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Page 24
After this we sailed for Gibraltar, and arrived there about August
1759. Here we remained with all our sails unbent, while the fleet was
watering and doing other necessary things. While we were in this
situation, one day the admiral, with most of the principal officers,
and many people of all stations, being on shore, about seven o'clock
in the evening we were alarmed by signals from the frigates stationed
for that purpose; and in an instant there was a general cry that the
French fleet was out, and just passing through the streights. The
admiral immediately came on board with some other officers; and it is
impossible to describe the noise, hurry and confusion throughout the
whole fleet, in bending their sails and slipping their cables; many
people and ships' boats were left on shore in the bustle. We had two
captains on board of our ship who came away in the hurry and left
their ships to follow. We shewed lights from the gun-whale to the main
topmast-head; and all our lieutenants were employed amongst the fleet
to tell the ships not to wait for their captains, but to put the sails
to the yards, slip their cables and follow us; and in this confusion
of making ready for fighting we set out for sea in the dark after the
French fleet. Here I could have exclaimed with Ajax,
"Oh Jove! O father! if it be thy will
That we must perish, we thy will obey,
But let us perish by the light of day."
They had got the start of us so far that we were not able to come up
with them during the night; but at daylight we saw seven sail of the
line of battle some miles ahead. We immediately chased them till about
four o'clock in the evening, when our ships came up with them; and,
though we were about fifteen large ships, our gallant admiral only
fought them with his own division, which consisted of seven; so that
we were just ship for ship. We passed by the whole of the enemy's
fleet in order to come at their commander, Mons. La Clue, who was in
the Ocean, an eighty-four gun ship: as we passed they all fired on us;
and at one time three of them fired together, continuing to do so for
some time. Notwithstanding which our admiral would not suffer a gun to
be fired at any of them, to my astonishment; but made us lie on our
bellies on the deck till we came quite close to the Ocean, who was
ahead of them all; when we had orders to pour the whole three tiers
into her at once.
The engagement now commenced with great fury on both sides: the Ocean
immediately returned our fire, and we continued engaged with each
other for some time; during which I was frequently stunned with the
thundering of the great guns, whose dreadful contents hurried many of
my companions into awful eternity. At last the French line was
entirely broken, and we obtained the victory, which was immediately
proclaimed with loud huzzas and acclamations. We took three prizes, La
Modeste, of sixty-four guns, and Le Temeraire and Centaur, of
seventy-four guns each. The rest of the French ships took to flight
with all the sail they could crowd. Our ship being very much damaged,
and quite disabled from pursuing the enemy, the admiral immediately
quitted her, and went in the broken and only boat we had left on board
the Newark, with which, and some other ships, he went after the
French. The Ocean, and another large French ship, called the
Redoubtable, endeavouring to escape, ran ashore at Cape Logas, on the
coast of Portugal; and the French admiral and some of the crew got
ashore; but we, finding it impossible to get the ships off, set fire
to them both. About midnight I saw the Ocean blow up, with a most
dreadful explosion. I never beheld a more awful scene. In less than a
minute the midnight for a certain space seemed turned into day by the
blaze, which was attended with a noise louder and more terrible than
thunder, that seemed to rend every element around us.
My station during the engagement was on the middle-deck, where I was
quartered with another boy, to bring powder to the aftermost gun; and
here I was a witness of the dreadful fate of many of my companions,
who, in the twinkling of an eye, were dashed in pieces, and launched
into eternity. Happily I escaped unhurt, though the shot and splinters
flew thick about me during the whole fight. Towards the latter part of
it my master was wounded, and I saw him carried down to the surgeon;
but though I was much alarmed for him and wished to assist him I dared
not leave my post. At this station my gun-mate (a partner in bringing
powder for the same gun) and I ran a very great risk for more than
half an hour of blowing up the ship. For, when we had taken the
cartridges out of the boxes, the bottoms of many of them proving
rotten, the powder ran all about the deck, near the match tub: we
scarcely had water enough at the last to throw on it. We were also,
from our employment, very much exposed to the enemy's shots; for we
had to go through nearly the whole length of the ship to bring the
powder. I expected therefore every minute to be my last; especially
when I saw our men fall so thick about me; but, wishing to guard as
much against the dangers as possible, at first I thought it would be
safest not to go for the powder till the Frenchmen had fired their
broadside; and then, while they were charging, I could go and come
with my powder: but immediately afterwards I thought this caution was
fruitless; and, cheering myself with the reflection that there was a
time allotted for me to die as well as to be born, I instantly cast
off all fear or thought whatever of death, and went through the whole
of my duty with alacrity; pleasing myself with the hope, if I survived
the battle, of relating it and the dangers I had escaped to the dear
Miss Guerin, and others, when I should return to London.
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