In this six hours' close and bloody conflict, the Leander lost three midshipmen (Peter Downs, -------- Gibson, and Edward Haddon), 24 seamen, one sergeant (Dair), and seven private marines killed, her commander (badly, in three places), Captain Berry (slightly *), two lieutenants (Watkinson Bridges Taylor and William Swiney), her master (Michael Lee), boatswain (Mr. Mathias, badly), one master's mate (John Leckey), one midshipman (Mr. Nailor), 41 seamen, and nine private marines wounded-total, 35 killed and 57 wounded. This was a full third of her gallant crew ; for, having left one lieutenant, one midshipman, and fifty men on board the prizes of Aboukir bay, and been originally short of her complement, the Leander had commenced the action with only 282 men and boys, including her 14 wounded in the Nile battle, and, we believe, her two passengers, Captain Edward Berry and a Mr. William Hill.

The Généreux, having received on board a portion of the Timoléon's crew, † as well as, on the day previous, when she parted company with the Guillaume-Tell, a number of men from her, had commenced the action with 936 men and boys. Of these, according to the information given by some of her officers to the late officers of the Leander, the Généreux sustained a loss of about 100, including her first lieutenant, killed, and 188 wounded ; sufficient in amount, even admitting it to be slightly overrated, to prove that the 74's thick sides were not impenetrable to the 50-gun ship's comparatively light, but liberally bestowed, and well-directed shot. Some of the crew of the Généreux were even killed upon her orlop deck ; and nothing but the smoothness of the water saved the French ship's foremast, which had been struck by 23 of the Leander's shot,

* By "part of a man's skull, which was driven through his arm."- Naval Chronicle, vol. xv., p. 180.

† See p. 173.

^ back to top ^