| | Naval history of Great Britain
by
William James |
| 1806 |
BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS | 192 |
the French ship's bow, wore, and brought her to action on the larboard tack. Owing to the smoke, this change of sides had been unperceived by the Superb and Northumberland ; who, the one on the starboard beam, the other on the starboard bow, of the Spencer, gave her some occasional shots. In a very little time, however, the Northumberland gallantly pushed in between the Superb and Impérial, and received from the latter a tremendous broadside; some of the shots of which passed through both sides of the Northumberland and struck the Superb , for whom the broadside had been intended.
While the Spencer and Alexandre were closely engaged with their heads to the southward, the remaining ships of both squadrons continued their course to the westward. At about 10 h. 35 m. A.M. the Canopus, leading the lee division, crossed and fired into the bows of the Alexandre, whose masts, already tottering with the Spencer's heavy fire, fell by the board. The Donegal and Atlas, in passing, fired also at the Alexandre, the latter's dismasted state being scarcely perceivable in the smoke. The Canopus standing on towards the three-decker and her second astern, and the Donegal and Atlas attaching themselves to the Brave and Jupiter, the action, except on the part of the Agamemnon, who still appeared unable to get up, became general. Finding that her antagonist, besides being wholly dismasted, was on fire, the Spencer, as soon as her disabled state would permit, filled, and at about 11 A.M. bore up towards the remaining combatants in the west.
After having, as above related, fired into the bows of the Alexandre, the Donegal passed on, and with her starboard guns engaged the Brave. Captain Malcolm then wore under the latter ship's stern, and engaged her closely with his larboard guns, until, being much cut up and disabled, and having sustained a heavy loss in officers and men (partly, no doubt, from the fire of some of the other British ships in passing), the Brave struck her colours ; as, about 10 minutes before, had the dismasted Alexandre, after a defence equally creditable. Having silenced the Brave, the Donegal stood on ; and after firing a few broadsides from her larboard guns into the Jupiter, who, as well as the Brave, had been partially engaged with the Atlas and one or two other British ships as they passed to the westward, ranged ahead, and ran her opponent on board, receiving the Jupiter's bowsprit over her larboard quarter, and securing it there by a hawser from her own lowerdeck port to the French ship's foremast. After this prompt measure, the Jupiter, without much further resistance, surrendered; and the Donegal, having sent on board a lieutenant, two midshipmen, and 100 men, took her prize in tow. Shortly afterwards the Donegal directed the Acasta, by signal, to take possession of the Brave, then in the north by west quarter ; and who had been
^ back to top ^ |