Jane Austen's Sailor Brothers, J. H. Hubback [interesting novels to read .TXT] 📗

commission without docking, and the Powerful, a few days afterwards, sprung her foreyard, and had to be detached from the squadron. At the end of the chase, the distance between the leading ship, Superb, and the Donegal, the last of the squadron, is estimated in James’ Naval History at forty-five miles.

The squadron then made sail for Barbadoes in order to revictual, and, after coming in for a heavy gale, arrived there on January 12. On the 11th, news was received by a vessel from England, which had been spoken, that Denmark had joined the coalition against France.

It is perhaps noteworthy that the highest records in any of these logs are those during the gale on January 8, 9, and 10, when the Canopus attained ten knots per hour, and made six hundred and sixty-one miles in three days.

Rear-Admiral Cochrane joined the squadron with the Northumberland, and acted as second in command to Sir John Duckworth. He had held the same post under Nelson in June 1805, for the few days when the fleet was in West Indian waters.

From Barbadoes they went on to St. Christopher. It is an instance of the difficulties of warfare in the then state of the Navy, that thirteen men took the opportunity of the Canopus being anchored close inshore to desert from her, by swimming ashore in the night. No doubt similar trouble was felt on other ships of the squadron.

“On February 1, Kingfisher brought intelligence that a Danish schooner belonging to Santa Cruz had, on January 25, seen a squadron of French men-of-war, seven of the line and four frigates, in the Mona passage. The master was on board the Alexandre, a 74, and the Brave, a three-decker, where he was informed they were part of a squadron of ten of the line, and ten frigates and one brig, which had sailed from Brest forty days before, and had separated in crossing the Atlantic.

“February 2. At four the Superb made signal for the flag-officers of the squadron.”

On February 3 this intelligence of the arrival of the enemy at St. Domingo was confirmed, and great must have been the joy thereat.

On February 6 took place the battle of St. Domingo. The log gives an account which is bare of all detail, except that which is entirely nautical.

“At daylight the frigates ahead six or seven miles.

“Extent of land N.E. by E., and N.W. by W.; nearest part three or four leagues. Alcasta made signal for one sail W.N.W. at a quarter past six, ‘That the strange sail had been observed to fire guns.’

“Half-past six, ‘For eight sail W.N.W.’

“A quarter before seven, ‘Enemy’s ships of war are at anchor.’

“Ten minutes to seven, ‘Enemy’s ships are getting under way.’

“Five minutes before seven, ‘Enemy’s ships are of the line.’

“At seven, saw eight sail under the land, standing to the westward, under press of sail. Answered signal, ‘Prepare for battle.’

“At eight, signal, ‘Engage as coming up with the enemy, and take stations for mutual support.’

“Five minutes past eight, ‘Make all sail possible, preserving the same order.’ Perceived the enemy’s force to consist of one three-decker, four two-deckers, two frigates, and a corvette.

“At a quarter past ten, the Superb commenced to fire on the enemy’s van. At twenty past ten, the Northumberland and Spencer began firing. At half-past, we opened our fire on the first ship in the enemy’s line, at that time engaged by the Spencer, passing close across her bows, with one broadside brought her masts by the board. Stood on towards the three-decker, firing occasionally at her and two other of the enemy’s ships, as we could get our guns to bear. All the squadron in action.

“At a quarter to eleven, the Atlas ran on board of us, and carried away our bowsprit, but got clear without doing us material damage.

“At ten minutes to eleven, the dismasted ship struck, as did shortly after two others. Engaged with the three-decker, which appeared to be pushing for the shore. At ten minutes to twelve, gave her a raking broadside, which brought down her mizen mast, and appeared to do great damage to her stern and quarter.

“At twelve o’clock she ran ashore. Wore ship and fired our larboard broadside at the remaining two-decker, which was also making for the shore. At ten past twelve, discontinued the action.”

A rather more stirring account of the action is given in a private letter from an officer on board the Superb.

This letter also contains the story of the chase of the former squadron on Christmas Day.

“After leaving Lord Collingwood we fell in with a French squadron on December 25, off the Canaries, which we now know was commanded by Jerome Bonaparte.

“You cannot conceive the joy expressed by every one on board. Every individual thought himself a king, and expected that day to be one of the happiest Christmases he had ever spent. But from the very bad sailing of several ships of the fleet, Jerome had the good luck to escape, and the joy of the squadron was turned into melancholy, which had not altogether worn off until we found the squadron at St. Domingo (quite a different one). I can give you very little idea of the exultation expressed by every countenance when we were certain of bringing them to action. The scene was truly grand, particularly when you consider the feelings on board the two squadrons, the one making every exertion to get away, and determined to run the gauntlet in order to escape, and the other straining every nerve to prevent their flight. They were at this time going before the wind, and we were endeavouring to cross them, in order to prevent the possibility of their escape, which fortunately, from the superior sailing of the Superb, we were able to effect.

“The enemy brought their two largest ships together (l’Alexandre, the headmost, and l’Imp���riale) seemingly with a view to quiet the fire of the English Admiral in the Superb, before any of the other ships could come up; but in this they were disappointed, for the second broadside from the Superb fortunately did such execution on board the enemy’s headmost ship, l’Alexandre, that she became quite unmanageable and lost her station. The three-decker was by this time within pistol-shot of the Superb, and apparently reserving her fire for us; but at this critical moment Admiral Cochrane in the Nortumberland came up, and notwithstanding the small distance between the Superb and l’Imperiale, he gallantly placed her between us, and received the whole broadside of the largest, and esteemed the finest, ship in the French navy. Several of the shot passed quite through the Nortumberland into the Superb. The action then became general, and, as you must be already informed, terminated most honourably for the British Navy; for although the enemy was a little inferior, yet, according to the most accurate calculation, they were entirely annihilated in the short space of one hour.”

According to the log of the Canopus, the time seems to have been nearer two hours than one, but something must be allowed for the enthusiasm of the young officer who writes this letter, and his pride in the very “superior sailing” and other perfections of the Superb.

Jerome Bonaparte was not in command of the whole squadron sighted on Christmas Day, but was captain of one of the ships, the Veteran. He soon became tired of the sea, however, finding the throne of Westphalia more congenial to his tastes.

The exact comparison between the enemy’s force and that of our own is given in the log.

ENGLISH LINE.

GUNS.

MEN.

FRENCH LINE.

GUNS.

MEN.

Superb

74

90

Le Diom���de

80

900

Northumberland

74

590

L’Imp���riale

120

1300

Spencer

74

590

L’Alexandre

80

1080

Agamemnon

64

490

Le Jupitre

74

700

Canopus

80

700

Le Brave

74

700

Donegal

74

590

Atlas

74

590

FRIGATES, &C.

Acasta

40

320

La Comette

40

350

Magicienne

36

250

La Filicit���

40

350

Kingfisher36

250

La Diligente

24

200

Epervier

16

95

The following letter was written by Captain Austen to Mary Gibson on the day after the action:

“Canopus, OFF ST. DOMINGO, February 7, 1806.

“MY DEAREST MARY, —The news of an action with an enemy’s squadron flies like wildfire in England, and I have no doubt but you will have heard of the one we had yesterday soon after the vessel which goes home shall arrive. It will, therefore, I am sure, be a source of satisfaction to you and my other friends at Ramsgate to have proof under my own hand of my having escaped unhurt from the conflict. We had intelligence while laying at St. Kitts, on the 2nd instant, that a French squadron had arrived at St. Domingo, and immediately quitted that place in pursuit. Happily yesterday morning at daylight we got sight of them at anchor off the town of St. Domingo, consisting of one ship of 120 guns, two of 80, two of 74, and three frigates. Soon as we appeared in view, they got under sail, not to meet, but to avoid us. We had one 80-gun ship, five of 74, and one of 64, besides two frigates and four corvettes. Our situation was such as to prevent their escape. The action commenced at half-past ten, and was finally over by half-past twelve, when three of the enemy’s ships were in our possession, and the other two dismasted and on the rocks. The frigates escaped. Had we been two miles farther off the land we should have got the whole. We must, however, be truly thankful for the mercies which have been showed us in effecting such a victory with a comparatively inconsiderable loss. The Admiral is sending the prizes, and such of our own ships as have suffered most, to Jamaica, where, I suppose, we shall follow as soon as we have ascertained that the two ships on shore are in such a state as to prevent their getting off again. I am in hopes this action will be the means of our speedy quitting this country, and perhaps to return to Old England. Oh, how myheart throbs at the idea! The Canopus sails so bad that we were nearly the last ship in action; when we did get up, however, we had our share of it. Our people behaved admirably well, and displayed astonishing coolness during the whole time.

“The first broadside we gave brought our opponent’s three masts down at once, and towards the close of the business we also had the satisfaction of giving the three-decker a tickling which knocked all his sticks away. We were so intermingled with the enemy that it was impossible to confine our attack to one, and though no one vessel struck to us in particular, I am sure we had a share in each. The Admiral is sending off his despatches, and I have only a few minutes which I have been able to steal from my duty on deck to write these few hurried lines. They will, I trust, be equal to a volume… .

“P.S.—We have not suffered much in masts and rigging, and I fancy not an officer is killed in the whole squadron.”

The work of repairs had immediately to be considered after the action was over, and no doubt the “duty on deck” was very exacting when Francis Austen managed to snatch time to scrawl this letter for the relief of anxious ones at home.

The end of the two ships which ran on shore is given in the log.

“February 9, at eight. Saw the two ships which ran on shore during the action of the 6th, appearing to