CHARACTERS. 



75S 



On his return from cruizing, about 

 the middle of the summer, 1757, he 

 was appointed to tlic command of 

 thelNIagnanime of 74 guns, and sent 

 out with sir Edward Hawke. The 

 Mngnanime was one of the ships de- 

 tached by sir Edward, under sir 

 Francis Knowles, and ordered by 

 sir Francis to attack the only fort 

 on the island of Aix. This exploit 

 captain Howe accomplished by get- 

 tin;f within 40 yards of the fort 

 before he fired : he then opened so 

 furious and well-directed a tire, that 

 the enemy were soon driven from 

 their guns, and surrendered. 



February the 16th, 1758, was an 

 auspicious day indeed in our hero's 

 calendar. Being allotted a cessation 

 for a few months, amidst the career 

 of his glorious action, he married 

 Mary, one of the two daughters and 

 co-heiress toChivertonllartop, esq. 

 of Welby, in the county of Lei- 

 cester. 



Being thoroughly sensible of the 

 skill and activity of captain Howe, 

 (the only officer of the great arma- 

 ment in 1757, who had performed 

 any service) Mr. secretary Pitt con- 

 trived to have an interview with him, 

 for the purpose of discoursing about 

 other attacks on the French coast. 

 At the close of the conversation, 

 captain Howe expressed his desire 

 to be one of the officers employed 

 on such service. The minister re- 

 plied, " he could not interfere in 

 "■' rccomnieiiding captains to the 

 " eommander-in chief." Thus the 

 matter seemingly ended : but Mr. 

 Pitt had in reality determined that 

 the suprtmc naval command should 

 be entrusted to capt. Howe himself. 



In conse(|uence of this determina- 

 tion, at the beginning of June, 17.58, 

 commodore Hood set sail in the Es. 

 scXj with bib squadron oi ships of 



war, and above 100 transports, 

 having -on board some thousand 

 Lmd forces, and a large train of ar- 

 tiJery, through the race of Alder- 

 ney — being the first Englishman who 

 hadsailed with aflect of ships through 

 this dangerous pass. The commodors 

 proceeded to the bay of Concalle. 

 Here the duke of Marlborough 

 landed with the troops, and having 

 destroyed, near St. Malos, an hun- 

 dred sail of shipping, and many ma- 

 gazines, re-embarked on the 11th 

 of June. The commodore, after 

 making various movements with his 

 fleet, to the lerror of the French 

 coast, on the 1st of July returned 

 to St. Helen's. ^ 



A second expedition in the same 

 year, 1758, being concerted under 

 the same naval commander, princa 

 Edward, afterwards duke of York, 

 went on board the Essex on the 24th 

 of July. August the 1st, con.mo-' 

 dore Howe, with the troops under 

 lieutenant-general Bligh, sailed from 

 St. Helen's. On the 6th he came 

 to anchor in Cherbourg road. 'l he 

 town of Cherbourg was taken, the 

 bason totally destroyed, together 

 with all the forts in the neighbour- 

 hood. This service performed, the 

 fleet anchored the I9th of August, 

 under the high land of Portland. 



On the 3lst of August the conx- 

 mod ore sailed again towards St. Ma- 

 los, still attended by prince Edward. 

 He carac to anchor the 3d Septem- 

 ber in the bay of St. Lusaine, and 

 landed the troops without opposi- 

 tion. The commodore found it ad. 

 viseable to move thence into the bay 

 of St. Cas. On the retreat of the 

 British forces from St. Cas, Septem- 

 ber the 7th, the commodore ordered 

 his barge to be rowed through the 

 thickest of the enenjy's fire ; thus 

 animating the sailors, who ha.d shewa 

 3 C 2 sou»« 



