APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



5^53 



I had about this time the satis- 

 faction of seeing Vice-Admiral 

 Van Capellen's Hag in the station I 

 had a-signed to him, and soon 

 after, at intervals, the remainder 

 of his frigates, keeping up a well- 

 supported fire on the flanking bat- 

 teries he liail offered to cover us 

 from, as it had not been in my 

 power, for want of room, to bring 

 him in the front of the Mole. 



About sunset I received a mes- 

 sage from Rear-Adiniral Milne, 

 conveying to me the severe loss 

 the hnpregnable was sustaining, 

 having then 1 50 killed and wound- 

 ed, and requesting 1 would, if pos- 

 sible, Sfnd him a fiigate to divert 

 some of the fire he was under. 



The Glasgow, near me, imme- 

 diately weighed, but the wind had 

 been driven away by the can- 

 nonade, and she was obliged to 

 anchor again, having obtained 

 rather a better position than be- 

 fore. 



1 had at this time sent orders 

 to the explosion vessel, under the 

 charge of Lieut. Fleming and Mi'. 

 Parker, by Captam Keade of the 

 engineers, to bring her into the 

 Mole; but the Rear- Admiral hav- 

 ing thoutiht she would do him 

 essential service if exploded under 

 the battery in his front, I sent or- 

 ders to this vessel to that effect, 

 which weie executed. I desired 

 also the Rear-Admiral might be 

 informed, that many of the ships 

 being now in flames, and certain 

 of the destruction of the whole, I 

 considered I had executed the 

 most important part of my in- 

 structions, and should make every 

 preparation for withchawing the 

 ships, and desired he would do 

 so as soon as possible witli his 

 division. 



There were awful moments 

 duiing the conflict, which ] can- 

 not now attempt to describe, oc- 

 casioned by firing the ships so near 

 us, and 1 had long rtsistcd the 

 eager entieaties of several around 

 me, to make the attempt upon the 

 outer frigate, distant a!)Out 100 

 yards, which at length J gave 

 into, and Major Gossett, by my 

 side, who had been eager to land 

 his corps of miners, pressed me 

 most anxiously for permissi(m to 

 accompany Lieutenant Richards 

 in this ship's barge. The frigate 

 was instantly boarded, and in ten 

 minutes in a perfect blaze ; a gal- 

 lant young niid.shipman, in rocket 

 boat No. 8, although foi bidden, 

 was led by his ardent spirit to fol- 

 low in support of the barge, in 

 which he was desperately wound- 

 ed, his brother officer killed, and 

 nine of Iiis crew. The barge, by 

 rowing more rapidly, had sufiFered 

 less, and lost but two. 



The enemy's batteries aiound 

 my division were about ten o'clock 

 silenced, and in a state of perfect 

 ruin and dilap dation ; and the 

 fire of the ships was re-eived as 

 much as possible, to save powder, 

 and reply to a few guns now and 

 then bearing upon us, although 

 a fort on the upper angle of the 

 city, on which our guns could not 

 be brought to bear, continued to 

 annoy the ships by shot and sliells 

 during the whole time. 



Providence at this interval gave 

 to my anxious wi^ht's (he usual 

 land wind, conmion in this bay, 

 and my expectations were com- 

 pleted. We were all hands em- 

 ployed warping and towing off, 

 and, by the help of the light air, 

 the whole were under sail, and 

 came to anchor out of reach of 



shells 



