APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 



547 



day, off ditto, the crew having de- 

 serted. 



A French settee (name unlinown), 

 from St. Lucie, laden with wine : 

 captured by Thomas Turner, quar- 

 ter-master, on same day, off ditto, 

 the crew having deserted. 



W. Hoste, captain. 



Account of the gallant Jetton of .S'/r 

 Richard Strachan, with 4 French 

 Shijis of the Line, the whole ^f 

 tchich he captured, iji a Letter to 

 W. Marsden, Esq. 



Ca'sar, fFe'^f of Rochfort 264 



miles, Nov. 4, Wind S, E. 

 Sir, 

 Being off Ferrol, working to the 

 westward, with the wind westerly, 

 on the evening of the 2d, we observ- 

 ed a frigate in the N. W. making 

 signals; made all sail to join her be- 

 fore night, andfollovved by the ships 

 named in tlie margin,* we came up 

 with her at eleven at night; and at 

 the moment she joined us, we saw 

 six large ships near us. Captain 

 Eaker informed me he had been 

 chased by the Rochfort squadron, 

 then close to leeward of us. We 

 were delighted. I desired him to 

 tell the captains of the ships of the 

 line astern to follow mc, as I meant 

 to engage them directly ; and imme- 

 diately bore away in the Ciesar 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 iEoltis being 

 the only ships wc could see. Wc 



continued steering to the E. N. E. 

 all night, and in the morning ob- 

 served the Santa Margarita near 

 us ; at nine we discovered the ene- 

 my of four sail of the line in the 

 JS\ E. under all sail. We had also 

 every thing set, and came up with 

 them fast ; in the evening we ob- 

 served three sail astern ; and the 

 Phoenix spoke me at niglit. I 

 found that active officer captain 

 Baker had delivered my orders, 

 and I sent him on to assist the Santa 

 Margarita in leading us up to the 

 enemy. jVt day-light we were near 

 them, and the Santa Margarita had 

 begun in a very gallant manner to 

 fire upon their rear, and was soon 

 joined by the Phoenix. A little be- 

 fore 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 communi-k 

 catcd my intentions, 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 ot the enemy tacked, which 

 almost directly made the action close 

 and genera! ; 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 en- 

 gage the van ; at half-past three the 

 action ceased, the enemy having 

 fought to admiration, and not sur- 

 rendering till (heir ships were un- 

 manageable. I have returned thanks 

 to the captains of the ships of the 

 line and frigates, and they speak in 

 Jiigh terms of approbation of their 

 respective ofiicers and ship's compa> 

 nies. If any thing could add to the 

 good opinion 1 had already formed 



of 



• Csesar, Courageux, and Namur. 

 wwd in the south-east. 



Eellona, ^olus, Santa Margarita^ far tei«f- 

 Nn2 



