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make their escape from our blockading squadron. They were immediately discovered, and hauled their wind under the land; but were unable to elude the vigilance of Captain A. F. Evans in the Eolus, and Captain Perkins in the Tartar. The two enemy's ships separated in the night; notice of which was conveyed to Captain Loring, who sent Captain Dundas, in the Elephant, in chase of. one, while he pursued the other with the two frigates. Captain Loring came up with his chase at daylight, when the Vanguard and Tartar being near enough to exchange shots with her, she surrendered; the other ship, which was the Duguay Trouin, escaped.

The blockade of the whole of the French ports in the island of St. Domingo, in September, 1803, left the unfortunate people no hope of relief. Rebellion, famine, and disease, carried off their victims by hundreds; and death was welcomed by them as their only refuge from such complicated sufferings. The black General Dessalines had summoned the town of St. Marc, which was reduced to the most painful extremity, and but for the persevering humanity of Captain James Walker, the French garrison would have been put to death in cold blood, with the aggravation of torture. At the request of the British captain they were spared, and General D'Henin and his staff, with eight hundred and fifty men, were received and humanely treated on board the Vanguard, and other ships of war. In the harbour of St. Marc

there were some vessels, which, being included in the capitulation, fell into the hands of Captain Walker, and the blacks entered the town the moment the French troops had embarked.

The Count de Dumas, whose accuracy as an historian we shall frequently be obliged to call in question, has made an assertion respecting the evacuation of this place, which it is our duty to contradict. In vol. viii. p. 334, after giving an affecting history of the sufferings of the planters, and the garrison of St. Marc, of the extreme misery to which they were reduced, of their being forced to commit themselves to the most crazy vessels, and set sail for Cuba, leaving their property and dearest relatives to the mercy of the negroes, he adds, "The English watched their prey; and, keeping at a distance from the coast, allowed the French vessels to run to leeward, and then seizing upon them, plundered the passengers, disarmed the soldiers, and permitted them to proceed on their voyage!" We will refer him to the French officers, even to the women, and to every person who fell into our hands, or was so fortunate as to obtain the protection of a British ship of war, whether this is true or not, We know that Captain Walker, who was employed on that service, and who received the fugitive French on board his ship, treated them with that humanity and generosity, which it was his duty and wish to shew to an unresisting enemy. We know that they were never plundered of one dollar; and

we know that but for the valour and perseverance of all the naval officers on that station, every one of these unfortunate people would have ended their lives in tortures, under the merciless hands

of the negroes.

The Count's assertions on this occasion deviate from the truth as much as when he speaks of the battle of Algeziras, or that off Cape Trafalgar, in July, 1801. In the first, he says, the Pompeé was taken, but towed away by the English; in the second, that the Formidable alone engaged five English ships of the line, who fired red hot shot into her !! The colours of the Pompeé were never struck. The Formidable was never, during the whole night, engaged by any ship; and in the morning, the Venerable alone brought her to action, and the Formidable fled, though the enemy's squadron consisted of six sail of the line against our five (as the Hannibal did not quit Algeziras with the fleet), and disgracefully left their unfortunate allies to perish in the flames. Finally, no British ship ever fired a red hot shot, nor was there ever an apparatus on board of one for heating them.

General Le Fevre, who commanded the French troops at the port of Aux Cayes, sent off terms of capitulation to Captain Henry Whitby, who commanded the blockade in the Pelican, brig. A suspension of hostilities was in consequence agreed on, and the Theseus and La Pique were ordered to receive the garrison. Captain Bligh of the Theseus, was at that time employed in the block

ade of the town of Cape François, and attacked Fort Dauphin, where the enemy's small craft had constantly found a refuge from the pursuit of our boats, and carried supplies to the town. Leaving the Cumberland and Hercule off the Cape, Captain Bligh proceeded to the attack of the place, and bringing his ship to an anchor within musketshot of Fort Le Bouc, situated at the entrance of the harbour, he soon silenced the enemy's guns, and saw the colours hauled down. Towed by her boats, the Theseus next entered the harbour, to attack another fort, and a ship of war of twenty guns, lying near it: the latter surrendered after receiving a few shot; and the commandant of the fort, beset by the blacks on every side, preferred surrendering to the English, with whom he was certain of receiving the treatment due to an unfortunate enemy. He accordingly surrendered to Captain Bligh, who took him and the troops on board, and sent them, with all their sick, under a flag of truce to Cape François. From these people he learned, that the French General Dumont and his suite had lately fallen into the hands of the blacks, and were in the most imminent danger of being put to death. Captain Bligh lost not a moment in soliciting their freedom from the black chief, which he had the good fortune and happiness to obtain, and they accompanied the rest of their countrymen to the Cape. Here are three glorious instances of British officers saving their enemies from a cruel death, or lingering torments.

We are sorry the Count de Dumas was either unacquainted with these facts, or unwilling to relate them.

Humanity was not the only good quality shewn by the British officers on this station; their bravery was highly conspicuous, and successful. Captain Austin Bissel, one of those bright ornaments of our profession, who had risen from his own merit, continued in command of the Racoon, and was employed on the coast of Cuba. While off the town of St. Jago, he saw five French vessels at anchor: two of these he captured, a third he drove on shore, after which he engaged two armed vessels, their consorts. They came down as if with a determination to take him by boarding. Captain Bissel, quite prepared, closed with them : the largest, and the first brought to action, was a brig, which having approached very near, attempted to run ahead, between the Racoon and the land. Captain Bissel, to prevent this, put his helm hard a-port, and obliged the enemy to run on shore, giving her his broadside at the same time; when nearly aboard of each other, the enemy struck her colours, but hoisted them again as she lay on the rocks. To avoid running on shore, Captain Bissel had occasion to exert his utmost skill; he threw his brig in stays, gave the other broadside, and as he came round, his. stern was in the breakers. This vessel was called. La Mutine, carrying eighteen guns, long eighteen pounders, and was full of men, who escaped to

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