irritated Lord 
Nelson ; who, at one time, had thongbts of sending in the fir^ 
ships to bum the surrendered vessels. As a preliminary measure, 
however, his lordship wrote the celebrated letter to the Crown 
Prince of Denmark, wherein be says : " Vice-admiral Lord 
Nelson has been commanded to spare Denmark, when she no 
longer rensts. The line of defence which covered her shores has 
struck to the British flag ; but, if the firin? is continued on the 
part of Denmark, he must set on fire all the prizes that he baa 
taken, without having the power of saving the men who have so 
nobly defended them. The brave Danes are the brothers, and 
sbonld never be the enemies of the English." A wafer was then 
{^venhtm, but he ordered a candle to be brought from the cock- 

Eif, and sealed the letter with wax, affixing a larger seal than 
e ordinarily used, "This," said bis lordship, "is no time to 
appear humed and informal." 

llis letter was carried on shore, with a flag of truce, by 
Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger (a young commander acting as 
one of Lord Nelson's aides-de-camp), who found the crown 
{since at the sallyport. In the mean time the destructive can- 
nonade, still kept up by the Defiance, Monarch, and Ganges, 
and the near approach of the Defence and Ramillies (the 
Veteran &r aatem), silenced the fire of the Indosforethen, Hol- 
stein, and the ships next to them in the Danish line. But the 
great Trekroner, having had nothing but frigates and sloops ' 



34 BftmSH AHD DAN19B FLEKTS. 1801, 

OppMed to k, aad tint 0DI7 for » time, vu conpandvely an- 
iwjand. Thk bftttery tborffliw cootinaed its fire ; and, w ftboot 
1500 men bad been tbrowB into it from th« thore, was coo- 
aidered too strong to be itormed. It was now deemed an 
adroable meBsote to witbdrsw tke fleet oat of the intricsts 
dtannel while the wiad cootiiBited fair ; and prepuatioBS weni 
niakug for that purpose, when the Danish Adjatant-genetal 
Lindolm came, beanne a flag of truce : npcm sight of whidi 
Ae Treikroner ceased wing ; and tha actitm, after hav iog con- 
tiooed f *e hoor^ during tarn- •£ wiaA it had beca wanoly 
contested, was hsoa^ to a cfaiee. 

The mnflMge fnaa the crown prtace was to in^aiie flui pu^ 
tiealar object o£ i^sd Ifdaon'a note. Tbe: httler lef^eiC ■■ 
wiilm^, that htuanity was the ebUct^ that be eoaseatcd to 
stay hostjlitiea; tbat tbe w«Mdcd JDmms sbould be tdun m 
absra ; and that be sbo«U taie bis pnsoaen ont af Ae tcssA, 
aBdbnmorcanyeffhispnaaaafesbottldthiBkfit: hislar^ 
^ip oowtadfld with a bbp^ Oak the liotmy he had gaiQed 
wwJM lead to & w— iniliatioi> b atwa wi Ac two eouatiies. 8ii 
IWdarick TlugK, lAa hod ninned with th&I>MMih adjataa*. 
cenenl, was agai a aawt mlh the i^y ; aod the ktier wt» ■»- 
Msred t» die caa3HiHida4»4Jiief km- « final ■d^nateait of Hm 

The opportunity afibided hf Haa AAy, the Laadan bdig 
■eHlyfaarMle9dirtatt,WM not lo6tb<r Lord Ndaou; sad the 
Icadiag BntU A^)*, all of whidi wen lawch eripided is tbdr 
nggiw mi aal^- wei^d at riippad. a» tweeevioa. The !&»• 
aandtled the wn, andtoDclBd apoa tfaesbod ; but tAe Gaam% 
tikiagbcranMMSs,p«Aedbtf orark. The Gktton, diawnc 
^TfTTTTtTr. fninirJiirai, fiatthr Pngaariiiai^rirftr— 'jj^n— ^T* 
^out k ■!» from the "bskiDaaE; aad^ i* spite of the eiertwaa 
(^ their setiniGsew^tlHreKmaiaedfiaBdfariiasy lean. The 
D^hie, abev attbe opptimta eadof the fio^ harmtcgoDBto 
aaaiet the B«^an», bccanafiwtew tliemM: Aod aatibe httor. 
TIm Bdhnt, bowerVr wag so«d got a^oat b^ rcsourees of her 
- ewn. An cacperienced qaaitenuMter^ obaentag the Jtoiw tte 
actttf Bl^ipiag, suggested in the fast bewtanat that, if a beat 
wcie scat to jnek. ap ^mt ship's cabi^ thev mieht hani eff b^it. 
Ilie l^t waa taken, and tba BeUona qaickly freed benelf feim 
the shoal. 

Soon aAcr the Elephaat bad gnunded. Lord Neben qtntted 
her, and foUowsd the Danish adjntaat^nienl to the London. 
While the oooferenee ia hcddia^ we wSl proceed to show, as 
well as we an atde, at what exjpeafe Ei^land had bfougbl 
Denmark to so subdued a toaa^ Taking the ships in the order 
ia which tbey stand in. a fiat at a. sttbecaaent page^ the J>eaTes 
had one iievtaant (Andrew King) and three aeasen wonaded ; 
the Buasel, five seamen and osie narioe woonded; the BeUoaa^ 
IMT nmin niifl hm jiiiiinln ■iiiiiifmlillnil, iiiiil hrrriyTiiTtlTg 



•8lc 



1801. IXSD HZtSOir AT GOPENBlOBir. 75 

aMNiteted), t«o lienteDsnts (Tbonm Stnrtlej ami Thonw- 
WnluX <H)e taaatn's mate (Jimes Bmmertoa>, four mid^ipmat 
(him AndenoD, Edward DmbcDny, Willnm Sitt<aA, ind Wit- 
lim ^^)i ^ ■eameu, 10 pcnate marinea, me captain (Alex- 
aadtf Srarp) and five privates of foot wounded : the greater 
pert of ttus km, onjcntnoately, aioee fram the Inirsting of two 
of her hnweidcck gtms, owia^, aa is mdentood, to dieir haTtagr 
Item oTOebaKed. The Polypbanns bad one »idatupm«i 
{James Bell), four aeamen, and one marine killed, and ber boa^ 
anraiD (Edwiod Ban), 20 Beamc% and torn Biannes wouded ; 
tbe Iaa> ber maaler (JDanid LamoodV two nidslBpam (Geevge 
M 'Kinky shI Hkhsss BunX 92 aeaioen^ one Eeatmaot (Henry 
L iBg ) aod fair privBtes of tamineB, one Keateoutt and bro 
pBntci of foot kiUed, Hid one lieoteMnt (Riduud Consack)^ 
tbee nidabipinai (Reuben Pain. SinKin Fiswr, and Cbutea 
iooe»X 68 icanen,- l^priiales of nanBo^ and two prirates tt 
faot w wded; ^ E^^, be ftnt UeslenMit (Edmnd Jobo. 
mX M MuneB, ene best^nnt (Balaam Sp«Kct) nd twa 
nmtcB of anriiMia,. aad tkre*. privalts d feat ftiKed, and two 
BentenantB (Joehna Johikson and William Gold&icbX five mid- 
MfBtm (Tbeanas G^Mum,. Wilbna Whan«r, Jobn Jamet 
K^ PebB- Pnxto, Willma Demetl), 79 aemii "- ' 
«f HBonea, and o^ pmatM of foot wovkled ; 
«■« midriiipmaa <€!«(»;• HeareX *oi S9 aenaan 
Ukd, Md 64 seiiiMn and-onriMB woandad ; the Ghttei^ am 



aflotaad 17 acanm and nuBrines billed, one beatenrntCWillMK 
llndanv ana ■eater's male (Kobert ThaapstniX <*» ttoAAi^ 
» (ic^ WiUmb), and 34 leaaen nod marines woonded; 



Ae EkfAantfOne aoBBter'a mate (Henty YaaUoi), fame Manwo, 
An* priwtea of marines, flue captain and oBeprrvnle oi IdM 
Ukdy and two DudshipnieB (Robeit CKll and Hn^ MkAeiy, 
o^^ seanen, tme priTtfi of BHTioen, and two prirateB of foaC 
— nudul ; the dan^, bsr masts (Robeit Stewart) and fivn 
—mm taicd, one pdot wonadedr and one aeanan nesBing'; tt« 
Mnaicb, bar capt«i, 36 Beamav 1^ privalea ef narims, and 
«i^ pmatcaaf foot killed, •mt bentanaM (Willinn HinebinX 
her boatswain ( Wilbam Joy), Sve vidriiipBieB (Henry Swinnwr, 
Wttam Jfllm Bowes, Tbomna Harlowe, Geoi^ Morgan, and 
VUfo le Vciccate), 101 BeaBWiv<Bielieatenant(J«inesMarria)t 
and 34 paiimtes of marines, and one tieiitenant and 20 privates 
of loot WDsndcd ; the Deiance, one lieutenant (Oeoi^ CintyX 
onepdot, 17 seanRn, tfiree piinlea of maruiet, and two prinrtca 
of iwt killed, bcr boatswain, one midahipman (Jnniea Qatta- 
imf), one captain^s cIeri^ one pilot, 36 seamen, five privates of 
msnftet, and seven privatea of foot wounded ; the Ama»», her 
o^tam, one midsnipman (H(»ourablc G^ii^e Tudnet)^ «nei 
caftais'a detk (Joa«^ Kose), 10 sensen, and one nMLrinn 
kffled» two natiers' antes (James Harry and Philip IkniJv 
MaenBen, and five marines wounded ; the Hancb^ six seasMA. 



76 BRTnSH AND DANISH FLEETS. 1801. 

and one manne lulled, and aerea seamen and two marines 
womided ; the Alcm^e, five seamen Itilled, and one lieutenaot 
(Henry Baker), her boatswain (Charles Church), one master'a 
mate (Qeoi^e Augustus Speanog), one pilot, 12 seamen, one 
lieutenant and two privates of marines wounded ; and the Dart, 
her first lieutenant (Richard Edward Sandys) and two seamen 
killed, and one seaman wounded : making, including among the 
lulled the one missing in the Ganges, a total of 256 killed, and 
688 wounded. 

Thus say the official returns ; but it would appear that these 
take no notice of the sUghtly wounded. As one instance, the 
Ardent, besides her 64 in the returns, had 40 wounded who 
were able to go to quarters. The whole of the slightly wounded^ 
according to the testimony of officers in the fleet, would have 
swelled the vrounded total to at least 950, and the total of 
killed and wounded to upwards of 1200. More than half of 
the wounded, enumerated in the returns, are also represented to 
have died of their wounds. If this be correct, the loss may be 
stated thus : killed and mortally wounded 350 ; recoverably and 
slightly wonnded 850. 

Even the smallest in amount, of the two returns of loss here 
given, could only have resulted firom good and steady firing; 
and, truly, the British ships displayed the marks of it in their 
hulls, lower shrouds, and lower masts, rather than, as on most 
occasions, in their uppermasts, running rigging, and sails. The 
Glatton, indeed, baa ner fore topmast shot away ; but it does not 
appear that any other ship's topmast, or even trntgallantmast, 
came down during the action. Most of the ships had a part of 
their guns rmdered useless. Of the Ardent's maindeck 42- 
pounder carronades, more than half were disabled ; as were 
seven of the OUtlon's 32, and two of her GS-pounders. It ha» 
already been stated, that a part of the Belltma's heavy loss 
arose m>m the bursting of two of herguns : a similar accident, 
it is beUeved, occarred a second time (see p. 66) on board the 
lus. Both of these ships were very old, tne one having heea 
boilt in 1760, and the other in 1774 ; and their gons were pro* 
babW the same originally established upon them. 

The damages sustained by the Danisn ships, or floating-hulks, 
may be summed np by statii^, that the greater part of them 
vere literally knocked to pieces. To this condition they would 
undoubtedly have been reduced, in much less time than four 
hours, the duration of the general cannonade, had the pilots 
permitted the British ships to take a closer portion to their 
JDaoish opponents, than from 300 to 400 yards ; in which case 
the heavy carronades of the Glatt<m and Ardent would have, 
produced their full effect With respect to the Danish loss, we 
are unable to particularize iL Commodore I^lscher reckoned 
his killed and wounded, according to the lowest estimate, at 
between 1600 and 1800 men; indoding 270 lost by the DaDoe- 



1801. 



LORD NELSON AT COPENUAOEN. 



77 



liiDg alone. In the British accounts, the Danish alleged loss by 
shot is mixed up with the loss by prisoners taken ; and the whole 
is made to amount to about 6000 men. 

The following table, besides showing how the Danish vesaels 
were disposed of, places the British ships, from the Polyphemus 
downwards, in the order in which they anchored ; nor does the 
staticm cS each of the latter, in reference to her opponent or 
opp(niientB in the Danish Ime, materially vary from what it 
reulv was. A column for the official numerical lose, and 
•Qotiier, to the best of onr ability, for the sarviring first lieu- 
' % of each British ship engaged, have also been added ; 













DAmSH. 


Howddpondof. 


BsmsH. 


J.BS. 


w. 








D*wr^.. 


~ 


4 


Andrew King. 






RusmL... 




S 


Samuel Batman. 






Bellona... 


11 


78 


lohnDela&n*. 


Proresteen.... 


f Taken and burnt, 


Polyphe- 










bBTing been fbi^ 






25 


Edward Hodder. 




i «kea when tke 












Kuna were use- 
DriTefi on the 










av" 


Ws .. 


ss 


88 


Kobeit 'Hnkler. 
















bytheBritiih. 










S^mxg..^..^. 


Escaped t after 
wards ni4. 


Edgar...., 


31 


111 


Joshua Johnson. 


lutiand , ,„ 














Tdtenandburatby 










Croobu^ 


■ the British. 




ao 


64 


AndrevHott 


Duinebiog.... 


blewupafter^ 
actioD. 










Ehrat 

GmdeAfliMl 


lE^pei 


Glatton.- 


la 


37 


Bob. Brown Tom 


Aggenttu..... 


Ditto, and aOef 










ZakDd 


irmbMnk. 
Driven under tht 
Trekioner bat 
terjr, and taken ; 


Elephant 


10 


13 


Wm. Wilkinson. 




} Taken, and after 


Qanget.. 


7 




Wilban) Morce. 


3oh«t«, 


5 mid8 burnt. 










Hobldn ....... 


Ditto i put in aail- 








• 






Monarch 


M 


164 


JobnYelland. 


iDdaBfiiRthen 


Diuo. and afte^ 
wards burnt. 








. 


Bidpetn 


Escaped. 


Defiance 


34 


51 


DnidHolie. 






Amazon. 


14 


23 


JoiOieMutHdl 






Bboche.. 


7 





Titaa. M'CuUoch. 






Alcm^e 


5 


19 


Rt.Wd.Dunlop. 






Dart....- 


3 


1 


Richiid Hiirke.. 


253 


S88 



'78 aomsB and iunish fleets. 1801. 

Altbo^h, u, witboKtieckjiHiiig die two pniaes wbaA »aak 
in riwal inter wbHe escaping «iid were probably reoamred, tlv 
British had captured or destrojed 13 out of t^ 18 floaiiii^ 
batteries that tonned the Daaaah ime to the eoathwaid of the 
TrdimMr ialaada, the victory -was to ^m; yd the Danes, 
Tiewiog Lord NeWrai's message to tlie crown] prioce as iUe fint 
overture to a ceesattoo of hoetilitieB, st^aced titemfielves with 
ibt belief, that the aifair, at the ma&t, cosld cmly be coiBidaed 
UA drawn battle. Whatever name the ooirtest went by, it fully 
succeeded, bb we shall presently have to show, in attaioiiig w 
object for which it had been eaameneed. 

No oBlioB conld behave better, no men conld fight more 
bravely, than the Danes did on this occasion ; but Commodore 
Fischer, nevertheless, was a little in error in regard to his repoit 
to the crown prince. Hat account states, that the Bdlish lia^ 
reckooiog firam the Defiance, did not stretch further northward 
thui the ZeaJand, and tfierefoi<e did not engage more than two- 
thirds of the Danish line of defence; while the TrekroDer 
baUery, imd the block-shipq ElephanteQ and Mars, with the 
frigate Hielpem, did not come at all into action. This is dis- 
proved by the eingle fact, that the De£anoe had her mainmast^ 
mizeomast, and bowsprit, badly wounded by the very first broad- 
side fired from the Trekxoner battery. Not only, then, was (he 
latter engaged, bat the Defiance most have been stationed 
nearly abreast of it, to have sufieied as she did. It will l»e 
creditable to Captadn-lieutenant LillenBfaield to suppose, that it 
was the fire of the Defiance, and not the want of an antagonist, 
which drove his ship, the 36-pounder fiigate Hielpeni, out ttf 
the line. As to -the Elephanten and Mars, they propeily be- 
longed to the north wing of defence ; and many of their henvr 
shot, no doubt, fell among the ifrigates and sloops, appointea, 
owing to the vnavoidable absence of more able ships, to act 
gainst tius fonmdaUe quarter of the Danish positiim. 

Commodore FiBcber assures his countrymen, that the BntiBh 
had two ships to hii one, and therefore were doubly superior in 
force. Let us, without being over-minute, submit this assertion 
to proof Dismissing from the calculation the vrbole of the 
Danish north wing, and the frigates and doops opposed to it ; 
slao the boB^veesds (for they really were useless), the two ships 
s^Toond,* the Quiotus redoubt and five adjacent batteries on 
Aulag island, and the Jamaica and the httle fry with her, we 
liave five 74-gBnships, two 64s, one M,(»e 50, and one 36-gun 
frigate, to oppose to the 18 hlockHBhips, prames, radeans, and 

K were talv psititllr effective. Althou^ abreast of the Poljt- 
tbe Ruaael, lying obliqndy, or with her stern to the westward, was 
■cuKuim to fiKadnaittneboin of that ship ; while the Bellona, with hw 
■ix slfaaogt gsns an cadi deck, fired Mtem of the Ma, sad with her sia 
(ftaRDon mm (leaving the two midship gum on each deck unemplojed^ 
shod of btr. DwbUcM tnany shot &om both grounded diipa muck tte 
f olTphemns and Ma, 



Z801- JX19B ITEIBCW AT OOFEFBAQtm. 79 

•Aer Tcnels, -which luve tlveGdy been mned. Taking the 
l>MMh gniw froM &e DRiHEh socohbIs, we Bobinit the foUowiag 
a te l e ment as not sateiiaUy ioODrroct, 

DANISH. 
36 pounders 4S 



Ka 


Mo. 


74 




«3 




ft 






548 


2fl 




VA 




A4 




ft 




Sft 






lis 








700 



None sppBrentfy. 



This, although Bomethiog leas than a " two-to-ooe" supe. 
liority, Li sufficient to entitle Coraniodore FiBcher, and the bra*e 
officera and men under his oommand, to great credit for the 
obstinate defence Uiey made. As an instance of individual 
courage and devotion on the part of the Danes, and of most 
noble feeling on the part of Lord Nelson, we tnuiBciibe fi-om 
the pages of a respectable periodical work the foUowiBg aoeo 
dote : " During the repast (at the palace) Lord iPTelsoQ spoke 
innptures of the bravery of the Danes, and particularly re- 
quested the prince to introduce him to a very young officer, 
whom be described as having performed wonders during the 
battle, by attacking his own ship immediately under her lower 
guns. It jH^red to be the gallant young Welmoes, a stripling 
of seventeen. The British hero embraced him with tlie entha- 
aiasiB of a brother, and delicately intimated to the prince iJtat 
he ought to make him an admiral; to which the prince very 
happily replied, ' If, my lord, I were to make all my brave offi- 
cers admirals, T should have no captains or lieutenants in my 
service.' This heroic youth had volunteered the command of a 
prune, which is a sort of raft, carrying six small cannon, and 
manaed with 24 men, who pushed on from the shore, and in 
the fury, of the battle placed ^emselves under the stem of Lord 
Nelson's ship, which toey most successfully attadied, in such a 
manner that, although they were below the reach of the stem- 
cbasers, the British marines made terrible slaughter amongst 
them : 20 of these gallant men fell by their bullets, but their 
young commander continued knee-deep in dead at his post, 
tiDtil the truce wan announced."* 

• Naval Ckwid^ voL liv., p. «& 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



80 BBinSH AND DANISH FLEE18. 1801. 

Having taken some notice of the Danish accounts of this 
battle, we must not behave so disrespectfully as to neglect 
bestowmg a word or two upon the English accounts. Accoraing 
to the misplaced " Note," which we formerly quoted from 
Admiral Ekiua'a work,* j ■ " ' 



' Lord Nelson attributed the c 
of the fiellona and Ru»sel to his not having ordered nis shipi, 
in so intricate and shallow a navigation, to cut instead of^to 
weigh. It is certainly the first time we ever heard that the 
Vice-admiral was in this respect to blame : but we are coi^ 
vinced that, of all other men. Lord Nelson was the most likely 
to acknowledge an error, if he thought he had committed 
one. 

Although Admiral Ekins has not considered it necessary to 
give any account of the Copenhagen affair, another contempo- 
rary has entered into it with rather more than his usual concise 
ness. Captain Brenton has also given a " Plan of the battle;" 
but, as is often the case, the engraved and the letter-press d^ 
scriptions do not correspond. One important instance will 
suffice. The Bellona and Russel are placed in the plan, within 
a sliip^B length or so of their actual staticois ; but the letter-presa 
tells us, that those ships were " much exposed to the fire of tha 
Crown batteries ;"+ which Crown batteries, ae rightly laid 
down in the same plan, are to the northward of the northern 
extremity of the Danish line, or perhaps about two miles and a 
half from the nearest of the two grounded shim, the Bellona. 
The fact is, neither ship received or could receive a shot from 
the Trekroner, although they both received several from the 
'Waener and Provesteen ; and a Danish 36-pound shot, from ooa 
of the batteries on Amag island, went through the centre of the 
Bellona's mainmast. 

In almost all the published unoffitual accounts, amistatement 
also occurs respecting the Agamemnon. Lord Nelson in his 
letter says: " The Agamemnon could not weather the shoal of 
the middle and was obliged to anchor;"^ but Captain Brentoa 
tells us, that "the Agamemnon grounded on the starboard 
quarter of the Bellona, and Mr. Southey (but who, by-the-by, 
is very poor authority in naval matters) declares that she was 
" immovably aground."^ 

The night of the 2d of April was employed by the British in 
bringing out their shattered prizes, aiid in floating their 
grounded ships. By the morning of the 3d the whole of the 
fatter, except the D^sir^e were got off. During the five days 
that ihe negotiation was pending, all the prizes, except the w- 
gun ship Holstein, were set on fire and destroyed. Ilie gene- 
rality of these were not worth carrying away ; but Sir Ilyde^s 

• See vol. ii. p. 181. 

■f Brenton, vol ii., p. 545. 



Ibid. p. M2. 

SouthVi I'ife of Nebon, vol ii., p. 118. 



i,i,zedi!v Google 



1801^ LOBD NELSON AT COPENHAGEN. 81 

R«8on for extending the order to the Zealand, a much laiger 
and finer Bhip than the Holsteio, is not very clear. 

On the 9tn, after some altercation as to the duration of the 
armistice, one was agreed upon for 14 weeks ; and Denmark 
oigaged to sospend all proceeding under the treaty of armed 
neutrality, which she had entered into with Sweden and Suseia. 
The prisoners, also, were to be sent on shore, and accounted for 
ia case hostilitieB should be renewed. Moreover the British 
fleet had permission to provide itself, at Copenhagen and else- 
wbere along the coast, with alt things requisite for the health 
and comfort of the seamen. 

On the 12th, having despatched home the Holstein, Monarch, 
and Isis, with the wounded men, Admiral Parker sailed from 
Copenhagen road with the remainder of the fieet, except the St.- 
Geoice and one or two frigates, and directed his course along 
the ai£Bcult channel of the Grounds, between the islands of 
Amag and Saltholm. This was both a tedions and a dangerous 
UT^tion, as most of the men of war had to trans-ahip their 
gUDS into merchant vessels ; and even then, several of the former 
0Dt on shore. The whole of the ships at length extricated 
tnemselves ; and, to the astonishment of Danes, Swedes, Ru^ 
nans, and Fmssians, entered the Baltic by this route. 

The British admiral's first object was to attack the Russian 
squadron at Revel, before the breaking up of the fiost should 
enable it to effect a junction with the Swedish squadron at 
Carlscrona; but, in bis way thither, hearing that a Swedish 
squadron, reported at nine sail of the line, was at sea, Sir Hyde 
steered for the northern extremity of the island of Bomhoun. 
Hie Swedish admiral, however, whose force consisted of only 
nx sail of the line, conceiving himself no match for a British 
admiral vrith 16, sought refuge behind the forts of Carlscrona. 
Here a negotiation was opened between Sir Hyde Parker, and 
the Swedish Vice-admiral Cronstadt ; which, on the 32d, ended 
in an agreement by his Swedish majesty to treat for the accont- 
modation of all existing differences. 

By Uiis time Lord Nelson had joined the admiral, and bad 
ttiB flag again flying on board the Elephant. How he had got 
thither merits to be related. On the 18th the St.-George, having 
lemoved her guns to an American vessel, and, by the excellent 
Bmmgement of Mr. Briarly, of the Bellona, whose local expe- 
rience vras very great, succeeded in passing the Grounds, was 
ready to follow Sir Hyde; but a contrary wind detained her. 
On uie following evenmg Lord Nelson received intelligence fix)m 
the admiral, of the Swedish fleet's having been seen by one of 
his look-out frigates. Instantly he quitted the St.-George, and, 
ombarking in a siz-oai^ cutter, with Mr. Briarly, set off to join 
tiie admini, although Uw latter was at a distance of 24 miles, in 
the very teeth (^ the vind and current. " The moment he 
teoQved the acconnV* says Mr. Briarly, " he ordered a boat to 
TOL.III. o , 



K 



80 BmTI^H, SWSOmij AMD RUSSUlf FLEETS. IM1< 

^ nMnoed, «nd, without even waiting for a boat-ekNik (thomgli 
you rnnet suppose th« weather pretty sharp here at this aeaMn 
^ the year), and having to row about 24 miles with the wind 
and cunent against him, jumped into her, and oidered ne to go 
wiUi bin, I haring been on board that ship (the Stv-Gkorge) t» 
remain till she had got over the Grounds. All I bad ever seen 
or heard of him could not half so deu-ly fvoTs to me the sin- 
gular and unbounded leal of this tnilv great man. Uis atuietT 
m the boat for nearly six hours, lest tne fleet should have sailed 
before he cot on board one of them, and lest we should not 
catch the Swedish squadron, is beyond all conception. I will 
^oote some expreBsions in his own words. It was extremely 
cold, and I wished him to put on a great coat of mine wht<» 
wta in the boat : ' No, I am not oold ; my anxiety for my 
country mil keep me wann. Do you think the fleet has sailedT 
* I should suppose not, my lord.' — ' If they have, we will follow 
th«n to .Carlscrona in the boat, by God 1' " The distance to 
which place, Mr. Briarly goes on to state, was about 50 leaguea. 
At Biidiught, Lord. Nelson reached the Elephant; and Mr. 
Briatly returned to the &t.-Geoige, to conduct her to Kioge 
bay. 

On the 23d a lugger jmned the fleet, ^en not ht from Carb* 
crona on its way to the gulf of Finland, with despatches fimn 
Count VanderPaklen, the Russian ambassador at Copenfaagea, 
containing overtures of a pacific nature fi*om Alexander I., who 
now, by the decease of the Czar Paul, had become invested wi^ 
the imperial sceptre. This induced Sir Hyde to return with the 
^eet to Kioge bay ; where, on the 5th of May, he was fbnod by 
a vessel that brought despatches recalling him from the com- 
mand. Shortly afterwards Admiral Parker sailed for England 
in the Blanche, leaving the command <^ the fleet to Vice-admiial 
Lord Nelson. Almost the first signal made by the new oon- 
mander-Jn>chief was, to hoist in all the laurtches and prepare to 
weigh. On the 7th the fleet, by the addition of the St-George 
now augmented to 17 sail of the line, a 54 and a 60 gun abip, 
besides a few frigates and smaller veasek, set sail fivm Kioge 
bay. On the 8lh, after havhig byaflag of truce informed Vioe- 
•dmiral.Crwutadt, that although Sir Hj^le Parker had coRMfited 
not to inteinpt the Swedish navtgation, he shoald act agunst 
the Swedish fleet if he found it at sea, lisrd Nelson left Captaa 
Murray, with the Edgar, Rassel, Saturn, ^amemnon, AnJent, 
EMBonabki, Olattu), and a fi^te to cruise on Garbcroaa ; wh^ 
with the rem wzid; 1 1 sail oTtbe line, one frigate, and two biig^ 
ilo^w, tbe vica-ado»ral Iwsteaed to the golf oif Inland. 

On the Uth Loid Nelson aochored in Revvl raads ; b^ bo 
tUusian sqwadroa was in that flutrter. The hay had been clear 
of Bob ice since tbe 39th of Apnl, at whi(^ time Sir Hyde 
IP^iiflr* with ttie -fleet, was lying inactive at 'Kio^ awd the 
BmMUnii )wd wbs^tieDtly «a«edL thcM^ .ttas ke ja tim maim. 



JSOL LOBD NELSON'S OEPASTDRE FROM IBB BALTIC. SS 

•od oD tbe 3d had uiled £v CnxutadL A cammiinicatioD witk 
the shore now took [^ace ; and the Emperor Alexander repeated 
Hb frieodly iatentioDB, but expressed Burpriee at tbe ftppeuance 
of tlte Biitiah admiral at Revd. On the 1 7tli the latter quitted 
the road ; and oa tbe 19tli the RuaeianB and Swedes took off 
the emhargo that had been laid on British veseels in their porta. 
Thus wen tbe aontcable relaiicnis between England and tiuw 
two powen once more reetoied. 

On tlie 6th of June, after having been at incfaor some dmi 
off Rostock, Lord Nelaoa returned to Kioge hay, and on th» 
13th received the sancUcm of the admiralty to an applicatioB 
which, on account of the bad state of his healUi,he baa made to 
return to England. On the 17th or 18th Vice-admiral Sir 
Charles Morice Pole, in the 33^un frigate .£oIus, arriTcd to 
take the ctHunand i and on tbe 19th Lord Nelscu quitted the 
Baltic in the Kite brig. Vice-admiial Pole renuuned on the stft- 
tioB until the latter end of July; when, there being no longer 
any occasion for so pow^ul a Beet in the Baltic, he was ordered 
home- Although bis command bad been short aod pacific. 
Vice-admiral Pmc found means to increase the high opinion that 
his predecessor had gained for the British navy m these inland 
seas, by cair^i^ safely through the intricate channel of th« 
Great Belt, against an adverse wind, a fleet of line-of-hattU 
■hips, two of which were three-deckers. 
. For the sacceasfd result of the Copenhagen battle, and tbs 
gallantry displayed in it by Lord Nelson and hie associates, the 
thanks of both houses of parliament were voted to the admirals, 
captains, officers, and men of Sir Hyde Parker's fleet. Owing 
to some political conaderations, having reference, we believe, to. 
the ties that existed between the crowned heads of England and 
Denmark, tbe only mark of royal aj^robation bestowed upon 
the conquerors was the investment of Rear-admiral Graves with 
the Older of the bath. This infraction of the usual custom did 
^ot, however, extend to tbe }K'omotioo of the junior class of offi- 
cers, all the lieutenaatB of the ships engaged, and perhaps a 
few others, being made commanders, and Captains Devonshire^ 
Brisbane, and Buebali, post-captains. 

BBimB AMB VBKWCK FLSSTB. 

The continental war havit^ ceased, by a treaty of peat^ eon^ 
eluded at Luneville on tbe St£ of February between France and' 
tbe Empem of Qermany, the first-consul b^an» more seriously 
iban ever, to eotectain hopes of being able to plant bis riclo- 
rions legions apon British ground. "Tons its mo^ens propres 
k eotreteoir la hame de la nation centre la GhaoderBretagme fut 
emf^oy^ avec activity et avec succ^a. Les autorites, lea ora- 
teurs da gouTeraement, les ^crivains publicistes, rivalis^rent de 
Q 2 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



84 BBinSH AND niENCH FLEETS. 1801. 

2^ pour pr£cher cette esp^ de croiaade coatre I'^temelle enne- 
mie de la France."* 

The port of Bouli^ne was to be the central rendezvous of the 
grand flotilla ; and on the 12f^ of July Buonaparte issued an 
order for the assemblage there of nine divisioDB of ^n-veseel^ 
and of the same number of battaliom of troope, besides several 
detachments of artillery to serve the guns on noard the flotilla. 
Of whidi flotilla Rear-admiral Ren6-Madeleine La Touche-Tr6- 
villewas appointed>the commander-in-chief, vith directions to 
ezerdse the troops in ship-working, in Bring the guns, in boaid'- 
ing, and in getting in ana out of the vessels. 

These preparations, exaggerated as they were by the Fr^idi 
journals, spread no slight degree of alarm on the shores of 
Sngland, and caused corresponding preparations, in the defen- 
sive way, to be made by the British government Among 
other measures taken to calm the public mind, was the appoint- 
ment of Vice-admiral Lord Nelscm to the chief command of the 
defence constructing and collecting along the coast from Orford- 
ness to Beachy U^d. 

On the 30th of July the vice-admiml hoisted his flag on boaid 
the 18-pounder 32^un frigate Medusa, Captain John Gore, at 
anchor m the Downs ; and on the 3d of August, having under 
his charge about 30 vessels, great and small. Lord Ne£on, by 
orders Irom the admiralty, of which Earl St.-Vincent was now 
at the head, stood across to Boulogne ; the port whence, as 
already stated, the main attempt was to be made, and which the 
French, informed by their secret intelligence that an attack 
would be made, had recently been fortifying with great care. 
■' On the 4th the English bomb-vessels threw their sheila 
amidst the French flotilla, consisting of 24 brigs, lugger-ri^jed 
flats, and a schooner, moored in a line in front of the town. Ilia 
efiect of the bombvdment was, by the English account, the 
sinking of three flats and a brie, and the driving of several others 
on shore ; but the French decbre that only two gun-boats were 
slightly damaged, and that not a man was hurt on board the 
flotilla. Nor did the British susttun any greater loss than one 
captain of artillery and two seamen woonded by the bursting of 
a French shell. 

On the night of the IStii of August, Lord NehuMi despatched 
ihe armed bmits of his sqoadron, formed into four divisions, under 
the respective commands of Captains Philip Somerville, Edward 
ThomDOFOOgh Parker, Isaac votgrave, aiul Robert Jones, eDct 
accompanied by a division of mortar^boats, under Captain John 
Own, to attempt to bring off* the French flotilla, which had 
been moch strengthened since the last attack. At about 11 h. 
30oi. P.M. the Doata put off from the Medusa, in the most 

> Tictoins et CtmquSte^ tomexiv., p. 18. 

..Google 



1801. rarASION-FLOTILLA. 85 

perfect order; bnt the darlcness of the ni^ht, co-operating with 
the tide and half-tide, Beporated the diTisions. 

The first division, under Captain Somemlle, on getting near 
to the shore, was carried by the current considerably to the east- 
ward of Boulogne bay. landing it impracticable to reach the 
French flotilla in the order prescribed, Captain Somerrille 
ordered the boats to cast each other off and make the best of 
their way. By this means, at a little before the dawn of day 
on the 16th, some of the leading boats got up to and attacked a 
brig, lying close to the pier-head ; and, alter a sharp contest, 
carried the vessel, but were prevent^ from towing her off, owin^ 
to her being secured with a chain, and owing to a heavy fire of 
musketry and grape-shot, opened as well from the shore as from 
three lu^ers and a second brig, lying within half pistol-shot of 
tbe first. Thus compelled to abandon their prize, and the day- 
l^^ht putting a stop to further operations, the boats of the first 
division pushed out of the bay. The persevering efforts of tbe 
officers and men of this division had cost them dearly ; their loss 
amounting to one master^s mate (Alexander Rutherford), 14 
seamen, and three marines killed, four lieutenants (Thomas 
Oliver, Francis Dickenson, Jeremiah Skelton, and William 
Basset), one captMn of marines (Geoi^e Young), one master's 
mate (Francis Bnmey), one midshipman (Samuel Spiatley), 
29 seamen, and 19 marines wounded; total, 13 kilted and 
65 wounded. 

The second division, under Captain Parker, was more suc- 
cessful than the first in meeting less obstacles from the current 
and at about half an hour past midnight got to the scene of 
action. One subdivision of the boats, led by tbe captain, imme- 
diately ran alongside of a lai^ brig, the Etna, moored off the 
Mole head, wearing the broad pendant of Commodore Edenne 
P^vrieux. Nothing could exceed the impetuosity of the attack; 
but a very strong netting, traced up to the brig's lower yards, 
baffled all the endeavours of the Bntish to board, and an instan- 
taneous discharge of her great guns and small-arms, the latter 
from about 200 soldiers stationed on the gunwale, knocked back . 
into their boats neaHy the whole of the assailants. The second 
cabdivimon, under Lieutenant Williams, carried a lugger, but, in 
attacking a brig, the Volcan, met with a repulse, and was 
obliged to retire with the other subdivision. The loss sustained 
br the British, in the two subdivisiona, proved with what 
obstinacy the contest had been maintiuned. It amounted to two 
midshipmen (William Gore and William Briston), 15 seamen, 
and four marines killed. Captain Parker himBeir(mortally), two 
lientenants (Charles Pelly and Frederick Langford), one master 
(William Kirby), one midshipman (the Honourable Anthony 
Heitland), Mr. Richard Wilkinson, commander of the Gr^- 
lumnd revenne cutter, 30 seamen, and six marines wounded 
total, 31 killed and 42 wonnded. 



86 BBITISH ANI> FIENCH TLSEI&. — CHANNEL. ISOL 

' The third diTuioD, under Captain Cotgrave^ diaplKyed the 
same gallantly, and experienced nearly tl^ same opposition ai 
the two others had done ; and was equally compelled to retire 
wthout effecting the object. The loss of this division amoanted 
to one midahipman (Mr. Beny), and four Eeamen killed, one 
gnnner, 23 seamen, and five marines wounded ^ total, five killed 
&nd 29 wonnded. The fourth division of boats, under Captain 
Jones, not being able, owing to the r^idity of the tide, to get to 
the westward of any part of the enemy's line, pnt back to the 
squadron. 

The French say they captured four of the English boats, and 
ran down Beveral othen ; and that their loss amounted to only 
10 men killed and 30 wounded : whereas that of the British 
amounted altogether to 44 killed, and 126 wonnded. Of 
course the French booEted, and certainly not without reastHi, 
of the Buccessful opposition they had made to the perserering 
assaults of the Britisn. 

The appellaticHi of gun-brig, and of flat or raft, convey, with- 
out some explanation, a very imperfect idea of the description of 
Tessels of which the Boulogne Botilla was composed. The brigs 
were vessels of from 200 to 260 tons, armed with from four to 
eight heavy long guns, generally 24 and 18 pounders, and in 
some instances, 36-pounderB. The account of a comparatively 
small lu^er-flat, taken at U&vre in the early part of the present 
year, may suffice for the generality of those at Boulogne. This 
flat drew but three and a half feet water, had very stout 
bulwarks, and earned 30 men in crew, besides 150 soldiers ; she 
was armtMl with one 13-inch mortar, one long 24-pound er, and 
four swivels, and had also abundance of small-arms. 

Tbb was the last affair with the invasion-fiotilla, except a 

Sirited httle boat attack performed in the neighbourhood of 
aples. On the 20th of August, in the evening, as the British 
24-gun ship Jamaica, Captain Jonas Rose, accompanied by four 
or five brig-sloops and gun-vessels, lay at anchor off the above- 
named French port, a large fire was seen, and a heavy cannonade 
heard, in the south-south east Captain Rose immediately got 
imder way with his little squadron, and at 10 p. x., wniile 
running down to the spot, spoke Captain George Sarradine, of 
the brig-sloop Hound. From the latter, Captain Rose learnt 
that the light proceeded from a cargo of pitch and tar belongii^ 
to a vessel wrecked sometime before, and which the boats of the 
Hound, and of the Mallard guurvessel, had set on fire ; that six 
ilat-boats had come out from St-Valery to attack the British, 
but had been driven on shore and then lay upon the beach. 

Being resolved to attempt the capture or destruction of these 
French boats, Captain Rose, on the morning of the 2lBt, de- 
spatched upon that service the boats of the Jamaica, Gannet, 
am Hound sloops, and Tigress and Mallard gun-vessels, undar 
the orders of Lieutenants James Agassiz and Henry Le Vesoonte. 



4801. IWASIOIUXOTILU, 8T 

T1ieBi]Baidtoii at the same time stood in to cover the bo«te ihwd 
the fire of the military and of five field-pieces, posted behutd 
KMue sand-hills oo the beach. Id spite of this oppoaition, tbe 
British succeeded in ^HingiDg off three of the Freoch boats, and 
would have brought off the others, had they not been scuttled : 
tbej w«ie, howevn-, damaged aa moeh as the time would admit; 
Tbe loss of tbe British on this occasion amounted to no more 
titan one seaman killed, and one midshipman (Thomas Hamblin^ 
and three seamen wounided. The captured flats were each about 
4& feet Img and 18 or 20 bioad, and moanted one brass S-inch 
howitzer. 

After his repeated promisefl to send supplies and reinforce- 
meuts to the army be had left in Egypt, Buonaparte must have 
Mt sorely a^rieved that almost all nis endeavours to do so had 
been frustrated by the Tigilaoce of British cruisers : even the 
^er of large rewards to the eqnippers of merchant vessels or 
privateers that should first reach a port of ^ypt with provisions 
and military stores, served only to augment the number and 
enhance the value of Lord Keith's prizes. 

Hitherto the effeurta to relieve the Egyptian army had beeo 
ecMifined to such frigates and smaller vessels, as might be able 
to escape from Toulon or some other French Mediterranean port; 
but, no sooner did the first-consul learn the real destinatioQ of 
ibe army under General Abercromby, than be contemplated the 
fbrwardtng of a reinforcement upon a grander scale. That re> 
m&rcement was to consist of severe two-deckers, the elite of the 
Bieet fleet, havii^ on board 5000 troops under the command of 
General Sahu^et. 

The o£Scer intrusted with the chai^ of this secret and faa^ 
nrdous misaion was one of tbe ablest at this time bdonging to 
the republic, Rear-admiral Ganteaume; and the ftwowing 
ware toe ships of which bis squadron was composed : 

TTudiTinbl* . . . . j ReaMdminl Hanoti Gautecuime. 
baJ t Captain Antoiab-Louu Gourdon. 

^n Tndoinptable . . . Commodore ■ -" — Honcouau. 

L Formidable 

rUesuK . . 
m.J CoQstitutioii 
"1 J«ii-B«t . 

LDii-Aolit . 



Commodore Jean-Aiuie Chrifty-PalU^. - 
C^ttaiD Gilbert- Amable Fanre. 

„ Fnn^ois-Jacquea Meyaat- 

„ Jacques Bergeret. 



40 oSole . . . _ „ _ 

M Bravoure .... „ Louii-AuguBte Doioeliii. 

Ziw^er, Vautoup, 

On the 7th of January this squadron sailed from Brett, and 
aoehored in the road of Bertheaume ; and about the same time, 
m order to draw the attention of the British cruisers in a diffiil^ 
Oit directi<Hi, the French ships at anchor in tbe minor porta of 
the Channel and bay of Biscay made demonstrations of putting 
to wa. In the hope to profit by this ruse, Reap-admiral Gaur 

vie 



88 BRITISH A»D FRENCH FLEETS.— HEDITEIL ,1801. 

teaome, on the 8tb, got under way, and stood throiu;h the 
passa^ du Raz; but here, contrary to his expectatioD, hi was 
discovered and chased by a division of the Channel fleet under 
the command of Vice-admiral Sir Henry Harrey. This obliged 
the French admiral to r^;aia the coast ; and he soon aflerwuds 
came to an anchor at the mouth of the river Vilaine. Thence, in 
order that the British might be led to suppose he had no otiiec 
object in view than the other French squaarons in motion at this 
time, M. Ganteaume subsequently departed, steering for the 
road of Brest ; where he anchored, as if the . service he had 
been detached upon was executed. 

Here lay the French admiral, waiting for a northerly gale of 
wind, to blow the British blockading force off the coast. Oh 
the 23d a storm arose, favourable alike in direction and violence ; 
and late on that night the squadron of M. Ganteaume weighed 
and put to sea. The only safe passage under such circumstances, 
that of Iroise, was now entirely free from British cruisers; hat 
such was the violence of the gale that, besides carrying awa^ 
the topmasts of several of the ships, it separated the Indivir 
sible and Creole from the rest of the squadron. 

On the 27th of January, at 9 p. h., Cape Finisterre bearing 
east half-north distant 25 leagues, the British 12-pounder 36-gun 
frigate Concorde, Captain Robert Barton, while steering to the 
eastward, discovered bythe light of the moon seven laige ship5> 
about two miles to windward, under easy sail, standing to the 
westward. These were the Indomptable, Formidable, Desaix, 
CcHietitution, Jean-Bart, Dix-Aofit, and Bravoure, under the 
orders of Commodore Moncousu. 

One of the 74s and the frigate immediately bore up in chase ; 
whereupon the Concorde, casting oS a Swedish ship she had in 
tow, made sail ahead. In a little time the line-ot-battle ship, 
hauling up again, steered to rejoin her squadron ,- while the 
Bravoure continued bearing away in chase of the Concorde. As 
soon as she had reached what was considered to be a distance of 
about six miles from the French squadron, the Concorde hove to, 
and, by the usual mode of signalling, presently convinced hec- 
aelf that the ship in chase of her was not a friend. 

After a mutual hail, an order to strike to a French frigate, and 
a volley of musketry, the Bravoure ranged up on the Concorde's 
lee side, and gave and returned a heavy tire ; until, passing oi^ 
she shot so for ahead as to bring the Concorde on her larboard 
quarter. In this position the latter kept her opponent warmly 
and closely engaged, for about half an hour ; when the fire of 
the Bravoure ceased, and almost at the some instant one of her 
boats and some other wreck fell from her stem and larboard 
quarter. Captain Barton now concluded that his antagonist, 
having discontinued the action, had surrendered ; but presently 
the Bravoure was observed making sail, and soon stood away 
before the wind. The damaged state of the Concorde's running 



1801. CRUISE OF ADMIRAL GANTHAUME. S9 

rigging delayed her in chasing; and, at 3 a.ii. on the 28th, Bfae 
lost sight of the Bravoure, At daylight, however, the Cmcorde 
again discovered the French ftigate ; but the appearance of the 
latter's squadron to windward compelled Captain Barton, not 
<Ki]y to rehnquish the pursuit of the Bravoore, but to attend to 
the safety of the Concorde. 

The latter's loss in the action, out of a crew on board of not 
more than 224 men and boys, amounted to four men killed and 
19 wounded, one of them mortally. The loss on board the 
Ikavonre, out of a. complement of about 320 men and boys, is 
officially stated to have oeen 10 men killed, including her third 
lieutenant and pilot, and 24 wounded, including her captain, who 
had the misfortune tck hare half hia hand carried away by a 
grape-shot. 

The guns of the Concorde have already appeared ; but owing to 
the bursting of one ofherS.S'malndeck I2-pounders on the 10th 
(rf the pret^ing August, whereby nine men were killed and five 
badly wounded, and another 1'2-pounder wasdisabled, the frigate 
mounted on the present occasion but 40 guns. The Bravoure 
appears to have mounted 42 guna, two more than the eatablish- 
ment of her class, on account of having, like the Concorde 
herself previous to her accident, 28 twelve on tlie main deck. 
In point of force, therefore, the Concorde and Bravoure were 
tc^rably well matched ; but, in practical gunnery, the relative 
execution shows that, if the two combatants had been left to 
themselves, the British frigate, without some extraordinary 
chance in heropponent's favour, must have',come off the conqueror. 
A writer in the French work so frequently quoted by us declares, 
that the two frigates did meet by tbemselTes, but that Capt^ 
Dordelin, by closing with the intention to board, " frightened 
away Captain Barton," " effraya le capitaine ennenii."t The 
latter assertion appears to be founded upon a statement, although 
not quite so forcibly expressed, in the despatch of Kear-admiral 
Ganteaume; but who, be it understood, is merely reciting the 
xeport made to him by Commodore Moncousu, as the substance 
of the information received by the latter from Captain Dordelin 
himself. It is Capt^n Dordelin, therefore, who vaunts of his 
own prowess ; who declares that he compelled the Concorde to 
nm away, that her guns were IS-pounders, and that he heard 
"jgroans and cries" proceeded from her after the dischai^ of 
his first broadside. Crediting the statement, M. Ganteaume 
strongly uiges the minister of marine to promote M. Dordelin 
irom a capitaine de fr^te to a capitaine de VEusaeaux ; but the 
first-conBul appears to have seen further into the business than 
M. Ganteaume, and did not promote the Biavoure's captain to 

* See vol. L, p. SOI. We omitted to mratioo, that the CoDCord« diffared 
fimn her dsss id mounting 28, inst^ of 26 gaaa on the main deck i but the 
total of her guns is there correct stated at 42. 

t Victoiws el Conquftes, tome xiv., p. 161. ^ 

:,Goo'^lc 



90 BErnra avd nEKca ilbbts.— hediter. 1801. 

that nuV natil two yem mod ^ght mODtha (SeptemlKr 3^ 
\9QQ) hoid etened tince the date of the actioo upoo the Nmits 
nf which M. DordcJin fouoded hii pretensioM. 

After tbta ezpliut by one <^ Lis BqnadroD, Coranodore Mon- 
consD pursued ttig way toward* the Straits ; and ob the 30tl^ 
ofi* Cape Spartel, the first appointed rendezvooB, efiected hia 
juDction with Reai^dmiral Qaateaume ; who, on the preceding 
eveniDg, a^er a long chase, had captured the British ship-Bloop, 
or fire^bip. Incendiary, Captain Richard DalliRg Dudd. ln»- 
tating the example of socoe British admirals and captains, M. 
Oanteanme described his piiie as "of," when be ahould hare 
swd, "pierced %," 28 gui». The Incendiary, we bebeve^ 
nounted only sixteen IS-pounder carroaadea ; but the Spitfire, 
and one or two others of the InceDdiary's class, were «stabli8hed 
with 24 guoB, for which, by opening their maindeck ports, tbey 
Itad ample room. 

After destroying his prize. Rear-admiral Ganteaame stood 
towards the Straits ; and, on the morning of the 9th c^ February, 
passed through them into the Mediterranean under a prees of 
sail. The only sea-^ing ship at this time at Gibraltar, the 13> 
pounder 32-gun frigate Success, Captain Shuldham Peard, 
immediately weighed and steered after the Froich squadron. 
Having no doubt that M. Ganteaume's destination was £gypt> 
Captain Peard intended, if he could, to pass him on the passage, 
ana apprize Lord Kuth of his expected arrival. On the 10th, in 
the morning, the Saccess came up with the French ehip« off 
Cape de Gata, where the second r^deirous had been appMnted^ 
•DO passed them in the night. During the whole of the Uth 
and i2th, owing chiefly to light ar>d variable winds, the French 
squadron kept sight of the Success. Soon after dark the wind 
began to blow fresh from the southward ; and, as the Succem 
went occasionally at the rate of nine knots an hour. Captain 
Peard flattered himself that he should see no more of his pnr- 
auers. At daylight on the 13th, however, the leading French 
ships were close up with the British frigate. Findine escape 
impossible, Captain Peard, with great judgment, put bautotntf 
westward, not only to retard tbeTrench admiral m his progress 
but to expose him to the risk of meeting any Britrah tone that 
might have been detached in pursDtt. At noon the wind fell ; 
•na at 3 P. h., after two or three of the line-of-battle ships bad 
sot within musket-shot and opened their fire, the Success hauled 
Sown her flag. 

Zjeaming from his prisoners, among whom were the oSken 
•ud crew of the Sprightly cutter. Lieutenant Robert Jumpy 
captured and scuttled on the 10th, that Admiral Lord Keith, and 
Rear-admiral Sir Richard Bickerton were already, where they 
did not arrive nnril more than a fortnight afterwards, upon the 
coast of Egypt with a great force, and that Rear-admiral Sir 
John Borlaee Warren, with a force about equal to his own. 



1801. aqoAMKws in sbabch or ic <uinuintE. 91 

vigfat be honriy expected id panuit from the westward, Hen*- 
Mtininl Ganteauoie steered for the gulf of Lyocs, and oo the 
10th anchored with his squadroB in uie n»d of TouIod. After 
• captivity of only five days, daring which every attention was 
paid to their comfiAt ' by ReaF-admiial Ganteaume and those 
kboDt him, all the British officers and men were peimitted to 
depart in a cartel for Port-Mahon ; where, on the mnning of 
the 26th, they safely anived. 

It is now time to see what steps had been taken, in eoD- 
sequence of the escape of this French squadron from Brest, by 
the commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet, Admiral Earl St.- 
VincenL On the 3d of Febniaiy the Concorde anchored at 
Plymouth with the accoont of her engagement with the Bra^ 
▼oure ; and, in a day or two afterwards, Reai^nuTal Sir Robert 
Oalder, with seven sail of the line, two frigates, and a brig, was 
detached from the Channel fleet in pursiiit of M. Ganteaume c 
not, however, to the Mediterranean, but, owing to a lack of 
information on the subject, to the West Indies. 

Mothing can afford a stronger proof of the national confidence^ 
IB well as &imes8, in naval wamre, than the sending in pursuit 
of an enemy's squadron a British squadron of the same 
nomeiical force ; but we cannot help asking, what was tb* 
use of selecting six of the fastest twiMieckers trom the Channel 
fleet, when the flag-officer in command of them was to take bis 
passage in a three-decker? The question of force offers no 
obstacle, for both the Ccesar and the Malta were fully equal to 
flie Prince-of-Wa)es. The total number of three-deckers po»- 
Mssed by France at this time was six ; and of these two 
only wve in a serviceable state ; whereas England had 
•etnally at sea 18 three-deckers, 13 of which, at this very time, 
were cruising off Brest He superior accommodations of a 
three-decker nave, we know, been alleged as a reason for retaioo 
ing so many of them in the service, especially to carry flags ; but, 
in a fighting ship, the comfort, of the commanding officer, 
vhether admiral or captun, ought always to be a secondary 
consideration. 

Hie only British force, in a situation to molest Rearmdmiial 
Cfauiteaame, was the squadron of Reai^dmiral Sir John Borlase 
Warren, composed of the 60-gun ship Gibraltar, Captain Wil- 
liun Hancock Kelly, 74-gnn ships Kenown (flagX Captain Joha 
CbamboB Wbite, Dragon, Captain John Ayimer, Geii^ren^ 
Captain Manley Dixon, and Hector, Captain John Elphinstone^ 
Omuu ship Haerlem, with only a portion of her lowerdeck guns 
«n Board, Captain C^ige Burlton, and two or three fhgates and 
smaller vessels- 
It was 00 tbe 8th of February, while cruising off Cadiz with 
a part of this squadron, that the rear-admital received the first 
intdUgeuce of the squadron of M. Ganteaume. Sir John im>- 
mediately steered for Gilvaltar; and, arrivbg there oa the 



02 BEmSH AND FKENCH FLEETS .-—UEDITER. 1801. 

monuDg of the 10th, leunt that the French sqaadron had, 24 
honn befOTe, passed into the MediterraDeaD, On the 13th Sir 
John, with hiB squadroo, quitted Gibraltar, and steered for 
Minorca, having previously despatched two frigates to leeon- 
ntntre the ports of Carthagena and Toulon ; and on the 20th be 
anchored in the harbour of Port-Mahon. On the 24th, having 
thoroughly refitted his squadron, Sir John sailed on a croise ; 
bat, experiencing during the same night a heavy gale of wind, 
was obliged to put back with several of his ships damaged, and 
on the 27th reauchored at Mahon. 

On the 4th of March the rear-admiral again set sail, but with 
only five of his squadron, having left the G^n^ux behind, as 
some protection in the event of an expected attack upon Minorca 
by the Spaniards and French. On the 7th Sir John spoke two 
Teseels, who informed him that the King of Naples bad ctm- 
eluded an armistice with General Murat. Upon this intelligence 
the rear-admiial steered for Palermo, to protect the British 
interests in Sicily, as well as to effect a junction with the 74'gait 
ship Alexander, Captain Alexander John Ball, and 64 Ath^nien, 
Captain Sir Thomas LivinsstMie. On the 18th, when off the 
island of Maritimo, the A^^en joined ; as on the 22d, off the 
small island of Calita, did the Alexander. 

With his force thus augmented to seven sail of the line, in- 
cluding two 649, Sir John stood back towards Toulon, to 
blockade M. Ganteanme in the road ; but on the 25th the bng- 
sloop Salamine, Captain Thomas Briggs, Joined from Captain 
Dixon at Mahon, bnnging information that the French admiral, 
with seven sail of the line, three frigates, and three merchant 
vessels, had on the morning of the Idtli again put to sea. No 
socHier, in fact, did the firBt^»}nsal receive the mortifying account, 
as well of the arrival of M. Ganteaume at Toulon Before his 
misaioD had been AilfiDed, as of the capture of the frigate 
Africaine, on her way to the coast of Egypt, than he despatched 
from Paris his aide-de-camp, Gerard ^cu^i with orders that 
Bear-admiral Ganteaume should sail immediately ibr Alex- 
andria; and that, should he find the port blockaded by a 
superior force, he was to disembark the troops at any practicable 
spot to the westward of Alexandria, between Tripoli and Cape 
Hasat. With this object in view, Reai-admiial Ganteaume ac- 
ccftdingly sailed, but on the same night experienced so heavy a 
gale of wind, that one of his Une-o&battle ships lost her main- 
mast and put back, some of the other ships were greatly 
damaged, and one of the merchant vessels, havii^ also parted 
company, was &llen in vrith and captured b^ the British nigate 
Minerve. 

On the 26th at daybreak, when about 14 leu^es south-west 
of the island of Toro, Sir John Warren obtained a distant sight 
of M. Gaoteaume's weatherbeaten squadron, counted by the 
Mercniy at 10 sail, being three short of its original namber. 



1801. FUA81IIT OF M. OANTEimiE. 93 

ChaM was unmediately given ; and, before ereitiiig, eome of the 
British ships had gained u^oa the enemy ; but the alow saihng 
of the Gibraltar and Ath^nien induced the rear^dmiral to order 
the remainder of the Equadron to Bhorten sail, and at dark, or 
soim afterwards, every French ship disappeared. Nor was the 
enemy again seen; as, while Sir John was hastenins to the 
Bouthwara and eastward, M. Ganteanne had stood back to the 
northward, and shortly afterwards reanchored in Toulon. 

Buonaparte sent orders to M. Ganteaume to make a thint 
attempt to reach Egypt. Accordingly,' on the 27th of Aprils 
the persevering French admiral again set sail with his sevea 
lioe-of-battle ships and two frigates, besides one corvette and 
two Btore-ships. Finding, when at Leghorn, into which port he 
had pat by the way, to co-opeiate in the siege of Porto-Ferrajo, 
that the formidable, Indomptable, and Besaix, as well as the 
frigate Creole, were too abort-manned to proceed on the voyage, 
Reai-edmiral Ganteaume ordered them back to Toulon ; and, 
with fonr two-deckers, one frigate, one corvette, and four store- 
ships, stood awav for the Straits of Meaaina. Theae he passed 
on the 2fith of May ; and on the 6th of June, while on his way 
to the coast of Egypt from off Biiodiai, where he had expected 
to be joined -by three Neapolitian frigatea, M. Ganteaume fell id 
with and chased, but could not overtake, the British Id-pounder 
36-gun frigate Piqne, Captain James Young. 

On the 7tb, beiug only about 70 leagues to the westward of 
Alexandria, the French admiral detach^ the corvette H^liopoUa 
to reconnoitre the Egyptian coast, and ascertain the exact situ- 
atioo of the hostile fleet On the 9th, at daylight, the HeliopoU* 
arrived close off Alexandria ; and, after a distant chase by the 
Kent and Hector 74s and Cruelle cutter, succeeded in entering 
the port. The fact is that, in cwiBequence of the infonnatioa 
brooeht to Lord Keidi by the Pique on the evemng of the 7th, 
the British squadron, on the morning of the 6th, made sail to 
the westward, in aeuch of the hourly expected French squa^ 
dtOD. So that, when the Heliopolis arrived in sight of Alex- 
andria, the chief part of the blockading force was abreast of 
the Arab's tower, or about fonr leagues to the Westward, ^ 

Hie non-return of the H^liopoUs leaving scarcely a doubt that 
die had been captured by the British fleet. Rear-admiral Gan- 
teanme, confommbly to his instructions, searched to the west- 
ward of Alexandria for a convenient spot to disembaric the 
troops, and found it, as he conceived, at a small town sitoated 
about 180 leagues to the eastward of Tripoli, and adependance 
Qpoo that regency ; with which, as well as with the regency of 
Imis, Butmaparte had just concluded a treaty. Having come 
to an anchor off Bengau, the squadron b^an making prepata- 
tiona to land the tioo^ ; bnt, so sfHrited and eflectnial was the 
<qipo8itkMi of the inlubitants, that . the attempt was found im- 
pncticable. Just at this n»»iient the squadron of hotd Koth, 



ft BRITISH AND V&ENCH n£ETS.— HEDTTER. 180!, 

OT iome of the adnnced ships belonging to it, bove io aght to 
the eftstward. The French ftdmiral immediately cut his cables, 
andcrowded sail from the coast ; leaving two of hisstore-shipa, 
which could not keep up with him, to be captured by the British 
28-gnn frigate Veatw, and one or two unaller Teasds, then far 
ahead of their companioDS. 

On the 24th, at 3 h. 30 m. a. h^ Gape Derna on the coast of 
Barbary beating soutfa-west distant about seven leagues, the 
BntiBh 74-guii ship Swiftsure, Captain Benjamin Hallowell, 
then, with the wind at north-west, steerii^ towards the island 
of Malta, toreiDforoe the squadnm under Kew-«dmiral SirJcJni 
Borlase Warren, discoTer&d the squadron of M , Ganteaame 
hnll-dowa to leeward. From prerioua iafonnatioa Captfoa 
Hallowell concluded that the fihipaweie those of M.Ganteanme, 
and made all sail to escape. At d h. 30 m. the Jean-Bart and 
C<Kistitnti(Mi> by si^al from the admiral, tacked and stood oq 
Vntil they fetched into the Swiftsure's wak& At 8 a. h., the 
remaining three French ships, faanng fine-reached consideraUy, 
tacked also, until they arrired upcm the lee quarter of we 
Swiftaure, when they tacked agam. 

Such was the very superior sailine <^ the French ships, that 
by 2 p. K. the Indivinbte, Diz-Aobt, snd Creole, bad arrired 
nearly within gmv-shot. Obserriaglbat the ships astern were 
also fast coming up, Captain Hallowell determined to brardowa 
and ec^<^ the three nearest, in the hope to disable one of them, 
and effect his escape to leeward. Accordingly, at 3 r. u^ th6 
Swiflsure bore down under all sail, steering to pass aetem of the 
rearmost of Uie three French ships; whereupon all of the latter * 
tacked and stood towards her. In half an hour the Indivisible 
and Dix-AoGt, standing on in close order, opened their fiie 
within half gun-shot, and, by ^ir superior rate of sailing, 
baffled every effort of the Swiilsure to get to leeward. In thn 
way the action was maintained until 4 b. 37 m. p. u. ; when, the 
Constitution and Jean-Bart being within gun-shot on the 
Swiftsure's stwboard quarter, and closing fast, the Indiriuble 
almost on board of her on the larboard bow, and the Dix-Aout 
as near on the larboard quarter, the British ship strock her 
ctdonrs. 

- The masts, yards, rigging, and sails of the Swiftsnre, were- 
ootajdetety cut to pieces ; but, it having been the principal 
object of the French to diuaan^ the ship, her loss, oat of « 
<xew at qnarters, owing to 59 being sick and 86 of hex best men, 
having been taken from her by Lord Keith, of not more than 
460 men and boys, amounted to only two men killed, and one 
Uentenant (Lewis Davis) and seren nen wounded, two of then 
mortally. Ifaat the Sfriftaaie did not act ante so leaderir 
toweids her antagooiste, iqipaais by the trench adoainls 
return of loss; aecoding to wnicb« the IndivisUe had fbor meo. 
MM and vowmW^ and the I>i»A06t, u BMn lulled wtd 23> 



1801. aixaB nr pokto-tqikuo. 9& 

woanded. M. Ganteaiiine rauined bis pme by detAchni^ts 
Bom the ships of his aquadron ; and, after Utouring at her for 
mx. days, in (be most farowable weather (a tolerable proof of 
dw state to which she bad been redaced), socoeeded id placio^ 
ker in a condition to accompany him to TouJod : where, oa the 
22d of July, the squadron safeLy arrived. 

In kb public letter. Captain Hallowell, much to his credit, as 
wdl as to the c«edit of his captois, speaks in the higheiA terms 
irf* the treatmoit which bimaelf, his officen, and men, experieooed 
beta the officers of H. Ganteaome's squadron, t&d iram ths 
FiHicb admiral in particular. On the otber faaod, M. G«d» 
teamne's report of toe condact of the SwiAsore'a captain, has 
tftUed forth the foUowii^ panegyric from a French naval writer, 
"Leat^tsine HaUowell,Be d^fetditavecofRni&tret^etn^amena 
SOB jiantkn que krsqu'il se vit en danger de oouler bas."* It 
is alflsost nuneceseiry to state, that Captaiu Hallowell and &t 
\tte officers and crew of the Swiftsurc, on their retom to 
{■Bgland, weie most hoaowably acquitted for the lots of their 
ship. 

Having; by a treaty concluded on the 28th of March, upon 
iis own tenoB, got Tftples to cede to him Porto>Loiig(XMi, and 
ttte whole of Uie Neapolitan part of tbe isle <^ Elb^ tht first 
consul of France determined to possess himself of the remainii^ 
pr Tuscan portJoa of the isluu, indudine the strong fortress 
gf Porto-Femjo, but the ganison of whiefa did not eiceed 
^men. 

On the 2d of May General Tharrean, with about 1500 men, 
disembarked at Porto-Loogone from the opposite port of Picn»-; 
biao; and, after vainly summoning, and as vamiy trying to 
•orrupt, Cbiio de Fisson, tbe Tuscan governor, the Fiencii. 
ccneral ootamenoed his investment of tbe place. The only 
British force off the port at this time were .two frigates, tlie 
Ph<BBix and Mermaid, under the orders of Captain Lamresce 
William Halstcd, of the former. But these soqd afterwards 
departed on aomt other servi<x, abd tbe harbour of Foito- 
penajo was Uoekaded by the French 28-gun frigate Badiae, 
•ad subeequeotly by tbe foUowmg Fnocih aquadren : 

.... Ctpttip dftiide-Pucal HoreUBeauEeu. 
m . , . . B Loau-AugtnK Dmd«Im. 

.... „ iM>Fl>Igiac9BkeUt,jmbrD>wr. 



Inly, t 

fbe stele of tkc small ganistm of Porto-Farraio, Oeasai Watrin, 
at the head of 5000 men, fauded on the island to suparaede 
Osaend Thancau ta tbe commawi; and, in |»nrRnmoe of the 
■sdeis he had received fixnm <3«n^ Mnrat.tn Tusesuy, tha 



96 BRITISH ANU FRENCH FLEETS.— HEDITER. 1801. 

newly-arrived French general b^sn the most active prepuiatioos 
for redudng the fortress. 

On the Ist of August Rear-admiral Sir John Warren, with the 
Renown and squadnxi, arrived off the island, and, chamng the 
Braroure and Bncc^s into Leghorn, raised the blockade of 
Porto-Ferrajo, 

On the 3d, at 2 h. 30 m. p. m., the British Id-pounder 36-gun 
frigate Phcenix, Captain Lawrence William Halsted, 18-pouoder 
40-gun frigate Pomoue, Captain Edward Leveson Gower, and 
12-pounder 32-gun frigate Pearl/ Captain Samuel James Ballard, 
cruising off the west side of the isumd of Elba, discovered the 
Canire, on her passage from Porto-Ercole to Porto-Longone, 
with 300 barrels of powder on board, and a convoy of small 
veesels in chaise laden with ordnance-stores and provisions. 

At 8 b. 10 m. F. H., after the interchange of a few shot from 
bow and stem chasers, and a reeistanoe alongside of about 
10 minutes' duraticffi, the Carr^re hauled down her colours to 
the Pomone, the only British ship near enough to open a fire. 
Out of her complement of about 320 men and boys, the Pomone 
lost her boatswain (Thomas Cook) and one quartermaster killed, 
and one heutenant of marines (Charles Douglas, loss of a leg) 
and one seaman mortally, end two other seamen slighuj 
wounded. The loss on board the Carr^re is not stated in 
Captain Halsted's letter; but, according to the French account 
it was tolerably severe. The whole of the convoy appear to have 
escaped, and one or two of the vessels to have got into Longone. 

The Carr^ was a fine Venerian-built frigate of 1013 tons, 
and mounted the same guns as those assigned to her class, in 
the small table at p. 54, vol. i., except that she had only two 
carronades, and therefore but 40 guns in all, and that her 
8-pomiders were brass. Her complement, as deposed to by her 
officers, was 352. The Can^ becune added to the British 
navy as an 18-ponnder 3&-gnn frigate, but her reign as a cruising 
ship was a short one. 

Finding, towards the end of August, that the Phcenix was at 
anchor alone off Piombino, a port on the main land of Tuscany, 
distant about seven miles from the north-east extremity of Ell», 
General Watrin sent orders to Captain Bretel at anchor in 
Leghorn mole, to get under way with his two frigates, and en- 
deavour to capture the British frigate. Accordingly, on the 
evening of the 31st, the Succis and Bravoure put to sea upon 
that service. 

On the 2d of September, very early in the morning, these two 
iriKates, just as they were about to enter the Piombino channel^ 
fell in with and uiaeed the British 38-^run frigate Minerrc^ 
Captain Geoi^ Cockbum ; who, at 6h. 30 m., nutde the signal 
for an enemy to the Phcenix, then at anchor m the south-east in 
company with the Pomone, who had rejoined two days before. 
The two last^utmed frigates, gettii^ quickly under yt«y, bore up 



1801. SIEGE OF PORTO-FERRAJO. 97 

in chase nnder all aail; and at 9 a. u. descried the Sncc^ and 
Bravoure to tbe northward, Bteeriog back towards Leghorn, 
pnnued by the Minerre. 

At about 10 b. 30 m. A. k., finding hereelf dropping astern of 
her coDflort, tJie Succ^ ran aground on the shore of \^a ; and, 
upcm receiving a shot from tbe Mineire in passing, hauled down 
her colours without firing a single gun in return. While the 
Hinerre stood on in chase of toe Bravoure, tbe Pomone took 
possession of tbe Succ^, or, as now again entitled to be called, 
the Success. The wind, shifUng to the northward, frustrated 
erery attempt of the Bravoure to reach Leghorn ; and the French 
fngate, after missing stays, and vainly attempting to wear, got 
on shore nnder the Antignano battery, about four miles to the 
sonthward of the mole. Here the three masts of the Bravoure 
soon vent by the board, and the ship became totally lost. 
Owin^ to the height of the surf and the approach of night, and 
to ^e enemy on snore firing upon tbe boats, Lieutenant William 
Kdly, first of tbe Minerve, who had heea sent to board tbe 
Bravoore, was not able to bring away more than a few prisoners. 
By the exertions of Lieutenant Charles Thompson of the 
Phcenix, and the o£Scers and men under bia orders, the Success 
was at length got afloat without receiving any material injury, 
and was restored to her rank in the British navy. This capture 
of one, and destruction of a second French nigate, was per- 
fcrmed without any loss on the part of the Bntish. A con- 
temponuy, with his accustomed inaccnracy in regard to the force 
of snips, i»lls the Bravoure "an 18-pound frigate,"* although 
Captain Halsted, in bis letter to Sir John Warren, expressly 
states that the Bravoure mounted " twenty-eight 12-poundei8 on 
^ main deck, with 283 men." In adding that the Bmvoure 
was " of 46 guns," Captain Halsted must of course have 
adopted the report of Captain Cockbum ; but, according to a 
document now before us, the Bravoure was pierced, exclusive of 
two pun of bow-chase ports, for no more than 40 gons; 
ahhoogb, by filling evaj port on her mun deck, we have els^ 
where assigned her 42.-)' 

Shortly after these French fiigates, hitherto so annoying to 
tbe garrison of Porto-Ferrajo, bad thus been disposed of, Lieu- 
tenantpcolonel George Airey, whom General Fox had recently 
tent to supersede Captain Gordon in the comraaud of the few 
British troops in the fortress, applied to Kear-admiral Sir John 
Warren, who had arrived off Porto-Ferrajo on the 12th of 
September, for a detachment of marines and seamen from tbe 
aquadroo, to asust in an attack upon some of tbe French bat- 
teries those especially which shut np the port. This was 
acceded to, and arrangements were forthwith made for an active 
eo-opeiation on the pert of the squadron, which consisted ot tbe 

* BieDton, vol. iii, p. 90. t SMp>Bfc 

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9d BRITISH AND fKENCH HJET&— H^DITEH. 1801. 

ReoowD, Gibraltar, Dragon, Aleiander, G&i£feuz, Stately, of 
the line, Pomone and P^l frigatee, aad brig-aloop ViBcejo. 

On the 13th, at daybreak, the Dragon and G^ireux, fat the 
purpose of creating a diTereicn, opetied a fire opoo a renod 
tower at Marciana ; and on the 14tn, a little before daylight 
449 muines and 240 seaeien, comnunded W Captais George 
Long of the Vincejo^ along with a party of Tuscans, peasanto^ 
uooeen, &c., amounting in the if hole to about 1000 oien, were 
landed io two divisioiia under the personal direction of Captam 
John Chambers White, of the Renown. The atlack was made, 
and BBveial of the French batteries were destroyed, u>d 65 
prisoners, including three captains and two subalterns, brought 
off; but, the force being found inauffident to complete the whole 
bnsinees, the allied detadunent was compelled to retire with « 
loss altt^ther <^ 32 killed, 61 wounded, and 105 aagaott. Of 
this number the navy lost a T>ery large proportion ; inoiely. 
Captain Long, while gallantly leading on his men to storm a 
aaiTOw bridge, two seamen, and 12 marines killed, one officer, 
17 eeamen, and 20 marines wounded, and one officer, 12 seamen, 
and 64 marines missing ; total lou to the navy, 15 killed, 
33 wounded, and 77 missing. 

By the aid c^ a well-penmd despatch, Geeeaal Watrin nokes 
this repulse of the allied British and Tuscans, " cover the troops 
of the republic with glory. He auementB the assailants to 3000 
men, and their loss to 1200, excTusiTe of 200 prisoBers, uid 
declares that bis batteries wholly dismasted a frigate, and sank 
seven of the British boats. But, in spite of all these strong 
incentives to success on the part of his troops, the French gene- 
ral could make no impression upon Porto-Ferrajo ; of which 
Lieut^EAnt-eolcnel Airey, notwithstanding be lost the aid of Sir 
John Warren and his. squadron on the 22d of September, c<m>- 
tinued to maintain possession until the treaty of Amiens relieved 
him from bis charge. The important operations of this year 
upon the coast of ££ypt now demand our attention. 

In our account of the last year's proceedings of the British 
and Spanish fleets, we noticed the asEembtage at Gibraltar of a 
jODwerful naval and military force under £e respective com- 
mands of Admiral Lord Keith and Genend Sir Ralph Abei^ 
cromby.* On the 31st of January, after having stopped a short 
time at Minorca and at Malta, the bulk of the British forc^ 
intended to act ^^ainst the French in Lower Egypt, anchored in 
the fine harbour of Mannorice on the coast of Kaiamania, in 
Asia Minor. The fleet here assembled consisted of full-armed 
line-pfrbattle ships, frigates, and sloops, reduced 64s, fiOs, 44% 
and frigates, in number from 60 to 70 sail, including the follow* 
iag^ squadron : 

onjAip ( Adnin] (b.) Loid Keith, K. B. 

sir Foudnn'aDt . .^~r~^ < Captiun Philip Besver. 
■-" ^ „ Willifun YoiiDg. 
,1 rf See p. 26. 

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1801. BBmSH BXPEDmON TO EOVPT, 99 

OhmUv 

K_. I Rear-Admtral (w.) Sir R. Bickerton, fit. 

^™ \ C%paia William Hope. 

AuuE „ Hod. Alex. Ing^ CoduuM. 

HinotMr . TbooMs Louis. 

NiKtbuniberlBDi] . . « G«onK MartiD. 

Tt^ „ Sir WiUiam Sidney Smith. 

Sviftaure .... „ BeDJamin HalloTdl, 

At BOtHi as news reached him that this powerfMl British straxoi' 
■tent had assembled at the island of Malta, BucHUtparte could 
DO longer be in doubt respecting its destination. We have 
already shown what efforts were made to get a sqnadron to 
Egypt from Brest. The port o£ Toulon also lent its aid ; but, 
as no seagoing line-of-battle ships were now there, it could onlv 
be by frigates. Two of these, the Egyptienne and Justice, eaCQ 
liaTtug on board a quantity of troops and munitions of war, 
anchci^ed on the 3d of February is tne old or western port of 
Alexandria. The number of French troops at this time in Upper 
and Loww Egypt, founded upon the returns published in the 
Moniteur, consisted of nearly 21,000 fighting men. Here were 
abo about 900 sick, about 1000 sailors, 400 or 500 Greek, auxi- 
liaries, and perhaps 1000 or 1200fperBonB in ciril employment; 
and the oommanaer-in-cbief of the whole was, as already mea> 
tkuied (see p. 25), General Abdallah-Jacques Meaou, a man Tery 
tinfit for the station, and not at all liked by the army. 

Afler a coasiderable delay, anBiag from a twofold cause, the 
tardiness of the Turks and the badness of the weather, the 
British and Turkish men of war and transports, having on board 
in the whole about 16,000 men, set sail from Marmonce, and on 
the Ist, with the exception of the Turkish division consisting of 
several gun-boats and kaicks, which in a westerly gale Lad 
bore up for Marcie, Cyprus, and other neighbouring ports, 
arrived in sight of the minarets of Alexandria. 

Just as Lord Keith and his fleet gained a. sight of Alexandria, 
the French frigate R^generee, with 200 troops and a company 
of artillery on Iraard, besides a quantity of military stores, slipped 
into the western port. This frigate, in company with the Afri' 
caine^ had sailed from Rochefort on the 13th of February, and 
since parted from her consort, of whose fate we shall hereafter 
have to give scHue account, A contemporary states that the 
R%en4rS kept company with the British fleet during a whole 
day, answering every signal that was made ; but we doubt the 
assertion, no mention being made of it in the French accounts. 
On the night of the 1st, or morning of the 2d, the brig-corvette 
Lodi also got into Alexandria from Toulon. ^ 

On the same day the British fleet brought up m Aboukir bay. 
Too much of that day elapsed, however, before all the ship^ 
ooald get to an anchorage, to accomplish the disembarkation 
previously to the approach of night ; and a succession of etrooff 
nottberly galea, attended by a heavy swell, then set in, end ^ted 
h2 



100 BRITISU AND niENCH IXEEl-S.— HEDITEB. 1801* 

iinUl the evening of the 7th, PrepaiationB were inetantly com- 
menced ; find fit 2 a. m. on the 8th the troops began embarking 
in the boats, the total number of which wan upwards of 320. At 
3 A. H. the s^al was made for the boats to rendezvous near the 
brig-sloep Mondovi, Captain John Stewart, at anchor about a 
gon-ihot from the shore ; but, such was the extent of the aii- 
chorage occupied by so numerous a fleet, and ao great the dis- 
tance of many of the ships from any one given point, that it was 
not until 9 a. h, that the signal could be made for the boats to 
advance towards the shore. 

This was then accomplished, under the direc^on of Captain 
Cochrane of the Ajax, assisted by Captain James Stevenson of 
the Europa, George Scott of the Stately, John Larmour of the 
Diadem, Charles Apthorp of the Druid, and John Morrison of 
the Thisbe, and by the several agents for transports present in 
the fleet The right flank of the boat-flotilla was protectad by 
the armed cutter Cruelle, Lieutenant David M'Gie, and gun- 
vessels Dangereuse and Janizary ; and the left by the armed 
cutter Entreprenante, schooner Malta, and gnn-vessel Negiesse, 
besides two armed launches, one on each oank, in place of the 
Turkish gun-boats, which, as already mentioned, had parted 
from the fleet. The launches, containing the field-artillery aa 
well as a detachment of seamen to co-operate with the army^ 
moved under the direction of their commanding officer, Captam 
Sir William Sidney Smith, assisted by Captains Peter Ritx>u- 
lean of the Astraea, Daniel Oliver Guion of the Eunis, John Or. 
Saville of the Experiment, John Burn of the Blonde, and James 
Hillyar of the Niger. The bomb-vessels Tartarus and Fury, 
Captains Thomas Hand and Richard Curry, were advantageously 

fosted for throwing shot and sbells at the enemy, and die sloops 
'eterel, Cameleon, and Minorca, Captains Charles Inglis, 
Edward O^Bryen, and G^rge Miller, were moored as near as 
possible to the beach, with their broadsides sprung towards it. 

The force which the French were enabled to bring to the spot, 
to oppose the disembarkation of the British troops and seamen, 
in number just 7000 men, consisted of the whole garrison of 
Alexandria (except the invalids and seamen), amounting, accord- 
ing to the Frenctt accounts, to 150O infantry and 180 cavalry, 
exclusive of several detachments from Rosetta and elsewhere^ 
numbering altogether at least 2500 men. These French troops 
were under the command of General Friant ; who, with great 
judgment, bad stationed a part of his men with 15 pieces of 
heavy artillery, upon an almost inaccessible hill, which con»- 
manded the wllale space of disembarkation, and others, with 
field-pieces and morUrs, in the different excellent positioos 
irhich the ground afforded. 

No sooner did the boats arrive near to the shor^ than a heavy 
fire of gmpe-shot and musketry from behind the sand-hitls 
' to threaten them with destmctioD, while the castle of 



1801. BBmSH BXPEDinOH TO EGYPT. 101 

Aboakir od tbeir right flank maintamed a constant and batas»> 
ing discharge of large Bhots and shellB ; but the ardour of the 
British officers and men was not to be damped. No moment of 
hesitation intervened. The beach was arrived at, and a footing 
obtained ; the troops advanced, and the enemy ^vas forced to 
leltoquish all the advantageous positions he bad held. The 
boats returned without delay for the second division ; and, before 
the evening of the 9th, the whole army, with a propordtm of 
stores and provisions, was landed. 

A detachment of 1000 seamen, placed nnder the orders of 
Captain Sir William Kdney Smith, formed part of the landed 
htce. The duty of these was to drag the cannon up theheights; 
a service they performed with their usual alacrity and perse- 
▼erance, and in which, and in disembarking the army, they sus- 
tained a loss of 22 seamen killed, three lieutenants (John Bray, 
George Thomas, and Francis Collins), one master's mate 
(Richard Ogleby), three midshipmen (John Finchley, John 
Donellan, and Edward Robinson, the latter mortally), and 63 
seamen wounded, and three seamen missing. The loss sustained 
by the army, on the same occasion, amounted to four officers, 
four sergeants, 94 rank and file killed, 26 officers, 34 sei^ants, 
five dnimmers, 4G0 rank and file wounded, and one officer, one 
sergeant, one drummer, 32 rank and file missing ; making a 
eruid total of 124 killed, 685 wounded, end 38 missing. The 
loss sustained by the French, when they were driven from the 
hill, is stated by them at 400 in killed and badly wounded ; but 
it was believed to have exceeded that amount : they lefl behind 
them eight pieces of artillery, one of which was a 24-pounder 
besides a great number of horses. 

On the 12th the British army moved forward, and came in 
ught of the French armv ; which, having been reinforced by a 
body of 4400 troops under Gieneral Lanusse, including upwards 
of 1000 cavalry commanded by General Bron, now amounted to 
about 7000 men. The French were formed upon an advaa- 
t^[eODs ridge, having their right on the canal of Alexandria, and - 
their left towards the sea. On the following day, the 13th, a 
battle was fought, in which the detachment of seamen under Sir 
Sidney Smith, and of marines under lieutenant-colonel Walter 
Smith, emulated the brave troops with whom they were asso> 
ciated. The British gun-boata on the lake of Aboukir, com- 
manded by Captains Frederick Lewis Maitland and James 
Hillyar, were also particularly useful in annoving the right flank 
of the French army- At length, after a sharp struggle, the 
French were repulsed at all quarters, with the loss, as admitted 
by tbemMlves, of 760 killed and badly wounded; and the 
British took up a poBiti<Mi at the village of Bedah, distant about 
a league from the town of Alexandria, having on their right the 
KS, on theirleft the canal of Alexandria (then dry) ana Lake 
Madieh, and in finnt a sandy plain. 



103 BIimeH AND FRENCH FLEETS.— MIUTES. 1801. 

' He loss sustained by the British in this last eaconnter «»•, 
on the part of the navy, one midsbipman (Mr. Wright) and fire 
aeamea killed, and 19 seamen wounded; on the part of tbe 
marines, two lieutenants (Paul HnsBey and John Linzee Spea), 
and 22 rank and file killed, one major (William Minto), one 
captain (Robert Torkington), two lieutenants (Richard Parry* 
and George Peebles), two sei^eants, two drummers, 27 rank 
and file wounded ; and on the part of the army, six officers, six 
sergeants, one dnimOier, 143 rank and file, 21 horses killed, 66 
officers, one quartermaster, 61 sei^;eantB, seven drummers, 946 
rank and file, five horses wounded, and one rank and file 
missing; grand total, 186 killed, 1136 wounded, and one 
misemg. 

On the 18th of March the castle of Aboukir, mounted with 
ten guns and two heavy mortars, and garrisoned, the French 
say, with 300 men under chef de bataillon Vinache, after a 
bombardment of two days, surrendered on honourable temu 
to a detachment of the army under Colonel Dalhousie. What- 
ever may have become of the rest of the garrison, the prisMWts 
taken did not amonnt to mere than 160 oflicers and men. 

On the same day, in an affair of pateoles between the cavalry 
of the two armies, the British sustained a loss of one quarter- 
master, seven rank and file, and 18 horses killed, one officer^ 
six rank and file, and 12 horses wounded, and one quartermaster, 
12 rank and file, and seven horses missing. On the same day> 
also, a Turkish squadron, of two 74s, four frigates and cor- 
vettes, and a few smaller vessels, anchored in Abonkir bay. It 
was likewise on the same day that Grenerals Friant and Lanusae 
despatched a vessel to France, with information of the actu^ 
state of the French army : and the commander was directed to 
look out on his passage for the squadron of M, Ganteaume, 
'whose intended arrival the R^g^n^ree had aimounced, and to 
inform bim of the position of the British fieet This deepatcb- 
vessel appears to have arrived safe at Toulon ; but, for the rea- 
sons elsewhere stated, she did not, in her way thither, meet 
M. (3iinteaume. 

Although it was on the 4th of March that General Menoo had 
become <^cially apprized of the arrival of the British expedition 
in the bay of Aboukir, he did not, it appears, set oat from tbe 
head-quarters at Cairo until tbe 11th, nor arrive at the camp 
Dnder the eastern walls of Alexandria before the evening c^ tha 
18th. The reinforcement he brought with him augmented th* 
French force at Alexandria, according to the Moniteur, to 14,000 
men, exclusive of cavalry, artillery, and guides ; but the French 
historians say, to only 9730 men, including 1380 cavalry, with 

* "niia gallant officer is the same mentioned in tbe co^ng out of tbe 
Sfundovi. Hw irouads might hwe entitled hiu to a peonon, bat A* Wt^ 
lalily of govenunent was ukep on this occau<m. 

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180L BKinsiI EXFEDtnON ID BOyPT. 103 

46 mecea of canooo. He cActiTe fbm of the Ebitidi timy st 
Bcdafa is represoited not tohanexeseded 10,000 men, mctnoiiie 
only 300 cavalry, with, according to the French, 12 pieces m 
aenUe sitiUery, aod 30 pieces in the difierent redoubts thrown 
wp to protect tne encanipineat. This is taking the nambers, 
except in the case of the British artillery, which we believe to 
be orermtedj as each party has represented his own to be ; bat, 
aceocding to the statement on. tne opposite side, the Britiab 
fitree was 16,000, or the whole that had been landed, and the 
French force between 1 1,000 and 12,000, aa amount ccmsiderably 
leas than is admitted by the Moniteur^ 

On the 21st, at shout an hoar before daylight, the French 
attacked, the British with great impetuoaity ; but, after an obati- 
Date and sanguinary contest, were repulsed, with a loss estimated 
by themaelres at 800 kilted, 200 wounded (a small proportioD), 
and 400 prisoners ; but other accounts represent the French losa 
en this day, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, at nearly 300O 
■eo. Among the killed were Generals Lannsse, Rwze, and 
Baudot, and, among the wonnded. General Destamg and sereral 
other t^tinguisbed officers. 

The loss on the part of the British was also unusaally severe : 
it amounted to 10 officers, nine sergeants, 224 rank ana file, and 
two horsea killed, 60 officers, 48 sei^csnts, three drummers, 
10S2 nink and file, and three horses (a Bufficteot proof of the 
■mall qoaatity of cavalry present) wounded, and three officers, 
three seif;eant8, and 28 rank and file misBing, Among the mor- 
tally wounded was the commander-^n-chief, by a musket-shot at 
die opper part of the thigh ; and among the remaining wounded 
w>N« Major-general Moore and Brigadier-geoeral Hope, both in 
the head, but not dangerously. 

The marines, having been appointed to the duty of Aboukit 
castle and its vicinity, were not present in this action ; but the 
seamen, under their gallant leader. Captain Sir Sidney Smith, 
shared in it, and sustained a losa of one master's mate (Mr. 
Krebs) and tbres seamen killed, Sir Sidney himself, but not 
badly, Lieutenant Lewis Davis of the Swiftaure, and 48 seamen 
wounded ; making the grand total of the Briti^ loss in the 
Battle ol Canopns, aa the French have named it, amount to 247 
kdled, 1243 wounded, and 34 missing. 

General Sir Ralph Abercromby, at his own request, was eoo- 
fcyed on board the Foudroyant, where he breathed his last on 
the 28th of March, leaving as his successor in the command of 
the British anny, Major-general John Uely Hotchinscm, w1k> 
thus feelingly uid eloquenUy expresses hiuuelf on the tnbjeet of 
Geaeral Abercromby's death ; " Were it permitted for a soldier 
to regret any one who has fallen in the service of his country, I 
■light be excused for lamenting him mote than an v other penun ; 
bat it ia some consolation to Ukmm who tenderly loved him, that 
ss lus life was honourable, bo was his death gloious. Hi> 



104 BBinSH AKD TRSftCU FLEITIS.— MBDITER. 1801. 

memory will be recorded io the annalB of his coontry, will be 
sacred to every Britiflh soldier, and embalmed in the recollectioD 
of a gtatefal posterity." 

On the 26th a EMond Ottoman iqnadroD arrived, bavine oa 
board about 5000 Tuiks and Atbaniana. This made the Turlush 
force at anchor io the bay of Abouhir, including the Saltan- 
Selim three-decker, of 110 guns, amount to «x sail of the line, 
and eight frigates and corvettes ; all tolerably fine vessels, but 
in bad nands. On or about the 3d of April the Turkish troopa 
vrere landed, and shortly aiterwaids, with a division of 800 
British troops and eight pieces of cannon under Colonel Spencer, 
were sent to attack the town and castle of Rosetta, which coni- 
mands the western branch of the Nile. After a fetieuing march 
across the desert, the allied troops succeeded, with litUe or no 
opposition from the few French troops, apparently not more than 
800, there etationed, in gaining possession of this important 
post; which, besides giving to the British the unmolested 
navigation of the Nile, enabled them to open a communicatitm 
with the friendly inhabitants of the Delta, and thus obtain 
sapplies of provisions for the numerous months they had to 

On the I6tb, at lib. 30m. a.u., the castle of Jollien, 
sitoatcd on the banks of the Nile, and defended by 15 pieces of 
cannon, four armed dJermH moored under its walls, and a garrison 
of nearly 400 men, part of the troops which had retired from 
Rosetta, was attacked, on the side of the Nile, by a division of 
British and Turkish gun-boats, commanded by Captain Richard 
Curry of the bomb-vessel Fury, and on the land-side by the 
British division of Colonel Splicer's corps, including the prin- 
lupal part of the artillery. Two other divisionB, it appears, were 
sent aeainst the tower of Abou-Mandhour and the village of 
Gehdia. These were soon reduced ; but it took until the ISth, 
at 6 A.M., before the castle of JullJen surrendered. This the 
ganiaon, numbering 368 men, did upon honourable tenns, after 
a brave defence, in which they lost about 40 men in killed and 
wounded. 

In the pocket of Geneial Roize, left dead on the field of battle 
at Canopus, was found a letter from General Menou at Cairo, 
expressing a fear that the British had, or would, cut the canal of 
Alezandna, and thus let the waters of the Mediterranean, or 
those more immediately of Lake Madieh, into the basin of the 
ancient Lake Mareotis, which for ages past had been dry, except 
that a considerable portion of it, at certain seasons especially, 
was iinpaasable owing to the swampy nature of ite bed. The 
hint was teken, and on the 15th of April ibe cat was made ; 
but, although the first rush of water, from ite volume and im- 
petuosity, was awfully grand, some time elapsed before the. 
whole area of the lake became covered. As soon as that waa 
accomplished, the troops under Creneral Menou, shut ap ia 



180T. BUnSH EXPEDITION TO EOYFT, 106 

Afezandrn, and nombering, accc»dine to the French eccoootg, 
6000 men, became separated from the 4000 under Oeneial 
Itaenmee, intrenched at El-Aft, and the 6000 under General 
B^iard> in garriBOB at Cairo. If to these nnmberB, short as 
dtey are of the rrtoms pablished in the M<»iiteur, he added, the 
low known to have been already sustained, toeether with the 
■ereral detachments in Upper Egypt, particularly the garrisons 
of Salalieh, Belbos, Suez, Lesbeh, and Bourlos, our previoat 
ennmeration of the French force sprvad over this country will 
not be considered immoderately estimated. 

On the 26th of April, having left Major general Goote in 
command of the army before Alexandria, Major-general Hutchin- 
lon arrived at Rosetta, to press in person the operations wainst 
the French in the interior of the country. On the 6th or May 
Blajor-general IIutchiiigoD, with the combined British and 
Turks, u number about 8000, marched along the banks of the 
Nile towards the position of General Lasrange at El-Aft, ac- 
oompanied on the river by a diviuon of British and Turkish 
gnn-boats under the command, since the occupation of Rc»ett» 
aod the expected arrival of Rear-admiral Ganteaume upon the 
coast (when Sir Sidney Smith returned to the Tigre), of Captain 
James Stevenson, assisted by Captain John Morrison, Richard 
Cnrry, and James Hillyar. 

On the 7tb, having previously destroyed their gnn-vessels 
with all the provisions and stores on boarcf of them, the FrentJi 
abandoned EUAft and retreated towards Rahmanieh. On the 
same evening the allied troops entered Et-Aft, and on the 9th 
advanced to Rahmanieh, where -General Lagrange had taken 
post, with an apparent intention of making a stout resi|tance. 
At 10 A, H. Captain Curry, with four flats and three armed 
honches, commenced an attack upcm the French torts at Ral^ 
manieh, and continued in action with them notil 4 p.m., when 
his division was relieved by the Turkish gun-boats. In this 
creditable afiair the navy sustained a loss of Lieutenant Hobbea 
and three seamen killed and seven seamen wounded. During 
the same night the French general retreated towards Cturo, 
tearing in the fort his sick ana wounded, about 1 10 in number, 
under the command of chef de brigade Lacroix. A detachment 
of 60 cavalry from Alexandria were taken at the same time that 
Rahmanieh surrendered. The poeaession of this important post 
effectually cut off all commumcation between Alexandria and 
the interior of ^E^ypt ; and in gaining it the allied forces suffered 
no greater loss than one drummer, four rank and file, and 10 
Iiorses killed, aod four officers, cme sergeant, one drummer, 18 
rank and file, and 18 horses wounded. 

Continuing their march totvards the cafntal of Egypt, which 
General Lagrange with his division had entered on the 13th, the 
allied forces, on the 14th, fell in with and captured a French 
aimed vessel and 16 djerma, conr^ing wine, spirits, clothing, 



100 BRmSH jLMD rOENCH FLEETS.— HEDITER. 1801 

^ont 6000/. tieTliiig n ipccie, some heavy pieees of onteanee, 
and about loO troops, from Cairo to Rahmacieh, Having 
- entefcd the Ntle hf the canal of Menonf, which joina the 
Damietta and Roaelta branches, the French coaunaodine' 
officer knew nothing of the retreat of General Lagrange and 
the surrender of Rahroanieh. On the 17th a divisioQ of cavalry 
uid in&ntry wider Brigadier-eeneral Doyle, from pretioaf 
information furnished by the Arabs, intercepted a oody of 
660 camela escorted by 560 French under tne command of 
chef de brigade CavaUer, going from Alexandria, which they 
had quitted on the 14th, towards the province of Bahireh, to 
procure provision, of which the garrison c^ Alexandria were now 
ID great want. Finding himself likely to be overpowered, M. 
Cavalier very properly quitted his sluggish charge, and with his 
troops tod£ to the desert. Here the French officer was ovo'- 
t»kea by a party of British cavalry, and surrendered upoD 
hononrable terms. 

On the same day on which this surrender took place, the 
small ganisoD, about 200, of the fort of Lesbeb, on the Damietta 
branch of the Nile, invested on the land-side by a Turkish force, 
and near the Bogaz of Damietta by a flotilla of British gun- 
boats, abandoned the post and retired upon Bourlos. This post 
the two garrisons, numbering together about 700 men, also 
evacuated, and embarked on board five small vessels, in the 
hope to be able to reach the new or north-eastnn port of Alex- 
andria. Four of these veuels were captured and carried int» 
Aboukir bay; but the fifth, after bmg chased in vain by a 
Turkish corvette, succeeded in reaching the coast of Italy. 

Owipg to delaya from various causes, among others perhaps 
the non-arrival of mOTe than about 30O of the troops expected to 

CI from the borders of the Ked Sea, the allied Bntish and 
kish forces marching towards Cairo, which is distant about 
164 miles from Rosetta, did not until the 20th of June arrive at 
Embabeh, a village distanta mile and a half from the fortress of 
Giseh, on the ba&s of the Nile directly opposite to Cairo, aod 
in which fortress General Belliard had stationed a garrison. On 
the 22d, while preparations were making to besiege Cairo and 
its difierent forts by the allied forces (of which a numerous aniy 
imder the grand viner, now formed a part), General Belliatd 
sent a flag of truce to Lieuteoaot-general * HutchinsoD, offering 
to capjtulate upon honourable terms. These were bood settled 
uid orawB-op, and on the 27th were ngned by the resbec^ 
patties. By the terms of the treaty the French troops, of whiA 
there were, in effective men, 8000, besides 1000 sick, and abouC 
half as many in a convaleecent state, were to be conveyed to a 
port of France. 

Before we descend the Nile to bring the camp^gn to a cod- 

* Promoted •ome time b^ort, hut wan uocertaa lAta 



1801. mnsH EXpEDmoN to eoypt. 107 

dmon; uyate account msKt be given of tbe Britiifa and native 
tFOope from Bombay, amounting to about 6000, which, according 
to the origiiml plan of proeeediag;, w«re to have co-operated 
with those disembarked on the shoies of tbe Mediterranean, 

On the2l8t of April the Britieh 50-gunship Leopard, Captain 
Tbomaa Snrridge, bearing tbe flag of Rear-admiral John 
Blankett, aiicbored in the road of Suez, vitb two or three 
frigates and sloops, and about Uie same number of tnuiports. 
On the 23d, at daybreak, an officer and a party of the 86th 
regiment landed from the Leopard, and took poasesBioa of the 
town of Suez, which the French ganison had previously evacu- 
ated. At 8 A., v. tbe BritiBh unionjack was hoisted at the flag- 
staff on shore. In a day or two afterwards the transports dis- 
embarked their troops; and on the 14th of May Lieutenant- 
odonel Lloyd, of the 8€th regiment landed from the Leopard. 
(ht the 6tb of J une, every thing being in readiness, Lieutenant- 
ccdooel Lloyd, with his detachment numbering about 320 men, 
Ht oat to march across the desert to Cairo, a distance, by the 
neular roate, of about 60 miles, but by the roste intended to be 
taken, in order to avoid meeting a superior force of the enemy, 
■omewbat nwre. On tbe occasion of toe departure of die British 
detachment upon this hazardous service, tbe Leopard fired a 
nlote of 1 1 gang. 

On the I3th the Leopard and vessels in her company sailed 
from Suez, and on the 15th anchored in the bay of Kossei'r; 
where were lying the 60-gun ship Romney, Captain ^r Home 
Ri^p Popham, and 12-poander SG-gun frigate Sensible (armed 
« nute, we believe). Captain Robert Sauce, with several trans- 
ports. These, since the 9th, had landed Major-general ^aird, 
with the second division of the Bombay troops : the first division, 
■nder Lientenant-cokmel Murray, had arrived and disembarked 
BiDce the 14th of May.* Some time between the 10th and I6th 
(^ Jane the two divisions set off upon their march across the 
desert, by the valley of Koittah, and on the 30th arrived at K^n^, 
or Kenneh, on the banks of the Nile; but, owing to the diffi- 
ealtyof procuring boats to descend that river, Major-general 
Baira did not effect his junction with Lieutenant^eneral Hutch- 
aaon until several days after the surrender of Cairo. Lieutenant- 
«alociel Lloyd had joined since the 11th or 12tb; buthisjonruej 
bad been a most painful and distressing one, 23 of his detach- 

* A contempocBTy hai mule a mA jmnble of the nroceeifinn of the Britisli 
i^OMiroii in tbe Red Sea. Acconfing to Captain BreutAD (voL iii., p. 78^ 
B<«i ■iliiiiisl Bknkctt died m ioob u ba wu woei by Sir Home Popbun, 
■od Captain Samdga thttmipoo "lefl the direetion of tbe naval foccea 
vaAr tbe abk nunagement" of the latter. So far from this hB?ii^ been the 
OM, the Refti^«dmiral diedoD the lithof July, irhen the Leopard and Rom- 
aef, aailnw in oompanj, were lUraut to cast anchor in Mocba road on their 



ilized by Google 



108 BRTTIBH JJTD l^tENCH FLEETS, — HEDIFEB. 180L 

meot, iDclnding three officers, having perished in the desert 
irith thirst. 

nielast'diTision of the French froope taken priBMien at Cairo 
and at other placeB, the whi^ of whidi anKmnted to neariy 
13^0 men, EaTing, by the 10th of August, sailed from the bay 
of Aboukir, and Lieutenantrgeoeral Hutchinson havii^ arrived 
fiom Cairo at bis head-quarters before Alexandria, immediate 
measures were taken to reduce that remaining atnmgbold of 
the French in ^ypt, and thus accomplish die ultimate object 
of the expedition. 

On the night of the 16th about 5000 troops under Majotv 
gmeral Coote, embarked on Lake Mareotis, in the boats of the 
men of war and transports, and in a quantity of djerms which 
had been aesembled for the purpose, and, escorted by the flotilla 
of gun-vessels still under the orders of Captain Stevenson, pro- 
cecued to a position to the westward of the town of Alexandria. 
Early on the morning of the 17th the detachment disembarked 
with a slight opposition ; previous to which the Freoch had set 
fire to their flotilla of 18 gun-boats, which had bran stationed 
opposite to Pompey's pillar, under the protection of a battery of 
three long IS-poundera, The slight opposition experienced by 
the British is acknowledged by the French to have been mainly 
ovrine to the spirited demonstration which Captain Sir Sidney 
Smiw, with some sloops of war and anned boats, made upm 
the town of Alexandria from the sea. 

On the night of the 18th a combined military and oaval 
attack was made upon the small fortified island of Marabou, 
which protects the entrance to the western or great harbour of 
Alexandria. The naval force consisted of the armed launches of 
the squadron, under the command of Captain Cochrane of the 
Ajax. Finding it in vain to hold out longer, the commandant 
of Marabou, chef de brigade Etienne, capitulated on the 21st; 
and on the same evening Captain Cochrane, with the ship-sloops 
Cynthia and Bonne-Citoyetine, brig-sloops Port-Mahon and 
Victorieuse, and three Turkish corvettes, entered the harbour; 
soon after which, to prevent the fiirlher progress of the British 
to the eastward, the French sank several merchant veesels, 
having previously moved their two 648, frigates, and corvettes, 
ftom Cape Figuiets close up to the town at the extremity of Uie 
harbour. 

On the morning of the 26th four batteries on each side of the 
town were opened against the intrenched camp of the French ; 
and on the 27th, in ue evening, being thus pressed on all side^ 
General Menou sent an aide-de-camp to Lientenant-^enend 
Hutchinson to request a three days' armistice, in order to give 
time to prepare a capitulation. This was acceded to ; and aa 
the 2d of September Alexandria surrendered. By the terms of 
the treaty the garrison, consistiQg of upwards of cOOO soldiers. 



1801. BBTFISH SXPEDmON TO SOYPT. 109 

and 1300 sailors, were to be conveyed to France at BritiBh 
expense, ss had already been the case with the garrison of 
Cairo. 

This concluding operation of the campaign was effected after 
a loss to the British army, in the four or fire skirmiBhes which 
had immediately preceded it, of only 13 rank and file killed, 
«id six officers, four eei^eants, one drummer, and 113 rank and 
file wounded, and to the British navy, in the attack npoa Mara- 
bou, of one midshipman (Mr. Hull, of the Ajax) and one seamao 
Lilled, and two seamen wounded ; thus making the general loss 
on the part of the British in the Egyptian campaign, as far as it 
has been officially reported, 330 killed, 1872 wounded, and 39 
inissine'. That of the French, commencing at the disembark- 
•tioa m the British troops in Abonkir bay, may be stated at 
fiom 3000 to 4000 men in killed alone ; an amount, great as it 
may appear, considerably below what some of the English 
wiitera have declared it to have been. 

The French ships of war found in the old or western harbour 
vers the Causse 64, the fiigates Egyptienne, Justice, and 
R^f^D^r^e, and two small ex-Venetian fngates, of whose names 
we are uncertain. The Dubois appears to have been broken up. 
The H^liopolis was probably one of the ex-Turkish corvettes 
restored to the captain pacha ; and the Lcdi, since the middle 
o( May, had been despatched to France with Greneral Reynier, 
sent home by General Menou, This remarkably fine bng, in 
spite of the numerous British cruisers at that time in the Medi- 
tNTanean, accomplished her passage in safety, arriving on the 
38th of June at tne port of Nice. 

In the division of^tbe ^hips between the British and Turkish 
naval commanders-in-chief, the latter received the Causse, 
Justice, and one of the Venetiaa frigates; and the former, the 
Egyptienne, Il%^£r^, and the other Venetian frigate. What 
became of the latter frigate we are unable to say ; but the 
R^g^^r^, a ship of 902 tons, and a very fast sailer, was added 
to we British navy as a 12-pounder 3&«t]n frigate, by the name 
tk Alexandria. Hie Egyptienne was also added to the British 
mvy, by her own name ; and, from her size and qualifications* 
daims a more particular notice. 

Of the two new ships of the line which Buonaparte, in his 
letter to the Directory of April, 1798,* contemplated to have 
iteady by the ensaing September, one, as already stated, was the 
Spartiate, just ready to be, if not actually launcoed. The other 
nip either had alrrady been, or then was, so altered in her cot^ 
■tractioD, that, instead of becoming a 74 of about 1700 tona 
Freodi, or 1900 English, she was laanched on the 18th of July, 
1799, as a frigate of 1430 tons English, This had been done, 
by tluowing in her stem and stem ontit they were perpendicular, 

•SMVDLIi,,p.lIft. 

M Dci,l,zedl!vG00glc' 



110 BRITISH AVD FRENCH FLEETSv-^IEDITER. 180L 

wd propntionftbly contracting the bimdth of her batne- Tbi 
flfaip, thus redncea ia length and breadth, was pierced for 16 
guDB of a side on the main deck, and 10 on the quarterdeck and 
forecastle, or 50 guns in the whole. But, when ready to be 
fitted for sea, the foremost maindeck pcHt was foand too mncli 
in the bend of the bow to admit a gun : hence the Egjrptienne 
(as, conaideriDg ber first destioation, the ship was appropriately 
named) received on board 28^ instead of 30, long 24-poundefi 
for her main deck, 13 long 8-pouoders and two 36-poiuiaer btast 
carronadea for the qnart^eck, and four long S-pounders and 
two 36-poDnder braea carronades for the forecastle ; total 48 
gum, with a complement, as alleged, of 400, but, we nthcr 
think, of 450 men and boys. 

Ccmformahly to tlus arrangement of ber guns, the EgyptienBC^ 
when, about aix months after her capture, the British admiralty 
Cfdered her to be armed, was established with 28 long 2i- 
pounders on the main deck, 12 carronades, 24-poundeis, and 
two long 9-pounderB on the quarterdeck, and four carronadea 
•ad two long guns of the same two calibers on the forecastle, 
total 48 guns; with a complement, upon the prevalent econo' 
mical scale of the British navy, of 330 men and boys. A 
CODtemwrary, whose mistakea respecting the armamoita ot 
ships, KQglish as well as forei^, we are almost tired of cop- 
reeling, savs thus of the frigate m question : "The Egyptieooe, 
a frigate of sixteen hundred tons, taken at Alexandria, m Egypt* 
in IsOOiCarried on her maindeck sixteen long thirty-two pounders 
on each side, and on ber quarterdeck and forecastle sixteen forty- 
two pound carronades, and four long twelve-poundera."* 

As we have done on most other occasions, so we must here, 

S've some account of the honours and rewards bestowed upoa 
e conquerors. The thanks of parliament were voted to both 
COmmaDder»-in-chief. Lieutenantrgeoeral Hutchinson was mad^ 
and no one can say undeservedly, first a knight of the bath, and 
then a peer of Great Britain; and Lord Keith was raised from 
a peer of Ireland to a peer of Great Britain : not certainly for 
any active exertions in bringing the campaign to a close, nor, we 
presume, for doing what an^ clever agent for transports might 
nave done as well, disembarking the troope ; but as the head of 
the naval part of tbe expedition, without the aid of which, it is 
clear, tbe campaign itself could not have been undertaken. 

We are unable to state what officers of the navy gained steps 
in rank ; but undoubtedly those serving on shore with the army, 
and on board the £otiUa upon the Nile -aid the neighbourii^ 
lakes, well merited the promotion they may have obtained. The 
following is tbe handsome manner in which the commander-in- 
chief of the army speaks of their exertions : " The labour and 
fatigue of the navy have been continued and*Cxcessive ; \t has not 

* Bnntcn, vol. i., p. 4S. 

Dci,l,zedl!vG00glc , 



JSOI. SUX OF BFANSH SHIPS TO TBASCtU HI 

been ofoDfl day or of one week) bntformonthB together. latba 
btT of Aboakir, on the new inundatioD, and on the Nile, for 1@0 
miles, they have been employed without iDtermistioii, and have 
Hheiitted to many priTatu»iB with a cheerfulnesB and patienoe 
lagbly creditable to tb^n and edvantageouB to the public 
■vrioe." h 

W« cannot dismisd the Eg^tian eatnpeiga withoat obHerring, 
that all the benefit dehved from its snoceesfal terminatioD, tbs 
RtBOral of the Frrach ancy from Egypt, might have been aV 
taiaed 18 montba before, had Lord KeiUi not tefaaed to ratify the 
trca^ wtered into by Sir Sidney Smith. What blood uid trea- 
nte would Aen bare beoi uvea I TVeasnre, indeed, could it bat 
be knows how the Bntisb goremment waa defrauded by jobbers, 
caatractors, and ageote of one sort or the other. At all erenbi, 
the ioftactiOQ of the treaty of El-Aiich, how much aoerer othera 
nay have auffered by it, eyentually benefited him, whose C(Uk> 
■BBt alone had been wanted to cany that treaty into effect We 
WW gladly quit the ahores of Egypt and iU military warfare, t* 
nnime our narrative of naval op^ationa ; and, in particnlar, to 
pve UHDe acconnt of the pioceedioga of the French and their 
•lliei the SpaDiarda 9i. the opposite extremity of the Mediter> 



BalTISH AKD ntAXOO-SrAHUH TLBBT8. 

Very soon after the conclosion of the treaty of Lnneville, the 
Fmt Conaul of France b^an naing every means in his power to 
detach frtun England the few powers that were on friendly 
terms with her. With Naples, Buonaparte succeeded ; bn^ 
although by the iiitrigues of nis brother Lucien with the fkmous 
Godoy, the Prince otFeace, Spain was induced, on the 27th of 
February, 1801, to declare war gainst her neighbour, and al- 
though a powerful French anny had crossed the Bidassoa, 
Portugal remained firm. The sabeeqoent irruption of a Spanish 
aimy into the province of Alentejo, however, altered the tone of 
tbe pdDc«>regent ; and cm the 6Ui of June, at Badajos, the 
latter concluded a treaty of peace with Spab, and agreed, not 
OBly to cede to her the conqnered province of Alentejo, but to 
eipel the English from the ports of Portugal The effect pro. 
diced upon Buonaparte by this separate concession to Spain, 
aid the measures taken by England to prevent either France or 
Spain from reafnng any aolid advantage from their ainistw 
atteaipta npon her an&ent ally, we shall advert to hereafter. 

Soioe time in~tbe mtmth of March, by his secret and corropt 
at the " "■ ™ ■ 



e ooutt of Madrid, Buonaparte got King Charles 
to make over to Fi'^u, either by sale or hire, six sail of the Une 
l^g in the port of ^uiiz ; and which ships were to be there 
■nanned by French crews, and then, as was understood, to co- 
operate with a Spanish naval force, in enteriog the Tagi|a,#Bd 



112 BBmSB AND VBANCO-SPANISH FLXEtS. 1801. 

sacking IJsboo. This was a planwfaicb, as &r as respected the 
British property in the port, a Frecch admiial, of whom honour- 
able meDtioD bitB already beep made in these pages, recom- 
mended as ft feauble enterprise for the Brest fleet, when it 
put to sea in the beginning of the year 1796. " I propose," 
says M. Kergnelin, "to conduct the fleet of the republic to 
Lisbon, to anchor in front of the capital, within musket shot of 
the city and the palace of the king ; to send ahead of the fleet 
a frigate with a flag of truce, announcing that the fleet of the 
iepul>lic comes not to do harm to ibe Portngnese, although the 
allies and slaves of England, but to require tbat all the British 
storehouses and ships be forUiwith delivered up, under a penalty 
of having the city rased to its foundation. This enterprise 
would gam for France 200 millions, in cash or British merchan- 
dise'; £ngland would receive a terrible shock, which would 
produce bankruptcies and a general constematioa ; our fleet, 
without bung buflieted iU>out uie sea,* would return to Brest, 
loaded with riches and covered with glory ; and Prance wold 
once more astonish Europe with a new tnumph,'*f 

We formerly noticed tne return to Totdon from Leghorn of 
three ships of Rear-admiral Ganteaume's squadron, on account 
of the paucity of hands to work them, j; These three ships, the 
Indomptable and Formidable, of 80 guns, Captains Moncouan 
and Lalonde, and Desaix, of 74 guns, Captain Christy-Palli^re, 
along with the ex-Venetian 38^n frigate Muiron, Captain 
Jules-Francois Marthiencq, were placed under the orders of 
Rear-admiral Durand-Iinois, with directions to proceed to Cadit, 
and there eflect a junction with Rear-admiral Dumanoir-le- 
Pelley and bis six newly-made French sail of the line. These 
nine ships, with a Spanieb squadron of six more under Vice- 
admiral don Juan Joaqain de Moreno, were then, as a case 
more ui^nt than that of despoiling Lisbon, to cany a reinforce- 
ment to Egypt ; not, we believe, wnolW from Toulon, but prin- 
ci[»tlly from the Neapolitan ports of Ancima, Mtmfredonia, 
Brindisi, and Otranto ; at which several ports there were assemr 
bled, in the month of June, as many as 32,000 French troopa. 

On the 13th of June Rear-admiral Linois, with his squadron 
of three sail of the line and one frigate, having on board a small 
detachment of troopa, under Bngadier-geaeru Devanx, put to 
sea from the road of Toulcm, bound to Cadiz ; oflt which port, 
by the hut advices, were cruising two British 74s only, and 
occasionally but one. On th« next day the French admiral 
chased awa^ SMne British frigates, left cruising in the gulf of 
Lyons by Rear-admiral Sir John Borlaae Warren ; who, with 
the Renown and aqaadrm, was then abont to enter the hai^ 

* Alluding to the itonD (ram which the 6t«n fleet niSbred so much la 
January, I7B5. S«e vol. i., p. 336. 

t for the oripnal see Appendix, No. 11. 
See p. 9^ 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



I80l. ■ SIR JAMES SAUBUREZ AT ALGE2IRAS. 113 

bour of Valetta, island of Malta, to rerictaal, preparatory to 
his pursuit of M. Ganteanine, of whom he had just received 
intelligence. Delayed by head winds, M. Linois was not able, 
until towards the eod of the month, to double Cape de Guta. 

Od the Ist of July the French ships, then worlcin^ against ft 
strong west-north-west wind, were seen fro)ii Gibraltar; where 
the only British vessel of war at anchor wag the 14-gun polacre- 
Bk>op Calpe, Captain the Honourable George Heneage Lawrence 
Dnndas. On the 2d M. Linois captured a small British brig 
employed as a packet to Minorca ; and on the 3d, when more 
tliaa two thirds through tha Straits, the French admiral was so 
fortanate as to capture, but not until she had resorted to every 
manceuvre to escape which her skilful commander could devise, 
the 14-^n brig-sloop Speedy, Captain Lord Cochrane. Leam- 
iae now that Cadiz was blockaded by a superior force, Rear- 
a&ural Linois, with his squadrcm and prizes, bore up for Algew 
was. On the 4tfa, at about 10 a. h., h« rounded Cabnta point in 
si^t of the Calp^ at her anchorage, and at 6 p. m. came to with 
his ships in frontof the town of Algeziras, etill in full view of the 
British at the rock. 

At this time the British squadron stationed off Cadie consisted 
of the 



"^«ir . , . . 


(Reared 


miral (b.) Sir James Saumarez. 




( Captain 


Jahleel Brcnton, 


Pompfe i . . 




Charks Steriiog. 


SseDcer . . . 
^nerable . , . 




HeiuT D'Esterte Daibr, 




Samuel Hood. 


Superb .... 




Richard Goodwin Keats. 


Htfiuibal . . . 




Solomon Ferris. 


AndMbus . . . 


,, 


ShuMham Feard. 



Frigate Thames, and ir^Paslcy. 

On the dth of July, at 2 a. M ., Lieutenant Richard Janvarin, 
Vho had been despatched from Gibraltar by Captain Dundas of 
the Calp£, joined tneCsesar in a boat, and mformed Sir James of 
the appearance off the rock of the sq uadron of M. Linois, endea^ 
voaringtogetto the westward. The British squadron inCadizbay 
«ODnstad now of onlysix sail of the line, the Superb having, since 
the 1st of the month, been detached to watch the entrance of the 
Ou&dalqaivir, a river about 18 miles to the northward. 

Sir James and the ships with him immediately tacked off 
«boTe. At daylight another despatch vessel from Gibraltar 
boarded the Thames, with intelligence of the French squadron's 
having put into Algeziras. The frigate was immediately 
despAtched by the Rear-admiral to recau the Superb, then in 
tiie north by east with her topgallants just above the horizon, 
and direct Captain Keats to imIow the squadron to Algeziras. 
At 8 A. K. the Caesar made the signal to prepare for battle, and 
jbr-aochoring by the stem ; and immediately afterwards bore 
■«««Ly for the gutj with a moderate breese from the northvrard 
«adwe«tinn].. la the mran time the Superb, to whom at alioat 

VOL. III. I , 

•8lc 



^4 ItKmsH AND FRANCO-«PJUllSH WLMEO. 1801. 

£ h. 15 m. A.M. the TIhdmb bed m&de die ligiial of read), fa^ 
nearly becalmed, in company with the PuWy bdg. 

Towaida 10 a. h. the sqiw^ioi) alio beccme becahned ; but, 
laTiiig got into the atragth d the cnmnt, the abipa Cftinnad 
diifiiDg so faat to the eastward, aa rery aoe« to be enlbely out 
of ugbt of the Siqteri), TbanMe^and Paaier. 

At about 4 p. H. a light air ^Mrang ap inn die wHt«Mtb- 
west; and the Caaar and eqaadna, leoently joinod by tfae 
J^lynaonth In^er from Oibcaltar, took irnmediBte advaotaeB «f 
it At 9 F. M. the weather again ttH calm, and eaatatoM ■» 
antil 3 A. ic on the 6th. A light breeze titea iprane *p AoDa 
.the aaiae quarter a« be£»e, and the abipa oMPded aaii timogk 
the Stiaita. Owing to the local expnieiiee of Gaptam flood, it 
had been arranged that the Venerable ahodd lead to Hk attadt; 
bntU waa not, we beliere, intended tb^ any at the ihipeahadA 
, from a auddeo fall in the wind, or mo^ ol h ar 
ODupdled to do ao. At 4 a. «., the sfapa theK 



, oompi 
Jtandi^ €0 ID liae ahead tbns, Veaeraye, Pompte, Aadi 
Cmmr, Spencer, and Haanbal, Oaae Tarifia bora fraa the 
Pomp^ nortb^st distant three muea. Al 7 a. k. the 7«»- 
tabk^ cifwnii^ Cabrita point, made Ae ainnl fiw aeemg the 
Prench abipa, which were thai warping fartho' in ahore, to sA 
completely under the pvotectko of the batteries that drfan a ad 
the toad. The agnal waa iniaediatdv made by the Csaar, lo 
CDenee tbe eneny an anning up.with him in aucceaaian. 

Of tbe diiftnaiie meana poaaeaaed by 4be French admifa^ we 
will now endearonr to give a description; Tbe road of Algcnrts 
is open and shallow, with aimken rocks in different parte of it. 
Upon a point of the coast, at tbe distance of lathcr aMre than a 
mile and ehalfaoutb-eastofthe town, stands Rxtfiaata-GaRia; 
and, about tbe tlurd of a mile from tlie town, in the aame diiec- 
-ttoo, another tower or iott. Dineetljr ia front of the pointon 
which ttua latter tower stiuda, and at the diatance mm it cf 
mther more than a qaarter of a mile^ ia a email ialand, nameA 
Jsla-Verda, iraon which is a battery monBtmg aercn long 94r 
iwusdem. About three quarters of a mik, or rather kaa, to tha 
2iortfaward of the town, atanda tbe battery of Saa-Iagt^ waaa*- 
JDg five long 18-ponadera, and doae to the BMtheni estmailgr 
-«f tiuB battery, sear the «ater*««dgev >» the town- of AlmitaBte, 
bat in v^iat manner moanted we an onable to say. Tbeee am 
alaoaeTenl fbrU on the nwthem abate of Gibraltar bay, brtat 
4oop<atadiBtaaceloaflfordanyp i ate et iom totiieroadtrf Alge- 
xiraa, ezc^ perhaps by throwing didla. Tbe road, howa«er« ia 
admirably pretM^ 1^ tbe flaolui^ fee of tbe San-Iagoaad Ae 
ialand battonea. There wen also, at this tine in tfie road, 14 



heavy guD-boata; adeaonptionof fereepecaliarlTadTaatageoai» 

" ■ * light - --- 

^. I-— i Bceroii ^ 

la a raadthna defended by naton and art, M.l^en mtmei 



n l^ly to be baffled by l^t and variable 



«aenv m l&ely to- t>e tallied by l^t ai 
i perplexed with an intrioate and ddigerons 
id thna defended by naton and .art, M.]^ 



JWX. VK JAUES SAinUKEC JLT ALGBZmAS. 316 

lih Urn shipB in line dieail tins : Ute Faraiidiible abreast, or 
nearly abreast, of the Sao-Iago battery, the Deenbc «bont GOO 
yaida astem and to the southward of the flag^sbip, and the 
iDdomptaUe aboat the same distance astern of the Desaix. Th« 
Kmron took bar rtation a little within and to the northward of 
Jala^Vada. Three of the gno-boats ware anchored aboat a 

r-ter of a mile to the south-west of the last-named island ; 
others between Fort SanJaco and the Formidable, *nd the 
I off a fMtnt of land about half a mile to the 
i of tba tower u Ahnirante. 
At about 7h. 60m. a.m., just as ibe Pomc6e with a&eah 
Imeie had shortened s^ and haoled roond Caorita, the battery 
«t tbe ^mtnt fired aenial shot at her, but without effect. At 
84.B.'Ae VenaniUe In beeahnedat a oonndeiable distance 
iMJtfae'Starboatd bow of the Pomp^ ; and in a few mimttes after, 
wards AxA ship and the ADdoctous, wbo was on the Pomp6e'a 
starboard quarter, passed the Vanemble to winAward, At tbis 
iima Hie Ca s a r Hod two raoiatning ships wese -upwards of tbrafr 
4Biles estsm, 'using erery endeavour to gtt np. 

Hsntiner -dose ap for tbe tower of Santa-Oarcia and the ialanA 
batlety, 3w Pomp6e, nl 8 b. SOn., rooeived the fin af tfa» 
JInMn, moA tuccesuyely <ilf the ladomptahle, Dasaix, and Foa. 
AM>le. It now ftllmg calm, the Pemp^ fired a biaadaide at 
4aeh of the two lattsr 'ships; and at 8b. 46ni. dropned 'her 
■aaebor «o close to the Formidable's starbsard b<Mr -that 4' 
-latter^ buoy wai 
•aoan^badc! 

'Amp£e opened i. _, __ _ , 

-ymrr aeon, by warps ftom ibt sham, iaaeased ber 'distance. 

At lAeat 8b. 00m. fte Aodacioos, and in five mtnala* aftei<- 
«Mds tbe VeaetMe, bafBed also by the want of wind, ilroppefl 
their ndiors ; the one abreast of the Indomptable, bot sot m 
, tram \ 
mt a stilt greater distance iroaa tbe Quarter of the Fonu* 
* " ' * ' Wwoc 



y was on tbe Poatp^^ off or starboard side. As 
tiad clewed up bar sails, and tautened herapn^[s,tfae 
BOed a besvy fiw upon the FormidaUej m tAa 



near -as faar captain wished, and the other, non unaraid^le 
cno ses, mt a still greater distance iroaa tbe quarter of the Fonu* 
•daUe. A furiouB cannonade new ensued between ihese -tlace 
Britisb ships, and the four Fiendi ships, gta^-boats, and hab> 
tiius. In ten dnn half an hour Inm its coonnancement, and 
vbeB the Fcmndable, for sone cause or other, had Bn^>ende<^ 
MMto-8^ eeesed, ber fii«, tbe 'Ponp6e, owiiw to tbe strei^di 
-af lie cnmot, swanc with ber boad towaMs her opponent's 
bnadflide. in tUs artnation, tbe Pobm)6s could only ply her 
■Mubuavd guns at tbe batteries of San-Iago and Almirante, and 
«t the gmAioats moored in firsA oftben; all of which kc^ up 
m Mtnm a very des tni c ti re fine. 

Jttiihoat Sh. 15 m. a.m. the Cesar got up; and, ei abe made 
Ab sipial for Ae shvps ta anchw in toe best manner for mutual 
'-Mipport, dropped ittr andior riiead of the Andadoos. After 
MMng a spring bn beard of tbe VeneraUe, which ship was on 
her starboard qaaiter, the Casar opened her heavy broadside 
vpoQ tbe Deiaix. Tbe Huimba^ about fire mhuites afterwards, 
l2 



116 BRmSir AND IBANC0-8PANISH FLEETS. JSOf. 

got also info action,' anchormg within bait of th« CEesar, aoA 
rather upon her starboard bow. The Spencer, baffled as much 
as any of her companions and to leewara of the whole of theio, 
could not get much nearer than was sufficient to expose her to 
the heavy fire of the Spanish batteries, from which, towards the 
latter part of the action especially, hot shot, as well as shells, 
were thrown. 

At a few minnt«s past 10 A. H. the Hannibal waa hailed by 
ihe Ctesar, but no pereon on board the foimer appears to have 
beard distinctly what was said. Soon afterwards a boat with an 
officer came on board the Venerable, bearing the rear-admiral's 
'Orders, that Captain Ferris should " go and mke the French 
.admiral;" no doubt with the intentioa of supporting the 
Pomp^, who just at that time was in a very criUcal situation. 
. Cutting her cable and casting herself by the spring, the Han* 
nibal immediately made sail to the northward, wit^ what wind 
there was, stiU blowing from the west-north-west. Having 
-stood, in the direction of Rio Palmenos, into a quarter less six, 
^e Hannibal tacked for the Formidable; but about 11 a.m., 
just as she had arrived abreast of the tower of Almirante, and 
was in the act of hauhng more closely in shore, to cross the hawsb 
-of the French ship, nearly within nail of whom she then was, 
the Hannibal took the ground. In this distressing situatioi^ 
the Hannibal with as many of her foremast guns as would bear^ 
-opened a fire upon the Formidable, and directed the remainder, 
with evident effect, upon the tower of Almirante, battery of Saiir 
lago, and gun-boats. The ship appearing to swing a little, an 
•emit was made, by letting go an anchor and heaving a strain 
upon it, to get her afloat, but without effect. With some diffir- 
«ult, owing to the signal- halliards having been shot away^ the 
Hannibal apprized the admiral of her situation; and afaortly 
afterwards one boat came from the Ccesar and another from the 
Venerable. Finding that no assistance could be aSbrded by 
-them, Captain Ferris sent back' the Venemble's boat, and sent 
the Caesar's officers and men in one of the Hannibal's cuttei8> 
-their pinnace having been sunk alongside by a shot. 

The light westerly breeze, by which the Hannibal had so gal- 
lantly steered to her present unfoitunate ffltnati(»), appean to 
have been very partial, as the other British ehips all toe while 
lay nearly becalmed. Soon after the Hannibal had grounded, 
however, a light breeze sprang up from the north-east. Uo()iog 
by this means to get further from the reach of ^e British sliip^ 
Bome of whom were observed preparing to take advantage of it 
and approach nearer, M. Linois threw out the signal for his ships 
to cut and run themselves on shore, '* de couper les c&bles pour 
s'echouer."* The French ships did so; but, the wind suddenly 
'&Ilingr they were a long time in wearing. The Formidaue 
brought up again with her larboard broadside to the enemy ; but 

\ ■ ■ * VictoiNS et CoDquftet, tome xiv., p.'160t ■ , - 



2801; .SIR JAMES SAUHABEZ AT ALGEZIBAS.. 117 

the Denix nounded upon a shoal directljr in front of the town^ 
and the Indamptable upon one to the north-east of Isla-Verda, 
with her larboard bow presented to the sea. 

Desirous to take adyaata^e of this state of the French ships, 
as well as of the breeze which had just sprung up, the Caesar, 
making the signal for the squadron to do the same, cut her 
cables ; and, wearing round the Audacious and Venerable, 
soon brought her broadside to bear upon the Indomptable; 
into whose bows, with her fore topsail to the mast, the Cssar 
poured several destructive Eres. At a little before ooon the 
Aadacioua, having hkewise cut, passed between the Caesar and 
Indomptable ; and shortly afterwards the latter's fore topmast 
came down, The Venerable and Spencer, in compliance with 
the signal, cut their cables, and strove their utmost, but with little 
effect oa account of the calm that immediately ensued, to co- 
operate in the attack upon the southernmost French ships and 
island battery. The Venerable, indeed, had her mizen topmast 
shot away just as she was in the act of wearing. The Pompee 
after remaining nearly an hour without being able, on account 
ofher position, to bring a gun to bear,faadal&o cut, and was now 
bang towed out of action by the boats of the squadron. 

Scarcely had the Audacious, in her new station, brought her 
broadside to bear vrith e&ect, ere the calm frustrated her inten- 
tioDB ; and that ship and the Caesar, without the power of re- 
turning a shot, lay exposed to a heavy fire from the guns of the 
island battery. To add to their perilous state, both ships were 
drifting upon the reef that was near it Again, a fine breeze 
nieed the hopes of the British ; but uo sooner had the ships 
prepared to take advantage of it, than it again died away. 

Frustrated thus, as much by the unfavourable state of the 
weather as by the serious opposition experienced from the 
enemy'B batteries and shipping, and being prevented, by the 
destroction of most of the boats and the aWnce of the rfr- 
mainder in towing the Pomp^, to storm the island, as had been 
inteoded, with the marines of the squadron. Sir James Saumarez, 
at 1 h. 36 m. p. h. (by the Cssar'a log, but at 1 h. 20 m. by the 
log of the Audacious), discontinued the action. . The Csesar and 
Aadacioos then cut thdr cables and springs, and, profiting by a 
%ht breeze which had just sprung up from the shore, made sail 
<Rt tbe starboard tack, in company with the Venerable and 
Spencer; leaving, and being compelled to leave, the dismasted 
and shattered Haonibal as a trophy in tbe hands of the enemy. 

As this action is one in whic^ the want of a diagram is par- 
ticularly felt, we have done the best in oar power to supply tbe 
deficiency. The coast, the soundines, and the positions of the 
French ships, and of the Hannibu' when a^und, are taken 
fiom a French chart ; and the positions of tbe Britisli ships, 
axcept that of the Spencer, which we have marked at hazardt 



118 BKITISH AND ntAHCCMPANISH tLEBti. 180L 

are taken from the British logs ; ta jar, at least, aa tiiey afford 
any iDformation on the subject. 








As soon as the unequal contest, which the Hannibal was now 
-^one Buat^ning with the French and Spaniards, had iaflictea 
upon her a serious loss in killed and wonnded, had disabled '&» 
Erreater part of the guoa tJiat would bear, and had shot away hff 
fora and main meats, Captain Ferris ordered the firin? to cease, 
and the officers and men to ^letter thmneelves in the lower pert 
of the ship. lo a little wjiile afterwards, or at about 3 p. »■> '^ 
Bannibal's colours were hauled down, and were present^ w* 
hoisted union downwaids ; whether by the British, because the 
battery and guo-boata still contiQued their fite, or by the French* 
who had come on board to take powesaion, in order to decoy the 
Calp^, t^en approwhiog from Gibraltar, we are not prepa^^ 
say;^. At all erentfl Captain Dundas, deceived by the ai^r- 
aent. his boats,, with a laudable promptitnde, to aava the Btu~ 
nibal'9 people. The beets were detained by the French; bH' 
afiiar firmg sever^ bnmdsules at the enemy's stapping uid bat- 
teries, the Calp£ ratBraed to.GUnaltar. . , . 
. The IwB and damage anstaioed generally \sy tlia ^™^ 
«|uadKiQ was TAcy sraoaa. Ths Csesar bad ber martar (Wil" 



1801. KB JAHIS UUMABEZ AT ALGEZIR&fi. 119 

Hurt Orsve), six seamen, and two marines kilted, her boatswaia 
{George William Forster), 17 seamen, one boy, and six marines 
wooDoed, and one master's mate (Richard Best) and seven sea- 
mea misHng ; probably drowned in one of her boats. The main- 
nut had been shot through in five places, and all her other 
taastB and vards were more or less injured : several shot bad 
also enterea her hull. Her two barges, lai^ cutter, launcb, 
and joUyboat, had been cut to peces ; and her small cutter or 

Sonace, as alrea^ stated, bad been sunk as it lay alongside the 
atBuM. The Pompige had her master (Robert Roxburcb), 
OK midsbiproan (Mr. Steward), 10 seamen, and three marines 
kHIed) tiaee lieuteaaBts (Riebard Cheeseman, Arthur Stapledon, 
and Thomas Innes), two master's mates^ (Messieurs Curry and 
HiUier), one midshipmas (I. Hibberd), 63 seamen, and 10 
mnioes wtmnded. la point of damages, the Pompee was erea 
in a nmch worse state than the Caesar, not having a mast, yard, 
spar, riuoud, rope, or sail, but which was more or less injured 
aj the memy's shot ; had it not been, indeed, for the aid of 
several amalKcraft and boats from Gibraltar, the Pomp^ would 
Sfobably have shared the fate of the Hannibal. The Spencer 
ud one first-class volunteer (R. Spencer), and five seamea 
killed, one mid^ipman (Joseph Chatterton), 23 seamen, and 
three marines wounded. Her principal damages were confined 
to ber rigging mid sails. The Venerable bad one midshipman 
(William Gibbons) and seven seamen killed, two midshipmen 
(Silvester Austin and Martin Collins), 20 seamen, and three 
marines wounded. The Hannibal had her captain's clerk 
(pavid Lindsey), 68 seamen, one lientenant of marines (James 
O. Williams), and fivto private marines killed, one lieutenant 
(John Tamer), her master (John Wood), one midshipman. 
(WUIiam Dudgeon), 44 seamen, one lieutenant of marines 
(George Ounford), and 14 private marines wounded, and six 
seameii missing, who had probably gone overboard with one of 
the masts. The Audacious had eight seamen killed, and one 
U«atenaBt of narines (Robert I. W. Day), 25 seamen, and six 
]^vate marines wounded : her damages were not material. This 
nakfls Ute total loss ia tbe British squadron, 121 killed, 240 
woofided, and 14 missing. 

The loss incnmed by the French and Spaniards amoonted,' 
according to their own published accounts, on the part of the' 
ktter, toll men killed, exclusive of several wounded, and on 
the part of the former, to 306 killed, inclnding the captains, 
Moncousn and Lalonde, besides 280, or rather, if the Madrid 
Gazette account is to be relied on, nearly £00 wounded. The 
French ships suffered considerably in their masts and bulla ; 
and five Spanish gun-boats were snnk, and two materially 
damaged. The farts, also, received considerable injury frmn 
lite foe of the British ships. How then would it have beeoj 

.Googk 



120- BRITISH AND FBANCO-SPANI3U FLEETS. 1801. 

bad Uie weather penniUed the latter to bestow that fire with 
full effect? 

One would suppose it difficult to raise a doubt as to the 
gallantry, whatever may have been thought of the prudence, of 
the attack upon Algeziras ; yet the French, in their version of 
the affair, made it appear one of the most brilliant exploits which 
their navy had ever performed, it was no leas than that " three 
French sail of the line and a frigate were attacked by eix English 
sail of the line and a frigate; that the English were completely 
beaten, and took refuge in Gibraltar, leaving in the possession 
of the French tlie Hannibal, of 74 guns ; and that another ship 
of the line struck, hut was afterwards towed off by a great 
number of English gun-boats." 

Fortunately for the cause of truth, the Spaitiards, as well as 
the French, had a little self-lore to gratify. " Tbe action," 
flays the Madrid Gazette-Extraordinary, " was very obstinate 
and bloody on both sides ; and likewise on the part of our 
batteries, which decided the fate of tbe day." And, in another 
place, " Tbe fire of our batteries was so hot and well supported, 
that the enemy suffered most from them; and particularly, it is 
to that of San-Iago we owe the capture of the English ship ; fOT, 
lier bold manoeuvre, of attennpting to pass between the French 
rear-admiral's ship, the Formidable, and tbe shore, made her 
take the ground ; and, notwithstanding the utmost exerticu to 
set her aSoat, it was found impossible to move her : then the 
fire from the battery very sooa dismasted her, and compelled 
Ler to strike." 

We must, however, do the French the credit to state, that it 
was their soldiers and artillerymen, disembarked from tbe ships, 
that occaraoned the Spanish batteries to be so admirably served 
as they were towards the middle and latter part of the action 
With respect to the supposed striking of the Pompee, it may be 
explained by the fact, as noted down in that ships l<^, that her 
colours were shot away, but they were quickly rehoisted. We 
might be disposed to rema^ upon the ostentatious manner, in 
which the victory of " three unaided French ships of tbe line 
over six British," was announced at the Paris 'theatres; hot 
that we should perhaps be reminded of what had occurred, 
nearly two years tiefoi-e, upon an occasion of much less import 
aoce, at one of the principal theatres of Lcwdoo. 

Being aware of the relationship which Bubsisted between a 
contemporary and the distinguished officer who was the flag- 
captain of Sir James Saumarez in this action, wa naturally turned 
to our contemporary's account, in the expectation of seeing that 
Qccount so fully and accurately drawn up, as to afford some 
ground for the assertion, that none but a naval officer can write 
a naval history. For such we take to be the meaning of the 
Allowing passage in Captain Brenton's Pre&ce ; " Other mteti 

.Google 



UOI. SIR JAUES SAUMAREZ AT ALOEZIKAS, ' ISL 

oo the Bubject, not haTing the ttdvaatage of professional know- 
led^, have fallen into errors natural enough to them, but 
iriuch prove' their incompetency to the task they had under* 
takea. It has indeed been the misfoitune of our service, that 
its history has generally been written by men, who, however 
qoalified by classical education, have wanted those indispensable 
lequiaites which can only be acquired by professional habits, 
local knowledge, and constant attention: hence it has arisen 
that many important events connected with the navy have been 
improperly stated," &c* 

This writer informs ua, that the Venerable " was directed by 
the admiral to anchor between the batteries of Algeziras and 
Green l8land."t Had the " local knowledge" of Captain Hood 
been of a par with our contemporary's, the Venerable would 
have bought experience at a dear rate ; but, according to the 
letter of Sir James Saumarez, although Capttuu Hood was to 
lead the squadron, " it was not intended he should anchor" at 
«ll, much less anchor where there was less water than his ship 
drew ; nor, as &r as we can learn, was any signal to anchor made 
until the Casar herself was compelled to bring up. The latter 
diip is represented to have anchored " immediately" after the 
Audacious; whereas there was ao interval of at least 25 
minntea. The French, indeed, describe the attacking force aa 
ooiii{>06ed of two divisions of three ships each ; and so iar they 
aie right 

Ab to the plate given to illustrate the action, it is so full of 
mistakes, and, in many parts, so totally at variance with the 
letter-press, that we shall pass it by as unworthy of any further 
remark. We cannot, however, leave unnoticed the statement, 
that, . " at about twelve o'clock. Captain Ferris hauled 'down his 
colours and surrendered ;" nor the chaige against the Hannibal's 
captain, ctmveyed in these words : " Nothing could exceed the 
decision and intrepidity of Captain Ferris, although the result 
of his maniBuvre was unfortunate : it is, however, due to Sir 
James Saumarez to state, that the ^oadron did not withdraw 
from action until the Hannibal had surrendered. A contrary 
usertion is made in the narrative of Captain Ferris ; an imac- 
countable error, proving that the most correct officers may some- 
times be deceived, and the more to be lamented in this ioatance, 
as bearing the sanction of an official docnment."| 

Oar complaint against captain Ferris is, that his account of 
the time, which' intervened between the " ships driving out of 
the bay" and the surrender of the Hannibal, is not very clearly 
ezpreued. The captein might with propriety have stated, th^ 
the Hannibal did not strike her colours until nearly half an hour 
after Sir James Saumarez, from unavoidable causes undoubtedly, 

* BrentoD, voL u, p. vii. f Ibid., voL iii., p. 38. j: Ibid., voL iii., p. 35. 



132 BBxnBH Aim irakco-spaniw fleets. LMt. 

bad discontinued the action and made sail for (^braltar. Siuh 
iras the bet. Not a word is there to contradict it either in thai 
rear-admiiaTs official letter, or is the Caeaar'a It^ ; but then is 
ample proof in eonfirmation of it, as we will now proceed to 
show. No time whatner, belaid the day of the month, anA 
diat <Hily by inference, appeara in t^ letter of Sir Jamei Sa^ 
narez ; but the I<^ of tne Csaar says : " At 12 h. 30 m. made 
signal for Hannibal being aground ^" thai is, about half an hoar 
according to our contemporary, after the Hannibal had " Bur> 
rendered." " At 1 h. 36 m.," saya the fla^hip'a log,, " sctisa 
ceased; which, be it obeerred, is even fifteen muutes later than 
the log of the Audacious dates the same incident : wberaas the 
" Narrative" of Captain Ferris fijoe the time of the Hwmilwl^ 
flUFrender at " nearly tna o'clo^" 

A French account now before ns alao says : " L'AtmUjalr 
Athoui pr^ du Formididile, eaauyant en mfime toapa le fen din 
la batterie Saibt-Jacques et celui du vaisseau fiaa^oia, anuoa 
son pavilion ^ deux hemes du soir."* Of the four logs we haTS' 
been able to get a sight of, the mly one which notices tbe sur- 
render of tile Hannibal isUie Venerable's. Thataaya; "Attwo^ 
•beenred the Haiunbal cease firing and hoist tbe colours bb- 
▼ersad." But Aere is another witness to the tjuth of Gaptadt 
Ferris'B statement f-The Calp^ in her log says : " At hal&psiat 
one, tlic Hennibal grounded imder a very heavy battery, aiat 
was much shattered. At 4, she hauled her colours down, whiidL 
the enemy kept again flying.. Sent boats to save the people, 
which were all detained. Standing off and on^ ships and fbrtar 
firtDg on us. Hal^past 6 bore up fbr tdbe bay, and ftmnd Am 
squadron at anchor, and the Cseaar and Pompee in tbe aaiba" 
Toe mistake in the Calpe's absolute time is of httle conseqaence, 
provided the relative time correspondB ; and that it does tola* 
lably well. It is clear, also, thai: the squadroa had all aocboreA 
at GibraltfV wfa«i tfas Calp£ returned, and the Cmsar and Pon^ 
pee, bad even gone into tbe mole. So much, therefore^ for tb» 
aasertion of Captein &entOQ, ibat " the squadron did not wiA- 
draw from actiim until the Hannibal had sunendered f as w^ 
as for the " unaccounteble error" of Captein Ferris in I 
in a manner the least oKnaive that caa well be imagined, i 
tile contraiy. 

On the following mommg, tbe 7tb, Captain Brenton of tW 
CsEsar, was despatched with a. flag of truce, to endeavour to 
negotiate the exchange of Captain Ferris, hia officen and men. 
After Bome correspondence between Sir James and the French 
admiral, the latter permitted Captein Ferris, with all his offices* 
and wounded men, to depart aa Hieir puole ; and granted ihm 

* Yictoires et Cooqu^tes, tome uv., p. 161. 

Dcmizedbv Google 



1801. SAIUNQ or SPAHISH SQITADEOK XBOH CADIZ. 12S 

SRine pmilege to Captain Lord Cocfanute ted the chE&csis of IIm 
Speedy brig. 

Thus it staoda in the fir&t editifm of this woric, and a» we yot. 
be&re die bet to be ; but the brother of the officer who earned 
the mae wg e, says thos: " Sir James Saamarea sent bis captain 
over to Algouras with a flag of tmce to the French admiral pro* 
postDg an exchange of prisonerB, whioh M. Linois dediaed, 
■U^ing that it was not in his power to comcnt to such » 
owanue, without fiist receiving the sanetioa of the minister of 
narine at Paris, to whom ha bad despatdiad a eoaiier imme- 
&tfily afler the tenmoation of the aotiiHi."* At alt evwita h(A 
G^itaia Ferns and Lon) Gocfarane^witb titeir ntspediin officers^ 
the sole object, we believe, of Captain Jableel Brenton's bubwh^ 
waBemRnglaadiothemoDti^olAi^pisfc 

It wonid be aboaoat 8op«diunie to state the resaU of tihs 
Qourt-maTtial whidi was aitatwards held iwoa Captain: Ferris, 
and tbe late officers and ship's company of the HannifaaL Tha 
OMnt, of which. Hear^dmiral HoUoway was pcesidsnt, sat on 
beard the Gladiator, in Portwaonth oarboar, on iha lat aC 
September. AAer the moat bonouraUe acqnitt^ that a hrvm 
nan could deaira, Cantain Fecris had faia swcm ratauDed to bia» 
by die president, wUh the following address: " Captain Ferris^ 
t have' great pleasure in retttming thia sword to y<ra, aa I fettt 
aaaaied, if ever you. hsFe occasion, to unsbeath it again, it wilk 
be used with the same gnUaotiy which you so nobly duplayed. 
in defending his majesty's ship HaanibaL" 

We fnmerly mentioned the transfer by Spain to France, for 
JMBwdinte employment, of six ships oi dte line at andior in' 
C^ia barbonr.f On.the 13tK (^ June, in the nioniing, tfia two 
Frendi 40-gan ftigatea Ubre uid Indienne, after a few boms' 
chase W the 74-gtin ships VeneraUs and Superb, the ocdy 
British force thm off the port, anchored in the road oi Cadis 
from Brest, having on board Rear-admiral Dumaneir-le-Pelley^ 
Commodore Le Ra^ and a number of other officers, as well 8S> 
of seamen, for the Franco-Danish riiips equipping in the porU 
Ibe remainder of the crew^ not already arrived by these and 
othw conveyances, were daily expected fron Brest, Ijorieut, and 
Rocbefort 

The fiiBt step taken by Rean^dmind Lioois, after getting hia- 
gronnded ships and prize afloat,, and which, notwithstanding the. 
belief of Sir James Saumarez, that " the whole were rendered. 
atirely BBserviceable," he soon did, was to send an express 
overland to Admirals Massaredo and Bumanoir at Cadiz, im- 
plorii^ them to come or send a squadron to his asstetwice, 
before the British could get their shipa repaired for renewing tha. 
attack; adding, in his sectffld despatch to the Spwiiah con- 
naBder-in-ehie^ " I have just leceired advice that the c 



Kd. Hi., p. S«. tSasV. LiU. . .i 

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124 • BRITISH ASD niANC(MPANI3H TLEEIS. 1801* 

inteods burning ns at our anchorage : it is in your power to 
save for the republic three fiue Bhips of the line and a mgat^ by 
merely ordering the Cadiz Bqnadron to come and seek us." 

Even these urgent calls nould in all probability have failed in 
their effect, had not Rear-admiral Dumanoir been on Uie spot to 
unite his solicitations with those of Rear-admiral Linois. Thus 
pressed. Admiral Massaredo, on the afternoon of the 8th, 
(ffdered Vice-admiral Don Juan Joaquin de Moreno, vith five 
Spanish and one Franco-Spanish sail of the line, three frigates, 
and a lu^er, to anchor in the outer road ready for a start by 
the land-wind of the next morning. This movement was eeea by 
the Superb, then with the Tbamea and Pasley cruising off the 
port. 

How these vessels hamened to be here, when the Superb had 
been ordered to follow tne Equadron to Algeuras, may require 
some explanation. About three hours after the latter ship, still 
lying nearly becalmed, had lost sight of the rearmost of the 
ships with Sir James, an American vessel from the Mediterranean 
gave information that she had seen a French squadron of three 
sail of the line come out of Algeziras bay, and tud left the ships 
well towards the African shore, standing out of the Straits. In- 
clining to think that the French admiral, if met by Sir JameSj 
as the American master had no doubt would be the case, would 
run direct for the Mediterranean ; considering that, by the delay 
which had luavoidably happened, the Superb had lost all chance 
of joining tlie admiral in time to be of any service ; and having 
lK>t the lightest apprehension of the result of a contest at sea 
between three French and six British sail of the hne, Captain 
Keats judged it to be the wisest plan to return off Cadiz, and, 
with his 74, frigate, and brig, watch the moUons of the im- 
measurably superior force at anchor in that port 

On the 9tfa, at daylight, the Franco-Spanish squadron put to 
sea, all except the ^ntrAntoine 74, which either got aground, 
or, not being able to fetch out, came again to an anchor. The 
remaining five sail of the line, three frigates, and a lugger, made 
sail towards the Gut, preceded by the Superb, Thames, and 
Pasley. Early in the aflemo<m the brig came crowding into 
Gibraltar with the signal for an enemy flying; and at 3 p.m., 
while the Spanish squadron was baulmg round Cabrita point, 
the Superb and Thames, by signal from the Csesar, came to an 
anchor in Gibraltar bay. Shortly afterwards the squadron fh>m 
Cadiz was seen from the rock to cast anchor in the road of 
Algeziras. On the next morning the San-Antonio, or, as her 
recent change of ownership entitled her to be called, Saint- 
Antoine, anchored with Rear-admiral Moreno's squadnm. 

That the object of this reinforcement was to conduct in safety 
to Cadiz the squadron of M. Linois was well known at the rock ; 
and nothing could surpass the exerti(»i8 of the British officers 
and men to get their damaged ships ready for sea. The Ponp^ 



J80T. SjULDTG of BIUTISH SQCADBON from (HfilULTAIU 135 

was ID too* bad a state to leave any hopes that she coald be got 
ready in time : her men, therefore, were turned over to assist in 
the repairs of the other ships. " The Cspsbt," says Captain 
Edward Brenton, " lay in the mole, in so shattered a state, that 
the admiral gave her up also ; and, hoisting his flag on board 
the Audacious, expressed his intention of distribntiDg her men 
to the effective ahipB, Captsdn (Jahleel) Brentoo requested that 
his people might remain on board as long as possible* and, ad- 
dressing them, stated the admiral's intentions in case the ship 
could not he got ready : they answeroi, with three cheers, ' AU 
hands to work day and night, till she is ready.' The captain 
ordered them to work all day, and watch and watch all night; 
by these means they accomplished what has, probably, never 
been exceeded. On the 8tb they warped her into the mole and 
shipped the lower masts ; on the 9th they got their new main- 
mast in. On the Uth the enemy showed symptoms of sailing, 
which only increased, if posuble, the eneigies of the seamen. 
Od Sunday the 12th, at dawn of day, the enemy loosed sails ; 
the Cssar still refitting in the mole, recaving powder, shot^ and 
other stores, and preparing to haul dUt. ' 

"At noon the enemy began to move: the wind was fresh 
from the eastward, and as. tney cleared the bay, ihey took up 
stations off Cahrita point, which appeared to be the rendezvous, 
on which they were to form their line of battle. At one o'clock 
the enemy's squadiSsn was nearly all under way ; the Spanish 
ships Real-Carlos and Hermenegildo, of 112 guns each, off 
Caorita point ; the Cessar was warping out of the mole< The 
day was clear ; the whole population of the rock came out to 
Mtoess the scene; the Hne-wall, mole-head, and batteries, were 
crowded from the dock-yard to the ragged staff; the CEesar'a 
band playing, ' Come cheer ap my lads, 'tis to glory we steer f 
■the military Mnd of the garrison answering with ' Britons strike 
tbome.' The effect of this scene it is difficult to describe : Eng^ 
.hahmen were proud of theircountry; and foreigners, whobeheM 
4he scene, wished to be Englishmen. So general was the en- 
thuuasm among our gallant countrymen, that even the woanded 
.man begged to be taken on board, to share in the honours of the 
■approaclnng conflict."* 

At 3 P.M., just as, in her way ont of the mole she passed 
under the stem of the Audacious, the Chesar rehoisted the flag of 
Sir James Saumarm, and made the signal for the squadron to 
weigh and prepare for battle. This was promptly done ; and 
ibe squadron, consistmg of the Ctesar, Venerable, Superl^ 
'Spencer, and Andaciom of the Hne, 12-ponnder 32-eun frisate 
ThiaiDes, Captain Askew Paffard Holies, I4-i^ potacre-Bloop 
<Up^, Capttin the Bonotuable George Ueneage Laoreoo* 

- *, Bmton, ToL iu., [k W. ' 

Dg.l.zedl!,GOOglC 



126 tacrngm utd runco^punsi nnoL 1801. 

Dnndas, faired armed bris Lonisa, 4ud Pflrtagoese ftigite^ C»» 
loUa, Captain Crawfurd Dancaa. 

Ab BOon as they had got from -tinder the lee of the rock, tibe 
British ^ipe formed ic fine ahead od the Imiboard tack, with th» 
wind from *he eastwazd. At 7 p.«. they wore togeOux, and 
■tood on the starboard ta(dc,mider easy sail, watching the com- 
imed ujnadFon, which, at abost 7 h. 45 m. -f. m., deaied Cabrita 
point ; except the Haimibal, who, having only topmaBts fcr 
tamet masta, still remained astern, in spite of all the efibrts of 
tlie Indienne firigate by whom she was in tow. The fiagate and 
Iwr charge eventnally Mtumed to Algeeiraa, leaving tiie follow* 
ing as tM foroe of toe combined sqtuulm : 

SPanuH. 

TVlTResl-Caiks^u Oaptm Don J. Etquem, 

M e«a-F(nMado.«„. , DoaJ.lialiiM. 
80 Argoaauta ..».....» » Dod X Haireia. 
74 Sui-AugnaUn „ Dod R. Jopete. 



-ntFonnidBble„M..XWlHn Aanbk-Oillcs Trovds. 

"^flndomptrfile^^-. „ 

_. ( Saint- AiitcdiM._..CamiDo9. Julicn htTi^, 

{ Detan.... _....».» „ Jean-Anne Cnrif^Tsmire. 
TiigalM, Idbn and HaiNa ; A^n«r %aitDiB. 

It u>pear8 that it is tbe inranable cnstoa fir a Spaniah' 
admini, when in the iwesencc -of the enemy, ts shift Us flag 
fram a line-otbaUle ahip to a frigate.* Accordineiy, while tiie 
•qnadmo was lying to off Cafanta pwnt, Vice-a£niral Mmeno 
shifted lua flag from the Raal-Cailos to the Sabina; and tiy the 
ftianiah admmJ's deaire, but widi mad) reluctonoe on bia p 
Sear^ttdmirBl linois quitted tha Farmidaible and i 
board the same fiigate. 

At 8 P. K., or a Uttle after, the British aqoadrcBt bo«e awai^ at 
chase ; and, at abont 8 h. 40 m,. Sir Jaaes hailed the Snperb, 
frfaa was dose astern of tlta Came, and dincted Cflutain Keats 
to make sul ahead, and attack the atflmmost of uie enemyV 
ahipa, none of vMdk were then visible. In an instant all aa3 
■na set opon lite Snperia ; and, passing tite Casar, she reeaiaad 
a fl^bt of die hostile BiyiadroK. At 10 p.m. tha wind freshened^ 
and the Caaar «m1 Veonahle ww« Ibeo tbe only abipt of bir 
awn sqnaibaa seen by tbe Snptrb. At 1 1 p. M. tbe Superb fand 
M in^eased her diatanoe, tint the Ci«Bar was fall tbree nufan 

* Tictoirat<t Q mi pit n, iMaajBT^ p. 184. 

.Google 



.1801. siajAXES sauMABxa us the gut of gibiuxtab. 127 

J s&d the Venerable no longer vsible. At Ilh. SOm. 
, obserriDg a Spanish tiiree-decker, the Real-Carloe, about 
« potnt befbre her larboard beam, and a three and a two dedcec, 
the San-Hermenegildo and Saint- Antoine, in a range with and oa 
'tfae tuiweid side of the former, the Superb eborteited sail ; and, 
^•faen about 300 or 350 yards from the Real-Cazlos, opened a 
fire npoD her from her larboard guns. Atthethtrdliroaiuidetfae 
Aieal-<38ikB, whose fore tapmast had jnst been shot away, was 
obMTvad to be OB fire. The Saporb instantly ceased engaging 
4fae Spanish ship ; and the latter continued her course before tiie 
wind. Shutly afterwards the fteal-Carlos came saddeidy t» 
4fae wind, and thea dropped astern ia «vident confnsion.she and 
ler two aoBiest companions firii^ their gnos is all directions. 

The total destnictam^if her firrt opponent bdng now no longer 
Ai ub t fu l, ibe Superb again made sail, and at llii. 50m. p.x, 
.came ap with and brengbt to action tlie Smnt-Antoine. After 
m cmtest of abost '30 min otea, part of which was «lo9e and 
fc^t «p*o k mod, tbe French 74 ceased firing and bailed 
iqicBtedl; thi' ' . . o. .. « , ., ^ 



J that «be sunendered. Shordy aAerwaids the Cesar 
«Da v«Den^de oame up m uicceaBia, and, deaeived by tb* 
Saint-Antoioe's broad pendant, which, owing to the baUiards 
imng bean -diot wmcv and f;ot entangled amongst the riggii^ 
atiU mrnaiBed flying, fired mto her ; as did also uie Spencer and 
Xbames. In .a few mmntes the Auccmry was made that the 
Saint-AatoBie bad already surrendered, and tbe firing -at her 



At about IS adnates jmt >midni§^ the Reai-Ckdos blew npy 
hat natmtil die had mlloa on board of, and set in a similar 
Msw, tite SaD-Hesmenegildo, wbo, having in the dark mist^es 
4e Real-Carios for a fee, bad been oigaging her ; and who, » 
anadier quarter of an boor, exploded ^so. Hms, melancholy 
to Rtlate, out df 2000 men eon^KHi^ tbe united crews of these 
fipanisfa first4«tes, two officers and 36 men ibat get on beard 
me Snpeib, and 262 wbo were -fortunate enough to reach the 
Saiat-AntaiDe and some of the other atiipa of their equadroQ,* 
nvR all that escaped dartnioti<»L 

Hh loss OB board the Sape^ in her action with Ibe 
-SuBt-Aotone (for in ber short one with the Real-Carios, «be 
dees «ot -upear to have sostained any), amounted to one lien- 
•enaot <Eamand WaUer) and 14 seamen and maiines wonnded» 
■kost of tbem sevetcly. The fiaint-Antoine, in crew and aapet- 
■aawraries, bad en board 780 men, of whom about 300, io- 
dading those saved from one of the two three-deckers, were 
fc aniai di. Tbe loss on board the Baint-Antotne, except that 
Cwmmedose Le Ray was woonded, has not been ennmemted ; 
kf^ from the half an hour's close cannonade of so well disci- 

• rKtoires et CcmfaMs, tome dv, p. 166. 

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128 ■ BRITISK AND TBANCO-SPANISH FLEinS. 1801. 

plined a ship as the Superb, it must bare been very Bevere,* 
The latter, accompanied by the Carlotta, Calp^, and Louisa, 
remained with the Saint-Antoine, while the rest of the squaditHi 
stood on in chase. 

During the latter part of the night it came on to blow very 
bard ; and on the 13th, at 4 a.m., the only ships iu company 
with the Csesar were, the Spencer far astem, the Venerable and 
Thames ahead, and the French 80-min ship Formidable, at some 
distance from and upon the lee now of the latter, standii^ 
towards the shoals of Conil, with a lic;ht air from off the land. 
Sail was immediately made by the Ceesar and her three coa- 
aorts ; but the easterly wind soon afterwards feiltng, the Ven^ 
rable and Thames, who were nearer in shore, were tne only ships 
in a situation to chase with any prospect of success ; and, as the 
Formidable had only jury topmasts, they came up with her &Bt 
At 5f A.M. the French ship hoisted her colours, and at 6 h. 16m. 
commenced firings her stem-chase guns at the Venerable ; but 
the latter, for fear of retarding her pn^ress, did not fire in return 
until five or six minutes afterwards, when the light and baffling 
airs threw the two ships broadside-to, within mnsket-ehot of 
«ach other. 

■ At 6 h. 30 m. the Venerable's niizen topmast was shot away • 
and at 5 h. 46 m. the Thames, by signal, hauled np and poured 
a raking broadside into the Formidable ; who fired from her 
Btero-chasers in return, but without effect At 6Ii. 45 m., by 
which time the French 80 and British 74 had gradually ft[^ 
.jtroximated to a pistol-shot distance, the mainmast of the latter 
came down by the board. Her standing and running risgit^ 
being also cut to pieces, the Venerable fell from alongside her 
opponent. Profiting bv the circumstance, the Formidable 
continued to stand on ; but owing to the almost calm state of 
-the weather, increased her distance so slowly, as to give considep- 
able annoyance to the Venerable by the fire from her stenir- 
chasers. At 7 h. 50m. a. m. the Venerable's foremast fell over 
lier side, and almost at the same instant the ship herself 
driven by the strength of the current, struck upon the rocky 
"ehoals on 8an-Pedro, situated about 12 miles to the southward 
of Cadiz. Having thus effectually lid herself of this herprin- 
-cipal' opponent, tiie Formidable continued her course to the 
jiorthnara, under all the sail she could spread, in the hope to 
-reach Cadiz before the enemy's two remaining l line^f-battle 
-ships in sight, the nearest of which, the Ciesar, was still at a 

. * AlAou^ when first Atted, and at this tmte (18SA). carrying 3490DDdeii 
,-on her nuun deck, the Supeib mounted only IS-pounden in her actioo witb 
jhe Saint- Antoine, her previous commander, Captain John Sutton, frran an 
idea that the ship-was crank, having induced the admiralty to issue an brd^ 
for tlie exchange. 

f Misptrnted.''sCTW"lntheGwfl*tf. . <■ 



,i,zedi!v Google 



1801. 8IR JAMES SAimAB£Z IN THE OUT OF GIBRALTAR. 129 

considerable distance, could approach within eun-sbot. At 8 
A. M., just as the mizenmast of the Venerable had shared the &te 
of tbe other masts, the gig of the Ceesar, with Captain Brenton 
on board, reached the ship (over which the stern-chase shot of 
the Formidable were stJU flying), with discretionary orders to 
Captain Hood, to withdraw his crew and destroy the Venerable, 
■hovdd the combined squadron, which appe^«d so inclined, 
erince an intention of attacking her ; and the Tliames had been 
ordered to clwe for the purpose of receiving the people. Captain 
Hood, however, requested the rear-admiral to depend upon his 
exertions to save the Venerable, notwithstanding her critical and 
almost hopelewsituatioa. Just as the Caesar's boat had quitted 
the Venerable on her return, the appearance of the Audacious 
and Superb to the southward induced the Spanish admiral to 
haul up for Cadiz, where be and his ships were soon safely 
moored. 

In her smart encounter with a ship so decidedly superior to 
ber in force as the formidable, the Venerable had her master 
(John Williams), 15 seamen, and two marines killed, one lieu- 
tenant (Thomas Church), her boatswain (John Snell), two mid- 
shipmen (George Massey and Charles Paidoe), 73 seamen, and 
10 marioes wounded. The Thames does not appear to have had 
a man hurt ; and we do not believe that any of the Formidable's 
shot even struck her. Ihe loss sustained by the Formidable 
herself, according to her captain's official report, amounted to 
20 men killed, or mortally wounded, hut the remaining wounded 
M. Troude has seemingly omitted to ennmeiate. The Sabina 
fiigate had also one man killed and five wounded ; but whether 
from the fire of the British ships, or of the two unfortunate three- 
deckers that blew up, it is difficult to ascertain. 

Tbe British had now leisure to devote the whole of their 
attention to the only remaining object, the safety of the Vene- 
lable. Fortunately for her gallant officers and crew, the 
weather continued calm ; and at 2 p. m., by the assistance of the 
l^iames who had anchored near, and of the boats of the Ceesar 
and Spencer, the Venerable was hove into deep water. The 
Homes then took the dismasted 74 in tow, and stood with 
her towards the flag-ship in the offing. At 6 f. m. the Vene- 
nbte cast oflT the Thames, and was taken in tow by the Spencer^ 
who made sail with her towards the Gut. Having clear^away 
ihe wreck of her masts, the Venemble now got up a main top- 
gallantmast for a foremast, the driverboom for a mainmast, and 
ft studdingsail-boom for a mizenmast Soon after dark a main 
towallant sail was set for a foresail, and before daylight on the 
Hth a mizen topsail for a mainsail. So that by 8 a. k., the 
Venerable had made herself sufficiently manageable to cast off 
the ship of the line that was towing her, and take again to the 
fiigate. Even this state of comparative seaworthiness had not 
been accomplished without great exeitions on the part of her 

TOL, III. K 



130 BmnsH um FfiANCo-s?Ain8H njSEm 1801. 

officers and crew ; yet a contemporary states tlw^ at stuiHt on 
tlie precediog day, which was little more than five hours aftei 
she lay a diunatted hulk upon the rocks, the V^ioable was 
" in such efficient order as to be fit for action had an enemy 
appealed."* 

For tlie service rendwed to the countiy, by the prompt and 
effective manner in which the combined equadron under Vic^ 
admiral Moreno and R«tu>admital Linois waa chased and 
attacked by the British squadron under Reariidmiral Kr James 
Saumarez, the tatter, with the captains, officers, and crews of dte 
ships under his orders, received the tbauka of pailiament ; and 
Sir James himself, for his conspicuous gallantry in soine is 
pursuit of a force bo decidedly eaperior, was created a utignt of 
the bath, with a pension of 1200/. per annum. The first lieu- 
tenant of the Cnsar, Philip Damareaa, was made a ccHnmander. 
Tlie first lieutenants of the Superb ana Venerable, the two ships 
that bore the brunt of the action, were Samsel Jackson and 
James Lillicrap ; and they also received that step in rank whidi 
was BO jusUy their due. 

The Seint-Antoine, which, on account of the miserable &te 
of the two Spanish three^eckers, was the only trophy carried 
off by the British, became afitsrwarda added to the navy of 
her captors; but being an old 74 of only 1700 toes, the ship 
never quitted Portsmouth after she arrived there. By way of 
perpetuating an acknowledged error in the official fetter of 
Captain Keats to Sir James Sanmares, the Sajnt-Antoine, both 
in Steel's lists and in the navyKtffice books, c(»)tianed, and in the 
latter still continues to be called the San-Antonioi. 

Although from a desire to be impartial we invariably, if ia 
our power, consult the accounts on both aides of the question, 
and are frequently enabled to extract, even on the subject of 
British naval history, much useful infonnatioo from an account 
drawn up by a Frenchman or Spaniard, the best French account 
we can find of the proceedings of the combined squadron under 
Vice-admiral Moreno and lUar-admiial Linois is so amn«ngly 
extravagant, that, if only as a relief to the dry matter-of-mct 
detail of these pages, we are induced to subjoin a translated 
extract : *' At 4 o^lock in the morning be (Captain Troude) 
perceived in bis wake four vessels which he knew were eoemiea : 
they were, in fact, a part of the English squadrcKi : die Cieaar, 
commanded by Admiral Saumarez, the Venerable, Superb,t and 
frigate Thames. The brave Troude prepared for actiooj and 
strengthened his lower batteries by men fn»n those <i the 
quarterdeck and fiwecastle. He was aocm overtaken by the 
Venerable and Thames : the first discharged ber broadside into 
his larboard quarter, and the FormidabK bcm up to cloae this 
adversary : a most ^iiited ccHnbat ensued, yaid-aim and yard- 

* Bmtao,TCLiU.,p.4l, f Tha^eDMrlshsnBHBL 



180L rSKNCH ACCOUNT. 131 

arm ; aod frequently at do greater distance than the spaoge oF 
Ihe gun. The Froicfa captain ordered three round-shot to be put 
into each gun. The Thames cannonaded him a&tem, but the 
laUer'a stem-chaaerB replied to her fire. The two other enemy's 
sbipe (now comes the inventive part of the atoiy) socceisirely 
arrived m; and, not being able to double the Formidable to - 
windward, they took their stations upon her larboard quarter. 
One of the first broadffldes of the French ship carried away the 
Venerable's mizen topmast, and soon' afterwards her mainmast: 
tiie English vessel woe up; but Troude followed her in tliia 
■Dorement to rake her astern, at the same time that he can- 
nonaded the Csesar, who, finding herself close ahead of the 
Venerable, could not return the fire : not a French shot was 
iocL In this positisn the Venerable lost her foremast. Troude 
DOW directed uie whole of bis fire at the Csasar, whom he closed 
•s much as possible. After an engagement of half an hour, 
•Itbou^ the English ship, being able to cany more sail, ran 
past the Formidable and obliged the latter to manceuvre to keep 
alongnde c^ her opponent, the Casar abandoned the combat^ 
bore up in confusion, hauled oa board her larboard tacks, and 
joaned the Venetable, to whom the Thanies was affording suc- 
cour. It remained still to fight the Superb, who was oo the 
hrboavd bow of the French ship; but the Ei^Iish ship bore up, 
ptsaed under the leo of the Fonnidable out of gun-shot, and 
rejoined the other vessels. At 7 o'clock in the morning Captain 
iVoode was master of the field of battle. He got upon deck 
the remainder of his shot, sufficient still for another hour's 
action ; refreshed his gallant crew, who had so welt seconded 
him, and repaired his rising: his sails were in tatters, the 
land-wind bad ceased, and he found himself becalmed, within 
gnn-shot of the English squadron, the boats of which were 
occupied in giving assistance to the Venerable. This ship bad 
DOW tost her mizenmast, and the current drove her upon the 
coasL At 10 o'clock, the wind having freshened, the Thames 
attempted to take the Venerable in tow ; but not beii^ able to 
get her afloat, she was wrecked between the Isle of L6on and 
thepoint of Ban-Roche."* 

Ine French government believed, or affected to believe, alt 
fins fanfaroaade, and therefore could do no less than reward the 
Formidabie's commandti^ c^cer. This was done forthwith ; 
and, fiooi a rtrj joaog c^>itaine de frigate, M. Amable-Gilles 
Troodfl was promoted to a captaine de vaisseau, by commissioa 
dated on the 14th of July, 1801, the very day on which, with 
tbeaid of bisMi, if 'not of his sword, he had added so-gieatly 
to Us own ana faia cotovtry's renown. 

• For Oe oripnal extDNt.Me AppokU:^ No. ISL 



ilized by Google 



LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIFS. 



LlflBT SQUADBOKS AMD BIHQLB SHIPS. 

On the 3d of January, the British 38-gun frigate Melpomene, 
Captain Sir Charles Uamilton, being off the bsr of S^egal, the 
' latter resolved, with the concurrence of LieutcDaQt-colonei 
Frazer, the commandant of the garrison of Gor6e, to attempt to 
cany by surprise a French 18-gun brig-corvette and an armed 
schooner at anchor within it ; in order, by their means, as veesels 
of a less draught of water Uian the frigate, to get possesuonof 
the battery tnat commanded the entrance to the river, and 
eventually of the settlement itselE 

Accordmgly, at 9 h. 30 m. p. M., five boats, containing 56 
volunteers m>m the Melpomene, five from the crew of a trans- 
port in company, and Lieutenant Christie and 35 men from the 
African corps, being 96 in all, placed under the orders of 
Lieutenant rhomas Dick, assisted by Lieutenant William 
Palmer, and by Lieutenant WiUiam Vyvian of the marines* 

Quitted the MelpomtSne upon the service intrusted to them, 
[aving passed in safety tne heavy surf on the bar with the 
flood-tide, also the battery at the point, without being disc<^ 
vered, the boats, at 11 h. 15 m., arrived within a few yards of 
the brig; when the latter, by a single discharge of oer two 
bow-guns, killed Lieutenant Palmer and seven men, and sank 
two of the best boats. Notwithstanding this, the three re- 
maining boats pulled alongside of, boarded, and, after a 20 
minutes' severe contest, carried, the French brig-corvette 
S^^gai, of 18 long 8 and 12 pounders (the latter carronades 
probably) and about 60 men, commanded by Citizen Renou. 

In the mean time the schocmer had cut her cable, and run for 
protection nearer the batterr; the fire from which, and from 
some musketry ou the southern bank of the river, frustrated 
every attempt upon the former, although lieutenant Dick had 
tamed the guns of the brig against her. Having effected as 
mach as he could, lieutenant Dick cut the cables of the brig, 
and made stul with her down the river; but, owing to the ebb- 
tide's having made, and no one on board being acquainted with 
the navigation across the bar, the Senegal grounded. Aftv 
several vain attempts to get off the prize, lieutenant Dick and 
his party quitted her; and, with the three boats, succeeded in 
making bis way to the ship, across a tremendous serf, and under 
a heavy fire of grape-shot and musketry from the adj(HiiiBg 
batteries. The bne afterwards sank up to her gunwales, in the 

Siicksand on which she had grounded. The loss sustained hf 
e British in this spirited, althouah but ^rtially successfiil 
affair, amounted to one lieutenant (William Palmer), one lieu- 
tenant of marines (William Vyvian), one midshipman (Robert 
Main), six seamen, one marine, and one corporal of the African 
corps killed, one master's mate (John Heodric^) one sui^ecKt's 



1801. CAPTtTRG OF THE SANS-PAREIL. 133 

mate (Robert Darling), 10 aeamen, one corporal and four 
prirates of marines, and Lieutenant Christie of the African 
corps wounded; total, 11 killed and 18 wounded. 

On the 6th of January the British 28-gun frigate Mercniy, 
Captain Thomas It<^rs, crnisin? in the gulf of Lyons, felt m 
witJi a conroy of about 20 sail of vessels, Dound from Cette to 
Marseilles, under the escort of two or three French gun-boats. 
The weather being nearly calm, Captain Rogers despatched his. 
boats (but how commanded does not appear in tbe gazette- 
letter) to attack the convoy f 16 of which, including two ships 
and four brigs, and all deeply laden with brandy, sugar, con^ 
wine, oil, ana other merchandise, were brought oS* with very 
little resistance and no loss, the gun-boats having all fled upon 
the Mercury's approach. 

On the 2iOth, the island of Sardinia bearing east-south-east 
distant 40 leagues, and the wind blowing fresh, the Mercury 
fell in with, and alter a nine hours' chase captured, without loss 
or resistance, the French 20-gun ship-corvette Sane-Pareille, of 
J 8 brass 8-pouaderB and two urass 36-pounder carronades, and 
(the London Gazette says, " fifteen," but the French captain's 
deposition in the prize-court) 156 men, commanded by lieutenant 
Gabriel Renaud, from Toulon the day preceding, bound to 
Alexandria, vrith a full cargo of shot, arms, medicines, and sup- 
plies of every kind, for the French army. Although described 
as quite a new vessel, and well-found with stores of every 
description, the prize does not appear to have been added to 
the British navy. 

On the 16th of January, while the 20-gun ship Daphne, 
Captain Richard Matson, 18-gun ship-sloops Cyane and Hornet, 
Captains Henry Matson and James Nash, and schooner-tender 
Garland, were at an anchor in the harbour of the Saintes, a 
convoy of French coasters, in charge of an armed schooner, was 
observed standing across towards Vieux-Fort, island of Guade- 
loupe. At midnight the Garland schooner, accompanied by 
two boats from each of the three ships, under the command of 
Lieutenants Kenneth Mackenzie and Francis Peachey, was 
despatched to attempt the capture or destruction of the convoy. 
^e whole of the vessels, however, except one, succeeded m 
gettine under the guns of Basse-terre. That one, having an- 
chored near Vieux-Fort, was boarded and brought off under a. 
lieavy but apparently harmless cannonade. 

On the I7th in Uie afternoon, the French schooner. Eclair, 
of four long 4r-pounders, twenty 1 ) pounder brass swivels, and 
46 men, the escort of the convoy in question, was observed to 
pat into Trois-Rivi^res, and anchor under the protection of one 

S'lncipal battery and two smaller flanking ones. Lieutenants 
ackenzte and Peachey volunteered to attempt cutting her ouL 
For this purpose the first-named officer, with 26 seamen and 
ftarines, went on board the Garland ; and at 6 a. m. on tho 



134 UGUT SQUABEOnS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1801* 

IStli, which was as early as tlie breeze woold permit, the Cyane, 
tender, and boats stood acron to Trois-Rivieraa. On airinoK 
at the anchorage, the Garlattd ran the Eclair on board, and 
lientenants Mackenzie and Peachey.^th 30 men, boarded and 
carried the French schooner in the face of the batteries. 

This gallant exploit was not performed wholly without loss, 
the British having had one seaman and one marine killed, and a 
tMTgeant of marioes and two seamen wounded. In defending 
henelf, which she appears to have done in a very manful way, 
the Eclair loit one seaman killed, two drowned, and her captain, 
.first and second lieutenants, and uz men wounded. The schooner 
had recently sailed from Rochefort ; and, although moontiDg only 
ibur guns, was pierced for, and, being 145 tons, was well able 
to cany, 12 guns, the number she aUerwards mounted in the 
British service. 

Late in the month of December, 1800, the British S-gaa 
schooner Active, Acting-lientenant Michael Fitton, having re- 
turned to Port-Royal fmm a long cruise, needed a thoroa^h 
tepair. To employ to advantage uie intervening time, Captain 
Henry Vanaittart, of the Ab«^venny 54, of which ship the 
Active was the tender, allowra lientenant Fitton to traoBiier 
himself and crew to one of the Active's prizes, the late Spanish 
privateer N.-S. de los Dolores ; a felucca of about 50 taoM, 
moonting one lone 12-pounder on a traversing carriage, with ■ 
screw to raise it from the bold when wanted for use. Havii^ 
embarked on board of ber, and stowed as well as he conld h» 
44 officers and men. Lieutenant Fittoo, early in January, 1801, 
Bailed out on a cruise upon the Spanish Main. 

In her way along the coast, for every part of which her coat* 
nander was a pilot, the tender, whose ng and appearance were 
«n admirable decoy, destroyed two or three enemy's small- 
craft ; such as, although not worth sending in, were precisely 
the kind of vessela which had recoitly been committmg soca 
serious depredations on West India commerce. It may be 
observed here, that small, swift-flailing, armed vessels, properly 
commanded and appointed, are the only description of cruisen 
which can operate with effect against the hordes of tiny, but 
well-manned, and, to a merchant vessel, formidable privateera, 
that usDBlly swarm in the West India seaa. The Active herself 
liad perhaps captured or destroyed more of these maranders than 
any nigate upon the station ; and it need not be ui^ed at what a 
AMnparstavely trifling expense. 

A snccession of sttvmy weather, and the leaky state <^ the 
ftlocca's deck, by which chieSy 22 of the mea had been made 
nek, induced her commander to steer for, and take possession 
of, a small key near Pnnt Canoe on the Spanish Main. Heie 
Lieut«iant Fitton erected a tent, landed nis men and stores, 
smd, after making the beat disposition his means would admit to 
leust an attack, examined t&b state of hia vesseL The raaia 



1801. ABEBOATENNT^ TENDEK ASD aUrTA-HARU. 135 

bMm, OB which the gun rested, was fbimd to be badly sprung. 
Tikis was irreparable. The TeBseTs ri|;giDg was decayed, and 
lie had no cordage ; ber sails were split ara torn, and be had 
neither canrBSS, oor eren sail-twine. Being, however, a man of 
naources, lieutenant Fittcu reduced and altered the slmpe of the 
waSm, the seamen osing for twine what they unravelled from the 
fenuumt pieces. He then ri^ed the tender as a lugger, and re~ 
cmbarkea his men, gun, and the few stores be had left. 

In this ineffective state, the tender bore up for Carthagena; 
h^ commander intending to coast down the Main to Portt^ 
Bdio, m the hope of being able to capture or cut out some 
▼easel that might answer to cany his crew and himself to 
Jamaica. On the 23d of January, early in the morning, as the 
tender was hauling roand Cape Rosano, a schooner was dis- 
covered, to which she immediately gave chaae. The schooner, 
which was the Spanish garda-coeta Santa-Maria, of six (pierced 
for 10) long 6-pound era, 10 swivels, and 60 men, commanded by 
Hoa Josef Uw^, a few boars only from Carthagena, bore down 
to reconnoitre the lii^i;er. The latter having her gun below, and 
■• many of her men bid from view as the want of a barricade 
Woold permit, the garda^costa readily approached within gon- 
dlot. Althot^h he could have no wiso to contend with ao 
powerfol an adversary, lieutenant Fitton could not resist the 
cmxHtaoity of sbowii^ how well hia men could handle their 
l3-poonder. It was soon raised up, and was discharged re- 
paatedly, in quick succession, with evident effect. 

After about 30 minutes' mutual firing with cannon and 
Basketry, the Santa-Maria sheered off, and directed her course 
tat th« iate of Varus, evidently with an intent to run on shore- 
Her persereriog thoi^h one gun opponent ^nck close to ber, 
plyiiw ber well with ^t, great and small ; biit the tender was 
oudiw, as her commander wished, to grapple the schooner, 
beoaase the latter kept the weatfaergage. At length the Santa- 
Maria grounded ; and lieutenant I^tton, aware that, if the 
■crooner landed ber men in the boshes, no attempt of bis people 
would avail, eased off the Ingger^s sheets, and ran her also on 
' ritore, about 10 vaide from the Santa-Mana. The musketry of 
Ae latter as she Keeled over neatly aono^i^ the tender's men, 
who bad DO barricades to abc^er them, lieutenant Fitton leaped 
overboard ; and, with his aword in bis month, followed hr the 
greater part of his enw similarly anned, swam to, boarded, and 
after a stout resistance carried, the Spanish schooner. 

In Uiis s{rfendid litUe affiur, the tender lost two seamen killed 
and five wonnded ; and of her small crew, numbering originally 
im 46, many were too ack to attend their quarters. Four or 
An, also, who were in the nek list, heedless alike of the doctor^s 
a^anctions and their own feeble state, had, vrbea the boardios 
call was made, sprung over the side with their comrades ; and 
•Be or two of them nearly jperished, in consequence of their 

vie 



136 UGHT SQUADRONS AKD SINGLE SHIPS. 1801. 

inabilitv to struggle with the wans. The loss cm board the 
Santa-Maiia, as acknowledged by bar officers, amounted to five 
men killed and nine wounded, including her commander, who, 
poor fellow, had both his hands carried away by a giape-ehot. 

It took some hours ere the tender, with the help of the 
prize's anchors and cables (her own having parted in a gale four 
days before), was again got aBoat; and, before that could be 
eSected, the 12-pounder, then in a disabled state, was obliged to 
be thrown overboard. The Spanish inhabitants haviDg collected 
along and opened a fire from the shore, and the pnze having 

S landed too fast to be got off. Lieutenant Fitton set the Santa- 
aria on fire; but not until he had taken out of her what was 
most wanted for bis own vessel, and had landed as well the 
living of her crew, for whom, being without a 'tween-decks, he 
had no room, as, from a respect to the scruples even of an 
enemy, the five that were dead. Havmg tntta destroyed a 
Spamsh garda-costa of very superior force, the Abergavenny's 
tender saued back to Jamaica, and on the fourth day reached 
Black-River with scarcely a gallon of water on hoard. 

On the 26th of January, at 8 a.u,, in latitude 45° nortli, 
longitude 12° west, the British 12-pounder 36-gua frigate 
Oisean, Captain Samuel Hood Linzee, fell in vrith and chased 
the French 36-gun frigate D^aigneuse, bound fix>m Cayenne to 
Rochefort with despatches. The Oiseau continued the puraoit 
alone until noon on the 27th ; when. Cape Finisterre in sight, 
the British IS-pounder 36-gun frigates Sinus and Amethyst, 
Captains Richard Kine and John Cooke, joined in the chase. 
But BO well did the Dedaigneuse maintain her advantage, that 
it was not until 2 a. m. on the 28th, that the Siriaa and Oiseaa 
got near enough to receive a fire from her stem-chasers. 

After a running fight of 46 minutes, and a loss of " several " 
men killed and 17 wounded, among the latter her captain (not 
named in the official letter) and fifth lieutenant, the French 
frigate, when about two miles from the shore near Cape Belem, 
hauled down her colours. The only British ship struck by the 
shot of the Dcddgneuse was the Sirius ; and she did not have a 
man hurt, but had her rigging and sails a tnfie damaged, and * 
her main yard and bowsprit slightly wounded. The Dedaign- 
euse, a fine little frigate of 897 tons, was afterwards added to 
the British navy under the same name as a 12-pouader 36. 

cm the 29th of January, at noon, the British 24rgun ship 
Bordelaia, Captain Thomas Manby, while cruising to windward 
of Barbadoes, discovered, in chase of her to windward, two men- 
of-war brigs and a schooner. The Bordelais immediately short- 
ened sail to comply with their wishes ; and, at sunset, the French 
Dational brigs, Curieux, of 18 loag S-pounders and 168 men. 
Captain Qeoiges RaJdelet, and Mutine, of 16 long 6-poundeis 
and 166 men, and the schooner Esperance, of six 4-poundeE8 
and B2 men, got within gun-shot At 6 p. v., having wtHtt 



1801. BOEDSLAIS WITH CURIEUX AND CONBOETS. 137 

loond, the Bordelats was enabled to bring tbe Curienz to action, 
at abont 10 yards' distance. Scarcely had the Bordelais opened 
bar heavy metal npon the Curieux, than the latter'e two consorts 
abandooed her. when it is known that the Bordelais was a 
ship of 625 tons, mounting twenty-two 32-pounder caironades 
and 2 long nines, with a complement of 19d men, the surprise 
will be great that the Curieux alone should, for 30 minutes, sus- 
tain an action with her ; and that, too, at a distance so favour- 
able to a carronade-battery. 

On being taken possession of after having bailed that she had 
strack, the Curieux's deck was found, as might indeed be ex- 
pected, strewed from end to end with the dying and the dead. 
The captain had had both his legs shot off, and survived hut a 
few hours ; and the brig's kill^l and wounded, in the whole, 
amonnted to about SO. The Bordelais, on the other band, 
escaped with only one man killed, and seven wounded ; inclu- 
ding among the latter lieutenant Robert Barrie, who did not 
J vat his quarters. Master's Mate James Jones, and Midshipman 
ohn Lions. 
It was not in the killed and wounded only, that the French 
brig aflbrded proofs of the obstinacy of her resistance : her bull 
had been so pierced with shot, that, in about half an hour after 
she was taken possession of, the Curieux was found to he 
sinking. Already had 120 prisoners been received from her; 
and every exertion was now made to save the wounded. So 
aealons were Lieutenant Archibald Montgomery and his 20 mea 
in performing this service, that, at 8 p. m. the vessel foundered 
onder them, close alongside of the Bordelais. The floating 
wreck buoyed up ail those brave men except two midshipmen. 
Messieurs Spence and Auckland, and five seamen ; who conse- 
quently perished, with the whole, if not the greater part, of the 
bri^s wounded. 

Nothing could exceed the gallantry of Captain Radelet, unless 
it was the pusillanimity of his two brother^fficen, Captaina 
Baybaun and Haymond ; and whose vessels, on account of the 
three hours' delay which had taken place in endeavouring to 
save the crew of the prize, in shifting the prisoners, and in re- 
hiring the Bordelais' ri^ng and sails, effected their escape. 
These two French brigs and schooner had been fitted out W 
Victor Hugues at Cayenne, principally to intercept the ontwant- 
bound West India fleet. It is but fair to mention, that a French 
" Etat general de la Marine," of 1803, does not contain the 
names of the two gentlemen represented to have been the com- 
manders of the Mutine and Esp^nce. The probability 
therefore b, that they were not officers belonging to the French 
avy. 

On the 18th of Fehma^, at about 2 p. m., latitude 28° 24' 
•oath, and longitude 18° 17' west, the British IS^ua brig^loop 
Penguin (sixteen 32-pounder carronades and two long-sixes). 



136 UGHT SQUADBOKS AND 8INGLB 8BIFS. 1801 

Cftptun Robert Maosel, Btaikiing to the loatb-eut with a btA 
breew at a<vth, diicov«red in the we«t-iK>rtb-wett tiate wariiLe* 
lookii^ shipa apparently in chase of her. At 2 h. 45 m., finding 
the pnvate ngiial not answered, the brig, havi^ pienoiuly 
shortened sail, cleared for action, to be ready to leeeirc the 
leading ship ; which had edged away towardi her, and, showing 
12 ports c^ a side, appeared to be a corvette of at least 20 gun, 
while her two conwirts, apparently armed merchndmeo, ami 
either her convoy or prizes, kept their wind. 

At 3h. 4&m. the corvette, as if not liking the Fengoin's 
uipearance, tacked and KJoiDed her cooaortB ; whereupon the 
Fei^uin tacked also, and stood after them. At 5 h. 10 m. t. k. 
the Penguin arrived nearty within gun-shot of the stemmost ship, 
when the corvette, firing a shot, hoisted French colours, as dil 
the others. All three ships then formed in line, and bore down 
Aa the brig's larboard quarter. The Penguin i^ain lacked to 
doGe, and preaently afterwards received aiui returned the fire of 
the three snips as they passed in soccessitHi. Being desirous to 
obtain the weathergage, the Penguin stood on ; and at 6 h. I61B. 
F. H., having got into the wake of the French ships, the brig a 
third time tacked. 

Immediatelv on tlua the corvette hauled to windward, and 
her two friends or prizes astern bore away and steered difietCBt 
courses : one of these ships, however, soon afterwards hauled np 
again as close as she could lie. In a few minute^ the Penguin 
arrived nearly abreast and to leeward of this ship ; when the 
latter, relyii^ upon her wMght and use, steered for the Britid 
brig's bewn, with the intention of mmiing her down. Two or 
three heavy and well-directed broadsides frtxn the Penguin, 
poared in just as the ship approached near, caused the latte 
to let fly her top-gallant sheets, and haul down the French 



S to stay to take possession of so unworthy an antago- 
nist, when a ship more than equal to herself remained to be 
■ubdoed, the Penguin stood on dose hauled, and at aboot 7 h. 
26 m. observed the corvette upon her larboard and weatiter 
quarter. In five minutes afterwaids, just as the brig vraa aboat 
to recommence the engagemoit, her fore topmast came down ; 
and, to add to the misfortnae, it fell over on the larboard tide, 
and temporarily disabled the fore yard. Seeii^ the unmanage- 
able state of her opponent, the French corvette, at 7 h. 45 m., 
bore chMe down ; and a spirited action ensued, daring which, 
until towards the latter part when the Penguin managed to get 
her stuboitfd broadside to bear, the brig's fore topgallast sail 
'^ "Kgiog frequei^y cuight fire from the explouui of her 
guns. Notwithstanding this, the Penguin m^ntaiaed the con- 
test with so much vigour and efiect, tbat, at 8 h. 30 m., the 
French ship sheered off and hauled to the wind cui the larboaid 
t«:k. 

.Google 



I80L PHCBBE AHD APRICAINE. 139 

After lereral attempts to wear m purtuitj the Peognio fmind 
it impncticabte ; and the corvette and her two constxia were 
pKBoilly Out of s^ht. Although the actioa had lasted so long, 

B Tery high firiog of the corrette, some of whose missiles were 



iron ban from eigat inches to a foot long, occasioned the Pea- 
ffuin'a priodpal damages to be in her rigging and sails ; aod^ 
mm the same canse, toe br^a loss amottnted to only one man 



killed and a few wounded. Having in the coutM of the night 
lepaired her rigging and got up another topmast, the Pei^mn, 
at daylight on Uie 19th, again saw her tluee opponents, and 
chased toem into the islutd of Teneriffe. 

For the sake of Captain Maosel, and the officers and crew of 
Ots Pei^iiin, we regret not to have succeeded in discovering 
tke name and other particnlars of the ship, which they had so 
gaUanthr fimght ana so lairly beat^i. If the vess^ waa a 
narional corvette, she probably was <Kte of those which Buona- 
parte had aent to Cayenne or the Seychelles with banished per* 
•cna ; but, supposing the ship to have been a fnirateer, her 
endent size and ((xce, and the knowledge that some of the 
French privateers, emiging at this particular period, were a 
xaatcb for a British 28-gan frigate, will prevent that iron 
operath^ as the slightest disparagement, to the Poiguin's 
action. 

On the 19th of Fel»iiary, at 4 p. h., the British ISHponnder 
36-gnn frigate Phtshe, CapUin Robert Barlow, being about two 
laaffnes to the eastward of Gibcuhar, beating up for that port 
witn a light breeze at west, discovered on the African snoie, 
neariy abreast of the fortress of Ceota, a strange ship under a 
iveaa of sail, steering directly np the Mediterranean. Tlie 
Phoebe^ having her head to the northirard, immediately tacked 
and stood for the stranger ; who, however, made no alteration in 
Iker coarse. At 7 h. 30 m, r, h. the Phmbe, by her Buperiority 
flf sailing closed the stranger upon the larboard quarter ; and 
Ae latter, finding an action inevitable, shortened sail. Having 
done the same, and being unable from the daricness to discern 
bar colours, the Phmbe fired a shot over the strange ship, to 
indnce her to bring to. Almost immediatelv afterwards the 
French 40-gnn frigate Africaine, Commodore Sanlnier, with 400 
tioope, six Diaas field-pieces, several thousand stands of arms 
aad a great quantity oi ammunition (but not " implements of 
vricuUure," as erroneously sinted in the official letter), which 
Me had einbarked at Rocbefort (and, having sailed with and 
ainoe parted from the 3&-gan frigate K&g^a&i^e, similarly 
fretted, was conveying to Egypt), altered her course to port ; 
•ad, as soon as she could bnng her broadside to bear, dia- 
dtaiged it at the Phmbe, bat with little or no effect 

Having altered her course so as to keep parallel with her 
opponent, and got quite near to her, the Pncebe poured in a 
irell-directed, and, aa it proved, most destructive broadside. 



140 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1801. 

The two ehips with th«r heads to the northward, then conti- 
nued the engagement within pistol-shot diBtance,until9h. SOm. 
P.M.; whea the Africaine being nearly unrigged, having five 
feet water in the hold, her decks literally encumbered with dead, 
and the greater part of her guos dismounted, struck her colours. 
Her masts were all badly wounded, and, had there been any 
swell, would have fallen over her side. The Phcebe's masts 
were also much injured, and chiefly owed their stabihty to the 
smoothness of the sea. Her ri^ng and sails, too, were scarcely 
in better plight than those of the Mncaine. 

Although her net complement, including 18 boys, was 261, 
the Phoebe had stuled from Cork seven men short, and since 
mann^ and sent to Gibraltar, one recaptured brig with sev^ 
and one detained brig with eight men ; so that ner crew on 
board was reduced to 239. Of this number the Phcebe had 
tmlyone seaman killed, and her first lieutenant (John Wentworth 
Holland), master (Thomas GriflSths), and 10 seamen wounded. 

The loss on boud the Africaine was truly dreadful.) The total 
number of persons on board of her were 716 ; of which number 
315 composed the ship's regular crew, and the 400 were troops 
and artificers of various descriptions. Of her 716 in crew and 
aupemumeraries, the Africaine had Commodore Sanlnier, one 
bngadier^general, two captains in the army, eight petty-officers, 
three surgeons (actually killed in the cockpit, while dressing the 
wounded!) and 186 seamen, marines, artillerymen, troops, and 
artificers killed, and one general of division (Desfomeaux), one 
general of battalion, one genera) of cavalry, one aide-de-camp, 
one major of battalion, her first lieutenant, or capifaine de 
frigate (Jean-Jacques Magendie, in the head), five otQer lieute- 
nants, two volunteers, two lieutenants of grenadiers, one lieute- 
nant of foot, three petty officers, and 126 seamen, marines, 
artillerymen, troops and artificers wounded ; making a total of 
200 killed, and 143 wounded, the greater part of them mortally. 
A return to this effect, signed by Captain Magendie, was 
delivered to Captain Barlow ; but the former stated in'the return, 
that it probablv fell short of the real loss sustained, especially in 
killed. 

The force of the Phoebe, whose guns were in number 44, has 
already appeared.* That of the Africaine consisted, according 
to the return signed by Captain Magendie and subjoined to the 
official letter, ot 26 long IS-poundere on ^e main deck and 18 
long 8-pounderst on the quarterdeck and forecastle: total 44 ^una 
also. If her eight 32-pounder carronades gave the Phtebe a slight 
preponderance in broadside weight of metal, thedecided superiority 
in number of men, even of her regular crew, gave the Africaine 
a still greater, advantage in that very essential point ; an advan- 

• See vol. ii., p. 83, and vol, i., p. 327. 

t Hitprinted lo the Londoa GazeUe *< 18 de 9," instead of "18 de B. ' 



.Cioti^^lc 



1801. FHCEBG AND AFHICAINB. 141 

tage which would have been ia the pioportioQ of nearly three to 
one, could the whole of the Africaine a crew and Boperanine- 
raries, in the event of boaidi&g for instance, have been in a 
situation to act. But, as a coiiu>at to be decided by great gana 
fmly, an allowance ia requisite, and a consideiable one too, for 
tbat which a mere confroatation of figures can never explain, the 
lumbered state of the French ship's decks ; an inconvenience 
which the troops themselves, by their valour, th^r mistaken 
valour, contributed to increase. Although their musketry could 
be of little or no avail in the dark, yet, upon the same erroneous 
principle that so augmented the loss among the soldiers on board 
one 01 the British ships at Copenhaeen, they considered it as a 
point of honour to remaia on deck and be mow«l down by 



Circumstanced aa he was, Commodore Saulnier acted as'wisely 
in endeavouring to avoid a contest, aa, when it actually began, 
did the officers, ship's company, soldiers, and all that were on 
lK)ard the Afiicaine, neroicaliy, m defending their ei^p until she 
was reduced to a sinking state, and they to half their original 
nnmber ; all by the heavy, the searching, the irresistible broad- 
sides of the Phoebe. 

With ^ips so damaged in masts and rising, and with so 
many piisoners on board, Captain Barlow uad still a most 
anxious duty to perform. To increase the difficulties of his 
atuation, the westerly breeze freshened. For four days the 
Phoebe and her prize persevered in working to windward ; but 
on the fifth day, having made very slow progress and feeling for 
the Bufierings of the wounded. Captain Barlow bore up for 
Minorca. On arriving off the south end of Majorca, the two 
fiigates got becalmed ; and it was not until a fortnight after the 
action, uat the Phcebe and Africaine dropped their anchors in 
the h^bour of Port-Mahon. 

For his gallantry and good conduct in captnring the Airicfuae, 
Captain &rlow was most deservedly rewarded with the honour 
of knighthood ; and the Phcabe's first lieutenant, already named, 
was as justly promoted to the rank of commander. Her second 
and third Ueutenants were Frederick Bedford and Edmund- 
Heywood, and her lieutenant of marines, Thomas -Weaver ; of 
all whom,, as well aa of his officers and crew generally, Captain 
Barlow in his official letter speaks in the highrat terms. 

Ilie Africtune, a fine new frigate of 1059 tons, was of course 
parcbssed for the use of the British navy ; and, having the 
ports, tot the requisite number of guns on the main deck, became 
classed as a 38-gun frigate. Probably because there was an 
Afiica already in the British service, the name of the Africaine 
■was changed to Amelia ; under which name the Phcebe'a prize 
loi^ contmued to be an active croiser. 

. On the.22d of March, while the British 12-potinder 32-gim 
fiigates Andromache, Cfq)tain Israel Fellow, and Clet^tra, 

Google 



1^ LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1801. 

Captain Robert Lawrie, were cniiBiDg off Pimta de Mnlas, oa 
the north-east coast of the island a Cuba, a convoy of 26 
Spanish TeBsels known to be richly laden, were seen at aa 
anchor in the bay of Lerita, protected by three armed ealleya, 
or guD-veesels, armed with lon^ 24 and ] 8 poundera. "ute two 
captains considering it practicable to captare or destroy this 
convoy by the ud of their boats, the Utter under the command 
of Captain Lawiie himself, at about 9h. 30 m, p.m., proceetled 
to execute the service. 

Soon after midnight the boats anived within gunshot of the 
galleys, and were received, quite tmexpectedly, with a heavy and 
oestructive fire of ^pe, langridge, and mosketry. In spite of 
this opposition, the British gallantly ponied on, and boarded 
several of the vessels ; but nom the heavy loss they Bustamed, 
could only bring off one of the ealleys. lliat loss consisted of 
the first lieutenant of the AaamaiBche (Joseph Tayior), one 
master's mate (William M'Cuin), one midsh^man (William 
Winchester, both of the Cleopetja), and six seamen killed, and 
12 aeameo wounded. Some of the boats had also been sunJc by 
the enemy's shot. The loss among the Spaniards on board Ui« 
captured gun-vessel was nine killed and several wounded. 

On the 3d of April, at daybreak, the Bntish .IS-ponnder 36- 
gun frieate Trent, Captain Su Edward Hamilton, while lying at 
an anchor amons; the rocks off the Isles of Br^bat, discovered a 
ship, with French colours Bying, under the protectim of an armed 
eutterand Ingger, making sail with the flood from the anchorage 
of Br^hat towards PlampouL The boats of the frigate, under 
the orders of Lieutenant George Chamberlayne, assisted by 
Lieutenants Kobert Scallon and John Bellamy, lieutenant of 
marines Walter Tait, and Mr. Thomas Uoskins the master, 
instantly pnxxeded to endeavour to secure the ship. 

With the seeming intention of defending what proved to be a 
prize recently made, the French sent many boats from the shore ; 
and these, asssisted by the lugger, took the ship in tow. The 
intrepid advance o£ the Trends boats, however, caused the 
abore-boats end lugger to cast off the ship, and prepare to 
defend themselves. A sharp ctmfiict now ensued ; at the end of 
which the French lugger and boats, although protected by five 
battmes, were subdtMd and chased upon the rocks. Shortly 
afterwards the stup was boarded by the first lieutenant and the 
lieutenant of marines ; which latter, however, lost his right leg 
oa the occasion. This, with two seamen killed, appears to have 
been the extent of the loss on the British side. The ship proved 
to be an English merchant vessel ; bat, as the French Bad aU 
matted her and Ukea the crew with them, no partienlais coald 
fie oblauwd. Two men were fonod dnd i^oa her decks, and, 
several are supposed to have beeo drowaed iu attanpti^ ta 
«Kape A«ai tiw British when they bearded. 
Onthel9tliof Aprit»at8h.30m.A.H,, tke Bntish 38-g«l 



1801. SIBYIXE AHD CBrFtOSSlt. 143 

frigate Sibylle, Captua Charies Adam, obeerni^ Bigoals flying 
on St-Anne's island, one of the Sejcbellea, bdsted Fren(£ 
coloun; and at 9 a. h., having rounded the island, discovered 
in Mah£ roads, cIobb in-shore, a frigate with her foremftat out^ 
•ccompanied bjr lereial small-craft. The Sibylle immediately 
backed her mam topsail, cleared fix action, and got springs aa 
the anchors : she tbeo filled, and set the foresail. At 10 A. m. 
the Fimch 36.gan fiigate Cluffocaie, Captain Pierre Gaieysse, 
fired a shot and hcMBted her colours. At 10b. 16ni. a.m., 
having passed throi^h a windbg and intricate channel formed 
by various dangerous shoals, and diseoverahle only by the change 
ot cdoor in the water as seen by a sian stationed at the mast- 
head, the ^hylle anchored within about 200 yards ofthe French 
fiigate ; not being able to get nearer, od account of a shoal that 
Isy on the Chiffoone's larbmird or outermost bow. 

At 10 h. 25 m. a, h., having dropped her best bower under 
foot, so as to bring her beet broadsiae to bear, and substitoted 
£i^ish for French ccAours, the Sibylle opened her lire, receiving 
in return a fire from the Chiffonne, as well as from a battery 
erected in a raking position on the neighbouring shor& The 
cannonade continued with tollable spirit until 10 h. 42 m. a. h., 
when the Chiffonne struck her flag, cut her cable, and drifted 
upon a reef. While fui officer and party went to take possesBioo, 
the Kbylle veered away ber cable, so that her broadside tn^ht 
bear upon the batteiy, which still continued its fire. No sooner, 
however, did a lieut&ant and a few of the Sibylla's men land 
npon the beach, than the battery also struck its colours. 

At the surrender of the frigate, a great number of her crew 
took to the boats and escaped oa shore ; and the men at the 
battery also escaped. The latter was found to consist of four of 
the frigate's forecastle guns, mounted on a plank platform, de- 
fendea by fascines, and provided with a furnace for heating shot. 
The Sibylle's force in guns and men has already appeared.* Of 
the latter, she had only two seamen killed, and one midahipman 
slightly wounded. Toe ChiSbnne appears to have been armed 
the same as the generality of French 36-gun frirates, and had a 
CMnptement of 296 men ; of whom the ^bylle^s fire killed 23, 
and wounded 30. About 100, including those stationed in the 
batt^, escaped : the remainder were made prisoners. 

Although the Chiffonne was certainly no match for the 
^bylle, the dangerous circumstances, under which she had be«i 
approached aitd attacked, entitle ^e officers and crew of the 
Sntish frigate to a considerable share of credit The Clufibnne, 
with 3Z banidted Freachm^i on board, had sailed from Nantes 
OD the 14th of April, 1800, and bad since, agreeably to her 
Ojrisn, landed them upon the Seychelles. The prize was a fine 
^g«te of 946 tons, and was afterwards puichased for the use of 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



144 IIOHT BQUADROKS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1801.' 

the British navy ; ia which, under her French name, she daswd 
SB a 12-pounder 36. 

The British 14-gtmbtig-&loop Speedy, Captain Lord Cochnoe, 
during one of her cruises in the Mediterranean, had eo annoyed 
the Spaniards by catting up their coasting trade, that the goven^ 
ment despatched annea vessela in pursuit of her from several 
ports. E^rly in April one of the seekers of the British hrig, ib» 
32^un xebec Ciamo, by means of closed or hanging ports, de- 
coyed the Speedy within hail, end then, drawing them up, dis- 
covered her heavy battery. Against a vessel that appeared to 
mount 36 guns, and to be numeiDusly manned, the Speedy, 
whose 14 guns were only 4-pounders, resolved not to risk an 
engagement until she had tried the effect of a ruse. To escape 
was out of the question, as the xebec sailed two feet to toe 
Speedy's one. The Speedy therefore passed for a Danish brig 
of war, and, in addition to the colours at her gaff-end, exhibitea 
on the gangway a man dressed in a Danish officer's unifram ; 
who also, m the short interchange of hailing that ensued, cnt- 
versed in Danish, or, which was uie seme thmg, in what passed 
for Danish. 

Not quite satisfied as to the national chafacter of the Speedy* 
the Gamo sent her boat with an officer. The latter, before he 
well got alongside, was informed, kindly informed, that the 
brig had lately quitted one of the Barbary ports ; and he was 
at the same time reminded, of what he well knew, that a nsit 
would undoubtedly subject the Spanish ship of war to a ioug 
quarantine. This was enough ; and, aifter a few mutual Baluta- 
tions and wavings of the hand, the two vessels parted company ; 
one glad at bavmg escaped the plague, the other equally glad, 
one might suppose, at having escaped capture. The trum is, 
however, that the Speedy's officers and crew were all impatience 
to comfafit their superior foe ; and Lord Cochrane promised 
them, if ever he met her again, as he had no doubt he should, to 
give full scope to their wishes. 

On the 6tn of May, at daylight, being close off Barcelona, 
the Speedy descried a sail standing towards her. Chase was 
given; but, owing to li^bt winds, it was neariy 9 a.ii. befora 
the two vessels got withm mntual gun-shot. The Speedy soon 
discovered that the armed xebec approaching her was her old 
friend the Gamo. Beiag then close under the letter's lee, the 
former tacked and commenced the action. The Speedy's fira 
was promptly returned by her opponent, who, in a little while, 
attempted to board ; but, the instant she heard the command 
given, the brig sheered off. The att«npt was again made, and 
again frustrated. At length, after a 46 minutes cannonade, ia 
miich the Speedy, with m her maoceuvrii^ could not evade t^ 
heavy broaasides of the Gamo, and had euataioed, in ccm- 
sequence, a loss of three seamen killed and five wounded. Lord 
Cochrane detennined to board. With thii intent the Speedj 



1801. SPEEDY AND GAMO. 145 

nn close alongside the Oamo ; and the crew of the British 
Teasel, headed by their gallant commander, made a simultaneoos 
rash from every put of her upon the decka of the Spaniard. 
For about 10 minutea the contest was desperate, especially in 
the waist ; but the impetuosity of the assault was irresistible : 
tlie Spanish colours were struck, and the Gamo became the 
prize of the Speedy. 

The Speedy's gon-force has already been stated at 14 long 
4-poandeiB. Her number of men and boys at the commence- 
ment of the action was 54. Of these the bn^ lost, in the 
boarding-attack, only one seamui killed, her first lieutenant, 
Sichard William Parker (severely, both by musketry and the 
sword), her boatswain and one seaman wounded ; making, with 
her toss by the cannonade, three killed and eight wounded. 
The Gamo mounted 22 long Spanish 12-pounders on the main 
deck, with eight long eights and two " heavy carronades," pro- 
bably 24-pomiders, on the quarterdeck and forecastle. Her crew 
■mounted to 274 officers, seamen, boys, and supemumeraiies, 
and 45 marines, total 319 ; of which number she had her con^ 
minder, Don Francisco de Torris, the boatswmn, and 13 men 
killed, and 41 men wounded. 

The Qamo's was a force which was enough to alarm, and, in 
■hier hands, might easily hare subdued such a vessel as the 
Speedy. A crew of 280 or 300 was the lowest number of men 
that a ship, of Uie e^dent force and size of the Gamo, could be 
supposed to have on board; and yet Lord Cochrane, at the 
hod of about 40 men, and, deducting the boys, the helmsman 
(who was Mr. James Qnthrie, the surgeon), the eight killed and 
wounded, and one or two others, leaped into the midst of them. 
He and bis 40 brave followers, among whom were Lieutenant 
Paiker, midshipman the Honourable Archibald Cochrane, and 
the boatswain, found 319, or, allowing for some previous loss 
and for BIX or eight boys, 300 armed men to stm^le with. Bat 
the British broadsword fell too heavily to be resisted ; and the 
Spaniards were compelled to yield to the chivalric valour of thdr 
opponraits.* Accustomed as is the British navy to execute 
deeds of daring, Lord Cochrane's achievement has hitherto found 
in these pages but three compeers, the Surprise and Hermione, 
the t>ut and D&ir^e, and the Viper and Cerb^; to which let 

* Dming the action, and after Lord Cochrane bad boarded the Gamo, he 
iiractited another ruse. The crew of the Speedy being nearly overpowered 
Dy the great luperiority, in point of numben, of her advereaiy, were once on 
the point of giving way, Lord Cochrane, with the greatest coolness, h^led 
the Speeify, ordering Sfty more men to be sent on board, although, at tbo 
ti^ iua vessel certainly did not contain more than three. The expected 
RinforcNoent to their adversaries, cooled the little coura^ remaiDiiu in the 
Gaaufa crew, and having already experienced the bold danng of the firit fifty 
BO), they were by no means ansibus to cope with fifty more, and consequently 
■nn-andered. — En. 

VOL. lU. L 

:. Google 



146 UQHT SqUADROm AND SINGLE SHIPS. ISOl. 

US now add, as the next in cfaronological order, the Speedy and 
Gamo. 

With 80 manr prisoners in his char^, Lord Cochnuie had 
stiU an arduous duty to perfonn, but hit judgment and preaance 
of mind orercame every difficulty ; and, in the course of a few 
days, the Speedy brie and her lofty prize were safe at andior n 
the harbour of Port-Mahon. For the gallantry he had 90 eoe- 
«eedfnlly displayed in capturin^the Guno, Lord Cochrane, aa 
soon as the account reached Ku^land, was promoted to poat- 
rank; and the Speed/s only lieutenant, Hichard Williaia 
Parker, was also, we believe, made a commander. 

On the 9th of June, in the morning, the British 18-gnn brig<- 
aloop Kancaroo, Captain George Christopher Pulhog, and 14- 
gUD brig-«Ioop Speedy, Captain Lord Cochrane, discovered « 



Spanish convoy, lying at an anchor under the battery of Oropeso, 
a small seaport of Old Castile. The armed vessels protectuig it 
con«sted 01 a xebec of 2U guns, and three gun-boatB, and the 



battery was a large squue tower, which appeared to mount 12 
fFuns. The two oommanders resolved, at once, to attack tki« 
force with their brigs. Accordingly, at noon, the Kangaroo anil 
Speedy came to an anchor, within half'gun shot of the uiemy, 
end a brisk cannonade ensued ; but which, by 2 p. h., had con- 
wderably decreased on the part of the vessels smd battery. 
£ocourag«d, however, by a felucca of 12 guns and two gno- 
Iwats that came to their assistance, the Spaniards recommeDoed 
firing, and by 3 b. SOm. p. h. had their 20-gan zebec Mid two 
«f their giinAioatfl sunk )w the fire of the two brigs : in a littie 
while another of the gunboats shared the same fate. The tower 
and the remaining three gun-boats continued to annoy the brigs 
with their shot, until about 6 h. 30 ro., when the fire m the tower 
slackened. The Kangaroo soon afterwards cutting her cable to 
get to a nearer position, the gun-boats Sed; awj, by 7 p.m-, 
ue tower was completely silenced. 

The Kangaroo and Speedy continued until midnight to be 
annoyed by a heavy fire of musketry from the shwe ; bat, in 
the mean time, the boats of the two brigs, nnder the orders of 
lieutenant Thomas Foulerton. first of the Kangaroo, assisted by 
Lieutenant Benjamin Warburton, of the Speedy, and by mitj- 
shipmen the Honourable Archibald Cochrane, William Dean, 
ana Thomas Taylor, had succeeded in bringing oijt three brigs 
laden with wine, rice, and bread. On the return of the boats 
^m this service. Lord Cochrane himself with his wtnited zeal, 
took them under his command, and went in-shore again, in the 
hope of bringuig away more, but found all the remaindw either 
sunk or driven on the beach. It was fortunate for the tower, 
that the ammunition of the two brigs was by this time expended, 
«r the two enterprising captains would liave razed it to ila 
foundation ; as indeed, only the day previous, th^ hod the 
adjacent tower of Almaoara, mounting two brass ^^Miuulen. 



1801. BOATS OF HEUCORY AND COBSO AT TBEKITI. 147 

Hw Idm of the Bdtiali, in tbe attack npoo tbis BpfemA 
•onroy* coosiBted of one midabiptoac Cniomas Tftylor), kilted bjr 
« iDttUwt-shot ID OD0 of tbe boats, and two lieutenurtft (Thomai 
Foolertmi umI Thomas Ikowo Tliompaoo), seven scftmea, and 
one marine wounded; all belon^ng to the Kangaroo^ alUioo^)^ 
as Captain Palling handsom^y acknowledeea, we Speedy, from 
situation and distance, was. eqiudly exposed to tbe enemy's fire. 
At the demolition of the tower of Almanara, however, the Speedy 
tlid not wholly escape, Lord Cochrane himself having leceived 
» bruise, and been a little nnged ; as were also two of bia 
men. 

Tbe BritiBh 28-gun frigate Mercaiy, Captmn Thomas Rogen, 
luving on the 25tfa of May, while cruising in tbe Adriatic, cap- 
tmedaamall vessel just out of Ancona, received intelligence tint 
Ibe late Britisb bomb-veseel BuU-dog, which, about three 
months before, under the command of Captain Baningtoa 
Dacres, had entered tbe port unapprized of its being in possessioo 
Dftbe French, was lying in the mole, laden with supriiea for the 
French army in EgYpt,and ready for sen. Caf^n xU^et* im- 
mediately made sail for Ancooa, with the detenmoatian of at> 
tonpting to cat out the Bull-dog ; btmI, soon af^r daik the Moae 
aveoing, the Mercnrf anchored off tbe mole. At 10 fa. 30 ra. 
p. H. the boats of the latter, under the orders of Lientanant 
William Mather, quitted the frigate ; and, at about midnight, 
anrprised and carried tbe Bull-dog, without even having been 
hailed by tbe sentinels on the mole, to which, while the ship was 
nding with three cables ahead, her step had been secured by ti» 
two ends of a bower caUe. Ibe seamen presently cot alt Ae 
cables, and the boats began to tow away their pnse ; but tha 
alarm bad now spread, and the British became exposed to a 
heavy fire of cannon end musketry from the mole. 

As there vras a favourable light breeze, and tbe sails were set, 
tiie Bull-dog, in rather less than an hour, got mthout the reach 
of tbe battoies. Unfortunately, however, tbe wind died away 
to a perfect calm, and tbe coirent carried the prize along the 
coast close to the shore ; from which a crowd ot boats, tame of 
them gun-boats, came out to attack her. Having the hatcb- 
ivays to guard, to prevent the French crew from riaiog, and 
b«ng wiUiout a sufficient force to resist tbe gun-boats, which 
were fast approaching, and had already several timss raked the 
ship, lieutenant Mather reluctant^ abandoaed hia prize; but 
Dot until be had made three ineSeetoal attempts to set ber on 
fire. 

Tbe loss of tbe Britisb on this occasion amounted to one 
fsaman and one marine killed, and four seamen wounded. That 
of the French on board the Bu11>doe is stated to haye been 20 
in killed, wounded, and drowned. As soon as she descried tbe 
prise fltanding out of tbe mole, the Mercury woghed and steered 
towards ha; hot Uie calm so retarded the ptograsa of Ute 
l2 , 

vie 



148 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1801. 

frigate, that the Bull-dog was towed back to ber former staticm 
at the mole loDg before ute Mercury could get near her. The 
Bull-dogaftenrards succeeded inputUng to sea, but was taken m 
her passage to ^^t by the 24^tm ship Champon, Captain 
Lord WiUiam Staart. 

On the 23d of June, in the morning, the British 18^n brig- 
aloop Corso, Captain William Ricketts, chased amon^ the rocks 
in the small islands of Tremiti, lying in the gulf of Venice, and 
inhabited bv a few renegadoes only, a pirate tartan, the Hgre, of 
eieht 6 ana 12 pounders and a crew of 60 French and Italians. 
li^Ktn the appearance of the Mercury soon afterwards, the pirate 
landed the greater part of her crew; who, with a 4-pounder and 
musketry, posted tnemselrea upon a hill to defend their vessel, 
which lay agronnd close to them with hawsers fast to the shore. 
Being resolved to make on effort to stop the further career of 
thtB band of robbers. Captain Rogers despatched upon that 
wrvice the boats of the frigate and brig, under the orders of 
Lieutenant William Mather, assisted by Lieutenant Wilson of 
the marines. Notwithstanding that they were exposed to a 
smart fire of cannon and musketry, both from the vessel and the 
hill, the boots gallantly rowed in ; and while Lieutenant Matho' 
with the seamen boarded the Tigre, Lieutenant Wilson with the 
marines landed to drire away the banditti from the hill : the 
Mercury and Corso, at the same time overawed the pirates by 
occasionally firing such of thur guns as would b^r. Hia 
marines succeedea in their object without the loss of a man, and 
took several prisoners ; and the seamen, with equal good fortune, 
bove the tartan ofi* the rocks and brought her out, toge'ther with 
a quantity of plunder, consisting of bales of cotton and other 
goods, which the llgre had taken from vessels of different natims. 
In the summer of tliis year, the three British frigates, Doris, 
Captain Charles Brisbane, Beaulieu, Captain Stephen Pointz, 
ana Uianie, Captain George Ueniy Gage, by tne orders of 
Admiral Comwailia, who since the 2lst of the preceding Febru- 
ary had succeeded Eari St.- Vincent (appointed firet lord of the 
adiniralt]^ as conmiander-in-chief of the Channel fleet, were sta- 
tioned otrthe point of St-Mathieu, to watch the motions of the 
Frmch and Spanish fleets iu Brest harbour. In the month of 
July, while the above frigatc-squadron was lying at anchor about 
three miles to the south-soutb-east of St-Maihifu's light* 
liouse, and in full view of the combined fleet, the French 20^^ 
ship-corvette Chevrette was discsverred also at an unchor, under 
KHne batteries in Camaret bay ; a position in which the French 
ccmsidered their vessel almost as secure as if she was in the road 
of Brest. It will, nerertheless, not be thought surprising, that 
the British resolved to attempt cutting her out Accordingly, 
en the night of the 20th, the boats of tiie Beaulieu and Dons 
(the Urame not then present) manned entirely by volunteers, and 
placed under the orders of Lieutenant Woodley Losack, of the 



1801, CUITING OUT THE CHEVRETTE. 149^ 

Ville-de-Paris, purposely sent by the admiral to take ttie com- 
mand, proceedea oa the enterprise ; but, the boats not pulling 
alike, and the leading ones being too zealous to slacken their 
efforts, the detachment separated. In consequence of this acci- 
dent some of the boats returned ; while the remainder, having 
reached the entrance of Camaret bay, where' they expected to 
"be joined by their companions, lay uprai their oais until day- 
lireak on tlie 21at. The service being one that required dark- 
xiess for its success, the boats now pulled back to their ships ; 
l>Qt the mischief was done ; they had been discovered from the 
CSievrette and the shore, and eo much of the plan as contem- 
plated a surprise was defeated. 

As a proof of this, on the same morning, the Chevrette got 
under way, and, after running about a mile and a half further 
up the bay, moored herself close under some heavy batteries, 
<me in mrticular upon a point of land off her larboard and inner 
bow. The corvette then took on board a body of soldiers, suffi- 
ci^it to angment her number of men to 339, had the arms and 
ammanition brought upon deck, and loaded her guns almost op 
to their muzzles with grape-shot. The batteries, also, prepared 
themaelres; temporary redoubts were thrown up upon the adja- 
cent prants, and a gun-vessel, armed vrith two long 36>poundera, 
was moored as a guard-boat at the entrance of the bay. Having 
thus |ffo&ted by the discovery of the morning, the Chevrette 
displayed, in defiance a large Trench ensign above en English 
one. This was plainly teen by the three frigates, and served 
but to inspire their crews with increased ardour to ei^ge, and 
with redoubled deteimioation to reverse the poution of the 
ilags. 

At about 9 h. 30 m. p. m. the boats of the three frigates, 
joined by the barge and pinnace of the Robust 74, numbering 
16 in the whole, and cmtaining between tbem about 280 officers 
and men, still under the command of Lieutenant Loeack, pro- 
ceeded a second time, to attempt the daring service of cutting 
oat the Chevrette. Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Losack, with 
his own end five other boats, proceeded in chase of a boat from 
the shore, supposed to be a look-out boat belonging to the Chev- 
rette, and therefore proper to be secured. The remainder of the 
boats, as they had been ordered, lay upon thw oars or polled 
smtly, aw^ring their commanding officer's return. Ijeutenaat 
Loeack not returning so soon as expected, the next officer ja 
cmnmaod, Lieutenant Keith Maxwell, of the Beanlieu, conu- 
derii^ that the boats bad at least six miles to pull, and that the 
n^ht was already &r advanced, resolved, notwitnstanding that the 
fone was reduced to more than a third, or to less than 180 men, 
without him. He did so ; and gave orders tha^ 



while one party was engaged in disarming the enemy's crew oa 
deck, the smartest topmea of the Beaulieu should fignt their way 
■loft, and cut loose the sails wiUi thur sabres ; end that otheiB, 
1i4io were named^ shoold cat the cable : and be appcnnted one Of 



ISO LIGUT SQUADRONS AND SIHGLE SBIP3. 1801. 

the ablest Mamen in the boats, Henry Wallis, quartennaater of 
^e Beaitlieo, to take charge of the corrette's helm. Masy 
other suitable arrangements were made ; and the nine boats, in 
high glee, baetened to the attack. 

At about 1 A. M. on the 22d the boats came in si^ht of tbtf 
Cherrette ; who, a^er hailing, opened a heary fire of musketry 
and grape upon the assailants. This was presently aecuKlea 
by a fire of musketry from the shore. Id the face of all this, 
however, the British pnlled undauntedly towards the ship. Tb» 
Beauliea's boats under the command of lieutenant MnweUf 
assisted by Lieutenant James Paaley, and Lieutenant of AarineB 
James Sinclair, boarded the vessel on the starboard bow and 
quarter; the Uranie's, under lientenaiit Martin Neville, one of 
the Roboet's, wider nudahiptnan Robert V/anea, and one of tbtf 
I>ofiB*a, under IJentenant Walter Burke, on the larboard bow. 
The attempt to board was most obstinately Rsurted by the' 
Frenchmen, aimed with fir&«nns, sabres, tomahawks, and pikw; 
and who, in their tun>, hoarded the boats. NotwithsUuidii^ ftis 
formidable opposition, and that, in their atteiapts to ofcvconw ^ 
the British had lost all their fire-uiBs, the latter, with t&eir 
swords only, effected the boarding. Those who had b«ea~ 
-ordered to go aloft, fonuhttbetr way to their respective stalions; 
and, although some were killcd,and others deiperately wovaded, 
the remainder gained the corvette's yards. Here the seaiMa 
faund the feotropes strapped up-, bn^ surmounting every ol^' 
stacle, the intrepid fellows qoic|^ perfonnad the serrice u|K«' 
tvhich they had been onjereo. Thus ia leas ^aa three miniilfli 
after the ship had been boarded, and m the midst of a eSnffiet' 
against numbers more than trebly superior, down came lb» 
CoerreUe's three topsails and couiaea^ The cable, io the mean 
tine, having been cut outside, and a %&« hrecM haiving spnag . 
up from the land, the shap began drifting oat of the bay. 

No sooner did the Frenchmen see the sails fall, and their s&ip' 
under vray, thaa some of them leaped sverboard ; while sUmw 
dropped Uieir anns, and spnmg down tbs hatchways^ Ttu- 
British thereupon got posaesaitHi of &e qaarterdeck and feiv- 
CBfltlc; which, alUwngh but five adniitea had Maneed snce th» 
asaautt bad coranHncedr were nearly covend witn dead bodies. ' 
Tkese of th« corvette's cmw, tliat hod fled bei«Wr»tiU tMiOtUMi 
astaart flseofmaabetiy ftom tdie Miaiu deck and ap the haldi- 
wa^a, but were at length overpowered and coiO^ed to BabflBt. 
Ia her way oBt, daiing a Amt interval of calm, ^ Chevrattt 
beoamor eXBoeed! to s> neany fire of rowid and gn^pei from tke 
battenes; bat a. li^ fancae &om the nor&-eaat aooo drove Ite 
shsp oat of KtHMbot. It was at ahoat tlits tSmo thai the mx 
boBbt-nndierLietitenaaCLosach joined company; and lieatenaiiC 
Masw^, o( oomne, was Mperaedsd in the commaitd. 

The Bfkinfa had ooe hentenant of mrines (Jarm» 6iMlasr% 
one SBdshiprssB (Robert Wamn), seven seame^ and iw» 
n»MS kittct^ too kcBteands (Uadi* Savilltt aad Wfttar 



1801. cmriNo OUT the chevbette. 161 

■a 
BaAe, the Utter mortallv), one master's mate (William Phil- 
lips), three midsbipmeD (Edward Crofiton, Edward Bym, and 
Kobert FiDDJE), 42 seamen, and nine marines wounded, and one 
marine drowned in the Beaulieu's barge, which was sunk by the' 
«nemy'a shot; total, 1 1 killed, 57 wounded, and <Hie drowned 
ot missing. The loss eusttuned by the Chevrette was far heavier. 
The corvette had her captain, two lieutenants, three midshipmen, 
ooe lieutenant of troops, and 85 seamen and troops killea, one 
lieutenant, four midshipmen, and 67 seamen and troops wounded; 
total, 92 killed and 62 wounded. 

It is such daring feats as these that ennoble the cfaaracter of 
the British navy; and long will be remembered, long held up as- 
an example for imitation, the cutting out of the Chevretta. A 
fcw of tne many inetanees which this enteq)riBe afforded, of 
individual herdam, have already been recorded in the p^es of 
a naval periodicat work. We have selected the following : 

Lieutenant Sinclair, of the marines, was killed in the act of 
defending Mr. CrofVtn, midshipman of the Doris, who in hiif 
efforts to eet on board the corvette was wounded in two places, 
Mr. John Brown, boatswain of the Beaulieu, after forcing hi» 
way into the Chevrette's quarter-gsllery, found the door planked 
Bp, aad 80 securely herricadoed, that all his efforts to force it 
were ineffectual. Through the crevices in the planks he disco- 
vered a nnmber of men sitting on the cabin deck, armed witk 
pikes uid pntols ; and with the fire of the latter was frequently 
aoseyed while attempting to bnrst in. He next tried the quarter, 
and ailer an obstinate resistance gained the taffrail. The officer 
irbo commanded the party was at this time fighting his way up a 
little farther forward. For an instant, while looking roand to 
see where he should make his push. Brown stood exposed a mark 
to the enemy's fire ; when, waving bis cutlass, be cried, " Mak« 
a lane there," he gallantly dashed among them, and fought his 
way fcH^rard till he reached bis proper station the forecastle; 
which the men, animated by his example, soon cleared of the 
memy. Here Mr. Brown remained daring the rest of the con- 
tee^ not only repulsing the French in their frequent attempts to 
retake his post, but attending to the orders from the quarter- 
deck, and assisting in casting the ship and making sail, with as 
mach coolness as if he had been on board the Beaulieu. 

Henry Wallis, who, as already stated, had been appointed to 
take charge of the corvette^s helm, fought bis way to the wheel; 
and^dlboagh severely wounded in the contest and bleeding, this 
hnve seatnaa steadily remained at his post, steering the Chevrette 
aotil beyond the reach of the batteries. Wallis had been seven 
yiara in the Beanhen, and was ever among the foremost in a 
•ervtce of danger. " If a man had fallen overboard he was always 
fiwtramtely in the way, and either in the boat or the water i 
daring the time he belonged to the ship nearly a dozen men 
were indebted to him for their lives, which he had saved by 



162 UGUT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1801. 

plunging overboard, Eometimes even iaagale of wind, at tfie 
utmoBt hazard of his own.* 

The Cfaevrette, when attacked, was bound with a ceu^o of 
stores to Senegal, and thence to tiie iBland of Guadeloupe : she 
was a Gitnilar ship to the Bonne-Citoyenne ; but, owing we 
believe, to the probable bucceesful termination of the pending 
n^otiation between tlie two countries, more than to any thing 
else, the Chevrette was not purchased for the use of the Briti^ 
navy. lieutenant Loeack, on account of some misunderstanding 
respecting the actual commanding officer at the cutting out of 
the corvette, was promoted to the rank of commander. On the 
9th of August, however, upon some facts coming to bis know 
ledge. Admiral Comwallia ordered a court of inquiry to be held 
on noard the Mars. The result was, that Lieutenant Keith 
Maxwell received from the admiralty immediate promotioa to a 
commander's rank, and from the public at large that share of 
credit whicli, had it not been for the official investigation of his 
claims, he might never have obtained. 

On the 27& of July, at 1 a. m., in latitude 43° 34' north, aod 
longitude 11° 42" west, the British l&-pounder 3&^n frigate 
Immortality, Captain Henry Hotham, fell in with aa enemy's 
cruuer of a very eztraordinaiy appearance, a ship with four 
masts; which the former immediately chased, and at 7 h. SOm. 
A.M., the 38-gua frigate Arethasa, Captain Thomas WoUey, ia 
Nght, captured. The prize proved to oe the Invention, French 
pnvateer, nine days from Bordeaux, on her first cruise, having 
onlvbeen launched since the beginning of the month. 

The Invention had been designed by her commander, M. 
Thibaut, and was peculiar in more respects than her masts, her 
length being 147 feet, with only 27 feet in breadth of beam. 
Her force connsted of 24 long G-pounders on a single deck, and 
two 12-pounder carronades, either on her poop or topgallant fore- 
castle, with a crew of 210 men and boys. Her four masts were 
at nearly equal distances apart, the first and third of the same 
height, the second stouter and higher, and the ftwrth much 
smaller. She had four topgallant yards rigged aloft, and was 
accounted a good sea-boat and s^ler. 

On the 10th of August, while the British 12-pounder 32>gim 
frigate Unicom, Captain Charles Wemyss, and 16-gun hrjg- 
bIood Atalante, Captain Anselm John GnffiUis, were cniiung m 
Quiberoa bay, the six-oared cutter of the latter, with eight men 
commanded by Mr. Francis Smith, midshipman, in the &ce of 
a brisk discharge of grape and canister from the French national 
lugger Eveille, mounting two long 4-pounderB, and four large 
BWivels, and of a cross-fire from two small batteries on the shoie, 
puUed up towards, boarded, and carried the vessel^ the French 
crew deserting her at the moment and escapii^ to the Bh(He> 

• Naval ChNDicle, vol. vii., pp. Sl^ 317. 

.Google 



1801. BOATS OF THE nSOARD, &C. AT CORUNNA. 163 

i^hich was only a moBket^bot distant To add- to the value of 
this Tery gallant little exploit, it was acbiered without a sii^le 
casual^. 

On tae night of the 20th of Augnet Captain Thomas Byam 
Martin, cmisingoffCorunna with the frigates Fisgard, Diamond, 
and Boadicea, sent Lieutenant Philip Pipon, with the boats of 
the sqaadron, to attack the Spanish vessels in the port. The 
boats immediately pulled for and entered the harbour; and 
IJeutenant Pipon and his party succeeded in boarding and 
carrying the Nepttmo, a new ship pierced for 20 guns, belonging 
to his catholic majesty, a gun-boat mounting one long Spanish 
24-pounder, and a merchant ship ; all moored within the strong 
batteries that protect the port, and lying so near to them, that 
^le sentinels on the ramparts challenged the boats' crews, and 
opened upon them a heavy fire, mtwithstanding this oppo- 
sition, the British officers and men, with their accustomed cool- 
ness and perseverance, proceeded to execute the reminder of 
their task, and brought all three vessels safe out of the harbour 
without sustaining the slightest loss. For his gallantry and 
address on this occasion, lieutenant Pipon, ea^y in the fol^ 
lowing year, was promot»l to the rank of commander. 

On the 2d of September, at llh. 30 m. a. h., the British 18- 
guu ship-sloop Victor (sixteen 32~pounder carronades and two 
nzes), Captam George Ralph Collier, being off the Seychelte 
islands, discovered and chased a strange man-of-war bri^. At 
fih. SOm. p. H., proving til e better sailer going off the wind, 
the Victor was enabled to bring to close action the French brig- 
ctNTvette Fldcbe, of 18 long ^pounders, commanded by liett- 
tentnt Jean-Baptiste Bonnavie. The lattei's 8-pounders being 
no match for the fonoer^ 32-pounder carronades, the FlSche, 
aAer receiving and returning two broadsides, hauled her wind 
and endeavoured to escape. Having had her driver topping- 
lift, maintopmast-stay, and her principal braces on the starboard 
aide shot away, the Victor was unable to wear quick enough to 
check the prepress of her opponent; who, by tne time the two 
Tessels taued, at 7 p. v., was half a mile to windward : and, 
even when the Victor had repaired her rigging, the Flfiche con- 
▼inced her that, is sailing by the wind, the advantage was the 
leverae of what it had been when going before it 

Id the little interchange of firing which had ensued, the Victor 
bad a master's mate and one seaman slightly wounded ; with, 
besides damaged ri^ng and sails, one shot through the fore- 
mast, and a lew in me hull. The Victor continued to pursue 
the FlSche, and during the night was frequently within gun- 
shot ; but the latter would not allow the Bntish vessel a second 
time to close. The chase continued all day of the 4th. At 
mmset the FlScfae was four or live miles to windward of the 
Victor, and, by dayhght on the dth, was no longer to ba 
seen. 



IS4 UOHT SQDADEONfi AND SINGLE SBIFEL 1^1. 

Judging, fnnu the coarse which the brig was steering trbek 
firet sew, ^lat her destination was the Seychelle islands, Cap- 
tain Collier pushed' for tbeni; and, at 3h. 30m. p.m., tht- 
Victor descried her late opponent standing in for the anchor^e 
of Mah£. The Victor proceeded nnder easy sait till 7 p. w., 



vhich was just as it grew dark, and then anchored in 11 
fathoms. The ship not having a pilot, and no one on board 
being acquainted with the channel, the master, Mr. James 



Cntwford, though ill of a fever, volunteered to sound it. Ac- 
cordingly, in the course of the night, a boat, in which Mr. James 
Middleton, the master's mate who had been wounded, atsty 
^mbsrited as a volunteer, proceeded on the sernce ; and, not- 
withstanding they were repeatedly fired at by a boat from tfa« 
French brig, these ofBcers would not desist until they had 
completely perfonned the duty upon which they had be«F 
detached. 

Daylight on the 6th showed the FlSche l^g at the month of 
tile basin or inner barbonr, with springs on her cables, and a 
led flag at her foK topgallantmast-head, the signal of defiance, 
as afterwards understood. It was not merely the strength of 
their position, or the difficulty of approaching it, that had' 
actuated the French officers to hoist this fix>lisb signal : ttie 
Flfiche now mounted the whole of her guns ; which had not, it 
appears, been the case in the sldnnish of the 2d. Soon alter 
daylight the Victor weired and made sail towards the chanael; 
the narrowness and intncacy of which, added te tiie mfsToui^ 
able state of the wind, compelled her to use warps and her 
staysails only. 

So fine an opportnniW was taken due advantage of by tile 
F]€che, and the Victor became erposed to a raking fire, until^ 
shoaling her water, the latter, at about 9 f. m., came to with 
the best bower. The British sloop soon recommenced warping 
and continued it until 11 h. 46 m. p. m. ; when, letting go the 
small bower with two springs, the Victor bronfEht her bnMdside 
to bear, and instantly commenced firing. Betweui the twty 
vessels an incessant cannonade was maintained until 2 h. SOm. 
A. M. on the 7th, when the Fl&;he was discovered to be sirikine* 
In a few minutes afterwards the latter cut her cable, cast round, 
and grounded at the bow on a coral reef. An officer and party< 
were sent from the Victor to board her; and immediately tiie 
French crew commenced setting fire to tbeir^essel. Another 
party from the sloop quickly followed the first ; and the British 
then took possession and struck the colours of the French brig.' 
Scarcely, however, had they succeeded in extinguishing I&- 
flames, than the Fl£cbe fell on her larboard bilge into deeper 
water, and sank. 

Out of her 120 men and boys, the Victor, in this second and, 
for the present, deciuve afiliiir, had not a man hart. This was 
rather extraordinary, as several shot had struck her hall, soma' 



180K 8TLPH AND TREHCH HUGATE. ISS 

betmen wind and water, and hn ngcing ^nd boats bad alw 
been a good deal cut. The low on the part of the R^che, oat 
of an alleged complement, of 145 (including four lieutenants^ 
btaidfls her commandiag officer), from tbe nomber of dead and 
woonded reported to have been fonnd on her forecastle, «•« 
■opposed to be very severe; bat Captain Bonnavie acknoiF> 
kt^ed to having had only four men killed : tlie wounded he did 



Like the Chtffonne, tbe Fl^che had bronght from Nantes, 
about four months back, and since depositra on ooe of tbs 
Seydielle islands, 35 banished Frenchmen. Some of her m«r 
bid been left sick at tbe Isle of Bonibon ; bnt, to cmnpensate 
tar tbeir loss, 20 of the late Chiffonne's crew had assisted in 
aerring tbe guns. Had the action beat carried on whoHy at 
dose qtMrten, the heavy metal of the Victor wonld certainly 
have readered her too powerful to be an eqnal match for tbe 
V)6cbe; bat, in that respect, the French bng had managed to> 
^re henelf tbe adrantage by ke«riDg her adTenary at hn^ 
mot Great credit was therefore due to Ae ofilcets and crew 
ef tbe Victor, ibr their gallantry, skill, and peneverance; bat 
dte Fl€che was not eTentnally lost, the French having afterwaida 
wdghed and, we believe, rentted her. 

On tbe 31 st of July, in the evening, Aa British IS^fm brig^ 
■loop 9ylpb, Captain Charles Dashwood, onising off San- 
tuMler, or San^Andero, on tbe north coast of Spain, with a Hgbt 
air from die southward, chased an armed schooner stanaKng to 
the nortb-east ; bat, before there was a possibility of arriving uf 
with ber, a large frigate, then judged to be Spsini^, bat amif 
wds believed to be French, was descried under tlie land 
advaneing towards the Inig, uid to which frigate the scbooner 
fled for refuge. 

Rndins; it impracticable to gain the vrind of tbe strange 
fixate, whose bnll, at anitset, was clearly discernible, the Sylf^' 
shortened sailj hove to, and prepared for batde. At 11 f. m, 
the frigate arrived within balt^on shot ; when, having in tba: 
uKial manner ascerttuned the diip's hostile character, the brig 
opened her fire. Soon afterwards the frigate approached within 
hail, and a spirited cannonade was kept up for one hour ami 
20 minntes ; when, having had her sails and almost all her 
nmnmg rigging cat to pieces, and one carronade dismounted, 
and having receind several shot between wind and water, the 
%Iph edgra away to repair her damages. Perceiving, however, 
that the frigate either was unable or uawilling to make sail 
■0 parsnit, the %lph, as sooa as she was oat of gun-^iot^ 
hove to. 

On the 1st of August, at daybreak, the Sylph discovend her 
Itte opponent, with ber fore yard upon deck, about seven miles 
off in the north-west, which was amr to windwaitl, the wind, 
havng riufted to that qaarter in a sqaaU during the night. 

Ac 



156 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1801. 

Seeing the fri^te in this apparently disabled state, the Sylph 
made sail in chase ; but, on account of a serere wound in her 
mainmast and a rising sea, the brig was obliged, instead of tack- 
ing, to wear, which retarded her prepress. While the Sylph was 
thus slowly advancing, the frigate swayed up her fore yard, 
wore, and made alt smt for the land, but still without hoisting 
any colours. As the brig's mainmast was every moment ex- 
pected to go over the side, as she was then mating a foot and a 
Lalf of water per hour from shot-hole leaks, and as the stranger 
was evidently a iiisate of 14 guns of a aide on her main deck. 
Captain Dufawood felt it tol>e his duty to wear and stand to 
the northward ; having alieodv snstuned a loss, by the preceding 
night's action, of one seaman killed, and one midBhioman (Lionel 
Carey) and eight seamen wounded, three of them dangerously. 

Buore we submit any remarks upon the alleged name and 
force of the Sylph's antagonist in this to her very creditable 
action, we will relate another contest in which, about a mouth 
ailenrards, the brig was engaged almost in the same spot. 

ITie damages the Sylph had received rendering her return to 
port indispensable, .Captain Doshwood was directed by Admiral 
Comwallis, under whose orders he was cruising, to proceed to 
Plymouth, Having here undergone a complete refit, the Sylph 
sailed to rejoin the commandeivm^hief off Usbaot, and by the 
latter was ordered to resume her station off the north coast of 
Spain. On the 28th of September, in the afternoon, Cape 
Pmas bearing south distant 42 leagues, the Sylph chased a ship 
in the north-west ; and, although before sunset the discovery 
-was made that the stranger was a French frigate of the same 
apparent force as the one which the brig bad tormerly engaged 
upon this coast. Captain Dashwood galUntly resolved to do his 
utmost to bring her to action. 

Being desirous, as before, to gain the wind of an antagonist so 
decidedly superior, the Sylph made all sail for that purpose ; and 
the French frigate seemed equally determined to frustrate the 
attempt At 71). 30 m. f.h., however, after various manceuvres, 
during which the two vessels crossed each other three times, and 
exchanged, at a very short distance, as nuny heavy broadEodea, 
the Sylph obtained a station vrithin pistol-shot upon the frigate's 
veather bow. A severe conflict now ensued, and continued 
without intermission for two hours and five minutes, wheif the 
frigate wore and made sail on the opposite^ck ; leaving the 
^Tph with ber stuiding and running ngging cut to pieces, and 
mam topmast badly wounded, but, on account of^ the skilful 
manner io which the brig was manoeuvred, and the unskilful 
manner in which the frigate's guns (admitting them to have 
been such as supposed) were fou^t, with so trifung aloss as one 
person slightly wounded, Mr. lionel Carey, woo had been 
wounded in the former action. 
■ The foUowiog is the concluding passage of Captain Daab- 



1801. SYLPH AND FREKCH FRIGATE. 157 

wood's letter to Admiral Corawallis on the Babiect of ihiB 
MCCHid action : " Having received certain information since my 
return to thie statton, that the ship, which the Sylph was 
a^^ed with some time since, was the French frigate 1 Art6niite, 
of 44 guns and 360 men ; so I can with equal truth pronounce 
this to be the same, from the many corresponding observBtion* 
which I made. She bad then 20 men killed and 40 wounded^ 
and was obliged to return to St.-Andero to refit ; and from the 
diswdered state which she was in when making off, I have the 
atioDgest reason tp euppoae she has now met with a similar fate, 
particularly as a number of tights and men were seen hanging 
over her bowa, from which I infer she must have received ctxi- 
aiderable dami^ ; and I think there is every probability of some 
of his nftjesty's fri^tes falling in with her, as 1 unluckily parted 
with the Immortaut^ a few hours before." Some additional 
information is contained in the following note to a passage of 
Ais letter: "The French journals of that period also stated, that 
the captain was tried by a court-martial, and condemned to be 
shot, for bis conduct on that occasion ; which sentence BnoBa- 
parte approved, and ordered to be cairied into execnticai."* 

We wish it were in oar power to adduce some stronger evi- 
dence than that contained in the two extracts above given, as to 
the identity of the ship twice so gallantly engaged by the Sylph. 
The old Art^mise, it will be recollected, was blown up at the 
battle of the Nile:t conseqoently this must have been a new 
ship of that name ; and, as ue French had very wisely discoit* 
tiaoed building any more 12-pouader fiigates, the Artemise of 



action of more than two honra' continuance, do no more execo- 
tkm than cut away a few ropes, send a shot throngh a topmast, 
and slightly wound one man, struck the compiler from the 
"French jonraols" as forcibly as it has us, he wonld have 

a noted the passage entire, and have given a name and a date to 
le journal which contained so important an admission in favoor 
<tf the Sylph's commander and crew. Even the name of the 
French captain "condemned to be shot" istiot given; and not 
only have we been unable to discover in the Momteor, or in any 
othttf French paper, a single paragraph calculated to throw light 
npon the subject,' but, out of the many lists of French frigates 
occanonally before us, we have no recollection of the name of 
die Artemise until it occurs in an English account of her destmc- 
tkKi in September, 1808. 

On retunung to I^mouth after hia first action, Captain 
Daahwood wrote an official account of it to Admiral Comwallia, 
and appears to have made an immediate application to the first 

ToL iL, p. 456. -f See ToL iL, p. ITS. 



1£S LIGHT SQUASROirS AND UNOLI SHIPS. 1601. 

lord of the adoundty for a poct-oominiuioii ; to iriiidi Bpplii»- 
tioa the following, u we tmnk, rtry wnsible reply was trans, 
mitted by Eari Str-Vinceirt : " I have read your official letter 
with all the attentioa aitch a recital tuerits ; but until the board 
ncmre official infomiatitHi of the force, and the oatioa to whi<^ 
the veaael belooga, which the Syh^ mm engaged with, an ade- 
quate iudgmeot cannot be formed of the merits of the action."* 
The cucunutances, stated in the official account of the second 
lencoitfie, very properly removed all doubt as to the ship en- 
raged having been very supeiiar in force to the Sylph ; and on 
Uia^ of the following November Captain Dashwood, " for his 
meritoiioas CDuduct in the ^M>ve actions," was promoted to poa^ 
rank. The first lieateoaat of the Sylph, upon both these higfalv 
creditable occasions, was Bamnel Burgees ; but who, ^thougo 
highly commended by Captain Dashwood in each of bis letters, 
remained a lieotenant for 15 years longer. 

On the 13th of September, in the afternoon, the British 18- 
gun ship-sloop Larh, AUing-commaoder lieutenant James Joho- 
stooe, being ciose off the island of Cuba, fell in with and chased 
the Spanish privateer-Bcbooner Espenmza, of one long 8 and two 
4 poaoders, and 45 men; which, for shelter, ran within the* 
Portillo reeb. Lieutenant Johnstone immediately despatched 
the Larlt's yawl uid cutter, with 16 men in each, under the 
orders of Lieatenant James Pailey, assisted by Mr. M'Cloud, 
midshimnan^ to attempt to cat her out At about 10 h. 30 m. 
9i H . the two boats found the privateer at anchor, waiting the 
attack ; and, cm their near approach, received a fire &om her 
that severely wounded several of the men. In spite of thisy 
however, the British boarded, and, after a short but severe con- 
test, carried the schooner. In this well-conducted and gallant 
hoat^ttack, the British sustained a loss of one seaman lEilled, 
ilr. M'Cloud, and 12 seamen wounded ; within two of half the 
party. The loss on board the Esperanza was represented to 
have been 21 killed and eix wounded; including, among tbe 
former, the captain, Josef CalUe, and all his officers. Consider- 
ing the unqueptionahle ^lantir of this enterprise, we r^ret ts 
see the name of James Pasley m the list of ueatenants of the 
{neaent day. 



On the 21stof July, soon after daylight, the island of Cabren 
rean^ north-east distant six Mseven wagues, the British liired 
brig neley, mounting fourteen 12-pounder carronades and two 



long sizes, with a crew of 54 men and boys, commanded in 
Xieatenaot William Wooldridge, fell in with a Spanish raaoHjC- 
war xebec, of 22 guns ; which at 7 a. m. hailed the Pasley and 
desired her to send her boat on board. The reply to this was a 
broadside within pistol-shot distance ; and the Pasley continued 
to engage her superior opptment until 8 h. 15 m. ; when the 

• UushaD, vol. iL.p. 4M. 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



J801. fASLZr ASD BFASISH XEBEC OF WAB. 159 

s^Mc ceased her fire, and, taking advantage of the calm which 
liad followed the faeary firing, pulled away with her Bweeps. 
The Paaley nsed her Bweeps, but the xebec having more aweepa 
and more men, outpolled the British brig, and before nigot 
reached the island of Ivica. In this veiy creditable affair to the 
Pasley, the latter had one seaman killecf and two wounded. 

In a few months afterwards an opportunity occurred in which 
■Licutenant^Wooldridge was more successful. On the 28th of 
October, Cape de Gata bearing weet-north-west distant 20 
leagues, the Pa^ey fell in with and was chased by the Spanish 
frivateer polacre-ship Virgen-del-Rosario, of lU guns (pieresd 
lor 20), eight of them long 12, and two long 24, pounders, with 
ft crew of 94 men. Being to windward, the Kosano soon neaned 
the Palley, and an animated et^agaoent commencad. AAer 
the action had continued about an hour, the Pasley, having had 
her gafl* and most of the stays and main rising shot away, 
iound her opponent's guns, upon the whole, mucti too heavy. 
A» the readiest mode to ledoce tbi« icftquality, the Pasley ran 
athwart the hawse of the Rosario, and lashed the latter's bow- 
a{»it to her own capstan. The British crew, in an instuit, wen 
OB the Spanish ship's decks; and, after a sangainanr hand-4o> 
hand fltruKle of about 15 minatea' duration, carried the Rosario. 

The Pasley'a loss amounted to her gunner, Mr. James Podce, 
and two seamen killed, her coomiander (shot through the left 
■boulder), master (Amlwose Lions, mortally), first mate (Geowe 
Davie), and five eeomea wounded. The loss on b(»rd the 
ftrivateiBr was very severe : it consisted of her first and aeoond 
captains, second lieutenant, two prize-masters, the gunner^ 
ana IS seamen killed, and 13 officers and seamen wounded. 
Considering the great disparity of force between the two vessels, 
this must be pronounced a very gallant a^r on the part of the 
Pasley; and the judgment, promptitude, and valour, displayed 
by Lieutenant Wooloridge on the occasion, gained him not only 
the just applause of his superior, but that to which he had aa 
equal claim, the rank of commander. 



OOLOItlU. EZPEDITIOHB. — WBST IXCIBB. 

The rupture between England and Denmark and Sweden 
was soon followed by the seizure of the colonies of the latter by 
the former. On the 20th of March the Swedish island of St.- 
Bartholomew surrendered by capitulation to a British naval 
and military force, under Rear-admiral John Thomas Duckworth 
and Lieutenant-general Tri^e. On the 24th the Swedish 
islaad of St-Martin ; on the 29th the Danish islands of St- 
Thomas, SL-John, and their dependencies; and, on the 3Ist 
the Danish island of Santa-Cruz, all accepted the same terms aa 
8t-Barthokimew. On the 16th of Apnl the French garrisoa 



160 COLONIAL EXFEDrnONS.— EAST INDIES. 1801. 

evacuated the Dntdi island of St-Eiutatia ; which, with the 
island of Saba, was taken possession of by the '20-giin ship 
Arab, Captain John Perkins, and a small detachment of troops 
under Colonel Blunt, of the third r^;iineat of Buffs. 

COAST OF AFBICA. 

As soon as the British govNoment became apprized of that 
article in the treaty of BadajoB, by which Portugal agreed to 
exclude British shipping from her ports, a force was sent to 
occupy the island of Madeira. On the 23d of July a sqnadroD 
anchored in the bay of Funchal, and a detachment of tn>ops 
under Colonel Clinton landed and took possession, without 
resistance, of the two forts which command the anchorage. 

These prompt measures, on the part of England, induced the 
prince-regent to use his most strenuons endeavours to prcTent 
the First Consul of France, who would not acknowledge himself a 
party to the treaty witl^pain, from overrunning Portugal with 
the poweHul army which, under General Leclerc, Buonaparte's 
brother-in-law, was alre^y upon the frontiers. Before, how- 
ever, matters became ripe enough for action, England and 
France had commenced the negotiations which ended in the 
treaty of Amiens ; and, on the 29th of September, a treaty of 
peace was signed at Madrid between France and Portugal ; by 
the fourth article of which the latter ceded to France all that 
part of Portuguese Guiana (nearly equal in extent to the whole 
of French Guiana), which extends to the Canpanatnba, m 
rirer that flows into the Amazon at some distance above Fdrt 
MacuBsa. 



BAST lITDtSS. 

On the Slst of Jane the Dutch island of Temate, after an 
obsUnate resistance of 52 days, surrendered by capitulation to 
the military and naval forces of the honourable East India 
company, under the respective commands of Colonel Burr and 
Captain Hayee. 

U pon the same principle, we believe, that induced them to 
occupy the island of Madeira, the British government placed 
garrisons in all the colonies or factories of Portn^l, in the East 
Indies, except Macao. 

PBACX BBTWBBM BHOLAHD AHD FRAKCE, 

On the Ist of October was ugned in London, by Lofd 
Hawkesbury, the secretary of state for foreign affairs, on the 
part of Great Britun, and hy citizea Louis-Guillaume Otto, 
commissary for the exchange ot French prisonen in England, oa 



1801. TREATY OF AMIENS. 161 

thepftrtofFraDce,prelinimary articles of peace between the two 
Dfttiona. Od the lOth, the ratifications were duly exchanged ; 
and, on the 12th, his Britannic Majesty issued a proclamation, 
ordering a cessation of arms by sea and land. According to the 
pTeUminary articles, five months from the date of the exchange 
of ratificattons was the longest period during which hostilities 
coald legally exist in the most distant part of the globe. 

In consequence of the proclamation, the British blockading 
Bqaadrons retired from the opposite coast ; at which time, how- 
ever, the French ports were all alive. In them ships were 
C' ig ready, and troops embarking, for an expedition to St.- 
ingo ; where the blacks were in open rebellion against the 
whites. The Dutch and Spanish ports began also to exhibit an 
minsual activity. England, therefore, with a becoming forecast, 
delayed awhile disarming her ships. 

As any treaty of peace to whicn England is a party, is neces- 
•Arily made up, in a great degree, of colonial cessions, this 
Appears the proper bead of the work under which to offer the 
few remarks we nave to make on the subjecL And, although 
the de&nitive treaty between all the belligerents was not finally 
' CfMKlnded until the 26th of March, 1802, at Amiens, we shall at 
once state what change it effected, more particularly in the 
GokMiial property of the different powers. 

Let us first briefly advert to toe stipulations which affected 
tile Ekirope&D territory of the several belligerents. France got 
back the small islands of Saint-Marcouf. Portugal was to 
Temain as before the war, except ae to the province which, by 
the treaty of Badaios, she had ceded to Spain.* The republic 
of the Seven Islands was ttcknowledged. Egypt and the other 
territories of the Sublime Porte were to be retained in their 
integrity as before the war. For this article there would have 
been no occasion, had the British government known, as well as 
Baonaparte did, the issue of the Egyptian campaign. The 
ulands of Malta, Goza, and Comino were to be restored to the 
order of St.-John of Jerusalem as before the war; and the . 
British troops were to evacuate those islands within three months 
after the exchange of the ratification. The French troops were 
to evacuate Naples and the Roman territory ; and the British 
tiDops, in like manner, were to evacuate Porto-Ferrajo, as welt 
as ah the islands and forts which they might occupy in me Medi- 
tenaneaa or Adriatic. The colonies now demand our attention. 

KORTH AHERICA. 

England bad taken from France the valuable fishery islands 
of Samt-Pierre and ItTiquelon : but France} by the treaty of 
Amiens, got them restored to her. 



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162 COLONIAL KPEDmONS.— WBT IKDIES, ic. IWI. 

W£BT IMMEB. 

Eiidand had tokra from HoUiuid idl hsr poMessKHU ejcept 
Duttf Ouitn., .nd g»™ them .U back to her. Fiom Si«jii 
she had talett Trinidad ; and Boonapaitt, a. a dedaitd pannh- 
ment to Spain for haring made peace with PortagaJ wilhml h«. 
pri.itv, alfowed England to retam that fine idand. PortMU 
so far benefited by tSe treaty of AmienB, that the boondaiy Uoe 
between the two Soiana. was brought mnch nearer to .■•• aje™^ 
Kmit, than it wa. by the treaty w&d. to fears had jnft hefe" 
indnied her to «gn with France .t.M|dnd. Denmart had iMt, 
bat now regaine?her three ielands. Sweden, also, got b«:k St^ 
Bartholomlw. France bad loat all her sugar islands b^ 
Gnadelonpe and its dependencies, and got them aU reatorwl 
to her. 

COAST OF AFBICA. 

Holland had lort the'Oape of Good Hope, but got that im- 
portant settlement restored to her. To Portugal, Madeira was 
it course restored ; and France got back Gorte. 

EAST IMDIES. 
Holland had lost Malacca and the islands of Amboyna Ba^., 
«,d Temate : also Trincomal6 and the remamiog Dutch settle- 
menti " a; istod "f Ceylon. The latter were -atained^ 
Great Britain ; but all the former were ratored to Holland. 
S'. East-lidiau territories had remain^i unmolested ; ^ 
such of Portugal's, as had been recently garrisoned, were restored. 
Denmark stilPheld Trauquebar. France had lost Pondichenj 
Chandemagore, aud other settlements up the Ganges; tdso 
Foul-Point on the island of Madagascar. The whole of these 
were restored to her by the treaty of Amiens. 

WhTlTyS grounds 'politicians might ha.e fcr angunng from 
the tennTof tS. solemn compact, a shorWi^ed peace, certmn it 
i. thaUhe actiyitv which relied on the ocean, an aclioty much 
Se«e A.r»y wlich had& witnessed during.the last two 
irthrL year, it the war, gave to the treato the air of a Ituo^ 
Z sus^nlion of arm., in wlich e«=h of the bdhgerento »n» of 
whom MSned it for no other purpose, was stnymg to mm an 
TdCtiSus position, in order, when the tocsm .hould ^pm 
tou3 to he "ready for the recommencement of hostditiea. 
Frnch. Duteh, and Spanish fleet, were prepumg to put to sea ; 

then could donbt that, although the wai upon the seaU of the 
STty Mdnding the l..t hal «:.rcely cooU a new war wa. 
on the eve of burstmg forth ? 

DcmizedbvGoOglc 



STATE OF THE BRITISH NAVY. 



The difference in the totals, between the abstract for this 
war* and that for the last, is too slight to need any observation. 
The casualty-list of the French navy contains Kw important 
loBseB.t That of the Spanish navy, with the exception of the 
Gamo, is filled with the issue of one unfortunate rencontre.}: 
The Dutch nayy, having lain quietly m port, ran no rist « 
suffering any diminudon in its numbers. The loss sustained by 
the Danish navy was of trifling amount ; and, considered in a 
national point of view, was far overbalanced by the renown 
which the Danes acquired on the occasion.^ The British 
casualty-list is distinguishable from any that have preceded it, 
except that connected with Abstract No. 3, for the. number of 
its captures ; among which, as a very rare occurrence, appear 
two hne-of-b&ttle ships.|| 

The number of commiseioned officers and masters, belonging 
to the British navy at the commencement of the year 1802, was. 

Admirals 46 

Vice-admirals. .... 38 

Rear-admirals . . ... -66 

„ superannuated 30 

Post<»ptaiii9 .... 644 

Commanders, or sloop-captains . 406 

lieutenants 2322 

„ retired as comma. 60 

Masters ...... 640 

• See Appendix, Animal Abatnct No. 10. 

!See Appendix, No. IS. 
S«e Appendix, No. U 
See Appendix, No. 15. 
See Appotdix, N*. 16. 



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164 STATE OF THE BRITISH NAVY. 1803. 

and the number of seamen and marines voted for the eervice of the 
year, was, 130,000 for the first five lunar months, 88,000 for one 
lunar month, and 70,000 for the remaining seven lunar mcHiths.* 

Almough, in reference to the abstract immediately preceding 
it, the abstract for 1802 ofiers nothing worthy of remark, yet, 
as coming the next in succession after the close of a war, it 
contains a variety of matter for consideration. The first cir- 
cumstance that strikes a reader conversant with tlie subject is, 
the important variation between the numerical grand-totals, both 
line and general, of Abstract >o. 10, and of the "Statement 
and Distnbution of the Naval British Force," as given in Steel's 
list for February, 1802. The Abstract's line-total, ^with the 
addition of the two ships remarked upon in the asterisk note be- 
lonmng to it, is 191, Steel's 198; the Abstract's general total, 
-with Uie addition just noticed, 783, Steel's 803. Of Steel's 
line-of-battle number, nine will be found in class q, and one in 
class a; thus reducmg it to 188. But Steel has anticipated 
the breaking up of the Warspite 74, Captivity and Eagle 64*8, 
and Panther 60; which again augments his number to 192, 
If from the latter be deducted the Prince-Edward, a ship he 
classes as a 60 instead of a 60, we have 191, which, with the 
correction in the note already referred to, is the precise number 
in the Abstract. Having thus explained the difference that 
exists between the line-tobil in the Abstract, and that in Steel's 
February list, we shall have very little difficulty in approxima- 
ting the two under-line totals ; one of which is 692, tne other 
603. If we deduct from the latter, four fire-vessels, four river- 
barges, and four or five transport-tenders and other small-craft, 
which, for reasons already given, are excluded from the former,t 
the numbers will be equal. 

A test yet remains, more authoritative than Steel, the official 
list or raster of the British navy for the 1st of January, 1802. 
There the line-total is ISO, the under-Une total 666, and the 
grand-total 846. It seldom happens that the official le^stw 
takes any notice of the arnUet en Jl&te, or reduced ships : con- 
sequently, they remain, list after list, among their full-armed 
class-mates. If, then, we deduct, as vras done in the comparison 
with Steel, the nine ships at q, and the one at u, we bring the 
official line-total to 170, Four line-of-batUe ships appear among 
the official '* ship-rigged sloops ;";|; two among the " prison- 
ships ;"§ one among ue " hospital-ships ;'^| seven among the 
" receiving-ahips ;"^ and there were seven others wbic£, al- 

* See Appendix, No. 17. 

+ See note e» to Abitnct No, 3, at vol. i^ 402, 

jt Suidwicfa, San-Yudro, Roj«l-Oak, and Prudent ; aD of which bad been 
piiaon^hipa. 

fi Sultan sod Ciqttivi^. J[ Uoioii, aftowanb StuMx. 

t Ro]«l-Wil]iaii], Cumbridgf^ Grafton, Cbicherter, Yarmouth, Medwl^, 
■nilBippon, 



1802. REVIEW OF ANNUAL ABSTRACTS. 165 

thoagh in serrice, some of them since 1800, were not registered 
tX the date of the abstract* Here, at once, is the number re- 
quired. With respect to the under-liue totals, we have merely 
to deduct from the 665, the 67 " hoys, hghters, and transports," 
uid the 10 "hulks," and we have 588, a number which is fonr 
below the abstract nmnber. This trifling difference is to be 
found, if we could stay to trace it, among the small-craft, several 
of which are inclodeo in tlie abstract, and not registered in the 
official list ; while others, as fire-vessels, river-barges, " barge- 
magazine," " latteen-settee," inc., that assist to swell the latter, 
are not to be found in the former. 

Having thus established the general correctness of the na- 
merical totals of Abstrast Pfo. 10, and through it, we hope, of 
its nine tabular predecessors, we will, after premising that, 
should any doubt arise respecting the proper classification of a 
ship, a reference to the notes (which, in fact, are the kev to the 
abstracts) may clear up the point, proceed to draw aslignt com^ 
parison between the firat and last abstracts, the two between 
which an eight years* war had intervened. In doing this we 
shall confine ourselves to the line-totals, and even then, to the 
cruising totals only. According to the latter, the numerical in- 
crease is 13 ships; but the most decided improvement is dis- 
coverable in the relative tonnages. For instance, the 113 ships 
in No. 1 measured upon an average 1645 tons ; while in the 
1^6 ships in Na 10 measure 1740 tons. The accession of the 
five ships at B, C, and O, and of 26 out of the 30 at K, L., 
and M, have chiefly contributed to this important augmen- 
tation. 

The number of line-of-battle ships, added to the British navy 
from the navies of foreign powers, were, French 27, Dutch 17, 
Spanish 5, and Danish 1 ; toUl 60 :t a number that, besides 
beii^ consideiably short of what Steel and other writers have 
recorded, contains a lai^r proportion of ineffective ships thaa 
they allow, as tbe following statement will showt 




RemoiDing, of ships captnred in the war of 1793 20 

Reduced by the " Converted ' column 5 

Captured, &c 5 

Sou or t^en to pieces 

Whole of tbe ships of the line raptured in the war of 1799... 30 

■ Athfnien, Naaiau (late Holsteiu), De-Ru7ter, Guclderland, Lf^den, 
Tesel (late Cerberui), and Utrecht. 
+ See Appendix, No. 17. 

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16G STATE OF THE BBniSH NAVY.— AHEBICA, SlC. 1803 

The line-of-battle losa, which the British navy Bustained in the 
same war, amounts to 20 ships ; of which do fewer than three- 
fourths were wrecked and accidentally burnt* 

It is usual, at the tenaioation of a war, to exhibit, by a few 
figures, the relative gains and losses of the parties that lutd been 
engaged in it Accordinglv, in December, 1801, a cabinet 
minister laid before the Bntish parliament a statement expreea- 
ing that, when the war commenced, the British navy consisted 
of 136, and, when it ended, of 202 ahips of the line. Bat for 
the concurrent testimony of eereral reporters, one might sup- 
pose the former number to contain a typographical error, in the. 
transposition of the 3 and 5. We have shown, in its proper 
place, the accuracy of the number 153, which appears m the 
line column of the first annual abstract ;t and have just done 
the same, in the fullest manner, reepecting the number 191, in 
Abstract No. IO4 The nnmber, which comes nearest to the 
minister's number, is to be found in Steel's list for Norember, 
1801 : it wants but two of the amoi^t. Admitting the minister 
to have collected 200 of his 202 line-of-battle ships from Steel's 
list (it is evident he did not get them from the official list)> 
whence did he obtain the number 35, for the whole of the line- 
of-battle ships poBseraed by France at the close of the year 
1801 P At the commencement of the year 1803, we shall show, 
ia the clearest manner, that this num1>er scarcely covers half of 
the line-of-battle ships which must have belonged to France at 
the peace of Amiens; and it already has appeared that, instead 
<i( 202 ehtps of the line, 126, or, inclucnng those building,. 
148,^ was the proper number to be confrontea with the Frendii 
anmber. 

AKBBICA A.ND THE BABBABT BTATES. 

Although this was a year of peace between England and the 
other great powers, there were still some naval operations of a 
warlike character going on, a summary of which may serve, if 
to do no more, to keep alive the interest in such matters until, 
by the general clash of arms throughout Europe, the annalist 
is again called upon to record events of magnitude and impor- 
tance. 

It is too well known to be creditable to them, that the formi 
dable christian powers of Europe have long paid a tribute, 
either in specie or kind, to the regencies of Algiers, Tripoli, uid 
Tunis, to induce these merciless freebooters to abstain from mo- 
lesting the commerce of the fonner ; from making prizes of their 

* See Appendix, No. IS. 

t See note • to that abstract, and the sanie note to Abstract No. 2, voL i-, 
pp. 400, 401. 

1 Sec note • to that abstract, m the Appendix of this volume. 



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leCS. TRIBUTE TO ALOIEBS, TUNIS, AZTD TBIFOLI. 167 

veesels, and elavea of their people. The United States of 
America, having a coiuiderable Meditenanean commerce at 
stake, found it wise to follow the example of the older and 
richer states of Eorope. It is difficult to say bow much thia 
sop to the three-headed monster amiually cost the Amerieaa re- 
puMc ; but, in articles of merchimdise, timber, camion, cordite, 
mtHiey, and now and then a frigate or corvette armed and 
equipped for war, we should C(»imaer that the United States did 
not pay less to the three regendes than fiom 100,000 to 150,000 
dcdlars per annum. 

In the month of October, 1800, the United States' 32-guB 
fiigate Qeorge-Waahington, Captain William Bainbridge, was 
Jving at an anchor in i& road of Algiers. The dey considered 
utis as & fine opportunity to get the presents, which he, as well 
as the beads of the other regencies, annually made to the grand 
seignior, conveyed to Constantinople. The demand for the 
American frigate to he sent upon this mission was formally made, 
and reluctantly coiAphed with. Laden with presents to the 
amonnt of a million and a half of dollars, encumbered with 100 
TuriLS as passengers, and degraded by carrying the flag of 
Algiers at Her main to|:^allantmast-head, the George-Washington 
sailed for and arrived at Constantinople. Having there disem~ 
barked her live and dead lumber, tM American frigate sailed 
upon her return, and cuthe Slat of January 1801, re-anchored 
at Algiers. 

The disgraceful use to which an American frigate had thus 
been pat " deeply affected," to use the words of Mr, President 
Jeffirsoo, "the sensibility, not only of the president, but of the 
people of the United States." The "indigoity" was certainly 
calculated to do all this ; but we cannot any where discover that 
the Washington was sent " by force" upoa her extraordinary and 
Immiliating mission. We think that both Captain Bmnbiidge 
Mul the American c<hisuI, Mr. Richard O'Brien, made out but a 
poor case to substantiate that fact. 

Whatever feelings the submission of these gentlemen may 
have excited in their own country, its effect was a very natural 
one in Algiers and the two neighbouring regencies : they became 
tDore loud and exorbitant than ever in theirdemands for money 
and preseots. Algiers, however, was partially appeased by the 
seasonable arrival of a ship firom America with the arrears of the 
Bubsidv due to her. But, jealous of the favours shown to the 
Dey or Alders, the Bashaw of IVipoli became very outrageous 
In some of his conferences with the American consul, the 
bashaw says, '* There is no nation I wish to be at peace vrith 
more than yonrs ; .but all natioaB pay me, and so must ths 
Americans." — " Compliments, although acceptable, are of very 
little value ; and the neada of the Barbary States know tfaar 
friends by the value of the presents that they receive from 
them." To give a practical pro<^ oi his esUmation of compli- 



168 AUERICA AND THE HAABAKT STATES. 1802. 

meats, the Bashaw of Tripoli, on the 14th of May, 1801, 
caused the flagBtaff of the United States in front of the consul's 
house to be cut down ; the castomary mode, with these snmmary 
gentlemen, of promulgating a declaration of war. 
- Not to be behindhand with his two brother spoliators to the 
westward, the Bey of Tunis made use of a somewhat lu^icroos 
pretext for levying a contribution upon his " friends." On the 
night of the 18th of June a fire broke out in the palace, and in 
its progress consumed 50,000 stands of anns. On the 30th the 
American consul, Mr. WiUiam Eaton, hanng been summoi^ to 
the Bey's presence, was told that his government most silpply 
10,000 stands of arms. " I have," says the Bey, " proportioned 
my loBs among my friends, and this falls to you to furnish. Tell 
your government to send them without delay." The consul 
made a very proper reply; and, upon the whole conducted him- 
self with becoming,ana, as the result proved, successful firmness. 
■ Expecting from the tenour of the consular communications 
from Algiers, Tripoli, and Tunis, that a rupture with one or 
more of them would shortly take place, the government of the 
' United States, since the latter end of May, nad despatched to 
.the Mediterranean a squadron of three frigates and a sl«op or 
two, just half the force then in commission, under the orders of 
.Commodore Dale; which squadron also earned out presents 
to a tolerably laige amount, for such of the regenctee as yet 
remained at peace. 

On the 2d of July Commodore Dale, with the 44-^un frigates 
-President and Philadelphia, 32-gun frigate Essex, and the brig- 
sloop Enterprise, anchored in the bay of Gibraltar; where were 
also lying, having come in to get a supply of water, a Tripoli- 
tan ship of war, with the high admiral's ^ag on boaxd, carrying 
26 guns, 9 and 6 pounders, and 260 men, and a brig of 16 guns, 
6-ponnderB, and 160 men. The commanders of these vessels, 
who were now performing quarantine, pretended not to know 
that their government had declared war against the United 
"States; but Commodore Dale became assureB of the fact from 
a communication with the shore. He soon afterwards made sail 
for the coast of Barbary, and in the course of the month showed 
his squadron off Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli in succession. The 
two first of these regencies appear to have lowered their tone a 
little on this rather unexpected visiL With Tripoli, however, 
no arrangement was effected, and the war went on. After re- 
maining off Tripoli about 18 days. Commodore Dale stood along 
the coast to the westward as far as the island of Pidussa, then 
steered for Malta to get a supply of water ; and on the 16th 
came to an anchor in the harbonr of Valetta. 

(^ the 1st of August the United States' schooner Enterprise, 
of 14 Ion? 6-pounder3 and 90 men, commanded by Lieutenant 
Andrew Sterrett, being on her way to join Commodore Dale at 
Malta, and not &t from, that island, fell in with a Tripohtan 



1802. WAK WITH TRIPOIJ. 169 

Skcre-ahip, of 14 guns (probably 4-poi]nder8, and it is doabU 
1 if some were not BWiTele) and 80 men, commaoded byRais- 
Hahomet Soub. An action immediately commenced within 
pistol-ahot, and continued for nearly two honrs, wben the Tripo- 
titaa colours were either shot away or struck. Elated with their 
victotyi the American crew gave three cheers, and quitted their 
eona. In an instant the corsair rehoisted her Ba^, and renewed 
the action with redoabled vigour, the Tripolitans brandishing 
their sabres, and seeming desirous to board the Enterprise. The 
Clew of the latter, howerer, having fli^wn back to their guns, 
poured into their opponent so destructive a fire, that the barba- 
rians unequivocally hauled down tbeir colours. lieutenant 
Sterrett now ordered the coraair under his lee quarter, and kept 
fais men at their guns. But the Tripolitan vessel, ibe instant 
she got to the station to which she had been ordered, poured 
another broadside into the Enterprise, and, hoisting the red or 
bloody flag, made an attempt to ooard. The Americans were 
BOW most justly incensed against the Mahomedans; and the 
Enterprise, obtaming a raking position, brought down the corsair's 
mizenmast, and well riddled her bull. Seeing what was now 
likelv to be his fate, the TripoUtan capt^n implored for quarter ; 
and bending in a supplicating manner over ue waist-barricade 
of his vessel, threw his colours into the sea, as the surest indi- 
cation of his sincerity. The Enterprise immediately ceased bet 
file; and thus ended an action whicn bad lasted just three hours. 
Ab a proof no less of the utter incompetency of the Tripoli- 
tafls as men-of-war's men, as of the skill to which the Ameri- 
cans bad already arrived in the use of their guns, the Enterprise 
did not have a man hurt, and received very nttle damage in hull 
or rising ; while the corsair tvas greatly shattered in her hull 
and two remaioing masts, and sustained, out of her 80 men- in 
crew, a loss of 20 killed and 30 wounded, including among the 
latter her captain and first lieutenant. 

Agreeably to the instructionB he bad received, Lieutenant 
Sterrett ordered the guns, swords, pistols, and ammunition of 
fais prize, to be thrown overboard, and both her masts to be cut 
away by the board. A spar was then raised to serve for a mast, 
and an old tattered sail hung to it as a flag. In this condition 
the corsair was sent to Tripoli ; and it is related that, on her 
arrival there, the bashaw marked his indignation by ordering the 
wounded captain to be paraded through the streets mounted 
upon an ass, and then to receive 500 bastinadoes. This was 
a fine reward, certainly, for having held out, against a very 
superior antagonist, until nearly two-thirds of his crew were 
killed or disabled. 

On the 21st of August Commodore Dale put to sea from 
Malta with his squadron, and on the 30th captured a Greek ship 
from Smyrna bound to Tripoli, having on board one officer and 
20 soldiers, 14 merchants, and some women and children, all 



170 niAKpE ASD SAJNT-DOUINGO. ISOZ. 

TiipoUtaoa. Consideriog this a good oppMiiuity to negotiate aa 
axcbange with the bey for Bome Amencans whom hiB cruisers 
had taken, the commodore proceeded etraight to Tripoli ; and^ 
arriving off the port on the 3d of September, sent on shore e 
meseaige to that eSect The bey said he would not give one 
American for all the soldiera ; that only eight of the m^chants 
were his subjects; end that he cared veryhttle abouFany of 
them. He at length, howerer, agreed to give three Americans 
for the 21 soldiers, and three more for tbe eight merchants. 
With this the American commodore was obliged to be satisfied. 
Soon afterwards, finding his crew getting very sickly and hit 
provisions very short, Ck)mmodore Dile raised the blockade of 
Tripoli, and steered for Gibraltar. During the winter months 
the American squadron visited Tripoli only occasicmaUy. In 
March, 1802, having bad all tiieir arrears of presents paid up, 
the regencies of Algiers and Tunis became satisfied with toe 
United States. Nothing, however, during the whole of this 
year, appears to have been done against Tripoli, although tiie 
cruisers of that regency were capturing American vessels wheie- 
erer they could find them. 



FBENCB BXPEDITION TO ST.-DOMIIIGO. 

We have already noticed the bostle of preparatioa going m 
in the continental ports, just when s treaty of peace had ap- 
parently set fleets and armies to at least a temporary rest. An 
expedition to the island of Saint-Domiago was the plan in agi- 
tation. Previously to any account of occurrences on the shores 
of thatill-fated island, we will bestow a glance upon the changes 
which the preceding two or three years had effected in a colony 
that, when France owned it, was the most profitable of any in 
the West Indies. 

Buonaparte, aa soon as he had got himselfplaced at the head 
of the French govermnent, sent out to Saint-Domingo an arr£t^, 
Ctmtaining the programme of a constitution for the government of 
the island; and, by way of gildijog the pill, he appointed the 
celebrated black General Toussaint-Louverture, commander-in- 
chief of the colonial army ; of which, owing to the unhealthy 
state of the island and the impossibility of sending out reinforce- 
meats, a very amall portion were natives of France. Before the 
close of the year 1799 Toussaint poGsessed himself of the Spanish 
part of the ialuid, including the city of Santo- Domingo. Shortly 
afterwards this gifted ae§^ drew up, and finally got adopted, the 
plan of a colonial constitution, m which he named himself 
governor of the island and president for life, with the right of 
appoin^ng his successor. Toussaint probably would not have 
T^tured to take so bold a step, had he been aware that the 
war was so near its close: he koew that, while it cootinned, be 



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]8(K% BTJONAFABT£ A»D TOUSSAXNT-LOUVERTURE. 171 

sltoald have Uie protection of the Eo^iGh ; and that the ships of 
the latter would preveat those of Fnnce from tTaosporting any 
troops to recapture the island, or from othemiie moWtiDg him 



Aa soon as the negotiation betwe«i France and England had 
aaBamed a larourable ^^>eaiance, the ex-proprietors of estates 
in Saint-Domingo, strenetheaed by the wnole body of French 
nfirch ants, who keenly mt the kss of so fair a portion of their 
trade, applied to the £nt-coasal to send out an army and retake 
the island. The nation at large seemed to have but one feeling 
oa the subject ; and Buonaparte, in d^fute, as he had himself 
decUnd, of his better judgment,* gave oniers to equip an ex.- 
peditioa suitable to the magnitade of the undertaking. The 
armywastobecnnposed or21,200 mm, under General Lederc; 
uid the fleet to conrey th^n to the Antilles was to consist of 33 
sail of the line, and nearly an equal number of frigates, ship and 
biig conettes, and fliite-transports, under the command of Vice- 
admiral Villaret-Joyeufie. 

Qa the 14th of December, 1601, ailer a Icing delaj by con- 
trary winds, a fleet composed of 10 French sail of the Ime, under 
the oommander-in-chiei. and c^ five Spanish, under Vice-admiral 
Gravina, accompanied by six fiig^es, four corvettes and smaller 
vessels, and two transpcvts, containing altogether 7000 men, set 
sail from the road of Brest On the morning of the 17th, off 
BeUe-Isle, one French sul of the line, one frigate, one corvette, 
and OM flfite, with 900 men on board, joined from Lorient ; and 
a kquadron from Rochefort, under Reai-adoiiral La Toache- 
IVeviUe, consisting of six sail of the line, six frigates, two 
corvettes, and two despatch-vessels, and having co Mard 3000 
men, was expected to join, but did not until the combined fleets 
on the 29th of January, 1802, reached Cape Samana on the 
island of its destination. One 74, the Duquesne, and one 
fiiede, the Com^lie, having on boud 700 men between them, 
ttaa p»ted conpany ; which left 10,600 as the number of men 
to be disembaiked from the first division of the fleet 

Hie following were the dispoutions for landing the troops; 
1000^ under General Kerverseao, at Suito - Domingo ; 3000, 
under General Bondet, at Port-ao-Prince ; 2500, under General 
Rochambeas, in ManceniUe bay, to attack Fort-Daaphin, and, 
on cairying i^ te proceed to the mole Saiat-Kicolas, tnere to be 
joined oy 4000 men tmder Geieral Hardy. While the ships 
were proceeding to their assigned pcuits of debarkati(»i, two 
other French squadrons arrived at the rendezvous : one from 
Toulon, of four Bail of the line and <me frigate, under Rear- 
admiral Ganteanme, with 2300 men; the other from Cadiz, of 
three sail of the line and three frigates, under Reai^admiral 
IdtKHS, with 1500 men on board. In the mean tim^ the 10,600 

* 8ee01I«ua'iN^(d£(»inEul4v(d.iL,p.lM 

I.: ..t, Google 



172 FRANCE AKD SAINT-D0HIN60. 1802. 

troops that had anived in the first dinBion, partly by intr^ne 
and partly by force, had effected tbar landing. 

It IB foreign to these paces to enter upon the details of the 
military operations which, aner a brave and protracted resistance 
on the part of the indigenes, led to their dispersion or surrender ; 
but even tbie did not take place until the remaining 6900 of the 
21,200 French troops ordered upon the expedition arrived at the 
island. The black chief, who hud exlubited so many traits of 
moderation and generalship, after capitulating and being allowed 
to return to his home, was saddenly arrested and conveyed on 
board the Hhos 74, lying off Gonai'vee. On being brought on 
board the French ship, this extraordinary man is said to have 
uttered these words: " En me renversaut, on n'a abattn que le 
tnmc de I'arbre de la liberty des noirs, il repoussera par ka 
racines parcequ'elles sont profondes et nombreuses." 

Having been thus illegally dragged on board the H^ros, Tooe- 
saint was most inhumanly, and contrary to all the asgunmces 
held out to him by General Lederc, transported to France, to 
end his days in a prison. He was shut up in Fort de Joux, and 
died six months afterwards in rather a mysterious way. On this 
subject the following appears in a work of considerable notoriety: 
" 1 mentioned Toussaint-Louverture, and observed that, amongst 
other calumnies, some of his (Buonaparte's) enemies had asserted 
that he had caused him to be put to death privately in prison. 
' It does not deserve an answer,' replied Napoleon ; ' what pos- 
sible interest could I have in putting a negro to death after he 
had arrived in France 1 Had he died in 5t.-Domingo, then 
indeed something m^ht have been suspected, but, after he had 
safely landed in France, . what object could have been in 
view?' "• 

Whatever, in reality, was the mode by which Toussaint ended 
his days, the act of forcibly withdrawing him from Saint-Do- 
mingo, after he had honourably capitulated, proved in the end as 
impolitic as it was cruel. Several enterprismg black chiefs still 
remained on the island: Clerveaux, Christophe, Paul-Lou verturs 
(nephew to Toussaint), and Dessalines ; and who, with the whole 
of their countrymen, were exasperated at the treachery which had 
deprived them of their gallant leader. Part of the French troops 
were sent away to aid m snbduii^ the revolted n^roes at Gua- 
deloupe; and, among the reminder, as the summer advanced, 
the yellow fever made dreadful ravages. 

' About the middle of August accounts reached Saint-Domingo, 
of the success of the French at Guadeloupe, and that slavery, in 
all its horrors, had been re-established in the colony. This nem 
spread like wildfire among the negroes at the first-named island, 
and operating upon minds already smarting under their ovtt 
wrongs, determined them to revolt The first eruption broke out 

* O'Meara's NapoUon in Exile, vol. ii^ p. 198. 

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DEATH OF GENERAL LECLEBC. 173 

about the middle of September. The death of General Leclerc 
of the fever, on the 2d of November,* conferred on General Ro- 
chambeau the command of the French forces on the island ; but 
all the efforts of these, ably directed as they were, and although 
strengthened by the arrivfu, on the 6th of April, 1803, of a rein- 
forcement of 2000 troops of the line, could not, it is believed, 
have preserved the colony to France, even if the war between the 
latter power and England had not, as it just then bad, broken 
out a^h. That war and its mass of interesting details now 
claim onr attentioii. 

• His body, after being embalmed, 'waa conveyed to France on boaid the 
(bte British) Swiitsure 74. 



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WAR OF 1803. 



Scarcely had the embers of the hoDfires, lit up in celebration 
of the peace of AmienB, grown cold on the ^und, ere the two 
principal parties to the treaty became again involved in war. 
Although the formal declaration, the act of England herself in 
this instance, did not issue until toward the middle of the year, 
each nation, with well-grounded forebodingd of what was to nap- 
pen, began her preparations at its commencement. So much of 
those preparations, as relate to naval concerns, fall properly 
within the the scope of this work ; and, as usual, we shall b^^ 
with the abstract, or tabular statement, of the British navy for 
the current year.* 

Between that abstract and the preceding one a di&erence 
occurs, as well in one or more of the principal heads, as in the 
arrangement of the lower part of the table. A desire to improve 
the remaining abstracts of tiie series has suggested the alteration, 
and the necessary explanations on the subject will be found in 
the notes which accompany the present year's abstract. 

A state of peace havmg filled the period between this abstract 
and the last, no captured column appears ; and the built, pur- 
chased, and wrecked columns exhibit an unusual paucity of 
numbers. -f- Tlie decrease observable in many of the totals arises, 
partly from the alterations above alluded to, but, in a much 
greater degree, from the multiplicity of vessels sold or taken to 
pieces since the termination of the war. One fact is remarkable : 
the total of line-of-battle ships employable for sea-service falls 
short by two, of the corresponding total in the abstract for 1793. 
So that, during a period ot 10 years, eight of them in war, the 
British navy bad slightly decreased in ships of the line. If 
statesmen and histonans have asserted otherwise, it has been 
because they drew their comparisons between the wrong totals. 
An increase of 11 certainly appears among the permanent har- 
bour-service ships, but it is the sea-service cruisers which consti- 
tute the effective strength of a navy. 

* See Appendix, Annita] Abstiact, No. II. 
f See Ai^wndix, No, 19. 

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tSQS. WABUKE PBEPABATIOlfS ON BOTH SIDES. 175 

like nomber of comnunioned officers and masters, banging 
to tlie Britidi DAT; at the commencement of the year, was, 

Admirals . . > . . 45 

Vke-admiials 36 

Rear-Admirals ..... 61 

„ superannuated 26 

Post-captains . ... 668 
* „ » 13 

Commanders, or Bloop-captains . 413 
„ Buperasnoated 49 

Lieutenants 2480 

Masters 529 

And the nnmber of seamen and marines voted for the service 
of 1803 was, 60,000 for the first two, 60,000 for the next four, 
and 100,000 for the remaining seven lunar months of it,* 

The King of England's message to parliament on the 8th of 
March, in uie impression it made upon the public mind, was 
nearly tantamount to a declaration of war ; and preparations for 
carrymg it on with vigonr were immediately commenced in all 
the docK-yards of the empire. The state of the British navy, as 
H stood on the 1st of January, has already appeared in its proper 
l^ttce. To the 32 line-of'hattle cruisers, then in comnuasion, 
were added, hefore the 1st of May, 20 additional ones; and, by 
the 1st of the following month, the number of ships of the line in 
commission was augmented to 60, besides a proportionate num 
bn of 6(>-gun ships, frigates, sloops, and smaller vessels, all 
(itber at sea or fitting for sea. A great many vessels of every 
daas, including a large proportion m line-of-battle ships, were 
repairing; and several fngates, sloops, and schooneis, were 
ordered to be cocetmcted with all possible despatch. 
. The first-consul of France was not, on his part, inactive. In 
the month of March he gave orders that the port of Flushing 
should be got ready to receive and equip a squadron, to be 
called the " Squadron of the North," and which was to consist 
of ten 74-gun ships from Dutch models. This was probably, 
because they draw less water, in proportion to their rate, than 
the ships of other nations. The snips thus ordered were imme- 
diately to be laid down, part in Flushing and Ostende, and the 
remainder in ports of France. Gun-vessels and flat-bottomed 
boats were also to be constructed at every convenient spot aloi^ 
the shores of the Scheldt, the Weser, and the Elbe ; and a 
quantity of ship-timber, hemp, and other naval stores, to the 
value of 20,000,000 of francs, was ordered to be immediately 
purcliased in Holland. In testimony, also, of his love for the 
naval service, Buonaparte, since the 25th of January, 1802, had 
made his brother J6rome an enseigne de vaisseau. 

" • See Appe&dls, No. 20. 

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176 BIUT19H AND fRENCH FLEETS. 1803. 

In the road of Brest were lying four filups of the line : nine 
others were in the docks, repairing and nearly ready ; and these 
were ordered to be expedited by all possible means. Three 
were on the stocks, nearly finished ; and five lay in the inner 
harbour, waiting their turns to be docked ; making a total of 21 
serviceable line- of- battle ships in the port of Brest. There were 
also, laying up in the harbour, six or eight old and woni-oat 
ships, including the Invincible and Terrible three-deckers. ^ 

In the port of Lorient were three ships on the stocks, expected 
to be launched in November; and two additional ones were 
ordered to be laid down. At Saint-Malo a 74 was ordered to 
be biult; and at Nantes four frigates, exclusive of two Dutch- 
built 748, intended for the Scheldt squadr^. At Bordeaux 
another of the latter was ordered to be budt. At Rocbefort 
three line-of-battle ships were building, and nearly ready: three 
others were now ordered. At Toulon there were eight ships of 
the line afloat, two on the stocks nearly finished, and two others 
about to be commenced. At Marseilles the last of the 10 Dutch- 
built 74a for the Scheldt squadron was ordered to be laid-down. 
At Genoa a 74-gun ship and frigate were immediately to be put 
in hand, from draughts prepared at Brest.* There were also 
nine French line-of-battle ships at, or comug from, the island of 
St-Domiogo, and one, the Marengo, on her road to the East 
Indies; n^ing a total of 66 ships, including 47 afloat, or aooa 
expected to be so.t 

If it were not quite clear, from the very nature of these for- 
midable preparations, thus carried on in the midst of peace, that 
a renewal of the war with England was contemplated, no doubt 
could exist, on a perusal of the instructions which, since early in 
February, Buonaparte had drawn up for the guidance of General 
Becaen. On the 6th of March this officer sailed fiom Brest, in 
the Marengo 74, for the French settlements in India, of which 
he had been appointed governor-general ; and whither the Ma- 
rengo, and the frigates Atalante, Belle-Poule, and S^illante, 
and transports Cote-d'Or and Marie-Frangoise, were carrying, 
for the alleged purpose of taking possession of Pondicherry 
agl^eably to the third article of the treaty of Amiens, about 
1350 troops. 

It appears by one or two paragraphs in the document alluded 
to,t that the nrst-consul did not anticipate an actual rupture 
b^re the month of Sentember. War was, however, declared by 
England, virtually on tne 16th of May, when letters of marque 
ana general reiwisals were ordered, and formally in two days 

*> Pt6^ des Ev^Demem MilitBirea, Ac. par H, Le Comte Hathiea 
Dniiiai, Lieutenant G^D&«1 des umdca du RoL A Paru, 1822 ; tome xi., 
p 189. 

+ See p. 166 i sIm Appendix, No. 91. 

$ For uw original of ^i^ich see Appendix, No. 33. 

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1803. ADHIRA.L CORNWALUS OFF BREST. 177 

anerwards ; and, had the declaration bore date in the preceding 
Febroary, no one, acquainted witli the avowed intentions of 
Baonaparte, could say it had issued a day too early. Simul> 
taneoosly with the order for reprigals against French ships, 
issned one for detaining ships helongiag to the Batavian 
republic, Holland being to all intents and purposes a province 
of France. 

Convinced that the peace of the world is generally held by a 
thread, which the caprice of a minister may almost at any time 
break, we shall not puzzle ourselves, or the reader, with endea- 
Touriag to investigate the causes of the war which commenced 
in the year 1803, but shall plunge at once into the details of its 
operations ; such operations at least as lie within our province, 
those in which the navies of the several belligerents take a 
part. 

On the 17th of May, at 7 p. h., Admiral the Honourable 
William Comwallis, in whose able hands the command of the 
Channel fleet still remained, having his flag on board the Dread- 
nought 98, sailed from Cawsand bay, with a fleet of 10 sail of 
the line and frigates, to cruise off Ushant and wateh the motions 
of the French ships in Brest harbour, five or »z only of which 
were in a state to put to sea. Of the remaining 21 snips of the 
line which the port contained, some were fitting, others repairing, 
and three were still upon the stocks, but on the eve of being 
launched. Could, therefore, a greater force than 10 sail of the 
line have been sent to cruise off Brest, it would, in the divided 
state of the French navy, have been wholly unnecessary. 

Owing to the very reduced state of the Batavian navy, which, 
including three or four ships in the ports of Spain, now consisted 
of not more than seven sail of the line and a few frigates in a 
serviceable state, three British ships were all that were required 
in the If orth Sea. Four or Ave others were in the Irish Channel ; 
about an equal number cruised to the southward of Brest; and, 
of those remaining in Plymouth and Portsmouth, upwards of 20 
were fitting for sea, as fast as the dearth of seamen, and unfor- 
tunate want of stores, would admit. 

Although the watchfulness of Admiral Comwallis, who. On 
the 9th of July, shifted his flag from the Dreadnought to the 
112 gun-ship Ville-de> Paris, precluded any addition to the Brest 
fleet from without the port, two fine ships joined it irom mthin. 
Both were launched on the same day, the 15th of August; one 
the Caseard 74, the other, the celebrated three-decker on hand 
BiDce the year 1794, and which, under such highly-wrought 
feelings, was then ordered to be named the Yengeur, to com- 
memorate the supposed martyrdom dS the 74 of that name,- 
captured and sank in Lord Howe's action.* 

• See vol. i., p. 174. 
TOL. III. H 

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178 BRITISH AKD FEIXNCH FLEETS. — CHAMKEL. 180S. 

Tlie BnimDer passed , and the ye&r seniiy clo&ed, whhoot any 
material change in the relative positions of the Brest and Chaaoa 
fleets. On Chriatmaa-day, however, the strong south-west gales, 
which, with short intemiissioiu bad Uown for soine weeu, in- 
creased to BO alarming a height, that the blockading dhips, on* 
and all, were compelled to retire from the French coast, and 
seek safety in Plymouth and other British ports. At this timt 
lay in the outer rood of Brest, ready for sea, the Vengenr thtee- 
decker, bearing the flag of Vice-«dmiral Lanreat-Jean-Fran^cM 
Trugoet, an 80, with Rear-admiral Ganteaume's flag, and six 74m, 
attended by about an equal number of frigates and corvettes, bat 
they made no attempt to sail. 

Befoie the end oi the year there were several otber of Uie 
oontinental ports opening into the ocean, which, besides Brest, 
contained French ships of the line, and in sufficient number 
■mhea united to excite some attentioil. At Rochefort had re- 
omtly amved, along with some frigates, two of the nine sul of 
the hue, already mentioned as at, or coming from, the island of 
St,-Domingo when the war broke out In Ferrol and Coniona 
were lying five other of those line-of-battle ships, and a sixtli 
ship (makiug the eighth in the whole), the Aigle 74, had pat 
mto CadiK. To guard all these ports, except the last, was a 
part of the duty of the commander-in-chief <n the Channel fleet; 
and, as soon as practicable, they were watched by &itish sqn^ 
drons coTTesponding in force with the French squadrons withia 
them. 

Although a single gun-boat is not of a force to excite alarm, 
several scores of such vessels, united in a fleet, are sufficiently 
formidable to call for the fullest attention of an enemy. With 
this view the British government, very soon atter war was 
declared, stationed cruisers, commanded by active and expe- 
rienced officers, in front of all those ports along the Channel 
frontier of France, from Ostende to Cape La Hougue, and thence 
to Granville, at which divisions of gun-vessels were known to be 
constructing or fitting out Buon^arte's plan, for the employ- 
ment of this apparently insignificant description of force in the 
invasion of Bnglaod, was not matured until the ensuing year; 
but, in the mean time, considerable activity prevailed amoi^ 
the di^ieat entrepots along the above line of coast On most 
occflsimis, when any of the notilla ventured from under the pn>- 
tection of Uieir batteries, they were met, and either captured or 
driven bacJL, by the blockading force; and were sometimes 
attacked widi success, even when moored, as they considered, 
beyond tbe reach of British enterprise. We me«o now ta 
imbody tbe most inter^ting of the skiraoishes that ensued, 
during the present year, between British smisers and tbe PietK^ 
invasion-flotilla. 
. On the Htl^ of June, in tbe morning, the British 18-pounder 
36-guD ftigate Immortality, Captain Edward William Campbell 

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1808. isvASiov-njvrtLUL. 179 

Rich Owen, and l^-gtm brig-aloops Cruiser and JaJouse, 
Captain John Hancock and Chrietopher Stracbey, chased the 
two Frentdi gno-TeeseU, iDabordable schooner and Commode 
brig, each carrying one 18, and three 24 pounder long guns, on 
ahore upon the east part of Cape Blanc-Nez. Ab soon as the 
Bood-tide made, the Cruiser and Jalouse stood in, and, anchoring 
with springs, commenced engaging the batteries under which tha 
gniHTesseb bad gronnded. At the end of an hour's mutual 
cannonade the batteries were ailenced ; and, in the face «f a 
beavy fire of musketry from tho difi^, by which Mr. Charles 
Adams, master's mate of the Jalouse, the only person hart, was 
badly wounded, tha boats of the three British Teasels boarded 
■ltd Drought off the French brigand schooner. 

On the 1st of August a French armed lu^er, which the Britislt 
3&^un frigate Hydra, Captain George Mundy, had prevented 
from entenng the port of Havre, having hauled close to tha 
beach about two miles to the westward of the river Touque, 
Captain M andy des^tched the Hydra's boats, under the orders 
of Lieutenant Francis M'Mahon Tracy, aseiated by MessiAra 
John Barclay and Geoige Frmch, midshipmen, to endeavour to 
bring off or destroy her. On tlie near approach of the boats the 
ciew of the lugger, which was the Favon, of four carriage-guD8> 
oommanded by a lieutenant de vaiasean, abandoned her and 
retreated to the shore; where, in concert withaparty of military, 
tbey posted themselves behind some sand-banks that lay abieast 
UKl within musket-shot of their vessel. Frojp this position tha 
French eoldiers and Bailors kept up a constant fire upon the 
people in the boats and on board the Favori; and received a 
return ftom the British marines, until the lugger, by the eiertiona 
of ^e prize-master and hia men, had gamed a safe distance 
from the ahore. One seaman killed was the extent of the loss 
OD the British ude. 

- On the 14th of September, at 8 a. h., the Immortalite frigate, 
IB company with the bomb-vessels, Perseus, Captain Joha 
Methuiflt, and Explosion, Captain Robert Pan), commenced an 
attack upon the batteries that protect the town of Dieppe, also 
on 1? gnn-vesseis building in the port. The firing was con- 
tinaed on both sides until 1 1 h. 30 m. a. k. ; when, Uie lee-tide 
making strong, and the town having taken fire badly in ona 
place, uid slightly in two others, the frigate and bomb-veasek 
weigfaed, and proceeded off St.-Valery en Caux, where six gnn- 
boMs were oonatracting. At 3 p. M . the Britiah opened a fire 
npoa tfaat place, and continued it for aa honr, ap[»rently with 
mtme effect: Captain Owen then retired, with the loss of one 
man mining and five men wounded. « 

On the fSth of September, in the evening, the British 16- 
potmder 32-gan frigate Ceibeme, Captain William Selby, bear- 
ag the Awf of Retu<-Admiral Sir James Sauraarez, aoc^red as 
c^tothetowaof &«sriUe> as tlw tide would adnut, barii^ 



. 180 BfimSH AND FRENCH FLEETS. — CHANNEL. 16(3. ' 

only 16 feet under her keel at low water. la company with the 
Cerberus were the sloopB of war, Charwell and Kite, Captains 
Philip' Dumareaq and Philip Pipon, Ealing schooner, Lieutenant 
William Archbold, and "Carteret" cutter, with whose com- 
mander's name we are unacquainted. As soon as the bomb- 
vessels Sulphur and Terror, Captains Daniel M'Leod and 
Oeoi^ Nicholas Hardinge, which were hourly expected, should 
arrive, it was intended to bombard the port of Granville, in the 
hope to destroy some of the numerous gun-boats lying within 
the pier. 

At 1 1 p. H. the Terror came up ; but, having as well as the 
Cerberus grounded at low water, it was not until 2 A. v. on the 
14th, that Captain Hardinge could get to the station assigned 
Lim. Being then judiciously placed by her commander, the 
Terror commenced throwing shells from her two mortars, and 
received an immediate return from the gun and mortar batteries 
on the heights near the town, also from some guns mounted upon 
the pier, and several gun-vessels stationed at the entrance of the 
haAour. The fire was kept up until after 5 a. m, ; when the 
Terror was recalled, and, weighing, reanchored at a greater dis- 
tance from the town, with a loss of only two men wounded by 
splinters. 

Shortly afterwards the Sulphur bomb, whose bad sailing had 
prevented her from beating up, arrived and anchored in company 
with the Cerberus and squadron. In the evening both bom&- 
vessela threw a f^ shells; but the tide prevented them from 
getting near enough to produce much effect. 

On the 16th, in the momfhg, all the ships were enabled to 
take capital positions; and soon after 5 a. m. the bombardment 
recommencea with great spirit and continued untjl lOh. 30m. a.u; 
when the foiling tide rendered it necessaiy for the British ships 
to withdraw from the attack. Although 22 gun-vessels, which 
had hauled out of the pier and formed themselves in a regular 
line, had united with the batteries around the port in replying to 
the fire of the British, no loss and very little damage was sus- 
tained by the latter. 

Shortly after getting under sail to remove into deeper water, 
the Cerberus grounded upon one of the sand-banks. Nine of the 
French gun-^boats, perceiving the situation of the British frigate, 
attemptra to annoy her, and b^an a heavy cannonade, but were 
eventually compelled, by the fire of the Charwell, Kite, bomb- 
vessels, and cutters, to retire for shelter into the harbour. After 
remaining aground about three hours, the Cerberus floated with 
the rising tide. The attack upon the French tovra and gun- 
vessels then ceased ; nor was it known that any material enect 
}iad been produced by it. 

On the 27th of September, in the evening, a division of slo<^, 
bombs, and smalter vessels, under the orders of Captain Samuel 
Jacksoa of the 16-guD ship-sloop Autoouij anchoted off Calais^ 



1803. INVASION-FLOTILLA. ] 8 1 

tbe bomb-TesaelB to the north-east of the town, and the re- 
maindeT of the squadron abreast of the town and pier-head 
battery. The French immediately opened a fire Irom all direc- 
tions, and the first ehelL fell within a ship's length of the Autumn 
and bunt under water. The vessels bemg at this time so close 
to each other as to be in danger from the enemy's sheila, Captain 
Jackson directed them to weieh and reanchor in more open order, 
while he remained with the Autumn in her original station. In 
this way the bombardment continued for Beveral hours, with some 
apparent damage to the east end of the town, bnt with none 
whatever to the British squadron. At length a gale from the 
north-east obliged the ships to weigh and stand off; and thus 
the action ended. 

On the next day, the 28th, a division of gun-hoats, taking 
advantage of the absence of the British squadron, quitted Calais 
for Boulogne ; and, although chased and fired at by the SG-gna 
fri^te Leda, Captain Robert Honyman, they arrived in suety 
at their destination. On the 29th, a second division, 25 in 
number, attempted to do the same; and, after a three hours^ 
cannonade by the Leda, the whole, except the two which ran on 
shore and were bilged upon the rocks, succeeded in reaching the 
anchorage off the pier of Boulc^e ; forming, with those already 
there, a force of 55 sail. 

On the 3 1st of October, at 9 a.m., while the Leda frigate, ia 
company with the Lark and Harpy sloops of war, were off • 
Staples, working towards the shore against a strong east-south- 
east wind, a large gun-brig, said t0 be of 12 long 24-pounders, 
with six schooners and sloops under her convoy, was observed 
coming out of the port Captain Honyman immediately sig- 
nalled the Harpy and Lark to make sail in chase. About this 
time, however, the British hired cutter, Admiral-Mitchell, of 12 
carronades, 12~pounder8, and 35 men and boys, commanded by 
lieutenant Alexander Shippard, being close off Boulogne, the 
port to which the vessels were steenng, gallantly stood after 
them ; and, at 10 a. m., brought the gun-orig to action, close 
onder the batteries of Portet At the end of a two hours and a 
hialTs engagement, the cutter drove the gun-brig and one of the 
sloops on snore. 

Tne Admiral-Mitchell's mast and cross-jack yard were wounded 
in several places, by a shell which fell on bWd, and her sails 
and rigging were a good deal cut by grape : the cutter had also 
one carronade dismounted, and was hulled in several places. 
Fortunately, however, her loss did not amount to more than two 
men badly, and two slightly wounded. The strono; land-wind 
having entirely prevented the small British squadron in the offing 
from acting, this affair was highly creditable to Lieutenant Ship- 
pard, and the officers and crew of the Admiral-Mitchell. Oar 
attention is now called to the Mediterranean. « 
The British naval force upon that station, at the'bieaking out 

I.: . lCtOo^Ic 



182 BRITISH AND FRENCH ^rLEEm—MEDITEa. 1803. 

of the war, consisted of 10 sail of the line, under tbejMmmaiid of 
Rear-adoiir&l Sir Richard Bickerton, in the Kent 74. The pro- 
bability that this extensive and important station would sooa 
1l>econie the scene of very active operations, led to the appcHoU 
jnent of Vice-admiral Lord Nelson to the chief command. His 
lordship, accordingly, on the 18th of May, hoisted his flag oq 
board his old ship the Victory, in Portsmouth harbour. On the 
20th, at 6 p. M., accompaoiea by the It^ponnder 32-gnn frigate 
Amphion, Captain Thomas Masterroan Hardy, the Victoiy sailed 
irom Spithead, bound, in the first instance, to the fleet off Brest, 
io ascertain if her assistaDce would be required by Admiral 
Comwallis ; in which event she was to remain with the latter, 
and the vice-admiral was to proceed to his station in the frigate. 
On the 22d, at 4 v. tr., the two ships arrived off the island <£ 
XJshant, the appointed rendezvous; but a severe gale of wind 
had blown the British fleet from its station. Afler a v^n search 
for the admiral, both at the rendezvous and nearer to Brest, Lord 
Ifelson, at 7h. 30m. p.m. on the 23d, shifted his flag to the 
Amphion, and at 8 p.m., made sail, with a fair wind, leaving the 
Victory to follow, in caee her services should be dispensed with 
"by the commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet. 

On the 25th, in the morning, the wind shifted trota north-west 
to south-west, and blew fresh. The foul wind, with a heavy sea, 
continued until the night of the 30th, when a light air sprang up 
- from the northward. With the aid of this, the Amphion, on the 
morning of the 3d of June, entered the Straits, and at 9h. 30 m. 
T. M. anchored in ttie bay ofvGibraltar. On the 4th, at 4 a. u., 
the Amphion weighed and made sail. On the 15th, the frigate 
reached Malta; quitted it on the 17th, at3A.u., and on the 25th, 
arrived off Naples, where his lordship expected to find the 
squadron. Sir Richard had, however, since the 4th, sailed for 
Toulon ; and thither the Amphion immediately bent her course. 
A succession of calms and light winds made it the 8th of July 
ere Lord Nelson could reach his old cruising ground, where he 
fi)und Sir Richard, with the 

80 Gibnltar .... Captain Georec Frederick Ryves. ■ 

V „, ( Rear-admiral (w.) Sir Richard Kckerton, BvL 

* I Captain Edward O'Biyen. 

-._ Donegal. ... » Sir RichardJohn SLrachaD, Bart. 
1 Superb .... „ Richard Goodwin Keats. 
BeUeiale .... „ John Whitby. 
Renown .... „ John Chambers White, 
g^ Monmouth ... „ Georae Hart 

( Agincourt ... „ Chartea Harsh Schomberg. 
tiigaUi, Active, PhtclK^ and (now) Amphion. 

The FrMich !ine-of-battle force in Toulon consisted of sevea 
ships, nearly ready for sea, under Vice-admiral Rene-Madeleine 
La Touche-Tr^ville, two repairing in the arsenal, and five on the 
stocks. The ships afloat were the 80s Formidable and Indomp- 



I803L TJSKD KSLBON Oft TOUUUf. 18$ 

teble, utd 74s Atlas, Berwick (late BritiBh), Intr^pide, Mont- 
filsDc, snd Scipion ; the two in dock were the Ute Britifih ships 
Bannibsl, DOW Annibal, and Swiftsure; and those on the stocks, 
were the 80s Bucentauie and Neptune, and 74s Bor6e, Phaeton, 
«Mi PIutoD, the two 80% and the lasL-nanaed 74 nearly ready for 
launching. 

At this time nearly the whole of the Mediterranean coast was 
Bobject, more or less, to the eway of FniDce. In Barcelcoia and 
other Spanish porta, Frendi cruisers were allowed to carry in and 
■ leU then- priies, while to a British vessel admittance was prohi- 
bited by an order of the goTemmeut. Genoa was as mndt 
France aa Toulon, and in ner dock-yard was constructing a 
Fiencb 74, to be named after her, the G^ois. Tuscany was 
gradually becoming French; and so was Sardinia, although 
under the mask of a Hg^d neutrality. Except Naples, ereiy 
•tate in the two Siciliea was obedient to the noa of Buonaparte; 
-who had set his emissarieB at work in the Morea, to excite the 
Greeks to an insurrection against the Turks, in the hope, by 
taking part with the latter, to obtain Egypt as the price of, 
what could not fail to be, a successful interference. 

Expecting, probably, that the Victory would not be detained 
V^ Admiral Comwallis, Lord Nelson continued on board the 
Amphion, ia preference to removing to a larger ship. Within 
fiirty hours after the Am{^ion had, as already stated, separated 
from Ute Victory, the latter fell in with the Channel fleet, and,. 
after a stay of scarcely two hours, was permitted to proceed on 
ho- passage to the Mediterraneaa. On the 28th of May, in 
latitude 45° 49 north, longitude 6° 10' west, Captain Sutton was 
ftrtunate enough to fall in with and capture the French 32-guD 
frigate Embuscade (late British Amboscade'*), Captain Jean- 
Baptiste-Alexis Fradin, 30 days from Cape-Francois, bound to 
Rocbefort, with not the whole of her guns mounted, and with a 
CKw of only 187 men. 

On the 12th of June, in the evening, the Victory anchored ia 
CKbraltar, and departed thence on the afternoon of the 15tli. On 
the 9th of July, she anchored in the harbour of Valetta, island 
of Malta, and quitted it on the 1 1th ; end on the 30th, at aboot 
4 p. M., a few leagues to tiie westward of Cape Sicie, the Victory 
janed the Mediterranean squadron, then consisting of tbe Gibiaf- 
tKTf Belleisle, Donegal, Renown, and Monmouth, with the three 
frigates. Active, PhcBbe, and Amphion. On the same evening, 
Lcud Nelson shifted his flag to the Victory, taking Captssa 
George Mmray as bis first captain, and Captiun Hsidy, as his 
■eoend, the latter being sucoMded in the command of the Am- 
jrinen by Captain Satton, late of the Victory. The station off 
UBpeSicie had be^ chosen bythevioe^admiral on two accounts ; 

* See ToL ii., p. 343. The Ambuscade was restored to her rank in lh& 
Sritish narj. 

Google 



134 BRmSH AKD TRENCH TLEETS.— MEDITfiB. 1803. 

one, Bhould Spain, as was oot thought nnlikely, suddenly ally 
berselfto France, to prerent the junction of a Spanish fleet from 
the westward ; the other, to be sufficiently to windward to be 
able, if the usual north-easterly gale should shift to north-north- 
west, or north-north-east, to take shelter under the Hy^res 
islands, or under Cape San-Sebastian. 

Early in the montb of August the SO-gun ship Canopus, Kear- 
admiral Geoi^e Campbell, Captain John Conn, joined the British 
squadron; and on the 15th of the month the fine 80-gun ship 
Meptune was launched at Toulon. This, in a little while, aug- 
mented the French force in the road to eight sail of the line; 
while Lord IVelson, haviug detached the Canopus and Mon- 
mouth, was still left with only six, the Victory, Belleisle, Kent, 
Renown, Superb, and Triumph; the latter recently arrived, and 
commanded by Captun Sir Robert Bariow. A French writer, 
alludii^ to the British naval force in the Mediterranean at this 
time, says : " L'amiral Nelson croisait arec dix-huit vaisseauz 
et un nombre correspondent de fr^ates."* This must have 
explained to the satisfaction of the French people, why their 
admiral, with only eight sail of the line, made no effort to cap- 
ture or drive away the blockading force. 

His ships being short of water. Lord Nelson, on the 24th of 
October, steered for a newly discovered anchorage among the 
JMagdalena islands, on the north coast of Sardinia; leaving, to 
watch the French force in Toulon, the frigates Seahorse and 
Narcissus. On the Slst, at 6 p. m., after a seven days' anxious 
struggle with adverse gales and currents, dark nights and a rocky 
and most intricate passage, the whole squadron, anchored, 
without an accident, in Agincourt sound, under the Sardinian 
shore; a noble harbour formed by an indented bay in the 
latter, and defended to the northward by the small islands of St- 
Estevan, Spai^otou, Magdalena, and Cibrera. 

This being an anchorage, which according to the declanttioD 
.of Lord Nelson, was one of the finest harbours he had ever seen, 
we feel bound to state how Captain Ry ves happened to make 
the important discoveiy. Some time in the year 1802 the 64- 
gun ship Agincourt, then commanded by Captain Ryves, was 
detached by Sir Richard Bickerton, to proceed to the Magda- 
lena islands, and, if possible, prevent the French taking poa- 
session of them, as, according to intelligence recently received, 
.they were about to do, notwithstanding the treaty of Amiens. 
At this period there did not exist a chart of those islands ; nor 
was it known that any ship of war had ever anchored among 
them : the Agincourt herself, indeed, was nearly lost in doing 
BO. No Frenchmen appearing, Captain Ryves spent the week 
be was directed to remain there in making a survey of the 
islands; which be performed alone, there not being a sin^ 

* Fiidi des ET^aemeiii, -tome x., p. 55. 

.Google 



■ 1803. ILL-PROVIDED STATE OF LOBD NEISON'S 8HIPS. 186 

peraoB on board able to assist him. In May, 1803, Captain 
Ryrea was promoted to the Gibraltar, and Loid Nelson, we 
believe, named the ancborage Agincourt sound. 

On the 9tb of November, baring obtained a supply of water 
and fresh beef for the squadron, I^rd Nelson got under way and 
sailed from the Magdalena islands ; but, owing to a continuance 
of foul weather, he did not airire off Toulon until the 23d. Here 
the British admiral found the French squadron in the outer 
road, to all appearance, juet as he bad left it a month previous. 
On the 24th the Excellent 74, Captain Frank Sotheron, j(»ned 
the squadron from England. 

The continuance of gales of wind, with a heavy sea from the 
north-west to north-east, and a belief that Spain uad at length 
settled her neutrality, induced Lord Nelson to take his wintet 
station off Cape San-Sebastian, keeping frigates off Toulon, to 
apprize him of the least movement on the part of the French 
snips. Of the weak and ill-provided state of several of his 
ships, Lord Nelson, in his letters to the admiralty, complained 
Tery bitterly, and, as it appears, not without reason. "The 
Superb," says hia lordship, " is in a very weak state, but Keata 
is so superior to any difficulties, that I hear but little from her. 
Hie Kent is gone to Malta, fit only for a summer passage. 
Every bit of twice-laid stuff belonging to the Canopus is con- 
demned, and ail the running rigging in the fleet, except the 
Victory's. We have fitted the Excellent with new main and 
mizen ri^og : it was shameful for the dock-yard (Portsmouth) 
to send a ship to sea with such ri^ng." 

The severity of the weather, coupled with the inefficient state 
of his squadron, compelled the British admiral, about the 12th 
of December, to enter the bay of Palma ; where the ships re- 
mained until the want of water sent them, on the 2lHt, a second 
time to Agincourt sound. In this commodious harboor. Lord 
Nelson and his squadron lay at anchor at the close of the year ; 
the port of Toulon, and toe force within it, being carefully 
watcned by Captain Ross Donnelly, of the Narcissus, with 
another frigate or two in company. 



LIGHT SQUADHONS AHD SINGLE SHIPS. 

On the Idth of May the British 18-pounder 36-gun frigate 
Doris, Captain Richard Henry Pearson, cruising off Ushant, fell 
in with and chased the French national lugger Affronteur, of 14 
long eights and 92 men, commanded by Lieutenant Morce- 
Andr£ Dutoya. Gaining fast upon the lugger the Doris fired a 
shot wide of her, to induce her to shorten sail, but without 
effect To a second shot, discharged this time at her, the 
Iti^er fired a shot in return, and actually maintained a running 
fight with the frigate, until the latter ran dose alongside. Nor 



186 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIF8. 1603L 

did the Affrontenr, even then, give up tbe coatest, until her 
capUin and eight of her men were killed, and 14 wounded, one 
of them mortally. The Dmis received some slight damage in 
the hull and rising, and had one man wounded, by the fire of 
her puny bat resolute antagonist. 

It is hard to drew the Tine betwe^i a resistance that is pru- 
dential, and one which is, as this has been pronouoced, " fraught 
with temerity." Had the luB:ger shot away the frigate's fore 
topmast, and, thereby effected ner escape, all would tuve united 
in praising the skill and bravery of M. Untoya and bis pe<^le. 
Had the AfFionteur sunendered at the first fire, few would have 
admitted that her officers and men deserved to belong to a 
national cruiser, even of her small class. At all events, in a 
service where so much is to be effected by undauntedness, it is 
safer to praise the extreme of that quality, than not to censure 
an over-cautious discretion. 

The capture of the Affronteur, it will be observed, took place 
on the very day on which the declaration of war issued from Sl- 
James's. This, with tl^e capture of two merchant vessels on the 
flame or the following day, was made a subject of serious com- 
plaint against England. " Centre le droit des gens, mais suivant 
un usage trop commun de la part de I'Angletene, les hostility 

Erec^erent la declaration de guerre. On croyait encore k Paris 
!B n6gociations en activity lorst^u'on y apprit, par uoe d6p£che 
t^l^grapbique dn pr^iet maritime de Brest, que les Anglais 
s'^ient empar^ de deux b&timens marchands dans la baie 
d'Audierae ; le m€me jour, ou le lendemain, its attaqn^nt les 
b&timens de guerre ffan^ais,"* The fact is, so far fi-om the 
negotiation being " in activity," Lord Whitworth had obtained 
his passports since the 12th of the month, and General 
AndreoBsi had applied for his a week earlier. Moreover, it was 
only on the 25tn of May that General Moilier, from his head- 
quarters at Coerveden, summoned the Hanoverian electorate to 
surrender to his army. 

On the 28th of May the French 36-gan frigate Francfaise, 
still commanded by Captain Jurieii, but with 10 of her guns in 
the hold, and a recluced complement of 187 men, was captured 
by the 74-gun ship Minotaur, Captain John Charles Moore 
Mansfield, and two other 7^, which had chased from the 
Channel fleet, llie prize was 35 days from Port-au-Prince> 
bound to Brest. Being a tolerably fine frigate of 89S tons, the 
Franchise was added to tbe British navy, by the same name, as 
a L2-pounder 36. 

On the 26th of June, in latitude 47° 10' north, longitude 20^ 
west, the British 24-pounf)er 40-^n frigate Endymion, Captain 
the Honourable Charles Paget, tell in with, and after a chase of 
eight hours, captured, the French sliip-corvette Bacchante, of 

* Ticlotres et Cmiquiteg, tome zvi, p. S. ^ 

., Google 



1803L CAPTURE 07 THE MIONONNE. l87 

18 long 12-poiin(iIen and 200 meo, commanded by lieutenant 
Francois- Louis Kerimel; and who penisted so long in his 
endeaTOurs to escape, that the Endymion's chase-guns killed his 
£rst lieutenant and seven seamen, and wounded nine others. 

When fallen in with, the Bacchante was on her way to Brest 
from St- Domingo, whither she had Bailed with despatches about 
three months previous. The prize was a remarkably fine cor- 
vette of 642 tona, and became added to the British navy, under 
her French name, as a post-ship. 

On the 27th of June, at night, three boats belonging to the 
British 38^un frigate Loire, Captain Frederick Lewis Mait- 
hnd, cruising off the Isle of Bas, was despatched, under the 
orders of Lieutenants Francis Temple and James Bowen, assisted 
amimc; others by Midshipman Philip Henry Bridges, to attack 
the French 10-gun brig Venteux, Lieutenant Gillea-Frangois 
Montfort, lying close under the batteries of the island. Owing 
to the heavy rowing of one of the boats, two only could get up. 
These, in the most gallant manner, boarded, and after a severe 
conflict of 10 minutes carried, the French brig ; whose 10 guns 
consisted of four long 18-pounder3, and six 36-pounder brass 
carronades. The Venteux was perfectly prepared for the attack, 
and had her deck covered with men. Of these she lost her 
second officer and two seamen killed, her commander, with her 
£>ur remaining officers, and eight seamen, wounded. The 
British loss amounted to the boatswain (Mr. M'Gwier), four 
seamen, and one marine wounded, two of the seamen danger^ 
ously. 

Even without reckoning the force of the batteries, the capture, 
hv two boats' crews, of a brig armed and m^ined like the 
Venteur, was a truly gallant exploit; and Lieutenant Temple,, 
the leader of the party, well merited the promotion which he in 
consequence obtained. Mr. Bridges, also, of whose conduct on 
the occasion Lieutenant Temple spoke in the highest terms, was 
made a lieutenant. 

On the 28th of June, as a British squadron, composed of the 
74-gun ships Cumberland, Captain Henry William Bayntan, 
Goliath, Captain Charles Brisbane, and Henzule, acting captain 
Lieutenant John B. Hills, was cruising off Cape Nicholas-Mole,, 
two strange sail were discovered in-ahore. These were the 
French 24-pounder 44-gnn frigate Poarsuivante, Commodore 
Jean-Baptiste-Phillibert Willaumez, and 16-gun ship-corvette 
Mignonne, Captain Jean-Pierre Bargeau, neither of them fully 
armed or manned, two days from Cayes, bound to the Cape on 
their way to France. 

The Goliath by signal went in chase of the Mignonne ; and,, 
carrying up the breese while the latter lay becalmed close under 
the land, overtook and captured the corvette after the exchat^ 
of a few harmless shot The Mignonne had landed six of her 
16 long 12-pounderB (described as 18-pounders in the official 



188 UOHT SQUADRONS ANP 8IN0LE SHIPS. loOQ. 

letter), and had on board a crew of mly 80 mea and boys. Ilie 
prize, a remariLably fast-sailing ship,* was afterwards added to 
the British navy under her French name; but, getting a^nod 
soon after she wa£ cotnmiBsioned, the Mignonae was obhged to 
be laid in the mud in Port-Roya! harbour, Jamaica. 

When the Gohath's signal was made to chase the Mignonne, 
the Cumberland made the Hercule's to endeavour to cut off the 
Pourauiraate. The Hercule made sail in very light and baffiiog 
winds, and appears to have brought to to lire ner broadside long 
before there was any occasion. Owing to this the Poursuivant^ 
nntouched by a shot, gained considerably in the chase, although 
the Hercule was evidently the ^ter sailer. Subsequently the 
Hercule filled and got within gun-shot, and a smart action 
ensued; but the British 74, owing perhaps to a dread of shoal 
water, managed so badly, that the French frigate effected her 
escape into Cape Nicholas-Mole. 

The Hercule was a good deal damaged in her rigging and 
Bails, and had a few men wounded, hut none killed. A ^nch 
account errooeously states, that the Hercule had 40 men IdUed 
and wounded, including amcftig the former her captain. Captain 
Ferris, in fact, was at Jamaica, and the first lieutenant, as we 
have stated, was the acting commander. The Pouisuivante had 
her masts, rigging, sails, and hull very much cut np, and lost 
six men killed and 15 wounded. Great credit was due to 
Captain Willaumez, his officers and crew, for the skill and spirit 
which they evinced upon the occasion. The Poursuivante, we 
believe, eventually reached Rochefort; but, as far as our re- 
searches go, this powerful frigate never afterwards went to sea. 
Having been built in a Dutch port, and that as long aero as the 
year 1794 or 1795, the Poursuivante, in all probabiHty, was 
found to be rotten and unserviceable. 

On the 30th of June, soon after daylight, as the Cumberland 
and Vanguard 748, Captains Henry William Bayntun and James 
Walker, were cruising between Jean-Rabel and Cape Nicholas- 
Mole, a large ship was discovered steering down towards the 
last-named port. The two 748 immediately went in chase, and 
soon arrived up, the Vanguard on the starboard beam, and the 
Cumberland on the larb^rd bow, of the French 40%un frigate 
Cr^Ie, Captain Jean-Marie-Pierre Lebastard. 

Aft^ receiving a few shot from the Vanguard, and firing one 
in return, the Creole hauled down her colours. The frigate had 
quitted Cape-Francois the preceding day, and bad on board 
General Moi^n, the second in command at the island, and his 
staff, together with 530 troops, but only 150 seamen. Being a 
fine large frigate, the Creole was added in her own name to the 
38-gun class of the British navy ; but, owing in a great degree 
to the insufficient manner in wnich she was Repaired at f^rt- 

a The Jamuca measurement of the Hi^onne vas M2 tons, but fiOO mt 
probablj nearer the nuTk. See ToL iii., p. 49. 



ISCQ. ' CAPTURE OS THE UINEBVE. 189 

Royal dock-yard, the Creole, commanded by Captain AostiD 
Biaseli, foundered on her passage to England, and had it not 
been for the presence of otner ships, would have consigned her 
officers and crew to a «t!iteiy ^lare. 

On the 2d of July the British 38-^d frigate Mineire, Cap- 
tain Jableel Brenton, grounded and was captured at the entrance 
of the harbour of Cherbourg. The circometances under which 
this happened hare been so fully detiuled by Captain Brenton's 
brother, that we cannot do better than transcribe our contempo- 
rary's account 

" In the evening the Minerve, running close in with Cherbourg 
in a thick fog, mistook Fort de la Libert^ for P^16e ; and a 
number of vessels being seen to the eastward, the pilot assured 
the captain he might run amongst them without hesitation. The 
helm was accordingly put up for the purpose, when just as the 
ship was about to open her fire, she grounded, and the fog at 
the same time dispersing, discovered her to be in a very perifous 
utuation. She was on the western Cone Head, about six fur- 
longs from Fort de la Libert^, of 70 guns and 15 mortars ; and 
one mile from the isle P£i6e, of 100 guns, and 25 mortars, from 
both of which a fire almost immediately opened. This hap- 
pened about nine o'clock in the evening. Captain Brenton, 
aware that strong and decided measures were necessary, and 
that the launch of a frigate was not calculated to cany out a 
bower anchor, immediately despatched his boats armed, to cut 
out a vessel from under the batteries, of sufficient capacity for 
the purpose ; whilst the launch, with her carronade, should be 
employed in diverting the fire of two gun-brigs, lying in such a 
position ahead of tne Minerve, as to annoy her greatly by a 
raking fire. The yawl, being the first boat in the water, was 
sent under the orders of the Honourable Lieutenant William 
Watpole, and the other boats were directed to follow as soon aa 
ready; but the gallant officer, to whom the enterprise was in 
trusted, found his own boat sufficient. He proceeded under a 
heavy fire of round, grape, and musketry, and from her position 
close to the batteries, cut out a lugger of 50 tons, laden with 
stone for the works, and towed her off to the ship. Before the 
bower anchor could be placed in this vessel, it was necessary 
to clear her of her cargo, and that this might be done, without 
adding to the shoal on which the ship lay, she was veered astern 
by the ebb tide to Uie length of a hawser. Unfortunately, the 
moon shone with great brightness. The enemy's fire became 
very galling: the more so, as no return could be made but from 
the two forecastle guns, those of the main deck having been all 
run close forward, for tbe purpose of lightening the snip abaft, 
where she hung. At 11 p.m. the lugger, being cleared, waa 
brought under the larboard cathead, to receive the small bower an- 
chor, and during this operation, was so frequently struck by the 
goD-brigs, as to keep a carpenter constantly employed in stop* 



mo UGHT SQUAimONS AND SINOLE SHIPS. l9(B. 

{HDg the ahot-boles. By mtdnight all wbb ready; a kedg« 
anchor had been previously laid out for the purpose of warping 
the lu^er, bnc the moment the hawser became taut, it was shot 
away. Every thing now depended upon the boats, which were 
«ent to take the lugger in tow, and succeeded, under a severe 
fire, in gaining their object, and the anchor was let go in b 
proper position. At three o'clock in the morning, the wind had 
entirely subsided, and the captain, almost bopeleas of being able 
to save the ahiii^ contemplated the probable neceBsity of oeing 
obliged to abandon her. with this view he caused the wounded 
men to be brought up and put into the lugger, destroyed his 

Erivate Bignala, and prepared fires in the storfr-rooms, to be 
gbted at the last extremity. A fine breeze, however, springing 
up from the land, as the tide rose, revived the hope of saving the 
snip, and the wounded men were returned to the cockpit. Tho 
lugger's masts were soon after ahot away by the guns of the 
batteries, over the gangway of the Hinerve, At four, the cap- 
stan was manned, and many of tbe crew were killed and 
wounded as they hove at the bars, At five, the ship floated, 
wider tbe most heartfelt cheers of the crew. It was connidered 
as a certainty, that in the course of two or three minutes tbey 
would be out of gun-shot of the batteries, and consequently out 
<^ danger; but this pleasing prospect soon vanished. Tbe 
wind again declined into a perfect calm, and the last drain of 
tbe flo(^ tide carried the now helpless sldp into the harbour, and 
laid her upon a broken cone, in this situation she remained 
nnti) the top of high water, when she surrendered, after sustain- 
ing the fire of the enemy for ten hours, and having elevoi men 
killed and sixteen wounded. 

" Such was the state of her masts that, bad there been a mo- 
derate breeze, they must have gone by the board. She was 
lightened in the course of llie day by the French, and got off. 
The capture of so fine a frigate at tbe aommencement of the 
war, occasioned great tiiumph, and was announced in the the^ie 
at Brussels, by Buonaparte in person ; who, addressing the au- 
dience, stated the circumstance in tbe following terms : ' La 
guerre vient de oommencer sous les plus heureuse auspices, une 
auperbe frigate de TeDoemi vient de se rendre & deux de DOS 
chaloupes canonni^res.' I'he ship was called the ' Canonni^,' 
in order to support this despicable falsehood. 

" Captain Brenton was detained a prisober in France for two 
years and a half; many of hisofliceni and men died in captivity* 
The greater part, suffering a barbarous imprisonment of eleven 
years, were not released till the tyrant was defeated on the plains 
of Leipsic, in 1814. A British sailor, who had both his Ic^ 
•hot on while the Minerve lay under the fire of the batteries 
was carried to tbe cock))it. Waiting for his turn to be dreased, 
he heard tlte cheera of uie crew oa deck, and •ogerly demanded 
what they meant. Being told tbe ship was off the »hoal« and 



UnO. CAPTURE OF THE HINERVE. VBl 

mnld 800D be clear of the fiirts; 'Then d — &■ the Icgi!' 
exclaimed the poor feliotr, and taking his knife from hia pocke^ 
he cut Uie remaining muscles which attached them to bim, and 
jmned in tho dwen with the rest of his comrades. When the 
ship was taken, he was placed in the boat to be conveyed to the 
hospital ; but determined not to outlire the loss of liberty, be 
slacked his tourniquets, and bled to death."* 

To this account we have only to add, that, among the goiH 
vesa^ which atlacked the Minerre in her defwcelesB Bituation, 
were the two brigs Chiffon and Terrible, each armed with eight 
or ten heavy long gnns. They, in fact, were the " chaionpes 
cwxmni^res" alluded to in the French accounts. In capturmg 
die Minerre, the French got back ooe of their own frigates ; i^ 
they represent her, truly, we believe, to have mounted, iacludii^ 
fimrteen 32- pounder carrooades and six nines on the quarterdeck 
and forecastle, 48 guns. 

Id the month of Janaary, 1806, and not before, Captain 
Kenton was released from bis captivity in exchange for Captain 
iBfemet, of the Intr^pide, taken at the battle of Tra&lgar. At 
a conrt-martial Bubsequentl^ held at Portsmouth, G^ttain Bren- 
ton, his officers, and rarviving ship's company, were not only 
most honourably acquitted for the loss of the Minerre, but 
Ughly praised for their gallant defence of her. 

On the 4th of July, in the evenii^, the British 3S-gun frigate 
Ifaiad, Captain James Waltis, tent her boats, under the orders 
of lieutenant William Dean, assisted by Lieutenant John Louis, 
Lieutenant of marines Robert Irwin, and Messieurs Gordon, 
Glenny, and Stewart, midshipmen, to cut out from among the 
rodcB and shoals of the Saintes near Brest the French national 
schooner Providence, of two guns and 22 men and boys. Lieu- 
tenant IMarbea Preville, onlier way from the foundery near 
Nantes to Brest, laden with heavy cannon, 36, 24, and 18 
pounders, and some choice ship-timber. Notwithstanding all 
the difGculties they bad to encounter in the rapidity of the tide, 
and the number of rocks and shoals with wnich the French 
schooner was surrounded and protected, the British boats brought 
her safely off, without the occanence of the slightest accident. 

On the af^moOQ of the 24th of July a heavy squall from the 
land induced the two French 74s in Cape Francois, toe Duquesne, 
Commodore Pierre-Maurice^uliea Queran^al, and Duguay- 
Tnmin, Captain Claude Touffet, accompanied by the 40-gim 
firigate Guerri^re, Captain Louis-Alexis Beaudouin, to put to 
■ea, in the hope to be able to effect their escape to Europe. On 
clearing the harbour, tbe two 748 hauled to the westward, but 
Bot unseen by a part of the British blockading squadron ,- which 
then consisted of the four 74-gnn ships BelleropboD, Commo- 
dote John Lormg, and Elephant, Theseus, and Vaoguaid, Cap* 
taiw George Dundat, John Bligh* and James Walker. 
• BnMOB, vol. ^ p. tU. 

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192 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPfl. 1803. 

At abont 9 f. h., when darkness favoured the mancBuvre, the 
French ships separated, the Duguay-Trouin tackti^ to the east- 
ward, while the Duquesne continued her course alongshore to 
the westward. The Elephant being the weathermost of the 
chasing ships, was ordered to tack after the Dugua^-Trouin ; 
while the commodore, in the Bellcrophon, accompanied by ther 
18-pounder 32^un frigates £olus and Tartar, Captains Andrew 
Fitzherbert Evans and John Perkins, pursued the Duquesne. At 
about midnight the Theseus and Vanguard joined in the chase. 
On the 25th, at 7 a.m., the Theseus was detached, in conse- 
quence of a heavy firing being heard to the eastward. At 8 a. h. 
a brigand batteiy opened a fire upon the Duquesne, which she 
returned. The Vanguard and Tartar, towards noon, were fast 
coining up with the French ship ; and at about 3 h. 30 m. p.k., 
after an exchange of several shot from bow and stem chasers, 
the Duquesne struck her colours. It appears that the French 
ship sustained no loss ; nor did the Biitisn loss amount to more 
than one man killed and one wounded on board the Vanguard. 
The prize, a fine 74 of 1901 tons, was afterwards added to the 
British navy under her French namef but being, in the following 
year, carelessly run aground on Morant Keys, went to England 
only to be brcucea up. 

The Elephant was not so fortunate as to make a prize of her 
chase. At dayti^t, when ofi* Cape Ficolet, Captain Dundas 
saw the Duguay-Trouia about a mile from him, and immediately 
wore iu pursuit. At 6 a.m. the French 74 opened afire from 
her stern-chasers, and hulled the British ship two or three times. 
Soon afterwards the Elephant gained a position upon the star- 
board quarter of the Duguay-Trouin, and there fired into her 
several distant broadsides. About this time the British 18-gui 
ship-sloop Snake, Captain William Roberts, made herself 
known in the north-west quarter; but the appearance of the 
Guerri^re frigate to windward, or some other unexplained cause, 
prevented the Elephant from maintaining her position. The 
consequence was, that both the Duguay-Trouin ana the Guerri^ 
effected their escape. The Elephant had a few shot in her hull, 
and one in her bowsprit, and sustained some slight damage in 
her rigging and sails ; but it does not appear that a single men 
on board of her was hurt. 

The French 74 and frigate steered straight for Europe, and 
reached latitude 46° 40" north, longitude 1 1° iS* west, without any 
occurrence worth notice. On the 29th of August, in the aftemom 
when as near as that to the port to which they were bound, 
Ferrol, they fell in with the British 38-gun frigate Boadicea, 
Captain John Maitland. The latter immediately ntade sail in 
chase, and before dark ascertained that the strangers were 
enemies. On the 3l9t,at daybreak, the weather being fog^, 
the strange ships were not discernible. At 1 h. 30 m. p. k., 
however, the fog having dispersed, and the wind shifted ftom 



1803. BOADICEA AND DUGUAY-TROUIK. 193 

west to east-north-east, the Duguay-Trouin and Guerri^re again 
made their appearance, and were now bo near as fully to discover 
that the largest and weathermost ship was a French 74. 

Ilis would have justified Captain Maitland in discontinuiner 
the parsoit, except perhaps to watch the enemy's motions and 
endeavour to ascertain his routib. Being aware, however, that 
French ships, ships, singly and in small divisions, were coming 
from the island of St-'Domingo ; and that they were mostly 
anned en flute, and manned with a very sickly, as well as nume- 
rically inferior crew, Captain Maitland resolved to have some 
stronger proof that the two ships to leeward were not of that 
description. Accordingly the Boadicea stood on ; and at 2 
p. H., when passing at the distance of about a quarter of a mile, 
exchanged broadsides with the Duguay-Trouin. The fire from 
the latter, although ineffectual, indicated that the ship was fully 
snoed; and the Boadicea found it necessary to make all sail to 
escape from her opponents so decidedly superior to her. The 
Baguay-Troiiin and Guerri^re, who was considerably to leeward 
of her consort, immediately wore round in pursuit of the British 
filiate i hut finding, at 2 h. 50 m. f. m., that the Boadicea was 
gaining ground, the French 74 and frigate gave over the chase 
and hauled to the south-east. 

Itis stated, in a contemporary worlc, that the Boadicea brought 
down the Dugoay-Trouin's foretopsail yard, and sent several 
Bhot between wind and water; and that, according to the testi- 
mony of a prisoner on board the 74, the latter was compelled to 
keep her pumps incessantly going for three days.* With respect 
to the fall of the topsail yard, no notice is taken of it in the 
Boadicea's log ; and the alleged damage to the hull of the 
Duguay-Trouin rests upon very questionable authority. 

On tbe 2d of Septemoer the latter ship and her consort arrived 
off Cape Prior. Here they fell in with a British squadron, under 
Commodore Sir Edward Pellew. The only ship of this squadron^ 
in a situation to chase with any effect, was the Cnlloden 74, 
Captain Banington Dacres ; and at about 11 h. 50 m. a. m. the 
UUer commenced action with the Duguay-Trouin and Gueni^re, 
tjoA of whom were well to windwai^. The French 74, being 
the weathermost ship, got first into Comnoa, the forts of which 
fired at the CuUoden as she approached. With the frigate the 
latter kept up a running fight until 2 h. 30 m. p. u, ; when, beinr 
almost in the jaws of the port, the British 74 was obliged to haul 
ofi'. The Cutloden had four men wounded ; and the Guerri^re, 
according to the French accounts, six men killed end 1 5 wounded, 
including among the latter her captain and first lieutenant The 
frigate^s mast^and ri^ne were also much cut. 

On the 1 1th of July, m tbe forenoon, as the British 18-gua 
brig-sloop B^icoon (16 carranades> IS-poundere, and two long, 

To1.i.,p.815. 

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194 UGHT 8QVADB0NS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1803. 

wxes*), Captain Austen Bissell, was worluDg betwe«i the islands 
of Guanda aad SL-DomiDgo, she obserred, and inunediately 
bore up for, a French brig-corvette, lying at anchor in Lec^oe 
roads. The latter, which was our old acquaintance the Lodi, now 
reduced in force to 10 guns, 6-pouDdew, and 61 men, and 
commanded by lieutenant Pierft-lsaac Taupier, placed springs 
on her cables, and prepared to repel the attack of the British 
vessel. At3b. 15ni.F. M.,havinganchored,witbaspriog on her 
cable, within 30 yards of the Lodi, the RacotMi commenced the 
action. After a mutual cannonade of 30 minutes' duration, the 
French brig cut her cables, and b^an to make off; whereup<Hi 
the Racoon cut also, and, following closely, compelled her Qp~ 

¥>nent, at the end of 10 minutes more, to strike her colours, 
he Lodi was nearly unri^ed by the , Racoon's well-directed 
fire, and sustained a loss of one man killed and 14 wounded. , 
The Racoon had only one person wounded, master's mate Thomas 
Gill, whose left ann was carried away by a round shot 

On the I7tb of August, at 1 p.m., the Racoon, cruising off 
San-Jago in the island of Cuba, in company with a prize- 
schooner, observed an anned brig coming alongshore; and who» 
soon afterwards, hauled her wind to spaEik a schooner which had 
been avoiding the Racoon since morning. At 3 p. ii, the strange 
brig and schooner bore up together, under all sail, with a strong 
breeze. Captain Bissell stood off until certain of fetchii^ them, 
and then made sail in shore. At 4 h, 15 m. p. m. the 1n^ 
hoisted French colours, and fired a gun, ' still keeping within 
half a mile of the shore, under a press of sail. At 4 n. 20 m. 
P. M. she fired her broadside at the Racoon, and attempted to 
cross the tatter's hawse ; hut the Racoon, although goiug eight 
knots through the water, put her helm hard a-port, and fired her 
broadside, which, as the two vessels were nearly on board of each 
other, bnn^ht down the French brig's studding-sails, topsails^ 
Sec. The latter then luffed up, ran on shore in a small rocky 
bay, and struck her colours. I'o avoid a similar fate, the Racoon 
hove in stays, and, on wearing round, discovered the breakers 
nearly under her stem. In about half an hour the French brig 
rehoisted her colours, and was repeatedly fired upon, in passings 
by the Racoon. Towards sunset the tonner*8 mainmast went 
overboard, end the vessel fell on her beam^ends. As the French 
brig had landed boats full of armed men, and lined the shore, 
and the Racoon was 44 men short of complement, including her 
two lieutenants, Captain Bissell felt himself obliged to refuse the 
application of the master, Mr. James Thompson, to go, with a 
few picked men, and endeavour to bum the vesseL By momiog 
* 
* The R&cooti'9 carronades bed originally been 3S-pounden (s«e voL ii., 
p. S69); but on Much S, 1800, these irereoidered tobe exctuu^edfwSto; 
and, on September 14, 1802, the Utter were agaiD eiduuged for ISi. On 
this subject see vol. i., p. 403, note Y'. 



1803. RACOON AND HUHNE. I 196 

the latter had lost ber remauiittg mast, and lay a perfect wreck, 
foil of water. 

On this occasion the Racoon sustained neither loss nor damage. 
As to the name and force of his opponent, Ct^tain Bissell says, 
" I have since learned her name is la Mutme, national brig, 
carrying 18 long IS-pounders, and was full of men fromPort-au- 
Paix, bound to St.-Jago." Such a force for a brig has not been 
met with. The guns, if 18-pounders, must have been carrc»iades ; 
(»', as is more probable, were long eights or sixes. 

On the I3tn of October, in the afternoon, the Racoon, still 
commanded by the same enterprising officer, while cruising off 
Cumberland luirbour in the isbnd of Cuba, observed Beveral 
vetaets to windward coining close alongshore, all of which, 
before sunset, hauled in towards the harbour. Having heard of 
the evacuation of Port-au-Prince, Captiun Bissell anchned in a 
small bay, in the expectation of seeing those vessels pass him in 
the night Daylight on the 14th discovered eight or nine seuI, a 
Sew nules to windward, nearly becalmed. The Racoon instantly 
weighed, with a fine land wind, and proceeded in chase. At 
6 b. 30 m. A. H. a bng, a schooner, and a cutter, all apparently 
full of men, hoisted French colours, and fired guns to windward. 
The brig attempted to get in-shore of the Racoon, and her two 
consorts, with the assistance of their sweeps and boats, eade»^ 
voured to join her. The land breeze, however, carried the Racooa 
within gtiD-shot of the brig ; which, after receivi^ one or two 
broadsides, struck, and proved to be the Petite-Fille, French 
national gun-brig, having on board 180 troops, including about 
60 officers of alfranks. 

Scarcely had the Racoon sent an officer and a small party of 
men to secure her prize, than the schooner and cutter, having 
got nearly within gun-shot, commenced firing. Calms and 
baffling wmds prevented the Racoon from getting nearer until 
10 a. n., when the sea-breeze set in. At 11a.m. the two 
vessels bore up together, evidently with a determination to board 
the Racoon, the cutter steering for her bows, and the schooner 
hauling out to pass astern. The British brig shortened sail to 
receive her two opponents, but kept herself under sufficient con^ 
mand to counteract their design. When the assailants had 
arrived witbin pistol-shot, the Racoon fired a broadside at the 
cntter, who speedily returned it with long guns and musketry. 
The Racoon then wore round and fired ner opposite broadside 
into the schooner; and so, alternately, maintaining a running 
fight, and preventing either from boarding. This mode of eik- 
gagii^ lasted more than an hour, both schooner and cutter 
keeping up an incessant fire of musketry ; nor was it until she 
bftd been literally beaten to a wreck, and had lost many men in 
killed, that the cutter struck her colours. She proved to be the 
Atuetie, a national vessel, carrying four carriage-guns, with many 
Awivels, aad upwards of 70 troops. 

.Google 



196 LIGHT SQUADKONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1803. 

Having taken possession of the cutter, the Racoon crowded 
sail after the scnooner, the Jeune-Ad^Ie, carrying six small 
guns, and HO troops ; and which vessel, on being approached 
within gun-shot and ^red at, surrendered without further resist- 
ance, otandin? in-ehore to rejoin her first prize, the Racoon 
soon discovered that the Frenchmen on board, while the latter 
was engaging the cutter and schooner, had overpowered the 
priie-crew, and run the brig on shore among the rocks. Captain 
Bissell, however, got back his officer and men. The loss on 
board the cutter and schooner was about 40 in killed and 
wounded: that of the Racoon was only one person wounded, 
Mr. Thompson, the master, who in the early part of the action 
had received a violent contusion, which completely disabled 
-him. 

On the 14th of August, when in latitude 48° north, longitude 
16° west, on her homeward voyage, the British East-Indis 
Company's ship Lord Nelson, Captain Robert Spottiswood, of 
26 guns (20 long 18 and six long 12 pounders), and 102 men 
in crew, exclusive of passengers, was fallen in with by the French 
ship-privateer Bellone, of 34 guns, including 24 long eights on 
her main deck, and 260 men. An action ensued, and lasted an 
hour and a half, when the privateer succeeded in carrying faer 
opponent by boarding, but not until the Bellone had been once 
repulsed, and the Indiaman sustained a loss of five men killed 
and 31 wounded. Placing an officer and 41 men in chaise of 
the Loid-Nelson, the Bellone proceeded with her towards 
Corunna. On the 20th a British frigate chased the two ships, 
and would have retaken the Indiaman, had not the Bellone, 
trusting to her great sailing powers, led away the former. Tlie 
Lord-Nelson, now alone, was attacked on the 23d by an English 
cutter-privateer, of fourteen 6-pounders ; and the jatter, highly 
to the credit of her officers and crew, maintained a two hours' 
action before she was beaten ofiT. 

On the 25th, at 1 p. m., in latitude 46° north, longitude 12" 
west, the British 18-gun bng-sloop Seagull (sixteen 24-pounder 
carronades and two sixes). Captain Henry Burke, discovered 
to leeward and chased the Lord- Nelson. At 6 p. h. the latter 
hoisted French colours, and fired a gun. At 7 p. m., the Sea- 
gull having got within gun-shot, an action commenced; wjiich 
continued, with very slight intermission, until 6 A. H. on the 
26th ; when the brig, having received two shot between wind 
and water, had her masts and rigging much wounded and cot 
up, and her fore yard shot away in the slings, hauled off to refit. 
At 8 h. 30 m., just as the Seagull, having replaced her da maged 
rigging, was about to renew the action, a British squadron, of 
four sail of the line, under Captain Sir Edward Peliew, in the 
80^n ship Tonnant, hove in sight. By noon, or a little after, 
the Colossus, the advanced ship of Sir Edward's squadron, ovep- 
00^ uid recaptured the Lord-Nelson. In her two actions, par- 



1803: BOAT of' THE SHEERNESS IN BREST BAY, 197 

ticnUrly^ id that with the Seagal), the Indiaman had received 
considerable damage in hull, masts, and rising : her loss by the 
biig's fire has not been recorded. The Toss sustained by the 
Seagull amounted to two seamen killed, and seven seaipen and 
one manne wounded. 

On the 9th of September, at daylight, the British hired cutter 
Sheemess, of eignt 4-pounders and 3U men and boys, com- 
manded by Lieutenant Henry Rowed, having the look-out cm 
the French fleet in Brest harbour, observed, close in-shore, two 
chaBse-mar^es stealing towards the port Sending a boat, vrith 
seven men and the mate, to cut off one, the Sbeemess herself 
proceeded in chase of the other, then nearly five miles distant, 
and close under a battery about nine miles to the eastward of 
Bee du Raz. At lU a. m. it fell calm, and the only mode of 
panning the enemy was by a small boat suspended at the stem 
of the Sbeemess, and which with difficulty would contain five 
men. lieutenant Rowed acquainted the crew with his deter- 
mination to proceed in this boat, and called for four volunteers 
to accompany him. Immediately John Marks the boatswain, 
and three others, came forward ; and the boat with her five 
hands pnt off from tlie cotter, in chase of the chasse-mar^e, then 
aboat four miles off, and, by the aid of her sweeps, neaiing the 
shore very fast. 

After the boat had pulled for two hours, the chasse-maree 
WftB seen to run on shore under the above-mentioned battery, 
which stood within a stone's throw of the beach. Notwiu- 
atandii^ this, and that there were 30 French soldiers drawn up 
on the beach to protect the vessel, Lieutenant Rowed continued 
Ilia pursuit ; and, as he and his four followers laid the French 
chasse-maree on board on one side, her crew deserted her from 
the other. It was then that the soldiers opened a heavy fire of 
mnaketry upon the British, who had just commenced cutting the 
cable, and were using other means to get the vessel afloat. In 
order that the French soldiers might not see how to point their 
pieces, the British seamen, although there was not a breath of 
wind, hoisted the foresail ; but of which the halliards, almost at 
the same moment, were shot away. Fortunately for the enter- 
Jpriiing crew now on boa^d the chasse-mar^e, the tide was flow^ 
lUjf and aided their exertions : the vessel got off, and the boat 
commenced towing her from the shore. Fortunately, also, not a 
man of the five was hurt, although, as afterwards counted, 49 
mosket-balls, intended for them, had lodged in the side and the 
two masts of the chasse-maree. 

Scarcely had the prise been towed a third of a mile, when a 
French bcuit, containing an officer and nine men, armed with . 
maskets, and who bad pulled up in the wake of the vessel un- 
observed by the boat ahead of ner, suddenly made her appear^ 
ance alongside. In an instant, and without waiting for any 
orders, John Marks, the boatswain, dropping his oar, and 



198 UGHT SQUADRONS AITO SOTOLE SHIPS. 1803. 

D^eeting to take any bind of weapon in his hancf, leaped from 
the boat on board the chasee-inaree ; and, ruooing to the side 
doee off which the French boat lay, stood, in a ntetmcing atti- 
tude, unarmed as he was, for at least half a minute, until his fottr 
companions, with a Kupply of muskets and ammunition, sod 
who could only quit their ticklish boat one at a time, got to his 
assistance. If not astonishment at the sm;ht,'nt must have been 
a generous impulse, that prevented the Frenchmen horn shoot- 
ing or sabring the brave boatswain; for they were, it seeoM, 
Bear enough to the vessel's side, to have done even the latter. 
Seeing that Lieutenant Rowed apd his four men were deto^ 
mined to defend their prize, the French boat, after a feeble 
■attempt to eet possession, sheered off, the soldiers in herkeepng 
up, for a short time, as they receded from the vessel, aa laef- 
fectual fire of muslcetry. The battery also opened a fire opon 
the cbasse-mar^ as she was towing off; but it proved equally 
haimlesa with that from the soldiers, both on the beach ^id ia 
the boat. 

The capture of two unarmed chaase-marees (for tiie mate had 
taken bis prize without any difficulty) wouM, indeed, be a 
trifling occurrence, were it not for the circumstances under wbiek 
one or them had been boarded and brought off; circumstances 
that ennoble the act, and rank it above many which are blazoned 
in the Grazette, and yield to the parties both praise and promotion.' 
The navy-Hst shows, that Lieutenant Rowed gained no step id 
his profession : indeed it was not, as the same Boeument provoB, 
until nearly ten years afterwards, that he wai made a cob- 
nander. As to the boatswain, he, it appears, on account et tbs 
very station he filled, and, by every account, so well fi^ed, was, 
scnirding to the etiquette of the lervice, excluded from tho 
reward of promotion. It was only, therefore, from the Patriotie 
Fund at Ltoyd's, that he could receive some tesdmoay of Iba 
high (minion entertained of his services. Lieutenant Rowed 
himself made the application, founding it on the inability of the 
admiralty, without violating precedent to provide for the "pool 
fellow; and who," adds his commander, and where was there a 
better judge? " exclusive of his bravery, is a very good ehar- 
rscter.' The eommittee, it is believed, presented Mr. Marks 
wkh a handsome som of money. Acts tike this of Liesteaaiit 
Rowed and his four men (the names of all of whom we would 
leeord, did we know them) deserve to be made pnbhc, if only 
for the examfde they hold out, not of adequate reward certaiidy, 
but of the impunity which often accompanies the most hazardona 
attacks^ Let him, therefore, who is disposed to calcnlate the 
chances of persooal risk that may attend tne enterprise in which 



he is called upon to eaihark, reflect upon the 49 musket-ballB 
wiuch were aimed at, and yet missed, Lieutenant Rowed and 
the fbm- galtaat fellows who were on board of this captand 
French chaase-mar^. 



ogle 



18(^. PRIKCESS-ADGtTOTA WITH UNION AJSD WB&AK. 199 

On the 20th of September, at 5 f. k., the Bri^sh hired cutter 
PrmcesB-Augasta, ofei^ht 4-pouiider8 and 26 men, commanded 
bj Lieutenant Isaac William Scott, being off the Tezel, saw two 
scboonera in the eouth-west, bearing down under British colours. 
Tim cutter, however, suspected them to be enemies, and cleared 
&r action. At 6 h. 30 m. t. m. the schooner hauled down the 
En^iiah and hoisted Dntch colours. The largest, which was the 
Uuon, Lieutenant St^Faust, mounting 12 guns, and stated to 
have had on board 70 men, hailed from to-windward, and tbea 
opened her broadside, which killed the cutter's gunner and boat- 
swain, and mortally wounded Lientenaut Scott The cutter was 
not slow in returning the fire, and successfully repulsed several 
attempts to board. Meanwhile the other schooner, the Wraak« 
l^eotenant Doudet, mounting eight guns, and manned with about 
£0 men, had ranged up under the cutter's lee, and now poured 
ia her broadside. This schooner also made a vain attempt to 
board. After an hour's engagement, during which the urge 
schooner's bowsprit was several times over the cutter's stem, the 
latter beat off both her opponents, with the additional loss of two 
seunen wounded, making a total loss of three, including her 
commander, killed, and two wounded. 

In his dying momenta. Lieutenant Scott recommended the 
■ ■ figh ■' ■ 



r to fight the cutter bravely, and desired him to tell the 

admiral (UrS Keith) that he had done his duty. The heutenant 
certainly had done so, in a manner that became a British officer ; 
and Mr. Joseph Thomas, the master, fully acted np to his com- 
mander's injunctions : he, and the few hands about him, fiinght 
tbeir vessel heroically, and by so doing brought her on in 
saiety. The same Dutch newspaper, from which we have ex- 
tracted the names of the two schotmers, states, that the car- 
penter of the Wraak was lulled, and her first lieutenant and 
aemal of her men badly wounded. 

On the 9th of October, in the evening, the British IS-gun 
brig-stoop Atalante, Captain Joseph Ore Masefield, chased and 
dnm on shore off the mouth of the river Pennerf, near SL- 
Goildas, two Frcitch ketches and one brig. The wind blowing 
directly off shore. Captain Masefield conceived it macticable to 
cot the vessels out ; and accOTdiugly, soon afler dark, the six- 
oared cntter under Ueutenant John Hawkins, and the five-oated 
cott^ under Mr. Richard Bnrstal, the master, were despatched 
mxn that service, the Atalante standing in, as close as the 
sboeli would permit, to protect them. 

At 9h. 30m. p.m. the two boats reached the French vessels, 
when Lieutenant Hawkins, with his boat, boarded and took 
pOBsesBton of the in-sbore vessel, then fast aground within 120 
yards of the beach ; but the British could not succeed ia 
getting her aBoa^ owing to a heavy fire of musketry from a 
nnmb^ of troops drawn up on the beach, assisted by two field- 
jaeeca and a puty of troopa, which had previously embarked 



200 LIGHT 8QUADB0NS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1803.' 

from tbe shore on board of the other two veEsels. Thus fn»> 
trated in his plan, the hentenant cut the cable of the veBsel, and 
then abandoned her to go to the asBistance of bis coadjutor in 
the other boat. 

In the mean time Mr. Burstal, with a sergeant of marines and 
five other men, in defiance of a party of 10 Boldiers armed with 
muskets and bayonets, had boarded and carried the French 
brig; but not until the former bad killed six of the soldieis, 
hove two overboard, and drove the remainder, with the brig^s 
crew, down her hatchway. Finding that this vessel, besides 
being light and of no value, was also fast ground upon a ridge 
of rocks, Lieutenant Hawkins, who had now joined his com- 
panion, contented himself widi cutting the brig's cable; not 
thinking proper, from motives of humanity, to set tbe vessel on 
fire, as several people were beard below, supposed to be woonded. 
In this very dashing little exploit, Mr. Burstal's boat, in board- 
ing the French brie, had one man killed and two wounded, tbe 
only loss sustained by the British. 

On the 26th of October the British IS-gnn ship-sloi^ Osprey, 
Captain George Younghusband, being oS Trinidad, aaw and 
chased a suspicious sail under the land. On arriving within 
fi»iT miles of tbe stranger the Oeprey found herself becabned, 
and at tbe same time discovered, from the number of sweeps 
rowed by her, that the vessel was a privateer. The Osprey's 
further progress being checked by the calm, Captain Yoan^ 
husband despatched tiiree boats, under tbe command of Lieu- 
tenant Robert Henderson, in tbe catter, to attempt tbe capture 
of the schooner. The unequal speed of the boats being greatly 
in favour of the cutter. Lieutenant Henderson, apprehensive that 
if he waited for bis companitms the privateer would escape, coek 
tinued to pull ahead, and at length, with bis 17 seamen, in tbe 
bravest maimer, under a heavy fire from the guns and musketry 
of the vessel, boarded and captured the French privateer- 
schooner Ressource, mounting four 4-pounders, with a crew of 
43 men, of whom two were killed and 12 wounded. On board 

be cotter. Lieutenant Henderson and four seamen were wounded, 

ne of the latter dangerously. 

On the 27th of October the British 16-gun ship-sloop Merlm, 
Captain Edward Pelbam Brenton, and 14-gun schooner Mil- 
brook, Lieutenant Mauritius Adolphus Newton De Starck, dis- 
covered the French lugger-privateer Sept-Fr^res, of two canine- 
guns and 30 men, commanded by Captain FoUet, endeavounng 
to get into Calais. Captain Brenton immediately despatched in 
pursuit of her the boats of the Merhn, under the prders of Lien- 
tenant Henry Clement Thompson, who had already lost an arm 
in the service. Finding her retreat effectaally cut off by the 
Bntish boats, the lugger ran herself on shore about half a mile 
to the westward of Gravelines. In tbe evening the MiLbrook 
stood in, and anchored within mosket^hot of tbe Sept-Fr^rea; 



1803. BOATS OF THE BLANCHE IN SUNCENILLE BAY. 201 

and, in the face of a heavy fire opened upon the schooner aud 
the boats by some field>piecea broneht down to the beach, the 
British totally destroyed the French lugger, without incurring 
any loss, although the MUbrook. was several times atnick by 
shot 

On the 3d of November, while the 18-pounder 36-gun frigate 
Blanche, Captain Zachary Mudge, was lying at an anchor off 
tbe entrance of ManceniUe bay, island of SL-Domingo, the 
French cutter Albion, anned with two 4-pounders, six swivels, 
and 20 muskets, and manned with 43 officers and men, was dis- 
covered lying close to the guis of Monte-Christi, waiting to 
cany her cai^, consisting of 52 bullocks, to the rehef of the 
gamson of Cape-Francis. As the cutter, notwithetandiug her 
proximity to the fort, which mounted four long 24~pounder8 and 
three field-pieces, appeared to be assailable, Captain Mudge, on 
the same day, despatched the launch, baige, and two cutters, 
'with 63 officers and men, under the conmiand of Lieutenant 
William Braithwaite, to attempt cutting her out. The boats 
Tetunted unsuccessful, not owing to any lack of zeal in officers 
or men, but to their having proceeded to the attack in open 
day, with the sea-breeze blowing right into the bay. The bat- 
tel, in consequence, had begun early to fire at the boats, and 
■con convinced Lieutenant Braithwaite that, should he even 
succeed in capturing the cutter, it would, in the state of the 
wind, be imposaible to get her irom the shore without a great 
sacrifice of lives. 

With more judgment, a night attack was determined upon, 
and lieutenant ^ward Nici^, of the marines, volunteered, 
with one boat, to attempt cut^g out the vessel- His offer was 
adapted ; and on the evening of the 4th the red cutter, with 13 
men, including himself, pushed off fixim the frigate. A doubt 
leapecting tke sufficiency of the force, or some other cause^ 
indaced Captain Mudge to order the barge, with 22 men, under 
the orders of Lieutenant the Htxioorable Warwick Lake, first of 
the Blanche, to follow the red cutter and supersede Lieutenant 
KicoUs in the conmiand. The second boat iomed the first, and, 
as soon as the two arrived abreast of the French cutter, Lieu- 
traant NicoUs hailed Lieutenant Lake, and pointed her out to 
him; but the latter professed to disbelieve that the vessel in 
sight was the Albion : he considered that she lay on the opposite - 
or DOrth-east side of the bay, and with the baige proceeded in 
that direction ; leaving the iBd cutter to vratch the motions of 
the vessel, which Lieutenant NicoUs still muntained was the 
Albion, the object of their joint search. 

It was now 2 h. 30tn. a. m. on the 6th, and the land wind was 
blowing fresh out of the bay. An hour or two more, and the 
day would b^in to dawn, and the breeze to slacken, perhaps 
wholly to sulwide. The men in the boat were few, but their 
hearts were stoat. In short the red cutter commenced pulling. 



202 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SIKGLE SRTP8. ISOH. 

cautiously and silently, towards the FrenclL veasel ; the crew of 
which, expecting a second attack, had made preparatioiM to 
meet it. As soon aa the boat arrived Trithin pigtoUshot, the 
cutter bailed. Replying to the hail with three hearty cheers, 
the boat rapidly advanced, receiving in quick succession two 
▼olleys of musketry. The first passed over the heads of the 
British ; hut the secmd severely wounded the coxswaki, the man 
at the bow-oar, and a marine. Before the French cutter could 
fire a third time, Lieutenant Nicolls, at the heed of his little 
party, sprang on board of her. The French captain was at his 
post, and diEcharged his pistol at Lieutenant Nicolls just as the 
latter was within a yard of him. The ball passed round the rim 
of the lientenant's belly, and, escaping through bis side, lodged 
in the fieshy pert of bis right arm. Almost at the same moment 
a ball, either from the pistol of Lieutenant NicoDs, or from the 
musket of a marine standing near him, killed the French cap- 
tain. After this the resistance was trifling; and the survivi^ 
officers and men of the Ffeodi cutter were presently driven 
below and subdued, with the loss, besides tbeir captain killed, 
of five men wounded, one of them mortally. 

As yet, not a shot had been fired fiom ue battenr, although 
it was distant scarcely 100 yards from the cotter. Judging tint 
tbe best way to keep the battery quiet would be to maintain the 
appearance of the Albicm's beine still in Freoch posBewioo, aod 
able to repulse ber assailants, Lieuteoant Nicolls ordned tbe 
marines of his party to continue firing their muskets: tfae'se»* 
men, meanwhile, busied tbenselTes in getting the vessel under 
sail. A sprii^ having been run out from tbe cutter's quarter to 
her cable, and tbe jib cleared, the cable was cut, and the jib 
hoisted to cast her. At this moment tbe bar^e came alongside, 
and Lieutenant Lake toc^ conunand of tbe pme. Scarcely had 
be done so, aad the musketry by his orders been discontinued, 
when tbe Inittery opened a fire of ronnd and grape, which killed 
two of the Blanche's people. However, the breeze being finr, 
and blowing moderately strong, the captured cutter, vrith twO 
boats towing her, soon ran oat of gun-^ot, and withoot incur' 
rii^ any further loss, joined tbe frigate in the offing. 

Cutting out an aimed vessel is usually a desperate service, 
and the prize seldom repays the loss which is sustained in cap- 
turing her. The spirit engendered by such acts is, however, of 
the noblest, and, in a natitmal point of view, of tbe most useful 
kind : its emolative influence spreads from man to man, and (mm 
ship to ship, until the ardour tor engaging in services of danger, 
services, the repeated success of wnich nas stamped a lasting- 
character upon tbe British navy, requires iflore frequently to be 
checked than to be incited. An attack by boats upon an armed 
sailing -vessel, as respects tbe first foouhold upon ber det^ 
especially, may be likened to the " lorlom hope" of a besiegiag 
army; great is the peril, and great oii^ht to befhetewanJ. So 



1803. BOATS OF THE BLANCHE IN MANCEHULE BAY. 203 

tiie nwwd nsnalhf is, if tbe aSkir be represented ia ite true 
colcmn to the proper anthonty. Tbe same c^cer, viho, when 
about to traDsmit to bis goveranieQt the accouot of an engage- 
meot between hie ebip and another, feais saying too much, teat 
he should be chai^eable with egotism, when, id the routine of 
hie duty, he has to write about an act performed exclusively by 
hia Buboniinates, enters minutely into the merits of the case, 
points out those who distinguished themselves, and separates, 
as well as he is able, tbe actual combatants from such as, by 
accident or otherwne, did not partake of the dai^r; welt 
knowing that, without this act of justice on his part, promotion, 
honours, and other rewards, may light upon the undeserving, 
vriiile he who feoght and bled, he who, both planned and 
achieved the enterprise, may find himself passed over and neg- 
lected. 

The captain ef the Blanche had a fine opportunity, withonl 
detncth^ from the bravny of one party, to state tbe good for^ 
tone (call it nothing else) <rf the otoer. Here follows nis letter 
to the admiiahy : " Having gained intelligence that there was a 
lai^e coppered cutter full of bullocks .for the Cape, laying close 
VDOer the guns of Moote-Christi (four 24-paniiderH and three 
firid-pieees), notwithstanding her eitoation, I was convinced we 
coald brii^ her off; and at two this morning' she was masterly 
and gallantly attacked by Ltentenant lake, in the cutter, ana 
lientenaot Nichols of tbe marines, in the barge, who cut her 
omL She is ninety-two tons bartheii, coppered close-up and 
fastened, vritfa two 4-pounder8, six swivels, and twenty muskets. 
This affair cost me two men killed, and two wovnded." 

The mistatements in this letter, now that the correct details 
wn conftoDted with them, discover their importance ; and it 
esmot be doubted, Aat Captain Mudge bad a favourite whom 
ha was determined to serve, no matter at whose expense. How 
came he not to name lieutenant Nieolls among the wounded ? 
It was not a scratdi of his tinger nor a graze of his shin, but a 
hole on each side of his body and a ball in his arm, that sent him 
bleeding to the Blanche's cockpit. Who would expect that, of 
the " two" men wounded, one was a commissioned officer ? In 
every case, mcept tins, the rank, if not tbe name, of the officer 
is stated in the official letter ; and, in some letters, the smallest 
boy in the ship, if he has been wounded ever so slightly, tnay- 
find his name m tbe returns. The name of Lieutenant " Nichols, 
however, as the commanding officer of rnie of the boats (not of 
" tbe barge"), entitled him, in the estimation of the committee 
at Lloyd's, to a second best claim upon their bounty ; so that, 
when the Patriotic Fund presented Lieutenant Lake, " for bis 
mllsotry," with a swonl valued at 50L, they gave Lieutenant 
Sliccdls one valued at 30/. Another quarter, equally deceived, 
protnoted one officer, btit, tmtil a subsequent explanation at 
least, ptud no attention to tba claims of tbe other. 



304 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1803. 

Between the two attacks upon tbe Albion, another boat-partjr 
from tbe Blanche captured, in a very gallant manner, a vessel of 
superior force. On the 4th, in the morning, the launch, enned 
with a 12-poundercarronade, and manned with 28 men, nnder 
the command of Mr. John Smith, master's mate, attacked, and 
afleran obstinate conflict of 10 minutes boarded and carried, as 
she was coming out of the Caracol passage, a French schooner, 
mounting one long 8-pounder on a pivot, and manned with 30 
men, of whom one was killed and tive were wounded. The 
launch had one man killed and two wounded. The prize was a 
beautiful ballahon-schooner, and had on board a considerable 
quantity of dollars. 

In his official letter, announcing the capture of this schocmer. 
Captain Mudge says, " She is one of the finest vessels of her 
class I ever saw, and is fit for his majesty's service;" and, to 
show how ready he was, in some cases, to atone for his apparent 
select of a yonng officer, Captain Mudee in a postscript adds, 
" I have omitted mentioning the Honoarable Frederick Berkley ; 
but the only apology I can make is saying he behaved nobly, 
and was much to be envied." 

A day or two after the afiair of Mr. Smith, midshipman 
Edward Henry a'Court, with a marine and seven seamen, was 
despatched from the Blanche in the red cutter, to collect sand 
for the use of the ship. Although it had been ordered that 
youngsters, sent upon services of this kind, lest their pugnacious 
spirit should lead them intodanger, were not to be allowed arms, 
the men in the boat, before they pushed off from the frigate, con- 
trived to smuggle five or six muskets through the porta. It so 
Itappened that, in the dusk of evening, the boat fell in with a 
schooner, nearly becalmed. The midshipman and bis little 
party of aanders unhesitatingly pulled towards her; and, as she 
nad the appearance of a privateer, and might open a cannonade 
upon them, Mr. a'Court judiciously kept in her wake. Just as 
the boat had approached the stem of the schooner, a fire of 
musketry from the latter mortally wounded one man, and badly 
wonnded another, of tbe boat-party. Mr. a'Court, nevertheless, 
pulled straight up alongside, and, with the assistance of his five 
remaining bands, boarc^ and carried a French schooner, bound 
to Cape-Francois, having among her passengers, a detachment 
of between 30 and 40 soldiers, commanded by a colonel, who 
had fought, bled, and distinguished himself, at the battle of 
Arcole. His wound was a fractured scull, and, upon the piece 
of plate that covered the denuded part, and which extended over 
a great portion of one side of his uead, was engraven, in large 
characters, the word " Arcole." 

When asked how he could surrender to so insignificant a 
force, the French colonel, with a shrug replied, that it was all 
owing to " le mal dp mer ;" and that, bad he been tm shore, tbe 
case would haw been otherwise. Let that have been as it mfty^ 

Google 



1803. BOATS OF BLENHEIU AND DRAKE AT MARTINIQUE. 30S 

the conduct of youDg a'Court eviof^ unparalleled gallantly, a 
conBideiable degree of judgment, and certainly both the officer 
and men in the ooat deserved to have their names recorded for 
the bravery they had displayed. 

No public mention was made by Captain Mudge of this 
afiair, which is, we think, entitled to the publicity end the praise 
which we have endeavoured to render to a young, enterprising, 
and gallant officer. 

On the 14th of November, while the British 74-gDn ship 
Blenheim, Captain Thomas Graves, lay at anchor off the Dia- 
mond Rock, island of Martiniaue, intelligence reached her that 
the French privateei^schooner Harraonie, a vessel the most de- 
structive to commerce of any in the Caribbean sea, had just put 
into the harbour of Marin in the bay of Sainte-Anne. The 
Blenheim immediately weighed, but, having a strong sea-breeze 
and leeKiurrent to contend with, did not, until the morning of 
the 16tli, arrive abreast of Marin. Having reconnoitred the 
harbour, the battery on eaqh ude of it, and that situated above 
the town. Captain Graves resolved to detach 60 seamen under 
lieutenants Tnomas Cole and Thomas Furber, and 60 marines 
under Lieutenants George Beatty and Walter S. Boyd, to at- 
tempt cutting out the privateer. The seamen in their boats were 
to attack the latter ; while the marines were to endeavour to 
surprise, or in any event to storm, Fort-Dunkirk, a battery of 
nine gune, situated on the starboard side of the harbour, and 
the possession of which was necessary, to prevent the island 
tnilitia from rendezvousine on Marin point, whence they could 
have much annoyed the British boats on their return. 

Just as the party was about to proceed, the British 14-gnn 
brig-sloop Drake, Captain William Ferris, accompanied by the 
hired armed cutter Swift, joined the Blenheim. Captain Ferris, 
having volunteered, was permitted to take the command of the 
expedition, and to add 14 of the Drake's seamen to the 60 from 
tlie Blenheim, making a total of 134 seamen and marines, 
officers included. All things being prepared, the boats with the 
seamen, towed by the Drake, and those with the marines, by the 
Swifl, at 11 p. M., proceeded off the mouth of Marin harbour, 
about three miles from the entrance to which the privateer lay. 
By judiciously timing their departure from the ship, both parties 
arrived at the same instant at their respective destinations. The 
marines surprised the fort, took 15 prisoners, dismounted and 
spiked the guns, among which were six 24-pounders, deiitfoyed 
tne carriages, and blew up the magazine ; but Lieutenant Beatty 
hufnandy spread the barracks, as, had they been set on fire, a 
large and ripe field of canes adjcHning would inevitably hare 
been destroyed. 

The boats with the seamen passed the battery on the larboard 
Bide of the harbour undiscovered, but the privateer was npon 
ber guard, and commenced a heavy fire on the British ; who^ 

vie 



306 UGHT 5QUADAON8 AKD SINGLE SHIPS. 1803. 

severtbelefis, ia the uoetpioinpt and gaUant manner, boarded, and 
in a few miautes carried her. The aeamea had <me of their 
number killed and five wounded; the mariiieB, although fired 
upon by two aeotinels, had no one hurt. The Uarmooie, mount- 
ing eight carriage-guns, with a complement of 66 men, had two 
of the latter killed and 14 wounded. The boats, accompamed 
by their prize, repoGsed the lu'board fort, wilhlii muBLet-sbot, 
but were so fortunate as to escape without further loss. In the 
conduct of thia enterprise, much judgment as well as gallantry 
was evinced ; without which, from the many obstacles opposed 
to euccees, the result might not have been so favourable. 

On the night of the 10th of December the British 18-pounder 
36-gun frigate Sbanuon, Captain Edward Leveson Gower, in 
company with the 16-gun ship-sloop Merlin, Captain Edward 
Pelnam Brenton, while standing across from Cape La H&ve to 
Cape La Hougue, in a gale of wind from the south-soutlt-weet, 
was taken under the lee bow by the fiood-tide, and earned up 
towards the river Isigoy; "and, when the captain supposed 
himself to the northward of Cape Barfleur, he hod that lighu 
bouse bearing about north."* The night was esitremely oaik 
and tempestuous, and the Shannon, about 8 p.h., struck, the 
^und. The Merlin just then got a glimpse of the Laud in a 
flash of lightning, and instantly wore from it under h^ foresail 
and close-reefed main topsail. The Shannon, a fine new frigate 
of 881 tons (sister vessel to the Tribune), just launched, was 
totally wrecked : her officers and crew, fortunately, were all 
saved, but made priBooerB^y the French. 

On the I6tb,at llh. 30 m. a.m., Barfleur lighthouse bearing 
north half-west distant four leagues, the Merlin discovered her 
late consort the Shannon on shore under the batteries of Tatibou 
islaod. At 5 p. u., having approached quite near to the wreck, 
Captain Brenton despatched two boats manned and armed, 
under the orders of Lieut^iuits John Sheridan and Henry Cle- 
ment ThiHnpsoD, to endeavour to set fire to and destroy the 
frigate ;, a service which these officers effectually executed, with- 
out the loss of a man, although exposed to a heavy fire fram the 
French batteries. About three years and three months after 
the loss of the Shannon, her late captain and officers, having 
returned tq their counby, were honourably acquitted of aU 
blame by the sentence of a court-martial. 

COLONIAL SXFBDITIONS. — WS8T IKDIBB. 

A renewal of the war brings na again to the round of sno- 
ceasful operations agunst the colonies of the weaker maritime 
powers. On the 2Ist of June, at ] 1 a. m., Commodore Samael 
Hood, with the 74-gun ships Centaur and Courageux, Captains 

voLiii., p. a02, 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



1603. COMMODORE UOOD AT SAlNTE-LUCIE. 207 

Bendall Robert Liulehales and Beojamia UaUowell, and some 
smaller vessels, having on board a detachment of the British 
army under Lieutenaot-geoeral Grinfield, anchored in Choc- 
bay, Sainte-Lucie, for the purpose of reducing the island. 
Before & r. u., hy the able disposition of Captain UaUowell, the 
whole of the troops were disembarked in good order. At 5 b. 
30 m. F. H. the French outworks were driven in, and the town 
of Castries taken. The commandant of Mome-Fortun^ the 
principal fortress of the island, was then summoned to surrender. 
Brigadier-guieral Nogues recusing to do so, the works were 
stormed at 4 A. H. on the 22d, and at 4 h. 30 m. were carried, 
with a loss to the British army of 20 officers and men killed, and 
1 10 wounded. What was the exact streuo^th of the garrison, or 
the loss which the French sustained in resibting the afisauIt,doe8 
not appear by the official despatches ; but it is stated, to the 
credit of the British, con&idenng the custom on such occasions, 
that not a Frenchman was hurt after possession of the place 
had been obtained. 

On the third day after etfecting this capture, the Centaur, 
accompanied by some smaller Tcssels containing a division of 
the troops, sailed from Sainte-Lucie to attack Tobago. On the 
31st the expedition arrived off the island, and on the same day 
tbe troops, covered by a heavy fire from the ships of war, 
landed without loss, bo rapid and so decisive were the move- 
ments of the British, that in the evening General Berthier com- 
manding at Fort-Scarborough proposed a capitulation ; which, 
by half paatfour the following morning, was acceded to, and the 
island of Tobago aeain became a colony of Great-Britain. 

Previously to the end of September the Dutch colonies of 
Demerara, Esseqnibo, and Berbice, had also changed masters, 
with equal facility, aud bamiily without bloodshed. In the river 
Demerara was captured the Batavian 14-gnn corvette Hippo- 
mene«. 

About the middle of June, which was almost immediately 
after the intelligence of the recommencement of hostihties 
reached the island of Jamaica, a squadron of ships sailed from 
Port-Royal, to cruise iu the neighbourhood of St.iDomingo, aud 
co-operate with the Black insurgents in freeing the island of the 
small remnant of French whom the scurvy and the yellow fever 
had yet spared, and who still retained possession of the line of 
posts on the sea-coast Hitherto their ships had enabled the 
French to hold and provision these ; but the British ships soon 
drove away or captured the tbrmer, and eiTectually shut up the 
ports against all succours and supplies from Europe or else- 
where. 

By the end of October the only ports remiuning in the hands 
of the French, in what was formerly the Frenwi part of the 
island of Saint-Domingo, were Cape-Francois and the mole of 
St-Nicbolas. At the Utter port General iioailles commanded, 

.Googk 



208 COLONIAL EXPEDITIONS.— WEST . INDIES, 1803. 

at the former General Rochambeau. Cai)e-Fraii9ois, besides 
being blockaded at sea 1^ the British, was inveBted on land by 
the insurgents ; and the French garrison had the additional mis- 
fortune of bein? reduced to a state bordering on famine. 

Thus situated, General Rochambeau, on the 17th of Novon- 
ber, proposed to Commodore John Loring, the commanding 
officer of the British blockading force, to evacuate the Gape, 

Erovided he and his garrison were suffered to go to France oa 
oard one or more of the ships of war in port. Such terms 
were of course rejected. The General then concluded a trea^ 
with Dessalines, by which, in 10 days from the 20th of Norem- 
ber, be was to evacuate the Cape and its dependencies, and to 
be allowed, himself, and his troops, and their baggage, to retire 
on board the French ships lying in the harbour. By the fifth 
day General Rochambeau had embarked his garrison, and hoped 
to escape the English squadron ; but the latter was too vigilant 
to aSbra the former even an opportunity of making the attempt. 
On the 30th, the day on which the truce expired, the Negroes 
hoisted their colours upon all the forts, ana began to prepare 
for sinking the French ships with red-hot shot, should they any- 
longer delay their departure. To know the reason of this delay. 
Captain Loriog bad sent in Captain Bligh with a fiag of truce; 
when, at a meeting between him and Captain Barre, the French 
naval commanding ofiGcer, a rough sketch of a capitulation, was 
drawn up and signed, and General Dessalines was induced to 
allow the French ships, with colours hoisted, to sut out of 
the harbour. They were then, after firing each a broadside in 
return to a shot discharged atiiwart their bows by one of the 
British ships, to haul down the French colours and surrender. 

The 40-gun frigate Surveillante, accompanied by some smaller 
Teasels, came out in this manner, and was taken possession of 
by the British ; but the Clorinde, another 40-gun frigate, in her 
way out grounded upon the rocks under Fort SL-Joseph at the 
entrance of the harbour, and beat oS her rudder. The frigate, 
in short, was in so desperate a situation, that the British boats, 
which had been detached to assist the French ships in getting 
out of the mole, were returning to the squadron, upon a suppo.> 
aition that no efforts of theirs could save the Clorinde. The 
ship, which was thus abandoned to her &te, had on board, besides 
a small crew of from 150 to 200 men, General Lapoype and 
700 French troops, t<^ther with several of the officers' wives, 
thdr women-servants, and children ; in all full 900 souls. 

Among the boats of the squadron, employed upon the service 
just mentioned, was the launch of the Hercule, manned with 
from 30 to 40 hands, under the command of Acting-lieutenant 
MisbetJoBiahWilloughby. From slow-pulling, or ftom some other 
nnexplained cause, retarded in her progress, the launch was 
among the rearmost of those boats. Anxious to rescue so many 
pencHia as were evidently <m board the Clorinde, from the oer- 



1803. COMMODORE LORIXO AT ST.-DOMmGO, 309 

tuD death that awaited them, either by periehing id the Bhip, or 
by bein^ massacred, as was the execrable practice, oq the shore; 
feeling it to be almost a stigma upon the character of the British 
navy not to make an effort to sare hnman beirgs, political 
enemies especially, so critically circumstaoced, Lieutenant Wit- 
loogbby took upon himself the whole responsibility, and put 
hack with his launch towards the grounded ship. 

Finding, as he approached the Clorinde, that her side was 
crowded with men ready to spring into the first boat which came 
alongside, and knowing that his people, as well as those who 
entered tiie launch from the ship, would fall an immediate sacri- 
fice, the lieutenant searched for, and with difficulty procured, a 
email punt In this he embarked, directing the launch to lay off, 
and was sooa on board the frigate ; which he found heeling 
much and beating heavily. Despairing now of saving the ship, 
lieut^iaat Willonghby yet resolved to put in practice every 
resoarce to save her numerdos crev#. As the most feasible plan 
which BQgeested itself, the lieutenant represented to General 
Lapovpe uutt, as by the terms of the capitulation the French 
tew^s of wu' were; to haul downtheir colours when dutude th6 
harbour, it would not be a greater BacriGee of national honour, 
coomdeiiiig the situation of the Clorinde, if he did so imme- 
diately, ei^ gave the fHgate up to him. Lieutenant Willoughby 
would then, ne said, hoist English colours, wtiit upon General 
DeBsalines, and demand, not only thAt the British flagshould'bt 
respected, but that, if assistahce could not be procured from 
the shore, and the Clorinde should be lost in the night then &st 
approachiog, the crew and passengers should be considered a& 
priBoners to the BrifSsb,' and be protected until the commanding 
officer of die squadron had It in his power to send for them.' 

General Lapoype readily assenting to the t^nns proposed, the 
iP^ench fl^#ai hauled down,'aRd repla«bd'by the Bntiah flag; 
and lientananl' Willo^hby- imm^iat^Iy hailed the HaytiaA 
(Acer in'comfflUid of' Port St'Josef^, and expressed a wish td 
-wait upon Oenei^ DeAaliimsi ' Permissioti v^s' grafted, ' and 
laentenaat Willotighby, ftftet- experiencing ' some difficulty in 
landiog', obtained an interview wiui thtt'Hayfian general; who 
not only received the British lieutenant with great urbanity, but 
IHromiaed all that he requested. With the assistance thus ob- 
tained, and that of two or three more boats which had jast 
joined from the squadron, and' favoured by a sudden fell in the 
wind, Lieutenant Willoughby succeeded in heaving the Clorinde 
off the rocks.' Thus, " to the uncomnion exertions and pro- 
fession^ ftbifitiea,'' as Kear^admiral Duckwortli happily expresses 
it, of Acting-lieutenant Willoughby, was owing the preservatioq 
of more than 'dpCT people's lives, and ^e -acquisitiop to the 
Sritish navy of' a frigate whicbj with her late consort, the 
Surfeillaiite, cotifinued, for many years afterwaids, to be one of 
flu finest Blups (tf the .36-gim. diui. 
TOL. lui' r 



,i,zedi!v Google 



310 coLONUL EKPiatrnom.f~-mssi jssaxs. 18t3. 

. Having now no French fane to blockade «i Gape-FisD^ow* 

Commodore Loring bore up for the mo]e of SuatrNwidaB, to 
treat with M. NoailleB, the French genetal in ctanmand there. 
On the 2d of Cecember a piopoeition to that efieot tfu made; 
but the general declined acceding to the teroM, aUegwg that be 
had proTiaiong for fi.ve mQBths, and would not swrenaer until 
the laet extremity. The Bellmtphon and s^uadres then pao- 
ceeded with the prizes and prisoners to Jasmca. On the Tery 
mgbt on which the blockade ctf the Mole was raised, Geaemi 
Tfoailles, having previously made his arraogemeDta, saded out ai 
.the port) with bia garrison contained in aeven amaU mseels, md 
srnved in safej^ at the island of Cutn. Amoiig the Fic ncfc 
" Victoii«8 et Oonqufites/' recorded in a work beanng d»t thl^ 
is en extraordinary one performed by M. IfoBillea on im ebott 
voyage to Cuba- U seems that " mie corvette a»gLai6(v"<cK)aHd 
the path of lus brig (on what day ot night is not stated), end 
bailed her, to know if General Boailles was on baud. Vbe 
French brig concealed her numerous crew, and, hMStii^ ^^^*gtiffli 
colours, declared that ehe also had been aent to intercept ifae 
general and his garrison. The two vossels then steered in com- 
pany ; and, in we night. General Kowllea, at the head of 30 
grenadiers, leaped on board of, tind alter a short resiataBee 
caniedj the " corvette anglaise." The conqueror proceeded irith 
his prize to Havana, and died shortly afterwards of the wounds 
he nad received in the action. Notwithstandii^ the gimve 
manner in which this story is told, the BritiBh navy lost no 
" oorvette," or even 4-gun schooner, l^ capture in theae re—, 
in the year 1803. 

Thus, by the departure of the last European garriscn haa the 
French part of the island of Saint- Domineo, were the negFoes, 
After a long and sanguinary struggle, fteeo from their invaders. 
A part of Uie latter &d pienously escaped to the Spanvh put 
of the island ; and OeoaaJs Kerverflees and Ferrand, with a.few 
troops, still occupied the cities of Santo-Domingo and San-Jaso. 
According to a French writer, Ftaace, by her expedition to uis 
inland, lortSOjgeueraloffic^fs^Dpwarasof 40,000 moi.* lUa 
junouot muftt mclude colonial tioop^ wid some renifbncaiMDte 
tvhich «e have not been aUe to emaocrate. 



EAST uroiBS. 

It has already been stated that, on tix 6th cf MEurch, a BDall 
Prendi squadron, consisting of one 74, three frigates, and two 
(mnsports, with a French eovemo^«;eneTal ana about 1350 
tKiope on board, auled from the road ofBres^ boimd to the Eaaf 
Indies, for the an^;ed puipoae of taking posaessicHi ofPon^ 
dterry, ceded to France by the trea^ of AnueD8.t On the 28^ 

• TKt^RafltOi>DqaitatMM«if.,|M«Mb ftvp^m^ 



i.,Cioo^[c 



I8(3t JUHtURALS EUUNIER AND UNOIS. $\\ 

of April, in a Tirient gale of nind, the Selle-Poule parted coot* 
puiy from the squadron : and, ^though she called at Madftf 
gascar, this ^t-sailiog frigate aDchoredin Poadicberry rgad qq 
the 16th of JwM, being the 102d day Croox her quitting BreajL 

The Belle-Ponle brought out a French colonel, appointed 
B«ttenaut£OTemor under M. Decaeu; and who now, in pur* 
auance of his inBtructiooe, called upon the commanding offlcety 
of the duSerent fectories to restore the Bettleuieot agreeably t9 
the article in the treaty. Owing to the want of orders, or to tha 
informality of the appucation, the latter declined giving up their 
change ; and thus matters remained, when, oq the 5th of Jnly^ 
Vice-admiral Peter Rainier, with the 50^o ship Centurion^ 
Captain John Sprat Kainier, 74^n ship 'nemeodoui, Captaia 
John Osbom, o4'gun ships Trident and Laacaater, Captains 
TbomftB Surridge and WilUam Fothemll, 44 eo-fllite Sheecnesfi 
frigates Concorae, D^daigneuse, and Fox, and Bhip>Bloop Victor^ 
from Bombay, partly in consequence of information from £nglaiK& 
nepremtiDg that the peace Was not rery secure, anchored m tha 
road of Cuddalore, situated about 20 miles to the souUi-weat of 
Pondicherrj. Coosequeaily, when, aa the moming of the 11th 
of July, Keai-admiral Liuchb, with the Marengo 74, and Atalantd 
and S^millante fri^ates^ joined the Belle-Poule, Pondicherry and 
its dependeacies sbll remained in the hands of the British. 

Aware that his own and General Decaen'e mission to the Eeal 
bad an object in new covertly inimical to British interests, tha 
French admiral could well have dispensed with the presence of 
a British squadron ; and yet no sooDer had he anchored ^an hi 
found himself overlooked by one, consiBtiDg of three sail of ttw 
line, a 50, and four or five smaller vessels. Two of the squadFODy 
the Trident and Victor, at this tiote lay at anchor in Poi^icheny 
road ; and the remainder, inclodii^ the flag-ship, in the load m 
Cuddalore. As socm as he observed the French squadron cama 
to anchor, the British admiral got under way, and advanced 
nearer ; uid, on being joined bv the Trident and Victor, wha 
had weighed since noon, reanchored at 7 p. m, about midway 
between Cuddalore and Pondicberr^ roads.. On the I2th, ttt 
10 A.K., the French transport brv Marie-Fnucpiae jmoed 
Admntal linois, and at Qv.u. Ae Mi»Mivette B^r, witb 
despatahes fiwob France. TIm reeeel bad' quitted Bnst t«t 
dajs later than the Mavengo* and, A was tiaoentood, br 
oat the sobstance of t^ lung of Ea^aad's awsMge i 
■arlianait <^ March. 8 ; «rith cuiacticma to M. Linois to repair 
instantly to the IsIb at Vmatie, tbwe to grthi* ships, alrml}' 
zrmtd and "f^tp^ on a war estaUishnwat, refitted aad fn^ 
Tisioned,.aiid.axpaitt evary d^ to retire tm onter to comaeBM 
t^ i liti ea aniBst th» EngUaiL Tbi» a^»ean to haw beaa. tW 
sabstance of these desp^tebef , bat their faU contents h 



tnu»[nred. The instructions pot into the hands of M. Decaea 
when be sailed fioBLFnuue„ and wfaicb. ^ptar to hare been 



413 COLONIAL EXPEDmONS.— £AST INDIES. 1803. 

drawn up by Napoleon himseir, afford indubitable prooft of hig 
Iwd faith towards England, particularly ei regarded her Indian 
^oesessions.* 

It was not many honra before the arrival of the B^Jier, tb&t 
Chaplain Joseph-Marie Vrignaud, of the Maren^, accompanied 
hy the French admirers nephew, had paid a visit to Vice-admi- 
tal Rainier, for the parpose of inviting the latter to break&st oa 
(he following morning with M. Linois. The invitation -was 
fuxwpted, and the 16-guB ship-sloop Rattlesnake, whic4i had 
fast joined the eq^uadron, was ordered to he ready to convey 
Viee-admiml Rainier to the anchorage of the Marengo and faer 
consorts. But, whether it was owing to the peremptory nature 
lit his orders, or that he feared their warlike tenonr might 
•scape, and he and hie ships be detained by the British admiral, 
Hie French admiral, at midnight, unseen and unheard, slipped 
ilia cables, and, with the transport-brig Marie-Fraofoise, put to 
lea under all sail. 

r At daydawn on the 13th, to the surprise of the Britisb, 
Sotlung was to be seen of M. Linois and his ships, either in the 
road, where he had left his anchors, and even the lonsboats of 
liis ships &Bt at their grapnels, or as far as the eye could stretch 
ia the ofling. In U>e course of the morning the principal part of 
the British squadron got under way and aet sail for Madna ; 
Imt the admiral, with (be Centurion and one or two of the 
Mnaller ships, remamed at the anchoraee. On the same even- 
ing the French transport ship Cdte-d'vr, wiUl 3S6 troops oa 
l>Mid, anchored in Pondicberry road; and, at noon, the Cen- 
turion and Concorde got under way and anchored close to her. 
. On the 15th, at daybreak, the Belle-Poule, who had sepa- 
rated from her squadron aod since been to Madras, appeared off 
'tiie road, in company with the Terpsichore frigate. The latter 
cast anchor ; but the Belle-Poule, after makitrg some signals to 
the transport, stood away to sea. At 11 f. m. the Cote-d'Or 
weighed and dropped out of the road, and in half an hour the 
fTerpeichore was under all sail in chase of her. On the IStb, at 
daylight, the Terpsichore hailed the transport, and ordtired her 
ko return, bat tlie Pr^cb ship refused. On this the Mgate 
£red a few shot, when the CSte'd'Or' hauled down her colours, 
litid qaietly accompanied the Terpsichore baclc to the anchorage. 
On the 24th, in the forenoon, the French transport vms allowed 
to sail, attended by the Bfitish frirate D^aignense, to see that 
•be went nowhere else but to' her alleged destinatitH), tlie Ue c^ 
France. On the tame day, at 6 p.k,, Vice-admiral Rainier 
weighed and steered for Madras, where he arrived <Mi the follow* 
Ing momlttg. Shortly afterwards the Dfidai^n^ise aldo arrived, 
hating seen the French transport as Ar on ner way to the Ide 
Itf* FiSDce u the latitude of 1° 60' north, 
I ■ ■ ■ ■ 
< *Bcep.'l7atat>dAppeodii,N«.~ifc 

I, Google 



1803. ADUmUS &AIMEB AMD LTNOIS. 213 

The message of the Sth of March, considered every where as 
the signal of the approach of war between Engiand and France, 
tcftcbed Madras on or about the 6th of July. It is probable 
that the intelligence was communicated to Admiral Rainier by 
the Terpsichore. At all events, in a week or two after the 
admirars arrival at Madras, the British ships began taking on 
board their war-stores. It waa not, however, until the 3d of 
September, that the king's message of the 16th of May, which 
was tantamount to a declaration of war, reached that settlement; 
nor until the 13th of September, that the news of the actual 
commencement of war arrived at Fort-William. The intelli- 
gence had been received at Bombay on the 2lBt 6f August; 
where, two days afterwards, arrived the board of admlral^s 
directions for the conduct to be pursued by Vice-admiral Rainier, 
and which coald not well have reached him at Madras earlier 
than the firat week in September. 

Rear-admiral Linois, with his squadron, arrived at the Isle of 
France on the 16th of Au^nst; and, about the latter end of thej 
succeedii^ month, the French 20-gun corvette Berceaa, it ut 
believed, brought out the news of the war. On the 8th of. 
Oc^teber (why he deferred sailing; till then'doee not apprar) the 
French admiral, having detached the Atalante on a special mis-' 
skMi to Mascat, a Portuguese Bettlement in Arabia-Felix, put tor 
sea with the Marengo, jBelle-Ponle, Semillante, tind B^'ceaui 
The ahipe retained on board a portion of the troops they had 
brua^it from France, and with which they were now proeeeding^ 
to reinforce &e garrisons of the Isle of RSuniOQ, en- Bourbon, ana 
of the city of Batavia, the capital of Java. 

In tbe early part of bis voyage M. Linois had the good for' 
tnne to fall in with and capture several richty-laden Engli^ 
^ps ; and, on making Sumatra, he resolved to pay a visit to 
the ratui of Bencoolen, a British settlement upon that island. 
A pilot belonging to the port, mistaking the Marengo for, what 
by her colours shie appeared, an English man of war, went off to 
her, and anchored the French squadron just out of range of a' 
battery which commanded the road. Meanwhile the merchant 
vessels, having discovered the true character of the strange ships, 
bad cat or slipped and proceeded to Sellabar, a small port about 
two leagues to the southward of Bencoolen. They were aoaa 
fbllowea hy the S^millante and Berceau, hut not in time to pre- 
vent six of the vessels from being burnt, and two others run on 
shore, by their crews. The French burnt the two vessels that 
were aground, also three wareboases filled with spice, rice, and 
opium, and carried off a ship and two brigs, richly laden; but- 
not with entire impunity, as the S^millante had two men killed' 
by a shot from the shore. Having performed this exploit, tbe 
French squadron set sail, and on or about the lOtb of I>ecember 
anchored in tbe road of Bataria. 

Dcmizedbv Google 



BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. 



Bbtwsbn the Moood abatnet of the praMot and tbe Mine of 
tbe preoediog war,* there appears, in the sea-BerncecMnmiaBMS- 
colwnQ, a £mKiMti(m of no fewer tfaan 10 Ui»K>f-battIe lUps. 
This arose chieiy out of the «ztoinve i>huk of st&tm, pn^ected 
Ifv tbe first locd of tbe admiialty, and naoe pat in pnotice inth 
all tbe vigotff and peneveiuiee whicb charaeteriaed tbe pto- 
faedii^ ^tbe galhnt earl. Many old and useful officen, sad 
a Taat number of artificers, b»d hem dischazeed fron the king's 
^ock-yank; tbe customary supplies of tkiber, and other im- 
portant articles of navd stores, had been omitted to be kept -up'; 
#nd some articles, indndi^ a large portion «f hemp, had actu- 
ally been sold out of tbe service. A deficueacy of woriaaea and 
of meterialfl produced, of course, a sttspeaaton in tbe nmtiBe of 
4ock-yaid business. New ships could not be built; nor, aad a 
very seeioue misfortune it was, cwUd old ones ha vepaised. 
Idany of the ships in commisBioD, too, banng been manHf 
patched «p, were scarcely ia a state to keep tbe sea.t 

On tbe other hand, much fraud and peculation was pot a stop 
to ; many thousands of ponods were saved to (he oouniiy ; and, 
if some ufiered who had doneao wrong, otfaen ^iDed,who had 
Ijsug bad their rights withheld. In ^ort, Earl gt-yinceat, by 
bis measures for refonning the civil Eweadies of tite Botem 
BEvy, did much teqiponiy eril; but bt alsO'did mnch penna- 
lunt good. 

A reftKoce toihe pronei lists will give the names of ihe pms 
^JMsed enemy's lioMtf-oattle dups und frigates,;^ also -of Ae 
Sritish ships captiwed ot oUierwiee lost during the year 1803.| 
Any tlui^ further desM^nng notice in Ho. 12 Abstract will be 
fpund in tite notes bel(»iguig to it 

* See .An>«iKlit, Amjul AMntta Moa. IS sad S. 
[ + Seep. 165. 

I See Appendix, No. 23. 

§ See Appendix, No. 24. ^ 

Dcmizedbv Google 



1904 PaXfJOArtOttB WR INVAIHWG ENGLAim. 315 

Tbt Biuftber of eenuniinoiied oflSeen and mastere, belonging 
to the Briti^ navy at the commeDcemeot of the year, was, 

Admirals 41 

Vioe-adiiiirals ..... 33 

Kear-Kdourals 60 

„ Buperatmnaled 23 

PoBtH»ptuiiB 673 

11 

Connaaoden, or Sloop-captains . 409 

„ Baperaonuated 48 

lienbuants . . . , , 2457 

Masters , 641 

And the number of eeamen and marines, voted for the year 1604, 
was 100,000 • 

Ab soon as the commerce of France began to suffer from the 
vigilance and activity of British cruisers, the war acquired among 
the French, those especially who were engaged in trade and re^ 
ndent along ^e coasts of the Channel, a truly national diajnc- 
ter. The conduct ^f some of the king's ships, in firing upon 
small towns and derenceleaa places upon the Fnnch coast, excited 
in the inhabitants a atroag feeling of indignation; and some of 
the London joumEds betrayed a very ill taste when thay extolled 
snch exploits. It was this hostile spirit agaioBt the EngliBh that 
mdnced the first-consul, amidst his many plans for a vigorous 
proftecution of the war, to prefer that plan which had for its 
basis a descent upon the island that held him at defiance ; as if 
resolved, by a single campaign, to verify the assertion which he 
had publicly made, that En^and, unsupported, could not with- 
stand the power of France. 

To assemble an army deemed sufficient for the purpose, even 
though it should amount to 160,000 men, was not very difficult 
in a country tliut could boast of a population of thirty millions; 
nor, with so much manual stren^h at command, and such high- 
wrought zeal in the cause, was the construction of 2000 prames, 
gtm-vessels, and flat-bottomed boats, to contmn that army, aa 
inexecutable task. But some doubt existed, even in France, 
about the practicability of getting this formidable armament 
across the 20 or 30 miles of sea, which so provokiogly flowed 
betwixt it and its destined shore. However, as it was with the 
reflecting, and not with the labouring, class of society, that anr 
such doubt existed, the work of preparation stdll went on, ana 
that with all the enthusiasm for which the French are so cele- 
brated. Almost every department in the state voted a ship of the 
line, each of the laiger villages a frigate, and every commune 
3ave its prame, gun-Vessel, flat-bottomed boat, or peniche. Ve»- 
■eb tot the flotilla were constructing, not only in the great naval 

• See Appendtx, N«. 3S. r- i 

Dci,l,zedl!vCOOglC 



S16 BXinSH ASID FRENCH ILEETS.— CHANNEL. 1&04L 

KrU and io the ssmU bubours wiatg the coapt, bat up<Mi the 
Dks of every mm that contained more thaA Uiree feet of water; 
QO matter wliether that river emptied itself directly into the oceao, 
or first united its waters with those of the Seine, the hmre, the 
Garonne, or the Rhine. Even Paris became, for a time, a mari- 
time arsenal : two slips were erected there, and many vessels of 
the email kind were launched from them. A due share of atten- 
tion was also bestowed upoDvessds of a more warlike class. At 
Anvers, or Antwerp, on the river Scheldt, for the first time dur- 
ing a great many years, the keels of ships of the line were laid 
down. The dock-yards of Brest, Lorient, Rochefort, and Toulon, 
aUo displayed the new-laid -keels of sever&I ships of force and 
magnitude. ... 

Our attention must now be directed to what is going on at the 
first of the four last-named ports. At the close of tbe preceding 
^ar, the port of Brest was left, owing to the extreme severity of 
Uie weather, witliout a blockading force. Before, however, tbe 
new year was many days old, a favourable change enabled Ad- 
miral Corowallis to regain his station off Ushaqt, and to assemble, 
by the 12th of January, 13 of his sbins. - Three or four more 
aubsequeptly ioihed. Such had been the exertions in Brest har- 
bour during tne winter months, that, by the latter end of April, 
17 sail of the line, including two three-deckers, lay at anchor in 
the road, ready for sea. 

. The first day of the following month gave birth to a set of 
directions, framed by Napol^n himself, lor the improveuieat of 
his fieet in Brest water. He begins by complaining, that the 
enemy should be permitted, with a small number ofvessels, to 
blockade so consioerable a fleet as the one at anchor in that pqit. 
He orders that the ships shall get under way every day, as well 
to exercise the crews, as to harass the British, and favour the 
passage of the flotilla coming from Audieme ; that 200 soldiers 
shall be plac^ on board each ship of the line ; and wlio, besides 
being exercised at the guns and about tbe rigging and sails, are 
to row in the ship's launch. Premiums are to be given to those 
who excel is these mutters; and nothing that can excite the 
emulation of either soldiers or sailors appears to liave been over- 
looked. Eveiy ship of the line is to be provided with a quantity 
' of 36-pouad shells for her lower battery, and the men ai-e to be 
taught how to fii-e them ofl'with eficct. The captains are ordered 
not to quit their vessels to go on shore, and even the commander 
in chief is not allowed to lodge elsewhere than on hoard his 
ship.* 

About ten days after the date of Napoleon's directions to the 
minister of marine. Vice-admiral Decrfs, two sail of the line from 
the inner harbour joined themselves to the 17 already at anchor 
in the road. It does not appear, however, that aoy movement 
of coDsequence took place among the ships ^ either because 

* Precis des Evtosmeus, tome xi., p. 195. 



1804. PLAN OP DPEIULTi<»fS FOE THE BREST fLEET. 217 

ibe first-consuri stteDtioo was too nmch angrbued by the new 
dignity he was about to assume, or that he required the presence 
of the fleet to ss^t in giving ^lat to the imposing ceremony, 
which, on the 14th or that same month of May, made him 
Emperor of France. 

Even after the bustle of this business was over, the Brest 
ships remained at their moorings until the 25th of July, when, 
«icoaraged by a fine wind at east-north-east and a thick fog, 
the advanced squadron, of five sail of the liae and two or three 
fiiffateB, got^nder way, and stood for the passage da Baz. A 
sudden return of clear weather, however, enabled the Biitidi 
look-out cutter to discover and make a signal of the circum- 
stance. Immediately Rear^dmiral Sir Thtxnas Giaves, com- 
mandiog the in-afaore Bquadron, proceeded ia chase ; but the 
French ships, in the mean time, had hauled to the wind, and 
were working back to Brest road. No second attempt to escape, 
of which the British outside were aware, was made during the 
remainder of the year; although, as will presently appear, aa 
expedition of the utmost consequence had been designed to quit 
Brest before the end of November. 

The number of sliips of the hue, at this time ready for sea in 
Brest road, was 22 ; exclusive of the Oc^an Uiree-decker, re- 
pairing in the docks, but expected soon to be afloat, the ship- 
wrights having been ordered to work at her by torchlight This 
fleet was now under the command of Vice-admiral Ganteaume. 
A curious circumstance had led to the expulsion of this officer's 
predecessor. When, in the month, of May, the officers of the 
Brest fleet were called upon to put their signatures to a note for 
conferring the imperial dignity upon Napol^n, Vice-admiral 
Tniguet, true to his republican principles, refused to sign the 
paper. He wrote to Buonaparte, assigning his reason ; and, to 
show his readiness to perform his duty against the enemies oftfae 
nation, made use of the following laconic expressions " Va mot, 
et Parm^e est ^ la voile." Napol^sp, feeling biroself personally 
oifended, removed the admiral from his command, dismissed 
him from being a member of the council of state, and ordered 
his name to be struck out of the list of the legion of honour. 

The directions given by Napol^n to his minister of marine 
were, that the Brest fleet of 23 (the Oc^an included) sail of the 
line, under Vice-admiral Ganteaume, with from 30,000 to 40,000 
troops on board, under General Augereau, should quit port at 
the first opportunity that might occur in the month of Novem- 
ber, proceed to Lough-Swilly bay in the north of Ireland, and 
there disembark the men. Should any difficulty arise, the coast 
of Scotlandiwas to receive the troops. Vice-admiral Ganteaume 
was then to call off the Texel, and, bringing away with him the 
seven Dutch sail of the line and transports with 2500 troops on 
board in that harbour, make his appearance before Boulogne. 
The 30 sail of the line, by this means assembled, added to the 



aiS SSinSB AND fBEVCB fLEEn^— CHAmtEL. ItlOii 

fiO sail tmder M-ViUeiunrfe ^pKnefaing from off RocheTor^ 
wonkl, it was eoosdered, be sameient to cover the gnnd flotilla, 
and oiaUe it to fulfil the Bltinurte object of all tke expedftinw 
CO foot, a diwuBbaikBlioD ef ito host of tioops on the uiores of 
Bogland ; and which, it was. at last discovered, could not he 
accnnplisbed without the powerful aid of the larger vessels. 
Tke yesr 1804, faowevcr, was not destmed to witness Uie attempt, 
jaaea l«w theexecotion, of this gigantic, end, in the opinitm of 
raost penom, impmcticable undertakmg. 

Seton we pioeaed, as is now ow intention, to samte the 
diSerent engagements which, dunng the present year, ensued 
hetween the &iti^ cruisers and the French flotilla, prepared m 
{weparii^ for theiarBsimi of England, some account c^ the res- 
ads of that flPtiUa, and of ^e ports in which they were aseem- 
fciiag, will free tfae s^eot from much of the obstniritr that must 
fltberwiae attend it. The armed vessds of the notilla were 
divided into five or six classes. It will suffice to describe the 
frame, and the gun-Tessel, or csnonniere. The prame was a 
remarkahly stroDg-built vessel, measuring in her extreme length 
about 110 French feet, and -26 in breadth, and drawing from 
Mvea to eight feet water. She was ri^ed as a ship, and carried 
12 loss 24fotiDd«rs, with a erew of 08 saiiora, and upwards of 
100 eokliOTs,the majoiity of them, from daitr {»BCt(ce, as osefiil 
on shipboai^ as the sailors tbemeelves. Of these pratnes, « 
eorrettea, 20, each with stalls for 60 horses, were oroered to be 
CMStructed ; but the Ki«nh«- was afterwards greatly aagmented. 

Tlie first-daai ffaB-veseds, ri^ed as brigs, were ufluaTly 
armed wHh three long 24-poandeT8 and an S-inch mortar, and 
the second class, with one 24-pauDder forward, and a fiel<l>piece 
abaft; some rigged as schooners, and some as luggers. Of 
tliese two claesee between 600 and 700 were constructed ; and, 
of a smaller and lighter class called " p^oiches" (ri^ed cfaieSy 
S8 Bchuyts), about 400. The gmi-vessels, as well as the pntmes, 
were aft^warda increased in number ; so that the armed vessels 
of the flotilla amoonted to 1339, and the transports to 964 ; total 
SSdS -vessels. The naval command«r-in-chia of this numerous 
flotilla was Vice^dmiral Eustacbe Bruix, having as an assistant, 
on account of ill health, ReBT^«dmiial Jean-Raimond Lacrosse, 
a brave and intelligent officer, and the unae, it will be recollected, 
irfao commanded the -DFoits.^e-1'Homme at the time of her loss. 

The potts of reniuon fisr the flotrlla were seven ; Ostende, 
Dunkerque, Calais, Ambleteuse, Viraereux, Boulogne, and 
Etaples. Bouk^ne, as being situated directly in front of, nd 
eniy about 13 leagues distant from, the low land between Dover 
chtt utd Hastings point, was made the main depot, or capital. ^ 
Until tile grand project of invasion was thought of, Boulogne 
possessed a worthless barboor, formed by the estuary of the 
little nver LaiDe,andneBr]ydry at low water, witbonly one qn^. 
in a riiort time both banks of the river were Imed with quays; 



1801 »nrAiK»f-TLOTiLU. 339 

soles mre ccmatracted, a eapacione bann Aag, and a bridge 
Anwn acrosa the rirer. By mMm of a dun tb« miters vreie 
cooflaed, and the Tetweb kept aSoat ; andt to prereot any tDnoy- 
•Bce oa the part ai the British, tmmeoss battoies were erected 
ai all the conunaDding pc»nt8. As a still farther protection 
againat a bombardment, a strong line of bear; gnn-veBsela was 
soared acron the road ; which, by natare, wbb difficult of 
iq^ioaeh, on acooant of the namerooB shoals and sand-banks in 
its ncinity. Vimenux, utuated abont a league to the oMtb-eest 
«f BoslMne, was actually foraied into a port expressly to receiva 
tbe flotilla ; and the harbmir of Ambletease was deepened and 
cahtrged, to auawer the sane purpoee. A glance at the chart 
of thiB ooast will show how <hfficult the whole of Aiese ports are 
of aceass on aeeount of -the sands. No vessel, indeed, beyond 
a guo-brig in site, can approach near eiwngfa to do any ezeeotioo. 
3ne tides, too, which eroes each other in an extraordinacy 
aanaer, are -ntj serioBS obstacles in the way of a bwabardkig 
force. 

Corveepondtng exertions were making on the opponte side of 
die Channel. An immense aumber of small veesels, armed 
each with one or two heavy long guns, werestatiooedai the Nore 
and at all tiie most assi^ble parts of the English coast ; as 
wefe also sevenl large armed ships, raoveted with heary- 
canwatdes, and iriiidi ships, although not in a state to«oto nea, 
aaaweted perfectly well Mr floatiDg-batteiies. MortelTa toweta 
vere also erected along the coast ; and an UBfuense army, eom- 
peied of regulars, ni£tia, and volmiteen, were ready, on the 
Srst summons, to rush to the pc«it of drnger. hi mid-elnnnel 
and along the French coast, British cniseis were constantly on 
tike watch, ready to blaze away open the Teasels of the flotilh^ 
tke instant th^ showed themselves outside the sands and 
battoies by which they were protected. The commandeNn- 
duef oa tlie Downs statioa, Adniiial Lord Keith, had this im* 
portant service under his immediate direction ; and several 
Matarprieiog officers bad the command of flying sqmdrtma, that 
cmised close al(»ie the French coast. . 

On the 20th of Febraary, in the morning, the British hired 
cutter Active, of six small guns and about 30 men and boys^ 
cottmanded by lieotenant John Willieone, being t^ OnrrelineSk 
discovwed, within Aree quarters of a mile of ue shore, 16 sail ' 
of Frendi gnn-boats and transperta nmnng from Ostende 
towards Boulogne. In spHe of the great disparity of fxce^ 
lientemnt Williams gallantly eave chase ; at 10 h. 30 m. a. m. 
mnainflaced a rnm^i^ ^t with the flotilla ; and at U a. m, 
•ompelled the ont^most vessel, a horse-tnmspiHi, to haul down 
her colours. The delay in taking possessK« of the Jenne- 
Isabelle enabled the other vessels to get under the protection of 
Ihe batteries, befine the Active conld again make satt in pvr- 
BdiL 



330 BRITISH AND FREKCH fLEETS.— CHANNEL. 1804. 

On the 8th of May. at daybreak, the British IS-gaa brig- 
sloop Vincejo, C^taio John Wesley Wr^bt, (18-poiindv 
camnadcB, with a crew od board of 61 effective men and the 
extraoTdiDary number of 24 bovs), having been becabned cloae 
to the mouth of the river Morbioan, coast of Fmnce, was canied. 
by the ebb-tide, in less than an hour, so near to the Teigoeoae 
rock, that Bbe wae forced to anchor to aroid niDntng upon it. 
Having sounded, the brig weighed and waiped herself into the 
fiur channel, still baffled in her inanoeuvreB by a calmi and a 
strong tide directly againat her. While in tbis situation, sweep- 
ing with all her strength to get clear of the coast, a flotilla of 
17 armed vessele was rowuig towards her from the Morbihan; 
coneisting of six brigs, first-class gun-veaaela, wiUi three gems, 
one 24 and two 18 pounders, end from sixty to 80 men each ; 
six lu^ers, second class gun-vessels, two guns, Iti-pounderB, 
witli from 40 to 50 men each ; five luggers, third class gun- 
vessels, one brass 36-pouDder carronade throwing shells, and 
from 20 to 30 men each ; total, 3G guns (of which 30 were 
long 18 and 24 pounders), and from 700 to 800 men, commanded 
by Lieutenant Laurent Tovmeur. 

By 8 h. 30 m. a, h., having advanced within extreme range, 
the gun-vessels began to open their fire. They continiied 
gaining rapidly upon the brig until ti h. 30 m. ; when they had 
approacbed so near, that the vincejo was obliged to sweep het 
broadside to and engage, under the additional disadvantage that 
ber few men were fatigued by hard labour at the oar, and divided 
daring the action between tne larboard guns and the starboard 
sweeps. The Vincejo maintained this unequal contest for nearly 
two hours, and that within grape and hailing distance. The 
brig's bull, masts, yards, and ri^ng had at length received 

Ct damage: three guns were gabled; and, owing to the 
as having fallen upon the main deck (the brig having a 
quarterdeck like the Port-Mahpn), and the loss, out of 
ber small effective crew, of two men killed end 12 wounded, 
including Captain Wright himself, in the groin (but who would 
not quit the deck), the fire was reduced to one gun in about Gvc 
minutes. Thus situated, the Vincejo had no alternative but to 
strike her colours. 

The loss sustained by the flotilla could never be ascertuned ; 
but, Jrom the marks of blood on board tbe brig to which the 
' prisoners were first carried, and tbe evident damage done to 
several of the vessels, not a doubt was entertained as to its 
severity. A highly exaggerated account of this action appears 
in a French work, in which the little Vincejo, described as ''one 
forte corvette," is associated with " un lougre anglaise," and the 
French force is reduced to " quatre canonni feres."* 

Tbe subsequent mysterious death of Captain Wright in the 

Temple at Paris struck all Europe with horror. Altftougb the 

* Victoirei et Coaqnetes, tome xri., p. 33. 



1804. INVASION-FLOTILLA. 321 

afiair is still iDvolved in doabt, it is but justice to state, that 
TfapoI€on has strenuously denied having offered any Tiolence to 
the person of this gallant British officer.* Among the papers 
discovered at Captain Wright's death, and restored by the 
present French government to Sir Sidney Soiith, under whose 
auspices, it will be recollected, Captain Wright, when a lieute- 
nant of the Tigre, had greatlydistinguisfaed himself^ wasanana- 
tive of the circuulstances of the Vincejo's capture, drawn up for 
the needless purpose of j ustifying her officers and crew from the 
chaive of pusillanimity advanced by the hireling press of France. 
To show how differently the actual antagonists of the British 
lirig thought of her benaviour in the action, we have only to 
suliqoin tne speech- of Lieutenant Toumenr upon receiving 
Lieutenant Wnght's sword :" Monsieur, vous aveznoblement 
d^fendu Thoonear de vatrQ nation, et la r^utation de votre 
marine. Nous aimons et estimona les braves, et Von vous traitera, 
TOus et votre 6qtiipage, avec tous les ^ards possibles." 

Having, like a ship-sloop, a detached (quarterdeck aud fore- 
castle with barricades and pOTtbolM, and being on accoBnt ofdie 
smaUness of her ports aod the Kpaoes between theut, pierced for 
10 gons of a side tm th^ main deck, the Vincejo appeiued to be 
&mach more formidable vesaet than she really was. In point of 
size, being only 277 tons, she' was net much lav^ than arrench 
gUB^nrig, and, in point of armain^Rt, not nearly so elective.' All 
thie was made known to the commandifag officer of the French 
gan*boats, by two deserters frmn the brig a few days before her 
c^ore. "nie surpme- is, tfaat » vessel, so poorly anned and 
manned as the Vincsjt), should have been sent alwie to 
craise in waters where -shej was so llkety to be assailed by a 
tenfold superior fcH'Oe.' 'CfiptttiD Wright, it appears, made fre- 
Qnent complaints of Uits nature te Adtairal li>td Keith ; 'but 
tne lattertoek an efiectnal way of silenciitg them: he menaced 
the enterprising young officer -With his displeasufe.*' 

Tha fi^lowicg portion of OapCailb Wtight'e narrative wiU show^ 
as well the eSect produced upon bis mindby- the^tatemertts ciiS 
enlated in France' to- his disadvittitBgG, as the' species of daring 
service in wfaictt he- had "em^yctd me Vino^'for-Borae Weektt 
previous to her eKptai^-; noApMreof-tlie'imnortflneeof Which 



blame could ht aiiT'BHu»Mr'atM4b<to my conduct,'' under the 
chtaett semtiny- ora' coart'oomposed <»f • mr ' brot^r 'bfficers: 
ftmed 'W the* savHity' (^' thttir «ntidifln ontil tMt ' cdoctirns tiid 
honour of the countty «Hd -tiM^ r&pAtatiftB df tite'TiM^^'and who 
araat4«MtaB good jddgea-as the eBemy> «f Ute nriia that a 

U, 182, 2ia. 
t Nml Chnakh, toL xur., p. tiOr 

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3S2 BRITISH AND FBEIf CH iXESIS. — CHAHNEL. 1801 

bctfe and eaterprinng officer ought Feuensbly to nm inperfixn- 
ing the kiug^B service ; I confesB that I ^ould mora reaail5 hare 
SDticipiutea a charge of temmtj thaa a ceoBsre of pnsiUaiumi^. 
If, with, I may &irly aanrt, as ill iSBDDed a ship bb ctct Bailed 
from England, & itatioii was muituiwd n^lyi with very little 
interval, for three DKMiths, without a ]Hlot, wiUun the enemy's 
islands, in the month, of thtir ri«em, in the presence of aa 
cztremely sapertor force coatiwiaUy m motion ; it his cosvoya, 
attended by thta force, were as often chased, fonwd oat of tlwtr 
conne, and obliged to take riielter in pwts they were not des- 
tined for; if that very weak and inefficient Bhap's oompany was, 
io that time, t^ unremittiag attoitioa and exertion, broii^t 
to BDch a state of discopline as gave me suffioent cairfdeace to 
wait for, uid chase into her own ports, an enemy's ship, in all 
respects, gratly superior to the biig I commanded ; if lyutt to a 
whole day m the memy's road at me month of a river, biodBig 
defiance to two bnge, each of nearly etfial force with the Via* 
oejo, a acbooner, and 50 sail of aimed gnn-boata, bi^ and 
luggen, all under way, and oocasiooally layiiu; their heads off 
tfae land, but keepii^ close to their battoica ; if; aAer having get 
ashore in the mouth of a river, within grape-rtnge of the twfe- 
teries, I had, I may well be permitted to say, the audacity to 
UBiig the Vmc^o, get het guns out, and haul her hieh and <hy 
into an enemy's pent in a Email ialand, between BeUe-Isle and 
the Main, within four miles «f the continent, to einroifte her 
keel and repair her damage, making preparatiuiB in the mean 
time to fi^t a land batUi^ in case of a very probable attack, 
protected only by the picsenoe of a frigate for a day or tvro; if 
taking and nmning on shoie several of tfaeeoemy's veasels undoi 
the batteries, in sight of the fdmve force ; if nnreeving and 
reeving double all my mnniog riu;iog Uwt wag suaeeptihle crf'i^ 
and ahuost eotirdy tigging my «up anew, as mudi to increase 
my mechanical purchases, to supply the deficiency of hands in 
working her, as jHomptiy to make saiktrs of my landmen and 
boys, with whatever circnmstances may be added to this cat»- 
logue, from my public account o£ the action, and die testimony 
of my immedttte. captors, be proofs of want of aoeisy, bravery* 
intdugeoce, and seamaiwh^)^ it naiat be ackaowle^;ed that I 
«usht to take my place among nixaot cowards and incorr^Ue 
lubbers."* 

Owing to the great prepamtions making in Fluahittb Hetniet, 
a&dOstendejthoeportswerenanBwlyiratchedbya BritishfacC 
placed under the orders of ConuBodora Sir William Sido^ Smitbf 
u the &0Fgun8hipAntek>pa; ^ose aoensttHnedancbonigewas 
near the noitb>«ast extBemilyof.theSehoneviridedianQeli about 
«z lemies weifr<i8Bth-weiA,ot tbenabouts, of Flushing, and rather 
more tnao the same distaoce, in neariy a sonth-eouth-west direo- 
liovfiioaLOtteBde. XbaMtMrinf^wutte^Hisdoptadlteailddt 
• Ntral Ctinakk, vcL mr. f. 4U« 

.Google 



IHTjUIDN-nxmLLA. 323 

of iotdl^ence. One venel took her statioii 
mtiim new of diatant Bigoals (flags as Urge aa owigiia, exprew- 
iDg tbeu import, DOt by colour, ont by nuniba- and poaitjoa) 
finn the ccmoiodore's sbip ; and the veisel or TesseU close off 
the «iesty'B port, •n baring ai^ tiunf; important to communicate, 
sbatahed oat to the offing until tbeir signals were seen and 
aanrend by the intamediata craiaer, raa then rewimed their 
station, or otherwise, as circamstances might require. 

Ob the 15th of May tha Bciti^ foice stationed close off the 
Ewtt of Ostendo coottsted of the 18-gtin brig-sloop Craiser, 
Captam John Hancock, and l&-gun eldp-Bloop Rattler, Captain 
FnoGb MaaoD ; who kept up a commDnic^tOB with the 
B^tudnm cnuang off Calais, 1^ means of three or tbat gan- 
bogs, ondtf the orders of lieatenant Patiidc Manderston, a{ 
the Mwat. On the erenii^ of thia day 22 ooe-masted ni*. 
raaseta and one schooner were seen to hanl out of the barbow 
of Ostende, and to take np an anchora^ to the westward of the 
lightbovae, within the sand. Ciqitam Hancock immediately 
nude the signal of recal to the fi>ar gun-^rigs, then standing 
to the westward, and despatched the hired umed cnttv Stag, 
lieutenant William Patfhll, with the intelligence to the commo' 
don. Having done this. Captain Hancock, as socm as it grew 
dadc, got nnder way with bis two skupa ; and, the better to 
poevent the escape of the difi^n of gmi-faoats outside, which 
were cDmrnanded by Capitaine de fregate Beraard-I»dore Lanb> 
boor, teanch(»ed within long range of the battenes at the pier* 
bead. 

On the 16th, at daybreak, the four British gun-brigs, being 
■till in sight, weie agwn recalled ; ba^ as on the pnoeding 
evening, tiiey did not see or anderstand the signaL At 9 lu 
30 m. A, M, the Rattler, who lay a httle to the eastward of the 
Craiser,' nude the sigtul, first for fire sail, and then for a fleet, 
in the east-south-east This was a strong division of the Qallo> 
BatananorFlushiog flotilla, which had sailed from its anchoraga 
in the Inner Wieling at daybreak on tbat morning, under the 
command of Rear-admiral Ver-Hnell, bound to Ostende, and 
ooosisted of the two ship-ri^ed pmmes (12 long 24>|)onndera 
each) Vtlle-d'AnTost bearing the admiml's flag, Lienteaaul 
AmM DataiUis, and Ville^d'Aix, Captain Francoia^acqaea 
Meyone, 19 sefaoraiers, and 47 schoyts, m all 68 aaif ; niountii^[ 
between them upwards of 100 l<»g 36, 24, and 18 ponnden^ 
baaidea lighter pieces on the side, biass carronades, ana mortars^ 
and carrymg a oody of between 4000 and 5000 troops. 

At 10 A. M., which was as eariy as the tide aerted, the two 
•loess got under way and bej^ working towards the enemv. 
At about 11 A. M. the wind shifted to the soath-weat; which, 
wteb it fsTOoied the two sloops, headed tiie flotilla, then newly 
sbnart <^ Blaaelunbarghe, and iadneed Ae Batch adnHnd to 
b«w «p «irf pBt bMk ^wirdi FUwbug. At abooi nocn Sk 



•3lc 



224 BHITJSH AND FRENCH FLEETS.— CiUNNEI. 1804. 

Sidney Smith's iquadron consisting, besides the Antelope, of 
the 36-gun frigate Penelope, Captua William Robert Broagh- 
ton, and 32-«un frigate Aimable, Captain William Bolton, hove 
in sight of uie two Bloops ; and which squadron had weighed 
from the Schonevelde since between 10 and 11 a. m., in conae- 

auence of an announcement by one of the in-shore ships, 
lat the Qallo-Batavian flottlla was making sail from the Inner 
Wieling. 

At about 1 h. 30 m. p. h. the Cruiser came up with, fired a^ 
and compelled to strike, one of the rearmost ressels, a schuyt 
mounting <Hie long 36-pouiider, aai carrying five Dutch seamen 
and 26 Frendi troops. Making the wgnal for the Rattler to 
take poBsesnon, the BritiBb brig continued to stand on, in tbe 
hope to close wiUione of the prames. Feeling himself, as the 
n«Dch accounts' state, somewhat ttettled at baring one of his 
vessels captured by a foroe so comparatirely inngnificant. Ad- 
miral Yer-Huell, took advantage of a slight change of wmd in 
his &vour,.and stood bade towards Ostende wttfaul his remain* 
ing flotilla except eight schnyts, which c^Hitinued their roate 
towards the InaerWieling. At about Ih. 46 m. p.m. the Ville- 
d'Anver» fired a abot at toe Cruiser, which passed over her, and 
fell close nader'tbe .bow* of At Rattier. . Shortly afterwards, 
the wind shifting six points, both sloops fell off in their coura^ 
and found themselTsa nearW abreast of the leading prame, and 
upon tbe lee beam of the flotilhi, then crowding satl to get in* 
uhoTK. Atafewminnftes before2.P.u. the.Ville^'Anrers com- 
menced a heavy fire upon the Cruiser and Rattler, and several 
of the sdioeners and Bohnyts also opened their fire. In a short 
ttoK tbe two sloops were ;in the midst of the flotilla, aigaging 
on both sides, ana firquentiy-assaiied b^ shot and ahells Sxaa 
the batteries of Blanckenbergbe. rfotwithstanding all this the 
Cruiser and:Rattler KsUantly drove on shore the ViUerd'Anvers 
pnune, andieorof uie Bchoonon. 

At3h.'46-m.PtH.the Aimable arrived up with, and opened 
her fire upon,' a portitm of the 'flotilla close under the batteries 
ot Blanekenberghe. At about 4 h. 30 m. p. m. tbe Penelope 
and Antelope also got into action, and, by their heavy fire, drove 
several other schooners and schnyts on shore. At 7 p. h. the 
Aimable found henelf neartothegroiuided prame, and received 
from her a very destructive fin; several artilletymeo from the 
shore having got on board the Ville^'Anvers, and re[da£»d her 
crewj-mott w whom had fled upon her first grounding: at whidt 
time, too, h«-. colours were either hauled down or shot amy. 
Atabost 7.h. 45m.' p.m., the tide having bllen ftod left. the 
British sbips'in little more water than they drew, the Antelmie 
made ' the signal to discontinue . the engagement; and the 
squadroD'drew off into deeper water. The Gallo-3atanftB 
flotilla, oeadtatremAnad'Ofi^ took this ttppottawtf of getlifig 
into ih«.iMiini)f Ostende; xhithcx tbey ik» QccocRpvaml b; 



1804. IHTASION-FLOTILLA. ^15 

ihe dirieion of French gun-veeseU whicb, by the orders of Rear- 
admiral Charles M^on, the commanding officer of the Ostende 
flotilla, bad on the preceding evening, as already stated, an- 
chored to the westward of the lighthouse, and which had sub- 
sequently gone to the assistance of Reap-admiral Ver-Huell. 

The loss on the part of the British, compared with the vigour 
and dnration of the firing, was of no great amount The Cruiser 
had one seaman killed, and her captaio's clerk (Geoi]^ Ellis) 
and three seamen wounded; the Rattler, two seamen killed and 
three wounded ; the Aimable, one master's mate (Mr. Christie), 
one midshipman (Mr. Johnson), four seamen, and one boy 
killed, and one lieutenant (William Mather), her purser (Wil- 
liam Shadwell), one midshipman (Mr. Conner), and 1 1 seamen 
wounded ; total, 13 killed and 32 wounded. Besides baring 
her ri^ns and sails a good deal cut, the Cruiser received two 
laies MOt Detween wiod^and water. The Rattler suffered also 



in ner ri^ng and sails ; and the Aimable, in addition to her 
damages aloft, was struck in several parts of her hull. The ac- 
knowfedged loss, on the Gallo-BataTian flotilla, amounted to 18 



killed and 60 wounded, 29 of the latter and four of the former 
<Hi board the two imunes. 

From the sketch here eiven it now appears, that the Cruiser 
and Rattier, unsupported by any other ships, most gallantly 
attacked, and after a two hours' action veiy nearly discomfited, 
^B formidable Gallo-Batavian flotilla. Unrortunately the pubhc 
letter of Commodore Sir Sidney Smith, although it admits that 
«■ Capt^s Hancock and Mason bore the brunt of the attack, 
and ccmtbued it for ux hours agunst a great superiority of fire," 
was calculated to convey en impression, the letter in fact ex- 
fnm\y states, that the Antelope, Penelope, and Aimable par- 
tiopated in the action from its commencement. Sir Sidney says, 
" Tne signal was made to the Cruiser and Rattler for an enemy 
in the E1S.E. to call their attention from Ostend ; the squadron 
weighed," Stc. But, in reality, neither of the sloops was m sight 
of the Antelope for a fnll hour after she and her companions had 
weighed ; nor does the log of the Antelope mention their names 
vntu the following entry occurs : " At 2 observed the Rattler 
and Cruiser commencfl firing on the enemy's flotilla." The log 
of Ae Aimable refers to the first appearance of the two sloops in 
Beaily the tame manner : " At 2 Cruiser end Rattler brought the 
enemy to action," Stc. And how could the commodore welt 
hare descried the two sloops earlier than the commencement of 
the afltemoon, when the Antelope had been at anchor full six 
leagnes (some accounts say nine) from their anchorage ; at such 
a distance, in fact, that it took the St^, from 9 p.m. on the 
loth to6h. 30 m. a.ii. on the 16th, before her commander coald 
deliver his despatches to Sir Sidney ? Moreover, the first signal 



of any kind, noticed in the log of the Antelope, is one made at 
4 P.M., "to engage the enemy." Whereas, m proof that mncb 



TOU lU. 



flS$ BRITTSH AICD tVESCB. 9I^SI&r— CHANNEL. 1804. 

bad becD efiected two bours befoie be me in a gitiuition to 
make that sigoal, Sir Sidney in bia letter says: "Since two 
pVlock (a little earlier tban was the ca«) the stermnoat pmae 
struck ber colours and ran on shore." 

But there is a moffe difiinterested testimony, in farour of tbe 
claims of tbe Cruiser and Kattler, than is to be fbond in the 
logs of any of the British ships. The French minister of marine. 
Vice-admiral Decr^, under date of Ma^ 20, 1804, mea as the 
aubataace of tbe report of Re&r-admiral Vei^Uu^, that «b 
English frigate and corrette, or, in other words, that an Knghah 
frigate-buiU and brig-rigged corrette, who were very near, nw- 
nceuvred to cut off two of the gun-boats and a traoAport, Sic. 
" Tbe action during two hours," proceeds the acconnt, " was 
exttemely warm : ue two enemy's vessels were tiiaab l gd and 
retreatfid." Tbe rear-admiral goes on to state, tbat the port of 
Ostende being left open, he steered towards it ; but that Conw 
modore Sir Sidney Smith, " having assembled his sauadron, 
attacked the flotilla within three leagues of Oatende," sc. As 
this translation is at complete variance, in some material points, 
with that which appears m tbe work of a contempomry, 'we ivill 
here add the original passages, or so much of them as is neces- 
sary : " Une frigate et une corvttte anglatse,* qui ^taient fort 
pr&s, manceuvr^reut," &c. " Le combat, pendant detnc beims, 
Alt extrSmement chaud, les deux b&timens eunemis furent deaem- 
pares et fiient cb&Bses."t " Le CMnmodore Sidney Smith, ayaid 

5u r^unir ea croisi^re, joignit la flotille gallo-batave i bxHS beaes 
'Ostende." 
From the above extracts, it is evident tbat Beai^adnural Tap- 
Huell cooiidered tbat he was attacked, and engaged for two 
hours, by tbe Cruiser and Rattler, beibre the Antelope, or any 
other ship of Sir Sidney's squadron, fired a shot at him ; and 
thus, like an honest man, did he report tbe fact to the official 
organ of his goveniment But the appearance, of Sir Sidney 
Smith's official letter, in tbe columns of the Monitenr, made 
M. Decr^s omdemo the haste he bad used in publishing the 
report of the Dutch admiral. Instead of the attack having beeM 
made by two ^sloops, or, taking the literal tranalation, by one 
frigate and one sloop, it was here confessedly made by one 60- 
gun ship, three frigates, two sloops, and two cutters. Aecord- 
mgly M. Dumas, and all tbe other French histcriana, psject Aeir 
own official account as too tame and inglorious, and prefer in- 
corporating in their pages the official aoconnt of their -enemy. 
This is particularly tbe case in one woric, idiicb, on mmt otbor 
Qccasioos, would scom to glean its materials frcHU any Boaice 
tbat was Jiot decidedly French.^ We regret tbat we wsie «o bit 
misled by Sir Sidney^s latter, as, in the fiwmer edition of tiaa 

^ An Sn^Uh frigi^ and r ntffer. — BreDton, voL iiS., p. 344. 

JIbeCwftveaelraf ifae M«Dir*ere dimalM aad iheered oK— lb., p.Ma. 
PrfuB (ks&iiDMtm^ tww vi., p. U. 



1604. onrASDN'TLonLU. 237 

voik, to have oonhibvted to miiiMd die pnUie Keapecting tha 
lesl merits <^tbe engaeemeitt off Boak^ne ia May, 1804. 

Ob tbe I7ik, at dayeteftk, the ibnr guiir4>rig«, comsiftnded by 
UentenaDt Maiulenton, hftviDg joined, were Knt in, uitder tbe 
dtrection ef Captain Hancock, to see wiutt eoold be done with 
tiw French pnme Ville-d'AnTera, agrowd to the eastward of 
Ostende. The gna-biiga opeoed Aar fire, but received irom tJie 
numerous train of horse and other artille^ asaembled along the 
beach, aa weU as from the heavy mortars and pieces of cauvta 
moooted apoa tbe faei^tH, so heayy a fire in return, that they 
were obliged to deaist and haol off. No loss appean to hare 
been sastamed by tbe gnn-bf^ ; but tbe Minx was struck by a 
laige shot in the homtdt of her maiamaaL On the momii^ of 
the 19th the l&«^a shtp^sloops Oalgo, Captain Michael Dodd, 
and Inspector, Captain Edward James Mitchell, co-operated 
with the gan-briga in a second attach upon tbe grounded pnime ; 
but, proteeted ojf tJte powerfal baitteiies on shore, the ViUe> 
d'Aoren floated with the liusg tide and got safe ioto Oateade. 
Fire of tke eight grounded ichooners tad schuyts were ako 
Aottted into tbe basin. 

Hane, owisg to ki oe&tral poaition on the French Cfaannel- 
coast, was made a temponry dep6t for tbe vessels of the ftotiUa 
constructed to the westward, or la the Seine and the rivers flow- 
ing iBto it As soon as a sufficient niunber was assembled, they 
were to be oouvt^ed, by prames and gon-brigs, to the grand en- 
tttpSt at Boulof^ne. in the month of July a British squadron, 
composed chi^y of b1o(^, bombs, and small-craft, under the 
orders of Captain Robert Dudley Oliver, m the 3&-gun frigate 
Melpomene, was statioDed off H&rre, to reconnoitre and harass 
the port, and prevent, as well tbe vessels of the flotilla inside 
fffam escaping, as Aoee on tbe oateide from joining. On the 
23d the bomb^Yessels bombarded the town, set k on fiie, and 
coBipelled sevetal of the vessels to retire behind the pier and op 
the river. The martar-bstterieH on shore opened a fire in retwn, 
wfiich, altbongh contained for some time, inflicted very littie 
ditmage and no loss on the British vessels. On the 1st oC 
Attest a second attack was made, attended vrith nearly a 
aniilar lesalt. 

On die 19th of Joly, io the aftemoos, tbe wind, settiag at 
strong from tbe tuwthHutrtb-east, made so snieh sea, that the 
FretB^i BotiHa in the roed of BoulogDe became very sneasy. At 
ahsMt 8 p. H. tbe leewardmcst brigs fae^n to get under vray, 
and woric to windward, while some sf the taggers nn dowa , 
•ppaienily for Btafiles, learat^ in &e road at anchor 4& briga 
•nd 43 Itigmrs. 1%e British fngate Immortality, Captain Oweiu 
wi^ ihe w-gun £fig4te Leda, Captain Bobert Hooyman, and 
amcenl nai^ veaeek, was then at amdior ^>out wght leagues ta 
the westward of the town of Boulogne. The commodore im- 
mediately directed the 18fpm bmgtlaop Harpy, Captain 

g 2 



228 BRITISH AND FEiSICH FLEETS.— MEDITEB. 1804. 

Edmund Heywood, and the gnn-brige Bloodhound and Archer, 
lieutenante Henry Kichardson and John Price, to nia ia and 
open th^ fire upon such of the enemy's veseels as attempted to 
stand off from the land, l^e l&%uo ship-sloop Autamn, 
Captain Samuel JaclLson, was at tliis time getting under way, 
and lost nb time in giving her support to the Harpy and her two 
coBBorts ; all four vesaels maintaining an occasional fire during 
the whole weatheT-tide. 

At day]igfat on the 20th there were 19 brigs and eight luggers 
only remaining in the bay ; and at about 6 A.M. these began to 
slip singly, and run to the southward for the port of Etaples, or 
Saint-valery-sui^Somme, the Autumn and three brigs being then 
too far to leeward to pve them any interruption. As soon as the 
tide permitted, the Immortality and Lieda weighed and stood in 
close to Boulogne, when it was percdved that a brig, a lugger, 
and several large boats, were stranded on the beach westofthe 
barbour. The crews of the vessels were endeavouring to save 
from them what they could, but the tide most probably com- 
pleted their destruction. Three other French briga and a lugger 
were on the yicks near the village of Fortet, totally destroyed. 
A bng and two lumens remained at anchor close to the rocks, 
with signals fiying ; the brig had lost her topmasts, topsuls, and 
lower yards, and one of the luggers the head of her mainmast: 
besides which the sea was making a perfect breach over them. 

In the French version of the a0air no mention is made of the 
presence of the British, All is ascribed to the fury of the gale, 
which did, indeed, occauon su£Scient havoc among the numerona 
craft. The exact number of gun-vessels that foundered, or were 
stranded, is not stated ; but the account acknowledges, that 
upwards of 400 soldiers and sailors were ingulfed with the 
former, and that a great many perished with the latter. The 
emperor was a spectator of the scene, and, if we are to credit 
the French writers, evinced much sensibility on the occasion. 
" L'empereur, arrive de la veille h. Boulc^e, fut t^moins de ces 
d^sBstresj il se montra encore plus afflig6 que furieux; la sen- 
sibility ches lui pamt bien sup^enre an depit, et I'oiguetl de 
Bon caract^re celalfL la bonte de son coeur."* Napoleon, no 
doubt, was taught a lesson by the disatser: he saw that the 
shots and shells of British shipa were not all he had to fear, in 
getdng his immense armada acroas the English ChanneL 

Boul(«ae, being as already mentioned the head-quarters of 
Ihe grand armament preparing for the invasion or England, 
occupied a due share of the latter's attention. The British 
squadron, which cruised off Boulc^ne in August, consisted of 
from 16 to 20 vessels, under the command of luar-admiral Louis 
in the dO-gun ship Leopard. The main body usually lay at 
anchor, in 15 fathoms' water, about 10 miles north-west of the 

* Yictmret et Conqaftes, tome xvi., p. 138. 

:, Google 



1804. INVASION-PLOTILLA. 229 

port; and a detached or flying division, of fire or six Teasels, 
noder the commaDd of Captain Owen, in the frigate Immor- 
talite, generally cruised just out of shell-range of the enemy's 
batteries, anchoririg occasionally, as the state of the tide ren- 
dered necessary, ft should here be observed, that, in addition 
to the batteries, masked as well as open, all along the edge of 
. the cliff, there were sereQ or eight forts erected on the sands at 
low water; where also lay ready several mortar-beds, over 
which the tide flowed, and to which the mortars were' brought 
as sooD as it left tbeoi dry. 

On the 26th of August there were lying in the road of Bou- 
Ic^e, moored in line, 146 French guu-vessels, 62 of them brigs, 
or first-class gun-vessels, the remiunder chiefly luggers. Of 
these gun-vessels, 45 composed the H^vre-division, which, under 
Capitaine de vaisseau Fran^ois-Henri-Eng^ne Daugier, had 
once the I6th entered the road. Oa the same 25th an unusual 
degree of bustle and activity prevailed in the port, on account 
of the presence of the French emperor, who hao just done pre- 
siding at the grand ceremony of distributing to the troops tho 
cross of the le^on of honour. This imposing spectacle took 
place on the 16tn of August, the anniversary of the day on which 
" Saint Napoleon" had usurped in the French calendar the place 
of " Saint Roch." Upwards of .80,000 men, taken chiefiy fi^m 
the camps of Boulogne and) Mtmtreuil, were present on the 
occanon. 

To amuse the French emperor, probably. Admiral Bruix, at 
abont 1 h. 46 m. p. m., ordered a division of gun-vessels, under 
Capitaine de vaisseau Julien Le Ray, to weigh, and, with the 
north-easterly wind then blowing, work up towards Pointe- 
Bombe ; near to which lay the British gun-brig Bruiser, Lieu- 
tenant Thomas Smithies, or, as the French writers have it, " une 
grande corvette anglaise (L trois m&ts,"* watching their manoen- 
vres. In a short time a firing commenced between the parties, 
and soon brought to the spot the Immortality ; who, at 2 h. 
30 m. p. H. opened her hnnidside upon the gun-vessels, and re- 
ceived in return a heavy fire from the batteries, one shot from 
which struck her under the main chains, hut did no material 
injury. It now became necessary to haul further from the 
shore ; and the Immortality, having done so, lay to about tbrea 
miles off the port. 

Early on tne morning of the 36th the Archer and Blood- 
hound, commanded as l>efore,t fired at some luggers coming 

* One woald hardly suppose this possible, but it is nolefii tnie; and, as a 
proof what strange optica the writer was blened with, he could not discover a 
nngle brig in the British squadron ; " Leura Torces se compoaaient," he laj^ 
"de deux TsiMeausde ligne,* (meaning a 50 aad a frigate,) "deux fi6gate> 
de qiuuaflte.quatre, de lept corveUei de guerre itroit mto, do deus lougrea, et 
tTuo cutter."— fVicif det Eoinemau, tome zi., p. U. 

t Seep.sa7. 

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330 BRinSH AND lEENCH VLEEIS^— CHAKNEL. ISKH, 

nniBd Cape Oiioez, but wbo kept too doae to tbc shon to be 
molested. Towards the afternoon a eecond divnion of gan- 
Tesaels, under CapituDe de Taiiseaa Etiemie Perrieox, «n(rtiro> 
flectiws of Pmamui mortap-TetSMls, got nnder mj, and, «rba 
joined to Captada Le Ray's divisioo, wbich iras still aunouTnag 
oetween Vimereux and Ambleteuse, fbrated a total of 60 biigM, 
and upwards of 30 higgen. Tbe French empenr hiintelf, it 
^mearSr was at this time in tbe road in bia bwge, attended by 
Jnarab^B Soult and Mortier, and Admiral Brno. At 4 f. h. 
the Immortality, fallowed by the Harpy, still commaBded by 
Captain Heywood, gnn-brig Adder, Lieatenaiit Geoi^ Wood^ 
aoa hired anned cutter Coutitntion, commanded by Titetilfwnrt 
3. S. A. Dennis, made sail towarda the 6otilia, and in a quarter 
of an hour afterwards opened her fite ; as did the Tessels aalcm 
of her. The gnn-Tessela, however, kept near the shoie, niF- 
poeely to draw tbe BritiEh within reach of the batteriea. Tneie 
was DO withstanding the tevptation, and the Imaiortalit^ and 
ha three compeoioDB tacked and Btood in, within three quarter* 
of a mUe of tbe batteries, which kept op an incessant fire. 

As if that were not enough to preaerre tbe guo-T cnc el» fton 
captorc, the greater pairt of uioee m tbe road we^hed and pro- 
ceeded to their assistaoce. " Presqae tons les lAtimens qm se 
trowaient en rade prirent part cL ce combat, selon lew poKtion, 
et fnent soatenus par le fen des batteries de la cdte, q«Uid 
I'ennemi tenta de e'en approcher. Lea mortiers & grande police 
Ini firent beaucoup de msJ, fcc"* 

At about 6 r. m., while tbe Oonstitntion with ber 12-poiinder 
caironades was engaeing, in the most gaUant maimer, a heavy 
eiin-brig. and two lugger-rigged yachts, painted wkb white 
bottoms and green sid^, and richly gilt, a IdnBcb dtell fell oa 
board between the companion and ekylight, passed tluougb tbe 
deck, store a sknttle-butt, and went throagh the cntto's 
bottom. Tbe hole being too large to be stopped, and tbe vesad 
itlUng fast, a signal of distress was hoisted. In a &w oainates 
tbe boats of tbe squadron were alongnde, and tbe whole of tbe 
crew were saved. A shell also fell on board tbe Harpy, and, 
arfter killing ooe of bet seamen, lodged m a beam on tbe maiB 
d«ck, without doing fortber bsim.- The rsmo given fi^r its not 
csploding is a very extraordinary one. Acco^ing to several 
English accounts, the fusee was actually exttogaisbed by the 
blood of tbe poor man. through whose body the shell badf just 
passed. Tbe Inmiortalit6 was twioe struck by sbot in the h&li. 
and had four men slightly wounded. This frigate and her 
division, to which the Bruiser guo-brig, commanded as before, 
bad amce joined henelf, now hauled off out of gun-sfaoL Soaw 
of the French vessels were compelled to mn on shore on account 
of tbe shot-holes in their hulls ; and such of tbe remainder, as 

* VHdf im ^T^atOKxa, tome xi., p. i3, 

I, Google 



ISM DTUSON-FLOTILLA. 93] 

tb* batteries hwl not pemutted to be materially damaged, bore 
so for the raad of Boulogne. On the two sacoeeding aays some 
■fi^ skimishefl aUo took place, but QOtfaing deinsive could be 
emcted aa account of the rreach batteries ; nor was aiw iajary 
done to the British Tcsaele, beyond a wound in the Bnuaer s 
bomprit. 

It ift ungular that the same French writer, who tells us of the 
unmenae advantage winch a host of these gnn^veasela derived 
from the gun and mortal batteries along the coast, should cite 
the eagf^ement or skirmish of the 26th of August, as " une des 
phw mrtes ^preures de I'eflet r^iproque du feu des petits b&ti- 
■leofl de flotille oppos^ i. une ligne de vaisseaux et ftegates 
d'uD raig tr^s-Buperieur."* Hie writer should have stopped 
■Btil a caM occurred where a score or so of these gun-vessels, 
having got beyond tbe reach of th«r protectors, suddeul; fcnmd 
themselves, in a fine commanding breeze, close to leeward of a 
single British frigate, of the Immortalit^ for tnatance. How 
many of them, does he think, would escape capture or destine^ 
tion? Kone, provided the frigate stayed not to pick np the 
drowiung crews of those she crushed by ner stem, or sank by her 
broadaides ; and provided those vessels, that hauled down their 
iag» to save themselves from the fate of their companions, did 
not tieaefaeroasly rehoist them, because the frigate was too much 
eeci^ied to send a boat to t^e possession. IVone knew this 
better than Napoleon. The afiair of the 2d1ii of August, of 
which he had unintoitionally been an eyo-wttness, convinced 
bim. He did not say so, it is tme : it was not his policy. 
Withia the shtnt space of little more than five weeks, the French 
•mperw had witnessed, bodi what the Channel gales and the 
Channel cruisers would do with his flotilla, if it felt in the way 
of either. 

Towards the latter end of the Bummer a plan was submitted 
to, and received tbe sanction of the British government, fot 
destmying soch vessels of the inv8sioa<4oti]la, as should moor 
is any of tbe open roads along the French Cbsumel-coast lliia 
d«sinu>le obiect was to be attained ehiefiy by means of a novel, 
or rather, of a mvived species of fire-ve»d of a very pecnliar 
description. It consisted of a coffer of aboat 21 feet long, and 
Aree and a quarter broad, resembUng in appearance a Tog of 
nnhogany, except that its extremities were formed like a wedge. 
Its coveriDg was of thick plank, lined mth lead, calked and 
tarred. Outnde this was a coat of canvass, paid over with hot 
pitehh The vessel weighed, vihai filled (doee of course before 
tbe ceveciBg is wholly put on), about two tons. The eoBtents 
coiMBted, Msides tbe iwaratss, of as much ballast as wonid 
jost keep the upper surmoe of the deck of Ae coffer even with 
the water's edg*. Amidst a quantity of powder (about 40 

» frfrirdi* EAae m m , toaril., p; 40, , . 

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232 BRmSH AND FRENCH FLEETS.— CHANNEL. 1804. 

barrek) and otba* inflanmiBble mfttter, was a [uece of doekwoik, 
tlie main apring of which, on the withdrawing o{ a peg placed 
on the outside, would, ia a given time (from six to t^ minutes), 
draw the trigger of a lock, and explode the veaseU This " cata- 
maran" fts it was called, had no mast, and was to be towed to 
the spot of its operation. On the opposite end to that to which 
the tow-rope was fixed was a line, with a sort of grappling-iron 
at its extremity, kept afloat by pieces of cork, and intended to 
hook itself to the cable of the object of destruction, and swing 
the coffer alongside. 

The appearance of about 160 vessels, moored in a double line 
outside the pier of Boulogne, offered a fit opportunity for trying 
the eSect of these much-vaunted macbinee. Accordmely on the 
Ist of October, in the morning, Admiral Lord Keitb, in die 
Monarch 74, with three 64e, two 60s, and -several frigates, sloops, 
bombs, guQ-bri^, cutters, and fire-vessels, anchored aboat five 
miles from the Trench line off Boulogne. In the course of the 
day, the Monarch, accompanied by three frigates and aoatt 
smaller vessels, weighed, and reancbored just out of gun-shot of 
the French batteries and flotilla. This movement, coupled with 
the information previously furnished by spies, left no doubt ia 
the minds of the French as to the nature of the attack that was 
about to ensue. Every defensive preparation had already been 
made by Rear-admiral Lacrosse, whose flag was flying on board 
the Ville-de-Mayence prame, stationed in the centre of the line. 
Towards evening the French admiral despatcbed several gun- 
boats and armed launches to a distance outside, that they might 
be ready, as well to give notice by signal of the enemy's approach, 
as, if possible, to grapple and tow away the fire-veesels. On 
shore the batteries were all ready, and bodies of troops, with 
numerous field- pieces, were stationed along the coast. 

On the 2d of October, at about 9 b. 15 m. p. m., the four fire- 
vessels. Amity, Devonshire, Pe^^, and Provi(|fnce, towed by 
armed launches, proceeded upon the service assigned them. In 
less than a quarter of an hour their approach was signalled by 
the French videttes; who, as soon as tney found that the fire 
they opened was not returned, suspected the nature of the ves- 
sels which, with a strong tide and fair wind, were fast driving 
towards them. A scuffle now ensued between the French gun- 
boats and the English launches; and the latter, having towed 
their charges to a proper distance, and ignited the fusees, left the 
tide to perform the rest, and rowed back to their ships. As the 
fire-vessels approached the left of the French line, a heavy 
cannonade commenced, with a view of sinking them, bat it 
&iled in its effect. The Providence, entering amtmg the gun- 
boats, exploded at 10 h. 15 m., between No. 149 and No. 142, 
stationed in the second line, wounding two men on board the 
latter vessel. The explosion was awfully loud, and created con- 
siderable alarm, as well along the French line, aa •m<Hig the 



IfKM. raVASION-FLOTILLA. 2^ 

ntectatore on ehore ; bat no more nuBchief sppean to Iiave beea 
doDe than ha§ just been stated. 

In another 20 minutes the Peggy, posaing throagh a vacant 
Bpace left purposely for her, exploded in the rear of tne line, with 
an effect as slight as the first, merely wounding an officer and 
two men. A third fire-veBse1,the Devonshire, exploded at about 
1 A.M. on the 3d, wounding two men only. The fourth, which 
was the Amity, pointed to the admiral's prame ; but the Ville- 
de-MiKFence, slacking her cables, let the enemy drift harmlessly 
by. Tim Tessel, at her exploBion, appears to nave effected erea 
)ms than her three companions. 

Four or five of the catunarans also exploded, the last at about 
3h. 30 m. A.M.; but only one, and that by an unexpected 
occurrence, appears to hare caused any destruction to the French. 
A British boat, having just done towing a catamaran, was, the 
French say, abandoned by her crew, hut left with a sail up. If 
80, it must have been as a nue, and the English must have 
transported tiiemselves to another boat, as the enemy's gun- 
vessel was approaching. Lord Keith's letter containing not a 
word of detaU8,the Freoch accounts are all to wUch we nave to 
trust. A heavily-armed launch, or p^niche, (No. 267,) ap- 
proached this vacant boat, into which 27 French soldiers and 
sailors instantly leaped. Scarcely had the latter made off with 
their prize, before the p^niche ran foul of the catamaran, and was 
instantly blown into tne air, with the loss of all her remaining 
crew, consisting of her commander and 13 soldiers and sailors. 
Those left in the captured boat gained the port of Vimereux. 
This made the French loss amount, altc^ether, to 14 killed and 
seven wounded. The British had not a man hurt. 

Many were the anathemas hurled against England fw the 
barbarity of this attack by catamaran, but surely without 
reason. Had she not a right to crush, in the ports of its forma- 
tion if she coukl, the fiotilla which, it was publicly declared, had 
for its sole object the conveyance of troops for a descent upon 
her shores ? What is there, compared with explosion-vessels and 
fire-ships, peculiarly gentle in the employment of red-hot balls, 
and grape and langriage shot ; or, indeed, in any of the missiles 
or weapons with which war is usually waged ? That the cata- 
maran affair was a silly project was asserted with more reason, 
than that it was a cruel or an illegal one. It was a complete 
failure, and, like every failure of the kind, conferred additional 
str^igth upon that which it was intended to destroy. Under an 
idea, for ioBtance, that the British would improve their plans, 
and make a second attempt at burning the flotilla, " une chaine 
de barrage" was constructed, which completely sheltered the 
line of guD-boats at Boolc^ne from explosion-vessels of every 
description. 

On the 8th of October, a division of French lugger^ig^ed 
guo-vesaels being perceived from the road of Jersey, creeping 



384 BRITISH AND nUEHCH TL£ETB< — CHANNEL. 1804. 

ftloog thfl coast of IirsnnaiHly ftam Ae southward, the Britah 
18-gun ship^loop Albacore, Cmtain Maj«r Jocob HcQoiker, 
slipped UM made sail, fi>ilowed by a gwi-brig and cutter; bat 
who, misBing t^e sloc^ in the haze, letumed to the aachorago. 
Towards eveaiog the Albacore, beiog near the GroBDex de 
Flamanville, cd^wJlcd five of tbc li^ern to aocfaor close to the 
tsairt, under the corner of a battery to the soothwanl of Qrossez. 
Hie vincI being dead aa ftbore and a lee - tide making, the 
Albacore lay off ratil the 9th, at 10 a. m. ; whm, witfa the 
asHstance of tin weather tide, Gaptaiu Hean&er stood in, undor 
a heavy fire from the battery and guo-veaseb. At 1 1 a. n. the 
Aibacore oochored, with sprrngB, close to- the gan-veaselB, aod 
within abmt 200 yards of tbeearf : the sloop thea opened her 
fire, and continued it until ail fire Teasels were diiven on shore, 
and lay broadside to in a heavy sarf, which broke with great 
violence over them. Their men, in great numberB, landed upon 
the beach ; and some were seoi bwing the wounded in tzietr 
amis. Having, owing to the straagtb of the wind, dragged ber 
anchor, the Albacore, at the falling of the tide, slipped and 
hauled off, without any loss, but wiui her boll struck in several 
places, her main and maintop masts shot through, and her 
rig^og of every kind much cut 

On the 23d of October, at 4 p. k., a diviuon of the French 
flotilla, consietiag of two prames, one with a ctnumodore's broad 
pendant, and 18 anaeA schuyts, put to sea from Ostende, aod 
steered to the westward, just as the Cnuser, Captain Hancock, 
accanpanied by the guiHerigs Blazer, lieutenant John Htaton, 
Conflict, lieutenant Charles C. Ormsby, Tigresa, lieutenant 
Edvraid Oreeosword, and Esciot, lieutenant Joseph Gulston 
Garhad, and hired anned cutters Admiral-Mitchell and Gn£o, 
Li ente n ante Richard WiUnms and James Dillon, was standing 
in to reconnoitre the port. Chase was given, and the headmost 
prame, at 5 h. 18 m. p. m., was brought to actiontby the Cruwa 
Emd her consorts. The mitual cannonade continued until dh. 
36 m. V. M. ; wfam tiie praae's fire, wUcb had been confined to 
musketry for the last half hour, entirely ceased. As, however, 
the tide was rapidty falliw, darkness coming on, and no pereen 
OD board was acquainted with the shoals to the westward of 
Osteode, the Crmser, then in lesa than three fathoma' waiter, 
hauled off and anchcHied. 

Meantime, in her eagemese to ckpse with the pmme, the Cos- 
set gun-brig bad grounded ; and, although the brig was in two 
fiUh«ms' vrater, the prune steered safe in-^re of ber. As soon 
as the prame had passed out of gun-shot, lientenuit Ormeby 
co mm en ce d lightenit^ his vesee), in tlie hope to get her off. His 
endeavoiHB proving n^uklesB, the lienteoant and his men Cfaitted 
the Conflict, and pulled for the Cruiser, whose lights were then 
ia view. An attempt to bnng away the gan-brig was afterwards 
aHde k^ titc Griffin and Adsural-Mitehdl cutten> mmaei a 



1801 JSiisaoK-rLxyxiuA, SSft 

addilian to their own crews, by £b« niiole of the Cooflict'i cnw, 
and by 10 Kamen aod half the marinea belonging to tibs Cruiser. 
B^ the Conflict was found to be h^h mnd dry on the beach, 
and ia complete poeseasion of the eneinv ; the fire from whose 
howitzers and field-pieccar beradea greatly damaging the Griffin 
in her adrance, killed one and wonoded aerea of the party, 
incloding Acting-lienttmaat Abci^iam Qulaiid of the CniiBer 
most severely, ti^nog lott hit right leg very high up. Two 
aeamen had a^ been wounded in the pnnous cannonade. 

On the 8th of December, in the evening, an attempt was 
made, under the direction of Captain Sir Home Popham, of the 
fiO-gHB ship Antelope, by means ot the Susannah ex^oiion- 
veaael and two carcasBeS, or catamarans, to deatmy Fort Rouge, 
the advanced pile-battery at Ae entrance of the harbour of 
Calais; but, if the Frenck accounts are to be credited, little or 
BO damage was effected by the single explosion, that of the 
Susannah, which toolt place. One carcass could not be fixed ; 
aad the other, when fixed, would not go (^. On the British 
ade not a man wu hart ; and it appears that the same good 
fivtane attended the persoaa on shcxe. We must now quH, f<x a 



irtiile, gun-boats and catamarana to attend to the c^rations <^ 
fleets of line-o&battle slHps. 

Among tiie advantages which the Bntish govemmont had 
contenuuated by retaining posaesaion of the island of Malta, its 

Soxinuty to Toulon was not the least important; and yet Lord 
elson crften em^diatically declared, that he would as soon the 
news of the sailing of the Toolon SaA reached bim atSt-Helen's 
as at Malta. In proofof the force ofthat imwesaion upon Lord 
Nelson's mind, the Mediterranean fleet Iwd not once entered 
Taltita harbonr since he had taken the oomnand, the vice- 
admiral invariably, when he was compelled to aeek a pwt, ateer- 
ii^ for Agiacourt mund ; where, on the last day of the preceding 
year, we left hipt and his fleet at anchor.* Lord Nelson readdy 
admitted, however, that the iabod of Malta vras an important 
ctttwo^ to "Egypt, and, throi^ the latter to India ; and that 
ISnglaad, by pouessing it, acquired a decided influence in tiie 
Levant aad ova the whole of sonthem Italy. 

On the 4th of Jaaoary, leaving the 33-gan fiigate Amazon, 
Captain William Parker, and raoe smaller vessda, to aid the 
Saawnians, in the event of an expected invasion firom the neigb- 
hoating iahad of Corsica, the vice-adimral, with the remainder 
9£ his fleet, weighed and put to aea. On the 9th Obtain 
Keats in the Superb waa drtaidied, to settle aome dispute vrith 
the i>ey of Algiers ; and, to give weight to the uegotiat]oa> Lord 
Nelson himself on the 17th, made his appearance off the Bar- 
fcwy coast. The Superb having r^cnoed on the following day, 
the fleet stood back to Sardinia, utd aa the 27th, at 6 ?.»•, 
again dropped anchoc in Aginoonrt sound. 
_ SMp-Mfc 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



236 BRITISH AKD FRENCH FLERT3. — ^HEDITER. 1804. 

Betveen February' Ist and 8th tfae fleet cruised in the neigh- 
bourhood of the French coast, and then anchored near lbs 
island of Cabrera. On the 19th Lord Nelson again put to sea, 
and remained out until the 25th of March ; baring, on the 15th 
been joined by the lOO-gun ship Roj^al-Sovereign, Captain 
Pulteney Malcolm, from England. Weighing again cm the 3d 
of April, the fleet passed between the island of Elba and Cape 
Corse, and on the 9th, in the morning, took a station afaoat 
midway between the capes Sicie and Sepet. On the same afler- 
Doon the French batteries at the latter place fired several shot 
at the Amazon, while taking possessicm of a prize-brig in-shore; 
and three French frigates came out of Toulon, and stood towards 
ber. On this the 7i-gun ship Donegal, Captain Sir Richard 
John Strachan, and 38-gan frigate Active, Captain Richard 
Hussey Moabray, closed the Amazoa ; wherenpon, at 6 h. 30 m. 
F. H., the French ships, including four others that had just 
rounded Cape Sepet, tatJted and put back. 

On the lUth o^ .May the Leviathan 74, Captain Henry Wil- 
liam Bayntun, accomptmied by three bomVvessels, joined the 
fleet, which, on the day foUowmg, anchored among the Mag- 
dalena islands. On the 14th the Gibraltar rejoined frvm 
Naples, and on the 19th the British fleet weighed and steered 
for Toulon. .By this time the French fleet had also received an 
accession of iorce : the SO^un ship Bucentaure had been 
launched, and, with aeven other line-of-battle ships, lay in the 
outer road reedy for sea. A few other ships were in nearly the 
same state of readiness in the inner road ; and the whole were 
still under the command of Vice-admiral La Touche>Tr^ville, 
who had now the new 80 for his flag-ship. 

On the 24th of May, in the forenoon, as the Canopns, Don^al, 
and Amazon, having been detached from the fleet, then out of 
sight in the offing, were standing upon the larboard tack, with 
a Tight air from the south-west, close to the eastward of Cape 
Sepet, for the purpose of reconnoitring the fleet in Toulon, a 
French line'of-battle ship end frigate were observed under sail 
between the capes Sepet and Brun, which form the entrance to 
the harbour. At half-past noon, when about three miles from 
the shore, the Amazon, DoDe|al, and Canopus tacked in sac- 
cession. No sooner had the Canopua put about, than several 
French gun-boats swept from under Cape Sepet, and, profiting 
by the calm state of the weather, opened a distant fire upon her 
and the Amazon, The Canopus, in return, discharged a few 
of her lowerdeck guns, and stood on to the south-east by east, 
with the wind, now a moderate breeze, from west-north-west. 

On hearing the firing, two French ships of the tine and two 
frigates had slipped their cables and made sail, to assist the Une- 
of-[^ttle ship and frigate already outside. At 2 h. 30 m. r, ic, 
two more sail of the line slipped, and followed the others ; making 
DOW fire sail of the line and three fngatea that were in chase (X 



1804. B£AR-A.DMIBAL CAUPBELL AlTD TOULON SHIPS. 237 

the reconnoitnng ships. Shortly afterwards the French van- 
fngate, being on the weather quttiter of the Caaopus, opened a 
fire upon her and the Donegal, which these ships immediately 
returned. With so superior a force it was in vain to contend, and 
Rear-admiral Campbell directed his little division to make sail. 
At 3 h. 30 m, p. h., finding purenit useless, the French ships 
tacked and stood back to their port ; and at 9 h. 30 m. p. m., 
and not before, the Canopus and ner two companions joined the 
Victory and the fleet.* 

On the 13th of June, in the afternoon, two strange ships 
having been^ignalled as under sail off the east end of the island 
of PorqneroUes, Lord Nelson, who, with the in-sbore or lee 
division, c(H>«sting of the Victory, Canopus, Belleisle, Donegal, 
and Excellent, lay off the Hy&res, while Sir Richard Bickertoa, 
with the weather division, also of five sail of the line, cmieed 
about 20 leagues from the land, ordered the frigates Amazon 
and Phcehe, the latter commanded by Captain the Hononiable 
Thomas Bladen Capel, to proceed in chase. Light winds made 
it noon on the following day, the 14th, before me two frigates 
leached the entrance of the 6raod&-Passe ; and soon aftenirards, 
it being signalled that the strangers were frigates, and known 
that batteries were near them. Lord Nelson directed the Excel- 
lent to lend her aid to the Amazon and Phcehe. At 6 p. h. the 
two French frigates, Incorruptible and Sir^oe, and l&-^un brig- 
corvette Furet, were seen at anchor under the castle of Porqae- 
rolles. At 5 h. 30 m. p. m. one of the forts fired at the Phoebe, 
bnt the shot did not reach her. la another quarter of an hour 
both British frigates having cleared for action, anchored with 
aprings on their cables, just out of gun-shot of the northmost 
fort. Scarcely had the nigates done Uiis, than the whole French 
fleet in Toulon road was discovered getting under way. The 
Amazon and Phcebe immediately rew«ghed, and stood out to 
sea. The Excellent, having also been recalled by signal, put 
about and rejinned her division; which, since 4 b. 30 m., had 
Ixtre up, with the wind at westrsouth-west, under all sail, for 
the Grande- Passe. 

At 5 p. M., or soon aAxr, the Vu^ory and the ships with her, 
observing the French admiral coming out of Toulon with eight 
■ail of the line and four frigates, shortened sail and hauled to 
the wind, in line of battle, on the staiboard tack. At S p. m. 
Cape Sicie bore from the Victory north-west by west distant 
seven leagues ; and at 1 h. 30 m. a. h. on the Ibta, having wore 
and tacked several times, the lee division hove to. At 3 h. 45m. 
A. M. Lord Nelson a^ain made sail, and at no<m was only 11 
miles to the westward of the north-west end of PorqueroUes: 

* The authon of the quarto " Life of Ndtoo," by coofoundiiiB thb sortie 
with another that otturred three weeki sfterwardi, have entaitglM themaelvea 
and thdr routes io a labyrintb of mistakes. See Clarke and M'Aittnu'B 
Book, voL iL, pp. S6«>7. 



.CtOo^Ic 



338 SEITIBH AND FEEHCH FLEETS^— BfEDITER. H04. 

At 6 P. M. the Amazon and Pbcebe joined the Tke-adminJ ; at 
which time the French fleet, counted at 14 sail of aUps, was 
standing off and on between Cape Sepet and the la«t^immed 
island. At 6 p. m. the lee diviscHiagun hore to for a short time. 
At 7 P.M. the iDcerruptible, Siroie, and Furet joined their 
fleet; which, having ^eoted the apparent object of the sally, 
now stood back into port, and was toUowed, until well icade of 
Sepet, by Lord Nelson and his dirisiim. 

This would have passed off as an occuneaoe ef no moment, 
had not M . La Touche-Treville thought proper to make it the 
subject of en official communication to nts govunmeDt. He 
admits having s^it the two frigates and a brig-corvette to cruise 
in the bay of Hy^res ; as well as that he sailed oul^ with the 
whole of his fleet, to prevent tb^ retreat from being cut off by 
a line-of-battle ship arid two fiigates detached by I^rd Nelson. 
He states truly, that the latter, upon this, recalled his de- 
tached ships, hut nofit untruly, that dte British admiral " ran 
•way." 

What Lord Nelson thought of the Freaicfa admiral's ^qiloit 
may be gathered from a letter which, on the 18th of June, he 
wrote to Sir John Acton : " Mons. La Touche came out on the 
14th. I was off the Hi^rea with £ve ships ; he had eight of 
the line and eix frigates. In the evening he stood under Sepet 

rn, and, I beheve I may call it, we chased him into TouIob 
morning of the l&th. I am satisfied he meant nothing be- 
yond a gasconade ; but am confident, when he is ordered for 
any service, that he will risk falbng in with us, and the event of 
a battle, to try and accomplish bis orders."* It was not until 
some tveeks afUr the date of this letter that Lord Nelson saw 
a copy of the official one of M. La Touche.^ The statement of 
the rrench admiral gave hie lordship much more ooncem tbsn 
it ought to have done ; so much indeed, that he transmitted a 
copy of the Victory's log to the admiralty. It was sufficient for' 
M . La Touche that his assertion, taken in a larger sense than he 
had probably anticij^ted, tiutt of having chased the British ad- 
miral with all the latter's 10 sail of the line present, gained 
credence in a quarter which immediately promoted him from 
" un grand t^icter de la llgion d'honneur," to " un grand offioier 
de I'empke," and conferred upon bim, also, the Tucratiro ap* 
- pointment of 'inspectenr des c6tes de la M^iterrao^." 

Napol^tm'e letter, apprizing M. La. Touche-Tr^ville of the 
manner in which he hea rewarded bis gaHantry, is dated at Mal- 
maisoo, the 2d of July, and contains some important directioiM 
fdative to the proceedings of the Toulon fleet. Tha arice^ 
admisal is informed, that two battalions of picked troops of the 
ine, consisting of 800 men each, have received orders to embaik 

• Ckrke and U'Attfaot, vol. ii, p. STS. 

f For a transcript of the oripiul letter, tee Appeadu Ifo. SSi 

I., Google 



1804. LOBS VXLSON A3n> M. LA. TOVCSE-TBETHLE. 2Sd 

on board bis ships, presioned to be 10 of the lioe, ready for sea 
ID the nnd. If seanien are wasted, the corvettes are to be dk- 
anned, aad pressgangs sent to the port of Marseilles. The orders 
aboQt the anployment of sheUfl Cor the 36-pouDderB in the &«9t 
fleet are here repeated, with an aasarance that, if fired at a 
distance of oot more than 200 or 300 totieo, they will produce a 
nmdi CTeater effect upon the hull of a ship than cannoa-balls.* 

M. La Touche-Tr^Tille is thea directed, after haviog, if 
ptsnble, deceived Lwd Nelson as to his desdnetion, to put to 
■ea, pass the Stmits, sail wide of Farrol to avoid beiag seen by 
ibe blockading aquadron, and arrive off Rochefort ; where ha 
is to be joioed by the six sail of the line, including the nevr ship 
AdiiUe then expected to be ready, in that port. With hie 16 
sail of the line and 11 Ixigates, the Tice~«dmiral is then to pro- 
ceed off Boulogne, either donbling Irdand, or otherwise, as 
dnmnntasces may vrairant. The Brest fieet, composed of 93 
sail of the line, with a strong body of troops on board, is in tfaa 
mean time to draw off the attention of Admiral Comwallis, and 
to oblige him to keep close to the coast of Bretagne, to be 
ready to intercept it on its euppCMed route to the westward. The 
further destination of M. La Tonche--Tr6vilie is left to be con»- 
mnnicated to him, when he arrives in the neagfabouiikood of 
Bonh>gne; which. Napoleon conjectures, will be in the course 
of September, admitting the fleet to have sailed from Toulon, 
as he brnsts it will, about the 28th of July. 

For 16 or 17 days previous to the date last mentioned, a soo- 
cession of heavy ^es of wind had rendered it very difficult for 
Loid Nelson to keep his station ; especially as scarcely more 
than half bis ships were in a seaworthy state.+ On the I9th of 
July the Ambuscade frigate, with dght sail of tiansports, joinii^ 
fenn England, Lord Nelson wore and stood for thegulfof Palma, 
with the double object of onloading the transports and of shel- 
tering the fleeL The station off Toulcm, in the mean time, was 
lefl m charge of Captain William Hargood, of the BelleiBle, 
having in company the Fisgard and N^er fiigateSj tbe Acheron 
bomb-vessel, and two transports. 

On the 2d of August, when the violence of the wind had driven 
these ships out of sight of the shore, five French sail of tbe line 
and six frigates, under the orders of Rear-admiral DnmanmrJe- 
Peltey, in the Formidable 80, sailed oot of Toulon, for tbe scJe 
panose, as alleged, of piacliniig manotovres. The division 
onusad -within ax or seven leagues of the port until the 6Ui, 
wbtn 4ie BeUeiale and ber consorts, making their appearance, 
mn tdegraphed by ttie«ignal-pOBtson CapeSepet as six tail of 
the line, " six vaiaseaux ennemis ;" and the Neptune, of 80 guns, 
"pour reodre lapartie^gale," went out and j<Hned M. Dumanoir. 



•Prfda das Ei^unen, tone si, p. IX. 
-•^ee p. Xl«. 



,i,zedi!v Google 



240 . BBTTISH AND TRENCH FLEETS.— HEDITER. 1804 

So States the letter which M. La Touche-Tr^nlle thbi^t it 
worth while to send to his gOTeromeot on bo important an 
occasion. 

On tbe 6th, the French squadron retnroed to Toulon, uid the 
Belleisle and her five bigbly-hoDOorad companions approached 
near enough to count seven of the ships standing into the har'^ 
hour. On the 8th, in the evening, the Belleisle reconnoitred the 
port, and observed 10 sail of the line, six frigates, and one brie, 
at anchor in the road. On the same day, Lord Nelscm, with hia 
fleet, anchored in a bay in tbe island of PuUa ; where, he had 
been informed, excellent fresh water could easily be pincuied. 
"A very fine watering-place," says his lordship in his diary, 
" found by Captain Htllyar, about five miles to the westward of 
Porto-Torres, with the springs about 200 yards from the beach, 
where 40 casks may be filled at the same time." 

On the 10th, the Vice-admiral* weighed and put to sea ; but, 
having by a severe gale of wind been blown under Cane San- 
Sebastian, waa not able, until tbe 26tb, to reconnoitre Tonloo. 
In the outer harbour, the Victory counted 20 ship-ri^ed veseds, 
including 10 sail of the line ; and in the inner naroour, fitting 
(me siul of the line and one frigate. 

On the 18th of August, in me night, Vice-admind La Touches 
Tr^ville ^died on board the Bucentaure ;-t- and tbe command of 
the fleet, until a successor sbontd be appointed by Buonaparte, 
devolved upon Admiral Dumanoir-le-Pelley, whose flag, as 
already stated, was flying on board the 80>gun ship Formi£tble. 
The British Beet outside of Toulon, although the Conqnnor, 
Speivcer, and Tigre, had joined, still consisted of only 10 sail of 
the line, the Gibraltar, Kent, and Triumph, having parted com- 
pany. Even had Lord Nelson's force been less, or the blockade 
of ue port actually raised, the French rear-admiral, as will pre- 
sently appear, had received no orders to quit port. 

In a letter from Napol^n to his minister of marine at Brest, 
of date September 29, are contain^ directions, that Vice-admi< 
ral ViUeneuve, then apptnuted to the command of, and supposed 
to have already joined, the Toulon fleet, should quit the road, if 
possible, before the 2lBt of October, bavin? previously received 
on board about 6500 troops under General Xauriston. Ilie fleet, 
stated to consist of 1 1 ships of the line and sevoi or eight 
fiigates, was to sail out of the Mediterrtinean, call for the Aigle 
■t Cadiz, detach two of its Jastest sailers, along with tcmt 
fneates and two brigs, having on hoard 1 800 troops, to rehM* 
Senegal, retake Gor^, ravage the British Bettlements on j^ 
coast of Africa, and capture the island of Saint-Helena, wanted 

* Since the Gnt of the month. Lord Nelion hod changed his flag from blw 
to white, u Sir Richard Bickerton bad from white to red. 

f " llle PVencfa papers ny he died in consequence of walking m often up 
to the unial-poat upon Sepet, to watch to,'— Letter o/Lord ^cAon, ta l^aHte 
ttnd3i'Jb1hir,joLiL,p.387. 



]804. INTENDED CRUISE OF ADMIRAL VILLEHEOVE. 241 

u a d^p&t for tbe Frendi cruisers and tbnr prizes in that 
quarter of the globe; while, with 10 sail otAe line and frigates, 
and the remaiDder of the troops, M. Villeaeuve was to Bteer for 
Cayenne. Having there taken ou board tlie celebrated General 
Victor Hugaes, the French admiral was to proceed off Surinam, 
and effect a junction with a squadron of five sail of the'line and 
foar frigates, under Rear-admiral Misaiessy, M. Villeneuve's 
successor at Rocfatfort ; and who, it was supposed, would 
already have fulfilled the first part of his mission. This was, 
with 3300 men under General Legraage, to proceed to Mar- 
tinique and Guadaloupe; and, after leaving 1000 men at each 
of uose islands, to attempt, with the remaining 1500, the 
capture of the island of Dominique, and, if possible, of Sainte- 
Lucie. Having garrisoned the captured islands, Riear^dmiral 
Missiessy was to proceed off Surinam, and await the arrival of 
Admiral Villeneuve ; who, with his force now augmented to 16 
sail of the line, seven or eight frigates, and full 5000 men, was to 
poasess himself of Surinam, and the other Dutch colonies in thig 
quarter. That done, the French admiral was to place under 
cootribution all the British West-India islands, enter the differ- 
ent roadstede, and capture or bum the vessels lying there; 
leaving in the Antilles, purposely to harass British commerce, 
the greater part of his corvettes, of which as many as possible 
were to quit Toulon with the expedition. He \vas, next, to leave 
1200 men with General Ferrand at the city of Santo-Domingo, 
raise the blockade of Ferrol, and, taking out the five ships in 
- that port, appear off Rochefort with 20 sail of the line. U«e 
Vice-admiral Villeneuve would receive directions at what point 
he waa to join Vice-admiral Ganteaume and his 30 sail of the 
line,* in order to fulfil the ultimate object in view, the descent 
Mipoa England. 

Napol^n, it appears, had wavered in his choice of an admiral 
for the Toulon command between MM. Bniix, Villeneuve, and 
Rosily. Owing to this or to some other delay, Vice-admiral 
Villeneuve did not hoist bis flag on board the Bucentaure until 
the 6th of November, a few days anterior to which Lord Nelson 
had returned to his station from Agincourt sound ; whither, 
aince the 18th of the pfecedingmonth, the want of wood, water, 
Wd provisions, had driven the British fleet. On the night of the 
I4th of November Lord Nelson received intelligence oT the 
seizure of the Spanish frigates, and had, in consequence, a part 
of his attention directed to a squadron of five or six sail of the 
line at anchor in Caiihagena. On the 25tb of December the 
Swiftsure joined Lord Nwon; and on the Slst, in the evening, 
the BridsQ fleet, owing to the absence of the Superb, reduced 
l^ain to 10 sail of the line, besides two frigates and a bomb- 
vessel, cruised about six leagues to the southward and eastward 

* Se«p.S17. 
TOU III. K f^ I 



£43 LIGHT SQUAOSONS AND SINOLE SHIP?. 1604. 

of Cape Sao-Sebastiui. The French fleet in the outer road of 
TouloD, DOW increafcd to 11 sail of the line wad seven ore^it 
frigates, bad eince the 12th of the month beea embarking die 
troops allotted for the intended espeditioii, and wu ready for a 
start, Uie moment a ftir wind and a ctew officg should afford 
the (^portunity. 

By the Swutsure, or some small vessel that joined on Hu 
same day, Lord Nelson received despatches from the admiralty, 
respecting the conduct he was to pursue towards the Spaniards. 
The despatches were dated September 19, and directed him to 
take such measures of precaution only, as mig^t be oecessarj 
for opposing or counteracting any hostile attempts of Uie Spct- 
niards against the British domioiona or trade. He was, how- 
ever, not to sufTer any act of hostility or aggressitm, with the 
exception of detaioing Spanish ships with treasure on board, to 
be committed by hie tteet until he received further orders, or 
bad obtained positive information from unquestionable authwi^ 
«f hostilities iiavuig been committed by the Spaniards against 
the £n^ifih. Additional directions, dated September 25, ordered 
the captains and commanders of the Mediterranean fleet to keep 
a vigilant look-out, and to detain Spanish ships or vessels laden 
with military stores. On November 2b, lest any misappreheneion 
might arise, fiirther instructions were sent out not to detain, in 
the first instance; any ship beltmgiitg to his catholic majesty, 
calling from a port of Spain, but to require the commander to 
letnm directly to the port whence he came ; and, only in the 
event of his refusing to comply with such requisition, was the 
admiral to detain and send the vessel to Giibraftar or Engtand : 
he was further directed not to detain any homeward-bound 
Spanish ship of war, unless she should have treasure on boatd^ 
nor merchant ships of that nation, however laden, on any aceowd 
whatever. 

LIQHT SqOADROKfl AMD SIXOLB 8BIPB. 

At the distance of rather less than a mile from Uie sonth-west 
«nd of the island of Martinique, or Pointe du Diamant, and 
about six miles south-east from the entrance to the harbour or 
bay of Fort-Royal, stands the rocfae du Diamant, or Dianwad 
lock,' in latitude 14° 24' nc^h, longitude 61° & west In height, 
«B measured by a quadrant, it is 600 feet ; in circumfer^tce 
nther less than a mile; and "in form very much resentUing a 
ronnd haystack. The south side of the rock is inaccessible^ it 
being a ^t steep, like a wall, but Blo[»ng a little towards the top. 
liw east and the south-west sides are also inaccessible : the first 
has an overhanging cave about 300 yards high, and the other 
several caves of great magnitude. The west side, where breakers 
ran into the sea, affords the only landing. But even this landing 
is not at bU times practicable, oo account of the surf; and a 



189t, cmnHO our the cubieox. 243 

'^tentm, nben he has landed, has to creep throogh emniriw, and 
over dangeroue steeps, notil he reaches the north-west side, 
wbeK tbe eye is soadenly relieved by a slopiog grove of wild 
^-trees. 

Id the ktter end of the year 1803 the Bntish 74-gun' ship 
Centanr, Captain Murray Maxwell, beariog the broad peodant 
of Commodore Samuel Hood, was cruising off Fort-Royal bay, 
to watch the port and intercept the vessels bound in or out of it. 
Finding that, as the Diamoad had deep water all round, muiy 
vessels escaped capture by running inside of it. Captain Hood 
^tenained to take possetsion of and fortily the rock ; and make 
it a sort of depot, or stationary idiip of war, whence boats could 
be driached to harass the enemy's trade. A landing was effected; 
and in the course of the month of January, 1804, with incredible 
dii£culty, five of the Centaur's guns, three long 34 and two 18 
pounders, were mounted in different parts of this stapendous 
n>ck. The mode of getting them from the ^ip to an eminence 
«o DiBdt higher than her mast-heads was eharacteristio and 
inganions : a cable was made fast by one end to the ship and by 
the other to the rock, along which passed a traveller, or ninntog 
loop; to this was suspended the cannon, or whatever else it was 
flesirous to remove, and which, by means of suitable tackles,* 
was dr^ged up the acclivity of the cable to the summit of the 
iDck. ''Were you to see," Bays a writer, who was on the spot, 
*' how, along a dire, and, I had almost said, a perpendicular 
acclivity, the sailors are hanging in clusters, hauling up a four- 
«od-twenty pounder by hawsers, you would wonder ; they 
Appear like mice hauling a little sausage: scarcely can we hear 
tbe governor on the top of the rock directing them with his 
tnunpet, the Centaar lying close under it, like a cocoa-shell, to 
which the hawsers are affixed,"* 

One of the 24-pounderB, fitted upon a circolar carnage, com*- 
naoded the landing place, and would reach in an eastern 
direction nearly across the fa«iy of Marin. Another was mounted 
vpoa the noru-east ude, and the third 24 about midway np the 
rock. Upon the summit, which commands an immense distance, 
were motmted the two IS-pounders. As soon as these guns were 
^1 mounted, and a sufficient quantity of powder and shot for 
their use was brought Aom the Centaur, Lieutenant ^ames 
Wilkes Maurice, of that ship, with the rank of commander, and 
a crew of 120 men and boys, for whom a four months' supply of 
provisions and water had also been landed, hoisted his pendant 
(Ml board the Briti^ " sloop of war "-t* Diamond-rock. 

On the evening of the 3d of February four boats, containing 
60 seamen and 12 mwnes, under the orders of Lieutenant 
Robert Csilhew Reynolds, <^ the Centaur, then at her old 



• Naval ChrooicI^ voL sii., p. 806. 
+ Sq i tg rt ewd in the vt-v^hslfi, 

k2 



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244 LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

station off the Diamond, were detached to attempt the captnie of 
the French brig-corvette Curieus, Capitaine de fixate Joseph- 
Marie- £mmanuel,'Cordier,Df 16 long &^pounder8 and (supposed to 
have been about 100, but with only, ae admitted) 70 men, lying 
at anchor close under Fort-Edouard at the entrance of the 
Carenage, Fort-Royal harbour, Martinique, victualled for three 
months, and all ready for a start to sea. Although the sus- 
picion that an attack might be made by a part of the olockading 
force had led to every commendable precaution to prevent sur- 
prise ; such as, loading the caniage-eunB with grape, and the 
awivels (of which there were eight) ana wall-pieces with musket- 
balls, spreading on the quarterdeck and in the arm-chest the 
muskets, sabres, pistols, tomahawks, and pikes, filling the 
cartouch-boxes, placing, as sentries, one manne at each gang- 
way-ladder, one at each bow, and two at the stem, tracing up 
the hoardi^-nettings, and directing a sharp look-out to be kept 
by every officer and man of the watch (28 in number), yet was 
the Curieux, owing to the vigour of the onset and the hoar 
chosen for making the attacK, unapprized of her enemy's 
approach until too late to offer a successful resistance. 

At about three quarters of an hour past midnight, after a hard 
* pall of 20 miles, and just as the moon was peeping from behind 
a cloud, the Centaur's boats were bailed by the Curieuz, aod 
then fired into by the sentries, by two of the starboard 6- 
pounders, a swivel, and a wall-piece. The 12 marines returned 
ibe fire with their muskets, and the boats pulled rapidly on. lo 
the midst of a scufiBe alon^ide, the barge poshed for the br^'s 
stem. Here hung a rope-ladder, to which two boats were fast 
Lieutenant Reynolds, and a seaman named Richard Templetoi^ 
ascended by it to the taffrail, and, in defiance of the swivels and 
wall-pieces mounted at this end of the vessel, were quickly 
followed by the rest of the barge's crew. In his way up the 
ladder. Lieutenant Reynolds, with admirable coolness, cut away 
one of the tracing-lines with his sword, whereby the comer of 
the netting fell, and thus enabled the three remaining boats 
to board on the brig's quarter. 

Since the first alarm had been given, all the Curieux's o6Scen 
and men, headed by their brave commander, had been at their 
quarters ; and a sanguinarv combat now ensued, in which the 
French officers took a much more active part than a portion of 
their men. The French, however, were soon overpowered: 
some were killed or badly wounded ; others thrown down the 
hatchw^; and the remamder, finding themselves abandoned, 
retreated to the forecastle. Here a line of pikes stood opposed 
to the British ; but all was unavailable. Handspikes and the 
butt-ends of muskets became formidable weapons in the hands 
of the latter, and soon laid the captain and most of the officers 
near hm prostrate on the deck. 'The majority of Uie surviving 
crew having by this time fled below, all further resistance pre- 

vie 



1804. cirrnNO our the cuBiEtnc. 245 

sattly ceased. The British were not long ia cattug the cables 
of their prize, nor in unfurling her sails ; and, in a very few 
minutes, the Curieux, in the bands of her new masterB, stood out 
of Fort-Royal harbour. A snuirt fire was successively opened 
firom Fort Kdouard, a battery on Pointe Negro, and anotber at 
Pointe Soloman, but the brig passed clear, and, long before 
break of day, was at anchor by tbe side of the Centaur. 

It was an additional cause of congratulation to tbe British, 
that their loss of men, considering tbe magnitude of the enter- 
)»ifle, was small, consisting of only nine wounded. Three of 
the number, it is true, were officers ; Lieutenant Reynolds, tbe 

BUant leader of the party, his able second, Lieutenant George 
Imund Byron Bettesworth, and Mr. John Tracy, a midship- 
man. Tbe two latter were not badly wounded ; but tlie first" 
named ofUcer had received no fewer than five severe, and, as- 
tbey eventually proved, mortal wounds : one of the seamen, also^ 
died of his wounds. The loss on the part of the French was- 
very serious. The Curieux had one midBbipman and nine petty 
officers, seamen, end marines killed, and 30, including all her - 
commissioned officers but one midshipman, wounded, many of 
them severely, and some mortally. The French captain had a 
singular escape : afler having been knocked down and stunned, 
)ie was thrown overboard, but fell on the fiuke of tbe anchor, 
whence he dropped into one of the Curienx^s boats which was 
alongside, full of water-casks. The only man in tbe boat imme- 
diately cut her adrift, and pulled for the shore ; and Captain 
Cordelier, on recovering his senses, was as much chagrined as 
Biirprised at the novelty of his situation. 

The Curieux bad long been at sea, and was considered to he 
me of the best-manned and best-disciplined brigs in the French 
navy. Some of her crew were undoubtedly panic-struck ; but 
the time, and the suddenness of the attack, coupled with its 
lesisttess impetuosity, may serve in part for their excuse. The 
determined behaviour of the French officers excited tbe admira- 
tion of their opponents ; and Lieutenant Louis-Ange Cheqiaant, 
and Enseigne de vaisseau Jean-Joseph-Maurice Joly (both 
wounded), as likewise was their brave commander, particularly 
disdnguiehed themselves. The ccnduct of the BritisD upon the 
occasion speaks for itself. 

Commodore Hood, very conuderately, despatched tbe Ciirienx 
to Fort-Royal as a Bag of truce with the wounded Frenchmen ; 
and Vice-admiral Villaret^Joyeuse, the governor-general of the 
island, with a proper sense of the act, sent back his acknow- 
ledgments. \Jpon her return, the Curieux, under her French 
name, became a British sloop of war, and was given to the 
officer wbo had headed the party &at captured her ; but Cap- 
tain Reynolds's wounds were of too severe a natare to admit of 
bis taking tbe immediate charge of bis new command. Tbifl 

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^46 LIGHT SQVADRONS AND SIKCU SHIPS. IWt, 

gallant yonng e&cer, indeed, breathed his last in tlte eaily part 
of the eoBuing Se))teiiiber. 

The following paaeage occurs in a translated ci^^f (all, wa 
believe, that has been published) of Lieutenant Uieminaot^s 
letter to GovemOT Villaret : " I render justice to the EneUah ; 
they not only afforded the last military liononrs to the mioslnp- 
nan Boui^onni^, but they afforded the most particular asustM 
ance to the wounded, and not the value of a handkerchief was 
taken from the crew." 

On the 5th of February, at 3 p. ii.« the British 13'^uq 
8cho<»ier Eclair (IS-pounder carronades), Lieutenant William 
Carr> while cruising about 68 leagues to the northward of the 
island of Tortola, saw and immediately chased a strange sail to 
the southward. la about half an hour the stranger was disco* 
vered to be a ship standing towards the Eclair. At 4 r.H., 
having by the usual mode of signalling ascotained that the 
vessel ^preaching her was an enemy, the schooner shortened 
sail and cleared for action. At 4h. 30 m. the ship, which from 
subsequent information was the celebrated French privatef* 
Grand- Decide, Captain Mathieu Goy, of 22 long 8-poaBden^ 
and a complement including 80 soldiers, of abcnit 220 men* 
being withm musket-shot on the larboard and weather bow of 
tbe Eclair, hauled up ber courses, hove to, and hoisted French 
colours. When within pistol-shot, the Grand-D^cid^ commenced 
the action, by dischargii^ her larboard broadside and a heavy 
£re of musketry, and received in retam the larboard broadside 
of the schooQH-. The Eclair then wore round and fired ber 
starboard broadside. In this manner the action cODtnne^ 
without interniiswiD on either side, until 61i. 15m. p.m.; when 
tbe French ship slackened her fire, filled, and bore sp, as if 
intendnig to rake the schooner ; but, instead of doing so, the 
p«iyateer ceased firing) and made all sail to the northward. Tbe 
Eclair instantly filled, and made sail in chase. At 7 p.m. tbe 
Giand-D^ide was getting away &st, and by 8 h. 30 m. had ran 
entirely out of «gbt. 

In fliis truly gallant exploit, tbe Eclair, out of her 60 men waA 
boys, lost one manne killed and four seamen wounded, and had 
Ler standing and running ngging cut to pieces, and her barri- 
cade, masts, and yards much damaged. That a ship so power&l 
io guns and men as the Grand-D^id^ shoqld, in a 45 minutes' 
engagement, have done tx> more execution in perwnnel, is M 
extraordinary, as that she shoold have ultimately fied fron « 
vessel so much ber infenor in guns, complement, and mze. It 
was, however, established, to the entire satisfaction of Comnio* 
dore Hood, that the fnivateer was tbe Qrand-Becid^ A'on 
Guadaloupfr and that she was bo armed and manned. Tbe 
gallantry of Lieutenant Carr in attacking such a vessel, and the 
Ability and determination displayed by him, his officers, and crew^ 



1801 COMMODORE DANCE AlfD ADHIBAI. UNOIS. 34} 

throngbout a contest whidi, id snte of the inequality of force, 
terminated bo creditably to the £clair, merited all the praise 
called forth upon the occasion. 

On the 5th of March, at 2 f.u., the Eclair, still commanded 
by Lieutenant Carr, while passio^ Englishman's Head, Qnada-^ 
l(Kipe» discovered a schooner, which shortly afterwards hoisted 
8 red pendant, stood into the Hayes, and anchored close under 
some batteries on the shore. Upon a nearer approach, Lieate- 
nant Cair ascertained that the vessel was a French privateer, 
filled with men : and he would then have sent in the cutter to 
attack her, bad not the wind &om the westward blown fresh 
<Hi the shore. At 7 f. h. it fell calm ; and the cutter commanded 
far Mr. John Salmon, the master, having under him Mr. John B. 
Douglas, the sui^eon (also a volunteer), and 10 seamen, quitted 
the Eclair, and proceeded towards the harbour in which ths 
privateer lay. 

Notwithrianding a smart fire from the battery at the entrance 
of the harbour, and from the vessel lierself, the master petse- 
Tered, and after a stout resistance of 10 minutes, boarded and 
carried the French privateer-schooner Rose, of one loi^ broso-i 
8-pout>der on a pivot, and 49 men, well armed and fully pre- 
paired. Of these the pdvateer had five men killed, and 10, 
mduding the captain and four that jumped overboard, wounded. 
Of the 12 officers and men, who had in so gallant a manner 
effected this capture not one was hurt. The master's next 
difficulty was, in a dead calm, to carry off bis prize. This he 
and his men at length did, by dint of towing and sweeping ; and, 
altbongh exposed to a fire of great guns and muBketry from the 
shore, reached their vessel without uie slightest accident. The 
Rose was well found, and victualled complete for a three nuHiths*- 
cruise, upon which she was iust going to sail, when tiie Eclair'* 
l>oat ao gallantly intercepted her. 

On the 3lBt of January, Commodore Nathaniel Dance, of thq 
honourable East-India company's service, sailed from Canton 
for Europe with the following 16 regular Indiamen, all of |rbicb 
are denominated " 1200-ton ships," the registered tonnage of 
most however, exceeds 1300, and in some cases amounts to 1600 



Enrl-CBmdeD..^ — ........ NMhuiid Donc^ 

WarlCT ..................... Henry WUboo. 

AJfrcd „ ~... James Farquluinon, 

Royal-Geo^e John Fam llmmins, 

ContU Robert Torin, 

Wexfoid Wm. Stanley Cbike^ 

Oangw ....„...„ Willioiii Moftt, 

Sxeter Heniy Heriton, 

Eari-of-Abei^veim^ John Wordawortfa, 

Henry-AddiDgton John Kirkpatrick, 

BombBy-Coatfe Afch. Hamilton, 

Cumberland ««.»... Wm. WaidFurer, 



I, Google 



248 UOHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

Hope Jaa. PeDdergnss, 

Dorsetshire Rob. Hunter Brown, 

WaireD-Haatings IIioidbs Larkina, 

Ocean Jno. Christ. Lodmer, 

aleo 11 country-ships, one Botany-bay and one Portug«ese ship, 
and a fast-sailing armed brig, the Ganges, in the compiny'a 
service ,- total, 39 ships and one brig. 

On the 14th of February, at 8 a. m., Pulo-Auro in sight and 
bearing west-south-west, the Royal-Geoi^e made the signal for 
seeing four strange sail in the south-west. Commodore Dance 
immediately signalled the Alfred, Royal-Geoi^, Bombay- 
Caetle, and Hope, to go down and examine the strangers : and 
Lieutenant Robert Fowler, late commander of the British armed 
store-ship Porpoise (wrecked in the preceding August), and at 
this time a passenger on board the Earl-Camden, volunteered to 
go in the Ganges brig, on the same service. The signals of the 
look-out ships soon apprized the commodore that the strange 
-veesels were a French squadron, consisting of a line-of-battle 
ship, three frigates, and a brig. They were, in fact, the 74-gUR 
ship Marengo, Captain Joseph-Marie Vrignaud, 40-gun frigate 
Belle-Foule, Captain Alain- Ad^la'ide-Marie Bruitbac, 3&^a 
fiigate Semillante, Captain L^nard- Bernard Motard, 22-guQ 
corvette Berceaa, Captain Emmanuel Halgan, and the Bataviaa 
I6-gun brig-corvette Aventurier, which Rear-admiral Linois, 
whose flag was on board the Marengo, had borrowed &om the 
colonial government at Batavia and commissioned by one of his 
lieutenants. On the 10th of the preceding December, it will be 
remembered the Marengo and her three consorta anchored in 
the road of Batavia.* Thence they sailed on the 28th, accom- 
jmnied by the Aventurier, and stored with six months' pro- 
visions, on purpose to look ader the China fleet, of whose 
strength and time of departure Rear-admiral Linois had> as he 
declares, been duly informed. 

At 1 p. M. the British commodore recalled the look-out ships, 
and formed the line of battle in close order. Admiral Linois, 
as soon as be could fetch in the wake of the British fleet, which 
lie knew to be that expected from China, put about. The ships 
of the latter continued their couree under ef^ sail ; and, as the 
French were now close astern, Commodore Dance expected bis 
rear to be attacked, and prepared to support it ; but, at night- 
fall, the French ships, preferring a daylignt action, hauled close 
to the wind. The Ganges brig was sent to station the (^uotry- 
ships on the lee bow of the armed Indiamen, and, having done 
so, returned with some volunteers for the latter. 

The British ships lay to all night, the men at their quarters. 
At daybreak on the 15th the French, having made a proper use 
of the intermediate time, were about three miles to wiodwaid, 

Sm p. 2I& 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



1804i COMMODORE DANCE AND ADMIRAL LINOIS. 249 

also lying to. M. IJnois in his letters saya, " If the bold front 
pat on by the enemy in the dftytirae had been intended as a ruse 
to conceal his weakness, he would have profited by the darknem 
of the night to endeavour to cooceal his escape ; and in that 
ease I should have taken advantage of his manoeuvres. But I 
sooD became convinced that this security was not feigned ; three 
of his ships constantly kept their lights up, and the fleet coo- 
tinued to lie to, in order of battle, throughout the night. This 
position facihtated my gaining the wind, and enabled me to ob^ 
serve the enemy closely."* 

Both parties now hoisted their colours. Three of Commodore 
Dance's principal ships and the armed brig hoisted blue ensigns; 
the remainder of the fleet, red ; and the whole of the China 
ships, having been recently punted, cut rather an impo«ng 
figure. This circumstance, coupled with the information that 
cmly 23 ships and a brig had quitted Canton, led, as he states, 
M. Linois to believe, that the three supernumerary ships formed 
the escort to the fleet. Admitting this to have been the fact, 
ihe French admiral was justified in making his advance with 
caution. At 9 a, h., observing that the enemy's men of war 
did not come down, the Indiamen formed in order of sailing, 
and continued their course under an easy sail upon the starboard 
tack; whereupon the three French ships and Batavian brig 
filled on the opposite tack, and edged away towards the mec 
cliant fleet. 

- A 1 p. H., finding that M. Linois intended to cut oS* hi» 
near. Commodore Dance made the signal to tack in snccession, 
bear down in line ahead, and engage on arriving abreast of the 
enemy. The manceuvre was correctly executed, the Royal- 
George leading, followed successively, in close order, by the 
Ganges, Earl-Camden, Warley, Alfred, and others. Thus 
formed, and carrying tO[^allantsails, the British ships stood 
towards the French ships ; and these, carrying royals, and some 
f^ them topgallant studding-sails, were keeping more away to 
facilitate the junction. 

At about 1 h. 15m. p.m. the French admiral opened his fire 
upon the Rojral-George and the ships next astern of her. The 
Royal-George returned the fire in a very spirited manner, and 
was ably seconded, as they came up, by the Qangea and £arl- 
Camden. The Warley and Alfred were the next ships that got 
into action. The Royal-George was engaged about 40 minutes, 
and fired about eight or nine broadsides ; the Ganges, about 35 
minutes, and fired seven or eight ; the Earl-Camden, about 26 
minutes, and may have fired five broadsides; and the Warley 
and Alfred, who came into action nearly together, were engaged 
about 15 minutes. After the mutual cannonade had lasted in 
this way just 43 miDutes, the Marengo and her consorts ceased 

* See Appendix, No, 37. 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



S60 UOHT SqUADROirS AKD SIKGIf SHIPS. 1804. 

firii^, baakd tbeir wind, and stood away under all Baii to the 
eastward. 

At 2 p. M. the Earl-CaiiKlen made the sig;iial for a general 
chase, and the iDdiamea pursued the French admiisl until 4 
r. M. ; when, considering the immense property at stake, and 
iearing that his charge might be carried too far from the mouth 
of the Straits of M^acca, Commofl(He I>aoce made the signal 
to tack, which was immediately obeyed. At 8 a. m . the Britiafa 
ships anchored in a situatitm to enter the Straits in the m<Mninf^ 
ana soon lost eight of the squadron of M. Linois. The foUow>- 
ing is the Freocn admiral's account of the defeat whidt he ac- 
IcDowiedgcs to have experienced. " The hoadrooat enemy's 
flhip, having sustained some damage, bcwe away ; hut, aappwted 
by those astern, again brought her broadside to bear* and, a» 
well as the others, kept up a very spirited fire. The ships which 
had tacked rejmned toose which wereei^agiog us, and three c£ 
the first engaged ships manoenvied to double oar rear, while the 
ranainder of the fleet, crowdiog sail and bearing ap, evinced aa 
intention to euironnd us.* By this manceuvre the enemy would 
have rendered my situatioc very dangerous. The snpenority of 
his force was ascertained, and I had no longer to dehberate apoa 
the part I should take to avoid the conseqaences of an unequal 
engagement: profiting by the amc^e, I hauled up to port, and 
steering eaat-north-east, 1 increased my distance from the enemy, 
who continued the pursuit of the squadron for three honrs, di>- 
charging at it several ioeffeclive broadBidea."f 

The Royal-Geo^e had one man killed and one wounded, and 
received several shot in the hull, and more in her sails ; ciunp»< 
rativeiy trifling casualties, considering that she bore the brunt of 
the action, and was so long engaged. Few shot touched either 
the Ganges or lbs Earl-Camden ; and no other loss or damage 
appears to have been anstained by the British during this tfaroe- 
Quarters of an hour's partial caniKHiade. The fire of the Royal- 
Ueoi^e, and the three or four ships iu her wake, being chiefly 
directed at the rigging of the French ships, did not, aecordii^ 
to M. linois, injure a penon on board of them. 

With respect to the armament of the 16 Indiomen thm 
iimin up in line-of-battle, they carried from 30 to 36 guns 
«ach ; but the strongeM of them was not a match for the Semil- 
lante, and some of tbem would have found it di£Scnlt to avoid 
yielding to the Berceau. Some of the ships carried upon the 
main-deck 26 medium l&>poundei8, or " cannonades," weighii^ 
about 28 cwt. and of very little use : guns of this descriptioa, 

* We do not UDdentwd whst is meant \n Ihii, snd jet the KCCout 
«leail)' so (tat«3, thus : " Troia de c«ux qui anuent des pnmMn pria put i 
raction, manveaTraient pour nam doubter ^ I'amtre, tandis que le restA da 
la flotte, se rouTrant de voile, et laisant arrlTer, aonoDfait le pttget de ddui 
«nvelopper." 

f See Appendix, No. ^ 



:. Google 



1804: CQUHODORE DANCE AND ADUIBAL LINOIS. Sfit 

indeed, have long since been exploded. Ten 18-poander car- 
iDoadea on the quarterdeck made up tbe 36 guns. OtheiB of 
tbe ships, and those amoog the lai^est, mounted long 12 and 6 
poundera. No one of tbe crews, we believe, exceeded 140 men, 
asd that number included Chinese, Lascars, &c. Moreover, in 
fitting the ships, so much more attention bad been paid to stow-* 
age uian to tbe means of attack and defence, Inat one and 
fiometintes two butts of water were lashed between tbe guns, 
and tbe decks in geneial greatly lumbered. Of tbe force of th^ 
French ships it wul be sufficient to sa; that the Marengo, Belle> 
Poule, and S^millante were anned aa Pfos. 4, 5, and 7 in the 
small table at p. 54 of the firat volume. The force of the Ber* 
oMu has already appeared,* and that of the brig ia too inBigni- 
ficaut to notice. 

The promptitude and finnness of Commodore Dance and his 
farave associates undoubtedly saved from capture a rich and 
valuable fleet. The slightest indecision in him or them would 
iiave encouraged tbe French admiral to persevere in his attack ; 
,1ukI, had he done so, no efforts, however gallant and judicioasj 
could have prevented a part of the fleet at feast from falling into 
his bands. It would be unchaiitable to call in question the 
courage of Rear-admiral Linois: one must therefore supposQ 
that it was, as he has stated, the warlike appearance of thoaa 
16 ships, the regularity of their manoeuvres, and the boldnees of 
their advance, that led the French admiral to doubt whether a 
part of them were not national cruisers ; more especially, as it 
was an uncommon occurrence, dunng a war^ for an East-India 
fleet to be without the protection of one or more powerful king's 
ships. 

The commanders, officers, and crews of the respective shipsj 
that bad thus distinguished themselves, were liberally rewarded 
by the East-India Company, as well as by the committee for 
managing the Patriotic Fund.*}- Commodore Dance, also, as 
lie well merited, received irom his late majesty the honour of 
knighthood. Among the sums of money voted to Sir Nathaniel 
were 6000A by the Bombay Insurance society ; and the answer 
-of thanks returned by tbe commodore contains the followiiq; 
passage: "Placed, by the adventitious circumstances of se- 

• 8eep.54. 

+ This truly named " Patriotic Fund," originated at a meeting of tbe Bub- 
SCTibere to Lloyd's Cofrec4ioiise, held on the 20th of July, 1803, Brook Wat. 
■on, eaq. ia the diair. The object is explained in the third resolution: 
" tiat to animate tbe etforts of our defenders by sea and land, it is expedient 
to laise by the pBtriotiim of the community at laive, a suitable fund for their 
«onfoit and relief— for the pnrpoae of lusua^ng the anguish of their vounds, 
■or palliating in some degree the more weighty mlifortiine of the loss of limb* 
— of alleriating the distresses of the fridow and orphan— of smoothing tb^ 
ImnrcrfBomwfbr the fall of dearest relatives, the propsof unhappy iDdi(RDC« 
«r bdplos age— and of grantii^ pectiniaiy rewards, or boDOUiable badgv of 
JiMiQetion, fot nicceeiful exertioat of valour or merit.* 



iiSZ UGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

niority of service and absence of conroy, in the chief commaad 
of the fleet intrusted to my care, it has been my good fortune to 
have been enabled, by the firnmeaa of those by whom I was 
supported, to perform my trust not only with fidelity, but with- 
out loss to my employers. Public opinion and public rewards 
have already mr outrun my deserts ; and I cannot but be sensible 
that the liberal spirit of my generous countrymen has measured 
what they are pleased to term their grateful sense of my conduct, 
rather by the particular utility of the exploit, than by any indi- 
vidual merit I can claim." Here is an instance of modesty and 
candour, as exemplary as it is rare; and which sheds an addi- 
tional lustre upon the character of Sir Nathaniel Dance. 

On the 19tn of February the British 14-gun brig-sloop Drake, 
under the temporary commaad of Lieutenant Wilham King of 
the Centaur, while cruising off the port of Trinity on the north 
ude of the island of Martinique, discovered in the harbour, 
taking in cara;oes in defiance of the blockade, two Americas 
brigs and a schooner, moored within pistol-shot of a fort mount-, 
ing three French 34-pounders, Being determined to make an 
attempt to cut out tnese vessels. Lieutenant King despatched 
the boats of the Drake, under the orders of Lieutenant William 
Cumpston, assisted by Mr. William Robson, the master, upon 
that service. The three American vessels were gallantly hoarded 
and taken possession of, in the face of a heavy fire from the for^ 
and from two field-pieces; but, having no wind. Lieutenant 
Cumpston and his party could only succeed in bringing out the 
schooner, which was accomplished without loss. 

On the night of the 24th Lieutenant King himself, with 21 
seamen and nine marines, landed and spiked the guns at the 
fort and the two field-pieces, with the loss of one seaman killed, 
and Lieutenant Cumpston and one seaman slightly wounded. 

On the night of tfie 4t1i of March the baree and pinnace of 
the 74-gun ship Blenhe^, Captain William Ferris, naving on 
board w officers and men under theorders of Lieutenant Thomas 
Furber, made a most gallant but unsuccessful attempt to cut 
out the French national schooner Curieuse, lying chain-moored 
close under a fort at the town of St. Pierre. The schooner had 
made very formidable preparadona, having rigged out her sweeps 
on each side, traced ner boarding-nettings to her lower mast- 
heads, and there fastened them in the securest manner. Not- 
withstanding all this, and a heavy fire of great guns and mus- 
ketry, as well from the schooner herself, as from a party of 
soldiers drawn up on the beach, from the neighbouring forts, 
and from an armol sloop and several smaller vessels. Lieutenant 
Furber and those under him gallantly boarded and carried the 
Curieuse; but, no sooner were her cables cut, than the schooner, 
lield &st by Uie chain, swang round and grounded upon the 
'beach. The severe loss now sustained obliged Lteatenant 
Fnrber to desist from any further attempts ; aiM the tifro boats 



.1804. THE DRAKE AT THE HAYES, GUADALOUPE. 253 

got back to the Bleaheim, with one §eaiii&ii, and two marines 
killed, five officers (DKines not reported), 11 seamen, and three 
marines wounded, and three seamen missing. 

On the mornii^ of the 13th of March the British 18-pounder 
36^an frigate EmeTald, Captain James O'Brien, observe] a 
French privateer-schooner, on account of inability to worlc up 
4o St' Pierre's, ran in and anchor close nnder a battery at Seron, 
just within the Pearl rock at the western extremity of Marti- 
nique. As the frigate herself, bein^ considerably to leeward, 
was unable to reach the spot in time. Captain O'Brien de- 
spatched the armed sloop Fort-Diamond, with Lieutenant 
"Tbomas Forrest and 30 volunteers, to attempt the service ; and, 
in order to take off the attention of tlie battery from the move- 
mmts of the sloop, be sent in a different direc^on the frigate's 
boats, joined by two from the 44-gun ship Pandour, which had 
just hove in sight. 

Having reached tbe anchorage, lieutenant Forrest dashed in, 
and laid tbe French schooner on board, the crew of which, 
Amounting to about 60 whites and blacks, after dischai^ng her 
broadside and a volley of musketry, fled over the side to the 
shore. By the force with which the Fort-Diamond struck the 
«cbooner, the chain, by which the latter bad fastened herself to 
the shore, was broke, and about 20 feet of it remained hanging 
at her bows. The prize proved to be the privateer Mosambique, 
armed with ten 18-pounder carronades, commanded by Captain 
Vatlentes, and fitted for a three months' cruise. This very 
gallant exploit was performed with so trifling a loss, as one 
master's mate (Mr. Hall) and one seaman wounded. 

On the 14th of March, in the morning, tbe British brig-sloop 
Drake, still commanded by lieutenant William King, crniung 
off Englishman's Head, island of Guadaloupe, fell in with a 
French privateer-schooner, and a large ship in company, appa- 
rently her prize, but was unable to overtake either until the snip 
ran herselfon shore near the batteries o(, the Hayes. The Drake 
DOW endeavoured to cut off the schooner ; bu^ having had her 
main topmast shot away and her rigging much damaged, was 
unable to effect her objecL About tnia time another ship hove 
in sight in the offing, and appeared to be steering as if atao with 
the intention to run on shore. Despatching two boats, nudec 
the orders of Mr. Robson the master, to watcb the first ship, 
now observed to be agun afloat, with directions to attack her, 
should she endeavour to escape. Lieutenant King made sail after 
and recaptured the ship in the offing, an English merchantman, 
valaahly laden. 

The Drake's two boats, meanwhile, pnlled in towards the 
ship in-shore, the crew of which, except one man who had not 
time to effect his escape, abandoned her as the former approached. 
Possession of tbe ship, which had 18 guns mounted and was 
very large, was thna easily obtained ; but in half an boot she 



.CtOo^Ic 



3M UOBT SQDADRONS AHD SINGLE SHITS. .1604. 

Uew upf iLilling one muter's mate, three Bewnen, and one 
ntriiie, snd morutly wounding Mr. Robsou, who expired a few 
hours aftenvards, and badly woundine several of the small part^ 
bclooging to th« two boats. Id all cases, where a vesad m 
abandoued In this way, treachery should be suspected, and the 
magazAie be quickly examined. There can be little doubt that 
the fellow who was behind his comrades, hod laid the traia 
which produced the l&tal explosion. 

On (he 17th of March the British 16'?un bnE-sloop Pei^;iiiav 
Captain George Morris, cruising off Senegal bar, chased and 
dtore upon it the French pnYateer-scbooner Reoommee of 12 
Itng G-poonden and 87 men, belonging to Senegal. Owing to 
the comnuance of the surf, no opportumty occuired of making 
an attempt to destroy her until the morning of the 24th. At 
this tiate the Reaomm^ had shifted her position, from the efliNrts 
apparently of two anned schooners, which, since the preceding 
«veDing, bad dropped down to the mouth of the nFer, and now 
Jay witnin 200 yanis of her. 

Standing as close in as the dMalness of the water would adtnit^ 
the Penguin opened a fire upou the three vessels ; but, although 
ebot were excbanged for an boor and a half, the brig cou[d not 
get near eoaugh to foKe the two schooners to retire up the river. 
_ At 10 p. u., therefoR, Captain Mortis despatched the joilybow^ 
UDder the command <d Lieutenant Charles Williams, with 
directions to endeavour to destroy the groiuided echoooer ; m 
•ervice iriiich was execated in the ablest manner before 1 i^M. 
OD the 25Ui, and that without any loss on the part of the British. 

On the 23d of March, the Biitisb IS-gun ^ip-aloop Osprey^ 
Captain George Yauughusband, cruising on the Windward-island 
statioo, discovered in the south^weftt quarter, and immediately 
chased, the french frigate-built privateer ^yptienoe, of 36 
gime. Captain Placiard, with three merchant ships under her 
convoy. As Boon as the Osprey had arrived within hail, the 
£gyptienne htMsted her colours and fired her broadside. This 
was iostaatly retnmed, and the two ships continued in close 
action for one hour and 20 minutes ; at tlie end of which time 
the E^yptieone ceased firing, and began to make oS, and her 
coDToy to sepaiate oo diSerent courses. To the regret of the 
British officers and crew, it was soon found thatuie French 
ship, even with her topsails on the cap, outsailed their vesssL 
The Os^Hcy, however, continued the chase, until the Egyptienne 
dirappeared in the dark. 

Tne force of the Osprey consisted of 16 carranades, 32- 
pounders and two sixes, with a complement of 120 men and 
boys : that of the Egyptienne was 36 guns, French 12 and 6 
pounders, with a crew on boud of 248' men. The one ship 
J ""g,* and the other, which was fonoerly the nationai 

a Sse voL iL, [k 99^ note I** 

* .Google 



MM. BH'POIIIHES AND XGTPTIEIINE. S66 

frigate RaiUeuse,* since given or sold to some m«rchants at 
Bordeaux, 857 tone. The Osprey sustained a loss of one maa 
kiUed and 16 wounded, and was a good deal damaged in her 
■aib and rif^ng. TIm loss on boeid the Egyptienne, as after- 
wards ascertained, amounted out of a crew of 248 men and boys, 
to eight meo killed and \9 wounded ; and the ship herself wag 
very much cat by shot in bull, roasts, sails, and tigging : a proof 
that the Osprey'a caironades had been discharged with quicknesft 
•ad prectsion. 

It is exploits like these that afford examples of gallantry in 
the true import of the votd. Had Captain Younghusband, on 
discovenog the size and strength of the Egyptienne, forborne to 
attack her, no imputatiott would have rested on his professumal 
cfaamcter. But he had a higher sense of the duties of ft 
British naval c<Hnmandef : he chose to wrestle with his powerful 
antaconist; and so vigorous end effective was his atlack, that 
■etfaiog but lightness of heel saved the EgyptiemM from he- 
ooming his prize* la such a creditable encounter we must not 
wnit to Btatm, that Lieutenant Francis Augustus Collier wa» 
•eeond in command of the Osprey. 

On the 2&th, in the foretxxm, this same Egyptienne fell in 
with the British 14-gun ship-sloop Hippomenes (ten long 12, 
and 2 l<ng 6 ponndeiB, and two24-poundercarmnades,aU Dutch 
eahber), Captain Cooway Shipley, and mistaking her probably, 
Ar the ship she bed bees so beaten by two days Before, crowded 
■ul to get off. The HiMMMneoes pursued, and, after an ardnooft 
diaae of 54 hours, waa a running fight of three hours and 2Q 
minutes more, came up with and captuied, the French ship. 
Hie ^yptienne struck the moment the sloop got fairly along- 
side ; and, owing to her feeble resistance, inflicted no greater 
loss on the Hippomenes than slightly wounding one person^ 
Blr- John Lloyd, a master's mate. 

The bold front and rabonal confidence of the l^yptienne in 
the b^inning of the one action, and her panic-struck behaviOBr 
and hasty flight in that of the other, occadon die principal differ* 
«Bce in the merits of the two. The conduct of Captain Shipley 
WBB much enhanced by his readiness to do justice to the per* 
formance of his brotlKr-coaunander of the Osprey, "whose 
nUantry," he says, " astcmished tliem." It is probable that M, 
Placiaia found a difficulty in persoading the merchants of 
Bordeaux again to place bim in- the command of one of their 
fihvateers. 

Being 30 years old and much bn^en in her sheer, the 
EgTptieone was purchased into the British service merely as a 
piisoQ-fihip. Her name was changed to Antigua ; aod she was 
atatiooed at English harbour io the island of that name. 

On the 24th of March the British ship^sloop Wolverine, of 13 

• See TOLL, p. 981. 

Dci,l,zedl!vG00glc 



356 XIGUT SQDADKONS AKD SIKGLE SHIPS. 1S04. 

goTte,* Captain Henry Gordon, being in latitude 48° 16' north, 
and longitude 23° 16' west, on her way to Newfoundland with 
eight merchant venseU under her protection, discovered to the 
eastward, which was directly to windward, two large sail bearing 
down for the convoy- At 2 h. 30 m. f. h. the strangers were 
made out to be vesBels of force, and soon afterwards to be 
enemies. Finding it to be their intention to cut off the rear of 
the convoy, the Wolverine tacked ; and, as she stood on between 
the latter and them, »gnalled the merchantmen to make the 
best of their way into port. 

At 4 p. v., having arrived within half gun-shot of the large 
vessel, which wa» uie French frigate-privateer Blonde, Captain 
Aregnaadeeu, of 30 guns, including 24 long 8-pounderB on the 
main deck, the Wolverine hove to on the stanioard tack ; wheie- 
upou the Blonde hauled her wind, and, after firing her broadside, 
wore, with the intention of raking the Wolverine. To frustnte 
this manceuvre, and to maintain her leeward position, which, oa 
account of the extreme lowness of her ports, and the consequent 
necessity of using her weather battery, was more advantageous 
to her, the Wolverine, before she diadiaiged a gun, wore aJao. 
The Blonde then hove to on the Wolvenne's larboard beam, 
within pistol-shot distance, and commenced a heavy and well- 
idirectea fire with great guns and small arms ; which was 
jetumed by the British vessel with considerable spirit, although 
one of her two long 18~pounders, in being shifted from the star^ 
board to the larboard side, got jammed in the groove, and 
remained utterly useless. In this way the action continued for 
fiO minutes ; wnen, having had her rigging and sails cut to 
pieces, her wheel shot away, and her hull low down, so pierced 
with shot as to fill the hold with water, the Wolverine hauled 
^own her coloars. 

Out ofhercomplement of76men and boys, the Wolverine had 
pne midshipman, one boatswain's mate, one quartermaster, and 
two seamen killed, and 10 seamen wounded, one of them 
piortally. The Blonde, formerly, it is believed, a French 
national " 24-gun corvette" of 580 or 600 tone, out of a com- 
plement of 240 men and boys, did not, according to the ad- 
mission of her officers, sustain any greater loss than her first 
Ueutenant mortally, and five of her men slightly wounded. The 
damage done to the Blonde was confined to her rising and 
sails, and that comparatively trifling. 

In less than a quarter of an hour afler the last boat with the 

Srisoners had quitted her, the Wolverine gave a heel and went 
own ; thereby affording an irrefragable proof that the ship had 
been defended to tlie last extremity, and that her officers and 
crew were barely saved, by their surrender, from perishing in the 

* For the eitnordiiianr nunner in which thiB sloop wu SttetL see vd. u. . 
p. 814. 



1804. LOSS OP THE APOLLO. 257 

deep. The long duraticHi of the acUon was not without its 
effect. The second privateer, either from bad saihng or had 
managemeDt, could not overtake one of the eieht merchant 
Tessels ; nor could the Blonde withdraw herself m time to do 
more than capture two of the number: the remainder effected 
their escape. 

A 50 minutes' close engagement hetween two ships so 
deddedly unequal in force entitled the weaker, although the 
vanquished party, to at least aa much praise, as is usually 
bestowed upon the victor in a well-matched contest. Had the 
Slonde been a national ship, and even worse armed, worse 
manned, and worse fought than she was. Captain Gordon and 
bis first lieutenant would have been promoted tor their gallantry, 
and the conduct of all on hoard the Wolveiine been held up as 
an example of the devotedness of British seamen in upholdii^ 
the honour of their flag, and in protecting the commercial 
interests of their country. But, as it was a privateer, a " paltry 
privateer," in the words of the Annual Register, which had 
captured the king's ship, the action of the Wolverine and Blonde 
was considered to be discreditable to the former, and therefore 
not worthy to be recorded in the annals of the British navy. To 
make success the sole criterion of merit is as unjust, as it is dis- 
couraging: where, then, is the stimulus to persevere in an 
almost hopeless, or even in a barely doubtful cause ; and what 
more can a seaman do, than stand to his gun until his vessel 
sinks under him ? 

This is aa the account stands iu our first edition; and, 
although not a line of the details here given is to be found in 
any other publication, we may usefully add the following from 
the work of a contemporary, published since ; and to whom, we 
believe, that information on the subject was granted which was 
refused to us. " Captain Gordon, though many years a pri- 
soner, was promoted to the rank of post-captain, and, on his 
return to England, most honourably acquitted by the sentence 
of a court-martial."* Theadmiralty list informs us, that Captain 
Gordon was made post on the 8th of April, 1805 : it was this 
lapse of nearly 13 months, and our unacquaintance, for the 
reason already stated, with the requested particulars of his case, 
which occasioned us to suppose that Captain Gordon had not 
been rewarded in the manner he deserved. 

On the 26th of March the British 36-gun frigate Apollo, 
Captain John William Taylor Dixon, and 28-gun fngate Carys- 
fort. Captain Robert Fanshawe, sailed from the Cove of Cork 
with 69 merchant vessels under convoy, bound to the West- 
Indies. On the 2d of April, at 3 a. u., while steering souths 

* Brenton, voL iii., p. 391. The complemeat of the Blonde is here 
reduced to ** 180 men ;" but, in confirmatioii of the accura^ of our account, 
we'hiar state, that the ship was captured b; the British a few months afteiw 
wards with MO men on board. 



Google 



z 



256 LIGHT SQUADRONS MND SINGLE SHIPS. ltW4. 

Boutb-^ifit with a strong soutb-west gale, to the utooidmeDt of 
erery person on board, the Apollo struck the grouDd. The ship 
continued stiiking very heavily, and makii^ much water : in 
about 10 minutes, however, the Apollo beat over the shoal, and 
having lost her rudder, could not be steered. The ship then pat 
before the wind, but, from the quantity of water she nad made, 
and was still making, with every probability of soon foundering. 
In about five minutes, the ApoUo struck the ground again, and 
continued striking with such tremendous shocks, that it vras 
feared the ship would instantly go to pieces. The three masts 
were thai cut away, and the ship fell on the starboard side with 
her gunwale under water. The violence with which the ship 
struck the ground, and the weight of the guns, tboee on the 
quarterdeck tearing away the bulwarks, soon made the fixate a 
crfect wreck abaft : only four or fire guns, . therefore, could be 
ired to alarm the convoy and give notice of danger. 
Most of the officers and men were entirely naked, the captam 
amoi^ the rest ; and who stood upon the cabin skylight gratii^ 
holdii^ fast by the stump of the mizenniast, and making use of 
every soothing expressioQ .which could have been suggested to 
encourage men in so perilous a situation. Daylight, which ap- 
peared at about 4 h. 30 m., diBcovered the land, at the distance 
of about 200 yards, a long sandy beach reaching to Cape Mo»- 
d^o, three leagues to the southward. At the same time the 
melancholy eight presented itself (^ between 30 and 30 sail of 
the convoy on shore both to the northward and southward, 
and several of them perfect wrecks. An appearance of the slap's 
partjng occasioned the crew, or the 220 that remained (about 30 
having perished between decks and otherwise), by the captain^a 
OTders to remove to the forepart of the ship ; and, soon after- 
wards, the Apollo parted at the gangways. Several (^cers ai>d 
men, who att«npted to swim on shore, were drowned. About 
30, however, socceeded ia reaching the shore upon planka and 
Bpars : among them were lieutenant Edward Harvey, and Mr. 
Callam, master's mate. The succeeding night was a dreadful 
one, many old men and boys, including two young midshipmeD, 
dying through hunger and fatigue. During toe whole of it 
Capt^n Dixon remamed upon the bowsprit 

We shall give the remainder of the melancholy details in the 
words of one of the officers of the ship : " Tuesday motning pre- 
sented us no better prospect of being relieved from the jaws of 
death, the wind blowing stronger, and the sea much more tat- 
bulenL About noon, this day, our drooping spirits were some- 
what raised by seeing Lieutenant Harvey and Mr. Callam 
hoisting out a boat from one of the mertiiaat ships to come 
to the aesistance of their distressed shipmates. They several 
times attempted to launch her through the surf, but being a very 
heavy boat, and the eea on the beach acting so powerfully 
against them, they could not possibly efiect it, though assisted 



1804. UMS or THE APOLLO. SSO 

by Beariy 100 of the raerchast sailoTS and Portngueae peasantg. 
Sevend men weid vpon nils this day, made from pieces of the 
wteck, but not one soul reached toe shore; the wind having 
ibifted, and the current setting out, they were all driven toaea; 
ABtong wbota was onr captain, who, aboat three in the aftemo<a, 
went on th* jib-boom with three seamen ; anxious to save the 
remainder of the ship's company, and too sanguine of gettit^ 
safe on shore, he ventured upon tbe spar, saying, on jumping 
into the sea, ' My lads, I'll save you all' In a few seconds be 
lost his hold of the spar, which he could not regain : he drifted 
to sea, and perished. Such was also the fete oTthe three brave 
Tolanteers who followed his fortune. Tbe loss of our captain^ 
who, mitil now, had animated the almost lifeless crews ; as well 
as the noble exertions of Lieutenant Harvey and Mr. Callam, to 
launch the boat, not succeeding, every gleam of hope vanished^ 
and we looked forward for certain death the ensuing night, not 
only from cold, hunger, and fatigue, but the expectation of the 
lemaining part of tbe wreck going to pieces every moment. Had 
Bot the Apollo been a new and well-built ship, that small portion 
of her coald never have resisted tbe waves and stuck so well 
together, particularly as all the after part from the chess-trees 
was gcHie, the starboard bow under water, tbe forecastle deck 
Beariy perpendicular, the weight of the guns hanging to the 
larboard bulwark on the inside, and the bower and spare 
anchors on the outside, which it was not prudent to cut away, 
M they afforded resting places to a considerable number of me% 
there being only the lore channels and cathead, where it was 
possible to live in, and about which were stowed upwards of 150 
man: it being impracticable to continue any longer in the head, 
or upon the bowsprit, by reason of the breakers washing com- 
pletely over those places. The nigbt drawing on, the wind 
increasing, frequent showers of rain, the sea washing over uSf 
•nd looking every instant for the forecastle giving way, when we 
nust all luive perished together, afforded a spectacle truly de- 
plorable, the bare recollection of which even now makes ms 
shudder. The piercing cries of the people this dismal night, at 
every sea coming over tbeni, which happened every two minutes, 
were pitiful in uie extreme; the water running from the head 
down all over the body, keeping lu continually wet. This 
shocking n^ht, the remaining strength of every person was ex- 
erted for his individual safety. From the crowding so close 
together in so narrow a compass, and tbe want of something to 
moisten their mouths, several poor wretches were suffocated, 
which frequently reminded me of the bhick hole, with this only 
difference, that these poor sufferers were confined by strong 
walls, we by water; tbe least movement without clinging 6tsk 
would have launched us into eternity. Some unfortunate 
wretches drank salt water, several their own urine, some chewed 
leather, myself and many more chewed lead, from which we 

8 2 



260 UGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

conceived we found considerable relief, by reason of its drawing 
the saliva, which we swallowed. In less than an hour after the 
ship first struck the ground, all the provisions were under water, 
and the ship a wreck, so that it was impossible to procure any 
part. After the most painful night that it is possible to con- 
ceive, on daylight appearing, we observed Lieuteiwnt Harvey 
and Mr. Callam again endeavouring to launch the boat. Several 
fttteiDpta were made without success, a number of men belong- 
ing to the merchant ships being much bruised and hurt in aesi^ 
ing; alternate hopes and feai« now pervaded our wretched 
mmds ; fifteen men got safe on shore this morning, on pieces of 
the wreck. — About three in the afternoon of Wednesday the 4th, 
we bad the ine:(pressib[e happiness of seeing the boat launched 
through the suif, by the iiide&tigable exertion of the above 
officers, assisted by the masters of the merchant ships, with a 
number of Portuguese peasants, who were encouraged by Mr. 
Whitney, the British consul from Figuiera. All the crew then 
remaining on the wreck were brought safe on shore, praising 
God for a happy deliverance from a shipwreck which has never 
had its parallel. As soon as I slept out of the boat, I found 
several persons whose humanity prompted them to offer me sus- 
tenance, though improperly, in spirits, which I avoided as much 
as possible. Our weak state may be conceived, when it is con- 
sidered that we received no nourishment from Sunday to Wed- 
nesday afternoon, and continually exposed to the fury of the 
watery elements. After eating and drinking a little, I fiinnd 
myself weaker than before, occasioned, I apprehend, from having 
been so long without either. Some men died soon after getting 
on shore, from imprudently drinking too large a quantity of 
spirits. All the crew were in a very weak and exhausted state, 
the greater part being badly bruised and wounded. About 40 
sail of merchant ships were wrecked at the same time on this 
dreadful beach. Sume ships sunk with all their ci-ew, and 
almost every ship lost from two to twelve men each; yet the 
situation of the remainder was not equal to that of the frigate's 
ship's company, as the merchant ships drawing a less draught of 
water, were mostly driven close on the shore, and no perstHi 
remained on board them after the first morning. The masters 
of the merchant ships had tents upon the beach, and some pro- 
visions they had saved from the wrecks, which they very gene- 
rously distributed, and gave every assistance to the Apotlo^ship's 
company.'^ 

Fortunately for the remainder of the convoy, Captain Fait- 
shawe, without signal, wore just as it grew dark ; and, with all 
the ships who were near enough to see and adopt her change c^ 
course, the Carysfort arrived in safety at Barbadoes. Of the 
Apollo's crew, 61 officers and men were lost; but the number 
that perished from the merchant vessels was comparatively io- 
signigcant, for the reason already given. 

.Google 



1804. cirmNG out the atalante. 261 

On the 28tb of March the British 18-gnn brig-sloop Scorpion^ 
Captain Geoi^ Nicholas Hardioge, having been detached by 
Rear'admirai Thornborough to reconnoitre the Vlie passage 
into the Texel, discovered two Dutch brig-corvettes at anchor in 
the road. At the outermost, which was the Atalante, of 16 
long ] 2-pounder8, Captain Hardinge resolved to make a dash 
with his boats ; an attack by the Scorpion herself being imprac- 
ticable, owing to the numerous shoals tnat surround the entrance- 
On the '31st, just as a favoumble opportunity occurred, and the 
men were about to embark, the British 14-guu ship-sloop Beaver, 
Captain Charles Pelly, joined compony. The latter, at his 
urgent request, was permitted to serve under Captain Hardinge ; 
and at 9 h. 30 m, p. m., three boats from the Scorpion, and two 
from the Beaver, containing between them about 60 officers and 
men, pushed off from the first-named sloop. 

Having the fiood-tide in their favour, the boats, in two hours, 
arrived alongside of the Atalante, who had her boarding-nettings 
traced up, and was fully prepared to resist the attack. Captain 
Hardinge was the first man that leaped on board. His boat 
was promptly supported by the others ; and such was the im- 
petuosity of the assault, that many of the Dutchmen quitted 
their quarters and ran below, " leaving to us," Bays Captain 
Hardinge, in a private letter, "the painful duty of combating 
those whom we respected the most." These, the remainder of a 
crew on board of 76, after a short but severe conflict, in which 
they had their commander and three seamen killed, their first 
lieutenant, two other officers, and eight seamen badly wounded, 
were overpowered. The British then set about securing the 
hatches, wbich the party below, headed by a lieutenant, re- 
putedly attempted to force. The Dutch officer, however, re- 
ceiving a desperate wound, his men relaxed their efforts, and at 
length surreadered. Of the five boats employed, those of the 
Scorpion only sustained any loss ; and that was comparatively 
trifling, amounting to only one lieutenant (Buckland Stirling 
Bluett), the sloop's master (Woodward Williams), one midship- 
man (Edmund Jones), and two seamen wounded. 

The above private letter from Captain Hardinge contains some 
interesting particulars, not less illustrative of the writer's gal- 
lantry than of his goodness of heart " The decks," he says, 
" were slippery in consequence of rain ,- so that, grappling with 
my first opponent, a mate of the watch, I fell, but recoverine 
my position, fought him upon equal terms, and killed him. I 
then eng^;ed tne captain, as brave a man as any service ever 
boasted: he had almost killed one of my seamen. To my 
sbame be it spoken, he disarmed me, and was on the point of 
killing me, when a seaman of mine," as Captain H. thought 
at the time, but it was Mr. Williams, the master of the Scorpion, 
" came up, rescued me at the peril of his own life, and enabled 
me to recover my sword. At this time all the men were come 



S62 LIGHT BQUADKOH8 AND SINOLE SHIPS. 1004. 

from tbe bouts, tani were in poBsesaion of the deck. Two were 
going to fell upon the captain at once. I ran vp, held them 
Back, and then adjured him to accept quarter. With inflexible 
heroism be disdained the gift, kept ub at bay, and compelled us 
to kill him. He fell, cov^ed with hononmble wounds." 

Having, in the manner related, poBseesed themselves of tbe 
Atalante, the British had another enemy to combat ; a sndden 
gale from an adverse quarter frustmted all thar attempts to pat 
to sea from the road. Captain HardiDge now secured his 
prisoners, stationed his men at the Atalante's guns, got the 

Siwder on deck, and made every arrangement to attack the other 
utch brig. The dawn of day, however, showed the latter at 
too great a distance to be approached, eRpecially as tbe gale had 
nut in the least abated. In this perilous state the British re- 
mained for 48 hours; during which, two of their boats bad 
broken adrift, and two others had swamped alongside of the 
Atalante. At length, tbe wind again shifting, the Atalante made 
a push to get out ; but the two captains found the navigation go 
difficult, that it was three days ere they could accomplish their 
object. 

This, in all its bearings, was an exploit worthy of British 
seamen; and every admirer of meritorious conduct will be 
pleased to leam, that the officer who had so judiciously planned, 
and so gallantly led on to, the attack, together with his brave 
and able second, was immediately promoted. Lieutenant Bluett^ 
also, as he well merited, was made a commander. A step to 
post-rank is frequently not without its alloy : Captain Hardinge, 
no longer qualified to command a sloop, was obliged to quit the 
Scorpion, a fine brig of 384 tons,juBt launched, to be tbe captain 
of a dull, convoy-keepmg " post-ship," the Proselyte, of 404 tons, 
late a Newcastle collier ; a cruiser, which any privateer could 
Imve run from, and any well-manned 18-gun brig, the Scorpion 
herself, for ingtance, have captured. 

The following postscript to the private letter referred to at a 
jNevious page affords a fine specimen of a British officer's 
magnanimity : " In two days after tbe captain^s death,*' says 
Captain Hardinge, " he was buried with all the naval honours 
in my power to bestow npon him. During the ceremony of his 
interment tbe Enghsh coloars disappeared, and the Dutch were 
hoisted in thdr place. All the Dutch prisoners were liberated ; 
«ae of tiiem delivered an ilage upon the hero they had lost, uid 
we fired three volleys over him as he descended into tite deep.** 
To give to this ai^r, so hcnourable to those engaged in it, tbe 
proper finish, Hear'-admiral Thomborougb sent a flag of truce lo 
the Batavian Admiral Killkert inside, with the late Captain 
Caip's servant, and the efleeta ^ tbe deceased, in order titA 
Aej mi^t be delivered to bis relations. 

On tbe 3d (rf April the British hired cutter Swift, of 77 tons, 
ti^i 4-pouB(len, and 23 men and boys, commanded hj 



1804. . WILHELHmA AHD PSTcn. S63 

lieatenant William Martin Leake, was failea io -witli, engaged, 
boarded, and after a stoat stniggle, and the loei of her oommander 
and many others ofher small crew carried, by the French xebec- 
pnvateer £sp6raiice, of 150 tons, 10 guns (represented, by the 
ship that afterwards captured her, as " 24 and 12 pouodera,'" 
vroD^y carronadee), and a crew of 54 men, commanded by 
Outtwn Escoffier. The Swift, it appears, was carrying despatchee 
to Viee-admiral Lord Nelson offToulon; but which, we rather 
tiiink '(for very few, if any particolars hare been published), 
were thrown overboard pre?ionsly to the cutter's captnie. It 
does certainly seem strange, that, in a navy such as that c^ 
England, despatches to a commander^in-diief, npon an important 
foreign station, should be forwarded by a vessel not equal in 
force to a frigate's launch, when armed with her carronade and 
[ffoper complement of men. 

On the gth of April, at daylight, in latitude 7° 44' north, and 
longitude 84° 30' east, the British armed en fllite late 12-poaader 
32-^gnn frigate Wilhelmina, Captain Henry Lambert, steering 
west^north-weet, with the wind at north by east, and accompanied 
by the coontry^bip William-Petrie, laden with gorernment 
stores for Trincomale, and which ship (he frigate, being bound 
to Madras, had been ordered to protect as far aa the courses of 
the two remained the same, discovered a sail in the eaat-eontl^ 
east steering to the eastward. Shortly afterwards the stranger 
wore and stood after ihe British vessels. Towards noon it fell 
calm, and the afternoon and night passed with very little wind^ 
the stranger, until dark, still in eight. At daylight on the lOtt^ 
the wind Uien a light breeze from the north-east, and the course 
of the frigate and ner charge about west half-north, the stranger 
was seen in the east by north, steering to the south-west. In a 
Kttle time the latter hauled to the wind on the starboard tack^ 
sfid steered directly after the former. Observing that the vessel 
was a ship offeree, and suspecting her to be an enemy^s cruiser^ 
Captain Lambert directed the master of the William-Petrie, who 
had already arrived at the point for parting company, to alter 
his course after dark, and make the best of his way to the port 
of his destinatjon. 

The j ury-rig alone of an armed en flute ship of war is a great 
deception, and it is generally in the power of the captain to give 
a mercantile appearance to the hull of his vessel. 'This was pai^ 
ticnlarly the case in regard to the Wilhelmina, she being a ship 
of Dutch construction. It was the disguised ^pearance of the 
Wilhelmina, that induced the stranger, who we may now intro- 
diioe as the Frei>ch frigate-privateerTsyche, of 3t> guns, Captain 
Ihogoff, after reconnoitring as she had done, boddily to aippnad), 
with tbe determination -tif attacking the supposed Intiiantan. 
At € p. M. came on a sqaaTl vHb. ram ; t^m)Qgh -whicl^ in her 
eagerness to c^se with the latter, the Psyche carried all sail. 
At6h. 45 m., it bong dark auddon^, the Wilhshaiw^o^**- . 



264 LIGHT SQDADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

allow her opponent to come np had preriously sliortened eatl^ 
hove to. At 9 p. M. the WJlhelmina filled, and, loweriDg her 
topgallaat^ailB and dri?er, continued under easy sail, discoTeriDg 
the Psych6 at inteirals through the flashes ot lightning, whicn 
were extremely vivid. 

Oa the 11th, at 3h. 30m. a.m., a heavy squall Trom the 
north-north-west obliged the Wilbelmina to hand her topgallant- 
sails and lower her topsails, and for the present shut out tbe 
Psych^ from her view. At dayliuht, however, tbe latter reap- 
peared, still in the north-east ; and the British frigate imme- 
diately tacked, and, with colours flying, stood toward her. The 
gallantry of this step will be better appreciated when it is 
known, that the Wilhelmina mounted only 14 long 9-pounder8, 
and one 12-pounder carronade fitted upon trucks and used as a 
shifting gun, on her main deck, and four long 9-paunders (which 
had been left by the Victorious at Madras) and two sixes on her 
quarterdeck and forecastle, with a complement of 134 men and 
boys, 10 of the men received out of the 50-gun ship Grampus, 
to work the four extra nines ;* whereas the Psych6, formerly a 
French national frigate, of the class and size of the Railleuse, 
or Egyptienne as subsequently named, mounted 24 long French 
12-pounders on tbe main deck, and 10 (English, we believe) Im- 
pounder carronades and two French sixes on the quarterdeck 
and forecastle, witli a crew of 260 men and boys. 

At 5 h. 30 m. a. k., being on tbe larboard tack, vrith the wmd 
still from the north-north-west, but moderate, the Wilbelmina 
rassed about 50 yards to windward of the Psych^, then, with 
French colours flying, close hauled on tbe opposite tack. After 
a mutual broadside, accompanied on the part of the French ship 
by a hail to surrender, the Psyche tacked, and tbe Wilhelroina 
wore ; each ship continuing to fire as her guns could be brought 
to hear. Tbe plan adopted by the Psycb^, of pointing every 
alternate gun upon the broadside at her opponent's rigging, oc- 
casioned the Wilbelmina, from the loss of bowlines and braces, 
to come to the wind on the starboard tack with every sail aback. 
While the British Bhin lay in this unmanageable state, the 
French ship passed under her stem; and, raUng the Wilbel- 
mina, knocked away the main topmast, badly wounded the 
main yard, and did considerable aamt^e to her rigging and 
sails. 

Having at length paid ofi* and got before tbe wind, the Wii- 

* A letter from C^itBin Lambert to Vice-admiral Rainier, giviog a abMt 
account of this action, and copied into all tlie London papets, contains, in 
the manner of a postscript, the following paragraph : " N.B. His majestj'a 
ship Wilbelmina carries 186-pounden and 100 men." Itis probable thatthia 
" N. B." was added by the copjdst or Srst publisher, and not hy the vriter, of 
the letter ; for the account in the text is not only taken from one of th« 
officers who was present in the action, but, with the exception of the four 
supemumerarj' ftuns, agrees with the navy-office establishment upon all 
frigate^fltei oF tbe Wiuetiiuiia's daw. 



4180. WILHEUUNA AND PSYCHE. 26S 

bdmina brongbt her larboard broadside to bear; and presently 
the Paych^ evinced an -iotentioD to board the BritiBli frigate 
apoa the quarter ; but, on seeing that the latter was prepared to 
repel the attempt, the Psyche put her heltn a-etarboard and 
aheered off. A furious conoonade was now maintained on both 
sides, the yard-arms nearly locking, until the Psych^, ranging 
ahead, crossed ber opponent's bowa. In practising this ma- 
ncBuvre, the Paych^ brought herself in the wind ; but by throw- 
ing her headsails aback, and keeping her after yards square or 
abivering, the French ship paid off: not, however, until the 
Wilhelmina, with her starboard guns, had poured in a raking fire 
astern. Alier this the two ships again got parallel to each 
other, and again engaged so closely, that the yards were over- 
hanging; when, at 7 a. h., profiting by her more perfect state 
aloft, and her very superior powers of sailing, tlie Psych^ ceased 
firing, crowded all the canvass she could spread, and stood away 
to the south-east. 

This being an action during the progress of which the com- 
batants frequently changed positions, the details of it will be 
better understood by a reference to the following diagram: 



^'ift^--. 



/' 




-v^ 






i 


f' 


\ 




111 calculated, indeed, was the Wilhelmina for a chase, either 
from or towards ah enemy. Her main topmast was down ; hei 
bowsprit wounded in two, and her foremast in 10 places; her 
ibre and main yards, and her main and mizen masts were also 
wonnded, and her lower rigging and all her boats more or less 
damaged. Her aftermost forecastle bits were shot away, and 
ber hull was pierced with shot in several places. A Captain 
Wright, of the India-service, was on board the Psyche durine 
die engagement, and subsequently mentioned, that the Wilhef 
mina's shot, comparatively small as they were, had reduced the 
privateer to nearly a sinking state ; the latter, at the close of 
the action, having seven feet water in ber hold, a circnmstance 
that sufficiently explains the manner of its termination. 

,vlc 



9S$ UGHT ItQUADRONS AKD snTOLE BHIPS. ISO*. 

Of her l34inenandboy^ AeWilhelnHnahadberboBttmun 
mod three seamen mortidly, and bix seamen fllightly woonded. 
It may here be remarked, that t^ additicHi^ height given to tiw 
trucks of tite Wilhetmina's ntaindeck carriages, to «uit them to 
ports oonetnKted for 12'pounders, was fonnd to increase ths 
&cility of working the nines ; a circumstance wbidi occasioned 
ber inferiority in number of men to be less sensibly felt. WiA 
nepect to the loss on board the Psyche, that ehip, according to 
the statement of Captain Wright, had her second captain and 
10 men killed, and lier commaiuler (dangerously) and 32 tnea 
wounded, 13 of them mortally. 

With such a disparity of force as evidently existed agunst 
the Wilhelinina, this was an action htghly hooourable to ihe 
Br^^ ship. It is true that the Wilheimii]a''B opponent was a 
privateer ; trat tiie Psydi^, by all acconnts, was a better ajy- 
pointed, better manned, and better disciplined ship, than many 
frigates of the same force in the French navy. Commanded fa^ 
no less a man than Captain Jacques Bergeret, already koowa 
to ni as the Vii^ie's gallant captain, the Psych^ had sailed 
from Madras in the begbning of Febniary, bound to Pondi- 
cheiry on commercial pursuits. Thence she proceeded to the 
Isle of France, and arrived there in May. In June or July news 
of the war reached the island. The Ps^ch^ was immediately 
armed and equipped as a ship of war ; but Captmn Bergere^ 
preferring employment in the national navy, sent out his ship to 
cruise, under the command of a Captain Trc^olf, either the son 
or nephew of the French admiral who commanded the ships at 
Toulon when Lord Hood entered that port in August, 1793 ; 
Captain TrogofFwas considered, in the eastern hemisphere, the 
chief scene of his exploits, to he a brave, skilful, and enterpris- 
ing officer. 

On the other hand, it was Captain Lambert's good fortune to 
have been preceded in the command of the Wilhelmina by an 
officer who knew how to appreciate (and how few do) the art of 
naval gunnery. Captain James Liud had been indefatigable in 
teaching his men to fire witii precision ; and the effect of the 
•kill attained by the latter was visible in the execution they did 
to an antagonist, that otfierwiee, notwitiistanding they continued 
todi6play,88 no donbtthey would, the diaracteristic bravery of 
Brithh eeaoien, might, by ner decided Buperiority of force, liav« 
idttmatdy oompetled the Wilhelmina to surrender.'' 

After quitting the latter, the Psych6 proceeded, with all 
liaflte, pumping day and ni^t, to the Isle of Prance. There she 
arrived in almost a sinking state; and, judging from the etomof 
«bot with which their late opponent had assailed Uiem, her 
oftoers publicly deeUtred that the Psyche had "beeteo off" (a 
trciy commodious, end therefiire a very freqaent expressitxi itt 
idl similaT cases) an English " 44-gQn frigate." As soon as A» 
bad repaired the most important of her duiages, the WiUMliMBft 



MM. WILHOJONA ANB FSTCHE. 267 

panned her route to the ra«d of MbcIihb, where she safely 
arrived; and, as an additional proof of the discofffited stale oi 
tJK Psycb^, ^e William-Petrie, whose cargo was valued at 
40,00(U. sterling, although not wholly oat of eight at the com- 
menoement of the action, aleo arrived in safety at Trincomal6. 

Captain Lambert's gallantry was rewarded, as it well mented, 
by iniiaediate promotion to post-rank ; and he was appointed to 
the comniand of the 12-ponnder 32-gQn frigate TerpBichore, one 
of the Biitish cruisers upon the eastern station. In 90 credit- 
■Ue an action we are pleased in being ahle to state, that the two 
beatenantB of tJie Wilhelniina were Greorge Tippet and Georgfr 
Phillimore, and her master Thomas Curtis. 

From the details already given, it is evident that the character 
ottbn action mainly depends upon the actual, in contradistinction 
to the nominal, force of the combatants. For instance, call the 
Wilhelmina a British 12-pounder 32-gun frigate, or a frigate 
"of 32 gunsf'and you arm her, according to the admiialty-order 
fixing her establishment, wHh 38 guns, including six 24-poandeT 
oaiTonades, and with a crew of 216 men and boys. Call tiia 
Psychfi even "a large," or a "frigate-built" privateer, and 
you will scarcely raise her, in Uie reader's estimation, above the 
Bellone, beaten off by the Milbrook, or the Blonde that captured 
the Wcrfveiine. Even suppose the reader to rank the " large 
French frigate-built privateer" with the Egyptienne, beaten off 
by the Osprey, and atlerwards captured by the Hippomenes, yoa 
have already made the implied full-armed Wilhelmina more than 
a match for her, and have therefore reduced the esploit of a 
British frigate &r beneath tiiat confessedly performed by a 
British sloop. Omit the name of the privateer, lengthen the 
illation of tne action, and mistate the mode of its termination; 
and you convert that which, if not a conquest, was decidedly a 
victory, into a censurable defeat It is with us an invariable rule, 
not to state, without showing, that an action is gallant, or aa 
officer a " bero." Above all things, we avoid making such aa 
assertton when our own details, few as they may oe, prove 
directly the reverse. These remarks premised, we subjoin the 
aooount of tiie Wilhelmina 's action, as it stands in the work of a 
ooatempMary. 

" Captaio Henry Lambert commanded the Wilhelmina, of 
thirty-two guns, an old Dutcb-bniU frigate, without ons quality 
to reoommoid h«- as a ship of war, an}^ it were that of looking 
fO antik* ose in evety respect tiiat Ihe enemy ftarlessly ap- 
proached her, and by that means were sometimes captured whea 
a chase would have ended in disappointment. This ship, in the 
south of April, 1804, fell in, off the east side of Ceylon, with a 
krge Freodi frigate-built privateer, whit.^ she engaged with 
0e*t obstinacy and foxy for three hours, when the rrenchman 
being much disabled, and the British frigate still more so, they 
separated, nor sras it in the power of our youag horo to renew 



268 LIOHT BQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

the action, the enemy having so much the advanta^ of him to 
point of sailing."* 

On the 21st of June, at noon, the British ship-sloop Hipjm- 
meneSi't now commancled by Captain Kenneth Mackenzie, 
cruising to windward of Antigua, in latitude 18° north, and loa- 
gitude 68° west, with the wind at east, and her head to the 
northward, observed in the north-east a brig, which afterwards 
proved to be the French privateer Buonaparte, Captain Paim- 
p6ni, of 18 long 8-pounders and 146 men. The peculiar con- 
Btruction of the Hippomeoes, a Dutch-built corvette, bad beea 
taken advantage of in so disguising ber appearance, that the 
privateer, believing the ship to oe an African trader, bore down, 
under English colours, to take possession of her. At 1 h. 30 m. 
P.M. the Buonaparte shortened sail, and the Hippomenes hauled 
close to the wind to expedite the meeting. At 1 h. 50m. p.m. 
the Hippomenes opened her fire at the privateer, who bad now 
changed ber colours to French. The latter instantly returned 
the hre, and a spirited action ensued. In the course of 10 or 
12 minutes the Buonaparte ranged up on the weather quarter of 
the Hippomenes, and in a little time, becoming unmanageable, 
fell on board her opponent, dropping stem-on a little abaft the 
latter's fore chains. The guns of the Hippomenes, partico- 
larjy two carronades on the upper deck, a Dutch 24-pouuder 
and an English 12, in a very few minutes did serious injury to 
the Buonaparte ; while the latter, from her tops, threw stink- 
pots upon the decks of the former, thereby setting her on fire 
abaft. 

It was at this crisis that, having to prevent the privateer's 
escape caused her bowsprit to be lashed to his Ehip''s mainmast, 
Captain Mackenzie called to his crew to follow him in boarding, 
and secure the victory. He then, followed by his officei-s, and, 
as he thought by at least 60 or 60 of bis men, rushed upon the 
Buonaparte's forecastle. The onset was encouraging : for the 
brig's crew, with scarcely a show of resistance, retreated abaft 
the mainmast. Here the privateer's men rallied ; and well they 
might rally, for they now saw what a mere handful of enemies 
stood upon tlieir deck. The fact is, no more men had followed 
Captain Mackenzie and his officers, tlian made a total of 18 
British; opposed to whom, allowing an ample deduction for 
previous loss, were 100 French. The catastrophe may be 
snmmed up in a few words. Captain Mackenzie, his oflicere, 
and the few gallant fellows in company, defended themselves 
until five of the party were killed and eight wounded, including 
a master's mate severely, and the captain in as many as li 

E laces ; and who, in endeavouring to regain his ship, fell senso- 
ss into her main chainB,ju9t a minute or two before the lashing 
gave way and the vessels parted. Nine, including the captain 

* BraitoD, vid. iii„ p. 344. f See p. 2S5. 

, Google 



1804. aiFPOHENES AND BUONAPARTE. 269 

and master, got back to the Hipponenes. The first lieutenant, 
Mr.William Pierce, and the purser, Mr. William CoJlman, along 
with two seamen, were taken pnsoners j and the remaining five 
lay dead upon the privateer's deck. 

The Hippomenes had been but recently commissioned at the 
Dutch port in which she had surrendered to the British ;* and 
her complement had been made up, partly of draughts from other 
ships of war, that is, by freeing each of them of a certain number 
of skulkers, raw hands, and incorrigible rogues, and partly of 
foreign renegadoes, who, tired of the restraints of a pnson-ship 
life, gladly " volunteered " their services to an enemy, from whom 
they meant to escape (and who can blame them ?) the first 
opportunity. Perhaps a portion of the crew consisted of pressed 
men ; but pressed men were to be found on board of every ship 
in the British navy. Moreover pressed men have proved them- 
selves, on several occasions, among the best men in the ship. 
That they ahould be so will not appear strange, when it is 
considered that an officer, where he can, presses seamen; and, 
if he has liberty to take three men out of ten on board a mer- 
chant vessel, he does not choose the worst. A pressed man or 
a volunteer, if he has the heart of an Englishman, will not suffer 
himself to be bearded by an enemy ; and it is far from impro- 
bable, that the majority of the eight or ten seamen, who accom- 
panied Captain Mackensie in boarding the privateer, and who 
suffered so heavily owing to the pusillanimity of their shipmates, 
were pressed men. Had the dastards but shown themselves on 
the brig's forecastle, the colours, in all probability, would have 
been hauled down; for it is known that, before the boarding 
commenced, the privateer had lost five men killed and IS 
wounded, besides being very considerably damaged in masts, 
rigging, and hull. It was on this account that the Buonaparte 
felt no inclination to renew the combat; and, in the disabled 
state of the sloop of war's rigging, this truly fortunate privateer 
Boon effected her escape. 

It is very common for the captain of a ship, when writing the 
account of any capture unexpectedly made without a contest, to 
anticipate the prowess that would have been displayed by his 
men, had the enemy possessed strength or courage enough to 
- put it to the test. JVot quite three months before the affair of 
the Buonaparte, the Hippomenes. it will he recollected, had the 
singular good fortune to capture, almost without a blow, a 
French privateer of 36 guns. Captain Shipley, who then com- 
manded the Hippomenes, wrote thus in his official letter: " Z 
feel much pleasure in saying, the officers and men behaved with 
thatcoolness and intrepidity inherent in Englishmen ; and, had 
the enemy allowed them a trial alongside, I am convinced her 
superior force would not have availed them much." The officers 

• See p. S07. 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



270 UGirr SQUADRONS AND SIH(UJ SHIPS. 1804. 



«ftb« Hippomenefl afterwwrds peoved bow «^ they had n 
their captaia's eult^um ; but aa to the men — of toem, bowerer, 
«iougb niiB beea said. Captain Paiup^ hinuelf mnst have 
despised the wretches, to whose faiatrheartedDefls he owed the 
preservation of hia ship; while the mangled bodies of theb late 
comrades, still reeking upoa hia deck, must have taught biu 
to discriminate between the counterfeit and the genuine Bhtiak 

On the 1 1th of July, ai 10 r.w., three boats of the Britiak 
Id-pounder 32-gim frigate Narcksna, Captain Koea ConneUTi 
three of the 3d-gun frigate Seahorse, Captain the Honoarable 
Courteoay Boyle, and four of the 12-poundor 32-gun frigate 
M^dstone, C^tain the HonouraUe Geofgc Elliott, under the 
orders of Lieutenant John Thompson, first of the Narcissiu, 
assisted by Lieutenants John Richard Luailey, of the Seahorse^ 
Ogle Moore, of the Maidstone, and Hyde Padcer, of the Nai- 
cissuB, pat off from the last-tkamed frigate, to mtdte an attack 
opon 12 settees, chiefly with cargon on board, lying at La 
Vandour, in the bay of Hy^res, distant between four and five 
miles from the ships. The reeaels were moored head and aten^ 
dese to the beacb, to which also they were completely secnted, 
and were covered by a battery of three guns. 

In the feee of a tremendous fire of grape-shot and mosketiy, 
as well from the setteea as from the battery and the bousee d 
the town, Lieutenant Thonwson and bis party, about midn^ht^ 
succeeded in boarding and setting fire to most of the vessels. 
One only was brought off, and a most costly pnae she was ; the 
loss on the part of the British amounting to one audshnmao 
{Thomas Owen Roche), one marine, and two seamen kilted, and 
one beuteoeot (John Richard Lamley), one master's mate 
(Robert Manaell), three midshipmen (Thomas WiUiam Be- 
dingfield, Thomaa Alexatider Watt, and John Geoi^e Victor), 
16 seamen, and three marines wounded, many of them severely. 
The gallantry of attacks like these no one can dispute ; but who 
v^l say thal^ had oil the 12 settees, instead of one of them, been 
brought off, they would have compensated for the valuable blood 
vbicn had been spilt? Lieutenant Lumley's was a dreadful 
wound, and one Smta which it was noct to a miracle that he ever 
lecovered. His right arm waa amputated at the shoulder-join^ 
and a portion of the scapula removed with it. 

On the 12th of July the British la-pounder 36-gnn frigate 
Aielei Captain George Wtdfe, standing in for the Cordouaa 
lighthouse with a moderate breeze from the north-east, die- 
Govered a French ship and brig steering to the southward. 
These were the Cherente, of 20 long d-pounders, four swivels^ 
and 104 moi, commanded l^ Lieutenant Joseph Samson, and 
the Joie» of eight " 12-pounde»" (if not carronades, more likely 
S-pounders), two swivels, and 75 men, commanded by Lieu- 
tenant Benjamin Gadobert; both vessels from Rochefort, but 



1804, ULhY AND DAME-AMBEBT. 37t 

last from the Gironde, bound to Bayonne, the brig laden with 
cannon and ordnance stores. 

At 5 p. V. the Aigle ckeed with the Ftencb ship and brig ; 
and, from their not having altered, their course, and their now 
exchanging signals and shcHtening sail. Captain Wolfe expected 
that they meant to eng^e. To the surprise, however, of the 
British, the Cbareote and Joie, after firii^ their starboard 
broedsidee without effect, lan upon tbe strand about 10 leagues 
to tbe southward of Cordouan, and witbm a stone's throw of 
eaeb other. The French crewa then look to the boats ; but, 
these becoming swamped in tbe serf, many of tbe men were 
drowned. The Ai{;le immediatdy anchored about a mile from 
the beach, for the purpose of endeavouring to get the two ve^ 
lels afloat ; but tbe imjneuae surf thrown up in consequence of 
a recent westerly gale rendered fruitless every effort, although 
persevered in for a whole night and part of the next day, Ct^ 
tain Wolfe was therefore obt^ed to destroy the French ship and 
brig ; a service which was e&ctually executed, under the per- 
soiuil directions of Mr. Furlmger the master, and Mr. Steel the 
gunner. 

On the 15th of July, at 2b. 30m. a.m.. Cape Ronan in the 
United States of America in sight, the French sbip^i^ed pri- 
vateei Dame-Ambert, Captain Charlea lAmarque (represented 
as a reduced officer of tbe French navy), saw and chased a ship 
to leeward. The latter, which was the Britieh 14-gun ship- 
sloop Lilly, Captain William CtHnptm, being equally desirous 
of a meeting, the two ships by 9 h. 30 m. a. m. were near enough 
tot tbe Dame-Ambort to open her fire. The British ship, how-> 
ever, was compelled to wait until her paltn 12-pounder carro- 
nades (not equal in effectiTeness to 4-pounaer long gaaa) could - 
reach her antagonist Having disabled the Lilly in saib and 
rigging, and considerably weakesied her in crew, the Bane- 
Ambert closed, in order to finish the ctntest by boarding. To 
do this effectually, the Bame-Ambert, who from the entire state 



of her rigging possessed the beih^ of manoeavrmg as she 
pleased, stationed herself in a lakuK position; aoa, bavii^ 
swept the Lilly's deck by her guas, lashed the irioop's bowsprit 



to her taffrail. In this state the French privateer made eight 
successive attempts to board, and was gallantly repulsed in aU. 
On the ninth time, having killed the Lilly's captain, first lieu- 
tenant, and others of her principal officers, and killed or wounded 
tbe greater part of her remaining crew, the Bame-Ambert, just 
two hours and 10 minutes frocauiecoBuneiKementoftheactiiMi, 
carried the British vessel. 

Tbe LjUy bad been a Benaudian trader, and in the year 1795 
was porchased tax the British navy. She measured 200 tons* 
was armed with 14 oarronades, 12..po«nders,and twolongfoum, 
and had a complement oi 80 men aitd tx^s. Her exact loss in 
the action caanot now be aacertaaiwd. n«c c^)tain and fin! 

8k 



272 LIOHT SQUADROKS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

lieutenant were among the killed, which, according to the 
French accounts, amounted to a great proportion of tiie crew ; 
and her badly wounded, on the same authority, were 15 or 16, 
including all her remaining officers. The Dame-Ambert bad 
been the British packet Marlborough, one of the lai^est in the 
Berrice, recently captured. She was afterwards refitted at Qua- 
daloupe, and armed with 16 long French d'pounders, and a com- 
plement of 140 men. 1'he French say, that their crew, when 
they fell in with the Lilly (but this wants confirmation), was 
reduced to 76 men, and that the Dame-Ambert lost in the 
action firemen killed and 11 wounded. 

Nothing hut the accidental circumstance of the Lilly^s having 
three masts instead of two occasioned her not to be classed as a 
gun-brig; and truly, if she had been a gun-brig, she would 
have been one of the least effective in the service. They all 
carry carronades of an 18-pounder caliber : hers were 12-pound- 
ers, and those of the old construction, short and badly formed, 
the derision of the merest tyro in naval gunnery. Unfortu- 
nately, owing to the mortality among the British officers, and 
the stigma that attaches to the capture of a king's ship by s 
privateer, no account of this action has been puhfiehed, except 
in the French papers. It ia only to call things by their right 
names, and that which seems a disgrace becomes, in reality, aa 
honour. A defeat like the Lilly's is more creditable than many 
a pufied-up victory, for which chaplets have been worn and 
rewards bestowed. The fact of her having been a sloop of war 
was not lost upon the captors ; and *' une corvette de T^tat" 
occurs in more than one place in the French account of the 
action. The prize was afterwards fitted out as a privateer, 
and named, after the Governor of Guadaloupe, G^n^ral- 
Emouf. 

- On the 31st of July, at daybreak, the British IS-pounder 32- 
gun frigate Tartar, Captain Keith Maxwell, standing in to lee- 
ward of the island of Saona, West Indies, discovered from her 
mast-head a small sail, to which she immediately gave chase; 
keeping as close as possible to leeward of the island, in order to 

Srevent the latter's escape that way, and compel her to make 
le attempt through the passage between Saona and St.-Do- 
mingo, a very narrow and intricate channel even for small 
feseela. At about 7 a. h. the chase was made out to be a 
Bchooner, full of men, using her sweeps to escape through the 
before-mentioned channel. By carrying all possible sail, the 
Tartar, at 8 a. h., got within range of shot ; out, owing to the 
short tacks she was obliged to make, could use herguns to very 
little purpof>e without losing ground in the chase. Theschooner> 
therefore, which was the French privateer Hirondelle, Captain 
La Place, of 10 long 4-pounders and 50 men, notwithstanding 
that several of the frigate's shot passed over her and through 
Iter sails, persisted in beating to wmdward antil 10 A/M. ; when. 



1804. BOATS OF THE GALATEA AT THE SAINTES. 273 

having advanced nearly half-way up the channel, Bhe came to an 
anchor under a reef of rocks. 

Finding the Tartar to be ia six fathoms' water, without the 
possibility of anchoring in safety, or of effectually cannonading 
the schooner. Captain Maxwell despatched three hoats, under 
the command of Lieutenant Henry Mullah, assisted by Lieute- 
nant Nicholas Lockyer and several midshipmen, all volunteers, 
to endeavour to bring out the privateer. The instant the boats 
put off, the Hirondelle hoisted her colours, fired a gun, and 
warped her hnjadside towards them. As the British advanced, 
the privateer opened a hre from her great guns, and, as the boats 
drew nearer, from her small arms also. In spite of this, and of 
a strong sea-breeze directly on the bows of the boats, Lieutenant 
Mullah intrepidly pulled up to the privateer ; and, after a short 
but obstinate resistance, boarded and carried her, with the loss 
only of one seaman and one marine wounded. The Hirondelle 
liaa nine killed and six wounded, besides three missing, sup- 
posed to have been drowned in attempting to swim on shore. 
The number of British in the boats does not appear in the 
official leUer; hut, admitting they amounted to 50, or even to 
60 officers and men, and that they had an IS-pounder caironade 
in the launch, still, t^iost a vessel so well armed and prepared, 
and under circumstances of weather which, by retarding the 
progress of the boats, exposed them the longer to the privateer's 
fire, the capture of the lurondelle was iiighly honourable to the 
parties engaged. 

On the 12th of August, at 4h. 30m. p. m., the British 18- 
pounder 32>gun fri^te Galatea, Captain Henry Ueathcote, 
cruising in me uei^bourhood of Guadaloupe, ran down the 
channel between that island and the Saintes islands, with the 
intention of attempting to cut out the late British sloop of war 
Lilly, which, it was understood, had gone into the Saintes, to 
repair and refit as a French privateer. At 6 h. 30 m. p. u., ob- 
serving the Lilly at anchor lu the road near the Anee a. Mire, 
the Galatea hove to, hoisted out her boats, and sent them, in 
the evening, maimed and armed, to execute the service. The 
boats returned soon after daylight on the 13th, without having 
been able to discover the Lilly; but the Lilly, and all who were 
interested in defending her, had discovered them, and were making 
suitable preparations to resist an attack, should one again he 
attempted. An officer and 30 soldiers were added to the Lilly's 
crew, and a privateer schooner, which happened to be in port, 
was moored athwart the hawse of the ship, in such a manner as 
completely to enfilade the assailants in their approach. So con- 
fident were the French in the means they had taken to repulse 
the British, that the commanding officer on shore gave orders to 
the different outposts, and to those in command at the batteries, 
not to fire or do any thing to excite a suspicion that they were 
aware of the enemy's approach. 

VOL. m. T Google 



274 UGHT BQUADEONS AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

Having faoisted in her boats, tbe Qalatea, vho had dn^ped 

to leeward during the night, made uil and beat op, to recoiH 
noitre more fully the position of the Lill;f. On aeaiine the 
road, the Galatea discovered the French privateer echooner lyiog 
close to the ship ; and, as a proof that there ttere batteries to pro- 
tect both ship and echooDer, the frigate wae repeatedly fired at 
with shot and shells, some of the latter bursting at no great 
distance. ' The Galatea continued turaing to windward until 
about 10 P.M., by which tine she had nearly weathered the 
SaintcB. Having hove to, the frigate faoisted out foar boats, 
embarked id them about 90 officers and men, armed the launch 
with an 18-pounder canooade, and then towed the boats within 
three miles north-west of the citadel. Casting themaelves ofil^ 
the four boats, tinder the command of Lieutenant Charles Hay- 
nan, first of the Galatea, assisted by several other officers, itf 
eluding Lieutenant Robert Hall, of the marines, and Mr. 
Michael Eirbeck, the master, pulled towards the harbour, 
hoping, under cover of the night, to •uiprise the object of their 
attack. 

To prevent the possibility of snch an occurrence, the Lilly, or 
rather, the G^6ral-£mouf, for that was the ship's new aam«, 
had, just as it grew dark, sent one of her boats to row guard tit 
the entrance of the road. By this, the ship, the schooner, the 
forts, and the town, became fully apprized of the approach of 
the British ; who, finding no shot fired at them from tbe bat- 
teries, no signals of alarm made along the coast, naturally con- 
cluded that they were unseen. Eager to be the 6ret at the post 
of danger, Lieutenant Hayman in the barge pushed ahead vS 
bis comrades, and, at a few minutes past 1 a. h. oq the 14tfa, 

fot nearly alongside of the Lilly. Then it was that the fire 
egan, HeedleEs of it all, the barge, followed by the other 
boats, was soon in contact with the ship. A dreaafiil struggle 
ensued. Lieutenant Hayman fell, moTtally wounded both by 
musketry and the bayonet ; and, out of 26 or 27 officers and 
men in the barge, three only, it appears, were left free fnnn 
dangerous wounds. The three remaining boats tried in vain to 
overcome the numerona and still increasing force oppoaed to 
them. Af^r sustaining neaHy an hour's fire from great guns 
and musketry, they were compelled to turn tbar bows to the 
<^ng, leaving tbe bai^e to her fete. But the British were only 
quitting one set of foes to get within the clutches of anotbtf. 
The batteries now opened tl^r fire, and a dreadful fire it was. 
Tlie cannonade continued, gradually slackeoing as the boats 
receded from the shore, until 3 h. 30 m. a. u., when it eatipely 
ceased. 

Just as the day dawned, the miseraUe remnant of the expe- 
dition reached tbe frigate. Out of about 90 officers and naen, 
who had quitted the Galatea on tbe preceding night, not 
more than 20 returned in an anwonnded state. Among the 



3804 BOATS OF IHE OAIATEA. AT THE SUNTES. 375 

kdlcd, besidM Lieateaant Hayimn, was the master, and Mr. 
Wall, a midshipman ; and among the wounded were several 
officers, includtDg Lieutenant Hall of the maiinea, who lost an 
ftrm and was made prisoner. The number of killed and wouaded 
together, as reported on the return of the boatSi was 44, inctud- 
mg lieutenaDts Hayman and Hall, but not, as it would appear^ 
the seren killed and 14 wounded out of the 24 seamen and 
marines belonging to the barge. The addition of these makes 
the loss of the Galatea, in attemptii^ to cut out the lilly, 65 
in killed and wounded : whereas die French acknowledge a loss 
of only four men killed ; and, ^though they do not enumerate 
the wounded, name, as among them, Captain Lapointe, com- 
manding the Gen^r^-Emout, and Lieutenant Mouret, com- 
numding the detachment of troops put on board by the coat- 
Boandant of the garrison. 

The object of the service, upon which the Galatea's boats had 
been despatched on the evening of the 13th, was laudaUe ; ioas- 
iBuch as it was not only to recapture a ship Uiat belonged to the 
British navy, but to cut short the cruise of a privateer likely to 
4lo a serious injury to British commerce. Nor was the number 
of men sent, admittii^ it to hare been each time the flame> 
inadequate apparently to ihe puipose in view, that of surprising 
(for their lay the gist of the enterprise) and capturing the Lilly 
mt her anchors in tite rood. The boats returned without findm{^ 
the vessel. Having hoisted them in, the Galatea shouki have 
■Dade sail from, not towards, the spot where the privateer lay. 
Instead of this, the frigate hovered off the port all the day, ob> 
aerred a second privateer moored along with the first, witnesseij, 
and, the French say, felt, the strength of the batteries that pro- 
tected both privateers ; and yet, in the evening. Captain Heath- 
cote, a second time, sends his boats to pass, and, having ac~ 
complished or foiled in their main object, to repass, those bat- 
teries ; batteries, the fire from which Uie Galatea herself, mucb. 
less her boats, would have been unable to withstand. 

For an enterprise so doubtful in its expediency and bo fatal 
in its result, a brief English account would suffice; and nooe^ 
indeed, appears to have been published. The French, on the 
other hand, mode public eveiy particular; evey particular, at 
least, which they uiought would contribute to a^^randize the 
exploit performs by lapointe and Lieutenant Moaret. But 
they tell us nothing of any aid afforded by the schooner priva- 
teer, or by the biUteries ; whose united fire, nevertheless, pow- 
erfully co-operated in repulsing the assmlants. That there were 
forts, the account admits, openly, when alluding to the supposed 
effect of acHDe shells thrown at the frigate, and tacitly, when 
dwelling upon the accident which, the French declare, befel 
three of the British boats, in their endeavours to retire. These, 
they state, and positively state, were sunk, with their crews. 
With equal truth the Fieocb add, that there was a fifth boat 
t2 . 



276 . UOHT SQUADRONS AVD SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

present, but which kept rather aloof duiing the hoarding-attempt 
and suffered the loss of half its crew ere it got clear. " Troia 
furent coul^s, une quatri^me prise, et le cinqui&me canot, qui 
avait UQ peu tenu le Urge, £chappa avec la moiti^ de son monde 
hors de combat."* 

Whatever were the faults of this enterpiise, they existed in 
the plan, not in the execution. The heavy loss sustained by the 
boats prove, that the British had effected as much as flesh and 
blood could effect : they had lost, in killed, wounded, and pii. 
sonerB, more than two thirds of tbeir number ; and yet the 
remainder would not yield, but bravely fought their way back to 
their ship. Much do we regret our inability to give a fuller 
acconnt of the various difficulties which Lieutenant Hayman 
and his party had to contend with , in order that we may do j nstice 
to the memories of the dead, and cheer the feelings of the living 
among those who, although imsuccessful in their object, bo 
nobly maintained the character of Biitish seamen. 

On the 17th of August, in latitude 49° SO* north, longitude 
12° 20' west, the British 38-gun frigate Loire, Captain Frederick 
Lewis Maitland, fell in with the French ship pnvateer Blonde, 
of Bordeaux, mounting 30 guns, 8-pounders on the miun deck, 
with a.crew of 240 men ; the same ship that, about five months 
previous, captured the Wolverine. After a 20 hours' chas^ 
inclnding a running hgbt of a quarter of an hour, during which 
the Loire had one midshipman (Ross Connor) and five men 
wounded, and the Blonde two men killed and five wounded, the 
latter hauled down her colours. 

On the 15th of September, at 6 a. m., the British 60^n ship 
Centurion, commanded by Lieutenant James Robert Phillips, in 
the absence of Captain James Lind upon service on shore (and 
who was also acting in the absence of the ship's proper com- 
manding officer. Captain John Sprat Rainier, dangerously ill), 
while at anchor in Vizagapatam road, waiting until two Indiamea 
were loaded and ready to return with her to Madras, perceived 
under the land in the south-west, at a distance of about 12 
miles, three ships coming down before the wind, wiUi all sail seL 
At 9 h. 30 m, a, m. the strangers were made out to be a linerof- 
battle ship and two frigates, the former with a flag at her mizen 
topgallantmaat-head. At 9 b. 45 m. the French ships steered di- 
rectiy in for the road, two without any colours, and the third, the 
outermost frigate, with a St.-George'8 enu^. The Centurion im- 
mediately opened a fire at the headmost fngate, to induce her to 
show her colours. Soon afterwards the 74 made signals, which 
were answered by the frigates. This at once pointed out that the 
ships were enemies, and a signal to that effect was made by the 
Centurion to the two Indiamen in company, followed by anotho'} 
directing them to put into a port in view. The Bamat^ 

• Moniteur, Mucha, 18(M, 

.Google 



1804. CENTURION WITH MABENGO AND C0NS0RT3. 277 

promptly answered the sigaal, cut her cable, and raa on shore ;* 
bat the Princess-Cb&rlotte, C&ptaia John Lo^n, who lay in- 
shore of the CeatunoQ, kept at her anchors. 

The flaj^ahip was suspected to be what she really was, the 
Marengo, Rear-admiral unois ; and her two consorts were the 
40^un frigate Atalante, Captain Camille-Charlea- Alexis Gaudin- 
Beauch^ne, end 36-gun Iri^te S^millante, commanded aa be- 
fore by Captain Motard. It is seven months to aday since we 
left Rear-admiral Linois, with a force a trifle greater than that 
which be now possessed, running from a fleet of unescorted 
lodiamen ; a fleet which he had weighed from Pulo-Auropnr- 
posely to capture, but which, under the able directions of Ck>m- 
modore Natnaniel Dance, put him and his squadron to flight,+ 
The French admiral afterwards proceeded to Bataria ; where, or 
on the passage to it, he was joined by the Atalante. Taking 
in a supply of provisions, he steered for the Isle of France, and 
arrived there on the 2d of April, followed a day or two after- 
wards by two of his frigates, with a valuable prize. Here his 
discomfiture by the India fleet gained him the ilUwitI of General 
Decaen, who wrote to his government on the subject, and we 
believe, sent his despatches to France by the Berceau. After 
waiting two months and a half at the Isle of France, M. Linois 
put to sea with the Marengo, Atalante, and S^millante. He 
cruised, firsts to the southward of Madagascar, anchoring a part 
of the time, on account of bad weather, in the bay of Saint- 
Augustin : he then moved to a station near the island of Ceylon, 
where he took several rich prizes. M. Linois subsequently 
entered the bay of Bengal, passed Madras at about 20 leagues' 
distance, and visited the roads of Masulipatam and Cosanguay : 
theiice he swept the coast of Golconda, and arrived on the Idth 
of September off Vizagapatam ; not without an object, for he 
bad, the day previous, wnen off Masulipatam, received informa- 
tion from some country-boats, that the British frigate Wilhelmina 
bad recently sailed from that road, with an Indiaman in com- 
^ny, bound to Yizagapatam. It so happened that Vice-admiral 
Rainier had substituted the Centurion for the Wilhelmina; a 
difference which the Frepcb admiral, to his cost, very soon dis- 
covered. 

At a few minutes past 10 A. u. the Atalante, which was the 
headmost ship of the tihree, was distant from the Centurion 
about half a mile, and all three ships now hoisted French 
colours. The Centurion immediately cut her cable, and sheeted 
home her topsails, which had been previously unfurled. This 
brought her broadside to bear; and the whole of it was im- 
mediately poured into the Atalante, then within the distance of 
200 yards : at this time the Marengo and S^millante were 
nnging up on the larboard quarter of the Centurion. At 10 b* 

* ThiaahipaftenraTdtgotiDtatheniif, and was totallylost. 

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378 UGHT SQUADBONS AND 8WCLE 8Hn>9: 1801. 

10 m. A. M. the Marengo and SemillaDte ojieRed their fire, which 
the CentuhoQ returned. After the action bad contimnd about a 
quarter of an hour, the Centurion's colours were shot away, as 
ftlso were those of the Marengo ; but both ensigna were prcoaptly 
replaced. At lOh. 45 m. a.h. the 74, whose li^ng appeared 
much damaged, hauled ber wind and stood out, followed Dy the 
frigates. A battery of three guns at the town, under the com- 
mand of Colonel Campbell of the 74th regiokent, had cooperated 
with the Centurion in reeiBting the unequal attack. 

Abandoned for the present, the Centurion continued to stand 
in^shore, and, in passing, hailed the Princess -Charlotte, and 
deeired her to cut her cable, but without effect. About this time 
Captain Lind joined his ehip ; and, finding ber rigging and 
sails too much cut to admit of her being worked to adraotag^ 
anchored at the back of the surf, about a mile and a half to tba 
sorth-east of the town, in six fathoms' water. Here the Cen- 
turion, now too distU)t to be supported by the battery at the 
town, prepared herBelf for renewing ao engagement, which abe 
had no means of avoiding, without resortit^ to an alternative 
not yet in contemplatioo. 

At U h. 15 m. A. H. the Marengo and frigates put about and 
again stood in ; and in another quarter of an hour the 74, after 
Laving repeatedly tried the range of her guns, dropped anch<Nr 
abreast of, and about a mile distant from, the Centurion. Having 
clewed up her topsails and fiirled her courses, the Maren^ 
Tecommenced the cannonade, suj^rted occauonally by the 
Atalante, who kept under sail (w the Centurion's larboard 
quarter, and lay nearer than the Marengo, and in a much more 
annoying position. The Semillante, meanwhile, was taking poa- 
session of the Prineess-Cbarlotte. Unambitious of sharing gWy 
with the Centurion, the latter had struck her colours without 
filing a shot, although she mounted 24 long 12-ponnderB, with a 
crew of 71 men, and was a very formidable lookii^ ship of 
€10 tons burden. Colonel Campbell had sent to her assistance 
•bout 50 seapoys ; but the boats saw the shametiil occurrence 
m time to save themselves by pulling back to the shore. 

The distance at which the Maroigo, doubtless from ^oruice 
of the bay and dread of grounding, had anchored, was far more 
&voujable to her than to the Centurion, the latter havii^, except 
a 6~ponnder or two, no other long guns than the 34s on her fint 
or lower deck. In consequence, the Centurion's hull, masts^ 
yards, and rigging, were severely cut by the fire of ber two 
assailants: several shot struck her between wind and water, and 
latt went through the gunner's store-room. At length, at about 
1 h. 15 m. p. X., a shot from the Maroigo cut the cable of the 
Centurion; and, about the same time, the 74 cut or slipped ber 
cable, hoisted h^ jib, and, accompanied by the two frigates and 

Erize, stood away to sea. The Centurion also made some sail; 
ut, on gettii^ a Uttld further fi&^boKe, brought wp agais with 



1804. CENTUKION WITH UABENGO AND CONSQKTS. 379 

the Bheet-ADchor, and oootiQaed her fire on the Maiei^ uat2 
the Utter was out of gun-shot. By 4 p. h. the Centunon was 
again reedy for actiwi ; bat the French squadroD etill purtaed 
its course off-shore, and at sunset wai BteiMbag before the wind 
to the north-east. 

The piiocipal damages of the Centunon have already been 
ennmerated. Ha loss was by no meaiu coounensnrate ; it 
amoonted to only one man mort^ly, and nine slightly wounded. 
1^ Marengo sufiered a good deal in her masts, yards, and 
ri^png; and one shot carried away her fiH&-oap. Her ioas 
amounted to two seamen killed, and one enseigne de vaisseau 
badly wounded. The Atalante had also two men killed, besides 
nz wounded, one of them mortally. The Semillante, thanks to 
the forbearance of the Princess-Charlotte, had no casualty to 
eoraplaia of. 

It is difficult to understand what it was that induced M. 
Linois to abandon an enterprise of such apparent ease, as the 
capture or destruction of a 50-gun ship by a 74 and two frigates. 
The reai-admiral's official letter, as published in the Mooitear, ia 
a very lame performance. Such excuses as, the shoalnese of the 
water, the great force of the battery on shore, the " extra:* 
ordinary" armament of the Centurion, the distance from a port 
in whicn he could refit, and the rumour that two English lino-of- 
battle ships had been seen or heard of in the neighbouihood, 
could only have su^ested themselves to one who felt a little 
a^amed at the want of energy he had displayed. The Centurion 
tor instance, could not have drawn less water than a French 
fiigate of the class of those with the Marengo; and the two 
fiigates, mounting between them upwards of 80 guns, and 
manned by at least 600 men, might have laid the Centunon on 
board, or compelled her to run on shore. " La premiere batterie 
du fort," gravely says the French account, " n'est que de & 
canons de 32 ou 24. On ignore le nombre de la seconde, 4 pieces 
de campt^e avuent 6te transport^ par let tronpea sur la 
rivage." The latter were ho, and were 12-pounders; but, as 
already related, could not reach the Mareneo. Among other 
mistakes, M. Ijnois states the Centurion toliave carried " 26 
canons de 32 & la seconde batterie;" which, as she mounted 
" 24 (or rather 22) canons de 24 a la premiere batterie," would, 
indeed, have been arming hei " d'une manifere extraordinaire." 
Her second-deck guns were 32>ponnder carronades ; and, from. 
the distance at which the action was fought. Captain Liad 
would have greatly preferred the long 12-pounders for which 
they had been substituted. 

A halMaden nmchant prixe, although an Indiaman, or rather, 
■■ was the case, a country ship, was a sorry recompence for tlu 
defeat, and a defeat it was, which the French admiral had aus> 
tained. On the other hand, the officers and crew of the Biitisk 
^ip gav« an hoooarable proof of what may be done by « 



S80 LIGHT SQUADR0V3 AND SINGLE SHIPS. 1804. 

i' udiciooB pereevemnce ia refflsting the attack of a sapeiior force. 
}j conduct so laudable and exemplary, they preseired their 
vessel, and exalted the character of their country ; and the two 
navies must continue to view, with very different feelings, the 
defence of the Centurion in Vizagapatam road. 

An action between the single ships of two nations at peace ia 
tare. Still more rare is an action, under similar circumstaoces, 
between two squadrons. Should the occurrence happen, it is 
usually at night, when the ships find a difficulty in understand- 
ing each other's signals ; but, the instant the mistake is dis- 
covered, the firing ceases, and no breach is made in the amicable 
relations of the two powers. Unfortunately the next action in 
order of date was fought between an English and a Spanish 
squadron, not amidst darkness, but in the open day ; not 
throi^h any accident, but under express orders from the govenn 
ment of one of the combatants ; and, so far from the matter 
bdng afterwards made up, it led to an almost immediate de- 
claration of war by the party who had to complaia of the 
aggression. 

Without entering into a consideration of the political cim- 
aexion which at this time subsisted between France and Spain, 
it may suffice to state that, towards the latter end of the summer 
of 1804, the British government received intelligence, through 
the officer. Rear-admiral the Honourable Alexander Cochrane, m 
command of the squadron stationed off Ferrol, that an armament 
was fitting out in that port; that a considerable Spanish force 
was already collected there ; and that French troops were then 
on their march thither, and near at hand. It is true that all this 
was afterwards disproved by the Spanish government ; but such 
proof could have no retroactive etfect. Immediately on the 
receipt of Rear-admiral Cochrane's information, the British 
admiralty despatched a squadron off Cadiz, to intercept and 
detain, oy force or otherwise, the four Spanish frigates, 
known to oe bound to that port with an immense quantity of 
specie, which they were bringing from Monte-Video, in South 
America. 

On the 3d of October the British squadron sent upon this 
important service, and which consisted of the 44-gun frigate 
Indefatigable, Captain Graham Moore, IS-pouuder 32^iin 
frigates Medusa, Captain John Gore, and Amphton, Captain 
Samuel Sutton, and 38-gnn frigate Lively, Captain Graham 
Eden Hamond, assembled off Cape Santa-Maria, Go the 6th, 
at 6 A, K., that cape bearing north-east distant nine leagues, the 
Medusa made a signal for four large sail bearing west by south, 
the wind at this time being about east-north-east. The squadron 
immediately wore, and made sail in chase. At 8 a. m. the 
strangers, which were the Spanish 40-gan frigate Medea, Kear- 
admiral Don Josqih Bustamente, and 34-gun frigates Fama 
(with a broad pendant), Clara, and Mercedes, formed the Use 



1804. CAPTURE OF THE SPANISH TREASURE-SHIPS. 281 

of battle ahead, in the following order: Fama, Medea, Mer- 
cedes, Clara. At 9 h. 6 m. A. m. the Medusa placed hereelf 
within half pistol-shot, on the weather beam of the Fama. Pre- 
sently the Indefetigable took a similar station by the side of the 
Medea ; and the Amphion and Lively, as they came up, ranged 
alon^ide the Mercedes and Clara, the Amphion judiciously 
running to leeward of her opponent. 

After ineffectually hailing the Me<jea to shorten sail, the lo- 
de&tigable fired a shot across her forefoot: on which the 
Spanish frigate did as she had been requested. Captain Moore 
then sent Lieutenant Thomas Arscott to inform the Spanish com- 
manding officer, that his orders were to detain the squadron, and 
that it was his wish to execute those orders without bloodshed, 
but that the Spanish admiral's determination must be instantly 
made. The boat not returning so soon as expected, the Inde- 
fttigable made a signal for her, and, to enforce it, fired a shot 
ahead of the Medea. The officer having at length returned with 
an unsatisfactory answer, the Indebtigahle, at about 9 h. 30 m. 
A. M., fired a second shot ahead of the Medea, and bore down 
close upon her weather bow. Immediately the Mercedes fired 
into the Amphioo, and in a few seconds afterwards the Medea 
opened her lire upon the Indefatigable. The latter then made 
the signal for close battle ; and it instantly commenced with all 
the animation, on one side at least, which the prospect of such 
trophies could inspire. 

At the end of about nine minutes the Mercedes blew up along- 
side of the Amphion with a tremendous explosion. In a minute 
or two afterwards the Fama struck her colours; but, on the 
Medusa's ceasing her fire, rehoisted them, and attempted to 
make off. The medusa immediately bore up under the Spanish 
iiigate's stem, and poured in a heavy fire, hut the Fama con- 
tinued her course to leeward. Havmg sustained, during 17 
minutes, the Indefatigable's heavy broadsides, and finding a new 
opponent in the Amphion, who had advanced on her starboard 

2uarter, the Medea surrendered. In another five minutes the 
'lara did the same, and the Lively was left at liberty to aid the 
Medusa in the pursuit of the Fama. At about 45 m. past noon 
the Lively, being an admirable sailer, got near enough to fire her 
bow-guns at the Fama; and at 1 h. 16 m. f. h. this, the only 
remaming S[»nish frigate, struck to the two British frigates in 
chase of ner. 

The force of the Indefatigable has already more than once 
appeared ; that of the Lively was the full establishment of a 38, 
namberiag 46 guns, and the Amphion and Medusa each 
mounted 40 guns. The Lively had two men killed and four 
wounded ; the Amphion, three men wounded, one or two of them 
by the splinters which fell upon her decks when her unfortunate 
aotagonist blew np. No other loss, and hut a very trifling 
damage, was sustained by the British ships. 

:, Google 



S82 LIGHT squu>Raiia ajid singi£ smrs. 1804. 

The Medea w» a Sue frigate of 1046 torn, and nonnted ^ 
gQiiB, lS-pouDd«n on the main deck, and ekbta on the quarts 
deck and forecastle, with a complement of 300 m^; <h whom 
two were killed and 10 wounded. Tite three remaiatag fiigatca 
vera each armed similar to the Mahonesaf except perhaps in 
having an additional pair of 6-pounders.* He Vama, oat of 
her ^0 men and boys, had 1 1 killed and 50 wounded ; the 
Clara, out of her 300, seven killed and 30 wounded ; and the 
Mercedes loet, by the fatal explosion, the whole of her 280 in 
eiew and passengers, except the second captain and about 40 
nteo, who were taken off the ship's SosBcutijt aSter it bad w>pa< 
rated from the nmainder of the hull, and except two paosoigeis, 
who happened to be on board the Medea. 

It is therefore quite clear, that the Indefatigable and (my two 
of her three consorts would have been a match, even in a time of 
notorious war, tor these four Spanish frigates. Aa it was, the 
latter defended ihemeelres with the characteristic bravery of 
Spaniards, notwithstanding that they could have been in no 
state of preparation, and that the melancholy loss of one of their 
number so early in the action increased the odds against them. 

Two more circumstances conspired to invest this transaction 
with more odium than perhaps would otherwise have attached 
to it. One of those ciroumstances was the miserable fate of so 
zaany poor souls at the explosion of the frigate, and the heart* 
rending misfortune it entailed upon one, in particular, who had 
been a passenger on board. This gentleman, a Captain Alvear, 
of the Spanish navy, with his wife, four amiable daughters, and 
five sons grown up to manhood, had embarked in the Mercedea^ 
carrying with him a fortune, estimated at about 30,000/. ster- 
ling, the gradual savings of 30 years' industry as a merchant ia 
South America. Not many minutes before the engagement 
began, the captain and his eldest son had gone on board the 
Medea; and tnere, in a very little while, did be witness the 
catastrophe that hurled his wife, his daughters, and hia remain* 
ing sons to destruction, and sent that treasnre, which was mere 
dross in the comparison, to the bottomless deep. 

The second circumstance alluded to was the tempting nature 
of the lading on hoard these vessels. The cargoes of the three 
eaptured frigates, coasisted of Vid<Hia wool, caacarilla, ratinia, 
aeal-skins, seal-oil, bars of tin, piga of copper, dollars, and ingots 
of gold, and netted very little snortof a million sterling. Th«e< 
ibre, as the Mercedes was similariy freighted, the total value of 
what had been shipped on board the squadron probably amounted 
to nearly a third of a million more. We must not omit to atate,, 
that the British government restored to Captain Alvear, out of 
the proceeds of t^ three caigoes, the 30,00(U, sterhog, which be 
had lost in the Mercedes. 

» SMv«Li.,p.358. 

Dci,l,zedl!vG00glc 



1804 COLONUI. EXP.— GAPTAIIt TQCKIA AT CUBACOA. 283 

Man; persona, «bo coDcarred in the expediency, donbtod the 
right, of detaining these ships ; and many, again, to whom the 
legality of the act appeared clear, were of ojunion, that a more 
Amnidable force should hare been sent to execute the service, ia 
Older to have justified the Spanish admiral in surrendering with' 
oat an appeal to arms. 

The anair naturally created a great stir at Madrid, and on the 
27th of November an order issued to make reprisals on English 
property ; but it was not mtil the 12th of the following month 
that the King of Spain issued his formal declaratjon of war, 
nor outit the! 1th of January, 1805, that Great Bi^ain directed 
letters of marque to be granted against Spanish vessels and 
property. 

COLOHIAL BXPEOITlOIfS. — -WEST IKDIBS, 

Viewing the success of Captain Watkins at Cure^oa in Sep- 
tember, 1800,* without apparently taking into consideration, or 
attaching the pr<»>er weight to, the circumstances out of which 
it arose, namely the occupation of the whole west part of the 
island by a French republican force of six or seven times the 
stret^th of the Dutch garrison, Rear-admiral Sir John Thomas 
Ihickworth, the commander-in-chief at Jamaica, flattered him- 
self that he had only to send npa liae-of-battle ship or two, and 
the inhabitants would again surrender the island to the arms of 
bis Britanmc majesty. 

Nor was the rear-admiral the only British officer who had 
taken sach an idea into his head, grounded upon the same 
pcurtial view of the previous surr^ider. When, in the middle of 
the year 1803, intelligence of the declaration of war against 
Holland reached Port-Roynl, Jamaica, the 10-gun schooner 
Gipsy, Acting-lieutenant Michael Fitton, was despatched to 
Cura^oa, to warn any British cruisers that might be lying ther^ 
of what had taken place, in order that they might provide for 
their safety. Arriving in the harbour of St.-Ann, the Gipsy 
found at anchor there the 18-gun ship-sloop Surinam, Captain 
Robert Tucker. To thb officer, in as secret a manner as he 
could, Lieutenant Fitton ccunmunicated the inteiligence, and 
advised him immediately to get under way. " No," says Ca[^ 
tain Todcer, " I'll snmmoo the fiscal to surrender the island to 
me." lu vain did the bentenant repres^it the folly of such a 
proceeding; in vaia did he point to the numeross batteries 
aronnd tbe harbour: Captiun Tucker went on shore, and made 
Im proposal in form. The Dutch autb<Hities had received n» 
official account of the war ; but they took the captain's word, 
Ud not only his word, but his sword, and his ship, and all that 
*Rie oa board of her. Knowing welt what would happen, 
lieutenant Fittcm, io the mean tune, had weighed and stood 
oat; and the Gip^ was aoon chased off tbe port by two aimed 
• Seep.WL I 



284 COLONIAL EXPEDITIONS.— WEST INDIES. 1804. 

vessels of saperior force, wbicb, in consequence of Captaio 
Tucker's imprudence, had been despatched in pursuit of oer. i 
In the early ^rt ot December, 1803, the 74-gun ahipTheseua, 
Captain John Btigh, arrived at Port-Royal Jamaica, from the 
moie of Saint-Nicholas. On the 17th Captain Bligh received 
an order directing him to proceed on the ensuing day off the city 
of Santo-Domingo, and, in company with the 74^;un ship Van- 

fuard. Captain James Walker, previously stationed there, to 
lockade the port. Should the French in possesaion of the 
town * propose capitulation, Captain Bligh was authorized to 
treat with them, and was at the same time verbally informed by 
Sir John Duckworth, in strict confidence, that he would receive 
an order by the 74-gun ship Uercule, Captain Richard Dalling 
Dunn, to attack the island of Cura^oa ; but that it was not his. 
Sir John's, intention, that the safety of the line-of-battle ships 
should be risked by attempting to force the harbour of St--Ann. 
On the 19th the Theseus sailed from Port-Royal, and before 
the end of the month arrived oS the city of Santo-Domingo ; but 
the Vanguard was not there, nor, in fact, did that ship join at 
all. On the 15th of January, 1804, Captain Bligh received his 
orders by the Hercule, and by them was directed, taking with 
him the three 74s, already named, also the 18-pounder 36-gim 
fri^tes Blanche, Captain Zachary Mudge, and Pique, Captain 
William Bayne Hodgson Ross, and the lO-gun schooner Gipsy, 
Acting-lieutenant Michael Fitton,to proceed without a moment's 
loss of time off the island of Cura^oa ; " having," says Sir John, 
" received certain information that the garrison of Cura9oa has 
not been strengthened since the commencement of the war, and 
consists of only 160 troops, with a frigate in the port whose 
officers and crew are said nearly all to have fallen victims to the 
climate." Captain Bligh is then directed to summon the island 
to surrender to bis majesty's arms upon liberal conditions. In 
case of a refusal, and that he should have no reason to believe 
there had been any augmentation of the garrison. Captain Bligh 
is to land a part of the crews of the ships. Then follows this 
nugatory ealvo : " But it is my duty to caution you by no means 
to hazard more than the object is worth." Nugatory, indeed ; 
for, by what standard was tae relative value of the object and 
the means to be measured ? 

With his two 74s, two frigates, and one schooner, and with 
no other knowledge of the state of Curacoa than was contained 
in the pan^raph already quoted from bis orders, and with no 
person on Board the squadron who had ever seen the island, 
except Captain Ross and Mr. Fitton, Captain Bligh made sail 
for his destination. Owing to calms and variabk winds, the 
squadron did not, until the 30th of January, arrive in sight of the 
island of Bonaire, which lies off the east end of Curacoa. In 
the evening the ships bore up, and early on the next morning 
the 31st, hove to about six miles to the eastward of the town and 
• See p. 210. 



1804. CAPTAIN BUGH AT CURACOA. 286 

harbour of St-Ann. Captain Rosa having embarked on board 
the Gipsy, was despatched with a flag of truce and a Bummons 
to the Dutch governor or fiscal, to surrender the island to the 
British. At 9 h. 30 m. a.m. the Gipsy stood out of the liarbour, 
with the preconcerted signal flyiDg> announcing that the terms 
had been refused. 

The passage into the harbour is so narrow, that, even with a 
fiiir wind (and it now blew off the land), a line-of-battle ship can 
with difficulty enter ; and the batteries that command the hai^ 
bonr and town, including Fort R^publique, against which from 
its situation, an attack by storm is impracticable, mounted nearly 
100 pieces of cannon. In the harbour were lying the Dutch Im- 
pounder 36-gun frigate Hotslaar and two French privateers, 
tinder these circumstances, no alternative remained but to try the 
effect of a landing. Leaving, therefore, the two frigates, as well 
to blockade the harbour, as to cause a diversion of the enemy's 
force. Captain Bligh, with the two 74s and schooner, bore up 
for a small cove, which had been pointed out by Mr. Fitton as 
the most eligible spot for effecting a disembarkation. 

According to a previous arrangement tlie boats of the sauadron, 
containing all the marines of the four ships, 199 in number, aod 
a detachment of 406 seamen, had assembled on board the Her- - 
cule, and were commanded as follows : the seamen of the 
Theseus, by Lieutenants Edward Henry a'Court and Richard 
Henry Muddle, assisted by six midshipmen ; and her marines 
by Lieutenants Earle Harwood and Bertrand Cahuac. The 
seamen of the Hercule, by Lieutenants John B. Hills and Niabet 
Josiah Willoughby; and the marines by Lieutenant Samuel 
Perrot. The seamen of the Blanche, by Lieutenant William 
Woolsey, of the Hercule, in lieu of their proper commanding 
officer. Lieutenant William Braithwaite, who, to his disgrace as 
an officer and a gentleman, was incapacitated from filling his 
proper station by habitual drunkenness. The marines of the 
Blanche were commanded by Lieutenant Edward Nicolls, the 
senior marine-officer in the squadron. The seamen of the 
Pique, on account of the sickness of two of her three lieute- 
nants, were commanded by Captain Ross, and her marines by 
lieutenant William Henry Craig; and the whole detachment 
of seaman and marines, numbenng 605 officers and men, was 
placed under the orders of Captain Dunn, of the Hercule. 

la passing Fort Amsterdam, situated on the south-east side 
of the entrance to St-Ann, the two 74s were fired at, but vrith- 
out effect, the shot falling short. At 11 h. 30 m. FortPiscadero, 
mounting 10 Dutch 12-pounder8, and protecting the intended 
point of disembarkation, opened a fire. This was immediately 
letumed by the Theseus, within half musket-shot, although the 
■hip was unable to remain alongside owing to a strong head 
wind and lee current. By making short tacks, however, the 
lieseus brought her guns to bear with such effect that the fort 



286 COLONIAL EXPEDITIONS. — WEST INDIES. 1804. 

fired only sn occasionul gun n4ien Qte ship was in itays. At 2 
r. M. the first division of seamen and inannes in tbe boftts 
stormed and carried tbe fort without loss, and struck tbe Dutcb 
ccdonrs, which tbe enemy, on retreating, had left flying. By « 
rapid movement the Biitish gained the heights, and, with the 
Joss of only four or fire killed and wounded, drove the Dutch 
aoMi^rs fhtm the position. This done, the remainder of the 
•eamen and nnrinea were landed, and Uie Gipsy adiooDor 
anchored in the cove. Captain Bligh also went mi snore ; and, 
a« there was no anchorage for them, the Theseus and Uercoie 
continued to stand off and on, bat, owing to the wind and eunait, 
Aland a great difficulty in keeping their stati<HiB. Dunng tfae 
night several shot were fired at the ships from Fort Amsterdam ; 
bat, although two or tliree went over the Theseus, not one shot 
«tmck either ship. 

On the morning of the Ist of February two 18-po«ader 
carronades and a light fields-piece were landed mxn tbe 
Theseus ; and, with great difficulty and some danger, were 
dragged four miles to the advanced post at the height. This post 
was ntnated about 800 yards to ihe westward of the town of 
St-Ann, which it in part overlooked, and was placed under tbe 
command of Lieutenant Willoughby , while the post between 
that and the point of disemraikatioa was commanded by 
Lieutenant Hills. On the 2d two long 18-pounder3 were iande<^ 
and one or both were got to " Willoughby'ft battery;" as wtB 
ftleo one of tbe I>uteh l2-pounderB from Fort Piecadero. But 
this was not accomplished without some loss from the heaTy 
fire kept np by Fort Republique. Four more IS-potmdw 
carronades and another field-pieoe or two were landed and 
mounted at one or tfae other of the posts; and a constant 
interchange of filing was kept np between (be British and 
Dutch batteries. In this firing a French battery, mounted by 
«ome of tbe gans, and manned by the crews, of'^ the privateers^ 
also took a part. 

On the evening of the 4th there was a smart skiimisfa between 
tbe British at the advanced post and tbe enemy's sharpshooten, 
in which the latter were repulsed ; and on the monimg of tbe 
£tb a more serious afiair took place between the marines under 
Lieutenant Nicolls and a (atce of Dutch and French esti- 
mated at 500 men. Notwithstanding hia onmerical inferiority, 
liieuOenant Nicolls, in tbe most gol^t manner, repulsed the 
allied forces ; but, pursuing the enemy too far, not without tbe 
Joes of nearly 20 in killed and wounded, chiefiy from the cannoa 
of Fort Republique. On the next day, the 6th, the cannonade 
between the forts was resumed ; but Lieutenant Willoughby, 
fitR^ng it in vain to present any of his pieces at Fort R^pubJique^ 
directed them at the town and at the shipping in the harbour. 
By this means the town was partially aet on fire ; and the Hatslaar 
vould probably have be« destroyed, had not the ]>uttch placed 



2804. CAPTAIN BLIGH AT CURACOJL 287 

alongsde of her, as a sort of fa^-off', two large tmrchaaC 
Tessds, whose halls received the greater part of the shot. 

Id this way passed a oiunber of successive days, the force of 
the British ^sdually decreasing, not merely by loss from Um 
caDDon of the forts and io the different skirmishes, but from 
fctigue and siclutess. At length not an otBcer was lefl at the 
■dranced battery but Lieutenant WiltoiKhby and Midshipmaa 
EatOD Trnven ; and 63 of the men had beea obliged to be re* 
embalmed owing to an attack of dysentery : a circumstance not 
to be wondered at considering that both officers and men laf 
Upon the. ground, without any of those convenieoces deemed 
indiwensatne in the encampment of an army. The force of the 
Dutch too, instead of unounting to only 160 r^ulars, consisted 
of 260 effective men, besides a body of local militia, and the 
ciews of the vessels in the harbour. In addition to al) this, 
the Dutch learnt by deserters, nine of whom quitted in one night, 
the weak state of me British (one, and that the squadron must 
soon raise the blockade for the want of provisions. 

In this state of things- Captain Bligh, on the moming of the 
23d, despatched the Gipsy to apprise Sir John Duckworth of 
his intention, unless any thing fkvouraUe should happen, to r»* 
embark his people on the 4th of March. In the course of that 
Mme23d,the Dutch received a reinforcement ; and in the evening 
the Pique was obliged to bear up for Jamaica, on account ^ 
having damaged her rudder. 

Xearly one half, or 30 out of 67, of the Hercule's marines 
were Poles, part of the prisoners taken at St- Domingo ; and 
who, most inconsidei-ately, had been allowed to enter. On the 
S4th these " volunteers," very naturally, evinced so clear aa 
intention of going over to the enemy, that they were obliged to 
be sent on b(^d their ship with all haste. The re-embarkation 
of the whole remainii^ force could now no longer be delayed ; 
and on the 25th, by 9 f. h., eveiy person was on board an 
American schooner and one or two other vessels of a light draughty 
except Lieutenant Hills and a small party lefl to destroy Fort 
Pincadero. At 11 f. m. this was effectually done, and the 
lieutenant and his men soon joined their companions afloat. 

The loss of the British, in the different sKirniithes that bad 
taken place, amounted to one midshipman (Joseph Palmer)^ 
eight seamen, two sergeants and seven privates of marines killed, 
and three lieutenants of msrioes (Messieurs Harwood, Cahuac, 
and Perrot, the latt«- with the loss of an arm), 16 seamen^ 
twoaeigeants and 21 privates d* marines wounded; total, 18 
killed and 42 wounded. The whole of the guns, that had been 
landed from the ships, were also left behind, except, we be- 
lieve, two 3-pounder field-pieces ; but the abandoned guns were 
«U rendered unserviceable, and the carriages, platforms, Stc 
destroyed. 

The circumstances, UDd» wbidi Lieutenant Perrot received 



288 COLONUL EXPEDITIONS, — WEST INDIES. 1804. 

his severe wound, are so extraordinary as to be worthy a recital. 
During almost every day of the three weeks and upwards that 
the advanced batteiy was held, Lieutenant Willougnby, with a 
recklessness of his person that, as it appears to ue, the occasioa 
did not wairant, used to sit in a chair upon the ramparts or 
breastwork of hia littie battery, exposed to a daily, nay almost 
to an hourly, diBchai^ of shot from one or two guns mounted 
upon the Dutch fort above. The earth was ploughed up all 
around, and one man, we believe, was killed close to the spot; 
hut still the t^ble and chair, and the daring young officer who 
sat there, remained untouched. Oq one afternoon Lieutenant 
Perrot was induced to seat himself in the chair. Scarcely had 
he done so, when a shot came, took off hia lell arm, badly 
wounded the knee upon which it had been resting, and luiocked 
the table to atoms. 

Notwithstanding the ill success which had attended this, as 
Sir John himselfnot inaptly termed it, "child of his own brain," 
the addition of the Vanguard's seamen and marines, and of a 
heavy mortar or two, would have enabled Captain Bligh to cut 
off the water from the Dutch garrison, and probably have com- 
pelled the French faction that ruled the island to accede to the 
proposed capitulation. The British officers and men behaved 
most admirably : and the masteily manner, in which, for so lone 
a time and under so many privations, Lieutenant Hills and 
Willoughby, the latter in particular, maint^ned tbdr respective 
posts, elicited the strong praise of Captain Bligh : who also, in . 
reference to another officer, says to Sir John Duckworth, " Mr. 
FittoD has throughout shown so much zeal and judgment, that I 
should feel most happy if you can consistently give him a com- 
mission appointing turn lieutenant of the Gipsy." This reconn 
mendation was attended to ; and, in a few days after the Gipsy 
anchored at Port-Royal, her commander, although the bearer of 
despatches announcing a defeat, received, what years of active 
employment and of hard and responsible service, what more 
than one successful case of acknowledged skill and gallantry as 
a commanding officer,* had failed to procure him, his commission 
as a lieutenant 

On the 25th of April the British 74-gun ship Centaur, Ca^ 
tain Murray Maxwell, bearing the broad pendant of Commo- 
dore Samu^ Hood, accompanied by the three armies en flute or 
reduced 44-gun ships Pandour, Captain John Nash, and Serapis, 
Captain Henry Waring, and reduced 28^un frigate Alligator, 
Captain Charles Rich^son, also the ship-sloop Uippomenes, 
Captain Conway Shipley, brig-sloop Drake, Captain William 
Ferris, and armed schooner Unique, Lieutenant Cieoige R. 
Brand, with a fleet of transports having on board nearly 2000 
troops, under Majoi^eneral Sir Charles Green, after a passage 

'Seep.6(h 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



1804. CAPTURE OF SURINAM. 289 

orS2 days from Barbadoes, arrived off the island of Suiinam; 
when immediate measures were taken to send a diTision of the 
anny, of about 700 men, under the command of Brigadier- 
genenl Maitland, to land at Warapee creek. The direction of 
flie disembarkatioh being left to Captain Conway Shipley of 
the HippomeneG, the latter, with that sloop, a transport, and 
Uiree armed vessels, landed the troops on the night of the 30th, 
assisted by Captain Kenneth M'Kenzie of the brie-sloop Qaa- 
chapin ; and who, with great zgal, had quitted his sloop 50 
leagues to leeward, with all her boats, on finding, from baffling 
winds and cnnents, that she could not get up. 

lliat no time might be lost, Brigadier-general Hughes, who 
had arrived in the Pandour, was ordered to endeavour to gain 
possession, oa the following night, of Braam's point ; and in- 
structions were sent to Captain James O'Brien, of the 36-gun 
frigate Emerald, then lying off the bar of Surinam river, to cany 
this service, in concert with the brigadier, into execution. The 
Emerald lost not a moment, but as the tide Sowed, pushed over 
the bar, followed by the Pandour and Drake, and anchored 
close to a battery of seven IS-pounders. The fort commenced a 
brisk fire upon the Emerald ; out, after the ships had anchored, 
it was silenced by a few broadsides, without any loss on their 
side. In the fort were captured 43 officers and men, three of 
whom were wounded. Not being able to approach nearer to the 
island in the Centaur, on account of the water she drew, the 
general and commodore removed the next morning to the Eme- 
rald, lying at the entrance of the river. Having there sum- 
moned the colonV) ao answer was received containmg a refusal 
of the terms. The moment, therefore, that the tide served, 
every effort was made to get up the river; which, from the 
shallowness of the water, was very difficult, the Emerald 
having passed through the mud in three feet less than she drew. 
Owing to the lowness of the tide, it was not until the night 
of the 6th of May that the frigate reached a station near to the. 
fcrt. 

The officers of engineers having explored the roads through 
tt>e woods, close to the 12-gun battery of Frederici, which com- 
municated with Leyden redoubt of tne same force, an attack 
was made, on the morning of the 30th, by a detachment of 
troops under Brigadier-general Hughes, conducted in the boats 
by Captain Maxwell, of the Centaur, and Captains Ferris and 
Bichardfion, of the Drake and Alligator. The party landed at 
Plantation Resolution; and, after a tedious march through 
woods and swamps, the brigadier and his detachment, accom- 
panied by Captains Maxwell and Ferris, some other officers, 
and about 30 seamen, carried the battery of Frederici ; and, 
dthough the enemy blew up the maganne, by which many of 
the British suffered on entering the work, the troops and sea- 
soen, passing without delay a causeway of 700 yards, in the ftica 
VOL. III. V ,[^. 



290 COLONUL EXPEDmOOT.— COAST OF ATBICA. iSfA 

cf five pieces c^ cannon that bore upon it, earned in a few 
minutes more the redoubt of Levden. 

Brigadier^eneral Maitland bad come down tbe river CoHi- 
iBOOwinft, and the ships had all got up near Frederiei. By this 
tine, too, the troops were advancing, and the enemy's comma- 
■ications nearly intercepted by the activity of the armed boats 
ct the Britiih ; whoBe provisions, stores, and cannon were 
already prepared for attacking fort New-Amsterdam, mounting 
apwards of 80 guns. Aware of all this, the Batavian coisiDan<t- 
ant, Lieutomnt-colonel Eatenbuig, on the 5th of May, sent a 
£ag of truce ; and shortly after toe receipt of it a capitulation 
was signed. 

Commodore Bloys-Von-TreBlong, on the British claiming tbe 
surrender of the ships, entered into the terms proposed. He 
lifid stationed the Proierpine of 32 gunt, 13-pounders, near to 
Jt^ New-Anifiterdam, aiid had extended a hoe of defence acrots 
the river, with the Pyladee corvette, of 18 guns, at tbe other 
«ctremity, about a mile above tbe redoobt Purmnrunt ; he bad 
also placed three merchantmen, of from eieibt to 12 guns, m tbe 
centre, and bed employed a schootMir of 10 guns to recDnn<»tre 
and cover the shore at Voorburg, should the Britisb troops have 
attempted to advance by that side. Besides tl»s force, the 
Dutch commodore had seven gun-boats ready lo act bb occaaioo 
leouired. 

This important cokmy was gained, fortnnatdy, with a very 
inconsiderable loss on either side. That of tbe British nary 
amounted to one lieutenant (James Edward Smith, first of ttte 
Centaur), one midshipman (William Shuldham), one boatswain, 
and two seamen killed, and three lieutenants (William King and 
S^ert HenderEOT, both of the Centaur, and George R. BiaDd, 
of the Unique), and five seamen wounded; and that of the army, 
three privates killed, and 13 officers and privates wounded ; total 
of the British loss, eight killed and 21 wonnded, and the 
greater part owing to tbe explosion at FredcricL The Dutch 
appear to have eustatned no other loss than the three meo 
already mentioned as wounded in the battery at Ikaam's point. 
The number of prisoners taken at Surinam, exclusively of staff 
and detachments, amounted to 2001 ; and the total number f£ 
pieces of iron and brass ordnance^ aboat half of which wen 
dismounted, was 2S2. 

On the 17th of January, late in the evemng, a French squa- 
dron commanded by Lieutenant Jean-Michel Mab6, consisting 
of the armed ship Oncle-Thomas, of 20 guns, and the schooners 
Benomm^e of 14, Oiseau of 10 guns, and Rosalie, Vigie, and 
another, of two each, fitted out at Cayenne, and having on board 
£65 officers, soldiers, and sailors, anchored off the Bribah settle- 
uent of Goree. The officer commanding there. Colonel Frastf, 
had at bis disposal only 64 white men including officers, and 
made the best dispositions in hia power Hoc nsiating an attacka 



1804 AUXIUCA ADD TH£ BAABAKY STATES. 291 

On tii« 18th, at 3 A. »., eigbt boats (rom the squadron diseqt- 
barked 240 troops apon the rocks to the eastward of the town, 
where the sarf bappeoed to be uauaually low. An en^agament 
ioimediately enstiea; when, after a loss of 19 men killed and 
woQnded on the part of the British (iBOSt of whom were ia a 
sickly state), and 75 on the part of ths French, Coilonel Fraser 
Hiirendered on a capitulation, and the port was taken possessioa 
of by the troops snd seamen of Lieutenant Mah^. 

The French remained ia quiet poasessioa of their conquest 
WBtil the 7th of March, in the raornii^, when the British IS- ~ 
pounder 36-gun frigate Inconstant, Captain Edward StiHiag 
A)icks(»i, accompanied by & store-^p and three transports,, 
UTired off the settlement The ftppeaniDce of English colours 
on tba citadel occasioned Captain Dickson to send Lieutenant 
Charles Pickford on shore in the cuttBr> to ascertain in whose 
possession the place was. Not having', by 10 b, v., received any 
information, Captain Dickson despa^hea three boats, manned 
and armed, under Mr. Runcimao, midshipman, to cutout aship ' 
in the harbour. The service was executed, und« & heavy firs. 
from the batteries, which sank one of the boats and wounded 
one of the men. The strength of the garrison having by tia» 
neans been obtained, the loconatant weighed and stood to th« 
westward, to prevent any succours being throiwa in from, Sene- 
gal. Having, on the foUowing day, been joined by » fourth) 
merchant ship or transport, the three boats of the latter nuide 
the number sufficient to carry the allotted portion of troops ; and 
Captf^ Dickson commenced preparations to disembark tba 
men on the following day ; when, ai daybreak on the Sth, £ng^ 
Itah coloura were seen lying ovw French at the tbrt, the French 
mrrison having the night previous capitulated with Lieute«aAt 
Pickford. Thus was the settlement of Gtor^e restored, without 
Ihe loss of a man, to its former masters. 

AKSBICA ADD THB BABBABY BTATBfi. 

FrcHB some cause respecting which it would be proiitleBs to 
inquire, these beltigwents* remained comparatively inactive until 
tile latter months of the year 1803, when an adjustment of some 
differences, which had arisen between the Emperor of Morocca 
snd the United States, left Commodore Preble, who now com- 
manded the American squadron, at liberty to direct his whole 
attention to Tripoli. Scarcely, however, had the American com- 
nodore put his squadron into motion, ere it met with a very 
BerionaloBS. 

On the 3lBt of October, at 9 a.h., the 44^n frigate Phila- 
delphia, Captain Willtam Bainbridge, bein^ about five leagues ta 
M>* westward of Tripoli, discovered and immedi^ely chased a. 

Sot p. I7A 

^^ Dci,l,zedl!vG00'"^lc. 



293 AHEBICA AND THE BARBABY STATES. 1804. 

sail in shore, under Tripolitan coIoutb, standing before the wind 
to the eastward. The Philadelphia soon opened her fire, and 
continued it until 11 h. 30 m. A., h. : when, being in seven 
fathoms' water, and finding that he could not prevent the Teasel 
entering Tripoli, Captain Bainbridge discontinued the parenit. 
In working o£F from the shore under her topsails, and when about 
four miles and a half from the town of Tnpoli, the Philadelphia 
struck upon a rock not laid down in the charts. A boat was 
^ immediately lowered to sound : and, the greatest depth of 
' water appearing to be astern, the topgallantsails were set, and 
all the sails thrown fiat aback. Three anchors also were cut 
from the bows, the water in the hold started, and the guns 
thrown overboard excepting a few abaft, to defend the ship 
against the attacks of the Tnpolitan gun-boats then firing at her. 
All this, however, proved ineffectual; as did the attempt to 
lighten the ship forward, by cutting awav the foremast. About 
sunset, observing a reinforcement of guQ-Doata approaching from 
Tripoli, and having no means of deunce left, the Philadelphia 
hauled down her colours. The Tripolitans imm^iately todL 
possession of the American frigate, and made prisoners of the 
■officers and men ; whose number, fortunately, did not at this 
time exceed 300. About 48 hours afterwards, hy great exer- 
tions and a strong breeze in their favour, the Tripohtans got the 
Philadelphia afloat, and towed her into the harbour. 

Before we proceed to give an account of the performances of 
American seamen, the introduction of a few lines, published 
eight years ago, and not since, to our knowledge, impngoed^ 
will render it probable, that we may yet be recording, in part, the 
exploits of British seamen : " It ia fresh in the recollection of 
many officers of the British navy, how difficult it was, at this 
period, to keep the seamen from deserting to the Americans. 
The short peace of 1803 occasioned many of our ships to be paid 
ofi"; and the nature of the service upon which the Americans 
were engaged, held forth a strong inducement to the manly feel- 
ings of the British tar. It was not to raise his arm against his own 
countrymen, but against barbarians, whose foul deeds exdted 
indignation in every generous breast. The Americans cannot deny, 
that the complements of their ships in the Tripolitan war coo- 
sisted chiefly of British seamen, supplied by a Scotch renegado 
at New- York, and by numerous otner crimps in the difierent 
seaport towns of the United States ; and that those comple- 
ments were afterwards filled up, by similar means, at Cadiz and 
other portsof theMediterranean. Was notCommodOTcPreble^on 
account of being detected iri some transaction of this sort, obliged 
to shorten his stay at Gibraltar, and to fix Syracuse, instead 
of Malta, for his next rendezvous ? To such as know the faci- 
lity with which, either in the ships or en the shores, of the United 
States, a deserter, or an emigrant, can obtain his naturalization, 
the term " American" requires an epithet to rendet it intelligible. 



1804. TVAB HVn-H TRIPOU. 2^ 

In recording the exploits of " Americans/' it is but to lop off the 
qualiiying adjunct ."adopted," and every native reader feels a 
hero's blood flowing in his veins. On tne other hand, should 
diigrace be attached to the deed, Mr. Clarli: (the American naval 
Itistonan) and his brother-writers, anticipating the reader's 
wishes, seldom ful to state, that the parties were not American, 
but British sailors."* 

We must premise, also, that the only accounts we have to 
lefer to are those written by the Americans. The Tripolitans- 
have no annalist to compile, no state-historiographer to magnify 
and blazon, the feats performed by themselves ; nor have they 
any acute and patriotic writer, to expose the exaggerations, and 
disprove the mistatements, published by their enemies. With 
sucn a one-sided case before us we almost fear to proceed ; and 
yet we should be sorry to omit recording, or, by doubting, to 
throw a slight upon, an act of genuine gallantry, achieved by 
Frenchman or American, Christian or Mahomedan. 

Feeling a laudable desire to prevent the Tripolitans from 
making any use of the 6ne frigate which, by an accident so un- 
toward, had fallen into their hands, lieutenant Stephen Decatur, 
of the United States' 44-gan frigate Constitution, submitted to 
Commodore Preble a plan for setting fire to and destroying 
the Fhilad^phia in the harbour of Tripoli. The Commodore at 
first thought the enterprise too hazaidous, but at length gave 
lus consent On the 3({ of February, having embarked with 70 
Tolnnteere, includiog Lieutenant James Lawrence and Midship- 
man Charles Morris, on board a Turkish prize ketch, newly 
named the Intrepid, Lieutenant Decatur sailed from Syracuse, 
accompanied by the 18-gun brig Syren, Lieutenant Charles 
Stewart ; whose boats, covered by the brig's fire, were to co- 
operate in the attack. 

On the 18th, in the evening, the Intrepid and Syren arrived 
off the harbour of Tripoli ; but it appears that the two vessels 
"by a change of wind" separated, aua that at 8 p. m. the Intre- 
lad entered the harbour alone. The Philadelphia lay within 
Italf eon^hot of the Bashaw's castle and principal battery, with 
two Tripolitan cruisers at the distance of aoout 200 yards on her 
Atarboard quarter, and on the same bow a number of gun-boata. 
" All her guns were mounted and loaded,"* Atabout 11 p.m., 
just as the Intrepid had arrived within 200 yards of the larboard 
and outward side of the Philadelphia, the latter hailed and 
desired the ketch to anchor on peril of being fired into. The 
plot of the Intrepid, as he had oeen instructed, and who, we 
imagine, was himself a musaulman, answered thatthey had lost all 
tfaeir anchors. Upon this the ketch was suffered to advance ; 
and, so well was the deception kept up, that a rope was per- 

* James's Naval OccDrraDces between Great Britaio and America, p. 73. 
t Clark's Naval History of the United States, vol. i.; p. 1^ This muKs 
confinnMioD. 

Ac 



294 AMERICA AND THE BABSAHy STATES. 1804* 

mitted to be made fast to ihe frigate's fore chains, by which the 
Intrepid hauled herself alongside. 

Lieutenant Decatur ajiA his party now Kall&ntly sprang oa 
lioard, and, rushing upon the alarmed Tripolitans, killed abont 
20, and quickly subdued the remainder. Having thoe, in a 
jDuoh easier manner than could have been anticipated, got pos- 
session of the Philadelphia, Lieutenant Decatur directra her to 
be set on fire ; which was done eo promptly aad etfectively', that 
the Intrepid herself was nearly involved in the fiames. A floe 
ivind from the land, however, at that moment sprang up ; and 
the ketch, profiting by H, soon ran out of the harbour with the 
gallant party who nad so fully execated the bold and perilous 
service infirusted to them. Although, as sooo as the Tripolitans 
on shore had ascertained that the Philadelphia was ia their 
enemy's possession, the forts and eurronnding vessels opened a 
fire upon her, the Americaias were so fortmiate as to escape witk 
only four men woanded. 

fa the ooorse of the summer, at two or three difTereDt periods, 
the American Bquedron, Bfleisted by some NeapoJitan gnn-lxiatB 
and bomb-vessels, bombarded the town and batteries of Tripoli; 
and lieutenant, or rather captain (for he (hen had been de- 
eervedty promoted), Decatur, who oommmded a 'gun^MXtt 
again greatly distinguished himself. "Captain Deoatur," sayB 
Mr. Clark, "having grappled a Tripolitan boat and boarded her 
■with only ] 6 Americans ; in 10 minutes ha decks were cleandi, 
and she was captured. Three Americans were wounded. At 
this moment Captain Decatur was iaformed theft the 'gair-bo«^ 
commanded by his brother (Lieutenant James Decalar), had, 
captured a boat belonging to the enemy ; bat that his brotbaiv 
as he was stepping on %oa.tA was treacherously shot by tb» 
Tripolitan commander, who made off with his boat. C^>tuK 
Decatur immediately purexied the murderer, vrho was retreating 
within the lines ; having succeeded in coming alongside, ihe 
boarded with only 11 men. A doubtful contest of 20 minuteft 
ensued. Decatnr immediately attacked ti» Tripotitan com- 
mander, who was aimed with a spear at«l catlass, In pArp- 
ing the Tark's spear, Decatur broke his sword close to -the hiJt^ 
Uid received a stigbt wound in the right arm and breast; bitt, 
hft^i^ seized the spear, he dcNKd ; and after a violent straggle, 
bodi M]y Decatur uppermost, liie Tnk then drew a d^er 
trota his belt; but DecaitBT caught hold -of Jiis ana, drew a. 
pjttol fran Ms pocket, and shot him." 

Aa exploit fbllye<qaal to this is recorded of another Anetiona 
'O&oet, » lueatmant IVippe boarded one of the enemy^ {vjge 
boats, with only a utidshimnaii, Mr. Jonathan Henley, and oMb 
men, ^his boat falling off before any mote could jean him. He 
was thus lefl either to perish, or to conquer 36 men with only 
U. V^ugh at UrstlAte victory sieemed 'doublfol,yBt,Bi« ftw- 
tniiiiltes, the iVipDlit&ttB vrSK subdued ; 14'ofthem'W«K killed. 



1804. PEACE BETWEEN AMERICA AND TRIPOLI." 295 

and 22 taken prisoaere. Seren of these )aat were severely 
wounded. Lieutenant Trippe received 1 1 sabre wounds, some 
of them dangerous. The blade of his sword bending, he closed 
with his antagonist. Both felt. In. the struggle, Trippe wrested 
the Turk's sword from him, and with it stabbed nim to the 
heart."* 

The American archives contain the records of several more 
such desperate feats between the American and Tripolitaa 
officers and men. At length, however, an end was put to all 
hostility between the United States, and the regency of Tripoli, 
by a treaty of peace concluded in June 1805, but not, it appears, 
upon terms so advantageous as the Americans had anticipated. 

• Clark's Naval History of the United States vol. i., p. 137. 



iiizedbv Google 



BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. 



THE"mo8t remarkable feature, in the abstract* for the com-* 
mencement of the present year, is the number of vessels that 
appear in the two "Built" columns. At no former or Bubse- 

Suent period have 87 British ships of war been launched within 
le year. All these ships, except the five prindpal ones, had 
been ordered to be built smce the commencement of the war, and 
upwards of 60 of them since the commencement of the year in 
which they first took the water. Xothing can better demonstrate 
the exertions made by the new lord ot the admiralty (the late 
Lord Melville) to recover the British navy from the low state 
into which it had previously &llen. Of 87 vessels so launched 
in the year 1804, 80 had lieea buUt in the merchants' yards, a 
number amounting to nearly two Uiirds of all that had been 
similarly built during the whole nine years of the preceding war. 
Of the 88 new vessels ordered in 1804, 48 were gun-brigs, 
and 10 belonged to the N, or middling class of 74. The utihty 
of the latter cannot be disputed ; but the former would probably 
have better answered the intended purpose of their construction 
had they been differently armed, 'fiieir light draught of water 
enabled them, certainty, to approach ve^ near to an enemy's 
coast; but what effective opposition could 18-pounder cairon- 
ades offer to the heavy long guns mounted oy the French 
batteries and gun-hoats? The new gun-brigs were of a size 
(180 tons) to carry with ease four 32-pounder carronades, fitted to 
throw shells, and two long IS-pounders on traversing carri^es, 
one at the bow, the other at the stem. With this reduction in 
their nominal, but increase in their real strength, these brigs 
would have been better able to cope with the deschption of 
force, which they were likely to encounter in the waters that 
were to be the scene of their services. 

* See Appeodis, AjinuBl Abstract No. IS. 

.Google 



1805. TREATY BETWEEN FBANCE AND SPAIN. 297 

The prize and caaualty lists for the year 1804 will famish the 
names and other particulars of the ahipa respectively contained 
in the fonrth column of the " Increase," and first of the " De- 
crease" compartments of the Abstract.* 

The number of commis^oned officers and masters, belonging 
to the British navy at the commencement of the year 1805, was, 

Admirals 60 

Vice-admirals 36 

Rear-admirals 63 

„ superannuated 22 

Post-captains 639 

26 
Commanders, or Sloop-captains . 422 
„ superannuated 45 

Lientenaats 2472 

MasteiB 566 

And the number of seamen and marines, voted for the service of 
the same year, was 120,000.t 

Scarcely had Spain isBued her declaration of vrar against 
£ngland,f than France began to put in requisition the fleets and 
armies of her new ally. On the 4th of January, three days 
actually before the Spanish declaration reached London, a secret 
treaty between the two courts was signed at Paris, by Vice- 
admiral Decr^ on the part of France, and Vice^miral Don 
Frederico Gravina on the part of Spain, The first article 
contains a display of the force by sea and land at the French 
emperor's disposal. At the Texel are 30,000 men, with the 
necessary transports. At Ostende, Dunkerque, Calais, Bou- 
logne, and H&vre, respectively, are fiotillas, capable of embarking 
altogether, 120,000 men and 25,000 horses ; at Brest, a fleet cj 
21 sail of the line,§ besides frigates and transports, with 25,000 
men ready for embarkation ; at Kochefort, a squadron of six sail 
of the line (including the Acbille 74, nearly ready for launching) 
and four frigates, having on board 4000 men ; and at Toulon, a 
fleet of 1 1 sail of the hne, eight frigates, and sundry transports, 
having on board 9000 ; total 188,0^ men. 

By the second, third, and fourth articles, the King of Spain 
engages to arm, and supply with six months' provisions and 
four months' water, from 25 to 29 sail of the line, and to have 
them ready, with from 4000 to 5000 Spanish troop (in conjunc- 
tion with 20,000 French to embark from Cadiz), by the 20th, or 
at furthest, the 30th of March. Of those 26 or 29 sail of the 
lin^, Ferrol is to furnish from seven to dght, and wluch are to 

* See Appendix, Nos. 20, SO, and 31. 

■f See Appendix, No. SS. 

I It bore date ax Maxlrid, December IS, 1604. See p. 283. 

$ The Oc&n three-decker ii here meant to be excluded, and probably 
lome other ship equallj in an unsesworthj state. See p. 217, where 83 KUl 
of the line are mentioned u in the port. 



.CtOo^Ic 



Tula BRITISH AITD FREtTCH FLEETS. miS. 

coinlniie in thsir operations with the five Freneb eail of the Sne 
in tiiat port ; Cadiz is to supply from 12 to Id, and CftrthageBa 
«iz. By the fifth article the two high contracting pnttes 
mutually engage, to augment their fleets by all the ships of the 
line and ^igat^ that may be eubsequently constructed, lepufed, 
and fitted in their respective ports. The sixth artide contains an 
engagement on the part of Napoleon to guarantee to his catholic 
majesty, db well the integrity of his Eun^)eBn dominions, as the 
restitution of all colonies that may be taken from him during 
the war; and that, should tiie fortone of arms, "in accordance 
with the justice of the cause which their majesties are defend- 
ing," grant success to their armies and fleets, the emperor will 
employ bis influence to get Trinidad restored, and also the trea- 
sure taken out of the four frigates. The seventh article contains 
a. mutual undertaking not to make a separate peace; and the 
eighth provides that the ratifications shall be exdmnged within 
a oMMitii.* To the treaty a note is appended, si^ed by the 
Spanish embassador, Don Frederico Gravina, in which he e«- 
ptcsses a doubt as to the possibility of collecting a sufficiency of 
KailoTB for the ships, and, above all, of having ready, by the tine 
Atated, so muiy as six millions of rBtions.-)- 

U Napol^oB, with his 40 or 45 sail of the line, bad calculated 
to create such it diversion of the Briti^ fleets, as should give hioa 
« XiU»t chftBoel for hia flotilla to cross, how must his expectations 
iiave beea tsikmI now that he possessed the disposal of ^pwai^ 
Af 70 Bail of the liae. It is true that tha public Uets -and jour- 
A&k 4id show and fneiBt, that the lumber of uHnmiaHionad.lioe- 
«f-battle ships belonging to Bngland at the time -amoanted to 
105; but, M reH>ects sen-going ships, the fact was t>«t so : Urn 
fiiitish navyoeud s^id forth no more than B3 sail of the boo, 
and scarcely the whele of them. Bnonaperte had constantly « 
Stael's list befot« himj end, wi& the aid of the infiinuBtion ds- 
fived from his nuiBerona spies, knew, better by ^ thsD nanr^ 
England, how to analyse the acoounts, and separate the non- 
omnbataiit from the corabatant ships. Let it then be kept a 
remembrance, that, at the cCMsiBenaeBient'of the year 1805, the 
£ritieh and the Franco-Spanish navies (leaving the Batavian 
navy out of the qaestion) were, as to number of elective line-of- 
batde ships, nearly upon a par. What changes took place in 
the relative numbers of these navies before Uie close of tins 
«ventltil year, we shall now proceed methodically to relate. 

The coDimencement of tfae year fonnd Admiral 'Coniwallis at 
his station off Ushant, with a force not exceeding 1 1 sail of tfae 
iine; while the French fleet that lay in the road of Brest, ready 
for sea, numbered, as has on more than one oocasicm been shown, 
21 sail. On the 3d of February, when the blodcadiag ioKe, 

* TTwy ware aohnaged on the 18th of January. 

f Foraoepf of tbi« important Ueaty, we^ u., jk^U^of iV£cw4M 

Evinemens, &c. 



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I80S. LORD GARDHXR AND H. 'GUnCAUHE. 399 

by sncceesive arrivBls, had be«a augmented to 16 eftil, the de* 
pirtare of five, under Vice-admirar Sir Robert Calder, to ttu 
station off Ferrol end Coruma, left the admiral again, for a 
short timtv with only 11 sail. The persererance with wfaioh, 
during a period of 22 months, including two bowterous winteis 
Admim Cornwallis had tniuntEuned the blockade o( Brest,' 
affected hia health, and obliged bim to snapoMl his ardoons 
labours, and seek a few weeks' relaxatirai «d shore. Accord- 
ingly, on the 20th of March, the Ville-de-Paris anchored at 
Sptthead, and in the course of the day struck the flag at btx 
main. The command of the Channel fleet dcToLved upon 
Admiral Lord Gardner, whose flag was flying on board die Treat 
fiigate at Cork. In the meantime the fleet, cruising offUs^at 
aad numbering 17 sail of the line, had been left in diarge c€ 
Vice-«dmiral Sit Charles Cotton, in the 112-gun diip oatt- 
Josef. 

On the 3d of April Adniiml Loi4 Gardner, in the new fifsi- 
vate Hibemia, arrived ofl" Ushaiit, and idteved SirCharles Oottoa 
«t the command of the fleet, ^en -consisting of 21 sail of the 
iine. On the 11th a gale of wind drove the ^tiah flaet fromths 
French coast On -Uw ISth, in Ak afiernoon, Lord Gardner, 
with 17 sail. Trained his stsrtion; and, the nect m o ilin g , the 
14tb, inconseqneooeof some intelligence received fromhiBloDfc- 
4iut frigates, he despatohed the Warrior 74 to reconndtre d» 
'harbour of Brest. At 5 h. 30 m. p. h. Captain WilUais Bligh 
rejoined, with the signal flying, that the French ahi^ wore 
^[etting under >niy. Upon this the Biitiah shipe formed in line 
«f batUe to be ready to receive them. On the £aUowug mom- 
«ng, the 15th, the French van-dtvision, ooinposed of nios sail of 
4he line, appeared in sight ofl' the Black Roc^ and was pR^ 
«ent}y joined by the main body, forming a total, asconated, of 
40 sail of vessels, including :^1 of the hae. This fonnidable 
Meat had on board 2000 troops, aad was pronsiooed for six 
■nonths. The British admiral, whose force in the coarse of the 
day anmunted to 24 sail of the line, strove his utmost to bsin^ 
the Frendi fleet to action ; but the latter, after manoenviing for a 
<W hours between Bertheauoae end Gamoret bays letumwl int* 

Unlike a lew former shifts of position and manceuvreB ill 
Brest and Bertbeaume road^ and which served the doable par~ 
|ioae of exercistng the orews, and of enabling the Moiuteur to 
mseit a boastfol paragraph, aboutofi'eriDg b^tle to, wad chasmg 
Away, the blockading foree, this was a real attempt to pat to 
•ea. Vieetdmiral Villeneuve had sailed ftt)m ToaUm, and 
J^fajMt^on's otgect now was, that the two fleets should effect 
their junction in the West Indies, and, after ravaging the British 
VossessioDS there, retom to the Channel, augmented, by the 
nochefort squadron on the route, and by the combined squadron 
at Ferrol on vppeaiii^ ofi' that port, to S£ sail of the line. It 



300 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. 1805. 

was then that the ereat blow was to be Btruck. AH Napol^on'a 
letters, written at uua period, betray hia anxiety about M. Gan- 
teaame's departure. In one dated " Au ch&teau de Stuinois, te 
21 Avril," he says to his minister of marine, " Le non depart de 
Ganteaume me contrarie beaucoup;" and, in another dated at 
the same place two days afterwards, wherein he informs H. 
Decr^ that he has despatched a courier to Ganteaume, to in- 
form him that Nelson had gone to ^ypt in search of Villeneuve, 
Buonaparte emphatically adds: " Dieu veutUe que mon courrier 
ne le trouve point i Brest" 

After a vain endeavour, by forging news of disastrous events 
to the Engbsh in India, to weaken, by detachments abroad, the 
fleet off ifshant, Napol^n directs that, if Ganteaume cannot pat 
to sea before the 20th of May, he is to remain quiet.* Hie act 
is, that M, Villeneuve's stock of proviBions was expending &8t, 
and a loader delay might throw serious obstacles in the way c^ 
ihe expedition. The British blockading fleet atill retaining its 
menacing posture, ^e next plan was, that Vice-admiral Gan- 
teaume should remove with hie fleet to a position outside the 
foulet, between Camaret bay and the east end of Bertheanme 
ay. To prevent the British from paying the spot a visit, when 
thus temptingly occupied, directions were given to strengthen 
the defences along the coast in the neighbourhood. This was so 
expeditiously as well as efiectually done, that, by the first week 
in May, upwards of 150 pieces of cannon were mounted oi the 
different liatteriea around Bertheanme and Camaret bays. The 
object of ordering M. Ganteaume to this outer anchorage was 
to facilitate his putting to sea, but, above all, to enable nim to 
effect his junction with Vice-admiral Villeneuve; who, on the 
probability that the former would not be able to quit Brest in 
time to meet the latter in the West Indies, had been directed to 
hasten to Ferrol. Having there augmented his force to 34 sail 
of the line, Vice-admiral Villeneuve was to take hia choice o£ 
four routes for reaching Boulogne. The first two supposed a 
junction with the Brest fleet, thus: to appear before Rochefbrt, 
and, joining the five ships there and the one at Lorient, proceed 
to Brest, and then with 60 sail of the line enter the Channel ; 
or, as the Rochefort squadron occupied an equal number of 
British ships, letting that remain, proceed straight to M. Gao- 
teaume's anchorage, and thence if the Channel with 54 sail of 
of the line ; in either of which cases, it appears, Napol6on de- 
^^ned that Vice-admiral Ganteaume, although junior to M. 
Villeneuve, should assume the command. All this was to be 
effected, if possible, without an action ; but, should one be on- 
avoidable, it was to be fought, for obvious reasons, as near as 
possible to Brest The thira and fourth routes were, eiUier to 
double Ireland, and, calling for the Texel squadron of seven, 

* Ptidi dea Ev^nonens, tome si., pp. 228— 2S9. 

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1805. ADUmU, CORNWALLIS AND M. GANTEAUME, 301 

arrive before Boulogne with 41 sail of the line, or to paf» Btruefat 
up Channel, out of view of the coasts or of the blockading &et 
off Brest, and, with 34 sail only, appear off Boulc^e, Kiur or 
five days before the Channel fleet could arrive there ; in which 
four or five days the flotilla was to cross and the descent be 
efiected,* A fifth plan, left as an alternative to M. Villeneuve, 
having reference ezclnsively to a distant service, is deferred to 
the proper period for introducing it. 

It was at about the date of tbeee orders, that some reflections 
io the English newspapen, cast upon the Brest fleet for not 
sailing out and engaging a much inferior force, gave disquietude 
to Napoleon, and caused him to write thus to his minister of 
marine : " Have inserted in the journals of Holland an article 
against the system of blockade ; let it be made appear that we 
sail out of Brest when we choose ; that Bmix sailed out such a 
day, Morard de Qalles such a day, Ganteaume several times; 
that in bis last trip to Bertheaume, nothing prevented his putting 
to sea, and that the English equadron did not so much as know 
of his being under sail : that it is therefore impossible to block- 
ade the port of Brest, especially in the montns of September 
and October. This article will show, that we have no desire to 
put to sea, but wieh merely to keep the enemy in awe."t Many 
of the London opposition ioumals, taking all this for truth, 
became very strenuous coadjutors in Buonaparte's plan of de- 
ception. 

On the 6th of July accounts reached the Channel fleet of the 
arrival of the combined fleet at Martinique ; and on tfae same 
day Admiral Comwallis, having recovered hi^ healUi, arrived in 
the Ville-de-Paris off Ushant, and relieved Lord Gardner ia 
the command of the former, now consbtiog of 18 sail of the 
line, and which, considering the force likely to assail it from 
different points, was rather critically »tuated. On the 11th in- 
telligence that the combined fleet was on its return reached Ad- 
miral Comwallis from the admiraltv, with orders for Reai^ 
admiral Sterling to quit his station off Rochefort, and, with his 
five sail of the line, join Vice-admiral Calder off Ferrol. The 
circumstances under which these orders had been despatched 
are deserving of attention. The British brig-sloop Curieux, 
Captain George Edmund Byron Bettesworth, with the intelli- 
gence, anchored at Plymoutb on the 7th, in the momiog ; and 
at about 11 p. h. on the 8th the captain arrived at the admiralty. 
The first lord having retired to rest, the despatches were not 
communicated to him until early on the morning of the 9th. At 
this Lord Barham was very angry, saying, that seven or eight 
boars had been lost Without waiting to dress himself, he wrote 
orders for Admiral Comwallis to detach Rear-admiral Sterling 
from off Rochefort to join Vice-admiral Calder, who was to take 



* Pr£cni des ETtnemens, tome xi 
f See Appendii, No. 33. 



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303 BRITISH AND FRENCH ITEEXS. 180& 

s station to the vestwBrd of Cape Finiatem, while Adniral 
Comvrallis himself, with the Channel fleet, vraetaeniiee between 
llshant and Finisterre. By 9 a. m. the admiralty mesasngen 
were on their way to Portsmouth and Plymouth, and on the 
11th, as already mentioned. Admiral Cornwallia received bis 
orders. Such promptitude on the part of the bhtish admiral^ 
couM not be credited by Napol^n. " Ce ne que le 20 mesai- 
dor" (July 8), says he, " que le brick le Ourieux eat arriv^ ea 
Angleterre. Uamiraut^ n'a pn se decider dans left viagt-quatre 
heureB sur'les mouvemena de ses escadrea : dans ce caa, il n'esi 
paa probable que I'ordre A I'escadre devant Rochefort soit arrivfe 
entroisjonTS. Jemete done en fait que cetteescadrea lev^taertM- 
sifere par des ordres anterienrs eI I'arriT^e du Curieux a Londres."* 
On the 20th Vice-admiral Oanteaume received ordera to put 
to sea, and endeavour to fona a junction, first with tha Roche- 
fort squadron of five sail of the line, off the Lizard, and tbeik 
with M. Villeneuve. On the 29th the newB oi the latter's 
action with Sir Robert Calder reached the Channel fleet, and on 
the 14th of Anguet Sir Robert himself joined the fleet with 
eight sail of the line; as, on the following day, the Ifitfa, did 
Lord Nelson from his long western cruise, with 11. Tha de- 

Earture of his lordship cm the 16th, with two or three ahipa, 
:ft the admiral with a force of 34 sail of the line. On the I7th, 
on intelligence arriving that the Franco-Spanish fleet, nmabeting 
27 or 28 sail of the line, had been seen off Ferrol, Admiral 
Comwallis detached to that station Sir Robert Calder, with 18.t 
On the 20th the Capttun 74, from Plymouth, joined the Chaniid 
fleet, which then amounted to 17 sail of the line. 

The affair off Cape Fimstene, being considered to have 
entailed an equal loss of ships upon the British and tba oobi- 
bined fleets, was not allowed to interrupt the grand deaign, >a 
which tlie latter had been allotted to take bo important a part. 
On the 20th of August, a little before the time wbea, as it was 
conjectured. Vice-admiral Villeneuve would be off the port. 
Vice-admiral Ganteaume reoeived ordeta to quit Brest road, 
where the fleet had recently been lying, and anchor in Beiw 
theaume. On the same day, at about 6b. 30m. f.h., the 
French advanced squadron began to get under way, but not 
nfiseen by the British 44-gun frigate Indefatigable, Captam John 
Tremayne Rodd ; who, accompanied by the 38-gua frigate 
Tiiobe, and two or three smaller vessels, was reconnoitring the 
harbour, and for that purpose had taken a etation about ftiar 
miles south by east of the Black Rocks. On the following 
morning, the 21st, at 6 a. m., the whole French fleet, conaisting 
of the following 21 sail of the line, five frigates, one ship 

• Fiteis de« SvenemeDS, tome siiqp. 243. 

+ Napol^n either thought, or affected to think, this to be an egregious 
folly "insigne betise" on the part of Adminl CerowaUis. Frteu des 
Ev^emens, tome xii^ p. 35S. 




1805k ADUIRAL COHVWALLIS AlfD U. GANTEATJME. 303^ 

conette, and two arisos, under Vice-admiral (^aateoume in tfiA 
Imperial (late Vengeur, a name that no one in France, consider- 
iag tke circttmstaDce oat of which it had arisen, could expect 
wmild BO soon have been changed), stood out of the gouletf 
and, at about 10 h. 30 m. a. m ., anchored in the new positi<Hi 
between Camacet and Bertheoumf : 

Oin-iU|» Onn-iUp ' 

iSO Imperial, T Batave, 

iin ( Invindble, Bi&ve, 

""> R^publicwn.* Cassaid. 

Q^ ( Aleiandrp, 74^ CoaqueTant, 

°" \ FoudK^aut, I Dioraede, 

_. 5 AlEauce, I Eole, 

I AquUoD, L Inip6tueux, 

JFrigtUe$, Comtte, F^licit^ IndienDe, Voleureusc, VoltfDtaire. 
Sigt-corvette, DiUgent^ and brig-corveUet £spi£gle and Vulcain. 

On the first discovery of the ahipe in the monfiDg, the Felix 
schooner had been sent with the intelligence to the admiral off 
Ushaot ; and, on their aDchoring, the 3&^un frigate Aigle, 
Captain George Wolfe, who had joined about aa hour before, 
was despatched upon the same errand. 

At the time the news reached him, which was soon after noon 
oa the 2l9t, Admiral Cornwallia lay with his fleet, numbering 
17 sail of the line, one frigate (excluave of two others and a 
brig-filoop oQ the look-out io-shore), two cutters, and one 
schooner, about three leagues noath by west of the island of 
U^anL The British fleet, the names of the whole of the shii>» 
of which, owing to the frequent departures and arrivals of the 
preceding 10 days, we are unable to give, hauled to the wind oa 
the larboard tack, with a moderate breeze at north by east, and 
at about 2 h. 30 m. p. ii. passed the west end of Usbant within 
less than three miles. At 3 h. 30 m., having made Points Saint- 
Mathieu, the fleet shortened sail, and soon discovered the French 
ships, some at an anchor and others under way. The admiral 
being desirous hinffielf to reconnoitre the enemy, the Ville-de- 
Paris made the signal for the fleet to disregard hei motions, and 
then stood in towards the Indefatigable and her two consorts. 
At 6 P.M. the Viile-de-Pari& and m-shore squadron, having a 
bit view of the French fleet, shortened sail and counted the 
number of vessels ; which was found to correspond with ths 
number already given, except in the omission ck the corvette. 
At 5 h. 30 m. p. h. Pointe Saint-Mathieu bearing north only a 
mile and a half distant, the Ville-de-Paris wore to rejoin ner 
fleet Immediately several shot and shells were fired at her and 
the ships in company, both from Puinte Saint-Mathieu and from 
the west point oi Bertbeaume, but without eflecL At 6h. 30 jq. 

* I^te R^TolntiomwiitL 

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S04 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. 160& 

F. M. Admiral Comwallis reioioed the fleet ; and, having made 
known hia intention to attack the French fleet at its anchomge 
early the next mominff, anchored at 7 f. h. for the night, a short 
distance to the southward of the outer Black Rock ; which 
then bore from the Ville-de-Paris north half-east, St.-Mathieu'B 
lighthouse east-north-east, and the Bee du Kaz south half- 
east. 

Od the 22d, at 4h. 30 m. a. u., the British fleet weighed, 
and, with the weather hazy and the wiud still at north by east, 
stood in on the larboard tack for Camaret bay, in close order of 
battle ; the Ville-de-Pans leading, and next to her the 80-gnn 
ship CsBar, Captain Sir Richard John Strachan, uid 74-gnn 
ship Mont^;u, Captain Robert Waller Otway. At 6 h. 30 m. 
A. H., the Porquelle rock being close ahead, the ships of the 
fleet tacked in succession. On the haze clearing away a little, 
the French fleet was seen at anchor ; but at 8 a. ». the ships of 
the latter began getting under waj[. In 20 minutes afterwards 
the British ships tacked in succession, and again stood in under 
easy sail. At 9 a.u. the Indefatigable, being ahead, stood 
to^rds the French SO-gun slm> Alexandre, Rear-admiral Wil- 
laumez, who was leading the French fleet, then standing out in 
line of battle. At 9 h. 30 m. the Alexandre fired a broadside at 
the Indefatigable, but without efTect, and was answered by the 
latter's maindeck guns, the distance being too great for the car- 
Tonades. On this the Indefatigable tacked, and the Ville-de- 
Paris and ships in her train made sail towards the French fleet ; 
but the latter presently tacked for the harbour's mouth, aa if to 
avoid an engagement. At 10 h. 45m. a.m. the Csesar and 
Montagu hauled out of the line to attack the Alexandre, who, 
with the Foudro^nt and Imp^ueux, formed the rear rf the 
French hne. This, at about II a.m., brought on a 6re from the 
batteries, which the Ville-de-Paris, Csesar, and Montagu r*. 
turned, the three rearmost French ships already named, and the 
Valeureuse and Volontaire frigates also taking part in it At 
1 1 h. 30 m., the west point of Bertheaume beanng north half- 
east distant one mile and a half, the British fleet wore and stood 
out in order of battle, the batteries keeping up, until a quarter 
past noon, a constant fire of shot and shells. 

The damage done to the British van, principally by the bat- 
teries, proved how well the latter were calculated to protect the 
French fleet at its new anchorage. On board the Ville-de-Paris 
one shell struck the spare anchor, and burst into innumerable 
pieces, which flew in all directions. A piece, weighing about a 
pound and a half, struck Admiral Comwallis on the breast, but, 
being entirely spent, did not hurt him. A second piece struck 
and slightly wounded one of the midshipmen. No other persm, 
it is believed, was hurt; but the ship had her hull struck in 
several places, and her rigging and sails a great deal cut. The 
Ceesar and Montagu both sufiered in Uuui rising and sdili j the 



1806. INTAMON-FLOTILU. 30^ 

fortner, indeed, owing to the close poeition she took, lost three 
men killed and six wounded. The Montagu had the heel of her 
fore topmast shot away, but does not appear to have sustained 
any loss in men. Of the French ships, the whole of which by 
2 p. H. bad reanchored, the Alexandre, who was the Ceesar^ 
principal opponent, ia represented to have had her mizen top> 
mast sbot away, and, with two or three of the other ships, to * 
have sustained some damage in rigging and sails. With respect 
to loss, the French accounts give it in the gross, merely stating, 
that about 20 men were plac«l bors de combat by the nre of the 
British ships. 

Admitting that this vna an afi&ir in which the French advanced 
squadron alone had retired from the fire of the Bntish, still the 
two fleets were wholly in sight of each other, and M. Ganteaume 
had but to stand from under the protection of his batteries to 
bring; on a general action. Considering that he bad 21 sail of 
the line to oppose to 17, we cannot suppose that the French 
admiral would have declined a battle, had tie, from the nature of 
his orders, been permitted to engage. To know that he was so 
restrained, and yet be compelled to keep his orders secret, most, 
to a brave officer like Vice-admiral Gianteaume, have been a sorry 
compensation for the public obloquy of the transaction, glossed 
over even as it was, by imperial command, in the columns of the 
Moniteur. 

On every succeeding day, from the 23d to the 30th of Augast, 
some of the French ships got under way and mancsavred about, 
hut the Brest fleet made no serious attempt to put to sea. 
Matters remained in this inactive state until the 13th of De- 
cember ; when, taking advantage of a brisk gale from the north- 
east and the absence of the blockading fleet, which had retired 
into port to victual and refit, a division of the French fleet, con- 
sisting of 11 sail of the line* four frigates, and a corvette, quitted 
the anchor^e outside the goulet, and put to sea, A succeesioa 
of gales of wind, during the few days that remained of the year, 
prevented Admiral Cornwallis from regaining his station off 
Ushant, and concealed from his knowledge any positive in- 
formation of the sailing of so large a divisbn of the Brest 
fleet. 

As we have done on other occasions, so we shall here, give 
some account of the different actions of the year fought between 
the British cruisers stationed off the French coast and the 
invasion^flotiUa. In the course ofthe spring the corps of Marshal 
Savoust, encamped in the neighbourhood of Ostende, proceeded 
to join the grand invading army, of which it formed the rieht 
wing. This occasioned a corresponding movement in the Gallo- 
Batavian flotilla ; and accordingly the port of Ambleteuse was 
fixed upon as the point of rendezvous for the different divisions 
stationed at Ostende, Dunkerqne, and Calais. Admiral Vei^ 
Huell, whom, in the precedii^ spring, we left at Ostende, whither 

VOL. lU. X ,o[e 



306 BRITISH AND FRIMCH FUXTS. — CEUNNEL. 180B. 

he bad been dnvea by the squadron of ^ Sidney Smitb,* 
succeeded, at leagth, in reaching Dunkerqae; where a grot 
portion of the Gallo-Batavian fiotiila had now assembled, and 
fsiy watching an opportunity to get to the westward, by departing^ 
a division at a time, as the readiest mode to avrnd discovery and 
moiestation. 

On the 23d of April, at 9 p. h., favoured by the darkneas 
and a fresh wind from north-east, the fitat division, consisting of 
33 gun-vessels and 19 transports, laden with stones from the 
camp at Ostende, weighed from Dunkerque road. The diviaioa 
passed Gravelinea and Calais undiscovered ; when, just before 
daybreak on the 24tb, the wind shifted to south-east, and thui 
to south-south-east. Having a change of tide also against 
th^n, the vessels were thrown into disorder. The greater part 
of them now steered for an anchorage between the capes Blanei 
and Grinez, while eight schuyts, which had kept too long on the 
larboard tack, found themselves seven or dght miles from the 
shore. In this state the division was gtuned sight of by a 
British squadron, consisting of the 38-gijn frigate I«da, Captain 
Robert HoDyman, sloops Harpy and nailleur, Captuns Edmund 
Heywood and Valentine Collard, bomb-vessel Fury, Captain 
3oao Yelland, and eight guD-brigs, the whole, except two of the 
latter fwhich were sailing guard off Ambleteuse, at anchor off 
Boulogne. 

The two eun-brigs off Ambleteuse, which were the Gallant 
and Watchful, Lieutenants Thomas Shirly and James Marshall, 
immediately chased north-^ast by signal, and the remainder of 
the squadron weighed and stood in the same direction. At 8 
A.M. the above two gua-bngs closed with the eight aimed 
schuyts, and a smart cannonade commenced between the latter* 
aided by the heavy batteries on shore, end the brigs. In a few 
minutes fonr large shot from the batteries struck the Gallant 
between wind and water, and compelled her to haul on the Btai> 
board tack in order to stop the leaks, which were gainiug fast. 
One scbuyt struck to the Watchful. The Railieur, and the gun- 
brigs Locust and Starling, Lieutenants John Lake and Charles 
Napier, coming up, compelled six others, before 10 a. h., also 
to surrender, but not until after a spirited resistance on the part 
of the schuyts. 

Early oa the mwning of the 25tb two other schnyts, which 
had dnfted off the land, were captured by the Archer gun-br^ 
Lieutenant William Price, whose one seaman wounded was all 
the loss sustained by the British. The eight Gallo-Bataviui 
Bchuyts averaged about 75 tons, monnted three guns each, 
chiefly l<»g 24-potinderB, and carried, altt^ether, 142 sailors 
and soldiers. The remainder of the division, assisted by several 
armed laoncbeSf containing grajHiels and hawsers, sent out firom. 



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1806. mvASKOf-mmLU.. 307 

BpokigiM hf ReaF^dBinl Lkiok (aoce tiw death of Admiral 
Broix, OD tibe I9th of Much, the cooimaiidcr-ia-chirf of tbs 
FreDch fiotilLa), succeeded, after a wbilc, in reaching Anbtetease^ 
the port of ita destiimtioD. 

On the lOth of Jooe, at 7 a. h^ a diraion of the FretuA 
6otilia, cmnsting of the two " corretteaFcaDonnires" Foudr^ 
C^Htaine de Ttisseaa Jaeqaea-Fdix-Enmaaael Henelin, aitd 
Andadeaee, Lieotenant DomiinqBe Roqnebert, each moaiitiBg 
10 gans (fear or nz long IS-poODdera, the lemaioder braaa 36- 
panader eaironadcs, with upwards of 80 nea), fbor gon-vesselsy 
ct three long 24-po&nden, and an B-indi mortar each, three 
oUms of one 24-pooDder and a fidd-piece each, eight otherv, of 
two 4 or 6 poonders, and 14 transporta, in all 31 ressels, sailed 
frona the port of Havre bcmnd to Fecamp. By the tine they 
bad p>t abreast of Branerel, the Freoch Tcsseb were chaaed by 
tbe British 12-poander 36-gini fir^ate ChiffoDne, Captaia 
Charles Adam, who, with the ship-sloop Falcon, Captain Geon;o 
Sandera, gnn-biig Chnker, Lienteosst Nisbet Gleif, and too 
Frances hired armed cutter, wss craising off tbe coast. 

At 9 fa. 30 m. A. M. tbe Chifiwuie, then in 10 btboma' water, 
conrnderabty ahead of her cotnpenioDs, and close ia with the 
flotilla, opoied her fire upon tbe ran, where the Fondre had 
stationed herself ; bnt,iaaqiiarterofaohour,sboaKog her water, 
^>e frigate was compelled to haul farther off. At lOb. 30 m. a. h. 
the fr^te, fblloweid by tbe sloop and giu>-brig, recoannenced 
firing. Shortly afterwuds one of tbe French briga cangfat fir^ 
hot moceeded in extinguiBhing it, and some of th« other vessels 
rao on shore. Towards noon the Chifibone, who bad bore tbe 
brunt of this attack, agam hauled ont into deeper water. 
Shortly afterwards tbe van of the French fiotilla ran close under 
the batteries of Cap-de-Caiset, until joined by tbe reanooat 
vessels, when they again boie up to proceed on their course. At 

1 b. 30 m. p. M. the tme &itisn vessels again stood in, and at 

2 r. K. recoDuncnced firing. The Faicon presently becamo 
<^osely engaged with tbe two atemmott of the French brigs, 
tee of wbwh was the Audacieose. As the British passed along 
the coast, tbe fiwts kept firing shells and shots at meta without 
tbe smallest inteniuisioa : notwithstanding which the Cbiffonne 
and Faieaa continaed the engagement, and at 3 h. 15 m. P.H. 
shot away a brw's fore topmast and then her mainmast. The 
AdcoD and CImker, not saihag by any means equal to the 
frigate, gndaaBy dropped astern, and the flotilla sheltered 
ibuosehas completely onder F&aatp batteries ; but the latter 
did not until 4 h. 30 m. r. ii. cease firing at tbe Chifibone. 

Several shot stiaek the Chi&nne in the hull, o«e of wbicit 
enttscd between wind and water ; and her rigging was also mucb 
caL Her lass amounted ia two aseti killed and three wounded. 
The Fakon suffered m rigging and sails, and had four men 
neMiliil tte Clinker, one maiiae killed and one seamuk 

8k 



308 BRITISH AND TRENCH FLEETS.— CHANNEL. 1805; 

vounded by the same shot The French admit a Iobb of three 
men killed and 12 wounded, including among the latter the 
commander of one of the gan-brigi. 

On the I5th of July the British gun-biigB Plumper, lieutenant 
James Henry Garrety, and Teazer, Lieutenant George Lewis 
Ker, while cruiBing off the port of Granville, on the coast of 
France, found themselves becalmed, and likely to be carried into 
danger by the streneth of the tide. They therefore anchored 
near liie island of CEausey, but, owing to the exigency of the 
moment, at too great a distance apart to benefit by any mutual 
support, in the event of being attacked before a breeze sprang 
vp. The critical situation of these brigs being plainly seen from 
Cmmville, which was not four leagues distant, Capitaine de 
▼aisseau Louie- Lion Jacob, commanding the several divisions «f 
the flotilla that were assembled between Saint-Malo and Cher- 
bourj^, resolved to send some gun-vessels to attempt the capture 
of the British vessels. 

Accordingly, on that same evening, as soon as it grew daric, 
seven of the lai^est class of French guo-vessels, armed each 
with three long 24-pounder8, and an 8-inch howitzer, and amply 
supplied with men and musketry, swept out of the port, under 
the command of Capitaine de frigate Joseph Collet. On the 
16th, at 2 h. 30 m., they arrived within long rai^e of the nearest 
brig, the Plumper, and opened a fire upon ner from their heavy 
long guns ; taking such a safe position, as they advanced, that 
the brig's 18-pounder carronades could only at intervals be 
brought to bear upon them. In the course of half an hour 
lieutenant Garrety, who, from the first, had conducted himself 
in the bravest maimer, had his arm shot away ; but he continued, 
for some time, to animate his men in repulsing the enemy. At 
length, at the end of an hour's cannonade, from which she had 
greatly suffered in hull and crew, the Plumper surrendered. 

Having shifted their prisoners and manned the prize, the 
French rested at an anchor, until the tide turned again in their 
favour at 6 A. M. ; when, accompanied by thft Plumper, they 
weighed, and stood for her late consort. At 8 h. 45m. a. m, the 
seven French gun-vesaels and their prize commenced firing at 
the Teazer ; wno, at 9 a. h., cut her cable, and, setting all buI, 
tried to escape. Bat, the calm continuing, the bng made little 
or no progress ; and her opponents soon surrounded and cap- 
tured ner. The British loss on this occasion has been noticed 
nowhere but in the French accounts. By these it appears that 
the two brigs had, including Lieutenant Garrety, 17 men badly 
•wounded, the greater part on board the Plumper ; but, wita 
respect to the killed, which probably amounted to four or fiv^ 
no intelligence was obtained. The loss on board the French 
gun-vesaels appears to have amounted to five men wounded, 
mcluding Captain Collet ; who, on the afternoon of the day on 
which he baa. captured them, entered Granville with his two 
prizes. 



1805. INVASION-FLOTILLA. 309 

The time approaching for concentrating near Boulogne the 
invading flotilla and the army it was to tranaport. Admiral Ver- 
Huell, about the middle of May, became impatient to quit Dun- 
kerque with the division of gun-vessels that lay at anchor in the 
road and harbour. The majority of these he had himself, in the 
latter part of April, conducted from Ostende,* and the re- 
mainder had since arrived, by three or four at a time, as oppor- 
tonity offered. The right wing of the army, then encamped 
between Ostende and Dunkerque, prepared to march ; and 
Marshal Davoust who commanded it, preferring a water-passage, 
embarked with Admiral Ver-Huell. Unfavourable winds pre- 
Tented the latter from weighing; nor did a change take place 
nntil towards the middle of July: in the interim the marshal had 
disembarked, and, with his corps, had marched for Ambleteusa. 
On the 17th of the month, at 6 p. m., a light north-east wind 
enabled the Dutch admiral to put to sea (if keeping close along 
shore can be called so) with the four prames, ViUe-d'Aix, Ville- 
d'Anvers, Ville-de-Genfeve, and Ville-^ie-Mayence, and 32 first- 
class gun-vessels ; the latter under the command of two captains 
of the Batavian navy, the former of the French capitaine de 
Wgate Bernard-Isiciore Lambour. The admiral with great 
judgment, formed his division into two lines, in such a manner 
that all the vessels could fire together with ease : two of the 
prames were placed in the centre of the outer line, where the 
admiral himself commanded, and the other two at the extremi- 
ties, which were the stations assigned to the two Dutch captains. 
Several other gun-vessels were at Dunkerque, hut they, being 
of a smaller class, had retired into the harbour to escape the 
fury of the north-west gales. Directions had been left by 
Admiral Ver-Huell for these gun-vessels to follow, in two 
divisions, as soon as an engagement should be seen to take 
place between his division and the enemy- 
Owing to the numerous banks and shoals off Ostende and 
. Dunkerque, the British squadron in the vicinity, consisting of 
the 20-gua ship Ariadne, Captain the Honourable Edward 
King, three or four ship-sloops and bombs, and about as many 

Sin-brigs, was at anchor off Gravelines. Ships loom large in 
ick weather. It must have been oning to this, that the 
French mistook the Ariadne, a sbip not above a third larger 
than either of the French prames, for " un vaisseau rase," and 
htt companions (increased in number as well as size) for " deux 
fr%ate8, trois corvettes il trois m4ta, et neuf bricks."t At 6h. 
30m. P.M. the Ariadne and squadron discovered the flotilla, 
tlwn just underway; but the lightness of the wind and the 
B^ow Buling of the piames so retarded its progress, that its 
coorse was not dearly ascertained until 7 h. 16 m. p. k. ; when, 

* Sm p. 306. t Tktoirw et Coiiqiita«, toms zvi., p. 76. 

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310 BBmSH AND niEVCa HJEBTS. — CHANlfEL. 18Mk 

ioBtantly, the Biitish cat their cables and made sail, to meet the 
J)iitch admiral. At 9 h. 15 m. p. h. the Ariadoe aiul oae or two 
i^ her nearest companione opened their fire upon the flotilla ; 
and, Dotwithatanding the Bballowness of the water, theobacuritj 
of the night, and the incessant cannonade muntained, both 1^ 
the prames and gun-i'eeaeU, and by the heavy batteries oo the 
coast, the Ariadne and her consorts succeeded in drinag three 
or four gun-TesaeU tm shore, and in cutting away the mainmast 
and damping the figging of the Ville-de-Gen^e, the rearmost 
prame:. With, however, such powerful support from the shoie, 
and the aid of the long 24-pounders moonted by the pram^ 
the bulk of the flotilla, at 11 h. 30 m. f. m., came to anchor in 
Hie road of Calais. The only British ship that appears to hare 
sustained any injury was the Ariadne herself: she had ooe 
sergeant of marines mortally, one lieutenant of marines danger- 
onsly, and two seamen slightly wouuded, and her rising and 
cailv a good deal cut. Some loss must undoubtedly nave been 
incurred on the part of the flotilla, especially on board the 
Ville-de-Gen&ve and stranded gun-veseels, but none has been 
recorded. 

The noise of the flting had caused a great bustle among the 
shipping in the Downs ; and, soon after midtught, the 50-gna 
ship Trusty, Captain Qeorge Aiglea, 28-gun frigate Vesta), 
Captain Stephen Thomas Digby, and three ihip-stoops, weighed 
ana stood across towards CaTais. On the 18th, at 4 a. h., th« 
Vestal, outsailing the others, joined the Ariadoe and squadron; 
and in half an hour afterwards the British recommenced the 
action with the Dutch flotilla and the batteries in front of Calais. 
After a two faours' cannonade, in which the nines of the Vestal 
stood a very poor chance gainst the 36b and 24s of the forts 
and gun-vessels, the frigate, with a corporal of marines mortally 
wounded, made the signal to discontinue the action ; and, with 
her companions, bore away to the westward, where a spirited 
firing haii just commenced^ and whither the Trusty and aloops 
had already proceeded. 

Will it be believed that the following passage refeia to tbv 
Vestal and sgaadron 1 " II y fut attaque le matin, avec auasi 
peu d'efiet que la veille, par dix-neuf b&timens, dont denx Tais> 
seaux de ligne, onze frigates, et six bricks."* So also it standi^ 
merely substituting " cinq fregates, six grandes corvettes," for 
" onze fr^ates," in another French historical worlc-f These 
and other similar statements were no doubt originally framed to 
exalt the flotilla in the 0[Hnion of tbe country, or to serve sone 
such temporary puipose. How careful, then, ought the hi^ 
toiiaa to be in compiling his materials ; othwwise, Be unkoow* 

* Prfcii del EtAnemoiB, tome siL, p. 44. 
■f Tictoires et Cne g utei, taoM.svi., p, 77. 



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180B. INTASION-FLOTILU. 311 

agij tssistB ID propagBtuag a &lsehood, not merely by die 
pablicity ofhis work, but by the saDction of his name. 

lofbrmed of the approach of the Gallo-Bataviao flotilla and 
of the attack made upon it, Admiral Lacrosse, on the X8tb, at 
4 A. M., ordered sereral diviBiona of gun-vessels to get under way 
finm the road of Boulogne, in order, by feigning an attack upoa 
the British vessels at their anchorage, to operate a diversioa in 
&vonr of Admiral Ver-Uuell. The Immortality, still commanded 
by Captain Owen,* accompanied bv the 12-pounder 32-fun 
mgate Hebe, Captain Macajab Malbon, 20-gua ship Arab, 
Captain Keith Maxwell, and the remainder of the detached 
squadron, immediately weighed from their station off the por^ 
and stood to meet the flotilla, many of the brigs of which had 
worked up abreast of Vimereuz. By the time the Immortality 
and the leading ships had got within gun-shot, 49 brigs and 64 
luggers were under way, and immediately the batteries and the 
horse-artillery along the shore opened a fire upon the British 
Teasels ; but tbese reserved their fire until they could bestow it 
with more effect. At 4h. 30 ol a.h., havino^ got within half a 
mile north-west of Vimereux, the Immortalite, Hebe, Arab, and 
a few other of the British vessels, commenced firing upon the 
nearest French brigs ; which latter, in a few minutes, reanchored 
in great confiision, close under the batteries. Without having 
incurred any loss, and no greater damage than a 9-pounder gtm 
disabled on board tlie Arab, the British squadron shortly after- 
wards reanchored also, about five miles to the noi-th-westward 
(rf' Boulogne, Captain Owen having previously sent one or two 
gun-brigs to look out off Cape Cftinez. 

By way of «iauring to Admiral Ver^Huell a safe passage 
dnhng the remainder of his short but somewhat hazardou* 
Toya^re, Marshal Davonst, who had long been waiting for him 
at Calais, had strengthened with men and ammunition all the 
batteries on the coast between Calais and Ambleteuse; one of 
which only, that on the promontory of Cape Qrinez, mounted 
65 pieces of heavy cannon, besides six immense mortars, placed 
on a high platform, and where, from its importance as a point 
of attack, tne general of artillery, Lariboissiere, commanded in 
person. This was not alL General Sorbier, commandant of 
artillery, had been ordered with a strong division of flying artil- 
lery and long-range howitzers, " des obuners i Icmgae-port^" 
to follow the flotilla along the coast, and aObrd to Admiral Ver- 
Huell the same protection as formerly, when Captain Hancock 
with the Cruiser wid Rattler gave ao much annc^rance to the 
latter in his voyage from Flushmg to Dunkerque.t 

On the ISdiatS p.m.. Admiral Vet^Ho^, accompanied in hb 
■duxner by Marshal Davoust, weighed from the nnd of Calais^ 
Md, with bis three remaining prames, and 31 out of bis ongioal 

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312 BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS. — CHANNEL. 1S0& 

32 gun-Tessels (a tolerable proof how many bad been damaged 
oi destroyed), steered straight for Cape Blsnez; off which, at 
Bome distance, lay the Trusty, Vestal, Ariadne, and about a 
dozen sloops and other Teasels, of a class the best adapted for 
these sfaaltow waters. At 4 p. h. the gun and mortar batteries 
on Cane Blanez opened a tremendous fire upon the Bribah ; who 
immediately returned it, but to a great disadvantage, the Trusty 
having, besides losing the use of her main stay, received a lai^e 
shot in her slop-room, which caused a great quantity of water to 
rush in, and obliged her to haul off and heave to, to try to stop 
the leak. Meanwhile the flotilla proceeded, without much 
further annoyance, until offWissant; where, the shore offering 
less resistance, the cannonade recommenced on the part of the 
British vessels, among which, by this timc,-were the Immorta- 
lity and a part of the detached squadron from off Boul<^ne. 
Such was the ardour displayed by tbe Arab to close with the 
flotilla, that she found herself within muaket-shot of the shore, 
in two fathoms' water. The brig-sloop Calypso, Captain Mat- 
thew Forsler, La Fleche, Captain Thomas White, and two or 
three of the gun-brigs, strove to emulate the Arab, and, by their 
united exertions, drove on shore, before 7 p.m., six of the guo- 
vessels. The bank off Cape Grinez, and tbe shot and shells 
from the right face of its powerful battery, soon compelled the 
Arab, Calypso, La Fleche, and gun-vesseU to haul off from the 
shore. The Calypso had her captain wounded ; and the Arab 
had her main topgallantyard shot away, her rising much cu^ 
and the head of her mainmast splintered and a part of tbe top 
and crosstrees carried away by a shell. This ship also received 
several shot in the hull ; one of which, or the fragment of a shell, 
set fire to her on the poop, but the fiames were fortunately extin- 
guished. By some of the other shot that fell on board of her, 
die fhip bad seven men wounded, two of them dangerously. 
The Fleche was the closest in shore owing to lier light draft of 
■water, so much so indeey as to render it necessary for the French 
at Blanez to depress their guns ; one shot took off the top of a 
man's hat, shattered a boat under tbe booms, and went through 
the water way on the offside. The Fleche had five mea 
severely wounded and her running rigging much injured. The 
Arab and Calypso rendered themsdves conspicuous objects from 
the shore, as appears by the following passage in one of the 
French accoDnts: "Une fregate et un brick, serrant la terre, 
s'eneag^rent de tr&s-pr^s."* 

Thelmmortalite, followed by the Hebe, had, since 5 p.x., lay 
to between the end of tbe Banc & laine and C^pe Grinez ; and 
erm, when tbe former found herself in a quarter less four 
(scarcely half a fathom more water than she drew), her distance 
frrai the flotilla was too great to do execation. The two frigate*, 

tome xii, p. 4ft. 

I, Google 



1800. mTAStON-fLonuA. 313 

tbereupon hauled off and threw all aback, to wait for the prames; 
who were ahead of the French gun-Tessels, and with the latter, 
wanoly engaged, as just related oy the Arab, Calypso, and guo- 
briea. Soon after 6 p.m. the Immortalite and Hebe, beii^ 
wiOiin about half a mile of the shore, and a quarter of a mile of 
tile prames, opened a brisk fire upon the latter ; which they and 
the Datteries returned with equal spirit, and, as might be ex- 
pected, with decidedly more effect. Two scbooners, however, 
were driven on shore : soon after which, or at about 7 p. m., the 
prames and the remainder of the guD-vessels ran in and anchored 
onder the protection of the batteries between the towers of 
Endresellea and Ambleteuse. At about 7 b. 30m. p.m. the 
firing, in which the 12-ponnder 36-gun fris;ate Benomm^, 
Captain Sir Thomas Livingstone, baronet, had latteriy taken a 
part, wholly ceased ; and the British ships hauled off to repair 
their damages. 

The Immortalite had her foremast, main topmast, and spanker- 
boom shot through, also three of her boats : her ri^ng and 
sails were much cut; her hull struck in several places, and the 
muzzles of two carronades shot away. Her loss amounted to 
four men killed and 12 wounded, several of them badly. The 
Hebe had her main topmast and main yard wounded, her rigging 
and sails much injured, and one carronade disabled : she also 
received three bad shot through her hull, and had three men 
wounded, one of them mortally. The Renomm^ escaped com- 
paratively unhurt. Captain C)wen had gained for the Immor- 
tality a high character along this part of the French coast "Le 
Capitaine Owen, commandant la fr6gate I'Immortalite, (it admirer 
son audace et sa perseverance sous le feu des batteries de la 
rade."* By exaggerating tenfljld the force of the British, and 
by concealing the mjuries done to the vessels of the ffotilla, it 
was declared, apparently with reason, that " I'Amiml Ver-Huell 
s'acquit beaucoup de gloire dana cette joumfe." Of the two 
French works usually quoted in these passages, one is written 
by a military officer. The consequence is, that M. le Comte 
Dumas has taken care not to overlook the assistance afforded to 
Admiral Ver-Huell by the batteries on shore ; while his contem- 
porary, in the " Victoires et ConquStes," writes as if every shot 
or shell directed at the British came from the flotilla. The 
esprit de corps has been here of ttse in aiding the development 
of truth. 

Encouraged by the success of the flotilla to the eastward, and 
iavoured by fo^y weather and a fine south-west wind. Captain 
Hamehn, whom we left at Fecamp with his division of gui^ 
vessels, resolved to attempt his passage to Bou)(^e. Accord- 
ingly, on tbe 23d of July, at 6 h. 1dm. a.m., he put to sea with, 
according to the French accounts, the Audacieuse and Foudre 

* Pwtas des Erinemcai, tome xii., p. 47. 

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314 BRITISH AKO TBENCH fLEETS^— CHANNEI. 1805. 

brigs, six fint-cUss gaa-veBieI>, bng-rigged, 10 of the teeoad 
ds^ <two or three brigs, the remainder luggen), and eight «nned 
pinnaces (luggers and schoooerB), total 26, or rather, aceording 
to the lo^ ol the Eeveral British ships, 34 nil. 

At this time the Bridfih 22-gun ship Champion, Captaki 
Robert Howe Bromley, gun-bries Clinker and Cracker, lieote- 
nants Neabit Glen, and William Henry Douglas, and the Francu 
iiired armed cutter, lay at anchor at the distance of little more 
than a league north-north-east from the jetteea ai the harbottr. 
llie British vessels were soon under way to attack the flotilla; 
and at 7 a. h,, the Champion commenced action with the two 
corvettes, and some of the heaviest of the gun^vesaets. The lattn 
-presently run on shore under the batteries of Seunerille, and the 
remainder of the flotilla bugged the coast so closely, that die 
British vessels, in order to use their carronades with efiisct, were 
compelled to approach within range of the batteries. The ctm- 
Mquence was, that they were soon cut up in their hulls, masts, 
and rigging ; but in spite of all the obstacles they had to contend 
with,Uie Champion and the two brigs, particularly the Cracker, 
compelled the French captain, at about 10 h. 30 m. a. m., to shelter 
himself under the batteries of St^Valery en Gauz. 

What with the heavy long suns on board the flotilla, and 
those mounted on the shore, the British vessels were oonsideraUe 
sufferers. The Champion bad all three masts, particularly her 
foremast, wounded, her rigging and sails much cut, and several 
large shot-boles in her hull, very low down. The Cracker received 
a laiHc shot through her foremast, which left it in a tottering state, 
and had her shrouas and stays cut to pieces. The Clinker also re- 
ceived some damage and coming out of action, had three feet 
water in the hold. It appears, however, that the Chamfuon was the 
only vessel that sustained any loss : she had two seamen killed, 
ber boatswain (severely) and two seamen wounded. The French 
admit that several of their vessels were much damaged, and that 
they lost four men killed and 22 wounded, 1 1 of them dangeroualy. 
As soon as it was known ^at the Champion and her companions 
had stood away towards the Downs to refit, M, Hamelin, Leavine 
liis wonnded men and the most damaged of his vessels, set sail 
with the remainder, and reached Boulogne without fiirdier 
intem^ition. 

The French, as usual, when they came to fight this battle over 
again on paper, made it redouiMl greatly to their advantage, 
xhey digmfied the Champion and the two gnn-brigs by calling 
tbem, " uoe frigate et deux corvettes ;" and Captain Hamdiii 
ia represented to have considered the squadron as " la m&oe 
cioiai^rB eanamie qu'il avait d^ji combsttae," although tke 
latter consisted of two ships and a brig, and one of tboee ahipB 
double the size and force of the Champion. As in mart of tM 
other accounts, no allusion is made to the land-batteries, or to 
the difficulties that the British must bsve experienced in navi- 



U06>. IKTASION-rumLLl. 31& 

{fttiog §o near to tbe shore. " Les cris i I'aboniagc ! & rabord- 
tae ! saya tbe writer, " reteotiaaaient dans la ligne fnuifaiae." 
'iai*, if we aie to credit tbe French accounts, is about tbe buo- 
dredtb time that tbe same cry has been uttered ; and yet the 
French sailors, for »omB reason or other, bare not moTMl fmok 
their own decks. 

If, by bis perBe?enuice in pushiog oa towards Ambleteos*^ 
Admiral Ver-Hoell had gtd bis gun-vessela somewhat roughly 
Iiaodled by the British, be bad brought down upon the lutter 
■Qcb a storm of shot and eballa from the Frencfa batteries, as 
compelled them to retire to repair damages, thereby leaving (^>en 
a passage for the remaining diviuons of the GaUo-Bataviaa 
ilotilla at Duckerqae; some of which appear to bave reached 
Ambleteuse in tbe course of the night succeeding tlie actitm. 
Od the next day, the 20th, an account was taken oftbe diSerent 
veseels of the Sotilla, armed and unarmed, which then lay at the 
■even ports, Et^les, Boulogne, Vimereux, Ambleteuse, Calai^ 
Dunkerque, and Ostende, whence the expedition was to depart. 
Tbe number of prames and gun-TesseU at Boulogne alone 
mnounted to 678, and tbe aumber of transporta to 626, together 
1 104 vessels; and the total of the flotilla amounted to 1339 armed 
and 964 unarmed vessels, making a grand total of 2293. These 
were destined to carry 163,646 men and 9069 horses, including 
among the former 16,783 sailors.* 

Tbe flotilla was separated into uz grand divisions. The first 
under the designstioa of tbe left wing, commanded by Rea^ 
admiral Jean-Fr8n9oi8 Courand, and stationed at tbe port of 
£tapl«8, was destined to carry the troops from tbe camp of 
Alontreuil, commanded by Marshal Ney; the second and third^ 
called the left and right wings of the centre of the flotilla, under 
tbe respective commands of Rear-admiral Daniel Savaiy and 
Capitaine de vnisseau Julien Le Ray, occupied the port of Bour- 
logne, and were destined to carry the troops from the two campa 
to the right and left of the town, commanded by Marshal Soult ; 
the fourtii, named tbe right wing of the flotilla, commanded by 
Capitaine de vaisaeau Francoit-Henri-Eug^ne Daugier, occupied 
thp port of Vimereux, ana was to carry the corps of Marshal 
IiMinea, composed of sundry dirisioos of light infantry, among 
which were those of the grenadiers of the advance and oftbe 
mterve. The Gallo-Batanan Botilla, assembled at the port of 
Ambleteote, under the command of Vice-admiral Ver-Huell, 
formed the fifUi grand division of the expedition, and was ti> 
carry tbe troops commanded by Marshal Davoust The sixth 
or reserve division, lying in the port of Calais, under the com^ 
maud of Capitaine de frigate Charles L'Evfique, was destined 
ts traasport the division of ItaliaB infantry, and several diviaioDa 
«£ dragoons, mMoted ud dismounted. 

•SMApp«S«t,NO.Mr 

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316 BRrnsH and French fleets.— channel. iSOfi. 

The first four grand diviBions only bad a r^ular organnatioii r 
each was separated into two portions, called " escadrilles ;" and 
each of the latter was to emoark a division of the army, com- 
posed of four regiments of the line, and one of light infiuitTy, 
-with its cavalry, artillery, and baggage. It would be enterii^ 
too much into detail, to explain all the regulations that contn- 
buted to perfect the systeni of this armament : suffice it that 
every thing' was adopted which ingenuity could devise and 
ability execute, without much regard to the labour or the 
expense. 

Anxious to have ocular proof of the d^ree of celerity with 
-which the army could be embarked. Napoleon, who arrived at 
Boulogne on the 3d of August, ordered the operation to be 
executed twice in his presence. The result surpassed his belief. 
Although the troops nad to march from camps, the extremities 
of which were more than two miles from the point of embark- 
ation, one hour and a half afler the beating of the gineraie, men 
and horses, all were on board. 

This, as well it might, excited the admiration of the generals 
and other ofRcers present, and all were elated at the prospect it 
held out ; all, save the prime mover himself, and he, although he 
did not appear bo, was filled with i-egret. His fleets were not 
in the Channel, and without them, he knew full well, that his 
plan could not succeed. Could he, by any means, have drawn 
away England^s ships from England's coast, he considered 
England's fate as depending upon his nod. " Je ne sais paa, en 
T^nt6," says the French emperor, in one of his letters, of date 
June 9 in this year, to his minister of marine, "quelle esp^ de 
precaution elle peut prendre pour la mettre a I'abri de la terrible 
chance qu'elle court, Une nation est bien folle, lorsqu'elle n'a 

r'nt de fortifications, point d'arm^e de terre, de se mettre dans 
caa de voir arriver dans son sein une arm^ de cent mille 
bommes d'elite et aguerris, Yoit^ }e chef-d'tsuvre de la flot- 
tille ; elle coute de I'argent, mds il ne faut €tre maitre de la mer 
que six heures pour que l'An£;leterre cesse d'esister."* 

Even admittmg that the Channel, Mediterranean, and North 
Sea fleets of England were away, were no other ships to chyk 
the course of the floUlla? Let but a breeze have blown from any 
point of the compass, and innumerable frigates, heavy frigates 
too, sloops, bombs, gun-brigs, and cutters, would soon have oeen 
on the spot. No shoals or shore-batteries would then have 
interposea to prevent the gnus of the British from producing 
their fall effect. The more numerous the French troops, the 
greater would have been the slaughter amongst them, the greater 
uie difficulty for the sailors to manoeuvre the vessels. Coniostoa 
would have ensued ; and the destruction or flight of a part of 
the flotilla would, in the end, have compromised the saietj of 

* Pijds.des ErfaieiiMni, tome zL, p, 370. 

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1806. INVASIOK-FLOnLLA. 317 

the reioaiiider. Eveiy hour's delay would liaTe brought fresh 
British vessels to assist in the general overthrow. Admittiag^ 
bowever, that a considerable portion of the flotilla overcame all 
these obstacles, and approacned the Britieh shore, was there 
nothing further to dread ? Were there really, aa Napoleon fao- 
eied, "no fortifications, no army"? The invaders would have 
made the discovery, to tiieir cost, the moment they arrived within 
Bhell and shot range. Aa they advanced nearer they would have 
found the beach already occupied by the van of an army com- 
posed of soldiers, who, if they had not fought at " Lodi, at 
Zurich, at H^liopolis, at Ut^enliuden, and at Marengo," were 
then fighting in England. 

But, in the event of a calm, would he not succeed ? was a 
' question frequently asked, as Veil by those who wished, as those 
who dreaded, the invasion. Calms in the British Channel are 
very uncertain : they seldom continue more than 12 hours, and 
even then may prevail at one part of the coast and not at another. 
Admitting that a calm ezistea at Boul<^ne and the adjacent ports, 
some time would elapse ere, under the most favourable circum- 
stances, the flotilla could make a start. It has done so, and the oars 
b^nto move : by this time, a boat from every Britisli ship that 
witnessed the preparation is half across the Channel with the in- 
telligence, and the vessel herself, if less than a frigate, is sweeping 
with all her strength in the same direction. A fleet of 1200 or 1300 
vessels must be rather awkward to manage ; pfirticularly, when 
assembled together for the first time, and possessed, as these. 
Tariously-constructed gun-vessels necessarily were, of different 
powers of progression. Agatnsttheprames sad complaints were 
raised ; and yet, as there were 17 of these vessels, armed each 
with 12 long 2'i-pounders, and carrying altogether about 2000 
men and 840 horses, they must be waited for. All this would 
create confusion. Cross tides and partial currents would increase 
it. Signals would be necessary : they would, it is more than 

Erobable, amidst the many repeaters required to transmit them, 
e misunderstood. A part of the fleet stops, or pulls in a dif- 
ferent direction. Delay ensues. Presently up spnngs a breeze ; 
and which, in all likelihood, blows either up or down, and not 
across the Channel. In this case the weather wing of the flotilla 
begins first to spread its sails, and, without great care, presses 
npon the centre ; and that, in its turn, upon the lee wing. Mean- 
while the breeze has not travelled without company, aa is evident 
from the number of white patches that now skirt the windward 
liorizon, swelling and gathering at every moment. Of the ope- 
TstiooB likely to follow, a slight sketch has already been given. 

But, in truth, no attempt would have been made by the flotilla 
to cross over, even were the Channel clear of British fleets, and 
a calm, even a two days' calm, to prevail ; none whatever, unless 
a powoful French fleet lay off Boulogne, ready to afford its 
piotecUoD. la a note dictated by him at his return from Boa- 



318 BRmSH AND FBEITCH VUBTS.-^^HANNEL. 1805. 

logne, on tlie 1st of SeptMober, the French emperor thoa BBfiildi 
his pl»n : " Je TOnlais r^onir/' sayt be, " qnarante oa CBiquuite 
▼aiaseaux de guerre daos le port de la MutiDtque, par dea op^ 
imtioBB eombio^ de Toulon, de Cadiz, de Ferrof et de Brest; 
leB &ire revenir tout d'ua coup aur Boulogne ; me trouTer ft»- 
dant quinze jours maHre tie lamer; avoir cent cinqnaDte miUo 
homines et dix miUe cheraux camp^ sur cetke cMe ; troia ok 
qnatre mille batimens de flottille, et anssitot le signal de TaniT^a 
de mon escadre, d^barquer en Anglet^re, m'emparerde Londies 
et de la Tamise.* The constmctioo of the heavy prames, and 
the arming of the flotilla genaally, were intended for no oAer 
purpose thao to deceive the Britiah ioto a belief, that Napol^oa 
did not contemplate the asmstance of bis fleet, and that, there- 
fore, the object of sending Pf. Villeneuve to the We»t Indieahad 
really in view an attack upon some of the British colonies : 
hence, the use of the few troops embarked, ei^>ecially wfaea 
nnnour bad multiplied tbem fivefold, as Napol&n knew would 
be the caae. His own words prove that, in arming the flotilla 
with cannon, be was only practising a nut de guerrt uptn 
England. '* Si cinquante vaisseauz de ligne," says he, in tha 
sante important document just quoted, " devaient venir prot^u 
le passage de I'arni^ en Angleterre, il n'y avait beaoin d'avoir ft 
Boulf^e que des bfitimens de transport ; et ce luxe de prameSf 
de cfaaloupea canonni^res, de bateanz plats, de p^nichea, etc. ; 
tons b&timens armes, £tait parfaitement mutile. Si yeuase aiosi 
i^ni qoatre mille b&timens de transport, nul doute que reononi 
n*e&t vu que j'attendais la presence de mon escadre pour tenter 
le pass^e ; maie, en construisant des pmmes et des bateaax 
<anonnier8, eo armant tous ces b&ttmens, c'^taient des canona 
opposes lb des canons; des b&timCns de guerre opposes kdes 
b&timens de guerre, et Tennemi a ^t& dupe. 11 a cm que je ma 
proposais de passer de vive force par la seale force nmitaire da 
la flottiile. L'id^ de mon veritable projetnelui est point venue; 
et lorsque lea mouvemena de mes escadres ayant manqu^ il s'eat 
aper9u du danger qu'il avait conru, i'effroi a ^ dans les conaeila 
de Londres, et tons les gens sms^ ont avoue que jamaia VAf^glff- 
terre n'avait 6te si prfes de sa parte, "f 

The French emperor bad, therefore, some reason to be smtow 
All, when he beheld so disciplined, so zealous, and so namerons 
an army, vritbout the means of safe transput to the goal of hia 
wishes. In his letter to M. Decr^ of June 9 (see p. 316), Na* 
poison appeared sangntne that he should succeed with 100,000 
men ; in bis note npou the flotilla, written in September and 
already twice qnotea, he states 160,000 as the number whidt 
he had assembled tot the purpose ; and, according to his coofe»- 
aons of much later days, be did not intend to carry over fewer 



* Precis dei E<Aoemens, tome zii,, p. 319. 
■f Ibid, tome siL, p. 316. 



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180& INTASION-ILOnUA. 319 

than 200,000 men.* It is remarkable, too, that an iacreaae ia 
the time, during which the Channel was required to he clear of 
Britiah ships, acccnnpaniea each inereaae of the anny that was to 
ooDqner the conntry. Thus: the letter says, "six days," the 
not^ "fifteen days," and O'MesTHr-t* "two months." It i» 
douhtful> howem, if, at the time that the ezpeditioD (all except 
the fleet which waa to cover H) was declarea to be ready, there 
were as many even as 140,000 fighting men in a situation to 
embark. 

Being in the constant halnt of perusing, by the ud of inter- 
preters, the contents of the London newapapera, Napol^oa 
most bare seen, with a feeling of bitter disappointment, the 
formidable preparations that were making to resist his army 
on its landing : those to obstruct the passage of the flotilla, 
be cared less about, haTiag, as already has appeared, no io- 
tentioD to make the attempt unless his fleets were in the tem- 
porary possession of the Channel. Buooaparte was not the 
first foreigner, who had reckoned too much upon the grumbling 
character of the English : he did not consider that, althouga 
discontented with tbeir goveniment, they were extremely jealous 
of foreignera. He ooght to have known that, in sach a case, a 
third party would experience much the same treatment, as pro* 
verbially follows a similar interference in domestic disagreements : 
the hitherto mutually opposed parties unite, heart and hand, to 
expel the intruder. The treatment which, at a subsequent 
period of his life, Napoleon axpenenced from the English popu- 
lace, tended, owing to a misconception on his part, to strengthea 
the opinion he had originally formed of the "canaille" to aid 
bim in conquering their country. There, tvain, he mistook the 
character oi the people. It was not love lor bis person, which 
collected the crowds that flocked tirom far and near to gain a 
ugbt of him : it was curiosity, eDderoisl curiosity, to behold a 
man who had compelled mostmonarchs but tbeir own to succumb 
to him ; who had governed, if not conquered, all Europe, save the 
little insulated spot in whose power he then was. If tney forbore 
to upbraid or taunt him, it was because he was their prisoner : if 
they treated him with respect, and even with kindness, it was ' 
because they felt some degree of awe in the presence of one who 
had beat so Boighty a potoitate, and commiserated his falloi 
greatness. 

Intelligence of the battle between Sir Robert Calder and M. 
ViUeneuve readied the French emperor at Boulogne, between 
die 3d and 9th of August, probably about the 8th ; and on the 
11th he became acquainted with the arrival of the combined 
fleet at FenoL Buonaparte's rage was most violent, but it was 
of short duration. This extraordinary man soon carved out work 
for his army. The intelligent author of a French work now well 

• (meaiAN^deoiiinExil^v(iti.,pbMft. f Ibid,ToLiL,pbS9e. 



920 BRITISU AND FRENCH FLEETS. — CHANNEL. 1806. 

knowD in England has exhibited, in a single act of Napoleon's, 
arising out of the circnmstaiices above stated, a moat extra- 
ordinary ioEtance of bis transcendent genius. " At the time I 
was wntiog this paesage" (one in which M. Dupin has given it 
as his opinion that, before any thing conld be effected against 
England, the combined fleet must be in possession of the Chan- 
nel), " I was unacquainted with a very remarkable fact, which 
deserves a place in history. I am indebted for the knowledge 
of it to the Count Daru, whose able History of Venice we have 
already cited. In 1805 M. Daru was at Boulogne, the intoidant 

feneral of the anny. One morning the emperor sent for him into 
is closet. O&ru found him transported with rage, striding np 
and down bis apartment, and only breaking a sullen silence by 
the abrapt and sudden exclamations — " What a navy ! — what an 
adiniral f — what sacrifices lost ! — my hopes are frustrated ! — thia 
Villenenve I Instead of being in the Channel he has put into 
Ferrol 1 — I see it clearly ! he will be blockaded.— Dam, sitdown 
there, listen and write. ' The emperor had, early that morning, 
received advices of the arrival of Villeneuve in a port of Spain ; 
he saw at once that the conquest of England had miscarried ; 
that the immense expense of the fleet and the flotilla was lost 
for a long time, perhaps for ever ! Then, in the violence of a 
rage which would scarcely suffer another man to retain his 
Benses, he adopted one of the holdest resolutions, traced one of 
the most admirable plans of a campaign, that any. conqueror 
could have conceived, even when at leisure and perfectly com- 
posed. Without hesitating, without stopping, he dictated the 
whole plan of the campaign of Austerlitz, toe departnre of the 
different corps of the array, as well from Hanover and Holland, 
as from the western and southern boundaries of France. The 
order of the routes, their duration, the points of convergence and 
reunion of the columns ; the attacks by surprise and by obea 
force, the various movements of the enemy, the whole is provided 
for: victory is assured in every one of the hypotheses. Such was 
the accuracy of this plan, and the immense foresight it displayed, 
that upon a line of march of 200 leagues, lines of operations of 
300 leagues in length were conducted according to the original 
design, day by day, and league by league, all the way to Munich. 
Beyond thatcapibil the time alone underwent some alteration; 
but the points were reached, and the ensemble of the plan 
crowned with success. Such, then, was the military talent of 
this man, not less terrible to his enemies by the mightiness of 
his genius, than to his countrymen by the severity of his des- 
potism."* The truth of this anecdote is corroborated by the 
author of the Precis des Ev^nemens, who states, that he himself 
also heard it related by the Comte Daru.t 



• For the oHrinal poiiage, see Appendix, No. 95. 
f' Precis des Evenemens, tome xii., p. 118. 



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1806. IHTASIOK-FLOTHXA. 321 

On the 3 1 at of August Buonaparte became apprized of the 
departure of tbe combioed fieet from Feirol and Coniona, as h$ 
hoped, for Brest This reanimated, in some degree, the hopes of 
the emperor ; and on the 22d Marshal Berthier, the minister of 
marine, by Napoleon's directions, writes thus to General Mar- 
moat, the commander-in-chief of the army of Holland : "Jevous 
pr^viene, gen6nil, que I'escadre de I'empereur est partie do 
Ferrol le 26 thenoidor (14 aout) avec I'escadre espagnole. St 
ces escadres combin^es arrivent dans la Manche, I'empereur 
fait ie suite I'exp^dition d'Angleterre ; mais si, par des circon- 
stances de vents contraires, ou en6n, par le peu d'audace de nos 
amiraux,* elles ne peuvent se rendre dans la Manche, Tem- 
pereur et roi ajoumera I'exp^dition ^ une autre ana6e, parce- 
qu'elle n'est plus possible.' The marshal then directs the 
general to be ready, at a moment's notice, to disembark his 
troops, estimated at 20,000, and proceed with them to May- 
ence, &c.f In about four days after the date of this letter the 
fetal news arrives that M. Vilieneuve, having quitted Ferrol with 
39 sail of the line, had steered for Cadiz instead of the Channel* 
where the emperor and bis army had been so long anxiously- 
expecting him. 

Thas bad the crisis arrived for adjonming the expedition 
against England to another year. Ey the end of August, the 
troops that had been encamped at Ostende, Ambleteuse, Bou- 
logne, and Montreuil, were making forced marches to the banks 
of the Rhine. On the 4th of September the emperor quitted 
Boulogne for Paris, having left orders with Kear-admiral La- 
crosse to send out occasionally a division of gun-boats to 
manoeuvre, and to maintain the utmost discipUne and good order 
among the officers and men. Tbe greater part, if not the whole, 
of the gun-vessels at all the depots but Boulogne, were, in a 
short time, dismantled and laid up. It was the intention of 
Kapol^n to keep a body of troops encamped upon the heights 
■of Boulogne, partly, in conjunction with the gun-vessels In the 
basin and road, to deceive tbe British, but chiefly, as it was a 
remarkably healthy spot, to have an army of 30,000 or 40,000 
men ready to acton any emergency. Tbe operations against the 
temnant of the flotilla were now confined to Boulogne ; and, 
•Ithongh in September and November two attempts were made 
to destroy the Ime of gun-vessels at anchor in the road, tbe 

* Hiis reflection upon the adminb is onlv to be found in the quotation 
fiwm the tetter contamed in tbe text of H. Dumas (tome xii., p. l'J2) : it is 
wboHjp omitted in wlurt purports to be tbe entire copj inserted omonK the 
* Pieces JuBtilicati&." We may condude from this, tiiat the anthor naae his 
eitnctfrom theoriaina], without reflectine upon the meanbgor tendency of 
the passage alluded to, but that, when he, or another foi him, came to 
lianscribr the tetters for the Appendix, the discovery was made, and the 
offensive words omitted. 

f Precis del Evenemens, tome xii., p. 334. 

VOL. 111. T 

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332 BRITISH AJTD FRAJICO-SFAinSH FLEETS. ioOGk 

tUxtay state of tbe weather^ id the lut ease id jNirticuIar, rea- 
derad them both abortive. 

BRITISH AND FRAKCO-SPANISB FLEBTS. 

The declara^on of war by Spain, followed op so quickly as it 
was by the hurried equipment of ships at all her principal 
d^pdts in fulfilment of the secret treaty which she hnd concluaed 
with France,* soon assembled a British naval force upon tbe 
coasts of the former. Off Ferrol, in which port lay, ready for 
8ea, five French and seven Spanish sail of the line, exclusively of 
three of the latter fitting, cruised a British squadron of sevea 
sail of tbe line, under Kear-admiral the Honourable Alexander 
Cochrane, in the Northumberland 74. In Cadiz one French and 
seven Spanish sail of the line were ready for sea, and four of the 
latter equipping ; and in Carthageua, six Spanish sail of tbe line 
were ready for sea. Off Cadiz was stationed a Britieh squadroik 
of five, and occasionally six sail of tbe line, under Vice-admiral 
Sir John Orde, in the Glory 98 ; and who, in conjunction with 
Vice-admiral Lord Nelson, whom, with 10 sail of the line, we 
left on the 31et of December cruising off Cape Sao-Sebaatianj-t* 
kept an occasional eye upon the ships in Cartnagena. 

The junction of the six French and 20 Spanish sail of the 
line, ready for sea in Ferrol, Cadiz, and Cartba^ena, with the 
1 1 French sail of tbe line, also ready for sea in Toulon, was & 
preliminary step towards the final success of the grand design 
, which reigned tbe master-thought in the mind of him, waa, 
such was the mean subserviency of Spain, had the whole 37 
ships as much under his command, as if the French fiag waved 
at the. peak of every one of theiu. What efforts were made by 
the one party to accomplish, and by the other to defeat, the im- 
portant object in agitation, will appear as we proceed in the 
details upon which we are now about to enter. 

Having detached tbe 38-gun frigates Active and Seahorse, 
Captains Richard Hussey Moubray and the Honourable 
Coui-tenay Boyle, to watch the port of Toulon, Lord Nelson oa 
the 3d of January made sail from his station off Cape San- 
Sebastian towards tbe Magdalena iBlands,and on the llih came 
to at his old anchorage in Agincourt sound. On the 15^ tbe 
Superb rejoined from Algiers; whither she had been sent to 
arrange some difference with the Dcy. The force of Lord Nelson 
now consisted of 1 1 sail of the line, with scarcely a frigate or 
sloop to detach for intelligence. 

On the 17th of January, early in the afternoon, the French 
fleet, consisting of the following 11 sail of the line, seven 
frigates, and two brigs, commanded by Vice-admiral Villeneuve, 
and having on board a body of 3500 troops under General 
Lanriston, put to sea &om the road of Toulon, with a stroag 
wind from tbe north-north-west : 

* Seep,297. f S«ep.3il. 

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LOBD NELSON AND U. VILLENEnVE. 32 

5 ricMidm. P^J^Bapt.-SflT. ViIleneiiTe. 
* * * { CspUin JeanJacques Magmdie. 

Fbimid-ble. - . . j Captain J-n-Marie LetcUiet. 

Neptune Comrood. Espiit-Tcanquille Maixtial. 

ludomptsblB ICaptuD JeaD-Jo«eph Habert 

'AnDibal Cominod. Julien-Haiie Cosmao-Kermlia). 

Mont-naDC CaptaiD GuiUaume-J^Notl La ViDegrU. 

SwilWire „ C^E. L'Hospitalieo-VillmiBdriii. 

AtlM » Pierre-Nicolaa Bcillaod. 

Intr^ide „ L^onorc Depenmne. 

Sci^on . Charies Berrenger. 

Berwick „ Jean-Gil1«s Filhol-Camas. 



Brigi, Fnret ai^ Nalade. 

By 5 P. H. the lost French ship was outnde Cape Sepet ; and 
at 6h. 30 m. the advanced or recoanoitriag diviMOD, coDeisting 
of two sail of the line and a frigate, was descried by the Britisa 
fngate§ Actire and Seahorse. On the Itith, at 9 h. 15 m., the 
French advanced ships, still in sight, hauled their wind to ibe 
northward, and the two British frigates did the same. At 4 
P. M. the island of Polacroas bore from the latter north by west 
five leagues, _and the wind now blew a strong gale from west- 
north-west. At 9 fa. 45 m. the Seahorse, who was to windward 
of her consort, saw nine sail of the French fleet in the north 

fuarter, only three miles distant, and apparently steeling south, 
he frigate showed a Ugbt, and immediately bore up ; on which 
the enemy's advanced ship threw up two rockets. The Active 
and Seahorse kept sight of the latter ship until 2 a. m. on the 
19th ; and, by carrying a press of sail, were, at 1 h. 50 m. p.m., 
sufficiently near to their friends in Agincourt sound, to make the 
distant signal of the enemy's being at sea. 

At 4 h. 30 m. p.m. Lord Nelson weighed with the following 11 
sail of the line and two frigates : 

{Victory -i R«aT4dmiial (b.) George Hunay. 
(.Captain Thomas Mostermon Hordj. 
r™,i s™-™— S Rear-Admiral (r.) Sir R. H. Bickerton, But 
Royal Soveraga • J Captain John ^l4t 
80 Canopos „ John Conn. 

I Superb „ Richard Goodirio KeUs. 

Spencer „ Hon. Robert Sioj^ord. 

Swifisure „ Mark Robinson. 

BeQeisle „ William Haigood. 

Conqueror „ Israel Peller. 

Tigre , Betijamin Hanowell. 

Leviathan „ Henry William BayatuiL 

Donegal ..'..,, „ Pulteney Malcoim. 

Frigata, Active and Seahorae.* 
The fleet made sail fur the passage between the island of 

* Lord Nelson was continually complaining to the admtial^ of tlie null 
nomber of frigates attached to lus command. 

y 2 ,- r 



324 BRITISH AND FRANCO-SPANISH FLEETS. ISOfi. 

Biche and Sardinia ; a passage so narrow that tbe ships had to 
proceed in line ahead, each, except the Victoiy who undertook 
to lead the fleet, being ?uided by the stem-lights of her second 
ahead. At 6 p. m. the Victory was clear, and at 7 p. h. every 
ship in her train. Lord Nelson then despatched the Seahorse 
round the southern extremity of Sardinia, to look into St.-Pietn» 
for the French fleet, and to return immediately. At 8 h. 30 m. 
p. M. the fleet, with now only one frigate attending it, bore away 
along the island of Sardinia. On the following day, the 20th, 
tbe vice-admiral appointed the Spencer and Leviathan, as the 
two fastest-sailing ships, to be a detached equadron ; directii^ 
Captain Stopford to keep on the Victory's weather beam, to be 
ready to act as occasion might require. During the latter part 
of this, and the whole of the succeeding day, the fleet encountered 
very hard galea from douth-south-west to south-west; and, for 
ft great part of the time, the ships were under their storm- 
ataysails. 

On the 22d, at 10 a. h., the Seahorse rejoined, having, on the 
preceding afternoon, been chased by the French 40-^n frigate 
'Comllie, standing in for Pulla. The gale was so heavy and 
the weather so thick, that the Seahorse could not see the 
anchorage either in that bay or in Cagliari, and, from tbe same 
cause, lost sight of the French frigate in the night. The Sea- 
horse, accompanied by the Active, was sent back to Cagliari, 
but no Frencn ships were lying there ; and a message to the 
viceroy and consul at that port, carried by the Active, and for a 
reply to which Lord Nelson waited off the island of Serpentina, 
produced no better intelligence. The Seahorse was then sent 
with despatches to Naples, and the Active directed to cruise for 
three days to the eastward, about five or six leagues from Ser- 

Eiotina, to speak any Britbh ship that might be in search of the 
ritish admiral. 

On the 26th, at noon, Cape Carbonara, island of Sardinia, 
bore from the Victory north-north-east half-east distant three 
and a half leagues ; and on the next day, tbe 26th, the 18- 

S under 3&.-gun frigate Phoebe, Captain the Honourable Thomaa 
aden Capel, joined company. On the 19th, at 4 p. »., whea 
sailing down the west coast of Corsica with a strong west-north- 
west wind, the Phcebe discovered a disabled line-of-battle ship, 
tiie Indomptable, one of M, Villeneuve^B fleet, standing in for 
the land, under courses only, having carried away her topmasts. 
The frigate immediately hauled up towards, and at 4 h. 45 m. 

Eaesed within hail of, the Indomptable, who had previously 
oisted French colours. Having ascerttuned that tbe dismasted 
ship was an enemy's two-decker, bound apparently for Ajacoo 
bay, the Phoebe did not, as it appears, make any attempt to 
molest her, but bore up for tbe Magdalena islands, where Captain 
Capel expected to find Lord Nelson. It was owing to this cir- 
Qoitooa route that the frigate was so many days ia joining the SeeU 



1805. LORD NELSON AND M. VILLENEDVE. 325 

Having sent in all directions to gain information, bat without 
^ect, Lord Nelson continued his course to the eastward, and at 
3 A. M. on the 29th, rounded the island of Stromboli. As a proof 
that, in his anxiety to overtake the enemy, Lord Nelson had 
passed a sleepless night, the following memoTandum appears in 
nis diary : " Stromboli burnt very strongly throughout the night 
of the 28th." His own persuasion was that the French fleet had 
gone to Egypt ; and thither his lordship hastened, still detaching 
Eis frigates, as fast as they joined, to gather what tidings they 
could. 

On the 4th of February, the Canopus made the land of ^ypt. 
On the 7th, the Tigre was sent into Alexandria; but the Turks 
had nothing to communicate, and on the following day, the 8th, 
Captain Hallowell rejoined the fleet. Lord Nelson, now half- 
distracted, steered for Malta; on the 14th, was within 100 
leagues of it; and in a few days afterwards received from Naples 
intelligence of what had really become of the French fleet. It 
had, on the second day, after quitting Toulon, when crossing the- 
gulf of Lyons, encountered a violent gale of wind, which da- 
maged several of the ships in their masts and rigging, and drove 
them, on the 20th, with the exception of four, back to their port. 
The missing ships were the Indomptafale and Cornclie already 
mentioned, and the frigates Hortense and Incorruptible. The 
Com^Iie, after sheltering herself at Genoa, reached Toulon on- 
the 22d, as did the Indoinptable in two days afterwards ; but 
the Hortense and Incorruptible remained out for six or seven 
weeks. 

It was on the 14th of February, when about 100 leagues to the 
eastward of Malta, on his return to Sardinia, that Lord Nelson 
wrote his celebrated letterto the first lord of the admiralty (Lord 
-Melville), explaining why he had considered Egypt to be the 
destination of the French fleet " Feeling as 1 do," he eays, 
" that I am entirely responsible to my'king and country for the 
whole of my conduct, I find no difficulty at this moment, when I 
am BO unhappy at not finding the French fieet, nor having oh- 
tamed the smallest information where they are, to lay before you 
the whole of the reasons which induced me to pursue the line of 
conduct I have done. I have consulted no man, therefore the 
whole blame of ignorance in forming my judgment must rest 
with me. I would allow no man to take from me an atom of my 
glory had I fallen in with the French fleet, nor do I desire any 
man to partake of any of the responsibility. All is mine, right 
or wrong: therefore I shall now state my reasons, after seemg 
that Sardinia, Naples, and Sicily, were safe, for believing that 
j^ypt was the destination of the French fleet ; and at this mo- 
ment of sorrow, I still feel that I have acted right. Firstly ; the 
wind had blown from north-east to south-east for 14 days before- 
they sailed: therefore they might, without difficulty, have gone 
to the westward. Secondly; uiey came out with gentle breezes 

Ic 



32d BRITISH AND FRANCO-SPANISH FLEETS. 1805. 

at Dorth-wcfit and north-nortb-west. Had they beea bound to 
Naples, the most natural thing for them to have done would have 
been to nin along their own shore to the eastward, where they 
would have ports every 20 leagues of coast to take shelter in. 
Thirdly; they hore away in the evening of the IStfa, withastrtxig 
gale at north-west or north-north-west, steering south or south 
By west It blew so hard that the Seahorse went more than 13 
koota an hour to get out of their way. Desirable as Sardinia is 
for them, they could get it without risking their fleet, although 
certainly not so quickly as by attaching Cagliari, However, I 
left notnine to <^ance in that respect, and therefore went off 
C^liari. Having afterwards gone to Sicily, both to Palermo 
and Messina, and thereby given encouragement for a defence, 
and knowing all was safe at Naple!', I had only the Morea aod 
Egypt to look to. For, although I knew one of the French ahips 
was crippled, yet I considered the character of Buonaparte ; and 
that the orders given by him on the banks of the Seine would 
not take into consideration wind or weather. Nor, indeed, coold 
the acddent of even three or four ships alter, in my opinion, a 
destination of importance : therefore such an accident did not 
weigh in my mind, and I went first to Morea, aod then to 
Egypt The result of my inquiries at Coron and Alexandiia 
confirms me in my former o{»nion ; and therefore, my lord, if my 
obstinacy or ignorance is so gross, I should be the first to recom- 
mend vour superseding me. But, on the contrary, if, as I flatter 
myseli, it should be found, that my ideas of the probable desti- 
nation of the French fleet were well founded,- in the opinion of 
his majesty's ministers, then I shall hope for the consolation of 
having my conduct approved by his majesty; who will, lam 
Bure, weigh my whole proceedings in the scale of justice."* 

On the 27th, in the evening, the British fleet, every ship of 
which, since the 21st of January, had remained prepared for t>at> 
tie, without a bulkhead up night or day, anchored in Pulla road, 
bay of Cagliari, to water. On the 2d of March Lord Nelson, 
veighed, but, owing to the severity of the weather, was com- 
pelled to leanchor. The wind shifting in the course of the 
night to Dorth-north-east, the fleet reweighed at daylight on the 
3d, and stood to the westward ; but before noon the wind re* 
turned to the north-west, and blew so strong, that the fleet bad 
again to bear up for Pulla. The morning of the 4th brought a 
return of the nivth-east wind ; but scarcely had the persevering 
admiral taken advantage of it, than it again shifted to the north- 
west. Blowing moderately this time, the fleet (some of the ships 
having anchored fora few hours in the bay of Bouze) socceeded in. 
woikin|^ to the westward of the gulf of Palma ; bat, the wind 
increasmg to a heavy gale, the British were compelled, on the 
' g of the 8th, to run in there for shelter. On the lOtb, ia 

• Chriwand IPAiAur, vol, ii., p. 897. 

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1806. LOAD NELSON AHD U. VILLENEVVE. 327 

tke morDiDg, after one or two fruiUess aUempte to get out, the 
fleet weighed with a fine soutb-eaat wind, and paased between 
the islaod of Vache and the main ; or rather, the Victory and a . 
kw Bhips only went through this narrow channel, the remainder 
of the neet passing on the outer side of Vache. 

A continuance of fioe weather brought into view, on the morn- 
ing of the 12th, the high land over Toulon; and on the 15th, ia. 
the evening. Lord Nelson gained his old winter station, a few miles 
to the eastward of Cape San-Sebastian. After detaching the 
Leviathan off Barcelona, to induce a belief that he was fixed on 
the coast of Spain, his lordship worked back to the eastward, 
and on the evening of the 25th, arrived close off the west end of 
the island of St.-Pietro. On the following day, the 26th, the 
wind shifted from south-east to south-west, and enabled the fleet, 
on the 27tb, to anchor in the gulf of Falma, where the victualler* 
and store-ships were lying. On the preceding day. Rear-admi- 
ral Thomas Louis had jomed in the 32'gtui frigate Ambuscctde, 
Captain William Durban, and now shified his flag to the Caoo- 
{Hia ; taking on board of her, in the room of Captain Conn, Cap- 
tain Wilham Francis Austen, who bad accompanied the admiral 
from £ogland. While Lord Nelson is provinoning and refitting 
his ships, let us turn our attention to the harbour of Toulon. 

Vice-admiral Villeneuve used the utmost despatch in refitting 
bis ships. The Annibal (late British Hannibal), being found uo- 
flerriceable, was replaced by the new ship Pluton; to whom, at 
the same time, the fonner transferred the whole of her officers 
and men. A similar exchange took place between the frigate 
Uranie and Uermione. As to the Incorruptible, she had suf- 
fered so much from her action with the Arrow, of which we shall 
hereafter give an account, as to be for the present laid up. The 
French fleet, therefore, consisted of 1 1 sail of the line, six frigates, 
aad two brigs,* and still retained on board the 3500 troops under 
deoeral Lauriston. The departure of Lord Nelson for the gulf 
of Palma, enabled M. Villeneuve, on the evening of the 29^ of 
March, to sail from Toulon road with the whole of his fleet; 
wJiich, oo clearing Cape Sepet, steered sonth-souUi-west, with a. 
Moderate breese from the north-east. 

The wind on the following morning veered to north-north- 
vest, and, instead of increasing as had been expected, fell coit- 
sidciably. Owing to this the French fleet, during that and the 
ncceeding day, made very little progress, and on the afternooa 
«f the 31st, depe Sicie b^ing north distant 10 or 12 leagues^ 
wax discovered and recognised by the British frigates Active 
aad Pbcebe. These ships kept in s^ht of it until evening ; whea 
tfae PlMBbe bore up for the gulf of Paltna, with a fresh breeze at 
west-north-west, and the Active, in order to keep company with 

* Their lumM will be wen at p. 323, omitting the Incorruptible, andsub^ 
•tiUitiog the PlutoB be dw Aimiba^ and tbo HoinioDe for the Uranie. 

•Ic 



328 BEITISK AND FRANCO-SPANISH FLEETS. 1806. 

the French ships, stood upon a wind to the eouth-west, but, 
after dark, saw do more of them. On the let of April, in the 
morning, a Ragusian vessel informed M. Villeneuve that, five 
days before, she had seen the BritiBh fleet to the southward of 
Sardioia. In conBequence of this intelligence, which was cor- 
rect, the French admiral, who, fjt)m previous information that 
Lord NeUon was off Barcelona (a proof that the ruse with the 
Xeviathan had begun to take eSect), had intended to pass to 
the eastward of the Baiaric islands, was induced to alter his 
course and pass to the westward of them. The fleet accordingly 
Jcept close to the coast of Spain, and on the 6th, in a calm, 
arrived o£f the port of Carthagena ; where we will leave M. Vil- 
leneuve awhile, to show what effect his activity had podaced 
upon the movementB of him, to avoid whom was bo principal a 
point in the instructions given to the French admiral. 

Wanting wat^ for his ships. Lord Nelson had, on the Ist of *** 
April, removed from Palma to Pulla bay; whence he had again 
sailed on the morning of the 3d, steering to the westward, witb 
a moderate breeze at north-east. On the following morning, 
the 4th, when a few leagues to the westward of the island of 
Toro, the wind shifted to the north-north-west ; and at 8 a, m., 
in the midst of hazy, unsettled weather and drizzling rain, the 
Phoebe made her appearance in the offing, with the exhilarating 
signal, that the French admiral was at sea. Cruisers were in- 
stantly despatched in all directions; and, on the supposition 
that tne French fleet had continued its course to the southward 
(as would have been the case, had the Ragusian vessel not 
crossed it), the British fleet lay to all night, and, on the morning 
of the 5th, was about midway between the coasts of Baibaiy 
and Sardinia, 

After waiting in this narrow channel until the 7th, the fleet 
bore up for Palermo, in order to cover Sicily and the more 
eastern parts of the Mediterranean, should the French have 
passed to the northward of Corsica. Two more days having 
elapsed without the slightest intelligence. Lord Nelson, on the 
,9th, being then off the western end of Sicily, stood to the west- 
ward. Of this change of course to the westward, Napol^n 
was for a long time unapprized. Even so late as a fortnight 
afterwards he sent a courier to M. Villeneuve, witb information 
that Lord Nelson was gone to Egypt; and, lest the latter 
should leam that the French fleet had passed the Straits, he 
ordered the insertion of a paragraph in the Dutch journals, to 
the efl'ect, that a French fleet had landed 6000 men in Flgypt ; 
that the admiral had made a feint of passing the Straits, but, ia 
the night, had returned unseen along the African coast, and 
thereby deceived Lord Nelson.* 

The line-of-battle ships making but slow progress against 

' Fi4aa des Ev^nemena, tome xi, p. SSI. 

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1805.' LOBD NELSOX AND M. VILLENEUVE. 329 

tbe westerly and north-west winds, Lord Nelson despatched 
some light vessels in advance to Gibraltar and Lisbon. On the 
16th, while the fleet was beating hard against a strong westerly 
wind, to get round the southern extremity of Sardinia, and 
obtain a glimpse of Toulon, a neutral vessel informed the Levia- 
than that the French fleet had been seen on the 7tb ofl'Cape de 
Gata. This was quickly followed by intelligence that M. Vil- 
letteuve had passed the Straits on the 8th. The prevalence of 
strong southerly and westerly winds made it the 3uth, ere Lord 
Nelson sot sight of the rock of Gibraltar; and about this time 
he heard that M. Villeneuve had been reinforced by some ships 
from Cadiz. There being no possibility of passing the Straits 
with the prevailing wind, and tbe fleet standing in great need of 
water and provisions. Lord Nelson, on the 4th of May, anchored 
in Mazari bay, on the Barbary shore, to water, and sent tbe 
Superb to Tetuan for cattle, fruit, and vegetables. 

We will now see what is become of Uie object of Lord Nel- 
son's pursuit ; of that which, as will clearly appear by tbe fol- 
lowing letter from his lordship to Captain Ball, at Malta, dated 
April 19, when the fleet was bufleting with head winds, was 
the principal source of his uneasy frame of mind. " My good 
fortune, my dear Ball, seems flown away. I cannot get a fair 
wind, or even a side wind — dead foul ! dead foul J — but my mind 
is fully made up what to do when I leave the Straits, supposing 
there is no certain information of the enemy's destination. I 
believe this ill-luck will go near to kill me; but, aa these are 
times for exertion, I must not be cast down, whatever I may 
feel." In another letter, of the same date, to Lord Melville, 
this extraordinary man wiites: "I am not made to despair; 
what man can do shall be done. I have marked out for myself 
a decided line of conduct, and I shall follow it well up, although 
I have now before me a letter from the physician of the fleet, 
enforcing my return to fjigland before tbe hot months. There- 
fore, notwithstanding I snail pursue the enemy to tbe East or 
West Indies, if I know that to have been their destination, yet, 
if the Mediterranean fleet joins the Channel, 1 shall request, 
with that order, permission to go on shore."* 

Returning to M. Villeneuve, while off Carthagena, he sent a 
txiat on shore, to offer his services and the protection of his fleet 
to the six Spanish ships ready for sea in the port ; but Rear- 
admiral Salzeco, having been ordered with his squadron on a 
difierent service, declined the junction. So says M. Villeneuve ; 
but the Spanish ambassador at Parts asserted, that the refusal 
to join came from tbe French admiral. Napoleon denies this 
Toundly; adding, in his usual enet^etic way: " Mais que I'amiral 
Villeneuve, passant par le d6troit et ayant des craintes, eut refuse 

• CUrke and M' Arthur, toI. ii., p. 404. 

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330 BRTTiaH AMD FAANCOSPAmSH fLStn. 180G. 

le Beconis de tix nusseauz, ud ambassadenr, ua hocame aeoa^ ne 
se laisse pas dire de pareilles Dieaudehes."* 

On tbe CTentng of the 7tb & tresh breeze spraQg up from tiie 
eastward (and yet at this very time Lord Nelson was plagued 
with galea from the westward), and the French admiral coo- 
tinued his couree- towards the Straits. On the 8th, at day- 
light, Gibraltar appeared in sight; and at noon Uie French 
fleet, formed in two columns, with the frigates ahead, entered 
tbe gut, causing alarm>guns to be lired from all points of the 
rock. At 4 p. H. tbe French stood into the bay of Cadiz, 
drivingaway Vice-admiral Sir John Orde and his (ire sail of the 
line, rinding the wind to blow strong offshore, M. VillenenTe 
anchored bis ships, having previously despatched the Hortense 
frigate into the harbour, to apprize the Spaniards of bis arrival 
WM quicken their movemmts. In consequence of this, the 
Frencn 74-giin ship Aigle, Captain Pierre-Paul Gloarrig©, ahip> 
corvette Torcbe, and bng-^cn-vette Argus, accompanied by five 
out of the following six Spanish sail of the line and one frigate, 
having 1600 troops on board, sailed out of the harbour and 
anchwed in company with the Toulon fleet : 

.__„„- J Admiral don Frederico Gi&vina. 

80 5 A'l™"'* \ RBM-adm. don Antonio Egamo. 

i Sau-Ra&el Commod. don Fiancuco Hontes. 

„. ( Fiime Captaa don Ita&el ViUaiiemcM. 

'* i Terrible „ don FnnciMo Mcodr^tw. 

gj i Amejico. „ don Dsitm:. 

{ Eipaua „ doD Hooios. 

On the 9th, at 2 a. m., the combined French and SpaniA 
fleet, consisting of 17 sail of the line (12 French and. five 8p«> 
oifih), one Spanish, and six French frigates, one sfaip-corvett^ 
and three brig-corvettes, got under way, and steered a westerly 
course ; leavmg the San-Rafael, which had run on shore in 
coming out, to follow to the rendezvous at Martinique, as soon 
as she could be got off. 

The discreditable practice, adopted by the French emperor'fl 
orders, of altering official despatches for the purposes of decep- 
tion, is nowhere more apparent than in the published correspwi- 
dence connected with this expedition. M. Villeneuve is mada 
to say that he was joined by eight Spanish sail of the line from 
Cadiz, thus ; " Feu d'instans apr^, un officier espagnol vint i. 
moa bord, ct m'annonga que buit vaisseaux de S. M. C. et une 
fr^te, sous les ordres de S. E. I'amiral Graviaa, allaiait 
mettre sons voiles ; et avant mirmit je les vis sortir snecessiv^ 
ment du port, et mouiller en dehors. "f On the otiwr hand, tbo 

* Pi^is des ETbnemeoB, tome xi., p. 236. 
f Mod. Julj 14, 1805. 



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1S05. LORD NEXSOH AND M. TUXENEUTE. 331 

Madrid Gazette, of April 13, gires the correct namber of ships, 
both French and Spaotsh, that joined M. YilleDeure ; and so 
does Mapol^n himself, when writiog confideDtially to his 
ministfr of marine : " II parait que cinq viEusseaax et une fr^ate 
ont rallie I'amiral Villeneuve ; qii'un sixidroe avait tOQcfa^, mais 
allait partir."* And yet no French Trriter, such is the permit 
Dent injury of distorting hietorical facte, has been able to give a 
consistent account of this transaction. 

Scarcely bad daylight on the 9th made its appearance, iban 
the French admiral was constrained to shorten sail for his Spa- 
nish friends ; and, to the additional regret of M. ViUeneuve, the 
wind, before the close of the day, shitted to the westward. An 
alternation of contrary winds and calms, coapled with the ii^ 
different sailing of one of the French (the Atlas) and two or 
. three of the Spanish ships, made it the 12th of May before the 
fleet arnved in sight of the island of Martiniqae. In the course 
of the following day, the 13th, the fire Spanish, and 11 of the 
12 French sail of the line, accompanied by the seven frigates 
(one of them Spanish), one ship-corvette, and three brig-cor- 
vettes, also by a lai^ store-ship, and the late British ship-sloop 
Cyane, a prize, aooiored in the harbour of Fort-Royal, or, as 
named at the commencement of the republican dynasty, Fort- 
de- France, but not witbont having sustained, in passing, a smart 
cannonade ftom the Diamond roca.-f 

In the course of the same night, it ta believed, the twelfth 
French line-of-hattle ship (probably, from her acknowledged 
badness of sailing, the Atlas) anchored with her companions; 
and <Hi the 13th, early in the mcKntng, the Spanish 80-gun ship 
San-Rafael, which had sailed from Cadie on the 10th of April, 
niraded Pointe-Saline. At 8 a, m. she hoisted a Spanish ensign 
and pendant ; whereupon, by way of decoy, French ccdours vrere 
displayed at the flug-staff of the Diamond. At 9 a.m. the 
Spanish ship, having unsuspiciously approached close under the 
lee of the rock, on which English colours had just been subgti- 
tnted for French, received a fire as unexpected as it proved 
annoying. The San-Rafael quickly put her helm up, and, 
returning one ineffectual shot as she wore, hastened out of range, 
as &rt as the little wind would permit her ; anchoring, the same 
afternoon, in company with M. Villeneuve's fleet. 

A very different story from all this is told in the publicatimt 
which the Moniteur was compelled to insert in the shape of a 
letter from M. Villeneuve, and a translation of which, as of a 
document of undoubted authenticity, went the rounds of the 
English newspapers. *' Le 19 floral," says this arrant piece of 
fei^ry, " me trouvant h la hauteur prescrite par mes instruc- 
tions, j'ai, conformement & leurcoatenu, remis i I'amiral One- 

* Prfcis des Evtnemena, tone xL, p. ISA. 
t See p. 243. 



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332 BRITISH AND FRANCO-SPANISH FLEETS. ISOfi. 

Tina ses d^p^ches, et, sur le signal qui en&^6 fait, ax vaisseaux 
de S. M. C., deux frigates et deux bricks de S. M. I., ee sont 
nmg^e sous aon pavilion ; roub avons €i6 en vue le reste de la 
Boiree, mais le lendemain je n'en ai plus de coantussaace, et j'ai 
lien de le croire reDdre ^ sa destination. Jm 24, an point du 
jour, j'ai donn6 dans le canal de Sainte-Lucie, et dans lajoum^ 
je mouillai h. la Mavtinique, avec I'escadre que m'a confiee S.M. 
et deux vaisseaux et une fregate espagnoU." The number of 
French and Spanish ships that entered Martinique, as counted 
both from the Diamond rock, and the Tntoo West-Indiamaa 
which lay in Basae-Terre road, Sainte-Lucie, agrees exactly with 
the statement as we have given it. But, it being p. m. when the 
fihips passed, the two accounts are dated, according to log-time, 
OD the 14th instead of on the 13th of May. That the last is the 
correct date appears, not only from the above letter (there bein^ 
no interest to deceive in that particular), but from an entry in 
the rfile d'^quipage of the French ship Formidable, to which we 
have had reference. 

Even French historians were led into error by the Moniteur's 
foi^eries : " L'Amiral Glravina," says M. Dumas, " ne se s£para 
point de lui (Villeneuve) pour remplir une mission particiili&re, 
et c'est encore un fait que nous devions retablir ; il mouilla ^ la 
Martinique avec le reste de la flotte combin^e et ne la quitta 
point: ceci doit servir d'erratum au premier para gmphe de la 
page 131, ou, tromp^s par divers rapports omciele, nous avions 
dit que I'amiral Gravina, apr^s a'Stre d^tach^ de la flotte com- 
binee pour porter des secoure ^ Porto- Rico et h la Havane, ^tait 
Tenu la rejoindre iL sa station aux ilea du Vent."* The object 
of all this fraud was evidently to induce the British government 
to weaken sUII more the force in the Channel, by detaching a 
greater number of ships to the West Indies ; and that object, 
we believe, was partly accomplished. 

Lord Nelson, whom on the 4th of May we left refitting his 
fleet in Mazari bay,f was enabled, early on the 6th, by the 
emulation and activity of those be commanded, and by a sudden 
change of wind to the eastvrard, to weigh and make sail to the 
westward. Such, indeed, was Lord Nelson's haste to getaway, 
that the Superb was recalled from Tetuah, just as the cattle 
and other refreshments for the fleet were being brought down to 
the beach ; and which, in consequence, the ship was obliged to 
leave behind. On the 7th, at 2 p. m., a failure of the breeze 
obliged the Victory and some of the other ships .to anchor ia 
Rozia bay, Gibraltar. In the course of the afternoon Rear- 
admiral Sir Richard Bickerton, who was to be left as the com- 
manding officer in the Mediterranean, shifted his flag from the 
Roya]-&>vereign to the Amfitrite (late Spanish) frigate; and, a 



* Fr^ds des Ev^nemens, bHue xii., p. 417, 
t Sec p. 32». 



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180& LORD NELSON AND M. VILLENEUVE. 333 

fine easterly wind now again springing up, Lord Nels(«i, at 6 
r. u., weigBed and stood through the Straits. 

It had beeo his lordship's iateQlion, on the suppositioR that 
the Freach were bound to Ireland, to have proceeded to a spot 
about 50 leagues to the westward of Scilly ,* but some intelli- 
gence, of an undoubted character, pointing to the West Indies 
as the real destination of the combined fleet. Lord Nelson le- 
soWed, at every risk of professional censure, to follow it thither. 
That informadon was derived from Rear-admiral Donald 
Campbell (by birth a Scotchman), of the Portuguese navy, well 
known to Lord Nelson, from having previously served under 
him, and from havin?) on a former occasion, rendered some 
essential service to the British. For his visit to the Victory^ 
Rear-admiral Campbell appears to have suffered most severely. 
Notwithstanding the rigid secrecy observed by Lord Nelson, the 
Spanish naval commander-in-chief at Algeziras got hold of the 
circumstance, and made a formal complaint against the rear- 
admiral. This brought down the vengeance of the French 
ambassador at the court of Portugal, and Rear^dmiral Camp- 
bell was laid upon the shelf.* 

On the lOth, in the evening, the fleet anchored in Lagos bay, 
to clear some transports which had been left there by Sir John 
Orde, when the latter retreated from before M. Villeneuve. 
Having, in the course of the night, by extraordinary exertions, 
completed his ships to live montns' provisions. Lord Nelson, at 

9 A. H. on the 11th, weighed and sailed out of the bay. Hie 
expected arrival from En^and of a Beet of transports, with 5000 
troops on board under General Sir James Craig, induced his 
lordship to remain a short time off Cape St.* Vincent ; and on 
the l2tD, in the afternoon, the Queen 98, Rear-admiral Knight> 
and Dragon 74, Captain Edward Griffiths, with their valuable 
charge, joined company. In order to afford to the convoy aa 
additional protection in its passage through the Straits, Lord 
Nelson detached the Royal-Sovereign ; and, with his remaining 

10 ships of the line end three frigates, namely, the Victory* 
Canopus, Superb, Spencer, Swiilsure, Belleisle, Conqueror,-f 
Tigre, and Leviathan, and Amazon, Decade, and Amphioo, 
crowded sail to the westward, in chase of an enemy's fleet 
which, he knew, consisted of 18 ships of the line, and at least 
treble his number of frigates. One of the British ships too, 
the Superb, not having been in a home-port since the l6th of 
January, 1801, was in a very crazy state ; and it was only upon 
the urgent solicitation of Captain Keats, that the Superb was 
allowed to make one in the pursuing fleet. 

Lord Nelson has been accused of rashness, in being so eager 

> Clarke and H* Arthur, vol. ii., p. 406. 

i For this ship a contemporary hai 
Pnnk Sotheron, left by Lord Nelson ii 
p. 439. 



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334 BRITISH AND TVAVCOSPASWR FLEETS. ISOS. 

to engage a force OMrly doable his own ; but it sbonld be r^ 
collectea, that he fiilly expected to be joined, oo reaching Btw- 
faadoes, by six sail of the line. During his passage to the West 
Indies, Lord Nelson prepared a plan of aUack, to be adopted in 
case he should overtake the enemy's fleet. The plan met the 
general approval of his officers ; but we cannot discover by it 
whether the vice-admiral contemplated a meeting before w aher 
the expected reinforcement.* 

On the l&th of May the British fleet made Madeira ; and on 
the 29th the Amazon was sent on to Barbadoes, to enable Reai- 
admiral Cochrane to have his ships ready for the expected juno- 
tion. On the 3d of June Lord Nelson gained, for the first time, 
certain intelligence that the combined fleet was in the West 
Indies ; and oa the 4th he anchored with his squadron in Cariisle 
bay. Here he found Rear-admiral Cochrane, with only the 
Northumberland and Spartiate 74s, his remaining four ships 
having been detained by Rear-admiral Dacres at Jamaica. An 
unfounded report, circulated, no doubt, on purpose to mislead, 
that the enemy was bound to Tobago and Trmidad, induced the 
vice-admiral to receive on board bis ships 2000 troops under 
General Myers, and to proceed with them, on the morning of 
the 5th, towards those two islands. On the 7tb, when in the 
gulf of Paris, the British discovered that they had been misled ; 
and, although so far to leeward, the fleet arrived on the 9th, off 
Grenada. Here Lord Nelson received accounts that the enemy 
had passed the island of Dominique on the 6th, steering to the 
northward. Having, on the mnning of the 13th, reached 
Antigua, the British fleet there disembarked the troops ; and at 
nom the same day, taking with him the Spartiate, Captain 
Francis Laforey, but leaving the Northumberland to remain as 
Rear-admiral Cochrane's flag-ship on the station, Lord Nelson, 
with 11 sail of the line, stood to the northward ; not absolutely 
in purauit of an enemy, whose force he knew to consist of at 
least 18 tail of the line, but in the hope, by a superior know- 
ledge of tactics, to reach the shores of Europe before him. 

In one of thoae unreserved conversations which he occasionally 
held with his captains when visiting him on board the Victory, 
Lord Nelson is represented to have said, in reference to the object 
which had drawn him so far from his station : " I am thankfhl 
that the enemy lias been driven from the West-India islands with 
BO little loss to our country" (alluding to the capture of the 
Antigua convoy) ; " I had made up my mind to great sacrifices, 
for 1 had determined, notwithstanding his vast superiority, to 
Stop his career, and to put it out of his power to do any further 
mischief. Yet do not imagine I am one of those hot-brained 



* That plan, being (he work or on acknowledEed proficieDt. maj « 
propriety be tianscribed into these pages. It wm therefore be fbunii 
14a. 36 of the Appendii. 



i.,Ck")t")^[c 



IMS. LOKD MBLSOM AMD K. YILLESEUVL 335 

people wbo fight at isimeose disadvantage, without any adequate 
c^ect. My object is partly gaioed. If we meet them, we sball 
find them not Ims than 18, I rather think. 20, sail of the line ; 
and tberrfore do not be surprised if I should not fall on thna 
immediately. We- won't part without a battle. I think they 
will be glad to let me alone, if I will let them alone ; which I will 
do, either till we approach the shores of Europe, or they give me 
an advantage too tempting to be Tesisted."* And yet the two 
writers, from whose work this extract is taken, seldom indulge 
in their own remarks without making a perfect braggadocio of 
their hero. Mr. Sonthey is nearly as baa as Messieurs Clarke 
•nd M'Arthur. Much, indeed, has the memory of this great 
man suflered by the overweening zeal of his biographers. 

On the veiy day, June 9th, on which Lord Nelson arrived off 
the island of Grenada, Napoleon, writing from Milan, says ; " Je 
snis d'opinion, cependant, que Nelson est encore dans lea meis 
d'Earope. Le sentiment le plus naturel est qu'il devrait StEe 
lentr^ en Aneleterre pour ae ravitailler et verser ses equipages 
car d'autrea bStimens ; car ses vaisseaux ont besoin d'entrer dans 
le bassin, et son escadre pent £tre consid6ree comme etant en 
tr^mauvaix ^tat."t The latter part of this statement was true 
enough, but Napoleon did not seemingly reflect what might be 
done by such a man aa Nelson. The velocity, as well as the 
direction, of the British admiral's movements had quite out- 
stripped the French emperor's calculations. 

That M. Villeneuve was not, in reality, with IS sail of th& 
hoo running from 11, is natural to suppose; and yet many 
persoas, both in France and England, have thought otherwise. 
Nor, indeed, could the French admiral's departure from Mar^ 
tinique have had any possible reference to the arrival of the 
British admiral at Baibadoes, owing to the simple fact, that the 
two occurrences took place on the same day. M. Villeneuve's 
instructions, as well as we can collect what they were from the 
mass of orders and counter-orders which issued on the subject. 



nay afford us some clue to the French admiral's proceedings. 

In the publisbed correspondence between the Emperor Ne 
pol6on and his minister of marine, a break occurs of nearly seven 



moDths, from September 29, 1804, to April 14, 1806. As, in 
the interim, the Toulon fieet had twice sailed, and the last time 
had got &irly to sea, this hiatus happens lather inopportunely. 
Coupling the April and September instructions, however, we 
may gather, that M. Villeneuve was neither to detach shipa to 
take St.-Helena, nor, with the aid of the Rochefort 8quadron> 
himself to capture Surinam and the other Dutch colonies in the 
Antilles;! ^"^ *^^ OQ being joined by the Spaniards, he was 



* Ckrke and H* Arthur, voL ii., p. 419. 
f Pi«ciides£vtoesu»,tOBie».,p.M7. 
i See 9.341. 



,i,zedi!v Google 



336 BRITISH AND FRANC0-3FAHISH FLEETS. 1805. 

to proceed etraight to Martinique, and, with the 5100 men oa 
board the combined fleet, capture Sainte-Lucie, if not alreedv 
taken by the Rochefort squadron ; leave a garrison there, ana, 
if necessary, strengthen the garrisons of Dominique, Martinique, 
and Guadaloupe, the two latter of which bad already, the ooe 
1500, the other 1600 troops. He was then to wait a month in 
the Antilles, in order to atlbrd Vice-admiral Oanteauise an op- 
portunity of joining with his 21 sail of the line ; and, to make 
the intervening time pass profitably as well as pleasantly, be 
was to do all possible injury to the enemy, " faire tout le mal 
possible & I'enneini." The goremor^enerals of Martinique and 
of Guadaloupe, Vice -admiral Villaret Joyeuse and General 
Enouf, were to lend their aid, and, if necessary, a portion of 
their respective garrisons, towards the fulfilment of this object. 
The want of provisions in the fleet, or of unanimity in the 
council, or some other unexplained cause, kept M. Villeneuve'a 
ships ill the harbour of Fort- Royal until the latter end of May ; 
when two of the 74b moved out to attack, the Diamond rock, 
which, with its sloop's company of officers and men, still per- 
sisted to fire at and annoy eveiy French vessel that passed within 
range of its heavy cannon. 

llie expedition destined to retake this very harassing and not 
informidaole "king's ship," consisting of the Pluton and Ber- 
wick 74s, 36-eim frigate Sirfene, 16-gun brig-corvette Argos, 
Fine armed schooner, and II gun-boats, nnder the orders of 
Commodore Cosmao of the Pluton, having on board from 300 
to 400 troops of the line commandid by chef d'escadron Boyer. 
On the 29th of May, at 5 h. 30 m. p.m., the expedition sailed from 
Fort-Royal. By the morning of the 30tb the ships had not made 
much progress ; but on the 31st, at daybreak, they were far to 
windward of the rock, and at 7 a.m. bore down towards it. 
The Diamond had been blockaded ever since the arrival of the ' 
-combined fleet at Martinique : therefore Captain Maurice, when 
he saw Commodore Cosmao's squadron sail out, anticipated its 
destination, and prepared accordingly. 

CoDBtdenng it impossible to defend the lower works against 
Buch a force as was approaching, Captain Maurice abandoned 
them, spiking the two guns, drowning the powder, and cutting 
away the launch from the landing place. At S a. m. the ships 
opened their fire ; which was returned by Hood's battery and 
rort-Diamond, the one being the 24-pounder about midway 
up the rock, the other the two 18-pounders on its summit. The 
ships bombarded the rock dnring the 31st of May and Ist of 
June, and until 4h. 30m. p.m. on the 2d; when Captain 
Maurice, having, as he states, " but httle powder left, and not a 
sufficient quantity of ball-cartridges to last until dark," tfaretr 
out a flag of truce. At 5 p. h. the Fine schooner hoisted a 
similar flag; and terms honourable to the garrison, which con- 
sisted of 107 officers and men, were agreed to the same eTening. 



1805; LORD NELSON AND M. VILLENEUVE. 337 

In their defence oF this extraordinary post, the British bus- 
tained a loss of only two men killed, and one man wounded. 
The chef d'escadron Boyer enumerates the loss of the French 
troops, "from a hasW calculation," at about 60 inkilled and 
wounded. Captain Maurice considers the loss of the French, 
who landed at the foot of the rock, to have amounted to at least 
30 men killed and 40 wounded, excluuvely of the loss sustained 
on board the ships and boats. Three gun-boats and two rowing 
boats are stated to have been entirely lost On his subsequent 
trial by court-martial, Captain Maurice was not only moBt 
honourably acquitted for the loss of the Diamond rock, but 
highly complimented for his firm and determined behaviour. 

On the 1st of June, while the governor-general. General 
Lauriston, Admirals Villeneuve and Oravina, and a number of 
other officers, were inspecting the Diamond rock from the con- 
tiguous shore, the French 4&-gun frigate Dldoo, Captain Pierre- 
Bernard Milius, arrived from Guadaloupe; bringing Iregh in- 
structions from Napol6on, and likewise intelligence that two 
French 74b had arrived at that island as a reinforcement to the 
combined fleet. The Didon had sailed from Lorient on the 2d 
of May, with duplicates of the instructions, with wliich, on the 
day previous. Rear-admiral Magon, with the two new 74-gun 
ships Alg^sirss, Captain Gabriel-Auguste Brouard, and Achiile, 
Captain Gabriel Denieport, had sailed from Rochefort. In 
those instructions Napoleon directs that Vice-admiral Villeneuve, 
and General Lauriston, having now with the 2100 troops com- 
posing (see p. 336) the. united garrisons of Martinique and Gua- 
daloupe, the 3400 carried out by Rear-admiral Missiessy, the 
5100, including Spaniards in the combined fleet, and the 840 
on board Rear-admiral Magon^s two ships, upwards of 11,400 
men, do take St-Vincent, Antigua, Grenada ; " et pourquoi ne 
prendrait-on pas laBarbade?" Certainly, there was no reason 
why, among the " ten Windward islands, including Tobago and 
Trinidad,^ Barbadoes alone should escape free. Tobago naving 
been a French island, was not to be ill-treated, but such of the 
other English colonies, as it might not be convenient to retain, 
were to he stripped and pillaged thus : " II ne &udrait point 
maltraiter I'ile de Tobago, parcequ'elle est frangaise ; mais pour 
les autres colonies anglaises qu'on jugerait devoir abandonner 
apr^s les avoir occupies, on pourrait en tirer la moitie des noirs, 
lever one contribution sur les habitans, en 6ter I'artiUerie, et 
vendre les noirs il la Martinique et tl la Guadaloupe."* 

Having done all this, and waited in the Antilles for the Brest 
fleet 35 days from the day of receiving his despatches. Vice- 
admiral Villeneuve was to proceed straight to Feirol, to carry into 
effect, in the way already explained,f Uie ultimate object of tbft 

* PrfcU des Evbnemeni, tome zi., p. 477. 

t See p. 300, 

TOL. III. Z .^ . 

Dci,l,zedl!vCjOOglC 



338 BBXnBH ASn> FBANCO'fiFANiaH tLEKK. 1806. 

•zpedHkti ; and, CMBpftied to whidi, io the eyes of Napol6(Hi, 
tbe csiitBiB and pillage of the Britieh West-India islands was 
mere coild's play. 

Ootbe 'khof June the comluned fleet, composed of the Huoe 
veaseli with which it had anchored, exc^t the Santa-Madaleoa 
Torche, Najade, and Cyane, and baving on board in addition to 
the troops it bad brought out, a portion of the gairison of 
Martinique, set sail from the harbour of Fort-Rojral, steering a 
northerly course. On the same or following day the two 74s, 
Ale^Biras and Achille, which had arriTed at Guadalonpe on tbe 
29Ui of the preceding month, and had sailed on tbe 2d of Jane 
in eearch of uie admiral, effected their junction. On tbe 6th M. 
Villeneuve lay to off the road of Basse-Terte, and received on 
board his fleet a portion of the garrison of Guadalonpe. 

Thus reinforced, the French admiral, with his 20 sail of the 
line, seren Irigates, and two l»igB, passed to windward of 
Montserrat and Redundo, aad to, leeward of Antigua, with what 
precise object in view has never been satisfactOTily ex|daiaed. 
However ctmcealment or a distortion of facts might suit the 
poUcy of Napol6on, it was aiming a deadly blow at toe reputation 
of his officers to make their pubUc letters the channel of his 
blseboods. In M. Villeneuve's letter of 8 thennidor (26th of 
July), published in the Moniteur of August 11, a void occurs 
between the day of his departure from Martinique, "le 16 
prairial," or 4ta of June, and that on which be'^^made Cape 
Finisterre, "le 21 messidor," or 9tb of July. Not a word is 
there about the junction of the two 74b, or the abstiacticm of the 
colonial garrisonB ; a tolerable proof that one or more impoitaut 
parBgra[ms had been suppressed. 

On tbe 8th, having douoled Antigua, as if with the real inten- 
tion of operating among the British ishmds, M. Villeneuve received 
intelligence from an American schooner, that in the north-north- 
east he would find a British homeward-bound convoy, which 
had sailed the day previous from that island. Chase was imme- 
diately givoi ; andnefore night the Franco-Spanish fleet over^ 
todc 16 sail of merchant vessels, under the protectioa of iba 
British 28>gun frigate Barbadoes, Captain Joseph Nourse, and 
14-gun schooner Netley, Lieutenant Richard Harward. The two 
men of war effected their escape; but the merchantmen, valued 
viith their cargoes at five millions of francs, were captniod. The 
prizes were given in charge to the Sir^e frigate, with orders to 
escort them to Guadaloupe, and rejoin the fleet off the Westeam 
Islands. 

Scarcely had tbe frigate and her rich, convoy parted company, 
than a rumour reachra Admiral Villeneuve, derived, no doub^ 
from some of the [msoDers, that Lord Melsw had arrived in the 
West Indies in search of him. Smarting under their heavy 
losses, and suspecting from the troops on boatd, that the com- 
bined fleet, even yet, was destined to act agunst loaie ot tbe 



1805. XAHD NELSON AKD U. VTUSXEVTE, 339 

BritiBb coloaies (nearly the wbole of which, according to & 
I^nch writer, had dmwn up the capitolations they meant to 
firopofle to M. Vitlenenve, and counted out the sums of money 
tbey could afford to pay him for their ransom*), the merchant* 
masters did, most probably, exaggerate the British force under 
Lord Nelson, in the hope to driye the French admiral back td 
Europe. If bo, the plan produced its effect ; for, on the 9tb or 
10th, all the troops which bad been withdrawn 6rom Martinirme 
and Ouadalonpe were precipitately embarked on board the 
Hortense, Didon, Hemaiooe, and Themis fngates, with orders to 
Captain La-MarrC'la-Meillerie, of the Hortense, the senior 
officer, to diaembait them at the laat^iemed island, and then to 
rejoin tbe fleet at the appointed rendezTons. 

That, in acting thus, the French admiral was but obeying his 
ordera, is to be mferred from the fact, that Napoleon anticipated 
that M. VilleneoTe wonld return strai^t to ETurope on learning 
that he was pursued. "Je h&terai moaarriT^(& JBoulc^^) de 
quelques jours, parce que je pense que I'arriv^ de Nelaon" 
f whose force he in another place states at " dix seuls vaisseaux"), 
*' en Am^ique, pourrait poasser Villenenve k partir pour le 
Ferrol.f The only act for which Napol^n blamed M, Ville- 
neure, was for not leaving at Martinique and Guadaloupe 
the troops which the fleet bad carried out. In his anger, at the 
partial lailure of his projects, tbe French emperor did certainly 
attribute this omission on the part of M. Villeaenre, to fright^ 
" ^pouvante," at the rumour of his being punued ; but, at a 
subsequent day, when the thoughts of invading England had 
long ceased to agitate his breast, Buonaparte frankly admitted 
that Villenenve was a brave man.J 

On the 26th of June, when, having executed their mission, 
they were returning to the fleet, the Didon, Hermione, Hortense, 
and Themis fell in with the Sir^ne and her valuable charge ; and 
that but a short distance to wmdward of the spot whence the 
latter had made sail 17 days before. Coupling tbe time 
already lost vritb tbe time it would still take to get a fleet of dull- 
sailing merchantmen so far to windward as Guadaloupe, Captain 
La-Bferre-la-Meillerie determined to bear up with them for 
PortoRico. On the following day, tbe 27th, when about 180 
miles to north-east of Barbuda, the British ISi-gun ship-sloops. 
Kingfisher, Captain Richard William Cribb,and Osprey, Captain 
Timothy ClincD, appeared in sight to windward, and were 
chased by tbe French frigates. In making sail to escape, tbe 
two sloops hoisted signals and fired guns, as if to a Qeet ahead. 
This had the deairea effect. The chasing ships immediately 
bore up ; and, in a very little time, the whole 15 merchant 

• Victoim et ConquStes, U>me xri., p. 121. 
+ Vt^da des Eviaemcns, tome si., p. 282. 
■ J See CMean'i N^wlAin b Eifle. vol U p. 57. 
z 2 

Dci,l,zedl!v Google 



340 BHITHH AND FBAN CO-SPANISH FLEETS. 1805. 

Tessels, with all the ixim and sugar and cofiee od board, were in 
Hames. A French writer confirms the fact; calling by mistake 
the two sloops "frigates/' and seeming to be unapprised of the 
ruse that was practised.* 

On the 30th of June, when about 20 leagues to the north-east 
of the island of Corvo, the northernmost of the Azores, M. Vil- 
leneuve was rejoined by his five frigates. On the same day the 
X>idon captured and burnt an EngUsh privateer, of 14 guns and 
49 men. On the 3d of July the fleet recaptured the late Spanish 
galleon Matilda, with treasure on board to the estimated value 
of from 14 to 15 millions of france; and at the same time cap- 
tured the privateer, the Mars, of Liverpool, who had made prize 
of the galleon, and was conducting her to an English port. The 
privateer was set on fir^ and the galleon taken in tow by the 
Sircne frigate. Nothing further of consequence happened to the 
combined fleet until it arrived off Cape Finieterre pn the 9th of 
July; on which day a violent gale of wind from the north-east 
carried away the main topmast of the Indomptable, and other- 
wise slightly damaged some of the ships. The wind moderated, 
but continued to blow from the same adverse quarter, until a day 
or two before the 22d; when, with a favourable change of wind, 
occurred an event, the account of which had best be deferred till 
we have brought up the proceedinge of the chasing fleet. 

After quitting Antigua onthe ]3m of June,t Lord Nelson, sUU 
with no more than his own discretion for a guide, hastened 
towards Europe, and on the 17th of July came in sight of Cape 
St.-Vincent ; " making," abserves the admiral in his diary, " our 
whole run from Barbuda, day by day, 3459 miles. Our run 
from Cape St.-Vinceot to Barbaooes," be adds, " was 3227 
miles ; so that our run back was only 232 miles more than our 
Tun out, allowance being made for the difference of the latitudes 
and longitudes of Barbadoes and Barbuda ; average per day 34 
leagues wanting nine miles.'' On the following day, the IStb, 
being on his way to Gibraltar for provisions €r his fleet, Lord 
Ifelson fell in with Vice-admiral Collingwood, with the Dread- 
nought 98 and two other sail of the line ; but who bad not Uie 
slightest information to communicate beyond what his own 
.sagacity, and that was of no common kind, suggested. Vice- 
atteiiral Collingwood considered the voyage to the West Indies 
in the right point of view, merely as a means of drawing off the 
British force from the Channel, to admit of an attack upui 
Ireland ; and, it will be recollected, a disembarkation on Ireland 
ivas one of the preliminary steps in Napoleon's plan, j; 

On the 19th of July the British fleet anchored in Gibraltar 
bay ; and " on the 20th," says Lord Nelson in his diary, " I went 

* Victoirea et Coiiqu6tes, tome xvi., p. 126. 
f See p. 334. 

j Se« p. 217 i bIm a letter Trom Yice-admtral Collingwood to Lord Nebaa. 
on this subject, Appendix, No. 37. 



1805; LOED NELSON AND M. VlLtENEUVE. 341 

on sbore for the firet time since June 16, 1803, and from having 
my foot out of the Victory, two years wanting 10 days," On 
the 22d the fleet weighed and stood across to Tetuan to water, 
aochoring at 8 p. h. in Mazari bay. On the 24tb, at noon, the 
fleet again got under way and steered for Ceuta, and remained 
during the night in the gut, with variable winds and a thick fog. 
On the 25th the 18-gun ship-sloop Termagant, Captain Robert 
Pettet, from England, joined, witn information that the brig- 
sloop Curieux, on her way home with Lord Nelson's despatches, 
had, on the 19th of June,* in latitude 33° 12' north, longitude 
58° west, fallen in with the combined fleet, steering, at first, 
north by west, but afterwards north-north-wesL This intelli- 
gence, stale as it was in beine communicated five weeks after it 
bore date, was the earliest, of a positive nature, which the vice- 
admiral had received. 

A(^r passing the Straits, Lord Nelson bore away to the west- 
ward, and then proceeded off Cape St.-Vincent, to be ready to 
sleer more northerly as circumstances might direct. On the 3d 
of August the fleet was in latitude 39° north, longitude 16° west, 
with light northerly airs. By his acuteness. Lord Nelson, about 
this time, extracted from a log-book, found by an Americaa 
merchant ship on hoard a vessel which had been set on fire and 
abandoned, but not destroyed, some far from unimportant infor- 
mation. The circumstances, as related by each of Lord Nelson'a 
biographers, are as follows : " A log-book and a few seamen's 
jackets were found in the cabin, and these were brought to 
Nelson. The lo^-book closed with these words : ' Two larae 
vessels in the W.N.W.;' and this led him to conclude that the 
vessel had been a Liverpool privateer cruising off the Western 
Islands. But there was in this book a scrap of dirty paper, 
filled with figures. Nelson, immediately upon seeing it, observed 
that the figures were written by a Frenchman ; and, after 
Studying this for a while, said, ' 1 can explain the whole. The 
jackets are of French manufiicture, and prove that the privateer 
was in possession of the enemy. She had been chased and 
taken by the two ships that were seen in the W.N.W. The 
prize-master, going on board in a hurry, forgot to take with him 
his reckoning : there is none in the log-book, and the dirty paper 
Contains her work for the number of days since the privateer left 
Corvo, with an unaccounted-for run, which I take to have been 
the chase, in his endeavour to find out her situation by back- 
reckoning. By some misman^ement I conclude she was run 
on board by one of the enemy's ships and dismasted. Not liking 
delay (for I am satisfied that those two ships were the advanced 
ones of the French squadron), and fancying we were close at 
their heels, they set fire to the vessel, and abandoned her in a 

* * Both Southey in tus, and Clarke and M' Arthur in their, " Life gf 
NeboQ,' make this the 19th of July i a gerious mistake, Seep.aOl. 

XtOo^Ic 



S42 BEITISB MUD FBAKCO-SPANISB fLEGrS. 1805k. 

liuny.'" Th« compilen (^ the anecdote, unfbrtcnately, have 
omitted the dates, both of the last entry in the log-book, aad of 
the day mi which the wreck was fallen in wiu< We might 
otherwise have been able to show, that it was the late LiVeipool 
privateer Mars herself, which had given lise to Lord Nelson's 
speculations. If so, the jackets had probably belonged to some 
of the Matilda's crew, and the scrap of paper been written 
upon by a Spaniard. Whichever way it was, the inference 
Temaioed just as the vice-admiral had drawn it, that the cap- 
turing fleet had steered to the northward. 

A northerly coarse thus appearing to have been taken by 
M. Villeneuve, a northerly course was taken by his ardent 
pursuer, but, to tlie tatter's regret, against northerly winds and 
nazy weather. On the 8th of August the wind became more 
favourable. On the 12th the Niobe frigate joined from the 
Channel fieet, but, strange to say, still without intelligence. 
On the 15th Lord Ifelson bimself joined Admiral Comw&llis 
off Ushant, from whom he heard all that had happened, and, on 
the same evening, proceeded with the Victory and Superb to 
Portsmouth ; leaving the remainder of his fleet (except the 
Belleisle, who steered for Plymouth) as a reinforcement to the 
Channel fleet* On the 18th the Victory and Superb anchored 
at Spitbead; and Lord Nelson shortly afterwards struck his 
flag and went on shore. 

* See p. 302. 



iiizedbv Google 



APPENDIX. 



A list of ships of the line and friaatcs, late belonging to the French navy, 
captured, destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during 
the year 1799. 

KODs. How, when, ud wlicre Ion. 






50 (T) Lemder -.».. _-~.^ der of Corfii, and restored to 

England by the Emperor of 

Captured, Pebruair 28, W the 

) ^orte ^.^■i British frigate Sib^lle, off B^- 

( gal river, East Indies. 

Junon f C.p™^=d, Jme IS by . BritU, 

ii.u_iA J squadron under Captain- Mark- 

SSS,™vr.::.-r— I Ss^^;"™''"'"'""- 
ck™»« \ "~'Si2,r°'" '"■ °" "^ 

rDestroyed, December 11, after 



j having been run on shore n 



Freneuse ■< Fort-Louis, Isle of Fiance, by 

I the Tremendous, 74, and Ada- 

t mant, 50. 

C Captured, February 9, by the Bri- 
Prudeate < tish frigate Dsedalus, near the 

C Cape of Good Hope. 
^ , 5 Captured, August 20, by the Bri- 

^^^^ ■• i tish frimte Clyde, off Bordeaux. 

!>_.„ ( Captured, with the Leander at 

^™" I torfu. 

■"p-*"" I '=?4"S.t"C;%ffi^: 



iiizedbv Google 



A list of ships of the line and frigates, late belon^ng b> th« Datcfa oariy 
cu)tured, destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accideatally burnt, during the 
jeorlfW. 



(0) Washington TCaptured, August 30, by toIud- 

(P) Cerberus i taiy surrendering (the seamen 

„ De Ruyter J having refused to fight agaioEt 

„ GueMerland 1 the orange flag) to a British 

„ Leyden « I squadron under Vtce-admind 

„ Utrecht L Mitchell, in the Vlieter, Tesel. 

C Captured, August 28, by the same 

... Verrachten i British squadron.in the Nieueve 

( Diep, Teie). 

(T)'BalavieT ( Captured, with the WashingbiQ 

„ Beschenner { and squadron. 

„ Broederchap 1 

... Belle- Antoinette „ { 

— n'*"fo,"'*'^ I Captured, with the Vemchteo 

:;: Extedit'ie"""":"."".";;"r »nd«i«»'i«"'- 

(V) Hector 

, » Uni J 



(W) Mars ? Captured, with the Waslungtwi 

"UsS'. rr.=::l "Ji>»«.-»>- ^ 



Heldin .. 

AS'^-'-■'"■'l"7Z iL'^P*'."^' r^^ ^° Vervachten 



::: poiiock"."::.r™;:::::::::;f ^'^"^'"^^ 

, (O) Venus J 



ii:,Gooj^lc 



APPENDIX. 



Mo. 3. See p. 2. 



A list of ships of the line aod frigates, late belonring to the Spanish na.-ij' 
ct^tured, destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or acddenially burnt, during the 



Hmr, whtn, uid whm lent. 



... Guadalupe .. 



... Santa-Brigida 

(i)) Santa-Teresa .—, 



... Thetis . 



{Destroyed, March 16,byb^ngnin 
on shore by the Centaur 74, and 
Cormorant 20, near Cape Oro- 
peso, Mediterranean. 
r Captured, October 26, by beinff 
J cutout of Puerto-Caballo,South 
■"1 America, by the boats of the 
I. Surprise frigate. 
rCajptured, October 18, bya British 
..A irigate-squadron, near Cape Fi- 
\ nisterre. 

r Captured, Febniarj' 6, by the Ai^ 
J 4i, in company witJi the Levis- 
•"J than 74, near Majorca, Mediter- 
t. ranean. 

r Captured, October 17, by the Bri- 
1 tish frigate Etholion, in company 
"■■ I with the Naiad and others, near 
L Ferrol. 



An abstract of French, Diitcli, and Spanish aliips of tiic line and frigates, 
captured, &c. during the year 1799. 




Du. 7 


7 


6 


Fr. 9 11 


11 


» 


Du. 17 


17 


II 


s^ 4. 1 ... 


5 


2 



.« 40 M 

Dg.l.zedl!,GOO'"^lc 



A fist of diipa Bnd veasda laU belonfpng to the British navj, a^tnre^ 
de«Croyod,wr«cked. ibuudeTed, or accidentBlly burnt, duriog the year 1799. 



^.JonalhaD Faulknor 



[■Wrecked, October 19, t 

Langstone and Chichester : 



64 (P) Sccptie .. 

CnnfriE. 

38-J 

t, „ Etbalion 

36 (O) iu&w 

28 (i) Progerpine ... 
' r(7^ Nautiliw 

J 

\.(r) Tiinwmali... 

18 (¥) OretUt 

I- (b) AmaraiOhe ... 

"i 

L « Weazle 

Onn-bile 

r (f) Deux-Aim... 

u\ 

1(g) CoDtat 

10 (h) Fortune...... 

Om-ufa. 

U (0 Fot 

6 ■(") 



Peter HalkeU... 
John Clarke Searle { 



{Wrecked, December 5, in Table 
Bay, Cape of Good Hope : 
29 1 of the crew perished. 
' Wrecked, Januaiy 7, on the 
coast of Holland : creir saved. 
Wrecked, December 25, on the 
Penmarcks : crew saved, 
r Wrecked, October 9, off the 
Lancelot Skynner .- Vlie-isWd, coast of Hcllaod : 
L crew, except two, perished. 

{Wrecked, February I, in the 
river Elbe : crew, except 15, 

H™, Gum, S "'?''"''h «'T^ 2, oIIW 

■' ( borough Head: crew saved. 

'Destroyed, October li!, by being 
blown up in action with a 

John Howe J French privateer, in the 

Straits of Babelinandel : crew 
, perished. 

{Foundered, exact date unknown, 
in a hurricane in the Indian 
ocean ! crew perished. 
' Wrecked, in September, on the 
John Blake . coast of Florida ; and many of 

I the crew perished on shore 

with hunger. 

["Wrecked, .mnuair IS, in Bam- 

Hon. Henry Grey < stable Bay : crew, except the 

I, purser, perished. 

f Wrecked, May 23, on the back 

Hen. Smith Wilson J of the Isle of Wight : crew 

C Wrecked, exact dale unknown, 
John Ides Short ... \ off the coast of Holland : crew 

C Captured, May 8, by a squadroD 

of Frendi fngates, off the cont 

of Syria. 

Wrecked, September 28, ia the 

gulfof Mexico : crew saved. 



Lewis Davis _ 



Wm. Wooldridge.. 



( Captured, exact date unki»wn, 
.. Tbonas White .... \ by two SpMuA tn^ua, off 
( Cubs. 



APPENDIX. 
No. 5 " eon Hm tetl. 



Hanw. CamaandO'. tfuw, wboi, and vheie tort. 

f Wrecked, October U, on the cout 
(q) NuBEtu Geo^ Tripp, .» -j of Halland! aew, except 42. 

( Wrecked, February, on Barking 
(r) Grainpui..»Gearge Hut < ehtif, near Woolwich: crew 



(0 1 



1 the 



C Wrecked, Norember 16, on the 
£irpM(...~~J<Mia>BaK....... ^ Goodwin Samb: crew nredL 

I Was Atalante. 
(w) Iiawie-de-Grttee,..^,„-.^ Captured aJong with Fortutir. 



Cipt. Dot. Wrcdud. Ponndered. BniDt. 



Ships of the line. 

„ under the line .... 



Total.. 



No. e. See p. 3. 



For tfae pay and maintenance durine the fint two lunar £ t. d. 

montns, of 120,000 seamen, including 22,696 mHrinea, 
and during tne remaining eleven lunar montlis, of 
110,000 seamen, including the same number of marines 5,437,500 

„ the wear and tear of ships, &c 4,350,000 

^ tlie ordinary expenses of the navy, including the halt 
pay to sea aod murine officers ; also the eipen»e of 

(waMndnance „ « 1,169,«9 13 11 

„ tlie extraordinaries ; including the building and re- 
pairing of ^ips, and other extra work 772,140 

„ the expense of the transport service 1,300,000 

„ themainlenontvof priaoners of war in health 500,000 

n die care and DMintenanoe of uck prisoners of war.._«. 90^000 

Total siqrpUes granted Ibr the seMervice M£19,61ff,07I> 13- II 



Dcmizedbv Google 



No. 7. Seep. 4. 

Paris, le 5 niToge an riii de la T^publique. 
Bonaparle, prenucr ctmttd de la riptAUqae frattfoite, i mo mt^jetU Urn de la 
Grande-Bretagne et tCIriande. 

Appel£ psT le 7<xu de la nation fraufMse ik occuper la premiere masu- 
tntiire de ia rfpublique, je crois convenable, en eatiant en charge, den 
&ire dircctement part a votre majesli. 

If guerre qui, depuis huit ans, ravage lea quaCre parties du monde, doit- 
elle^tre etemelle? o'est-il done aucun moven de s'entendre? 

Cotntnent les deux nations les plus 6ciaii^es de I'Europe, puissantes et 
fortes plus que ue I'esigent leur surety et leur iud^ndance, peuveot^Ues 
sacrifier a des id^ de raine eiaudeur le bien du commerce, la prospeiit^ 
iDtfiieure, lebonbeur des fttmilles? comment nesentenUelles pas que la pais 
est Ic premier des besoins comme la premiere de«gloires? 

Ces sentimcns ne peuvent pas £tre Strangers au cosur de TOtre majesty, qui 
gouveme une nation libre, et dans le seul but de la rendre heureuse. 

Votre majesty ne verm dans cette ouvcrture que mon Aiaa uoc^re de cod* 
tribuer cfficacement, pour la seconde fbia, a k pacification g<:D(^rale, par une 
d-marche prompie, toute de confiance, et d^gag6e de ces tonnes qui, n^ces- 
saires peut-ctre pour dfguiser la d^pendance des flats laibles, ne dtjc^knt 
dons les £tat8 forts que le d^ir de se tromper. 

La France, rAndetcrre, par I'obus de leurs forces, peuvent long-temps 
encore pour le nialheHr de tons les peuplcs, en retarder r^uisement ; man, 
j'ose le dire, le sort de toutcs les nations civilisi^es est attache a la fio (Tune 
guerre qui embraae le nionde cntier. 

, De TOtre majest^, etc. 

BONAFABTE. 



A list of ships of the line and frigates, late belonging to the French navy, 
aq>tured, destroved, wrecked, foundered, or acddenlally burnt, during the 
year 1800. 

N«ino. .1. How, nheo, Md nhneltat 

CmMlblr 

60 (K) GuiUaumo-TeU. J Captured. March 30, by a British 

^ ' > squadron off Molto, 

( Captured, February 16, by * 

74 (H)G£n«reux i British squadron in the Medi, 

( temwean. 

'■ 64 J f^^ Ath6nien....„ J Captui^ September 4. at the 

r \ ... D^ { surrender ot Malta. 

On-Mc. 

iCapture*], August 5, by the Bri- 
ish 64, Belliqueux, near Rio- 
Janeiro, South America- 
Captured, Aiwust 24, by a British 
squadron of Malta. 
Captured, August SS, by the 
British 38.gun frigUe Sdne, 
in the Mona Passage. 



APPENDIX. 349 

No. d—ctmtmued. 

Ho*, wlwD, aod where lot 



r Captured, July 6, by the Britidi 
r(5) I>£sii^ < 28-guB sloop Dart, in Dunkirk 

38 J r Cultured, February 6, by tbe 



r .„ Caithag&oise J^ 

«] re, 

L ... M6We -i 



r Captured, February ( . 
— ,, J Loire, Britisb frigate and other 

raiias... ■< ,essebnear the Seven Islands, 

I, coast of France. 
' Captured, with the Athfnien Bud 
D6go. 
Captured, August 5, by the Bom- 
bay-Castle, and Exeter Indio- 
num, in sight of the Belliqueux 
64, and convoy. 
rCaptured, October 22, by the 

28 ... Vfnus ■< Britisli frigates Vide&Ugable 

[_ and Fisgard, off Lisbon. 
No Dutch diip of mt as hi^ as a 24.gun corvette, captured, &c. during 

the year 1800. 
A list of ships of the line and frigates, late belonging to the Spanish navy, 
cafitured, destroyed, irrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during tHe 
year 1800. 

Stat. ConunudCT. Hot, vb«D, uul wbere lost 

OoD-Mc- ("Captured, April 7, by the Levi- 

„ 5 (D)Del.Cm.»..do» Fn,,ui»Porcel J •*?" '"'■■^^,Z"^^\^ 
« 1 \ ■'F,.™Un....dooM..2em.„,=,| ^t\cS'^S.'7 "Z 

An abstract of French, and Spanish ships and vesicls of war, captured. See. 
during the year 1600. 

Total Total 
LoRt thnjoffh Lot through Icat added 

tha tnaay. accident. ta tba to tba 

Capt. Den. Wrecked. Foasdextd. Boint "'^e*. imtt. 

Ships of the line.. Fr. 4 * 3 

„ . . ( Fr. 8 8 4 

Fr'8*»« I Sp. 2 .„ 2 2 

Total U 14 9 

No. 9. See p. 62, 
A list of ships and vessels, late beloiwing to the Britisli navy, capturect 
dtttroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the year 1800: 
Name. Canmanda'. How, when, and where loM. 

Onii->hlp 

ift« fr\\ n fv-.^C Lord Keith (Accidentally burnt and blown 

100 (D) «"*«■- Chat-) (V.-admiral).) up, March 17, off Leghorn ; 

'*'*'* i Andrew Todd ( crew, except 167, perished. 

f Wrecked, November 4, on a 
74 (O) Mailboim)gh...Tlionuts Sotheby i sunken rock near Beileisle : 
( crew saved. 

. .Google 



No. 



r, »lLnk,*Bd «tiB» ioat. 



["Wrecked, March 10, «a & 
Con-ddp I suDkea rock 25 leagues soudi- 

64 (F) Repulse'. James AJm* ■{ east of Ushant : crev, except 

LIO, saved on the Glraiaa 
islands, but made prisimerg. 

'S2 "(JO Stag Robert Winthrop,. | '^^^„^^^^' «, in Vigo 

Cdap.thip rCaptured, March 17, I7 her 

i(0) Daaai, Lord Proby™ J crew mutii^og and cartTii^ 
t, her into Brest, 
r Wrecked, exact date unknowD, 
OT<W™<..,..Co.».yB.^.e.J Z^'Ctl^^^S^ 
l_ the French. 
O-*-*- f Wrecked, January 29, near 

1(5) Bnnen James HaDeoB....J Brighton : crew, except one 
I man, pcrithed. 
f Foundered, October 9, a&er 
„ dance George S. Stovin J upsetting on her beani'VHk: 
L crew, except 25, pertsh^L 
f Foundered, May 16 or 17, as 
„ IVomp««e~....Parker Robinson J « supposed, having pvted 
■^ 1 company in a gale m the 

[_ Channel : crew perished, 
r Wrecked, November 9, in St. 
[■(T^florict. — PhiLBartbolomewJ Alban'a bay Jera^, crew 



1.(1 



f Foundered, in October, i 
llairJ 



[,(COMartin Hon.Mat.St.-ClairJ North Sea, as is supposed: 

t crew perished. 

. . * »-\ n -11 T »,„ ii» _ i Fdundered, at the same time u 

U iX)Smllcur John Raynor. ^ the 7Vo™pp««.. 

O.bg.ilp. fWrecked, in September, on a 

r(Z) Diligence C.B.Hod^onRoss-^ small island near Hsvana. 



r(z) 
4. 



H"™d W. J„.T.«,...d 5 ^'S,d*'£S'^H£r 



rCaptured, November 23, by her 

14 (b) JBumaiie. Fran. Newcombe i crew mutinying and carrying 

I, h» into Mala^ 

j!«™ j™.cuthn,._h r^^iviSfsc 

; W»p- JohiiEimrii—J «>■»• P"»cli fnB«l«. 

Cdd-Mk fWrecked, Janusiy 5, on Yap. 

12 (g) Masti^—.... James Watson .^< mouth sands s cNwr, except 
L eight, saved. 

r Wrecked, August 10, in the 
1) DromedBry.,..BeDJ. W. Taylor < Bocca, near the island o£ 
I, TrinidMli enwttned, 

Dg.l.zedl!,GOOglc 



■{fi 

sis)! 

rWK 
TS.-! 
1(01 



AITEinXK. ^1 

ABSTRACT. 



Sbips oftheSae 

. under the line.... 



TolaL 2 



No. 10. See p. 6! 



For th« pay mi nwntenance of 97,304 senmen and SS,696 £ ». i 

manoes for three lunar months, and of 105,000 aeamen 
nnd 30,000 marines, for the remaming ten lunai mouths 6,41^500 I 

„ the wear and tear of abips, &c ., b^fyfiOO 

„ the ordinal^ expenses of the natrj, including the halt 
pay to aea and marine officers ; also the expense of sea- 

ofdnance 1,289,918 5 

a the exttaordinarics ; including the building and re- 

puring of ships, and other extra «ork»............... 039,900 

n the eipone of the transport'Serrice ».., 1,021^718 14 

„ the care and maintenance ofpmoneis of war. 190,000 



Total supplies gisnted for the sea-service j£ 16,577,087 



No. II. Seep. 112. 



Je proposu de conduire I'arrofe navalc de la r^publiqne ft Lisbonne, de 
mouiller rarm^ devant cette capitale, a une port^ de fusil de la vilie et du 
palais du roi ; de Ufaire pr^eder par une fr^te parlementaire, qui annon- 
ceniit que Tarm^e de la r^publique ne vient pes pour nuire aux Portugais, 
quoiqu'alli^ et esclaves de I'Angleterre : maJa qu'elle vient pour exiger que 
toua les magasins et vaisseaux aaglius lui soient livrfe sur-le^;hamp, sous 

Eine de raser la ville de fond en comble. Cette operation procurait k la 
ance 200 millions en numfr^re ou en marchandises anglaises ; I'Angleterre 
recevait un £chec terrible, qui y causait et dea banqueroutes et une d&olation 
generate. Notre arm£e, sans Stre fktigufe de la mer, reveoait i Brest, 
comble de richesses, couverte de gloire, et la France dtonnait encore 
I'Europe par un nouveau triomphe, — Relation det Combaii, S[C. par Keiguelen, 
p. 373. 



iiizedbv Google 



No. 12. See p. ISI 

A quatre heures du matio, il apereut dana ses eaui auntre Utimeos, quit 
reconnut poui emiemis : c'<;uut en enet une paxtie de rescadie aneloise : le 
C^r, moDt£ par ramiral Seumarez, b V^n^rable, le Superbe et la fre^ate la 
l^imige. Le brave Troude se disposa au combat et renibr^a ses battenes par 
lesbonmes des gaillords. II fut joint d'abordpar le V£n£rable et lal^mUe: 
le premier envoya sa vol^ par la Lanche de babord, et le Formidable Hmva 
pour lerrer cet adveisaire au feu ; le combat le plus vif s'engagea vetcue a 
vergue, et sourent h longueur d'ecouvilloD. Le capitaine fran^ais ordonna 
de inettre jusqu'a trois boulets dana chaque canon. La Tamise le battait en 
poupe; mais eet canons de retraite ripoetaient i ce feu. Les deux autres 
Taisseaui ennemU arriv^rent successivement, et, ne pouvont doubler le For. 
midoble au vent, ill prirent position par sa hanche de babord. Les premieres 
voltes du vaisseau franfais dfmaterent le Venerable de son penoquet de 
fougue, et bientot apres de son grand mkt : I'anglais laissa arriver ; mais 
Troude le suivit dana ce mouvement pour le battre en poupe, en meme temps 
qu'il iaisait eanonner le C^r, qui, se trourant de ravant du Ten^table, ne 
pouvait ripostcr ; pas un boulet francais n'^tait perdu. Dans cette position, 
le V^n^rable perdit encore son mat de misaine. Troude fit dinger ensuite 
tout son feu sur le C^sar, le senant le plus prts possible ; apt^ demi-heure 
d'engSfement, quoique I'anglais, qui avut toutes sea Toil^ d£passat le For- 
midable, et fbr9at celui-«i k inanceu?rer pour le tenir parson travers, le C^sar 
abandonna la partie, arriva en d^ordre, pril lea amurea a babord, et rgoignit 
le Vdnfrable, auquel la Tamiae porCait dea secours. II restait encore a com- 
battrele Superbe, qui £tait par lajoue de babord du vaisseau fran9«s; mais 
I'anglais laissa arriver, jtama sous le vent au Formidable, bois de port^e, et 
rejoignit les autresbitunens. A s^t heures du matin, le capitaine Troude 
^tait maitre du champ de bataille. II fit monter dans les batteries la reste 
des boulets, qui pouvaient lui faire tenir encore une heure de combat, rafiat 
chir le vaillant ^uipagc qui I'aTait si bien seconds, et r^parer son gr^ement ; 
ses voiles ^taicnt en lambeauK ; la brise de terre avait c^S^ et il se trouvait 
en celme, k portee de canon de I'escadre ennemie, dont les embarcatkina 
^talent alors occupies a aecourir le V^nfiable. Ce vaisseau avait encore 
d^mat^ de son miit d'artimon, et lea coumns le ponaient ft la cote. A dix 
faeures, ic vent ayont frtdchi, la Tamise essaya de prendre ce m&ne vaisseau 
a la rcmorque ; mais, ne pouvant se relerer, il fut a'^chouer entre I'ile de 
L£on et la pointe Saint-Roch, i deux ou ttois lieues de Cadix.— ndiwv* et 
Conquilet, tame xiv., p. I6S. 



iiizedbv Google 



No. IS. See p. 163. 

A list of ships of the line and lirigates, late belon^ng to the French OM,Tf, 
captured, dacroyed, wrecked, foundered, or acdduilaUy burnt, duriiw the 
jear 1601, 



On^Up r Captured, July 12, by iquodroa 

74 (N) Saint^Antoine i of Sir James SauEoarez, Straits 

( of Gibraltar. 

64 ... Causae. „.. . f Captured, September 2. by a 

■ combined Brid^ and Turkish 



■{ 



C Captured, Februai^ 19, by the 
(Z) Amcaine } British fii^te Phcebe, Mediter- 



Bnroure 



tianslerred to the Turks. 
( Captured, August 3, by a sqna- 
. i dron of British frigates, Medi- 
( terraneau, 

TDestroyed by being dnTen on 
J shore, September 2, by a squa- 
■( dron of British fricates off 
I Vado. 

' Captured, August 19, by the 

British frigate Sibylle, at the 

Seychelles. 

Captured, Febnian' 5, by a squa- 

— of British frigates, off the 

,. of Portugal _ 

„ StgfniTie^ Captured with the E^ptienne. 

C Captured, September 2, by a 

(H) &«*#. } souadrwi of British frigates, 

Mediterranean. 




iiizedbv Google 



No. 14. See p. 16S. 

A lilt of sbiM of the Une and Mates, hte belon^Dg to the Spanish rmtj 
captured, destroyed, mecked, rouodered, or aandentally burnt, during toe 
year 1801. 

VwBM. H<nr, wha, ud vbera Imt 

r Destroyed, July 12, by b^og Mt 
Qna-iUp I on tire in an eogagem^t vith 

1 12 J **' I^cB^C^Ic* J ^ British gqu^ron in the 

{ ... Saa-Hennea^ldo„ i Straits of Gibraltar; sod the 

I greater part of the two crens 
l perished. 
Gnu.fris. rDestroyed, by stoking ofi" the 

84 ... Perla. J B^rbary coast, from damage 

J receivm in th« aaoie en^igo- 

Gon-Mbee , Captured, May 6, by the British 

30 ... Gamo „ J J4.gun brig Specify, near Bar. 

( celona. 



64 (P) Holitein-. 



No. 14. See p. 163. 

A list of ships of the line late belon^ng to the Dankh navy, c^rtnretl 
destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the year I80I. 

Mmu. Bow, vIms. and vlwic tat. 

Q»"-«"P f Captured, April 2, by Admiral 

>7_i~»j f Parkei's fleet, off Copeuha^ 

The Zealand mu aftarvaida 
destroyed. 

These an the only vessels of the 13 taken, sunk, and detfrwed off Copen- 
hagen, that can be considered as ships of war : the rKnaiuder were meie 
floating batteries. 

An abstract of French, Spanish, and Danish ships of the litte and frigate^ 
' captured, &c, during the year 1801. 

themmr. tccUut. „,, j^y^ 

1 F.B^cJ). BrtUA 



Cq>t. Dot Wm^ed. 



Ships of the line < Sp. 

/Da. 

Fripites (Fr. 



Dg.l.zedl!,GOOglc 



No. IS. See p. 163. 



A list of sbipa and Teswh late beloaf^ng to the Brititti 11817, captured, da* 
itrc^ed, wrecked, foundered, or axKideatoIIy burnt, during the year 1801. 



,.,Up C Captured, July 5, b^ a Frencti 

'(O)Haniubal Solomon Ferris..- < squadron, under the hatteries 

( otAlgesiras, Gibraltar bay. 

{Wrecked, March IG, on Ha*- 
borough Sand, near Yarmouth : 
crew, except about 1-26, pfc- 
rished. 
/Captured, June 24, by a French 
squadron, under Rear-admi- 
.„.,...... -J 1 ;j Gmtammc. McdJln™. 

QOD'Mc. ( Wrecked, in June, in Jedda 

44 (W) Forte_«« Lucius Hatdyman < harbour. Red Sea : crew 

{Wrecked, July 21, by atrifcing on 
a sunken rock in the bay of 
St..B!aloi crew saved, but 
made prisoners. 
["Wrecked, September 4, by strik- 
^i-^-. n .1 . r. -r, 1- ] ins on a sunken rock off the 

(O) Jta%lc OeotgeFowke..^ ^.^ „, st.-mnm. W„t 

I, Indies; crew saved. 
C Wrecked, August 1 1, on the 
(Ji) Lowestoffe... Robert Flampin. ' ' " " " 



Mele^r..Hon.T.BladenCBpeI < 



island of Heneaga, West" In- 
dies ! crew saved. 
Wrecked, June 9, on the Tri- 
angles !□ the Gulf of Mexico I 
crew saved. 

rtured, Februaiy 13, by a. 

'rench squadron under Rear- 
admiral Ganteaume, Mediter- 



rCapt 



Success ....^...Shuldham Fevd- 

Q.f. aUp f Foundered, as is supposed, exacc 

20 (O) iloief. ...Jemmett Main waring ^ date unknown, in the West 

( Indies : crew perished. 
a^ tip. f Wrecked, exact dote unknown, 

I (, prisoners. 

lai (S) Bonetfa Thomas New. J Wrecked, October 25, on the 

J^ ' > Jardmea, Cuba; crew saved. 

C Wrecked, Manh 25, on the Shin- 

I „ SeoMt H«uy Duncan i fiea, west end oi^ the Isle of 

*• ( Wight : Brew SBTed. 



iiizedbv Google 



APPENDIX. 
No. l^—emUimied. 



{Foundered, in November, by 
creT perished, 
r Capture], in June, by a Frenrit 

13 (b) Speedy Lord Cochnne ,..< M^uadroa under Rear-admiral 

I. Linois. 

r Captured, Februwy 27, at An- 
Ik. (d) B.M<» ..... B.™^ D«»j SdSU","'r'.l,e^ 
the French. 



r Captured, Feb 
^J cona, havinj 
1 prized of its 
y Kssionofthi 
C Captured, January 29, by Rear- 
V.^ie) Incendi«i7 ... Rich.DalUngDutui J admiral Ganteaume, HeiiUter. 

r Captured, March 23, under the 
5r (g^ BU.„ J<*n Tm„ J |,|* £« XJSi^S 

{Wrecked, January 1, on the 
French coast near Quiberon : 
crew saved, but about 20vere 
made prisoneis. 
O. cat. C Captured, February 10, by Rear- 

IS (k) Sprightly — Robert Jump J admiral Ganteaume, Mediter- 

( rsDean. 

r Accidentally burnt, in July, at 
T.S. (l) Iphigenia ... Husard Stackpole^ Alexandria, Heditenancao : 
I, crew saved. 



Ships of tlie line ~ 3 

„ under the line 8 



Total.. 



iiizedbv Google 



So. 17. See p. 164. 

For the pay and matntenonce of 100,000 seamen and £ t. d. 

30,000 marines. Tor five lunar months, of 70.000 

seamen, and 18,000 marines, for one lunar mouth, 

and of 66,000 seamen, and 14,000 marines, for the 

remaining seven lunar montlis 4,601,000 

„ the wear and tear of ships, &c 3,684,000 

„ the ordinary expenses of the navy, including the half- 
pay to sea and ifl&rine officers ; also the expense of 

sea^rdnance 1^5,424 17 S 

„ the extraordinaries ; including the Jiuilding and ra> 

pairingof shi^ and other extra work 773,500 

„ the expense of the transport-service, and maintenance 

ofprisonets of war in health 1,321,545 15 1 

„ thecareandmaintenanceofsickpriaonersofwar ... 56,000 O 

„ an increase of half-pay to the commissioned, and of 

additional pay to the warrant, officers of the navy, 

for six montla, comroencing lat July 30,000 

Total suppUea granted for the sea-service ...^£11,833,570 12 S 



No. I7di(. Seep. 165. 

RECAPITULATORY ABSTRACT. 

Showing the number of French, Dutch, Spanish, and Danish ships of the Hoe 
and frigates, captured, destroyed, wreclced, foundered, and accidentally burnt, 
during the war commencing in February, 1793, and endins in October, 
1801 ; also the number of captured ships added to the British navy during 
the same period. 

CSft. DeM. WisclKd. Paundcnd. Bnrut. luvies. iatt. 



fFr. 
J Du. 
ISp. 

Ld.. 



Slupe of the line' 

Total 58 16 5 4 1 84 50 

rFr. 8S 14 4 3 ... 102 63 

TtigUeB i Du. 33 S3 25 

LSp. 11 4 15 7 

Grand Total 184 34 9 6 1 S34 144 

Dg.l.:ecll!,G00glc 



No, 18. Seep. 166. 

RECAPITULATORY ABSTRACT, 

Showing the number of British ships and vessels of war captured, destroyed, 
wrecked, fouadered, or accidentally burnt, during die war commencing in 
February, 1703, and ending in October, 1801 ; wiUi the foundered vts- 
seb divided into Btidsh and foreign built. 

LoMthcDOCIi Lost tturaCta 

CNit. Dort. WraAed. toaaOtni. Bomt. TnU. 



Ships of the line 5 

„ under the line 37 



Tola]... 



Br.-bnln. j^FOr.-bnllt. 



Of the eight foundered British-built vessels, one, the Malabar, Imd been 
an East-Iadiaman. Seven of the others were ^oops, thebigest of which did 
not exceed 324 tons ; and it is even doubtfiil whether three of those Trere 
not turected. The remaining vewel wss the Leda frigate ; which vessel, 
according to one account, upset in a heavy squall, according to another 
account, struck on a sunken rock, and, according to a third, filled in coo- 
sequence of having her aide stove by some of her guns that had broken loose 
in a severe gale of wind : in fact, the bte of the Leda is still involved io 
mystery. 



No. 19. See p. 174. 



A list of ships and vessels late belonging to the British navy, wrecked, 
foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the year 1802. 

Kune. ComiDander. Hov, wbeii, ud vlien list. 

Onn-^P C Wrecked, March 29, between 

fiO (T) Assbtonce... Richard Lee. J Duokerque and GravcUnes : 

O. ih. dp. ■ ( crew saved. 

18 (S) Scvut Henry Duncan., i Foundered, exact date unknown, 

< off coast of Newfoundland: 
14 (HO Fly Thomas Duval... ^ crevre perished. 

T.S. (t) &s«M. Robert Sauce .... i ^^rt ?'?'' ^ '"'"''''Jf' 

^ ^ I sand off Ceylon : crew saved. 

ABSTRACT. 

Wrecked, Fbnndcnd. Burnt. ToU. 

Ships undn die line 2 2 ~ ~ 



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NO.Q0. Seep. 175. 

For the pay and maiotenance of 38,000 seamen, and £ i 

12,000 marines, for two lunar months, commencing 
January 1, of 15,600 seamen, and 14,400 marioes, 
for four lunar months, commencing February 26, and 
of 77,600 seamen, and 22,400 marines, for seven 

lunar oMntiui, commetKing June 12 .' 3,900,000 

„ the wear and tear of ships, &&. 8,120.000 

„ the ordinary expenses of the navy, inducting, half-pay 
' . and marine officers ; also the expense of aea- 



u the extmordinaries, including the building and r^ 

pairing (tf ships and other extra vork >.._ 001,140 

„ the expense of the transport«ervice, and maintenance 

of pnsonen of -mr, in kealtfa and aicknesa 802,000 



Total suppUes granted for the sea^ervice. jE10,31 1,378 13 L 



No. 31. See p. 176. 
French line-of-battle force in March, 1803. 

rFLDBBida, and shores ) 

J of the Scheldt.... J 

Ordered to be built from Dutch J Naktu _ 

modelsat \ BoaoBADX 

Mu..™ 

^OaTBNDB 



n^^ (afloat, repaired or repairing. 18 

' ( building and nearly ready 3 



SAistT-MiLo, ordered 


•■■• ■■ •■■■■■• 


RocHEFOaT, building 


SoSd ^ 






(building 




(ordered ._^.,. „,..._.,... ...~~... 





iiizedbv Google 



No. 32. See p. 176. 



Instruction particiili^re du premier Consul au g^nfrol de division Decsen, 
capitaine-gen^nl des ^tAbussemena fran^ais au deU du cap de Bonne- 

EapiranW!. 

Paris, f^vrier 1803. 
iDd^pendamment des iustractions g6n£rales que le mioistre donnem au 
capitain^g^n^ral des possessiona fran^aises dans les Indea, et a I'amiral, Ftm 
et Tautre auront des instructions d'un ordre supdrieur, lesquelles serout sign6a 
par le premier consul. 

II faudre done oter des deux instructions ci-ioiutes tout ce qui a rapport ii 
la haute politique et a la direction des forces militaires ; ce qui se 
r^uit a retranclier quelques paraxraphes. Les instructions particulieKS 
seiaient redig^es ainai : — " Le ministre de la marine a dil remettre au 
capitaine-gtn^ral des instructions sur I'ailministration et les differens droits 
' vea doDt nos etablisseniens et notre commerce doiient jouir box 
a le premier consul a cru devoir signer lui-mfme toutes les in- 
:rvant de base i la direction politique et militaire. Le cnpitaine- 
g^neral arrivera dans un pays ou nos rivaux dominent, mais oii ils pesent aussi 
sur lous les peuples de ces vnstes contr^es. II doit done s'attacher iL ne leur 
donner aucun sujetd'alarme,aucun sujet de querelle, et k dissimuler le plus 
possible. II doit s'en tenir aiix relations indispensables pour la sfiret^ et I'^i- 

trovisionnement dc nos etablissemeus, et dans les relations qu'il aura avec 
9 peuples 011 les princes qui supportent le plus impatiemment le joug 
anglais, i) s'etudiera a ne mettre aucune aSectation, d ne leur donner aucune 
inquietude, lis sont les tyrans des Indes ; ils y sont inqaiets et jaloux, il 
iaut a'^ comporter avec douceur, dissimulation et simplicity. 

" Sis mois aprea son arrivie aux Indea, le capitaJne-rfnSral eipMiera ea 
France, porteur de ses dfpeches, un des officiers ayant le plus sa confianc^ 
pour fiiire connattt« en grand dftail tout ce qu'il a connu de la force, situation 
et disposition d'esprit des differens peuples des Indea, ainsi que de la force et 
de la situation des differens ^tablissemens anglaia. II fera connaitre ses vues 
et les esp^rances qu'il aureit de trouver de I'appui en cas de guerre, pour 
pouvoir se maintenir dans le presqu'Sle, en iuisant connaitre la quantitd et 
quality de troupes, d'armemens et d'approvisioanemens dont il aurait besoin 

Sour nourrir la guerre pendant plusieuis campagnes au centre des Indes. 11 
ait porter la plus grande attention dans toutes les phrases de son M^moir^ 
parce que toutes seront pes^es et pourront servir it d&:ider, dans des drcon- 
stances impr^ues, la marche et la pohtique du gouvememenL Pour nourrir 
la guerre aux Indes plusieurs cantpagn^ il faut raisonner dans l*hypotbese 

3ue nous ne seriom pas maitres des ment, et que nous auriona i esp^rer peu 
e secours considerables. II paialtrait difficile qu'avec un corps d'ann£e on 
pdt lon^temps roister aux forces considerables que peutent opposer les 
Anglais, salts alliances et sans une place servant de paint d'appui, oi dans un 
<as extreme on pQt capituler et se trouver encore maltre de se &ire transpor- 
ter en France ou ft rile-de-France avec annes et bagagea, sans etre prisonnieis, 
et sans compromettre I'bonneur et un corps considerable de Fran9ais. 

Un point d'appui doit avoir le caractere d'etre fortifie, et d'avoir une tade 
ou uo port oil dea frigates ou dea vaisseaui de commerce soient i I'abri d'una 
force Bup^rieure. Quelle <|ue soit la nation & laquelle appartienne cetts 
place, [K)itugaise, hollandaise, ;,ou anglaise, le premier projet pa»lt devoir 



APPEND^* 361 

Unite i s'en emparer db les premiers mois, en ealculant sur I'effet de Far- 
tiyie d'uue force europ^eane inattendue et incalcul^, Apras avoir &it un 
plan d'alliaoceetde guerre avec une force demand^e, il &udreit£tablirce(iue 
croirait devoir (aire le capitaine-g^n^ial, si, au lieu de cette tbrce, on ne lui en 
envovHit que la moiti^. Api^ avoir pens^ aux alliances et il un point d'^pui, 
les objetsc^ui int^ressent le plus une armee dans une C3nipagne,sont les viviea 
et les munitions de guerre, objeta <}ue le capitaine-pendral Iraitera ^ralemeat 
dans le plus nnnd detail. Six mois aprcs cet envoi, le cttpitaine-g£neial, dans 
un nouveau M^rooire, traitera. les inemes questions, en y ajoutant les nouvelles 
coonatssances qu'il aura pu acqufrir. 

" Ainsi. il sera ftabli que tous les six mois le capitaine-g^nfral envena en 
Fiance des officieis suis, des Memolres trailant toujours les memes questions, 
et confirmant, modifiant ou contre-disant les id£es dea M^moirts pt^cedens. 
Si la guerre venait a se d&darer entre la Prance et I'Angleterre avant le I =■ 
Vend^miaire an xtll, et que le capitaine-g^n^ral en fUt pr^venu avant de re- 
cevoir les ordres gouvemement, il a cane blanche, est autoris*; a se iepl<^er 
sur rile-de-France et le Cop, ou & restcr dans la presqu'ile, selon les circon- 
ttances oii il se trouvera, et les esp^iances qu'il pourrait concevoir, sans cepen- 
dant expcoer notre corps de troupes h une capitulation honteuse, et nos armes 
a jouer un role qui ajouterait a notre discr^it aux Indes, et sans dimiauer, 
mr ran^ntiasement de noa forces, la r&istance que pent prfeenter I'lle-de- 
France en s'y reployant. On ne con9oit pas aujourd*hui que nous puissions 
avoir la guerre avec TAngleCerre, sans y entralner la Hollande. Un des pre- 
miers soins du capitaine-g^nf ral sera de a'assurer de la situation des ^tablisse- 
inens hollandais, portugais, espagnols, et des ressonrces qu'ils pourtaient 

" I-a mission du eapitajne-g^n^ral est d'abord une mission d'obserration , 
sous les rapports politique et militalre, avec le peu de forces qu'il mtne et 
une occupation de compioirs pour notre commerce ; mats la premier consul, 
bien instruit par lui et par I'ex^cution ponctuelle des instructions qui pr£ce< 
dent, pourra peut-^re le mettre ft meme d'acqu^rir un jour la grande eloire 
qui prolonge la m^moire des hommea au-del^ de la dur£e dea sidles." — Pricit 



iiizedbi Google 



303 



No. 23. See p. 214. 

A list of BhiM of die line and frigates, late beloaging to the Froich axrj, 
captured, destroyed, wrecked, fouodered, or ticciJcntaltj burnt, duiiog the 
jearlSoa. 



Qmubip r Captured, July 25, by -the Belk- 

74 (M) Dkiquesne ..__...»,. ~.< rophon and Vanguard 74c, and 

I. othera, otr Sl DomJDgo. 
f Captured, July I, by a Britisli 
• squadron under Captain Metuy 

W. BavQtun, off St. DomioKO. 
'Captured, November 30, byaBri- 
ti^i squadron, under Captain 
John Loring, at the surrender 
of Cape Fran9ais, St. Doming. 



88 (O)FiwidiiBe Captured. May 28 by a British 

* ' ) squadron in tl 



squadron in the Ch^mel. 
r Captured, May 28, by the lOOfun 

ship Victory, OQ passage to 
t, Gibraltar. 
? Destroyed, Noremher 27, by het 

BaloDiULise J "T^J'^' ^^ '^"?8 '^ 

^ chased od shore near Cape Fi- 
^ nisterre by the Ardent 64. 



No Dutch ship of war above aa IB-gun corrette captured, &c. in 1809. 

An abstract of French ^ps of the line and frigates captured, &<:. during the 
year 1803. 



Ci^it. Dot. WTec)fed. Foondered. fi 



Ships of the line . 
Frigates „... 



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363 



No. 24. See p. 214. 

A list of sliipa and Tesseh, late belonging to the British navy, captured 
destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the year 1803. 

Mum. Conrauda. Bow, «b«a, ud ulun lot. 

,^ ^ rCimtured, July 2, after having 

^^, „ ,u, .u ^ J run agrouni near Cherbourg! 

j-(Z) Mmene ... Jahleel BrenloD....j creiTsaved, but made pti- 



I Wrecked, in the nightofJur 



(■( 



J I wrecKeo.inineniguioi juiicij, 

t „ Seme David Milne . ] on a sand-bank near tiieTexel: 

,^ „ „ „„ ,, ( Wrecked, May 81, on C^»e 3U 

{C) Reststance Hon.P.Wodebouse J Vbcent : crew savod. 
J f Wrecked iaa gale, December 10, 

"H I under the tetteries near Cape 

I J la Hogue: crew wved, but 

l „ Shannon .. Ed-LereBonGower-J niade prisonen. Hull of the 
ship destroyed bythe Meriit^ 
boats. 
f Wrecked, November 16, on the 
,« ^- r^ , T,, Ml J LemonandOwer, North Sen, 

(J) Circe ... — Chariet Finding •< ;„ ^u^^ ^f an enemy : crew 

. (Up rWrecked, November, off Cape 

(-(JV) Gariand ... Frederick Cottrell^ Frwicais, St. Domingo : crew 

f Wrecked, March 26, on a sun- 

I rock off the inland of 



, Dcierminie Alexander Bedier- 



f Wrecked, 
J ken Poc 

I. (soldier 



T and passeogeia 



(soldtera) saved, except 19. 



^Tffi S..W K*n Tuck.,... I C^j|»d^b5j,.l»D.„b, „ ^ 

^Foundered, August, ty being 

16 (T) Calypso ... William Venour J ™n ^^ '" " P^' ^^ ^''%<'* 
" V y jr— -^ jj convoy coming from Ja- 

l. maica : crew perished. 

14 (X) ATenger ... Prs. Jackson Snell 5 Foundered, December, off the 
*- ' ° ( Wescr : crew saved. 

a.b,*I^ f Wrecked, December 15, in a 

15 (a) Stffftaiite .. Geo^ Heathcote^ nle off Spike island, Cork 

L hartHnir: crew saved. 

f Wrecked, December SI, on tha 

Ou-Mf I isles de Choaey, tod hull 

12 (g) Gnippler_.A.WantnerThomasy destroyed by uia French ; 

I crew saved, but made pii- 

{Captur^ Augutt, by a aqu»- 
dron of FrocHch iriptea, neir 
Toulon. 
r Wrecked, Auonrt 17, on ■ naf 
SS. (r) Porwwa.- Bobertrowtar_-{ of coial in the Pacific Ocean i 
L crew saved. 



No. 25. See p. 215. 

For tfae fey and mainteuBnce of 78,000 seamen and £ t. d. 

2S,000 mariDes 4,875,000 

„ the wear and tear of ships, &c 3,900,000 O 

„ the ordinary expcnaea of the navy, including the half- 
par to sea and marine officers ; also the expense of sea- 
ordnance 1,345.670 » 9 

K the extraordinaries ; including the building and re- 
pairing of ships, and other extra work 948,520 

„ the expense of the transport^ervice, and the munten- 
aoce of prisoners of war, in health and sickness . . . 971,415 17 9 

„ jnctea^ng the naval defence of the country .... 310,000 

Total supplies granted for the sea^ervice . . jE 12,350,606 7 6 



No. 26. See p. 336. 

, Abord du Bucentaure en rade du Toukm, 

le 26 prairiaL an 12. 
G«D«tal, 
J'ai rbonneur de vous rendre compte de la sortie de loute Tescadre il dms 
ordres. Sur I'avis que j'avais ref u que plusieuis corsairs aoglaii infestaient la 
cote et les ties d'Hiires, Je donnai t'ordre, i! y a trois jours, aux fr£gatea tla- 
coiTuptible et la Sjrene, et le brick le Furet, de ce rendre dans U bwa 
d'Hi^res. Le vents d'est les ayant contiari^, ellea mouillirent sous le At- 
teau de Porquerolea. Hier matin, les ennemls en eurent connaissancc Yen 
midi, ill d6tach^nt deux tr^^tes et un vaisseau, qui entr^rent par la graiide 
passe, ,danB I'intention de couper la retraite a noa frigates. Du moment oak 
je m'aper^us de sa maniEuvre, je fis signal d'sppareiller & toute Fcscadre ; cq 
qui fut eiicati. En 14 minutes, tout 6tait sous voiles, et je lis porter lut 
I'ennemi pour lui couper le chemin de la petite passe, et dans le dessou do 
I'y suivre s'i! avait tentA d'y passer ; mais I'amirHl anctais ne tarda p«s 4 

' ~n projet, rappelason vaisseau et ses deux frigates engages dans 

' " ■ ■ u aud-esU 



I'iles, et prit chssse. Je I'a 


i poursuiTi jusqu'alaauit : il'courait ii 


Le matin, au jour, je n'en t 






Je vous talueavec respect. 




L* ToDciu-7^1 



'■l^c 



No. 27. Swp.249. 

" Si la contenance des ennemu pendant le jour n'avait iit qu'une ruse 
ayantpour but de no»s en imposer, pour cacher leur laiblesse, ib auraient pu 

n'terderobscuriu^ dels nuit pour tenter denous d^rober leur marche, et 
cette occasion je pus proSter arec avantage de leur manoeuTrea. MaU 
je pus bientot me convaincrc que cette s^curit^ n'avait point et£ simulee ; 
trois de leura vaisseaux eurent constamment Icurs feux aUum^es, et la flotte 
oonserva la panne tout ta nuit, en se tenant bien Tallica, Cette position me 
bolita lea moyens de lui gagner le Tent et de I'otMerTer de piiis." 



No. 38. See p. 350. 



ni le plua avanc^ (the Royal George) eyant ^prouT^ 
taarrirer ; mais, Boutenu par ceux qui la suivaient, il 
, et lit, ainsi que les autres batimeng, un feu trfs-nourri. 
lent vir£ «e i^unirent a ceux qui nous combattaient, et 
trois de ceus qui avaient des premiers pris part k I'actLOD, matiiEuvraient pout 
nous doubler a rarri^re, tandis que le reste de la flotte, se couvrant de voile, 
et lauaant aniTer, annon^t le projet de nous envelopper. Les ennemis, par 
cette manoeuvre, aunuent rendu ma position tri^s^ngereuse ; la superiority 
de leurs forces ^tait reconnue, et je n'avaig plus k deliberer sur le parti que 
je devais prendre pour £viter lea suites funestea d'un engagement in^gai ; 
profitant de la fum^ qui m'enveloppait, je virsi lof-pour-lofpour venir sur 
babord, et courant a I'est-nord-est, je m'eloignai de I'ennemi, qui continua & 
pouTBuivre la division jusqu'a trob neures, en lui envoyant plusieura bordfea 
sans eSet." 



No. 29. See p. 297. 



A list of ihipsof the line and frigates late belonging to the Dutch navy, cap- 
tured, destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the 
ytax 1604. 

Kaaa. Haw, wbao, nd «bcr* last. 

on /rr\ i>«««i«i 5 Captured, May *, at the surrender of 

33 (G) Proterpme ^ Surinam to fhe British. 

No Frendi ship of the line or frigate c^turedj &c in 1604. 



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AITEHDIX. 



No. SO. See p. 297. 



A list of ghipa of the line and frigates late belon^g to the Spanuh na*;. 
captured, dettroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidental); burut, during the 
year 1804. 



"{ 



r ,*\ A-i;..i.. ( Captured, November 25, by the Bri- 

I (^> Amfitnte J ^74!^m ship Do^pd. off Cadia. 

„ Medea TCaptured, October 5, by a squadnHi 

„ Fame. < of four Briti^ frigates under Cap- 

{D} Clara L tain Graham Moore. 

r Destroyed, by being blown up on the 

Mercedes < same occasion: crew and passen- 

(. gm, except 41 persons, perished, 
r Captured, December 7, by ttie Poly- 
(G) Sta^ertruyda . . . .^ phemus 64 and Lively frigate, off 
(, Cape Santft-Maria. 



An abstract of Dutch and Spanish ahip§ of the line and friptes captured^ 
&c. during the year 1804. 

Lort ttaniadi LoM tbrnafb "^^ ^fA 

th. Bicnr. KcldMt. to a» to >ke 



Cdpt. Deat. WrecluiLFoiuidend.finnit. naiia. 

Ships of the line 

*^8*^*» ( Sp. 5 I 6 

Total 6 I .... 7 



No. SI. Seep. 207. 



A list of ships and vessels late belonmng to the British navy, captured, 
destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the year 1804. 



1. ud irbm lot. 



r(0)MagniaceW..Willi8inHeni7JerrisJ P'enes Noires, 



r Wrecked, March 25, near the 



n 



1 rons of Brtat : crew saved, 
L. but SB made prisoners. 
fWreclied, November 24, on 
. .John Hunter • • • J sunken rocks in Torbay: 
/_ crew saved. 



iiizedbv Google 



APPENDIX. 



"°(p5i 



BO (T) lUmmer . , 



.Auslen Btssell . 



86 


(O Apollo . . 


. J.W.TaylorDixoo 


U^^ Lilly . . 


. .William Compton 


18 Y)Raen . . 




16 (a) r««^. . 


•JamesWesleyWright 


■(b) Drake . . 


. .H^lliamFerrU. . 


14 „ Weazle. . 


. .William Layman 


.„ Wolverine 


. .Heiuy Gordon. . 




. .Thomas Withen 


ans 


(gj Conflict . 


. -Charles C.Orroaby 




„ Fearless . 


. .GeofgBWiffiaw 


12 








„ Mallard.. 


. .Thomas Read . . 




„ SteiliDg . 


. .George Skottowe 



rFoundered, as is supposed, in 
■ < January, in the North Sea : 
I, crew perisbed. 
'"'recked, No»emb 

Haaka, near the Texel i crew 

S Foundered, JaiiuBiy 2, on pao- 
\ sage &om Jamaica: crew saved. 
("Wrecked, February, on tbe 
.Miil^ Wilkinson < Saintes, in the bay oC Biscay: 
v crew saved, 
f Wrecked, April 1, on the coast 

■ — - — I (^ Portiwal : captain and 

L many of tbe crew petished 
JCaptured, July 14, by the 
^ Dame-Ambert fr. privateer, 
L off the Coast of Geoi^ia. 
rWrecked, July fl, on the cOMt 
\ of Sicily, Meditenanewi ; 

rCaptured, May 20, in a calm, 
S by a flotilla of fr. gun-boats, 
L in Quiberoit-bay. 
f Wrecked, September, on a 

< < shoal off the bland of Nevis : 
(. crew saved. 

rWrecked, March 1, on Caba- 
^ reta point, Gibrsltar-bay : 
L crew, except one man, saved. 
rCaptiu^ March 24, by » 

. < French privateer, on passage 
I, to NewfouadUnd. 
( Wrecked, December 20, on 
) Margate sands : crew saved. 
i Wrecked, October 24, in chase 
^ of die enemy, near Nieuport 
( Isle of Wight : crew saved. 
C Wrecked, February, off Red- 
} ding-point, Cawsand-bay : 

r Captured, December 25, after 

1 Calais: crew saved, but 
L made prisoners. 
5 Wrecked December 18, near 
{ Calaia: ciwwaaTed. 



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No. 31-~Mi«(t«i«rf. 



Cno-faric 
10 (h) 

i 

TS. (q) 
ss. (r) 



Cfriere . 



Scmfrara, > 



. .Joseph Patey . 



, .Tlioinas Dutton . 



Hnr, vhcp, anl wlitre Icrt. 



( Wrecked, Febniaiy 19, on 

{ theBeny-hcod ; crewsaved. 

r Wrecked, in December, od 

&. John L. Dale . . .< Crooked Isknd, West In- 

\ dies : crew saved. 

' Captured, July 14, bj the fr. 

.J priT. Gnuo^DMd^, West 

Indies. 

f Wrecked, December 21, in 
Severn Prince of Bouillon , Grouvill&4>ay, Jersey: crew 

Burnt, April 2, having cuigbt 

Hindostao John Le Gros . . .J fi» *" thehold. Medi<en». 

nean : crer, except five 
men, laved. 
r Wrecked, Septembet 3, in 

De-R^Ur , . .J. Beckett the hurricane at Antigua : 

^ crev saved. 



C*pt. HmC WiMkca.?aBiiidcr*d.Ban 



No. S2. See p. 297. 

For the pay and maintenance of 90,000 seamen and jG i. d. 

30,000 marinei 5,660,000 O 

„ the vrear and tear of ships, &c 4,680,000 O 

„ the ordinary expenses of the navy, including haltpay 

to sea and roarine officers :abo the extra of sea-ordnance 1,394,940 6 9 

H the extiBordinaries, including the building and 

repairing of ships, and other extra work 1,553,690 O 

„ the expenses of the transport-service, and the main- 
tenance of prisoners of war, in health and sickness . . 1,557,000 



Total snpplief granted for the se»«enice 



jC 15,085,630 B » 



Dcmizedbv Google 



No. 33. See p. 301. 

¥Uta mettre dans les joumaux de Hollande un article contre le STSteme 
^blocus 1 fiutes-y Kiitir que nous sommes sortia de Brestl)uaiid nous Thvoiib 
Toulu ; que Bruiz est oorti ul jour, Morard de Galles tel jour, Ganthenumc 
taut de fois ; que dans sa demiere sortie i Berthesume, rien ne Teinpechiut de 
■ortir, et que I'escadre le savait tellement qu'elle mit ^la voile; qu'il est done 
impossible de bloquer le port de Brest, surtout aux mois de septembre et 
d'octobre. Cet article fera sentir que nous ne voulons pas sortir, mcus tenir 
feontmi en fchec. — Ptm* dei Evinemtnt, tome li., p. S71. 



No. 34. Seep. 315. 

The following table will show the stato of the flotiBa at the different ports, 
oD July 20. 16&, with the number of men and horses it was destined to 
cany. 



FLOTILLA. 


PORTS. 


Total 

of 
vessels 


TOTAL. 


1 

r 


r 
f 


S 
g 


I 


? 


1 


f 


Men. 


Horses 






13 

11 
530 

33 


144 


3 

"l 

135 


1 
"a 

14 

81 


131 


30 


17 

12 
024 
280 

88 


1920 
480 

89885 
28038 

0315 


840 

56 
676 
404 

233 


Bomhatdes, Pa. 
quebots, and 

Gun- ( Reiidi' 
vessels {Dutch. 
QiTques, corvet- 
tes de p«che 
and p^uiches . 

Vessels of war. . 
TMnsports. . . . 

Grand total . . . 
Crews of trans- 
ports 


I 

SI7 

1 


219 
146 


578 
526 


144 
93 


139 
34 


86 
105 


131 
26 


30 


1399 
954 


130638 
30577 


• 
2210 
6840 


363 


1104 


236 


i7a 


203 


157 


M 


3303 


161215 
2430 


9059 


163645 



The two totab marked • do not quite agree wilh the items s but, as it is 
inipo«ibbL without the originals, to discover where the error lies, and as the 
difference is not at all material, the figures have be«» left as they appear m 
the work that contains the table, whence llua baa beoi extracted. Se* 
JPWd* des Evtoemens, tome xii., p. 804. 

VOL. III. 2 » 



.,glc 



No. as. 3wp.8Ba 

A r^poque o& j'toivaii ce paan^ jlgnonia un But bien TtaanpuUt^ •« 
qui m£rit« de prendre pla^ dabs Ituataire. J'«o doU 1& oomMJaaacs k H. 
le comte Dam, doni nous avons d^l4 cit£ la Mvaute Hutoire de V«ui& En 
1805, M' Dam ftait i Boulogne, intendant general de rana£e. Ud matin 
rempereur le fait appeler dana bob cabioeL Dam I'j trouTe tianipoit^ de 
colore, parcoumnt b. graMb ^ sea ^ i pailwn e iit, ct ne rompaut un mame 
silence que par dea exclamations bnuques et courtes. . . .Quelle marine t. . , 
Quel amirai !. . . .Quels sacrifices peniuK I, . . .Non espoir est d£cii !. . . .Ce 
Villeneuve ; Au lieu d'etre dans fk Manche, il vient d'entrer au r^rol I . , . 
Cen est fait ! 11 y sera bloqu^. — Dam, mettez-vous lit, fcoutez et icriTac. 
L'empereur BTut refu de mnd matin la DOUveQe de iWriv^ de Tilleneuve 
dans no pMt d'Espagne ; il aTait tu Eori-le-chanip la conqu^te de I'AzicI^ 
terre avort^e ; les immenses d£penses de la flotte et de la dottille pa&ra 
pour long-temps, pour toujours peut-£tre I Alors, dans I'empoTtenient d'one 
fureur qui ne permet pas meme aui autres hommea de consetrer leur juge> 
inent, il aroit pris I'une des resolutions lea phis hardies, et trac£ Tun dfs plana 
4e campagne les plus admirables qu'aucun conquCrant ait pu coocevMT i 
loisir et de sang-froid. Sans Msiter, sans ^arrtter, il dictn en entier le plan 
de la campafne d'Aust^litz, le depart de toua les coqjs d'annie, d 
Hanovre et la Hollande jusqu'aux confins de I'ouest «t <lu lud de la F 
L'otdre des inarches, leur dui^e, lee lieux de convei^nM et de reunion des 
cotonnes; les enJevemena par Burprisa et lee attaquet de fire force, le) 
nouTemens divers de I'ennemi, tout est ps^vu : la vktoir* est assur^ dan* 
toutes les hypothiaea. Telle ftait k justease et la Taste pr^voyaoce de c# 
plan, que, sur une ligne de depart de deux, cents tieuts, d«a lignes d'op6r»> 
tions de trois cents lieues de longueur furent suivie» d'apres les indicatioai 
primitives, jour par jour, ct lieu par lieu, jusqu'i Munich. Au-deli de cetta 
capitate, les ^poques seules £prouvbreot quelques alterations ; mais las lieax 
fiirent atteints et Tensemble du plan fut couronn4 d'un aucets complet. Tel 
^it done le talent militaire de cet homme, auasi redoutahle 4 aes e 



[wr la puissance de son gfnie, qu'k ses condtoyena par la force de no deepo* 
"■ —yoyaget dam b Grtmdc SretagHC, Foree aaraU, tome [.. p. SM. 



iiizedbv Google 



37t 



No.3e. See. p. 834. 
LOBS xzlhm's PI.UI or -Arr«ci. 

" line biuinew of an English commander-in-chief," Mys his lordship, 
* bong first to bring an enemy's fleet to butle, on the most advantageous 
tenns to himself (I mean, that of laying his ships dose on board those <M the 
enemy as expeditiously as possible, and secondly, to continue them there 
irithout separata^ imtil the boeineM is decided), I am sensible, beyond this 
object, it IS not neceaaaty I should say a word, being fully sasured, that the 
admirala and captuoa of the fleet I hare the honour to command will, 
knowing my precise object, that of a dose aod decifiive battle, supjdy any 



defidency in my not making bjcobIs ; which may, if extended beyond diese 

obiecta, dthei Ira misundentood, or, if waited kr, very probablr. from various 

t| be impoHible for tfae commandei^in-chief to make. Ineretbre it 



tMdy be rrawisite for ■« to sixtc^ in «■ few words as posible, the various 
moats by wnich it may be neoevary Ibr mc to obtain my object, on which 
depends not only the bonour aiid glmy of our countiy, bat possibly its safety, 
«B^ with i^ dut of all Europe, nmn f^vndi manny and oppraasion. 

* If the two fleeb are both wiUv^ po fleht, bnt little mantEnrring is neces- 
■uy. The less the better ; a day is soon lost in tbat business. Therefore t 
wiUentysttppoae that the eiieny*a Beet b«tng to leewaid, standing close upon 
a wind on the siaiboatd tack, and that 1 am aearly ahead of them, standing 
on the larboaid tack; of course I dkontd weather them. IIm weather miBiC 
beiHppoaed la be moderate; for, if it bs a gale of wind, the monceuvring of 
both fleets is but of little anil, and prcdMbly no dedsive action wonid take 
place with the whole fleet. Two modes present themselves ; one, to stand 
on just out of guD-shot until the van^hip of my line would be abreast of the 
centre^hip of the enemy, then make the signal to wear together, then bear 
up, enrage with all our force the six or five van-ships of the enenw, passing 
certainly, if opportunity offered, titrough their line. This would prevent 
dieir bearins up, and the action, from the known biaveiy and conduct of the 
BiJImiHik and captains, would certainly be decisive { the second or tliird rear- 
ships of the enemy would act as they pleased, and our ships would mre a good 
account of them, should they persist in mixing with our ships. The other 
mode would be, to stand under an easy but commanding sail, directly for their 
headmoM ship, so as to prevent the enemy from knowing whether I should 
passto leeward or to windward of him. In tbat situation, I would make the 
signal to engage the enemy to leeward, and to cut throng their fleet about 
the sixth ship &om the van, passing very close ; they being on a wind, you, 
going large, could cut their line when you please. The van-ships of th« 
enemy would, by the time our rear came abreast of the van-ship, bo severely 
cut up, and onr van could not expect to escape damage. I would then have 
~ ir reai^hip, and every ship in succession, wear, continue the action with 



either the van-ship or second^hip, as it might appear most eligible from her 
crippled state ; and, this mode pursued, I see nothing to prevent the capture 
of the five or six ships of the enemy's van. The two or three sliips of the 
enemy's rear must either bear up or wear ; and, in either case, althou^ they 
would be ia a better plight probably than our two van-ships (now the tear), 
yet they would be sepaiated and at a distance to leeward, so as to eive our 
ships time to refit ; and by that time, 1 believe, the battle would, <rom the 
judgment of the admirals end captains, be over witli the rest of them. Signals 
from these momenia are useless, when ever; man is disposed to do his duty. 
Hie great object is, Ibr us to support each other, and to keep close to the 



372 APPENDIX. 

eaemj and to leewud of him. If the enemy are running away, then the oaly 
signab neccniaty will be, to engage the enemr ai aniTing up with them. Bad 
ttM other shipa to pan on for the Becoul, third, &c. ; girin^if paaible,Bdaie 
fire into the enemjr in paning, taking care to give our shipi engaged notice of 
your intention."— fIsnBf and iPArUia'* lAfe o/Nehm, vol. ii., p. 437. 



No. 97. See p. 940. 

VICI-ADinUL GOLUNOWOOD TO LOI 



We approached, my dear lord, with caution, not knowing frfiether we w 
to expect you or Ae Frenchmen fitsL I have alwavs had an idea that 1 
land slooe was the object they have in view, and still beliere that to be tbmr 



ultimate destination. Iliey will now bberate the Ferrol iquadion from 
Calder, moke the round of the Bay, and, taking the Rochefort people with 
tltem, will appear off Ushant, perhaps with thirty.lbur sail, there to be joined 
by twenty more. Hiii appedn a probable plan ; for, unless it be to briiK 
their ponerAil fleet* and armies to some great point of serrice, some rash 
attempt at conquest, they have only been subjecting them to chance of bm; 
which I do not believe the Cotaicau would do, without the hope of an ade- 



quate reward. 

The French go*ermnent never aim at little tliinn, iriiile great objects are in 
I liave considered the iuTimon of Ireland as the real marK and butt 



of all their operations. Their flight to the West Indies was to take off the 
naval force, which proved the great impediment to their undertaking. — 
Oaih! md id'Arlkm't lAfa ofNtiton, voL ii., p. 4I«. 



bv Google 



NOTES 

ANNUAL ABSTRACTS. 



NOTE TO ABSTRACT No. 8. 

* Thi hii«d vessdi numbered about 9S. It will here be seen, that die 
Tictory has quitted her degraded post at a, to resume the rank which, for the 
■pace of 33 years, she had so honourablj' filled. See note a* to Abstract No. 6. 



NOTE TO ABSTRACT No. 9. 
* The hired vessels Dumbered about 104. In consequence of the mistake 



was printed, thb totBl exceeds by 1 tbecorrespondingtotal in Abstract No. 8. 



4"* NOTES TO ABSTRACT No. 10. 

W*. Tbr purchased ship of thb class was the ComwaUis, late a teak- 
built In^man. 

* X*. A very ancient clnss reriTed. " Advice boats, so called officially, are 
■aid to have been employed, for the first time, in 1692, before the battle o^ 
Cape La Hogue, in order to gain intelligence of what was passing at Brest." 
See Derrick, p. 1 13, note *. 

• As the hired vessels had b^in to be discharged, they now numbered 
only about 6S. This Abstract, having been put to press along with the one 
which precedes it, contains the same deficiency of a unit in the" Tons," that 
is remarked upon in the single note of Abstract No. 9. 

OwiuR to BQ inadvertency^ on our part, two 74s, one of the N, the other of 
the O cuss, that were, late in the year ISOI, ordered to be built, have been 
left out of the " ordered" column. The addition of them will make the line 
numerical grand total 191, and the general numerical grand total 783. 



NOTES TO ABSTRACT No. 11. 



a With the view In render the remaining Abstracts more penpicuou* and 
useful, a partial alteration has been mode in the manner of heading them. 
Anitead of^ being confined to " Cruisers," this compartment now extends to 
^very ship fitted or about to be fitted for sea^ervice ; and lines aie drawn b> 
thow the totals, OS well of the former, as of the lest material portion itf the 00*7. 



* Tba head hu siso been slightly altered ; and in particular the " See,' 
I a different aisnifiiation from tnat auiKned to it in note ± to No. I 
Abstract. See vol. i., p. 398. It signifies thst all the ships and vewels of 



this, as ve shall call it, the second compartment, which are notccHnmissiooed 
for haibouNserrice, ranaio in ordinary until said or taken to pieces, a poiod 
which is sometimes extended to several years. 

= The term " Built" has been substitnled for « Launched," as being uwe 
esplidt, and contrasting better with " Purchased." In the preceding Ah- 
attacts every ship down this pair of columns formed part of the " Total of 
Increase," and having, in the generality of cases, been included among the 
* Ordered to be built" of an antecedent rear, bccaiae reckoned twice otct. 
To obviate this, a double line nowexcluaes the builtships from the increase; 
and the increasC'total, without any other deduction than the dccrease^otal 
may require, proves the grand total. For instance, the grand total of N, by 
the former method, must have been produced thus : 15 f 26032 (the corrm- 
ponding total in No. 10 Abstract) +3 \ 5168=16 | SliiOO— i [ 1743= 
17 I 29457, instead of byumply adding the S | 3425. 

d The " &C." includes ships conveited ta she«4tilki^ breakwateta, and 
Kmilar uses. 

• The correc^on of a mistake of 50 tons in one ship ftfae Corawallis^ see 
note W» in the preceding page), occasions this total to exceed by that 
amonnt the correspondbg total in the preceding Abstract. 

' See last note. 

K This division of the armiet en ft6le into " Troop-ships" and " Store- 
ships" tends to simpli^ the arraiwement, but it was not adapted in the official 
register until a much biter periodT There, as elsewhere observed, the reduced 
ships, with few exceptions, ranked, until very recently, along with their fiill- 
anned dassnates. llie lower columns of the first compartment are now no 
loi^r in blank, the substituted term at the top admitting aQ ships fitted or 
about to be fitted " for se^eervice." 

^ The addition of the deficient unit remarked upon in notes * to Nos. 9 and 
10 Abetiacta, appears in the excess of this total over its corresponding one in 
the latter. 

t This is merdy a teparation from various other classes of such statiouaiy 
ships as are BO roistered in the official list, and might have been made a 
class from the first. In strictneai, the three canuaissioned haiiKHiri^ervioe 
ships at T, T, and W, and all others, which may appear in that eolunut 
throu^out the series, ought to belong to it : but, as ^e official list coatinua 
them in their oridoal clanes, we hare done the sain& 

!■ The " Small Yachts," with the exception of the Medina, not beiiw coni- 
mandedby naval officers, this class has been reduced; and tfaeoneneztabove 
it,now including the Medina, willhenceforward be d^minated"BoyalYBd*.' 

1 This being a year of peace, no hired vessels were Utwjied to the imtj. 
As to the grand total of " Tang,' see notes e, {, and h. 



NOTES TO ABSTRACT No. 12. 

■ It was remarked in note J to No. 2 Abstract, that " captured vesseb 
are also purchased from the captors before they can enter the service." TTie 
union of these two columns under the head of " Purehaaed," subject to the 
distinction pointed out, claims a preference, therefore, over the plan adopted 
in the preceding Abstracts. The names of the ships in the second column 
Will, without the exception formerly requisite, be found in the proper list ia 
Ae work ; and where, among the vessels in the first column, a purchased 
Bntoh merdiantman rates idwve a gun-bri?, the circumstance will bi' 



X&rSS TO INHVAL ABSTRACTS. 375 

''b I^ls Ae Bnrre, Prench priroteer i prctcDted bf dw twtMi U of 
Bulwdoea to tba British gorenunrat, and (« tluttBCCoiuitiumed Butftdocs. 

a Tfa«e hod been BritiU meicbant voweh. 

« Abothew. 

* Ibe Seorpioa i boih from tha dnu^ of the Crniier. See toL ti^ p^ 
S96, note F*. The four Britbb-buUt vesi«b,cselusiTeof tbese^ io th*'*8^ 
KT^cs* total, an tiwremnuil of eight, built «f fir in 1799, meMuriiw about 
969 tons each, and cow nmrlT worn out. CMMdering the fine quaEties of 
the Cniiier, it is rather surprising that, during six yeati, three vaaeh onlr 
riunld haTC been built from her draught. Ttuae were kundwd in 179% aiu 
were not brig, but ^ip rigged : consequentlf , they bdong to claai 5. Tha 
Osprcy, Snake, and Victor, were, howerer, found fiuilt with as ihlp* ; and a& 
«dken&om the nme dran^t were theneelbrwud constructed as brip. A»r 
Ban of war, a ibip has a decided advantage, in action, orer a brig. A ship 
viU lie to more closely, an«^ if the lows her nnzenmaat or spanker, Ims still 
■ tijvail OB the mainmwt ; whereas, the moment a brig has ner gaif or niaia 
boom shot awaj, she losev the use of her boom Tnainsail, and is no kmger 
nunageable. It may, however, be nidon the behalf of brlMiggedvenels. that 
■■»» of tfarir apparent &ult* arise from an improper mooe ofhandling them. 

' These, also, had been British men^tant veseb. 

B tba hired Teasela numbered abost 34. 



NOTES TO ABSTRACT No. 18. 

*Tbs Hibemia; ordered in 1790, and intended to be of die same tonnage 
as the Ville-de-Paris, but afterwards lengthened eleven feet. Began building 
November, 1792 ; launched November 17. 1804. 

<> The Namur ; reduced from a 90 to a 74 gun-ship, under the direcdon of 
Mr. Robert Seppings, the master-builder at Chatham. It having occurred 
to the philosophic mind of thii ingenious architect, that, by not removing the 
solid bow in the wake of the second deck, in order to substitut« the usual 
flimsy bbric, called the beak4iead, the ship would acquire additionolstrength 
in that part of her frame, as well aa afford some protection to her crew whcjo 
goinf^ end-on upon an enemy, the circular bow of the Namur was allowed to 
remain. The advantages of this important alteration struck every one who 
■aw the ship when finished ; and subsequently, as we shall hereafter have 
occasion more fiilly to relate, every ship in the British navy was ordered to 
be constructed with a solid circular bow instead of a besk-tlead. 

° Had been Indiamen, and were built of teak. 

■ The two latest-built fri^tes of this daa were launched in 1786, tha 
Aquilon of 724, and the Thames of 656 tons. As the ships in general were a 
iiiU thitd smaller than those of any French frigate-class, the class was con> 
udered not worth keeping up until the year 1804, when some newly-dis- 
covered properties in tne Thamea at her breaking up caused sevm frigates to 
be laid down from her draught, one of old oak and named aA«' herself, the 
remainder of fir. This was at a time, too, when scarcely a single IS^ounder 
frifpte belonged to the French or any foreign navy. Friplea carrying Im- 
pounders were justly preferred, and, with the French in particular, were 
lapidly increasing in number. 

t Had been a British merchant vessel ; and so had every one of the 13 
■hipl next below her in the mme column. 

rThis will exemplify the exception to the generality of cases adverted to 
in note c to No. 1 1 Abstract. According to uia metliod adopted previously 
to the date of the latter, 41 built or laiuiched gun-brigs would have been 



separated from the 46 at b, and the difierence, 7, have become die appaient 
number that bad been ordered to be built. No deduction would here have 
been requisite toirards proving the grand total : at the same time the tme 
number ordered could only be obtained bv noticing that none had been left 
«s building in the preceding Abstract. For a case in point a reference m&y 
he made to the same class in Abstiacta No. 10' and 9. Now, the " Ordereir 
column shows, at one view, and without any operation of figures, the preuae 
number of ships ordered to be built within the year> 

t> See last note. 

' Tbese vesels were a diwrace to the British navy. Th^ were built at 
Bermuda, of the pencil^cecbr, measured about 78 tons, mounted four 18- 

Cnder caironadea, and were manned with SO men and boys- In pciot of 
e, three of them, united, were not more than a match for a un^ gun- 
boot, as usually armed. Their very appearance as " men of wai* rtusei » 
laugh at the expense of the projector. Many officers refused to take the 
fOmmand of them. Othen gave a decided preference to some Teasels built 
at the same yard, to be employed as water-tanks at Jamaica. MoreoTcr, 
when sent forth to cruise against the enemies of England, to " hum, wnk, 
and destroy" all they met, these " king's schooners" were found to sail wretdi- 
edly, and proved so crank and unseaworthy. that almost every one of them 
that esa4>ed capture went to the bottom wiUi the unibrtuuate men on board. 
^ Number of hired vesseb about 140. 



THB END OP VOL. m. 



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