Naval battles of the world, and our new navy

Preface

This collection is intended to present, in a popular form, an account of many of the important naval battles of all times, as well as of some combats of squadrons and single ships, which are interesting, from the nautical skill and bravery shown in them.

In most instances an endeavor has been made to give, in a concise manner, the causes whidr led to these encounters, as well as the results obtained.

As this book is not intended for professional men, technicalities have been, as far as possible, avoided. But it is often necessary to use the language and phraseology of those who fought these battles.

In all there has been a desire to give an unbiased account of each battle; and, especially, to make no statement for which authority cannot be found.

The " new navy " is a subject in which all Americans are interested. Enough has been said to give, with the illustrations, a good idea of what our navy is to day, as well as its relative standing among the navies of the world.

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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

i. Return of the Greeks from Salamis Frontispiece.

2. Early Naval Architecture, No. 1 s .

3. Early Naval Architecture, No. 2 2I

4. Naval Types, No. 1 2 g

5. A Norse Galley

6. Capture of the Carthaginian Fleet by the Romans ?6

7. Naval Types, No. 2

8. Roman Galley

9. Battle of Actium _ o

10. The Ptolemy Philopater -c

11. Battle of Lepanto g.

12. The English Fleet Following the Invincible Armada 85

13. Naval Types, No. 3

14. A Spanish Galleass of the Sixteenth Century I02

15. Sir Francis Drake in Central America I03

16. Naval Types, No. 4 Io6

17. Henry Grace de Dieu x , x

18. Naval Types, No. 5

' ° 145

19. A Caravel of the Time of Columbus j I5 6

20. Naval Types, No. 6 l6o

21. Norman ship of the Fourteenth Century i 73

22. Venetian Galley of the Sixteenth Century ^2

23. Life at Sea, No. 1 lg2

24. BUCENTORO jgg

25. Engagement Between Serapis and Bonhomme Richard 1S7

26. Life at Sea, No. 2 2I -

27. Medal Awarded to John Paul Jones 217

28. Naval Battle, Eighteenth Century 218

29. Life at Sea, No. 3 22 t

30. Le Soleil Royale • _ 226

31. Howe's Action of June i, 1794 24 o

S3- Naval Manoeuvres, No. i _ 2 r Q

34. English Fleet off Teneriffe 272

35. Nelson Wounded at Teneriffe 27 6

36. Dutch Man of War, Seventeenth Century 276

37. Naval Manoeuvres, No. 2 _ 2 gr

38. Battle of the Nile 2 g g

39. Capture of Admiral Nelson's Despatches 320

VI LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

40. Siege of Acre, 1799 337

41. Le Tonnant Dismasted 341

42. Pontifical Galley, 1550 341

43. Capture of Alexandria, 1801 348

44. La Galere Reale 357

45. The Victory 357

46. Management of V „ls, No. i 364

47. Battle of Copenhagen 369

48. Nelson's Victory at Trafalgar 384

49. The " Fighting Ti <:meraire " Towed to Her Last Berth. 422

50. The U. S. Sailing Frigate, Constitution 422

51. The Wasp Boarding the Frolic 427

52. Capture of the Guerriere by the Constitution 432

53. Perry's Victory on Lake Erie 449

54. McDonough's Victory on Lake Champlain 515

55. Capture of the Cyane and Levant by the Constitution 526

56. The Clermont — Fulton's First Steamboat — 1807 546

57. Fight With Algerine Pirates 546

59. Battle of Lissa, 1866 562

60. Engagement Between the Monitor and Merrimac 575

61. The " Miantonomoh " 583

62. Gunboats on Western River 583

63. New Orleans — Fleet Passing Forts Jackson and St. Philip 5S6

64. Sinking of the Alabama by the Kearsarge 612

65. Grosser Kurfuerst 621

66. The " New Ironsides " 621

67. Le Solferino, 1865 651

68. Lieut. Cushing's Torpedo Boat Sinking the Albemarle 657

69. Monitor Fleet in a Gale 672

70. Management of Vessels, No. 2 694

7 1 . The Dreadnaught 696

72. Appearance of the Huascar after Capture 699

73. Steel Torpedo Boat and Pole 709

75. The Vice- Admiral Popoff 715

76. Italian Ironclad " Duilio," 1880 715

77. The Alexandria, 1877 718

78. Unarmored Cruiser Boston 720

79. Unarmored Cruiser Atlanta 725

80. Protected Cruiser Philadelphia 732

81. Dispatch Boat Dolphin 737

82. Coast Defence Monitor Miantonomoh 737

83. Gunboat Petrel 741

84. Dynamite Cruiser Vesuvius 748

85. Torpedo Boat Cushing 748

Introduction

!t page.

The Ancients' Dread of the Sea; Homer's Account of It; Slow Progress in

Navigation before the Discovery of the Lode-stone ; Early Egyptians ; The

Argonauts; The Phenicians and Greeks ; Evidences of sea-fights Thousands

of Years before Christ; Naval Battle Fought by Rameses III; The Fleets of

Sesostris ; Description of Bas-relief at Thebes ; Roman Galleys Described ;

Early Maritime Spirit of the Carthaginians ; Herodotus' Account of the Battle

of Artemisium; The Greeks under Alexander; Romans and Carthaginians. 19

I. SALAMIS. B. C. 480.

The Island of Salamis; Xerxes; His Immense Power; His Fleet and Army; Events Preceding the Battle ; The Contending Hosts Engage in Worship before the Fight Begins; The Greek Admiral Gives the Signal for Action; Many Persian Vessels Sunk at the First Onset; Fierce Hand-to-Hand Fighting ; A Son of the Great Darius Falls ; Dismay Among the Asiatics ; Panic-stricken ; Artifice of Queen Artemisia ; She Escapes ; Xerxes Powerless ; He Rends his Robes and Bursts into Tears ; Resolves to Return to Asia ; Greece Wins her Freedom.

II. NAVAL BATTLE AT SYRACUSE. B. C. 415.

A Bloody Battle; Strength of the Athenians ; The Fleet enters Syracuse Harbor in Fine Order ; The Sicilians Blockade the Entrance and Imprison the Fleet The Perils of Starvation Compel the Greeks to Attempt to Raise the Blockade Both Fleets Meet at the Mouth of the Harbor; Confusion Among the Greeks They are Finally Compelled to Turn Back and Take Refuge in their Docks Another Attempt to Escape from the Flarbor ; Mutiny Among the Sailors The Syracusans Appear in their Midst and Capture both Men and Ships End of Athens as a Naval Power.

III. ROMANS AND CARTHAGINIANS.

Carthage a Place of Interest for Twenty Centuries ; Romans and Carthaginians in Collision; First Punic War; Rome Begins the Construction of a Navy; A Stranded Carthaginian Vessel Serves as a Model; They Encounter the Carthaginians at Myloe ; Defeat of the Latter ; Renewed Preparations of both Countries for the Mastery of the Mediterranean : A Great Battle Fought, 260 B. C. ; The Romans Finally Victorious; They Land an Army in Africa and

vii

?5

VJ11 CONTENTS.

PAGE Sail for Home; Encounter a " Sirocco" and Lose nearly all their Galleys on the Rocks ; The Succeeding Punic Wars ; Rome in Her Greatness ; Antony and Octavius Appear Upon the Scene. 36

IV. ACTIUM. B. C. 31.

The Decisive Battle of Philippi, B. C. 42 ; Antony and Octavius Divide the Empire of the World Between Them ; Trouble between Antony and Octavius; Antony's Dissipations; His Passion for Egypt's Queen; Octavius (the Future Augustus) Raises Fresh Legions to Oppose Antony ; The Latter Proclaims Cleopatra Queen of Cyprus and Cilicia; The Republic Suspicious of Antony ; Octavius Declares War Against Cleopatra ; Crosses the Ionian Sea with his Fleet and Army, and Anchors at Actium, in Epirus; Meeting of the Roman and Antony's Fleets; Preparation for Battle; A Grand Scene; Cleopatra's Magnificent Galley; Discomfiture of Antony's Centre ; Cleopatra Panic-stricken; Flight of the Egyptian Contingent ; Antony Follows Cleopatra; His Fleet Surrenders to Octavius ; The Land Forces Refuse to Believe in Antony's Defection; Despairing of His Return, they Accept Octavius' Overtures and Pass Under his Banner ; Octavius Master of the World ; Suicide of Antony and Cleopatra. 48

V. LEPANTO. A. D. 1571.

A Momentous Battle that Decides the Sovereignty of Eastern Europe ; Naval Events Preceding Lepanto ; Turkish Encroachments ; Pope Pius V Forms a League Against Them; Siege and Capture of Famagousta by the Turks; Barbarities of Mustapha ; Christian Europe Aroused ; Assembly of the Pontifical Fleet and Army; Don John, of the Spanish Squadron, Placed in Chief Command ; Resolves to Seek and Attack the Ottoman Fleet ; Encounters the Enemy in a Gulf on the Albanian Coast ; Character of Don John ; Preparations for Battle; Strength of his Fleet; A Magnificent Scene; The Turkish Fleet; AH Pasha in Command; The Battle Opens; Desperate Fighting at all Points, Barberigo, of the Venetian Fleet, Badly Wounded ; Two Renowned Seamen Face to Face; Uluch All Captures the Great " Capitana " of Malta ; The Galley of Don John Encounters that of Ali Pasha ; They Collide ; Terrible Hand-to-Hand Fighting; Bravery of a Capuchin Friar; The Viceroy of Egypt Killed; Ali Pasha Killed; His Galley Captured; Dismay among the Turks; Uluch Ali Gives the Signal for Retreat ; Terrible Loss of Life in the Battle ; Christian Slaves Liberated ; The Turkish Fleet Almost Annihilated ; Alexander Farnese ; Cervantes ; Fierce Storm ; Two Sons of Ali Prisoners ; Don John and Veniero; Division of the Spoils; The Te Deum at Messina; Joy Throughout Christendom ; Colonna in Rome ; The Great Ottoman Standard; Decline of the Ottoman Empire. 56

VI. THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA. A. D. 1588.

Significance of the Term ; Philip II ; His Character ; Determines to Invade England ; The Duke of Parma ; Foresight of Elizabeth ; The Armada Ready ; An Enormous Fleet ; It Encounters a Tempest ; Mutiny ; The

CONTENTS. IX

PAGE Armada reaches the English Channel in July ; Lord Howard, Drake,

Frobisher and Hawkins in Command of the English Fleet ; Tactics of the

English; Capture of the "Santa Anna" by Drake; The Spanish Reach

Calais; Disappointment of the Spanish Commander; Another Storm Sets

In ; Distress in the Spanish Fleet ; The English hang on its Rear and cut

off Straggling Vessels; Shipwreck and Disaster Overtake the Armada on

the Scottish and Irish Coast ; A Fearful Loss of Life ; Apparent Indifference

of Philip II Concerning the Armada's Failure; The Beginning of Spain's

Decline. 85

VII. SOME NAVAL EVENTS OF ELIZABETH'S TIME, SUCCEEDING

THE ARMADA.

The Armada's Discomfiture Encourages England to Attack Spain; Drake and Norris Unsuccessful at Lisbon ; The Earl of Cumberland's Expedition ; Meets with a Bloody Repulse ; League of Elizabeth with Henri Quatre, against the Duke of Parma; Sir Thomas Howard in Command of an English Fleet to the Azores; Frobisher and Raleigh's Expedition of 1592; Prizes Taken on the Coast of Spain ; Frobisher Wounded ; His Death ; Richard Hawkins ; Walter Raleigh's Expedition to Guiana; Expedition of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins ; Repulsed at Porto Rico ; Death of Hawkins ; England Anticipates Philip II in 1596 and Attacks Cadiz; The City Taken; The English Attack and Capture Fayal ; Attempt to Intercept Spanish Merchantmen. 103

VIII. NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND AND HOLLAND. A. D. 1652-3.

The Dutch Supreme on the Sea ; The Commonwealth and the United Provinces ; Negotiations for an Alliance Broken Off; An English Commodore Fires into a Dutch Fleet ; Van Tromp sent to Avenge this Insult ; Blake in Command of the English ; The English Temporarily Masters in the Channel ; Great Naval Preparations in Holland; The South of England at Van Tramp's Mercy; Blake Collects his Fleet to meet Van Tromp ; A Storm Scatters Both ; The Dutch People Dissatisfied with Van Tromp ; He Resigns ; De Witt Assumes Chief Command; Blake Meets the French Fleet under Vendome ; He Captures the Latter' s Fleet; Battle of North Foreland; De Witt Withdraws at Nightfall ; Van Tromp to the Front Again ; Denmark Declares Against the Commonwealth ; The Dutch and English Meet in the English Channel ; Blake Beaten; Van Tromp Sails Up and Down the Channel with a Broom at his Masthead; Battle off Portland; A Decisive Engagement; Van Tromp Escorts Dutch Merchantmen into Port; Discontent in the Dutch Fleet; Terrible Loss on Both Sides; Blake Learns of a New Fleet Fitted out by Van Tromp in April ; They Meet Again ; A Two Days' Battle ; Another Effort Two Months Later ; The Brave Van Tromp Killed ; The Power of Holland Broken ; The States General Sues for Peace. 112

X CONTENTS.

PAGE

IX. FRENCH AND DUTCH IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. A. D. 1676.

Revolt of Messina and Sicily ; Louis XIV Sends Duquesne with a Fleet to Sustain the Insurgents ; Sketch of Duquesne ; England Makes Peace with Holland ; Duquesne Repulses the Spanish Fleet and Captures the Town of Agosta; Learns of De Ruyter's Presence in the Mediterranean; Meeting of the Hostile Fleets, Jan. 16, 1676; Splendid Manoeuvres; The Advantage with the French ; They Meet Again, in Spring, Near Syracuse ; Sharp and Terrible Firing ; De Ruyter Mortally Wounded ; The Dutch -Seek Shelter in Syracuse Harbor; The Sicilian and French Fleets Encounter the Dutch and Spanish Fleets Again, in May; Destruction of the Latter; Honors to the Remains of De Ruyter; Recompensing Duquesne; His Protestantism Distasteful to Louis XIV ; Humiliates Genoa ; Edict of Nantes; His Death and Private Burial ; Subsequent Honors to his Memory. 146

X. BATTLE OF CAPE LA HAGUE. A. D. 1692.

Louis XIV Prepares to Attack England, to Seat James II on the Throne ; Count de Tourville in Command of the French Fleet; Sketch of his Life; He is Ordered to Sail from Brest; Bad Weather; Arrogance of Pontchartrain, the Minister of Marine ; Tourville meets a Powerful English and Dutch Fleet ; Bravery of the Soleil Royal, the French Flag-ship ; A Fog Ends the Fight ; Louis XIV Compliments Tourville on his Gallant Defence Against Such Great Odds; Bestows the Title of Field Marshal on Him. 15^

XL BENBOW, A. D. 1702.

Benbow a Favorite of William III ; Queen Anne Declares War Against France ; Benbow Sent to the West Indies; He Falls in with a French Fleet; A Vigorous Attack Commenced; Disobedience of his Captains; He is Badly Wounded and Dies; The Captains Court-martialed ; Detailed Account of the Capture and Destruction of the French and Spanish Fleets. 166

XII. BYNG AND LA GALISSONIERE. A. D. 1756.

Sketch of Admiral Byng; War between England and France; Capture of Minorca by the Latter ; Byng sent to the Relief of the Island ; La Galissoniere in Command of the French ; Failure to Engage the Latter's Fleet, as Directed, by Byng ; The English Driven Back to Gibraltar ; Byng Superseded Without a Hearing ; Tried by Court-martial and Sentenced to Death ; The Sentence Considered Unjustly Severe by Pitt ; Wrangling among the Officers of the Admiralty; Final Execution of the Sentence ; Voltaire's Sarcasm. 174

XIII. SIR EDWARD HAWKE AND CONFLANS. A. D. 1759.

Sketch of Hawke; Succeeds the Ill-fated Admiral Byng; In Command of a Blockading Squadron at Brest ; Meets the French Fleet Under Admiral Conflans Near Belleisle ; The Latter Inferior in Strength and Numbers ; A Gale Arises During the Fight and Many Injured French Vessels Wrecked ; The Latter Fleet Almost Entirely Disabled and Destroyed; Honors to Hawke. 183

CONTENTS. XI

PAGK

XIV. SERAPIS AND BONHOMME RICHARD. A. D. 1779.

A Remarkable Action ; Sketch of the Hero, John Paul Jones ; Receives a Commission in the United Colonial Navy ; Hoists the First American Flag on Sea; The French Salute the " Stars and Stripes;" France Gives Him a Large Merchantman, which he Names the Bonhomme Richard ; Sketch of Jones' Later Life ; Lafayette ; Franklin ; Additional Ships Fitted out for Jones in France; Description of the Bonhomme Richard; Sailing of the Fleet; Richard Dale ; Cruises on the Coast of Scotland ; Discovery of the Serapis Convoying About Forty Merchantmen ; Description of Her ; The Serapis Stands Out to Protect Her Convoy ; The Two Vessels Engage as Night Comes On; Two of Jones' 1 8 pounders Burst at the First Discharge; Captain Pearson, of the Serapis, Inquires whether the Bonhomme Richard has Struck ; Jones Replies that He has Not yet Commenced to Fight; The Vessels Come Afoul Again; Jones Lashes Them Together; The Americans Drop Hand-grenades and Matches Down the Hatches of the Serapis and Cause a Terrific Explosion ; The Serapis Finally Surrenders ; Jones Transfers His Men to the Serapis ; The Bonhomme Richard Sinks ; Jones Carries His Force to the Texel; One of the Most Remarkable Sea Fights on Record. 187

XV. DE GRASSE AND RODNEY. A. D. 1782.

Skeich of De Grasse; Earliest Exploits; Aids Washington in the Reduction of Yorktown; Recognition by Congress; Subsequent Events; Encounters an English Fleet, Under Rodney ; De Grasse Loses Five Line-of Battle Ships ; Exultation in England; De Grasse a Prisoner; Assists in Bringing About a Treaty of Peace Between the United States and England; Career of Rodney ; Receives the Title of Baron and a Pension. 218

XVI. LORD HOWE AND THE FRENCH FLEET. JUNE 1, A. D. 1794.

The First of a Series of Memorable Engagements; Traits of Lord Howe; Anecdotes ; Watching the French Fleet ; The Latter Put to Sea ; Skirmishing, May 28 ; A Great Battle, June I ; The French Open Fire First ; Concentrated and Deadly Firing on Both Sides; The French Lose Six Line-of- Battle Ships; Howe's Orders Not Obeyed by Some of the Captains; Some French Ships that Had Struck Escape in the Darkness ; Anecdotes Concerning the Battle. 227

XVII. BATTLE OF CAPE ST. VINCENT. A. D. 1797.

Location of Cape St. Vincent ; Admiral Sir John Jervis in Command of the English ; Strength of His Fleet ; Commodore Horatio Nelson ; Chased by a Spanish Fleet ; The Latter in Command of Don Joseph de Cordova ; Feb. 14 a Disastrous Day for Spain ; Surprised to See so Large an English Fleet ; The Battle Opens; Boarding the San Nicolas; The Spanish Beaten at Every Point; The Battle over by 5 o'clock ; Both Fleets Lay To to Repair Damages; Escape of the Spanish During the Night; Damages Sustained; Description of

XII CONTENTS.

PAGE the Santissima Trinidada ; The Cause of the Spanish Discomfiture ; Great Rejoicing in Lisbon ; Honors and Pensions Awarded to the English Commanders at Home ; Admiral Cordova and His Captains. 247

XVIII. ENGLISH FLEET IN CANARY ISLANDS. A. D. 1797.

English Expedition to the Canary Islands ; Cutting Out a Brig in the Harbor of Santa Cruz ; Attempt of the English to Capture the Town of Santa Cruz ; An Expedition Under Rear Admiral Nelson Organized for the Purpose ; The Garrison Apprised of Their Coming ; Nelson Shot in the Ann and Disabled ; The English Agree not to Molest the Canary Islands any Further if Allowed to Retire in Good Order; The Spanish Governor Finally Accepts this Offer; A Disastrous Defeat for Nelson. 266

XIX. BATTLE OF CAMPERDOWN. iith OCTOBER, A. D. 1797.

Viscount Duncan ; His Early Life ; The Mutiny of the Nore ; Causes Leading to It; Disgraceful Practices of the English Admiralty of this Period; War with Holland; The Dutch Fleet Off the Texel under the Command of Vice- Admiral De Winter ; The English Immediately Set Out to Intercept them ; The Battle Opens about Noon of October nth; Hard Fighting; The English Victorious ; Accurate Firing of the Hollanders ; The Losses Heavy on Both Sides; Actual Strength of Both Fleets; Duncan's Admirable Plan of Attack ; Nelson's Memorandum.

XX. BATTLE OF THE NILE, ist AUGUST, 1798.

Aboukir Bay ; Its History ; Learning that a Strong French Fleet Had Left Toulon, Nelson Seeks Them , He Finds the Fleet in Aboukir Bay ; He Comes Upon Them at 6 o'clock in the Evening and Resolves to Attack Them at Once ; A Terrible Battle Misunderstanding of the French Admiral's Instructions; Many Acts of Individual Heroism; Death of the French Admiral ; Villeneuve Escapes with Four French Vessels; The Battle Over by 1 1 o'clock ; The Most Disastrous Engagement the French Navy Ever Fought ; Detailed Account of the Great Fight; The French Ship L'Orient Blown Up with a Terrific Explosion; Summary of the Losses on both sides ; Masterly Tactics of Nelson; Gallant Behavior of the French; The Loss of This Battle of Immense Consequences to the Latter ; Nelson Sails for Naples ; Honors to Him Everywhere; His Official Report; French Officers of High Rank Killed ; Anecdotes on Board the Vanguard on the Voyage to Naples. 289

XXL LEANDER AND GENEREUX. i6th AUG., A. D. 1798.

Contest Between Single Ships; The Leander a Bearer of Dispatches from Nelson ; Encounters the French Frigate Genereux ; Attempts to Avoid the Latter; A Close and Bloody Fight of Six Hours; The Leander Surrenders; Captain Le Joille ; Plundering the English Officers ; Captain Thompson ; Another Striking Incident ; A French Cutter in Alexandria Harbor Abandoned on Being Attacked by Two English Frigates ; The Officers and Crew of the Former, on Reaching the Shore, Massacred by the Arabs ; General Carmin and Captain Vallette Among the Slain; Dispatches from Bonaparte Secured by the Arabs. 320

CONTENTS. Xlll

PAGE

XXII. ACTION BETWEEN THE AMBUSCADE AND BAYONNAISE.

Decisive Single Ship Actions ; A Fruitful Source of Discussion ; The British Account of It ; History and Description of the Ambuscade ; Unexpected Meeting with the Bayonnaise; The English Vessel the Fastest Sailer; A Battle Takes Place ; Detailed Account of the Fight ; The English Frigate Surrenders to the French Corvette ; Causes of Discontent on Board the Former ; Great Rejoicing in France; Promotion of the French Captain. 327

XXIII. SIR SIDNEY SMITH AND HIS SEAMEN AT ACRE. A. D. 1799.

Minister to the Sublime Porte ; Notified of Bonaparte's Presence in Syria ; The Latter Lays Siege to Acre ; He Repairs Thither with a Fleet and Assists the Turks in Defending the Place ; Admiral Peree, of the FreWh Navy, Puts in an Appearance ; Desperate Attempts to Storm the Place ; Strength of Napoleon's Army on Entering Syria; Kleber's Grenadiers; Repeated and Desperate Assaults of the French ; Unsuccessful Each Time ; The Siege Abandoned After Sixty-one Days ; Importance of the Place as Viewed by Napoleon. 334

XXIV. FOUDROYANT AND CONSORTS IN ACTION WITH THE GUILLAUME TELL. A. D. 1800.

Preliminary History; Rear Admiral Denis Decres; Sketch of this Remarkable Man ; His Tragic End ; Engagement of the Guillaume Tell with the English Fleet Near Malta; Detailed Account of the Fight; Entirely Dismasted and Surrounded by English Vessels, the Guillaume Tell at last Surrenders ; A More Heroic Defence Not To Be Found in the Record of Naval Actions ; Taken to England, the Guillaume Tell is Refitted for the English Service, Under the Name of Malta; A Splendid Ship. 342

XXV. NAVAL OPERATIONS AT ABOUKIR BAY AND CAPTURE OF

ALEXANDRIA. A. D. 1801.

Expulsion of the French Determined Upon ; An English Fleet and Army Sent Thither Under Command of Lord Keith and Sir Ralph Abercrombie ; The French Under Command of General Friant ; The Former Land Troops Under a Galling Fire from Fort Aboukir and the Sand Hills; Sir Sidney Smith in Command of the Marines; A Heavy Battle Fought March 21 ; The French Forced to Retire; General Abercrombie Mortally Wounded; The French, Shut in at Alexandria, Finally Capitulate ; Renewed Interest in this Campaign on Account of Recent Events ; Points of Similarity. 348

XXVI. THE CUTTING OUT OF THE CHEVRETTE. JULY, A. D. 1801.

An Example of a " Cutting-out Expedition " ; The Combined French and Spanish Fleets at Anchor in Brest; The English Watching Them; The Chevrette at Anchor in Camaret Bay; The English Resolve to Cut Her Out;

XIV CONTENTS.

PAGE An Expedition Starts Out at Night, in Small Boats ; They Board and Capture Her, in Spite of the Desperate Resistance of the French ; Details of the Fight ; The Losses on Both Sides. 352

XXVII. BOAT ATTACK UPON THE FRENCH FLOTILLA AT BOULOGNE. A. D. 1801.

Another Boat Attack by the English, with Less Favorable Results ; Lord Nelson in Command ; Darkness and the Tides Against Them ; They " Catch a Tartar " ; The Affair a Triumph for the French. 358

XXVIII. COPENHAGEN. A. D. 1801.

Preliminary History; An English Fleet Under Sir Hyde Parker and Lord Nelson Ordered to the Cattegat; A Commissioner Empowered to Offer Peace or War Accompanies Them ; Denmark Repels Their Insulting Ultimatum and Prepares for Defence ; Strength of the English Fleet ; They Attempt to Force the Passage of the Sound, and the Battle Begins; Early Incidents ; Difficulties of the Large English Vessels in Entering the Shallow Waters ; Strength of the Danish Fleet and Shore Batteries ; Sir Hyde Parker Makes Signal to Withdraw; Lord Nelson Disobeys and Keeps up the Fight; The Danish Adjutant General Finally Appears and an Armistice is Agreed Upon; A Characteristic Action of Lord Nelson ; Death of the Emperor Paul, of Russia ; Second Attack on Copenhagen, 1807; Observations Concerning England's Conduct ; A Powerful English Fleet Appears in the Sound ; The Crown Prince Rejects England's Humiliating Proposals ; Copenhagen Bombarded and Set on Fire ; Final Surrender; Plunder by the English. 361

XXIX. TRAFALGAR. OCTOBER, 21st, A. D. 1805.

Napoleon's Grand Schemes; Nelson in Search of the French Fleet; His Extensive Cruise; Napoleon's Orders to His Admiral, Villeneuve; The English Discover the French and Spanish Fleets at Cadiz ; Nelson's Order of Battle a Master-piece of Naval Strategy ; Strength of the English Fleet ; Villeneuve Ordered to Sea ; Strength of the Combined French and Spanish Fleets ; The Hostile Forces Meet at Cape Trafalgar ; The Battle ; One of the Most Destructive Naval Engagements Ever Fought ; The French Account of It; The Allied Fleet Almost Annihilated; Nelson Mortally Wounded; Further Particulars of the Battle ; Estimate of Nelson's Character ; Honors to His Memory. 382

XXX. WASP AND FROLIC. A. D. 1812.

The American Sloop Wasp Encounters the English Sloop Frolic ; The Fight Begins in a Rough Sea; Accurate Firing of the Americans; The Frolic Terribly Shattered ; She Surrenders ; The Wasp and Her Prize Overtaken and Captured by a British 74. 427

XXXI. CONSTITUTION. A. D. 1812.

Description of the English Squadron Sent to American Waters ; They Discover the U. S. Frigate Constitution and Give Chase ; She Escapes and Reaches

Vi

OZ (v!

w

CONTENTS. XV

PAl>E

Boston, by Good Seamanship ; Puts to Sea again and Meets the Guerriere ; A Sharp Conflict ; The British Frigate Dismasted and Compelled to Surrender ; Controversies Regarding the Relative Strength of the Two Frigates; An English View of the Fight. 432

XXXII. LAKE ERIE, 10th SEPTEMBER, A. D. 1813.

Importance of This Victory; Observations by Roosevelt; Sketch of Oliver Hazard Perry; He Equips a Fleet on Lake Erie; Strength of the Enemy's Forces; Captain Robert Heriot Barclay in Command of the Latter; His Brilliant Career; Description of the American Fleet; The British Discovered Near Put-in-Bay; Perry Prepares to Meet Them ; The Battle Opens ; Perry's Flag-ship Suffers Severely ; Her Guns Disabled ; Perry Leaves in an Open Boat, for the Niagara ; He Brings Her Into Action and Forces the Enemy to Surrender in Short Order ; Condition of Both Fleets ; The Losses ; Perry's Famous Letter ; Incidents Related by Surgeon Parsons. 445

XXXIII. ESSEX, PHOEBE AND CHERUB.

A Remarkable Engagement ; First Appearance of Farragut in History ; Sketch of Captain Porter, Commander of the Essex ; Sent to the South Sea to Destroy the English Merchant Marine ; Success of His Mission ; The English Send Commodore James Hillyar to Look After Him ; Porter Goes Into Valparaiso Bay, a Neutral Port ; The Phoebe and Cherub Appear in the Harbor ; Friendly Salutations of the Opposing Commanders ; Various Incidents ; Hearing of Other English Vessels, Porter Determines to Escape to Sea ; Meets with an Accident in Rounding a Point ; Attacked by the Phoebe and Cherub while Attempting to Regain Pier Former Anchorage ; She is Terribly Cut Up, and Finally Surrenders; Later Incidents; Farragut's Observations. 475

XXXIV. BATTLE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN, SEPTEMBER 1 ith, A. D. 1814.

Important Results of This Battle ; Events Relating Thereto ; Both Nations Begin the Building of a Fleet ; Captain Thomas McDonough ; The English Invade the Country by Land and Water ; Relative Strength of the Two Armies and Navies; Captain Downie in Command of the English; The Hostile Fleets Meet Off Plattsburg, September nth, 1814; Good Judgment of Captain McDonough in Selecting a Position ; The Battle Begins ; Steady and Accurate Firing on Both Sides; McDonough's Flag-ship, after Having all the Guns on one side Silenced, Shifts Round, and with the Other Broadside Decides the Day; Concluding Remarks; Honors to McDonough. 502

KXXV. THE CONSTITUTION IN ACTION WITH THE CYANE AND LEVANT. A. D. 1815.

A Singular Action ; Captain Charles Stewart ; History of the Constitution Prior to this Event ; She Meets the Cyane and Levant and Captures Both After a Short Action ; Details of the Fight ; Skillful Management of the Constitution

XVI CONTENTS.

PAGK by Captain Stewart; He Carries His Prizes to Porto Praya ; Discovers a Large

Vessel Outside the Harbor ; He gives Instant Orders to Put to Sea ; Three

British Vessels of War Turn Up ; The Cyane Escapes to New York ; The

Levant Returns to Porto Praya Harbor, where the English Recapture Her;