Contents

Next Page

Previous Page

10 Pages >>

10 Pages <<
Naval History of Great Britain - Vol II
1797 Destruction of the Calliope, &c 85

gallantly ran in and anchored between the Anson and the French frigate, and within 150 yards of the latter. As soon as she had got a spring upon her cable, the Sylph opened upon the Calliope a well-directed fire, which the frigate, at intervals, returned. At 11 h. 30 m. a.m. the Anson weighed and made sail, to join the Pomone and Artois ; but the brig remained, and continued the cannonade with such spirit and effect, until recalled by signal at 6 p.m., that the French crew were ultimately prevented by it from using any means to save the ship or stores, and on the next day the Calliope went to pieces.

The fire from the French frigate had occasioned a loss to the Sylph of five seamen and one marine wounded ; but the Calliope's loss by the brig's fire, it was impossible to ascertain. Of the convoy in charge of the Calliope and corvettes, one transport ship, three brigs, and four chasse-marées were taken, and one timber-ship and one brig were run on shore, and burnt ; the remainder effected their escape.

On the 11th of August, early in the morning, Sir John Warren, cruising off the coast of La Vendée, with, besides the Pomone, the 38-gun frigate Jason, Captain Charles Stirling, 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Triton, Captain John Gore, and 18-gun brig-sloop Sylph, Captain John Chambers White, discovered a French convoy of brigs and chasse-marées, under the escort of a ship-corvette and three or four gun-vessels, standing to sea out of the Pertuis-d'Antioche ; and which, to avoid the danger that threatened them, ran for the river of Sable-d'Olonne.

Perceiving that the corvette and a brig gun-vessel had anchored at the entrance of the river under the protection of a fort, Captain White gallantly asked permission to stand in and cannonade them. Leave having been obtained, the Sylph, at 11 h. 30 m. a.m., anchored in seven fathoms, about a mile to the westward of Sable-d'Olonne, and opened her fire, which was presently returned by the fort and vessels. At noon the Pomone and Jason (the Triton was then in chase in the offing), keeping under way, joined in the cannonade ; and soon afterwards the gun-vessel cut her cables, and endeavoured to rejoin her convoy at anchor in the river, but sank at its entrance. At about a quarter past noon, finding it impracticable to do more, the Sylph cut her cable and stood out, with the loss of one master's mate (Henry Wrickson) and two seamen killed, and three wounded. The Pomone, also, had one seaman killed, and one seaman and one marine wounded. The result of this attack was, that a French gun-vessel was destroyed, and a French ship-corvette, which was seen in the harbour of Olonne, by the Pomone, on the 16th, considerably damaged.

On the 27th, in the evening, Sir John, with the same squadron, cruising to the southward of the entrance of the river Gironde, discovered and chased in the south-west another French convoy. The chase continued all night, and the Jason and Triton, being

^ back to top ^