man on board was hurt, while the enemy had thirty-feven killed and fifteen wounded. Intrepidity and judicious management were never more strongly manifested than in this inftance, which reflects the highest honour on Captains Williams and Martin, and on every individual under their command, and they all have my humble but warmest approbation and thanks. SIR, Santa Margaritta, at Sea, June 11, 1796. I HAVE the honour to inform you, that on the 7th inftant, being in company with his Majefty's fhip Unicorn, 18 leagues weft of Scilly, we discovered, at two o'clock in the morning, three fail of fhips, about a quarter of a mile on our lee beam; as the day opened, we perceived them to be frigates belonging to the French nation, which I communicated to Captain Williams by fignal, who immediately made fail to join me, and on his near approach made our fignal to pafs within hail, for the purpote of giving him information of the enemy's force. The ftatement of their fuperiority encouraged him in his eager purfuit, having faid that he would attack the largest ship, and defiring me to engage the next in ftrength. This noble example infpired every perfon with confidence of fuccefs, and each fhip fteered for her opponent; but the enemy, determined to evade an action, steered away large under a prefs of fail; the fmalleft fhip at the fame time making off to windward. At half paft eleven o'clock, by our fuperior failing, we arrived within gun fhot of the enemy; but as they appeared to close for the mutual fupport of each other, and the Unicorn being fome diftance aftern, I judged it prudent to poftpone our attack till fhe was fufficiently advanced to occupy the attention of the French commodore. At this time the enemy commenced a fire from their sternchace guns. At one o'clock, having approached them within threequarters of a mile, we fired our bow guns whenever a favourable opportunity prefented itself, the enemy at the fame time yawing to difcharge their broadfides. At two o'clock, the Unicorn being on our weather-beam, we made fail, keeping up a running fight till a quarter paft four o'clock, when the fternmost fhip, finding it impoffible to efcape, put his helm a-port, and endeavoured to rake us; but being fortunately baffled in this effort, afforded us an opportunity of placing ourselves abreast of him, within piftol-fhot, when a quick and well-directed fire compelled him to furrender to his Majefty's fhip in less than twenty minutes. She proved to be the Thames, commanded by Citoyen, Fraden, mounting 36 guns and 306 men. The ship which the Unicorn continued in chace of is La Tribune, of 40 guns and 320 men, bearing the broad pendant, Citoyen Moulton, commander of a divifion; the other, which made off to windward, is La Legere, of 24 guns, and 180 men. I am glad to obferve that our lofs is very difproportionate to the enemy, having only two feamen killed, and the boatfwain and two feamen wounded; and her's thirty-two killed and nineteen wounded, and many of the latter have since died, It is with extreme pleafure that I feek the prefent opportunity of teftifying my gratitude to the officers and fhip's company for their active zeal and steady unanimity, at all times, and in all fituations, but more particularly in the capture of the Thames, on which occafion their courage courage and exemplary conduct is worthy of the greatest praife. The readinefs of Mr. Harrifon, my first lieutenant, and his prompt execution of my orders, did effentially facilitate our fuccefs. It is my fincere with to particularize each individual, but where general merit claims the greatest approbation, to difcriminate becomes a difficult task. In addition to the officers and fhip's company, may I alfo be permitted to beg you will offer to the confideration of the admiralty the meriorious conduct of Captain Jofeph Bullen, a master and commander in the navy, ferving in the Santa Margaritta as a volunteer, by permiffion from Lord Spencer: his defire to have fome active employment in duced me to beg he would aflift in the management of the main-deck guns, as I well knew that his long fervices and approved courage, in various fituations, would be a proper example to the younger part of the fhip's company. I have the honour to be, Sir, Vice-Admiral King fmill, &c. &c. &c. Copy of a Letter from Captain Williams, of his Majefty's Ship Unicorn, to Vice-Admiral King mill, dated Unicorn, at Sea, June 10, 1796. SIR, Holy Head E. S. E. dift. 8 Leagues. I HAVE the honour to lay before you a narrative of the proceedings of the fquadron under my cominand, fince my departure from Cork the 19th ult. On the following day, in confequence of receiving intelligence of the enemy's privateers being on the coaft, to the northward of Cape Clear, I difpatched his Majefty's floop Hazard, with orders to Lieutenant Parker, her commander, to cruize between the Cape and the mouth of the Shannon, while I, for the more effectual protection of our trade, cruized with the Santa Margaritta in the vicinity of Cape Clear. I had the fatisfaction a few days afterwards to learn, that the Hazard had retaken two prizes, and had chaced the privateer off the coaft that had captured them, after a narrow escape from being taken. On the 5th inftant, having met with other fhips of the Irish ftation, I concluded on making a circuit on the outer limits of my ftation, accompanied by the Santa Margaritta, and at dawn of day, on the 8th inftant, Scilly bearing E. half S. 17 leagues we difcovered three fhips of war on our lee beam, diftant two or three miles, to which we immediately gave chace, and foon afterwards per ceived them to edge away, and that they were enemy's fhips, two frigates and a large fhip corvette. At nine A. M. they formed themfelves in a close bow and quarter line, and continued to run from us in that pofition, the largeft hip under eafy fail, for the fupport of his fquadron. In this fituation we approached them very tait, and muft have speedily brought them to action. I therefore made the fignal to form for battle, the Margaritta being at the time a-head of the Unicorn, and at the fame time directed her by fignal to come within hail, to learn from Captain Martin his opinion of the enemy's force, who in formed me that the largest fhip was a 38 gun frigate, the Thames, and a corvette. I ordered Captain Martin to attack the Thames, acquainting him with my intention to fight the largest fhip with the Unicorn. On our nearer approach the corvette, which detained the other fhips, gradually gradually hauled out to windward, and paffed our weather beam in long gun fhot, fteering afterwards the fame courfe as the other flips, and with the intention, I then imagined, to be in readinefs to give fupport to either of her friends eventually moft needing it. At one P. M. the two frigates hoifted French colours, the largest fhip a commodore's pendant, and at the fame moment commenced a quick and well-directed fire on us with their ftern chaces; the corvette at this time hauled more up, and, to my great aftonishment, brough to, to board a floop paffing us on the contrary tack. As the commodore continued to wait for the Thames, we thereby approached them both, but were confiderably retarded by the effects of their shot. At four, P. M. the Thames being the sternmoft fhip, bore round up, to avoid the fire from the Unicorn, and to pour a broadfide into the Margaritta's bow, when I had the pleasure to fee Captain Martin manœuvre his fhip with the greatest judgment, and with the utmost gallantry he laid himself close alongfide his opponent. The fuperior and well-directed fire from the Santa Margaritta marked the difcipline of his ship, and foon put the Thames into his poffeffion. The commodore, on feeing his companion fall, made all fail, and by a fudden and judicious, though unfuccefsful manoeuvre, endeavoured to gain the wind of the Unicorn. We were at this time chacing him toward the entrance of the Irish Channel, and foon after paffed close to the Tufker Rock. The parity of failing in the two fhips, aided by the judgment of the enemy's commander, kept us at running fight for ten hours; during which period we were much annoyed in our fails and rigging, and were for fome time unluckily deprived of the use of our main-topfail ; but on its falling lefs wind after dark, we were enabled to use our fupernumerary Aying fails, royal fteering fails, &c. which, by flow degrees, brought us fo near his weather quarters, as to take the wind from his fails; when, at half paft ten at night, after having purfued two hundred and ten miles, we hot up alongfide of our antagonift, gave him three cheers, and commenced close action, which had continued in that pofition with great impetuofity on both fides for thirty-five minutes; when, on clearing up of the imoke, I obferved that the enemy had dropt on our quarter, was clofe hauled, attempting, by a masterly manoeuvre, to cross our ftern, and gain the wind. This was happily prevented by our inftantly throwing all aback, and giving the fhip ftrong ftern-way, by which we paffed his bow, regained our fituation, and renewed the attack. The effects of our fire foon put an end to all manœuvre, for the enemy's fhip was completely dismantled, her fire ceafed, and all further refiftance appeared to be ineffectual; they called to us they had furrendered. The fhip proves to be La Tribune, commanded by Commodore John Moulton, mounting 44 guns, though pierced for 48; on the main-deck, 26 twelves, on the quarter-deck and forecaftle 16 long fixes, and 42lb. carronades; had on board at the commencement of the action 337 men, 37 of whom were killed; 13 badly, and two flightly wounded. The flip is quite new, launched flince the commencement of the war; fails extremely faft, is of large dimenfions, being on the gun-deck two feet broader and thirteen feet longer than the Unicorn. Commodore Moulton, who, I am forry to add, is among the wounded, is by birth an American, but has ferved fixteen years in the French navy, and during the present war has always had the command of a divifion. The fquadron late under under his orders, confifting of La Tribune, La Proferpine, La Thames, and La Legcre of 20 nine pounders, had left Brest two days only, had taken nothing; La Proferpine feparated the preceding evening in a fog. I will not attempt to find words to convey to you, Sir, the sense I feel of the conduct of the officers and the thip's company under my command; for if it was poffible for me to fay any thing that could add to the glory of the British feamen, I have ample field for fo doing in the fituation I held this day. Indeed nothing less than the confidence of the most gallant fupport from them, and the high opinion I entertain of the Santa Margaritta, our fecond, could induce me to risk an action with a force apparently fo much our fuperior; and while I congratulate myfelf upon the happy effects of their valour in the capture of two of the enemy's frigates, that have done fo much mischief to our commerce during the war, and on their prefent cruize were likely to do fo much more, you may eafily conceive what my feelings are, when I inform you, Sir, this fervice is obtained without the lofs of one of the brave men in the fhip under my command; my happiness will be complete, if I find the Santa Margaritta has been equally fortunate. In justice to the officers of the Unicorn, I must beg you to recommend to the notice of my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty my first and fecond lieutenants, Meffrs. Palmer and Taylor, Mr. Quale the mafter, and Lieutenant Hart of the marines. I had great reafon to regret the absence of Mr. Carpenter, the third lieutenant, of two mates, and fome of my best seamen, who were the evening before put on board a valuable fhip from Surinam; but the able affistance I should have derived from Lieutenant Carpenter, I was made to feel the lefs by the exertion of Mr. Collier the purfer, who voluntarily offered and undertook to fupply his place to the best of his abilities, and whote name I beg you to include in your recommendations to their Lordships. We are now ufing our utmost exertions to put the Unicorn and her fhattered prize in a condition to proceed to Cork. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c. THOMAS WILLIAMS. Copy of a Letter from Lord Amelius Beauclerk, Captain of his Majefty's Ship Dryad, Plymouth Sound, June 10, 1796, to Mr. Nepean. SIR, PLEASE to inform their Lordships, that on the 13th instant, at one A. M. Cape Clear bearing weft by north, distance twelve leagues, we discovered a fail standing towards us from the fouthward, but on nearing us, hauled her wind and tacked. I immediately chaced, and came along fide of her at nine, P. M. when, after a clofe action of forty-five minutes, the ftruck: proves to be the national frigate La Proferpine, mounting 26 eighteen pounders, 12 nines, and 4 thirty-two pound carronades, with 348 men, commanded by citizen Pevrien; failed from Brest the 6th inftant, in company with La Tribune, Thames, and La Legere corvette; had not taken any thing. I feel myfelf much indebted to the officers and men under my command, for their steady and fpirited exertions during the action. I particularly recommend the fenior officer, Lieutenant King, as truly deferving their Lordships' notice. It is with pleafure pleasure I add, that our killed confifted only of 2, and 7 wounded; La Proferpine, 30 killed, and 45 wounded, I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c. Downing-freet, June 17. A. BEAUCLERK. A letter, of which the following is an extract, has been received by the right honourable Lord Grenville, his Majefty's principal Secretary of State for foreign affairs, from Colonel Graham, dated Peri, May 31. YESTERDAY morning the French army under the command of General Buonaparte, confifting of about 22,000 men, forced the paffage of the Mincio, at Valeggio. General Beaulieu ordered the different corps of his army to retire on Caftel Nuovo, except the infantry at Goito, which being part of the garrison of Mantua, was fent back there; and the difpofitions were so well made, that this was executed without any lofs: every attempt to moleft them in their retreat was not only immediately checked by the diftin. guished conduct of the cavalry, both Auftrian and Neapolitan, but the right of the French army was attacked, with great intrepidity and fuccefs, by eight fquadrons (Hulans and the Neapolitan regiment du Roi) coming from Goito, who cut down a great many men, took fome prifoners, (among them one of General Buonaparte's aides de camp, and three other officers) and brought off above 150 horses. This morning the army, with all the artillery (except two pieces of cannon loft at Valeggio) ammunition, ftores, and baggage, paffed the Adige in perfect order at Chiufa: in this affair the lofs of the French must have been confiderable; that of the Auftrians is trifling, and fellchiefly on one of the battalions of Strafoldo, pofted at the bridge of Valleggio, but in all it does not exceed 300 men, many of whom, being wounded, could not be brought off for want of waggons. This afternoon, while the bridge at Chiufa was removing, the French. appeared on the right bank of the Adige, and began a cannonade, which was returned. It has continued during all the evening, with scarcely any lofs on the fide of the Auftrians. Whitehall, June 18. Dispatches, of which the following are copies, have been received at the office of the right honourable Henry Dundas, one of his Majefty's principal Secretaries of State, from Lieutenant-general Sir Ralph Abercromby, K. B. commander in chief of his Majesty's forces in the West Indies. SIR, Head-Quarters, St. Lucia, May 2, 1796. IN my letter of the 9th of April, I expreffed a defire to detach a body of troops to take poffeffion of Demerary, provided that Admiral Sir John Laforey would afford me the neceffary naval force. VOL. V. C The |