1806. ] 
M‘Kenzie, two hours before day-light, to 
reconnoitre ; when at fix o’clock the Acatta, 
to our great joy, made the. fignal for two of 
the enemy’s frigates; and before feven, for 
pine fail at anchor: at half paft, that they 
were getting under weigh; the fquadron un- 
der my command, then in clofe order with 
all fail fet, and the Superb, bearing my flag, 
leading, and approaching faft, fo as to difco- 
ver, before eight o'clock, that the enemy 
were in a compact. line, under all fail, go- 
ing before the wind for Cape Niafo, to wind- 
ward of Ocoa Bay; and as they confiftedrof 
Only five fail of the line, two frigates, anda 
corvette (which hereafter will be named), I 
concluded from the information I was in pof- 
feffion of, that they were endeavouring to 
form a junétion with their remaining force, 
and, in confequence, fhaped my courfe to 
render abortive fuch intention, which was 
completely effected bya little afcer nine, fo as 
to make an action certain. I therefore tele- 
graphed the fquadron, that the principal ob- 
jeét of attack would be the Admiral and his 
feconds, and at three quarters paft nine, for 
the thips to take ftations for their mutual 
fupport, and engage the enemy as they got 
up, and afew minutes after to engage as 
clofe as poffible; when, at a fhort period af- 
ter ten, the Superb clofed upon the bow of 
the Alexandre, the leading fhip, and com- 
menced the aétion; but after three broad- 
fides, fhe fheered off: the fignal was now 
made for clofer aétion, and we were enabled 
to attack the Admiral in the Imperiale, 
{formerly le Vengeur) the fire of which had 
been heavy on the Northumberland, bearing 
the Hon. Rear-Admiral Cochrane’s flag, By 
this time, the movement of the Alexandre 
had thrown her among the lee divifion, which 
_ Rear-Admiral Louis happily availed him- 
felf of, and the action became general, and 
continued with great feverity till half pat 
‘eleven; when the French Admiral, much 
fhattered, and completely beat, hauled direé 
for the land, and not being amile off, at 
twenty minutes before noon ran on fhore, his 
foremaft then only ftanding, which fell di- 
rectly on her ftriking, at.which time the Su- 
perb being only in feventeen fathom water, 
was forced to haul off to avoid the fame evil; 
but not long after, the Diomede, of $4 guns, 
pufhzd on fhore near his Admiral, when all 
his mafts went; and I think it a duty I owe 
to character and miy country to add, from the 
information of Sir Edward Berry, after fhe 
had ftruck, and the Agamemnon defifted from 
firing into her, from the Captain taking off 
his hat, and making every token of furren- 
der, and Captain Dunn affures me both en- 
fign and pendant were down—to commenton 
which I leaveto the world. About Sfty mi- 
nutes after eleven the firigg ceafed, and upon 
the {moke clearing away I found le Brave, 
bearing a commodore’s pendant, the Alexan- 
dre, andle Jupitre, in our poffeifion. 
When I coptemplate the refalt of this ac- 
State of Public Affairs in March, 1806. 
263 
tion, when five fail of the line had furrenders 
ed, or were apparently deftroyed in lefs than 
two hours, I cannot, though bound to pay 
every tribute to the noble and gailant efforts 
of the Honourable Rear-Admiral Cochrane, 
Rear-Admiral Louis, the Captains, officers, 
feamen, and royal marines, under my come 
mand, be vain enough to fuppole that with- 
out the aiding hand of Providence. fuch re- 
fult could have been effected, and witha lofs 
fo comparatively fmall; and though I thali 
ever fympathize with the connections of 
thofe that fell, the reflection on the caufe 
will, I hope, afford much confolation. 
To {peak individually of the condu& of 
any one, would be injurious to all; for all 
were equally animated with the fame zealous 
ardour in fupport of their King and country. 
Yet poffeffed of thefe feelings, I cannot be 
filent without injuftice to the firm and manly 
fupport for which I was indebted to Captain 
Keats, andthe effeét that the fyftem of dif- 
cipline and good order in which I found the 
Superb muft ever produce; and the pre-emi- 
nence of the Britifh feaman could never be 
more highly confpicuous than in this con- 
teft, 
After the a&tion, the water being too deep 
to anchor in the bay off St. Domingue, it 
was requifite to bring to with the prizes to 
repair damages, put the fhipsin a manageable 
ftate, and fhift the prifoners, which took me 
till this afternoon, when I detashed the Ho~ 
nourable Captain Stopford in the Spencer, 
withthe Donegal and Atlas, which latter 
had loft her bow/fprit, with the prizes to Ja~ 
maica: and being anxious with Rear-Admiral 
Cochrane, that he fhould return to his come 
mand, where his fervices muft be wanted, a 
jury mainmaft is fitting to the Northumber- 
land, underthis ifland, to enable her to get 
to windward, when I fhall order the Aga- 
memnon, which is ftaying by her, to accom- 
pany the Rear-Admiral to his ftation; and [ 
am now proceeding with the Canopus, Rear- 
Adiniral Louis, Acafta, and Magicienne, off 
Sc. Domingue, to make certain of the Impe- 
riale and Diomede being completely wrecked, 
after which I fhall repair to Jamaica. 
Having recited the tranfactions of this 
glorious combat, which will fairly add ano- 
ther fprig of laurel to our naval hiftory, and 
allift in promoting our country’s good, 
lam, Sir, &c. 
J.T. Duckworrn. 
Superb, off Sainte Domingue, Feb. 7. 
Sir—For the information of the Loras 
Commitlioners of the Admiralty, I fend you 
herewith a lift of the killed and wounded in 
the fquadron under my command during the 
act:on of yefterday ;wbut as it was hattily 
colleéted, fhould i find any errors, th-y thall 
be amended by a fubfequént oppertunity. 
You willalfohave the French Captains’ ftate- 
ment of their tofs in the captured fhips; and 
I can venture to fay, the French Admiral’s 
will not be in a lefs proportion; and the 
iriking 
