to make him fhorten fail, and divert his attention from the fhip under my convoy. We foon after difcovered him to be only a large frigate with a poop. At a little after five he hoifted a Spanish enfign, with a broad pendant, and fired a gun: at fix, being within random fhot, aftern of me, I wore, and stemmed for his lee bow, till we had juft-distance fufficient to weather him; then hauled clofe athwart his fore-foot, giving him our whole fire within half pistol fhot; paffed close to windward engaging, while the enemy expecting us to leeward, were firing their lee guns into the water. The diforder our firft fire threw them into they did not recover. We then wore, and placed ourselves to great advantage, which our fuperiority of failing allowed us to do, fupporting without intermiffion, a moft aftonishing close and well ferved fire, at never more than half a cable diftance, till the enemy ftruck, which was about twenty minutes paft eight. She proved to be the Santa Catalina, Don Mig. Jacon, commander, of thirty-four guns, twenty-fix long Spanish twelves on the main deck, and eight fix pounders on the quarter deck. The number of men I have not been able to afcertain. We have on board 286 prifoners. The captain and officers lay they had between twenty-five and thirty killed, and only eight wound ed. Don M. Jacon is a captain in the line, hath a diftinguishing pendant as fach, and is fenior officer of the frigates cruifing off the Straits; had a very particular defcription of the Succefs fent him, whom he was particularly directed to look gut for; had been cruifing three weeks for us; had feen us four times; chaced us twice with a fquadron of four and fix fail, from whom he parted two days before. He fpeaks with much difpleasure of the behaviour of his fhip's company. Lieutenant Oakely, whom I had appointed to take charge of the prize, was indefatigable in clearing the wreck. Her mizenmaft fell fome time before the ftruck; the main-maft in a short time after, and her fore-maft must have fhared the fame fate, if the water had not been remarkably fmooth in fhort, without afluming much prefumption, I may add, our guns did as much execution in the little time as could have been done; her hull was like a fieve, the flot going through both fides. From this ftate of the prize, their lordships may imagine my hopes of getting her to port were not very fanguine. Whilft we were endeavouring to fecure her foremaft, and had just repaired our own damages, which were confiderable in our yards, mafts, and fails, at day-light of the 18th, fix fail appeared in fight, two frigates from whom had chaced, and were reconnoitering us; I inftantly ordered the Vernon to make all fail, hoifted all my boats out, fent on board for Lieutenant Oakley and the feamen, with orders to fet fire to the Santa Catalina before he left her. She blew up in a quarter of an hour. The wind being at S. E. I made all fail from the fix fail, and determined on proceeding with the Vernon to Madeira, fhe being now in want of provifions and water. We had now 286 prifoners on board, whofe intention to attempt rifing we had fortunately difcovered, encouraged by by the fuperiority of numbers, which appeared very striking to them. The fpirited behaviour of every officer, and of the fhip's company, is fuperior to my praife; their real value and merit upon this occafion hath fhewn itself in much strong er and more expreffive terms than I am mafter of; but ftill it becomes a duty incumbent on me to reprefent them to their lordships as deferving their favour and protection: I have particular pleasure in fo doing. Lieut. M'Kinley, (2d) affifted by Mr. James, mafter, were very affiduous in getting the Succefs's damages repaired, as well as they could admit. Lieu tenant Pownal of the marines, by the greatest attention and good example, formed a party that would do honour to veteran foldiers. Indeed, Sir, the warrant, petty, able, &c. did their duty in fo noble a manner, that I feel myfelf happy in rendering them my public thanks. I fhall hope, if their lordships are pleafed to confider the conduct of the Success on this occafion as deferving their notice, that they will permit me to recommend the first lieutenant to their favour. From the reports given me fince, it adds to my fatisfaction to know, that, had I not been obliged to fet fire to the Catalina, the could not have fwam, a gale of wind coming on immediately after, which obliged us to lay to under a ftorm ftay-fail: fhe was the largest frigate in the King of Spain's fervice: her exact dimenfions I have received from the captain; they were taken three months fince when she was coppered at Cadiz. I am forry to add, that amongst the lift of our Admiralty Office, May 18, 1732. tains of his Majefty's fhip the ForLord Cranston, one of the capmidable, and Capt. Byron of the Andromache, in which fhip his lordship came paffenger, arrived early this morning with difpatches from Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney, Bart. to Mr. Stephens, of which the following are copies; SIR, T has pleafed God, out of his his Majesty's arms a most complete vise providence, to grant to tained the 12th inft. after a battle. This important victory was ob which lafted with unremitting fury from seven in the morning till half paft fix in the evening, when the fetting fun put an end to the contest. Both fleets have greatly fuffered; but it is with the highest fatisfaction I can affure their lordfhips, that though the mafts, fails, rigging, and hulls of the Britifh fleet are damaged, yet the lofs of men has been but small, confidering the length of the battle and the close action they fo long fuftained, and in which both fleets looked upon the honour of their King and Country to be moft effentially concerned. The great fupply of naval ftores lately arrived in the Weft Indies, will, I flatter myself, foon repair all the damages his Majefty's fleet fuftained. The gallant behaviour of the officers and men of the fleet I had the honour to command, has been fuch as muft for ever endear them to all lovers of their King and Country. The noble behaviour of my fecond in command, Sir Samuel Hood, who in both actions most confpicuously exerted himself, demands my warmeft encomiums: my third in command, Rear Admiral Drake, who, with his divifion led the battle on the 12th initant, deferves the highest praife; nor can leís be given to Commodore Affleck, for his gallant behaviour in leading the centre divifion. My own captain, Sir Charles Douglas, merits every thing I can poffibly fay; his unremitted dili. gence and activity, greatly eafed me in the unavoidable fatigue of the day. In fhort, I want words to exprefs how fenfible I am of the merito rious conduct of all the captains, officers, and men, who had a fhare in this glorious victory, obtained by their gallant exertions. The enemy's whole army, confifting of 5,500 men, were on board their fhips of war: the deftruction among them muft be prodigious, as for the greateft part of the action every gun told; and their lordships may judge what havock muft have been made, when the Formidable fired near eighty broadfides. Inclofed, I have the honour to fend, for their lordships infpection, the British and French lines of battle, with an account of the killed and wounded, and damages fuftained by his Majefty's fleet. Lord Cranston, who acted as one of the captains of the Formidable during both actions, and to whofe gallant behaviour I am much indebted, will have the honour of delivering thefe difpatches. To him I must refer their lordfhips for every minute particular they may wish to know, he being perfectly mafter of the whole tranfaction. That the British flag may for ever flourish in every quarter of the globe, is the most ardent with of him who has the honour of being, with great regard, Sir, LINE OF BATTLE. Royal Oak to lead on the Starboard Tack, and the Marlborough on the Larboard. Zebra Rear Admiral Sir SAMUEL Hoou's Divifion. 38 90 767 10 37 47 Monarch Francis Reynolds 74 600 16 33 49 Sir James Wallace 74 600 Belliqueux Alex. Sutherland 64 500 Centaur John Inglefield 74 650 No returns. Magnificent Robert Linzee 74 6c0 6 11 17 Pr. William George Wilkinfon 64 9500 O о N. B. Those marked †, not with the fleet during the actions. [The Gazette, by some mistake, makes only azo killed dànd 759 wounded, though the total when fummed up is 1003] Returns Returns of officers killed and wounded, the 9th and 12th of April 1782, included in the above lift. Royal Oak.-Mr. Gwatkin, first lieutenant, killed; captain of marines wounded. Alfred.-Capt. Bayne killed. Montagu.-Mr. William Cade, master, killed; Lieutenants Breedon and Buchan of marines, wounded. Valiant.-M. Richard Wimbleton, fecond lieutenant, killed; Mr. William Brown, fifth lieutenant, and Mr. Blackhoufe, mafter, wounded. Warrior.-Mr. Stone, mafter, wounded. a Centaur.-No return, having prize in tow, and not joined. Magnificent.-Capt. Bagg of the marines, wounded. Ajax.-Mr. John Elliot,firft lieutenant, Mr. Thomas Roffiter, pilot, wounded. Repulfe.-Captain of marines, and mafter, wounded. Formidable.-Lieutenant Hele killed; Capt. Bell and Lieut. Harris of marines, wounded. Duke.-Lieut. Cornifh, Mr. Cooper, mafter, Mr. Scott, boatfwain, wounded. Agamemnon.-Lieuts.Incledon and Brice wounded; the latter fince dead. Refolution. Capt. Right Hon. Lord Robert Mammers wounded, and fince dead. Prothee. Mr. Thomas Love, mafter, wounded. Hercules. Lieut. Hobart killed; Capt. Savage wounded. America.-Lieut. Collowhill killed; Lieutenant Trelawney wounded. Anfon.-Captain Blair killed. |
