of its ministers, had by this time determined to land a considerable body of emigrants in their native country, on purpose to effect a junction with the Chouans; and as no one was better acquainted with the coast than Commodore Warren, he was selected for the command of the naval department. He accordingly hoisted his broad pendant on board La Pomone, a very fine vessel, formerly captured by his squadron, and took his departure from Spithead with three sail of the line, two forty-four gun ships, and four frigates, together with several gun-boats, cutters, &c. Having collected upwards of fifty transports, the emigrant army, consisting of the regiments of Hector, Hervilly, Dudremu, Royale-Marine, Royale-Louis, Royale-Artilleric, &c. were embarked from the Isle of Wight, and after a passage of sixteen days, during which they were at one time in imminent danger of falling in with Rear-admiral Villaret Joyeuse, with the whole of the French fleet, they anchored in Quiberon bay July 4, 1795.

*

The landing of the main body was effected during the night, and the remainder was safely put on shore in the course of the succeeding day, together with an immense quantity of muskets, uniforms, provisions, stores, and five pieces of cannon. But as the position assumed in the peninsula could not be maintained, without getting possession of the battery which commanded it, the commodore gave orders for three fri

I. La Pomone, 44 guns, Commodore Sir J. B. Warren, K. B., 2. Robust, 74; 3.Thunderer, 74; 4. Standard, 64.—Anson, 44; Artois, 38; Arethusa, 38; Concorde, 36; Galatea, 32.

gates

gates to attack Fort Penthievre, now termed Fort Sans Culottes, on one side, while he himself landed with a body of English marines to join the emigrants and royalists on the other, who being new clothed, presented the spectacle of a numerous and well appointed army; so that after a siege of two days, the garrison, consisting of about four hundred men, being afraid of an assault, surrendered prisoners of war.

So far as depended on the co-operation of the British navy, every thing was effected that could be wished for. The French were obliged to abandon Auray and Vannes, and also to evacuate the intrenched camp of Carnac; so that the Chouans were enabled to join them in large bodies. But the scheme had not been originally matured in the cabinet, nor was it attempted to be carried into execution by means of proper agents. Many of the troops were seduced from the prison-ships by the hopes of liberty, and not a few were picked up in the streets and the jails of the metropolis, a large portion of whom had served in the republican fleets and armies, and were secretly hostile to the royal cause.

The Count De Puisaye also, who had been selected for the command, was a man whose principles were equivocal, having acted as adjutant-general to Wimpffen, when that officer affected to sustain the cause of the Girondists against the convention. Nor did it appear that the military talents of this leader were calculated to promote success, for he seems to have confined his functions entirely to the distribution of clothes and arms, and the circulation

of

of a well written manifesto, in which he stated himself" lieutenant-general of the King's armies, and commander in chief of the catholic and royal army of Brittany."

No sooner did the intelligence of these events reach Paris, than the deputies Blad and Tallien were dispatched to stir up the neighbouring departments, while General Roche moved forward with a large body of troops, took post at St. Barbe, erected a chain of batteries across the peninsula, and vaunted " that he would shut up the royalists like so many rats in a trap." This boast was but too speedily realised for the emigrants were completely foiled in their attempt to raise the blockade, in consequence of the intelligence kept up in their camp, and would have been cut in pieces, had it not been for the interposition of five English gun-boats, which secured their retreat. To complete their misfortunes, Fort Penthievre was retaken by the French, on the 21st of July, during a night attack, in consequence of treachery, the brave D'Hervilly was desperately wounded, and the gallant Sombreuil, whose fate was lamented by every one, was first made prisoner, and then executed, while De Puisaye, on the first alarm, had taken shelter on board a man of war. On this melancholy occasion, no less than six or seven hundred emigrants perished at the foot of a promontory, called Le Rocher de Por'tignes: of those who surrendered, such as were not noble, after some time obtained their pardon, and about two thousand were saved by the boats of the fleet, to which no part of these misfortunes can be ättributed,

Notwithstanding the catastrophe attendant on this ill-fated invasion, the commodore deemed it proper to remain on the coast, with a view of occupying the attention of the republican troops. It was at first resolved to seize on the island of Noirmoutier, formerly the haunt of the celebrated Charette and his faithful followers, but as this island seemed to be too well guarded, the isle de Dieu was taken possession of, and converted into a place of arms, whence the Chouans in the neighbourhood could be easily succoured. But previously to this, the Count D'Artois, with a numerous retinue, had joined the fleet in the Jason, and opened a communication with the Vendeans. The season was, however, now past, for the late descent on the peninsula of Quiberon had been attended with such a sinistrous issue, that his adherents were intimidated, so that his royal highness, after a cruise, in the course of which he landed and staid for a short time on some of the small islands on the coast, was obliged reluctantly to return with the remainder of the troops.

During the year 1796, Sir John B. Warren continued to harass and diminish the remaining commerce of France, and on the 22d of August, with only four frigates, he fell in with, and attacked a squadron of seven sail, three of which were ships of considerable force. On this occasion, he not only dispersed the convoy, but was fortunate enough to capture the Etoile of thirty guns.

In the course of the succeeding season, instead of commanding a detached squadron, he received or

ders

ders to repair on board a seventy-four gun ship,* with which he joined Lord Bridport off Brest. While on this station, he captured several merchantmen from the enemy, and drove a large frigate on shore.

In the mean time a formidable rebellion having taken place in Ireland, and it being necessary that a confidential officer should be dispatched, for the purpose of intercepting reinforcements and supplies from the coast of France, Sir John Warren was selected for this purpose. He was accordingly nominated to the command of a strong squadron, consisting of an eighty-gun ship, two seventy-fours, and a fortyfour, together with some cutters, &c. and being afterwards joined by the Melampus and Doris, cruised off Achile head. At noon, on the 11th of October 1798, having discovered an enemy's fleet, consisting of one ship of eighty guns, eight frigates, a schooner and a brig, he immediately threw out the signal for a general chace, with orders to form in succession, as each ship reached her adversary, with whom, from their great distance to windward, joined to a hollow sea, it was impossible to come up before the 12th.

In consequence of the engagement that ensued, the Hoche a ship of the line, commanded by M. Bompard, although obstinately defended, struck after a gallant defence, together with three frigates, all of which were full of troops and stores; nor ought it to be omitted, that Mr. Theobald Wolfe Tone, with

*The Canada.

whom