Our Redcoats and Bluejackets: war pictures on land and sea: forming a continuous narrative of the Naval and Military History of England from the year 1793 to the present time, etc

Front matter

OUR REDCOATS AND BLUEJACKETS. •Saltait-e-M I?r-»9 BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON X_y^OUR'^V> REWfls»aiii OUR REDCOATS AND BLUEJACKETS: H[a^ on Jranu nno Jtar. FORMING A CONTINUOUS NARRATIVE OF THE NAVAL AND MILITARY HISTORY OF ENGLAND FROM THE YEAR 1793 TO THE PRESENT TIME, INCLUDING THE AFGHAN AND ZULU CAMPAIGNS. Enttts-ptrscu fait!) *3**muotcs antj accounts of personal Strijice. BY HENRY STEWART, AUTHOR OF " HIGHLAND REGIMENTS AND THEIR BATTLES," " THE ROMANCE OF THE SEA," ETC. §>econn Æuitton. WITH TWO COLOURED PLATES. " Where heroes war, the foremost place I claim, The first in battle, and the first in fame." — Pope. LONDON: JOHN HOGG, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1880. [All rights reserved.] PREFACE, TJss^JTlHE object ot this volume is to present, in one view KbO I^S and in a short compass, an account of the principal !4gJMl!i£ achievements of the British arms, both by land and by sea, since the opening of the Great War with France in 1793.

During that war, the British arms reached the highest pinnacle of renown, and ever since they have maintained the same high character. The naval and military history of England has been well written already ; but the general reader — the young reader especially—cannot be expected to wade through the numerous bulky volumes of such writers as James, Napier, and Kinglake. The narrative is invariably based upon the standard his torians of each period — such as James, Brenton, and Yonge, among naval writers ; Wilson, Stewart, Napier, Creasy, Gleig, Kinglake, Wellesley, and Stanley, among military writers. To give vividness and variety, anecdotes and short accounts of personal service have been introduced. The wars of the British in India form a branch of the subject almost quite distinct; but the Mutiny stands apart, and has received a fair share of attention. A short account

Preface

. VI of the Conquest of India is prefixed to the story of the Mutiny. The book will, it is believed, be found specially interesting to the young, some of whom will become Redcoats and Blue jackets themselves, and will do their duty all the better for a knowledge of the gallant deeds done by their predecessors. At the same time, the greatest care has been taken with facts and dates, and it is hoped that the older or the professional reader will not find the work altogether uninteresting or unworthy of perusal. A chronological list of engagements has been added, to increase its usefulness as a handy book of reference.

PREFACE.

TO THE SECOND EDITION. A new edition of " Our Redcoats and Bluejackets " having been called for, the opportunity has been taken to insert a complete account of the Afghan and Zulu campaigns, in which the arms of Britain have maintained their old prestige. The Afghan campaign means, of course, that which was con cluded by the treaty of Gandamak. The massacre of Sir Louis Cavagnari and his escort at Cabul has necessitated another advance of our troops into Afghanistan. The work is in all respects brought up to the latest date, thus maintaining its usefulness as a book of reference. October, 1S79. PAGH 65 CONTENTS. Chapter I. — The' Great French War. THE NA TIONAL CONVENTION- 1793-1795. Campaign in the Low Countries — Toulon — Corsica — Lord Howe's Victory off Ushant on the First of June — Admiral Hotham's Action in the Mediterranean— Admiral Cornwallis's masterly Retreat — Lord Bridport's Victory— The Quiberon Expedition — First Capture of the Cape of Good Hope ..... n Chapter II.— The Great French War.

THE DIRECTORY— 1796-1799. French Expeditions to Ireland — Cape St. Vincent — The French land in Pembrokeshire — Nelson's Attempt on Santa Cruz — Camperdown — The Nile — Anglo-Russian Expedition to Holland — Sir Sidney Smith foils Napoleon at Acre— Successes of Troubridge in Italy ......... 27 Chapter III. — The Great French War. NAPOLEON FIRST. CONSUL— 1800-1802. Battle of the Baltic — Aboukir — Mandora — Alexandria— Attempt on the Gunboats at Boulogne ...... 49 Chapter IV. — The Great French War. FROM AMIENS TO TRAFALGAR— 1802-1805. Projected Invasion of England— Commodore Dance's Action— Seizure of the Spanish Treasure Frigates— Sir Robert Calder's Action — Trafalgar— Sir Richard Strachan's Action off Cape Ortegal CONTENTS. '57 173 Chapter V. — The Great French War. FROM TRAFALGAR TO ROLICA—iSc,6-iSo-7.

PAGE Second Capture of the Cape of Good Hope — Sir Home Popham at Buenos Ayres — Sir John Duckworth's Victory at St. Domingo — Maida — Capture of Monte Video by Sir Samuel Achmuty — Sir John Duckworth forces the Dardanelles — Egypt — General Whitelock capitulates at Buenos Ayres — Surrender of the Danish fleet to Britain ........ 79 Chapter VI. — The Peninsular War. ROLICA TO CORUNNA— 1808-1809. Rolica — Vimiero— Sir John Moore's March into Spain — The Retreat to Corunna — Battle of Corunna — Lord Cochrane in the Basque Roads ......... 95 Chapter VII. — The Peninsular War. DELIVERANCE OF PORTUGAL— 1809-1811. Passage of the Douro — Wellington's First March into Spain — Talavera — The Walcheren Expedition — Busaco — Barosa — Fuentes d'Onoro ........ 109 Chapter VIII. — The Peninsular War. THE SALAMANCA CAMPAIGN— 1811-1813.

Albuera — Arroyo dos Molinos — Frigate Action off Lissa— Ciudad Rodrigo — Badajos — Almaraz — Wellington's Second March into Spain — Salamanca — Wellington enters Madrid — Retreat from Burgos ......... 129 Chapter IX. — The Peninsular War. LIBER A TION OF SPAIN— 1813. Vitoria— Battles of the Pyrenees— Storming of San Sebastian Chapter X. CAMPAIGN IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE— 1813-1814. Passage of the Bidassoa — Passage of the Nivelle — Passage of the Nive — Battles before Bayonne — St. Pierre — Orthes— Toulouse . contents. IX Chapter XL THE AMERICAN WAR— 1812-1814. PACK The Shannon and the Chesapeake . . . . .185 Chapter XII. THE HUNDRED DAYS—ziis. Quatre Bras — Waterloo ....... 193 Chapter XIII. FROM WATERLOO TO SEBASTOPOL— 1816-1854. Bombardment of Algiers — First Burmese War — Navarino — First Chinese War — Second Burmese War — The War in Syria— Kaffir War ......... 217 Chapter XIV.

THE RUSSIAN WAR—iSsn-iSs6. Odessa — Bomarsund — Kola — Petropaulovski — The Alma — Bombardment of Sebastopol — Balaclava — Inkerman — Expedition to Kertch — Taganrog — Sveaborg — The Malakoff and Redan — Russians evacuate Sebastopol — Kinburn ...... 235 Chapter XV. PERSIA— CHINA— 1856-1858. Bushire — Khooshab — Mahommerah and Ahwaz — Fatshan Creek — Canton— The Peiho Forts . . . . . .277 Chapter XVI. THE CONQUEST OF INDIA ..... 28r Chapter XVIL THE INDIAN MUTINY— 1857-1859. Siege of Delhi — Massacre of Cawnpore — Defence of Lucknow — Relief of Lucknow by Sir Henry Havelock — Rescue of Lucknow by Sir Colin Campbell — Siege of Lucknow — Bareilly — Victorious March of Sir Hugh Rose — Capture of Jhansi and Gwalior . . CONTENTS. X PAGE 321 329 347 368 Chapter XVIII. CHINA, NEW ZEALAND, BHOTAN-1S59-1&66.

Capture of the Taku Forts— The Anglo-French Troops enter Pekin— Destruction of the Chinese Emperor's Summer Palace Chapter XIX. THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION— 18S7-1868. The March on Magdala— Battle of Aroje— Release of the Abyssinian Prisoners— Capture of Magdala, and Suicide of Theodore . Chapter XX. THE ASHANTEE #***.<!./?— 1873-1874. Crossing the Prah— Skirmish at Borborassie— Battle of Amoaful— Capture of Becquah— Battle of Ordahsu, and March on Coomassie— Destruction of Coomassie and Return of the Troops — Treaty of Fommanah ....•••• Chapter XXI. THE AFGHAN CAMPAIGN— 1878-1879. Ali Musjid — Peiwar Kotal — General Browne enters Jellalabad — General Stewart occupies Candahar— Death of Shere Ali— Treaty of Gandamak — Massacre at Cabul ..... Chapter XXII. THE ZULU WAR— 1879. Isandula — Rorke's Drift — Massacre of the Intombi — Kambula — Ginghilovo — Relief of Ekowe — Death of Prince Imperial — Battle of Ulundi — Capture of Cetywayo ..... 377 A Chronological List of the Naval and Military Engagements of England . . . . -391 OUR REDCOATS AND BLUEJACKETS.

Chapter I

— The Great French War. THE NA TIONAL CONVENTION— 1793-1793. Campaign in the Low Countries — Toulon — Corsica — Lord Howe's Victory off Ushant on the First of June — Admiral Hotham's Action in the Mediterranean — Admiral Cornwallis's masterly Retreat — Lord Bridport's Victory — The Quiberon Expedition — First Capture of the Cape of Good Hope. KJs^^gHE French Revolution was the trumpet-call which sum- Km| (IS3 moned Europe to arms. At first the European Powers rc^,f|jji? refrained from interference with France, and contented themselves with adopting measures for preventing the spread of the revolutionary contagion into their own states. But France was in a warlike mood. War was declared against Austria (April 20, 1792), and the Prussian and Austrian armies, under the Duke of Brunswick, invaded France (July 25).

The Republicans, however, were successful at Valmy (Sept. 20) and Jemmappes (Nov. 6), and not only was the most formidable invasion that ever menaced France repelled, but Flanders and Mayence were conquered and captured, and Savoy and Nice were wrested from the King of Sardinia (who had refused to receive an envoy from the Republic), and converted into departments of France. During the campaign of 1792, Britain preserved a strict neutrality ; but the continuance of peace soon became impossible. EUROPE SUMMONED TO ARMS. 1>793. 12 Inflamed to frenzy by the overthrow of the throne, the mas sacres of September, and the victories of Dumourier, the French Convention passed the two famous decrees of the 19th November and the 15th December, declaring that "they would grant fra ternity and succour to every people disposed to recover then liberty," and proclaiming in all countries conquered by the Re public, "liberty, equality, the sovereignty of the people, with the suppression of nobility and all exclusive privileges, of all subsisting taxes, and all constituted authorities," and denounc ing as enemies " all who refused to accept these benefits."

By these decrees the Republic openly declared war with all estab lished governments, and there only wanted some tangible quarrel to plunge France and Britain into war. This was found in the sailing of a French squadron up the Scheldt to co-operate in the reduction of Antwerp (Nov. 30), since by the treaty of Munster the Scheldt had been declared for ever closed. Then came the execution of Louis XVI. (Jan. 20, 1793). On this M. Chauvelin, the French envo}', was ordered to leave England, and the Convention (February 3, 1793) unanimously declared war with Great Britain. This country was thus forced into the coalition arrayed against France. Her vast resources were freely lavished for the common cause, and at the close of the war, which lasted two and twenty years, and deluged all Europe with blood, her arms had acquired a prestige, both by land and by sea, which has been maintained, but can scarcely be enhanced.

Britain joined the allies in the Low Countries, whither the Duke of York was sent with 20,000 British troops and 10,000 Hessians and Hanoverians in British pay. It would be tedious to enter into the particulars of this almost forgotten campaign, in which Britain took a comparatively small part, and which ended in Holland being over-run by the French, and the Stadt holder taking refuge in England. It will be sufficient to notice that the Coldstream Guards distinguished themselves at St. Amand (May 8, 1793), routing the French from a strong posi tion from which the Austrians had previously failed to dislodge them. A magazine of the time says that Serjeant-major Darby of the Coldstreams " performed prodigies of valour. He had an arm broken and shattered by a ball, but yet continued fighting with the most animated and determined bravery. . . .

He put to death a French officer who made an attack upon him ; but at length had his leg broken by another cannon-ball, in con- '793-1 THE GUARDS AT LINCELLES. 13 sequence of which he fell into the hands of the French." At the siege of Valenciennes (May 25), the forlorn hope consisted of 300 British — 150 of the Household Brigade, and an equal number of the line — under Major-general Ralph Abercrombie. " The troops being in readiness," says Corporal Robert Brown, " they rushed on with the greatest impetuosity and jumped over the palisades, carrying all before them at the point of the bayonet. The enemy, after a stout resistance, left the works in possession of the victors." At Lincelles (Aug. 18) the three regiments of guards gained great honour by a spirited attack on a large redoubt, situated on some high ground, and gar risoned by 5000 French troops.

"The French," says Corporal Brown, " who had been accustomed to the cold lifeless attacks of the Dutch, were amazed at the spirit and intrepidity of the British ; and, not much relishing the manner of our salute, im mediately gave way, abandoning all that was in the place, and in their flight threw aside both arms and accoutrements. We took one stand of colours and two pieces of cannon, with two they had taken from the Dutch." The three regiments of Foot Guards carry " Lincelles " on their colours. The campaign of 1793 was indecisive all along the line — with the British and Austrians in the Low Countries, with the Prussians on the Pihine, and the Sardinians in Savoy. In the Pyrenees, however, the Spaniards had decidedly the advantage. Events of a more important character occurred in the south of France.

The fall of the Girondists excited the liveliest discontent in that quarter, and the great towns of Lyons, Marseilles, and Toulon rose in open rebellion. In Lyons and Marseilles the revolt was crushed with the usual atrocities, and a similar fate impended over the Toulonese. In this extremity the citizens entered into negotiations with Admiral Lord Hood and Admiral Gravina, the British and Spanish commanders, offering to surrender the city, with the French fleet in port, to be held in trust for Louis XVIL, as the little Dauphin was called. Lord Hood closed with the proposals, and on the arrival of the British fleet, Cap tain Elphinstone of the Robust (afterwards Lord Keith) landed with two regiments and some marines, and took possession of the forts commanding the shipping. The French fleet also sub mitted, but of the seamen 5000 who professed democratic prin ciples made their escape, aud joined the Republican forces in [i793- 14 DESTRUCTION OF THE TOULON FLEET. the interior.

Lord Hood sent to Genoa and Naples for troops to hold the city, but a large Republican army soon arrived and commenced siege operations. The besiegers were 60,000 ; the defenders 2000 British and 15,000 Neapolitans and Spaniards; but these last spent the best part of their time in plundering and murdering the inhabitants. All through the summer and autumn the siege went on, the French fighting their way foot by foot. At length (Dec. 17) Fort Mulgrave was captured by the French, and all the posts on the heights of Pharon were carried. The ships were now compelled to retire, and Lord Hood held a council of war, at which it was unanimously re solved to evacuate the place, and destroy the magazines and dockyards and all the French ships that could not be carried off. The execution of this operation was entrusted to Captain Sidney Smith — who afterwards immortalised his name at Acre — and as far as he and the British seamen were concerned nothing could have been more satisfactory.

But the Spaniards made a claim to share in the enterprise, the complete success of which was marred by their want of skill and courage. They retreated before completing the task set to them, and in their hurry and confusion set fire to, instead of scuttling, two powder ships, causing the death of several of our men. On the whole, how ever, the work of destruction was tolerably complete. Of <*i fleet of 58 vessels which the French had at Toulon, 14 were burnt or otherwise destroyed ; 16 were fitted out by the British, and 3 by the allies. Only 25, large and small, were left to the French. The troops and seamen under Captain Elphinstone took advantage of the operations to evacuate the only fort remaining in our possession, and by daylight on the morning of the 19th were on board without the loss of a man.

Of the wretched inhabitants 15,000 escaped to the British fleet and were conveyed to England ; " but," says the naval historian James, " melancholy was the fate of those left behind. Many on their way to the shore were cut in two by the balls which were falling around them ; others, overcome by their fears, fancied the hurried steps they heard behind were those of their pursuers ; and some rushed, preferring instant death to infuriated ven geance, with their infants clinging to their breasts, into the waves and perished. Some thousands of others remained in the town, in the hopes that their age, sex, or political insignificance would shield them from the bayonets of the soldiers, their 793-4-1 NELSON AND NAPOLEON. 15 countrymen. Vain hope ! a decree of the Committee of Public Safety had doomed the whole of them to destruction ; and the Toulonese deputies, Freron and Moyse Bayle, worthy of such masters, were not to be moved by the entreaties even of Dugom mier himself."

When the British entered Toulon it contained 28,000 souls, and in a few weeks after they quitted it there were but 7000 left. More than half the population escaped on board the British fleet, but 6000 at least perished by the sword, musket, and guillotine, or, in their despair, by their own hands. Among Hood's captains at Toulon was Horatio Nelson, and this is the advice he used to give his midshipmen : — " There are three things, young gentleman, which you are constantly to bear in mind. First, jtou must always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own respecting their propriety ; secondly, you must consider every man your enemy who speaks ill of your king ; and thirdly, you must hate a Frenchman as you do the devil." In the army of General Dugommier was a little captain of artillery, then, like Nelson, commencing his career; a man who would stand "no nonsense."

At the attack on Pharon, a commissioner of the National Conven tion criticised the position of a battery under Buonaparte's orders ; he said it would never do, and must be shifted, and in the end gave orders accordingly. Buonaparte had hitherto made no re mark, but now he could control himself no longer. " Stick to your role of representative," he said fiercely, "and leave me to mine of artillerist. That battery shall stand there, sir — there, where it is, and I answer for the success " — cette batterie restera Id, et je reponds du succis. Just so ; and the battery succeeded so well that it was mainly owing to it that the British and Spanish were forced to quit the place. Nelson and Buonaparte were two of the three great heroes of the war ; the one on the sea and for England, the other on the land and for France.

In the campaign of 1794, in the Low Countries, the 15th Hussars distinguished themselves at Villiers-en-Couche (April 24), which they bear on their colours ; and the Oxford Blues, ist, 3rd, and 5th Dragoon Guards, ist Royal Dragoons, and 15th and 1 6th Light Cavalry decided the day at Caudry (April 25), by charging a brigade of fourteen guns posted on an emin ence beyond a steep ravine. But the tide of war went strongly "WHAT BRITISH SEAMEN OUGHT TO BE." 16 [i794. against the allies ; and the French were also successful in Savoy and the Pyrenees. Tbe destruction of the Toulon fleet had totally paralysed the French navy in the Mediterranean, and Paoli and his brave islanders saw an opportunity of driving the French from Corsica. The famous patriot opened a communication with Lord Hood, and help was promised, on the understanding that the island should be delivered up to His Britannic Majesty.

San Fiorenzo soon fell before the fire of some of Hood's 74's; and, meanwhile, Nelson was sent with a small squadron to reconnoitre Bastia. He reported that the place could easily be taken by a small force of 1000 men. "With 500 and the Agamemnon," he said, " I would attempt it. My seamen are now what British seamen ought to be — almost invincible. They really mind shot no more than peas." General Dundas, who commanded the land forces, was of a different opinion. He characterised the proposed siege as a most visionary and rash attempt, such as no officer would be justified in undertaking, and proposed to wait for a reinforce ment of 2000 men, which he expected from Gibraltar. But as time was everything, Lord Hood resolved to undertake the siege with his own resources, and to Nelson he committed the opera tions on shore.

The men were landed (April 4), with some battering guns, mortars, and ammunition, which Lord Hood had begged from Naples. The difficulties arising from the nature of the ground were simply enormous. Batteries had to be placed on rocky elevations which even the natives deemed inaccessible. Guns of 42 cwt. had to be hauled up to these positions with blocks and ropes. There were no roads ; only paths which admitted but one person at a time. Above were the beetling crags ; below a sheer precipice. But Nelson and his Agamemnons overcame every difficulty. Roads were made, trees cut down, batteries erected ; and on the 14th fire was opened on Bastia. The French held out bravely, and their general, La Combe St. Michael, appeared determined to abide by his answer to the first summons to surrender, that " he had shot for our ships and bayonets for our troops ; when two-thirds of his men were killed he would trust to the generosity of the English."

Nelson redoubled his efforts; new batteries were erected where the guns could never have been put in position, he said, "by any but British seamen;" and (May 22d) the I794-] " ONE ENGLISHMAN EQUAL TO THREE FRENCHMEN." \-J French colours were hauled down. "I am all astonishment," wrote Nelson, " when I reflect on what we have achieved ; iooo regulars, 1500 National Guards, and a large party of Corsican troops, 4000 in all, laying down their arms to 1200 soldiers, marines, and seamen ! I always was of opinion, have ever acted up to it, and never had any reason to repent it, that one Englishman was equal to three Frenchmen." The Agamemnon was now ordered to co-operate with General Sir Charles Stuart in the siege of Calvi. The same difficulties had to be overcome as at Bastia, but Nelson was acting with a man after his own heart, and the enthusiasm with which he inspired his Agamemnons made short work of the enemy.

On the ist August the Governor of Calvi beat a chamade, and the island of Corsica, thus freed from the French, became for a time a part of our empire. At the siege of Calvi, Nelson lost the sight of an eye, from some sand and small gravel driven by a shot which fell near. A still more glorious triumph was to come. France was suffer ing grievously from a scarcity of grain ; a famine was dreaded, and if the people became irritated under the pressure of want, the Revolution might itself be revolutionised. With all Europe hostile, she could look for supplies of grain from no quarter but America ; and this necessarily entailed sending a fleet to sea fit to cope with the British. By great exertions, 26 ships of the line were equipped at Brest ; and Messieurs Jean-Bon Saint- Andre and Br&ird, the deputies of tbe National Convention, came down post from Paris to screw the courage of the seamen up to the sticking-point.

" You will conquer them ! " shouted Jean-Bon Saint-Andre" to the seamen ; " yes, you will conquer these eternal enemies of our nation. As to that, you have but to will it, and it is done." Jean-Bon Saint- Andre and the French in general had yet to learn that seamen cannot be improvised like soldiers ; that power at sea must be of gradual formation ; that, while almost every nation of Europe has at one time or other suddenly astonished the world with a display of military prowess, naval supremacy has for three centuries belonged to no nation but one. Naval power depends on so many things which must concur : great wealth, a decided taste in a considerable section of the people for a maritime life, and the prestige of victory. B " A GLORIOUS VICTORY TO OLD ENGLAND ! " [1794- Lord Howe, having knowledge of these doings at Brest, set sail from St. Helen's (May 2) with the Channel Fleet.

His flag was on board the Queen Charlotte. Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse, who was in command of the Brest Fleet, did not sail until the 1 6th. Next day the two fleets passed each other in a dense fog, and so near as to hear each other's signals, but they did not see each other till the 28th. Off Ushant, at half-past six that morning, the wind fresh from south by west, with a very rough sea, the look-out frigates of the British fleet made the signal for a strange fleet to windward. The Bellerophon was ordered to reconnoitre, and gave the expected information. Lord Howe made the signal to prepare for battle, and ordered the Bellero phon to shorten sail. At ten minutes past eleven the crews were piped down to dinner, and, iu their grog, drank " Confusion to the French, and a glorious victory to Old England !

" That day and the next were spent in distant manœuvring, and on the 30th and 31st there was no fighting because of the fog. But at length arrived " the glorious First of June." The two fleets were as equally matched as such mighty armaments can well be. Each had 26 ships of the line, and so far they were equal, but in every other respect the French had the advantage. The aggregate tonnage of the British ships was 46,962 tons, of the French, 52,010; the British crews numbered 18,241 men, the French 19,989 ; the British had 1087 guns, throwing a broadside of 22,976 lbs., the French 1107 guns, throwing a broadside of 28,126 lbs. So that the French had larger ships, more men, more guns, and these heavier. Still, the two fleets were very fairly matched, for the Revolution had removed many of the best naval officers of France, while Howe's fleet was led by a band of distinguished seamen.

Among his captains — to go no higher — were Sir Roger Curtis, one of the heroes of Gibraltar ; Cuthbert Collingwood, the friend of Nelson ; Duck worth, Gambier, and Stopford, who afterwards commanded at Acre in 1840. At 7.25 a.m. Lord Howe signalled that he should pass through the enemy's line and engage to leeward. The two fleets were now about four miles apart, and Lord Howe, thinking the crews were in need of some refreshment after sitting up three nights, hove to and sent the men to breakfast. This gave the French an opportunity to think, and to say, that the British were faltering. That distinguished officer, Captain Troubridge, was I794-] CAPTAIN TROUBRIDGE'S PREDICTION. 19 then a prisoner on board the Sanspareil ; he was anxiously look ing at Lord Howe's line, when the French officers exultinn*ly pointed out the delay that was taking place, and tauntingly said it was evident the British Admiral had no desire for the encounter.

" Don't flatter yourselves," said Troubridge ; " John Bull does not like fighting on an empty stomach, but see if he does not pay you a visit after breakfast." The officers of the Sanspareil had cause to remember these words. At S. 12 a.m. the British fleet filled and bore down on the enemy, steering about north-west, and going at the rate of very little more than five knots an hour. The breeze was fresh at south by west. The French ships were some of them lying to, and others backing and filling to preserve their stations. About half-past eight Lord Howe threw out a signal for each ship to steer for and independently engage the ship opposed to her iu the enemy's line. The first gun was fired at 9.24 A.M. The action then com menced, and for some hours raged with all the noise, smoke, slaughter, and fury of a great sea-fight.

It is thus summarily described by James : — "Between a quarter and half-past nine A.M. the French van opened its fire upon the British van. In about a quarter of an hour the fire of the French became general, and Lord Howe and his divisional flag officers, bearing the signal for close action at their mast heads, commenced a heavy fire in return. A few of the British ships cut through the French line, aud engaged their opponents to leeward ; the remainder hauled up to windward, and opened their fire, some at a long, others at a shorter and more effectual distance. At 10.10 a.m., when the action was at its height, the French Admiral, in the Montague, made sail ahead, followed by his second astern, and afterwards by such of his ships as, like the Montagne, had suffered little in their rigging and sails.

At about 11.30 a.m. the heat of the action was over, and the British were left with eleven and the French with twelve more or less dismasted ships. None of the French ships had at this time struck their colours ; or, if they had struck, had since rehoisted them : they, for the most part, were striving to escape under a spritsail, or some small sail set on the smallest stump left to them, and continued to fire at every British ship that passed within gunshot. After failing in an attempt on the Queen, Admiral Villaret stood on, and succeeded, contrary to all expectation, in covering and cutting off four of " THE GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE." [i794- 20 his dismasted ships, the Republicain, Mucius, Scipion, and Jemmappes ; a fifth, the Terrible, having previously joined him by fighting her way through the British fleet.