THE SERVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 245 
sight of the Light House; in about half an hour the masts of the 
French fleet could very plainly be distinguished anchored within the 
land. About 7 p.m. the British brought to and came to anchor off 
the mouth of the harbour, distance about five miles. The next 
morning, Monday the 10th, about 8 o’clock, a very severe cannonade 
commenced, which for half an hour at least we could not explain, and 
continued for two hours. At last we could plainly perceive the 
Languedoc (the French Admiral’s ship) standing out of the harbour’s 
mouth and the batteries on shore warmly plying her and the rest of 
the fleet then getting under way, and they returned the fire. As soon 
as Lord Howe observed the French fleet to be getting under way, he 
ordered the British to slip their cables, which was instantly effected 
and the whole were under an easy sail in a few minutes. His Lord- 
ship immediately directed the line of battle to be formed, the Eagle 
leading the van with no more than her main and fore topsails set and 
two top gallant sails on the cap, while the French fleet crowded all 
the sail they could carry. Lord Howe carried no more than the 
above described sail the whole day, with which he drew these perfidious 
Frenchmen off the coast, and that too almost imperceptibly for no 
doubt very wise purposes. His Lordship’s approved abilities leave 
great room to form the most sanguine expectations. About 8 o’clock 
on Monday evening, the van of the French fleet was about a mile 
distant from the rear of the British. The French fleet consisted of 12 
capital ships and two smaller, one of 90 guns, one of 84 and ten of 74. 
Lord Howe had with him only eight line of battle-ships, one of which 
is a 74, the others all 64’s, and five of 50, and two of 44 guns, with 
some frigates and fire ships, galleys, etc. It was imagined that Lord 
Howe would engage the French fleet in the night that he might have 
a better opportunity of grappling them with his fireships.” 
The following is another account of the occurrences at Rhode Island. 
When the French fleet invested the place, the Comte d’ Estaing 
sent a message demanding its surrender to the forces of the United 
States and the French vice-admiral. General Pigot answered it from 
the mouth of his artillery. A heavy cannonade from both sides 
succeeded, which lasted two hours, notwithstanding the Comte had 
pledged his honour with the rebel chief that he would in 25 minutes 
silence the British batteries. During the operations, the Languedoc 
by egregious bad management, swung round, presenting her stern to 
a battery of large cannon, several balls from which went through her 
fore and aft, in which position the lofty ship was raked without being 
able to bring a single gun to bear upon the battery. Therefore, 
under such an humiliating circumstance, the Comte, to save his ship 
from imminent destruction, found it necessary, with his squadron, to 
cut their cables and stand out of harm’s way. The French fleet in 
general, but especially the large ships, were very much disabled, and 
their hands were employed two days in plugging the shot holes and 
patching them up for another voyage. On Sunday the 9th, the Comte 
entirely abandoned the enterprise against Rhode Island, left the 
harbour and proceeded to sea, and presently came in sight of the 
