VANGUARD ORION CULLODEN MINOTAUR GOLIAH THESEUS LEANDER MAJESTIC ALEXANDER AUDACIOUS BELLEROPHON. SWIFTSURE.
DEFENCE ZEALOUS.
Two of these sub-squadrons were to attack the ships of war; while the third was to pursue the transports, and to sink and destroy as many as it could. The destination of the French armament was involved in doubt and uncertainty; but it forcibly struck the admiral that, as it was commanded by the man whom the French had dignified with the t.i.tle of the Conqueror of Italy, and as he had with him a very large body of troops, an expedition had been planned which the land force might execute without the aid of their fleet, should the transports be permitted to make their escape, and reach in safety their place of rendezvous: it therefore became a material consideration with the admiral, so to arrange his force, as at once to engage the whole attention of their ships of war, and at the same time materially to annoy and injure their convoy. It will be fully admitted, from the subsequent information which has been received on the subject, that the ideas of the admiral on this occasion were perfectly just, and that the plan which he had arranged was the most likely to frustrate the designs of the enemy. It is almost unnecessary to explain his projected mode of attack at anchor, as that was minutely and precisely executed in the action about to be described.
These plans, however, were formed two months before an opportunity presented itself of executing any of them; and the advantage now was, that they were familiar to the understanding of every captain in the fleet.
"It has been already mentioned, that the Pharos of Alexandria was seen at noon on the 1st of August. The Alexander and Swiftsure had been detached ahead on the preceding evening, to reconnoitre the port of Alexandria, while the main body of the squadron kept in the offing. The enemy"s fleet was first discovered by the Zealous, Captain Hood, who immediately communicated, by signal, the number of ships, sixteen, lying at anchor in a line of battle, in a bay on the larboard bow, which was afterwards found to be Aboukir Bay. The admiral hauled his wind that instant; a movement which was immediately observed, and followed, by the whole squadron: and, at the same time, he recalled the Alexander and Swiftsure. The wind was, at this time, north north-west; and blew what seamen call a top-gallant breeze. It was necessary to take in the royals, to haul up on a wind. The admiral made the signal to prepare for battle; and, that it was his intention to attack the enemy"s van and centre as they lay at anchor, according to the plan previously developed.
His idea, in this disposition of his force was, first, to secure the victory; and, then, to make the most of it, as circ.u.mstances might permit. A bower cable of each ship was immediately got out abaft, and bent forward. They continued carrying sail; and standing in for the enemy"s fleet, in close line of battle. As all the officers of the squadron were totally unacquainted with Aboukir Bay, each ship kept sounding as she stood in.
"The enemy appeared to be moored in a strong and compact line of battle, close in with the sh.o.r.e; their line describing an obtuse angle in it"s form, flanked by numerous gun-boats, four frigates, and a battery of guns and mortars on an island in their van. This situation of the enemy seemed to secure to them the most decided advantages; as they had nothing to attend to but their artillery, in their superior skill in the use of which the French so much pride themselves, and to which, indeed, their splendid series of land victories are in general chiefly to be imputed.
"The position of the enemy presented the most formidable obstacles: but the admiral viewed them all with the eye of a seaman determined on attack; and it instantly struck his eager and penetrating mind, that "where there was room for an enemy"s ship to swing, there was room for one of our"s to anchor." No farther signals were necessary, than those which had already been made. The admiral"s designs were fully known to his whole squadron; as was his determination to conquer, or perish in the attempt. The Goliah and Zealous had the honour to lead inside, and to receive the first fire from the van ships of the enemy, as well as from the batteries and gun-boats with which their van was strengthened. These two ships, with the Orion, Audacious, and Theseus, took their stations inside the enemy"s line, and were immediately in close action. The Vanguard anch.o.r.ed the first on the outer side of the enemy; and was opposed, within half pistol-shot, to Le Spartiate, the third in the enemy"s line. The sh.o.r.es of the Bay of Aboukir were soon lined with spectators, who beheld the approach of the English, and the awful conflict of the hostile fleets, in silent astonishment.
"Sir Horatio Nelson, as Rear-Admiral of the Blue, carried the blue flag at the mizen; but, from a standing order of the Earl of St.
Vincent, the squadron wore the white, or St. George"s ensign, in the action. This being white, with a red cross, the first quarter bearing the union, it occasioned the display of the cross on the renowned and ancient coast of Egypt.
"So entirely was the admiral resolved to conquer, or to perish in the attempt, that he led into action with six ensigns, or flags, viz. red, white, and blue, flying in different parts of the rigging. He could not bear to reflect on the possibility of his colours being carried away even by a random shot from the enemy.
"In standing in, the leading ships were unavoidably obliged to receive into their bows the whole fire of the broadsides of the French line, till they could take their respective stations: and it is but justice to observe, that the enemy received their opponents with great firmness and deliberation; no colours having been hoisted on either side, nor a gun fired, till our van ships were within half gun-shot. At this time, the necessary number of our men were engaged aloft in furling sails, and on deck in hauling the braces, and other requisite employments, preparatory to casting anchor. As soon as this took place, a most animated fire opened from the Vanguard; which ship covered the approach of those in the rear, who were following in a close line. The Minotaur, Defence, Bellerophon, Majestic, Swiftsure, and Alexander, came up in succession; and, pa.s.sing within hail of the Vanguard, took their respective stations opposed to the enemy"s line. All our ships anch.o.r.ed by the stern; by which means, the British line became inverted from van to rear. Captain Thompson, of the Leander of fifty guns, with a degree of judgment highly honourable to his professional character, advanced towards the enemy"s line on the outside, and most judiciously dropped his anchor athwart hause of Le Franklin, raking her with great success; the shot, from the Leander"s broadside, which pa.s.sed that ship, all striking L"Orient, the flag-ship of the French commander in chief.
"The action commenced at sun-set, which was at thirty-one minutes past six, with an ardour and vigour which it is impossible to describe. In a few minutes, every man stationed at the first six guns in the fore part of the Vanguard"s deck, was down, killed or wounded, and one gun in particular was repeatedly cleared: one of the midshipmen was just remarking the escapes he had experienced, when a shot came, and cut him in two. At about seven o"clock, total darkness had come on; but the whole hemisphere was, at intervals, illuminated by the fire of the hostile fleets. Our ships, as darkness came on, had all hoisted their distinguishing lights, by a signal from the admiral.
"The van ship of the enemy, Le Guerrier, was dismasted in less than twelve minutes; and, in ten minutes after, the second ship, Le Conquerant, and the third, Le Spartiate, very nearly at the same moment, experienced a similar fate. L"Aquilon, and Le Souverain Peuple, the fourth and fifth ships of the enemy"s line, were taken possession of by the British at half past eight in the evening.
Captain Berry, at that hour, sent Lieutenant Galway, of the Vanguard, with a party of marines, to take possession of Le Spartiate: and that officer returned, by the boat, the French captain"s sword, which Captain Berry immediately delivered to the admiral; who was then below, in consequence of the severe wound which he had received in the head during the heat of the attack."
This wound seems to have been inflicted by langridge shot, or a piece of iron; which, cutting his forehead at right angles, the skin hung over his face, Captain Berry, fortunately happening to be sufficiently near, caught the admiral in his arms, and prevented him from falling. It was, at first, the universal opinion, that their beloved commander had been shot through the head; and, indeed, the appearance was rendered dreadfully alarming, by the hanging skin and the copious effusion of blood. Not a man on board was now solicitous for his own life; every brave fellow was alone anxious for that of the worthy admiral. This, however, far from repressing their ardour, served only to animate their fury, and prompt them, if possible, to still greater exertions. On being carried into the c.o.c.kpit, where several of his gallant crew were stretched with their shattered limbs, and lacerated wounds, the surgeon, with the most respectful anxiety, quitted the poor fellow then under his hands, that he might instantly attend on the admiral.
"No," replied the heroic commander, with the utmost composure, though he had then no hope of surviving, "I will take my turn with my brave fellows."
"The agony of his wound, in the mean time, greatly increasing, he became satisfied that the idea which he had long indulged of dying in battle was now about to be accomplished. He desired to see his chaplain, the Reverend Mr. Comyn, and begged he would bear his remembrances to Lady Nelson; and, as the last beneficial office that he conceived he should be able to perform, he appointed Captain Hardy, of La Mutine, to be Captain of the Vanguard. Having expressed a wish to see Captain Louis, of the Minotaur, Captain Berry had hailed that ship, and the commander came on board. The admiral was desirous of personally thanking him for the a.s.sistance which he had, in the height of danger, been enabled to render the Vanguard. "My dear Louis," said the admiral, "farewel! I shall never, should I survive, forget the obligation I am under to you.
Whatever may become of me, my mind is at peace." He, then, with the most pious composure, seemed resigning himself to death. As soon as the surgeon had, according to the express injunctions of the admiral, paid all necessary attention to every person previously wounded, he came forward to examine the wound of their commander.
An awful silence prevailed; but it was of short duration, for the surgeon almost immediately p.r.o.nounced it to be merely superficial, and of no dangerous consequence. The pleasing intelligence speedily circulated through the ship, and the excess of sorrow was instantaneously converted into the excess of joy: nor did the hero feel less delighted at hearing the grateful expressions of gladness from his generous crew, than at the unexpected announcement of his life"s being considered, by the surgeon, as in no sort of danger.
This circ.u.mstance, indeed, greatly tended to alleviate his sufferings during the painful operation of dressing his wounded forehead.
"At this time, it appeared that victory had already declared itself in our favour; for, though L"Orient, L"Heureux, and Le Tonnant, were not taken possession of, they were considered as completely in our power: which pleasing intelligence Captain Berry had likewise the satisfaction of communicating in person to the admiral.
"At ten minutes after nine, a fire was observed on board L"Orient, the French admiral"s ship, which seemed to proceed from the after part of the cabin; and which increased with great rapidity, presently involving the whole of the after part of the ship in flames. This circ.u.mstance Captain Berry immediately communicated to the admiral; who, though suffering severely from his wound, came immediately on deck: where, the first consideration that struck his benevolent mind was, concern for the danger of so many lives; to save as many as possible of whom, he ordered Captain Berry to make every practicable exertion. A boat, the only one that could swim, was instantly dispatched from the Vanguard; and other ships, that were in a condition to do so, immediately followed the example: by which means, from the best possible information, the lives of about seventy Frenchmen were saved. The light thrown by the fire of L"Orient on the surrounding objects, enabled the commanders to perceive, with more certainty, the situation of the two fleets, the colours of both being clearly distinguishable. The cannonading was partially kept up to leeward of the centre till about ten o"clock, when L"Orient blew up with a most tremendous explosion.
"An awful pause, and death-like silence, for about three minutes, ensued; when the wreck of the masts, yards, &c. which had been carried to a vast height, fell down into the water, and on board the surrounding ships. A port fire from L"Orient fell into the main-royal of the Alexander; the fire occasioned by which was, however, extinguished in about two minutes, by the active exertions of Captain Ball.
"After this awful scene, the firing recommenced with the ships to leeward of the centre, till twenty minutes past ten; when there was a total cessation of firing, for about ten minutes: after which, it was revived till about three in the morning; when, it again ceased.
"After the victory had been secured in the van, such British ships as were in a condition to move, had gone down on the fresh ships of the enemy. At five minutes past five in the morning, the two rear ships of the enemy, Le Guillaume Tell and Le Genereux, were the only French ships of the line that had their colours flying. At fifty-four minutes past five, a French frigate, L"Artemise, fired a broadside, and struck her colours: but such was the unwarrantable and infamous conduct of the French captain, that after having thus surrendered, he set fire to his ship; and, with part of his crew, made his escape on sh.o.r.e. Another of the French frigates, La Serieuse, had been sunk by the fire from some of our ships; but, as her p.o.o.p remained above water, her men were saved on it, and were taken off by our boats in the morning. The Bellerophon, whose masts and cables had been entirely shot away, could not retain her situation abreast of L"Orient, but had drifted out of the line to the lee side of the bay, a little before that ship blew up. The Audacious, in the morning, was detached to her a.s.sistance. At eleven o"clock Le Genereux and Guillaume Tell; with the two frigates, La Justice, and La Diane; cut their cables, and stood out to sea: pursued by the Zealous, Captain Hood, who handsomely endeavoured to prevent their escape. But, as there was no other ship in a condition to support the Zealous, she was recalled.
"The whole day of the 2d of August was employed in securing the French ships that had struck; and which were now all completely in our possession, Le Tonnant and Timoleon excepted. As these were both dismasted, and consequently could not escape, they were naturally the last of which it was necessary to think of taking possession.
"On the morning of the 3d, the Timoleon was set fire to; and Le Tonnant had cut her cable, and drifted on sh.o.r.e: but that active officer, Captain Miller, of the Theseus, soon got her off again, and secured her in the British line.
"The British force engaged, consisted of only twelve ships of seventy-four guns, and the Leander of fifty: for, from the over anxiety and zeal of Captain Troubridge to get into action, his ship, the Culloden, in standing in for the van of the enemy"s line, had unfortunately grounded on the tail of a shoal, running off from the island on which were the mortar and gun batteries of the enemy; and, notwithstanding all the exertions of that able officer, and his ship"s company, she could not be got off. This unfortunate circ.u.mstance was severely felt, at the moment, by the admiral, and all the officers of the squadron: but their feelings were nothing, compared to the anxiety, and even agony of mind, which the captain of the Culloden himself experienced for so many eventful hours.
There was but one consolation which could offer itself to him, in the midst of the distresses of his situation--a feeble one, it is true--that his ship served as a beacon for three other ships, viz.
the Alexander, Theseus, and Leander, which were advancing, with all possible sail set, close in his rear: and which, otherwise, might have experienced a similar misfortune; and thus, in a greater proportion still, have weakened our force. It was not till the morning of the 2d, that the Culloden could be got off: and it was then found, that she had suffered very considerable damage in her bottom; that her rudder was beat off; and the crew could scarcely keep her afloat, with all pumps going. The resources of Captain Troubridge"s mind availed him much, and were admirably exerted, on this trying occasion. In four days, he had a new rudder made, on his own deck, which was immediately shipped; and the Culloden was again in a state for actual service, though still very leaky.
"The admiral, knowing that the wounded of his own ships had been well taken care of, bent his first attention to those of the enemy.
He established a truce with the commandant of Aboukir; and, through him, made a communication to the commandant of Alexandria, that it was his intention to allow all the wounded Frenchmen to be taken ash.o.r.e to proper hospitals, with their own surgeons to attend them: a proposal which was a.s.sented to by the French, and carried into effect the following day. The activity and generous consideration of Captain Troubridge were again exerted, at this time, for the general good. He communicated with the sh.o.r.e, and had the address to procure a supply of fresh provisions, onions, and other necessary refreshments, which were served out to the sick and wounded, and which proved of essential utility.
"On the 2d, the Arabs and Mamelukes, who had, during the battle, lined the sh.o.r.es of the bay, saw with transport that the victory was decisively on the part of the British fleet: an event, in which they partic.i.p.ated, with an exultation almost equal to that of the conquerors; and, on that and the two following nights, the whole coast and country were illuminated as far as the eye could penetrate, in celebration of the happy event. This had a great effect on the minds of the prisoners; as they conceived that this illumination was the consequence not entirely of the defeat of their fleet, but of some signal success obtained by the Arabs and Mamelukes over Bonaparte.
"Though it is natural to suppose, that the time and attention of the admiral, and all the officers of his squadron, were very fully employed in repairing the damages sustained by their own ships, and in securing those of the enemy which their valour had subdued, yet the mind of that great and good man felt the strongest emotions of the most pious grat.i.tude to the Supreme Being, for the signal success which, by the Divine favour, had crowned his endeavours in the cause of his country; and, in consequence, on the morning of the 2d, he issued the following memorandum to the different captains of his squadron--
"MEMORANDUM.
"Vanguard, off the Mouth of the Nile, 2d Aug. 1798.
"Almighty G.o.d having blessed his majesty"s arms with victory, the admiral intends returning public thanksgiving for the same at two o"clock this day; and he recommends every ship doing the same, as soon as convenient."
"To the respective Captains of the Squadron."
"At two o"clock, accordingly, public service was performed on the quarter-deck of the Vanguard, by the Reverend Mr. Comyn; the other ships following the example of the admiral, though not all exactly at the same time. This solemn act of grat.i.tude to Heaven, seemed to make a very deep impression on several of the prisoners, both officers and men: some of the former remarked--"That it was no wonder such order and discipline were preserved in the British navy, when the minds of our men could be impressed with such sentiments after a victory so great, and at a moment of such seeming confusion."
On the very same day, the following Memorandum was likewise issued to all the ships; expressive of the admiral"s sentiments of the n.o.ble exertions of the different officers and men of his squadron--
"MEMORANDUM.
"Vanguard, off the Mouth of the Nile, Aug. 2, 1798.
"The admiral most heartily congratulates the captains, officers, seamen, and marines, of the squadron he has had the honour to command, on the event of the late action; and he desires they will accept his most sincere and cordial thanks, for their very gallant behaviour in this glorious battle. It must strike, forcibly, every British seaman, how superior their conduct is, when in discipline and good order, to the riotous behaviour of lawless Frenchmen. The squadron may be a.s.sured, the admiral will not fail, with his dispatches, to represent their truly meritorious conduct, in the strongest terms, to the commander in chief."
"To the Captains of the Ships of the Squadron."
"The praise expressed in this memorandum, could not fail to be highly acceptable, and gratifying, to every individual in the squadron; and the observation which it endeavoured to impress on the minds of all, of the striking advantages derived from discipline and good order, was so much the effect of recent experience, that every bosom immediately a.s.sented to it"s justice.
The benefit of this important truth will not, we trust, be confined to any particular branch of the British navy: the sentiment of the Hero of the Nile must infuse itself into the heart of every British seaman, in whatever quarter of the globe he may be extending the glory and interests of his country; and will there produce the conviction, that courage alone will not lead him to conquest, without the aid and direction of exact discipline and order,
"Let those who desire to emulate, as every British seaman must, the glory acquired on this signal occasion, pursue the same means; which, princ.i.p.ally, led to it"s acquisition. Let them repose the most perfect reliance in the courage, judgment, and skill, of their superior officers; and let them aid the designs of these, by uniformly submissive obedience, and willing subordination: so shall the British navy continue to prove the admiration of the world, till time shall be no more.
"Immediately after the action, some Maltese, Genoese, and Spaniards, who had been serving on board the French fleet, offered their services in the British; and, being accepted, expressed the greatest happiness, at thus being freed, as they said, from the tyranny and cruelty of the French."
It has been thought proper to adopt the description of the battle of the Nile from this unadorned narrative, not only because it is said to have been originally sketched by Captain Berry; but because there seems no small degree of internal evidence that it was originally founded on the minutes of the hero himself, to whose most glorious victory it adverts with far less admiration and applause than it probably would have received from any other pen.
The following Journal of the 1st, 2d, and 3d days of August 1798, said to have been written by a French officer of high rank, will be found to comprehend a more just and animated picture of this grand naval engagement, and it"s consequences, than could have been reasonably expected from what is usually seen of Gallic candour and impartiality.
"The 1st of August 1798, wind west north-west, light breezes, and fair weather. The second division of the fleet sent a party of men on sh.o.r.e to dig wells. Every ship in the fleet sent twenty-five men, to protect the workmen from the continual attacks of the Bedouins and vagabonds of the country. At two in the afternoon, L"Heureux made the signal for twelve sail, west south-west; which we could easily distinguish, from the mast-heads, to be ships of war. The signal was then made, for all the boats, workmen, and guards, to repair on board their ships, which was only obeyed by a small number. At three o"clock, the admiral, not having any doubt that the ships in sight were the enemy, ordered the hammocks to be stowed for action; and directed L"Alert and Ruiller brigs of war to reconnoitre the enemy; who, we soon perceived, were steering for Bequier Bay, under a crowd of canvas, without observing any order of sailing. At four o"clock, we saw, over the fort of Aboukir, two ships, apparently waiting to join the squadron: without doubt, they had been sent to look into the port of Alexandria. We likewise saw a brig, with the twelve ships; so that they were, now, fourteen sail of the line, and a brig. L"Alert then began to put the admiral"s orders into execution, viz. to stand toward the enemy till nearly within gun-shot, and then to manoeuvre, and endeavour to draw them towards the outer shoal lying off the island. But the English admiral, without doubt, had experienced pilots on board; as he did not pay any attention to the brig"s track, but allowed her to go away, hauling well round all the dangers. At this time, a small boat, dispatched from Alexandria to Rosetta, voluntarily bore down to the English brig, which took possession of her, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of L"Alert to prevent it, by firing a great many shot at the boat. At five o"clock, the enemy came to the wind in succession. This manoeuvre convinced us, that they intended attacking us that evening. The admiral got the top-gallant yards across; but, soon after, made the signal, that he intended engaging the enemy at anchor. After this signal, each ship ought to have sent a stream-cable to the ship astern of her, and to have made a hawser fast to the cable about twenty fathoms in the water, and pa.s.sed the opposite side to that intended as a spring; _this was not generally executed_. Orders were then given, to let go another bower anchor; and the broadsides of the ships were brought to bear upon the enemy, having the ships heads south-east from the Island of Bequier, forming a line about thirteen hundred fathoms north-west and south-east, distant from each other eighty fathoms, and with an anchor out south south-east At a quarter past five, one of the enemy"s ships that was steering to get to windward of the headmost of the line, ran on the reef east north-east of the island. She had immediate a.s.sistance from the brig, and got afloat in the morning. The battery on the island opened a fire on the enemy, and their sh.e.l.ls fell ahead of the second ship in the line.
At half past five, the headmost ships of our line being within gun-shot of the English, the admiral made the signal to engage; which was not obeyed, till the enemy was within pistol-shot, and just doubling us. The action then became very warm. Le Conquerant began to fire, then Le Guerrier, Le Spartiate, L"Aquilon, Le Peuple Souverain, and Le Franklin. At six o"clock, La Serieuse frigate and L"Hercule bomb, cut their cables, and got under weigh, to avoid the enemy"s fire. They got on sh.o.r.e; La Serieuse caught fire, and had part of her masts burnt; L"Artemise was obliged to get under weigh, and likewise got on sh.o.r.e. The two frigates sent their ships companies aboard the different line of battle ships. The sloops of war, two bombs, and several transports that were with the fleet, were more successful; as they got under weigh, and reached the anchorage under the protection of the fort of Aboukir. All the van were attacked on both sides by the enemy, who ranged close along our line. They had each an anchor out astern, which facilitated their motions, and enabled them to place themselves in the most advantageous position. At a quarter past six, Le Franklin opened her fire on the enemy from the starboard side; at three quarters past six, she was engaged on both sides. L"Orient, at this time, began firing from her starboard guns; and, at seven, Le Tonnant opened her fire. All the ships, from Le Guerrier to Le Tonnant, were now engaged against a superior force: this only redoubled the ardour of the French, who kept up a very heavy fire. At eight o"clock at night, the ship which was engaging L"Orient on the starboard quarter, notwithstanding her advantageous position, was dismasted; and so roughly treated, that she cut her cables, and drove farther from the line. This event gave Le Franklin hopes that L"Orient would now be able to a.s.sist her, by attacking one of the ships opposed to her; but, at this very moment, the two ships that had been observed astern of the fleet, and were quite fresh, steered right for the centre. One of them anch.o.r.ed on L"Orient"s starboard bow; and the other cut the line astern of L"Orient, and anch.o.r.ed off her larboard quarter. The action, in this place, then became extremely warm. Admiral De Brueys, who had at this time been slightly wounded in the head and arm, very soon received a shot in the belly, which almost cut him in two. He desired not to be carried below, but to be left to die on deck: he lived but a quarter of an hour. Rear-Admiral Blanquet, as well as his aid-du-camp, were unacquainted with this melancholy event till the action was nearly over. Admiral Blanquet received a severe wound in the face, which knocked him down; he was carried off the deck, senseless. At a quarter past eight o"clock, Le Peuple Souverain drove to leeward of the line, and anch.o.r.ed a cable"s length abreast of L"Orient: it was not known what unfortunate event occasioned this. The vacant place she made, placed Le Franklin in a more unfortunate position; and, it became very critical, from the manoeuvre of one of the enemy"s fresh ships, which had been sent to the a.s.sistance of the ship on sh.o.r.e. She anch.o.r.ed athwart Le Franklin"s bows, and commenced a very heavy raking fire.
Notwithstanding the dreadful situation of the ships in the centre, they continually kept up a very heavy fire. At half past eight o"clock, the action was general from Le Guerrier to Le Mercure. The Admiral De Brueys"s death, and the severe wounds of Admiral Blanquet, must have deeply affected the people who fought under them: but, it added to their ardour for revenge; and the action continued, on both sides, with great obstinacy. At nine o"clock, the ships in the van slackened their fire; and, soon after, totally ceased: and, with infinite sorrow, we supposed they had surrendered. They were dismasted very soon after the action began; and so much damaged that, it is to be presumed, they could not hold out any longer against an enemy so superior by an advantageous position, in placing several ships against one. At a quarter past nine o"clock, L"Orient caught fire in the cabin; it soon afterwards broke out on the p.o.o.p. Every effort was made to extinguish it; but, without effect; and, very soon, it was so considerable, that there was no hope of saving the ship. At half past nine, Citoyen Gillet, Capitain de Pavilion of the Franklin, was very severely wounded, and was carried off the deck. At three quarters past nine, the arm-chest, filled with musket-cartridges, blew up, and set fire to several places in the p.o.o.p and quarter-deck, but was fortunately extinguished. Her situation, however, was still very desperate; surrounded by enemies, and only eighty fathoms to windward of L"Orient entirely on fire, there could not be any other expectation, than falling a prey either to the enemy or the flames.
At ten o"clock, the main and mizen masts fell, and all the guns on the main-deck were dismounted. At half past ten, Le Tonnant cut her cables, to avoid the fire of L"Orient. The English ship that was on L"Orient"s larboard quarter, as soon as she had done firing at her, brought her broadside on Le Tonnant"s bow, and kept up a very heavy raking fire. L"Heureux, and Le Mercure, conceived that they ought likewise to cut their cables. The manoeuvre created so much confusion amongst the rear ships, that they fired into each other, and did considerable damage. Le Tonnant anch.o.r.ed ahead of the Guillaume Tell; Le Genereux and Timoleon, the other two ships, got on sh.o.r.e. The ship that engaged Le Tonnant on her bow cut her cables; all her rigging and sails were cut to pieces; and she drove down, and anch.o.r.ed astern of the English ship, that had been engaging L"Heureux and Le Mercure before they changed their position. Those of the etat-major and ship"s company of L"Orient, who had escaped death, convinced of the impossibility of extinguishing the fire, which had got down on the middle gun-deck, endeavoured to save themselves. Rear-Admiral Ganteaume saved himself in a boat, and went on board of Le Salamine; and, from thence, to Aboukir and Alexandria. The Adjutant-General Motard, though badly wounded, swam to the ship nearest L"Orient, which proved to be English. Commodore Casabianca, and his son, who was only ten years old, and who gave, during the action, proofs of bravery and intelligence far above his age, were not so fortunate.
They were in the water, on the wreck of L"Orient"s masts, not being able to swim, seeking each other, till three quarters past ten, when the ship blew up, and put an end to their hopes and fears. The explosion was dreadful, and spread the fire all around to a considerable distance. Le Franklin"s decks were covered with red-hot seams, pieces of timber, and rope, on fire. She was on fire, but luckily got it under. Immediately after the tremendous explosion, the action ceased every where, and was succeeded by the most profound silence. The sky was darkened by clouds of black smoke, which seemed to threaten the destruction of the two fleets.
It was a quarter of an hour before the ships crews recovered from the kind of stupor into which they had been thrown. Towards eleven o"clock, Le Franklin, anxious to preserve the trust confided to her, recommenced the action with a few of her lower-deck guns; all the rest were dismounted: two thirds of the ship"s company were killed and wounded, and those who remained prodigiously fatigued.
She was surrounded by enemy"s ships, who mowed down the men every broadside. At half past eleven o"clock, having only three lower-deck guns that could defend the honour of the flag, it became necessary to put an end to so disproportioned a struggle, and Citoyen Martinet, captain of a frigate, ordered the colours to be struck.