for their gallant defence. The British squadron consisted of four sail of the line, well appointed; one of them, the Cæsar, an 84-gun ship; besides four good frigates, whose active assistance has been noticed.

With all these allowances in favour of the French, the action was exceedingly admired for its neatness, for the vigilance and seamanship of the Commodore and his brave associates; and, to crown the deed in the estimation of people on shore, all the four prizes were brought safely into port.

Sir Richard Strachan, two days before his despatches reached the Admiralty, had been promoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue; and the captains who served with him subsequently received marks of royal approbation.

The following is an extract of his letter to Admiral Cornwallis.

SIR,

Cæsar, west of Rochfort 264 miles,
Nov. 4, 1805, wind S. E.

Being off Ferrol, working to the westward, with the wind westerly, on the evening of the 2d, we observed a frigate in the N. W. making signals; made all sail to join her before night, and, followed by the Cæsar, Hero, Courageux, Namur, Bellona, Æolus, and Santa Margaretta, we came up with her at 11 at night; and at the moment she joined us, we saw six large ships near us. We were delighted. I desired him to tell the captains of the ships of the line astern to follow me, as I meant to engage them directly; and immediately bore away in the Cæsar for the purpose, making all the signals I could, to indicate our movements to our ships; the moon enabled us to see the enemy bear away in a line abreast, closely formed; but we lost sight of them when it set, and I was obliged to reduce our sails, the Hero, Courageux, and Eolus, being the only ships we could see. We continued steering to the E. N. E. all night, and in the morning observed the Santa Margaretta near us; at nine we discovered the enemy, of four sail of the line, in the N. E., under all sail. We had also every thing set, and came up with them fast; in the evening we observed three sail astern; and the Phoenix spoke me at night. I found that active officer, Captain Baker, had delivered my orders, and I sent him on to assist the Santa Margaretta in leading us up to the enemy. At daylight we were near them, and the Santa Margaretta had begun in a very gallant manner to fire upon their rear, and was soon joined by the Phoenix.

A little before noon the French, finding an action unavoidable, began to take in their small sails, and form in a line, bearing on the starboard tack; we did the same, and I communicated my intention by hailing to the captains "That I should attack the centre and rear," and at noon began the battle; in a short time the van ship of the enemy tacked, which almost directly made the action close

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and general; the Namur joined soon after we tacked, which we did as soon as we could get the ships round, and I directed her, by signal, to engage the van; at half past three the action ceased, the enemy having fought to admiration, and not surrendering till their ships were unmanageable. I have the honour to be, &c.

96

CHAPTER VI.

North America.-Action between Cleopatra and Ville de Milan-Capture and recapture of the Cleopatra, and capture of the Milan by the Leander Lieutenant Pigot, of the Cambrian, enters the river St. Mary's, and takes merchantmen.

West Indies.-Action between Curieux and Dame Ernouf-Action between Renard and General Ernouf-Capture of the Blanche by a French squadron-Capture of two of that squadron by the Goliath. Cape of Good Hope.-Second reduction of that colony by the British forces, under the command of Captain Sir Home Popham and Majorgeneral Sir David Baird.

THE events in North America, since the renewal of the war in 1803, had been very unimportant, and afforded nothing particularly interesting until the month of February, 1805, when Rear-admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell, K.B., commanded on the Halifax station.

Captain Sir Robert Laurie, in the Cleopatra, a frigate of 32 guns, 12-pounders, was cruising near the Bermudas, on the 16th of February, in lat. 28° N., and long. 67° W., when he fell in with a French frigate. The Cleopatra made every sail in chase, and the French frigate as much to get away. Squalls of wind and a heavy sea carried away the studding-booms and yards during the night: in this condition the British frigate continued the chase, and at daylight of the 17th the enemy was about four miles ahead. The swell still continued, with a fresh breeze, and at half-past ten the enemy took in his studding-sails and prepared for battle, hauling more to the wind the Cleopatra, when within three quarters of a mile of her opponent, took in her studding-sails also, and steered for his quarter. Both ships having their colours flying, the action began by the bow chase guns of the British frigate, which were returned by those of the stern from the enemy. Nothing was done till half past 12, when the French frigate, luffing close to the wind, gave the Cleopatra two broadsides, which were returned at the distance of 100 yards, and a close and severe action lasted till five o'clock, when the enemy's main-topsailyard was shot away, and the Cleopatra forged ahead so fast as to render it necessary to shorten sail; but this she was unable

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to do more than to back the mizen-topsail. Her clew-garnets, braces, and bowlines being shot away, Captain Laurie could not haul up his courses or square his main-yard; in this difficulty he thought it best to haul to the wind, across the bow of his adversary, in preference to being raked by exposing the stern to a broadside. At the important moment a shot struck the wheel of the Cleopatra and rendered it immovable, while at the same time the rudder was choked below by splinters and by pistols placed near it in the gun-room. The French captain, instantly perceiving the embarrassment of his enemy, who was to leeward of him, put his helm up, and ran on board the Cleopatra, passing his bowsprit over her quarter-deck, just abaft the main rigging, and attempting to board under a heavy fire of musketry and musketoons, but was driven back. The advantage, however, which they had gained, they determined to keep. The enemy, from superior height, commanded the decks of the Cleopatra, and from her tops, well filled with musketry, did much mischief: the Cleopatra could only oppose two guns, the shot from which went no higher than the enemy's lower deck; and the sea running high, the momentary concussions of the heavy French ship, built for a 74, threatened to sink the little Cleopatra under her. Still Sir Robert Laurie and his brave companions were unsubdued, and they attempted to hoist the fore-topmast-staysail to get clear of her; the spritsail was also ordered to be set at the same time, but every man sent on this service was knocked down by the musketry of the enemy, who, at a quarter past five, succeeded in boarding, and took possession of the well-defended Cleopatra. The frigate which made this conquest was called La Ville de Milan, mounting 46 guns, 18-pounders, manned with 350 men, besides officers and passengers; she was commanded by Monsieur Reynard, capitaine de vaisseau, who was killed in the action, and succeeded by Monsieur Gillet, capitaine de frégate, who was severely wounded. The moment the Cleopatra had surrendered, her mast fell, leaving her with only her mizenmast and bowsprit standing, and Sir Robert Laurie fully expected her to founder before she could be got clear of the Ville de Milan. It would not be easy for the most skilful officer to say how more could have been done to defend his Majesty's ship. The Milan was nearly double the force of her enemy in every respect; she was 1,200 tons, the Cleopatra little more than 700; she had near 400 men, the Cleopatra not 200; her metal French eighteens, the Cleopatra English twelves; yet with these mighty odds against her, she fought near five hours, and was taken with honour. The loss on board the Cleopatra was 22 killed, including two who died immediately after the action,

VOL. II.

H

BAYFRIMP
STAATS
BIBLIOTH

MUENCHEN

and 36 wounded; being more than one-fourth of her comple

ment.

This, it must be owned, was a hard-earned prize for the Milan, and I have been more than usually minute, because the defence offers a fine specimen of British valour and skill. I will not presumptuously say, that the Cleopatra would have subdued an enemy so much her superior, if the accident had not happened to her tiller; but I will say, that a better action was never fought, and that when the British frigate at last surrendered, she was scarcely worth taking into port. The valour of Captain Laurie soon had its reward, by causing both the prize and her conqueror to fall an easy prey to a very gallant and very fortunate officer.

Captain John Talbot, of the Leander, on the 23d of the same month, fell in with the Cleopatra under jury-masts, and soon after saw the Milan also under jury-masts. As the Leander came up with the small frigate, the other closed to support her, but soon after separated; one going before the wind, the other keeping it on her larboard quarter. The Cleopatra struck, on the Leander firing a shot over her. It was very soon discovered by Captain Talbot what ship he had taken; and finding that there were Englishmen enough on board to secure her, he lost no time in going after the Milan, desiring the Cleopatra to follow him. One hour's chase brought him alongside of the enemy, who, incapable of resistance, instantly surrendered, without firing or receiving a shot. This frigate was from Martinique, bound to France with despatches, and the officers declared that they did every thing in their power to avoid an action with the Cleopatra. Sir Robert Laurie, though no longer captain of the ship, took charge of the Cleopatra by desire of Captain Talbot, and the three ships proceeded to Bermuda, whence, on the 7th of March, Captain Talbot dates his letter to Sir Andrew Mitchell.

Sir Robert Laurie, when tried by a court-martial for the loss of his ship, was most honourably acquitted, and appointed to the command of the Ville de Milan, which was purchased into

the service.

Captain (now Sir John P.) Beresford commanded the Cambrian frigate, on the same station; cruising to the southward, he captured a schooner, the command of which he gave to Mr. Pigot, one of his lieutenants. This young officer proceeded off the mouth of the river St. Mary, in which he had obtained information that some enemy's vessels lay at anchor. On the 7th of July he ran 12 miles up a narrow river, and got within gun-shot of a ship, a brig, and a schooner, lying moored across the stream. After an hour's fighting he took them all;