headmost frigate was in flames, Hotham, who had been much interfered with by a strong battery, weighed, but left the Growler under sail near the foe to prevent the people from returning to their vessels. At about 8 P.M., the burning frigate, the Andromaque, blew up. Two hours later the second frigate was seen to be on fire, and at 11 she was clearly doomed. The Northumberland and Growler then stood to sea. Ere they were out of sight, the second frigate, and also the Mamelouck, blew up. The Northumberland gained this most creditable success at the cost of only 5 killed, and 28, including Lieutenant William Fletcher, wounded. The Growler had no one hurt. There can be little doubt that, had the French made a fight for it, and tried to board the 74, one at least of them, aided by the numerous batteries, might have got into port. For this service Lieutenant John Weeks, of the Growler, and Lieutenant John Banks, first of the Northumberland, were promoted." In February, 1812, a curious state of things prevailed in Hayti. Two parties, one headed by Petion, and the other by Christophe, held divided possession of the country; and Captain Sir James Lucas Yeo, of the Southampton, 32, who was off the coast, had instructions to respect the flags of both. But a third party had been formed from deserters from both the others; and this party had managed to possess itself of a frigate, a corvette and a brig-ofwar, which, under a certain M. Gaspard, an old privateer's man, tended to become little different from pirates. On February 2nd, Yeo, then at Port au Prince, learnt that Gaspard's squadron was cruising outside. Unwilling to take the risk of allowing such dangerous vessels to leave the bight of Léogane, and undeterred by the representations that were made to him concerning the overwhelming force of Gaspard's frigate, Yeo weighed at night, and went in quest of the squadron. The Southampton, it may be explained, was the oldest frigate in the Navy, dating from 1757, and mounted 38 guns, including ten 24-pr. carronades and two long 6-prs., with 12-prs. as the chief part of her battery. Gaspard's frigate, the Améthyste, had been, until her capture by the Latona in 1809, the French Félicité. Not being considered fit for the British service, she had been sold, and bought for Christophe. Thence she passed, probably by treachery, into the hands of one Borgellat, Gaspard's principal, who headed a rebellion in the south of the island, and who called her Heureuse Réunion, though the 1 James, vi. 48; Nav. Chron., xxvii. 508. 2 May 29th, 1812. 1812.] THE "SOUTHAMPTON" AND THE "AMÉTHYSTE” 501 name of Améthyste still stuck to her. She carried 44 guns, made up of twenty-two long 12's, eight long 18's, and fourteen 24-pr. carronades. Early on the 3rd, Yeo fell in with the three vessels, and, getting unsatisfactory answers when he hailed them, ordered Gaspard to accompany him to the Commander-in-Chief at Port Royal. Gaspard said that he would rather sink than obey; and, after the Southampton had fired a warning gun ahead of the Améthyste, she followed it with her entire broadside. Gaspard replied, and made several fruitless efforts to board. After less than half-an-hour's action, the enemy's main and mizen masts fell, and she was terribly mauled; but not until a further three-quarters of an hour had elapsed was it ascertained that she had struck. Her consorts had meanwhile made off. The Southampton had only 1 killed and 10 wounded, out of 212 people on board. On the other hand, the Améthyste, out of a crew of nearly 700, had 105 killed, including Gaspard, and 120 wounded. She was taken under jury masts to Jamaica, and eventually restored to Christophe. Very naturally, Yeo's conduct was approved of.1 On February 13th, the Apollo, 38, Captain Bridges Watkinson Taylor, while off Cape Corso, sighted and chased the French storeship Mérinos and a corvette. The Mérinos, which was pierced for 36 guns, but mounted only twenty long 8-prs., struck, after she had lost 6 killed and 20 wounded. The corvette escaped. The Apollo, although exposed for some time to the fire of works on shore, had no one hurt.2 On February 16th, the Victorious, 74, Captain John Talbot, and Weazel, 18, Commander John William Andrew, arrived off Venice to watch the motions of the new 74, Rivoli, and of two or three brigs which lay in the port ready for sea. It was foggy; and when the weather cleared on the 21st, the enemy's squadron, which had come out, was seen, steering in line of battle for Pola. Talbot chased, and soon began to gain on his foe. The hostile force. consisted of the Rivoli, Commodore J. B. Barré, Jéna, 18, Mercure, 18, Mamelouck, 10, and two gunboats. Very early on the 22nd, perceiving that the Mercure had dropped behind her consorts, and that the Rivoli had shortened sail to allow the brig to close, Talbot ordered Andrew to endeavour to pass the Victorious and bring the laggard to action. This Andrew promptly did, en 1 James, vi. 76; Nav. Chron., xxviii. 451; Kingston Gazette, Feb. 29th, 1812. 2 Nav. Chron., xxvii. 434; James, vi. 64. gaging not only the Mercure, but also for a time, and distantly, the Jéna. After forty minutes' action the Mercure blew up, the Weazel succeeding in saving three men only. In the interval, the Jéna made off. At 4.30 A.M. the Victorious brought the Rivoli to action. A running engagement, interrupted at times by fog and smoke, ensued. Talbot, nearly blinded by a splinter, had to hand over much of his duties to Lieutenant Thomas Ladd Peake, who fought the ship admirably until, after three hours, the enemy became perfectly unmanageable, and both vessels were nearly aground close under the Istrian coast. Peake, therefore, recalled the Weazel, which, at 8 A.M., stood across the bows of the Rivoli, and poured in a couple of broadsides at short range, the Victorious also continuing the cannonade. At 9 o'clock the Rivoli, which had lost her mizen mast, struck. Out of about 810 men1 on board, she had the huge number of 400 killed and wounded. Her hull was shot to pieces; and, a day or two after the action, her fore and main masts fell over the side. The Victorious had 27 killed, including Lieutenant (R.M.) Thomas H- Griffiths; and 99 wounded, including Captain Talbot, Lieutenant (R.M.) Robert S Ashbridge (mortally), and Master's Mates William Henry Gibbons, and George Henry Ayton. The Weazel fortunately escaped with not a man hurt. The Rivoli, under Lieutenants Edward Whyte and John Townsend Coffin, was escorted to Port St. Giorgio, Lissa, and arrived there on March 1st. She was subsequently added to the Navy. Talbot was given the gold medal for his gallantry; Lieutenant Peake was made a Commander on May 8th; and Commander Andrew was posted on September 26th following.2 On March 27th, off Dieppe, the Rosario, 10, Commander Booty Harvey, observed a division of twelve brigs and a lugger, part of the Boulogne flotilla, standing along shore, and bound, as subsequently appeared, for Cherbourg. The Rosario gallantly tried to cut off the leewardmost of the brigs, each of which mounted three long 24-prs. and an 8-in. howitzer, and carried 50 men. Finding, however, that she was exposing herself to be boarded by the other brigs, which promptly bore down in support, the Rosario made for a brig which she descried in the offing, and flew the signal for an enemy. The new-comer was the Griffon, 16, Commander George Barne Trollope; and as soon as she had answered his signal, Harvey 1 Talbot says 862. 2 James, vi. 64; Nav. Chron., xxvii. 502. |