The royal gazette — [Charleston] S.C., 1781-09-05 00:00:00, page 2

,ith which they had wore the hulk, and put before the wind
in a line of battle a-breast, and sent off their convoy under all
the fail they could set
When the disjoined us she run under our ftcrn, and repeat
ed an account of her distress and her damages, particularly
the want of a mizen-top-fail-yard, which I told the Captain
was nothing at alb
The figna )was flow made to bear up in a line of battle a
breart. At that instant the Isis loft her sore-top-mast above the
topsail-yard, which yard was not injured by the fall, nor was
the fail hurt or any other damage sustained, to prevent the
flrip from working, the fore-top-fail being close reefed and set.
I immediately shortened fail to give time to the Isis to clear
the wreck, which was done in half an hour or forty-minutes.
This increased our distance from the enemy. As soon as I
law the Isis could make fail, I bore up and set the fore-fail,
and made the signal for the line a-breast. When we came near
the enemy, I found the Isis and Monmouth had dropt astern
between two and three miles, though both of them fail much
better than the Romney : Their signals were therefore made
to call them to their Rations ; the Monmouth immediately an
swered, and made fail accordingly, but the Isis Hill kept behind.
By these various obftru&ions and delays, added to a strong
lee current, the enemy had drawn us fdr to leeward of St. Ja
go. The fun was set ; the sea had increased ; I could hot pro
pose a decisive action in the night. If I followed until daylight,
my profpeds were great and tempting ; but I mud then deter
mine to leave my convoy in distress, and separate from the
troops, without any fixed determination concerning them or
their deftinatiQh; and I mutt also have relinquished the object
of the present expedition ; because, after getting so far to lee
ward that we could not fetch the islands of Bravo or Fogo, it
is a well known fact that no ship can beat up against the N. E.
winds and the S. W. currents which always prevail here, much
less after such an action as must be expeded.
On the other hand, if the principal force of the enemy
should arrive before us at the place of our destination, it might
prove equally fatal to the obje& of the expedition.
The dilemma was great indeed, and I felt the cruel situation
with an anguish which I never before experienced; but after
maturely weighing the fubje& in all its consequences with thole
persons on whose judgment I have most confidence, I thought
myfclf bound to return to join the ships under my protection,
and to parfue the object of the expedition, it being most pro
bable that the enemy must either fend off two of their disabled
ships of war to the Weft-Indies, in which case I shall have a
superior naval force, or they must touch at the Brazils for
water and repairs; and perhaps they will be obliged to do
both: in either of which cases we shall have a great advantage
by the preceding adion.
Next day we retook the Hinchinbrook Bart-India ship, with
2; Frenchmen on board ; and' I learn from them that the fqua
dfon which attacked us was composed of
Lt lleros 74, M. de Suffrein, Brigadier des Armes, Grand
Commander de Malte.
L'Annibal 74, M. de Tremigon, Capitaine de Vaiffeau.
L'Artefien 64, M. de Cardaillac, Chevalier de Malthe.
Le Sphynx 64, M. de Duchillou, Capitaine de Vaiffeau.
Le Venguer 64, M. le Chevalier de Forbin, Capitaine de
Vaiffeau.
La Fortune t 6, Corvette.
M. de Carries, Commandant de I'Armee de Terre.
Regiment de Pondicherry, deux batalions.
Detachement du Regiment d'Aftrafie.
4 Vaiffcaux des Indes, viz.
L^T^isAmi; - " ^etc^qVaiff^x de tranfoort
3. LTHe de France - (" " doubled
4. Pondicherry ) with co lT er -
The Hannibal was the ship which was difmafted; the Hero
led in, and fuffered damages next in proportion to the Hanni
bal; the Artefien, Sphynx and Venguer came in according
as they are arc named, but the last three did not receive much
injury. The Captain de Artefien, to which ship the prisoners
belong, was killed by a grape shot on the shoulder.
They informed me that they failed from Brest the zad of
March, with Mons le Grade and twenty fail of the line, three
of which are of three decks, bound to Martinique, besides the
Sagittaire frigate of fifty guns, bound to North-America.
That they separated off Madeira, and their purpose was to
attack the squadron under my command, wherever they could
find it, of which they had received a correß lift at Brest :
That the Artefien firft discovered us lying in the Road, and
tacked towards Mr. Suffrein to acquaint him of it; that he
instantly ordered them to prepare for the attack ; and being
asked by Mons. Cardilliac the Captain of the Artefien, what
they should do if the Portuguese fort should fire upon them?
lie desired them to fire at the Portuguese forts also.
After an action of such a length, in such a situation, in
smooth water, with large ships so near each other, it is fur
prizing to find how few men have been killed, and what flight
damages his Majesty's ships have received.
The Monmouth lying within a cable's length, had not a
man killed, and only fix wounded.
The Jupiter had two wounded.
The ifis had four killed, and five wounded.
The Romney had seven wounded ; and the other ships ac
cording to the lift inc|ofed.
The Jason and Latham East-India ships, who lay at the
furtheft distance from the enemy, had 4 killed and 14 wounded;
among the number of killed is Lieutenant Keith, of the Jason,
a brave and worthy officer.
Several of the Eart-India ships have fuffered in their marts,
yards, and rigging, but nothing that will impede the voyage,
or which cannot be repaired even here with security.
The fate of the Infernal Fire-ship and Terror Bomb, de
serves to be particularly related: They bad come from Isle of
May two days before, and lay to the eartward, without all the
ships, notwithstanding my orders in writing had been ftridtly
given, and punctually communicated, for all the small ships
to anchor within the rest. The Terror had sprung her bows
prit, and was fifliing of it, with her rigging loose, when the
enemy appeared, and one of the sixty four gun ships layed her
on board.
The Terror catched fire, and the enemy durst not take pof
feflion of her, though often invited so to do by Captain Wood.
She then cut her cable, and drove to sea, where she loft her
bowsprit and fore-mart.
One of the French ships again followed her in this miserable
condition, and fired several Ihot at the Terror; yet Captain
Wood, feeing us preparing to come out, would not strike his
colours, but bravely contrived to set some stay-sails, and hide
oft in that shattered condition.
The fire ship went to sea, and was taken by the enemy, by
What means I cannot relate ; but I have good reason to believe
she was afterwards either abandoned by the enemy or retaken
By the crew, as the Jupiter saw her next day to leeward, and
handing towards us, with her distinguishing vanes and answer
ing flag abroad.
The Fortitude India ship behaved with uncommon bravery
She was boarded by the Artefien, who fired many guns into
her ; several of the enemy's crew jumped on board the Forti
tude; yet, in this situation Captain Jenkinfon, of the 98th re
giment, kept up a constant fire with small arms; several of
the enemy were shot on the shrouds, and two were forced over
board and taken up again into the Fortitude, after the two
had separated,
The Ilinchinbrook was also miserably cut and mangled by
the Artefien, before she was taken.,
Many of the other India ships fuffered considerable damages,
particularly the Lord North, Ofterly and Asia; and the Ed
ward Victualler was nearly funk and carried out to sea,
though afterwards abandoned.
With great difficulty, after turning many days, we recover
ed this Bay with the Fortitude, and we towed in the Hinchin
brook and Edward.
Every pollible exertion lias been used since to repair the va
rious damages which the ships had sustained, and the whole
convoy are now as completely refitted as circumrtances will
allow ; in the execution of which service I am chiefly indebted
to the indefatigable attention of Captain Pafley, whose zeal in
this, and every other occasion, I with may be represented to
His Maiefty.
To add to our embarrafrments, the Porto sloop, who join
ed us that day we got back, run foul of the Hero, and loft her
sore-mast and bowsprit.
I have judged it proper to put Captain Sutton, of the Isis,
under an arrest.
Since writing the above account, the Infernal sire-ship has
joined us. The enemy had abandoned her on our approach,
having taken away Captain Darby and five seamen, and nine
soldiers of the 98th regiment.
Lieutenant Hamilton has been ever since turning up to gain
this port, which shews the impossibility ofjoining the convoy
isl had followed the enemy.
The Fire-ship has sustained little or no damages.
We shall fail from this island to-morrow; and the Porto
sloop will be ready to proceed for England the day after with
these dispatches. lam with the greatest refpeCt,
My Lord,
Your Lordflrip's most obedient,
and most humble servant.
GEO. JOHNSTONE.
"fl oftie Killed and Wounded in the Ships and Vessels unde, tie command
of Commodore Johnstone, in an Aaion -with a French Squadron
commanded by Monfeur de SUFFREIN, on the 16tb of April, 1781,
in Port Praya Road in the Island of St. Jago.
Romney. 7 Seamen or Petty Officers wounded; 3 ditto, since dead
of their wounds.
Monmouth. I Seamen or Petty Officers, 5 Soldiers or Marines,
wounded.
Hero. 2 Seamen or Petty Officers wounded.
Ifo. I Seaman or Petty Officer, 3 Marines, killed; 4 Seamen or
Petry Officers, 1 Soldier and Marine, wounded; I Seamah or
Petty Officer since dead of his wounds.
Jupiter. I Seaman or Petty Officer, I Soldier or Marine, wounded.
Jason. 2 Seamen or Petty Officers killed; 4 Seamen or Petty Offi
cers, 3 Soldiers or Marines, wounded.
Affine. None.
Diana. 3 Seamen or Petty Officers, 3 Soldiers or Marines, wound
ed.
Rattifoule; None.
Infernal; I Seaman or Petty Officer killed; 2 Seamen or Petty Offi
cers wounded ; 4 Seamen or Petty Officers, 9 Soldiers or Marines,
taken Prisoners.
Terror; 2 Soldiers or Marines killed ; 6 Seamen or Petty Officers
wounded.
San Carlos. 3 Seamen or Petty Officers, 3 Soldiers or Marines,
wounded.
Pondicherry. 4 Soldiers or Marines killed; I Seaman or Petty Offi
cer, 9 Soldiers or Marines, wounded; I Soldier or Marine since
dead of bis wounds.
Royal Charlotte. I Soldier or Marine killed; I Seaman or Petty
Officer, 3 Soldiers or Marines, wounded.
Porpoise. None.
Rfolution. Ditto.
Manilla. Ditto.
Elizabeth Bomb Tender. Ditto.
Essex. 1 Soldiers or Marines killed; I Seaman or Petty Officer, 6
Soldiers or Marines wounded.
Lord North. None.
^een. I Seaman qr Petty Officer, 2 Soldiers or Marines, killed;
6 Seamen or Petty Officers, 4 Soldiers or Marines, wounded.
Chapman. None.
Latham. 2 Soldiers or Marines killed; 1 Seaman or Petty Officer,
6 Soldiers or Marines, wounded.
Hafin^s. I Seaman or Petty Officers killed; a Seamen or Petty
Officers wounded.
Southampton. None,
Ofterly. T Seamen or Petty Officer killed; 6 Seamen or Petty Offi
cers, 2 Soldiers or Marines wounded.
Valentines 4 Seamen or Petty Officers wounded.
Asia. 3 ditto wounded.
Hirebinbrook. , Seamen or Petty Officers killed; 7 ditto wounded;
7 ditto taken prisoners.
Lorio. 2 Soldiers or Marines killed; 5 Seamen or Petty Officers, 2
Soldiers or Marines, wounded.
Fortitude. 2 Seamen or Petty Officers, 2 Soldiers or Marines, killed;
7 Seamen or Petty Officers, 14 Soldiers or Marines, wounded;
3 ditto since dead of their wounds.
Content. I Soldier or Marine wounded.
Syles, Elizabeth, Admiral Keppel, Jupiter, Prudence, Union, Edouard,
Nancy, Three Sifters, Eagle, Mirtle. None.
TOTA L.
16 Seamen or Petty Officers killed; 77 ditto wounded; 4 ditto
since dead of their wounds; 11 ditto taken prisoners.
20 Soldiers or Marines killed; 63 ditto wounded; 4 ditto since dead
of their wounds; 9 ditto taken prisoners.
OFFICERS killed.
George Keith, firft Lieutenant of the Jason;
Captain Crawford, of the 100th regiment, on board the Ofterly Eart-
Indiaman.
Lieutenant McDonald, of ditto, on board ditto.
Lieutenant Griffin, of the 98(11 regiment, on board the Pondicherry
armed transport.
Lieutenant Morris of ditto, in a boat coming from the shore.
Henry Roach, marter of the Porpoise armed tranfport#
The Surgeon of the Ofterly East-India ship.
OFFICERS wounded.
Lieutenant Donald Campbell of the Terror Bomb vessel.
Lieutenant Hind of the 98th regiment.
Ensign Scott of ditto, on board the Fortitude Eafl-Indiaman.
PRISONER.
Captain Henry D'Erterre Darby, commander of his Majesty's fire
fhip Infernal, taken prisoner by the French.
GEO. JOHNSTONE.
London, June 14. Yesterday morning his Royal Highness the
Duke of Gloucester, accompanied by Colonels Heywood and
Lowther, set off for Brussels, where in all probability his Royal
Highness will have an interview with the Emperor; a circum
stance which may give rife to political confeqnences, tending
to further the intererts of Great-Britain.
General Dalling is to be ordered home, and is to be succeed
ed in his Government of Jamaica by Colonel Campbell, the
present Lieutenant-Governour.—And Lord Shuldham, the in
timate friend and companion of the firft Lord of the Admiral
ty, has obtained the command of the fleet on the Jamaica Ra
tion, in the room of Sir Peter Parker, who is expected to ar
rive in the convoy of the next Leeward-Island fleet.
Admiralty-Office, June i§.
° f a ?ltter received the nth instant, from Vice- Admiral
n ~ D Y ARD HUGHES, K. B. and Commander in Chief of bid
Ma J e fty J ships and vessels in the Eaf-Indies, to Mr. Ste
phens, dated at Bombay, Jan. 2, 1781.
“ON the 17th of October I failed from Madras Road, in
tending to proceed to the relief of Tellichery on this coast,
(erfely inverted by the Nairs, and a detachment of Hyder
Aliys troops) and from thence to this port, to clean and refit
the ihips.
I arrived in Tellicherry Road on the ijth of Notemi
where I found two of the company's armed snows and a ?
port ship, which had brought stores and ammunition to the ™'
rrfon a few days before : In the mean time, the armed
^ e ? " P A S „ in , Callicut Road cut out and brought awaT^
Hyder Ally s flups and forced the other on shore; but in e H
course of their operation, the Sartine frigate, being wa^d,
to shoal water to cannonade the enemy's ships, ftrucK
rocks at low water, and filled, so that she was totally loft. °
part of her fails, topmasts, booms, and some other ftor'e?
being all that could be hived out of her.
" After haying left a Captain of marines, with four officers
and one hundred rank and file, with one thousand barrel^
'^ T: elllcherr y, for lts defence, until a reinforcement
should arrive from Bombay, I failed with all the squadron
wards Bombay, on the gth of December last.
“ On the Bth of December, being off Mangulore, the
cipal sea-port of Hyder Ally on the Malabar coast, I fawl^
ships, a large snow, three ketches, and many smaller vessel?
at an anchor in the Road, with Hyder Ally's colours Avin^
board them ; and, ftandmg with the squadron close into
Road, found them to be vessels of force, and all armed for
"rt°° ^^ J anchored ? s cl ose to the enemy's vessels
P°, b] e, with fafety to the ships, and ordered the armed boats
^ I^ron to attack and destroy them, under cover
the fire of the Company's two armed snows, and of the D rb P
up cut out of Callicut Road, which were anchored in shoal
^T: and c l°^ '° the enem y' s ^P^ This service was con
°" tf ? e P art o f °ur boats, with a spirit and adivit v
that do much honour to the officers and men employed in
them; and in two hourg they took and burnt the two'fhi^
one of 28, the other of 26 guns: one ketch of 12 guns'
was blown up by the enemy at the instant our boats were'
boarding her; another ketch of ten guns, which cut her cah
es, and endeavoured to put to sea, was taken; and the third
ketch, with the smaller vessels, were all forced on shore the
Inow only escaping into the harbour, after having thrown'eve
ry thing over-board to lighten her. On this service the fain
, ] °ft. Lieutenant Gomm, of the Burford, and ten men
kjlled; Lieut. Sutton, of the Superb, Lieut. Maclellan, of th t >
dead a " d fifty "° ne men > wounded, many of them since
A" ?","' 20th of December, I arrivedwith the.fquadron
this harbour, and immediately set about the docking and re
fitting the ships for service, which I hope to accomplish in
the month of March." 1 iin an
London, June 16. Admiral Digby has received orders to pre
pare to embark for New-York, to take upon him th'e chief
command of the fleet on that Ration, in the room of Vice Ad
m)ral Arbuthnot. Admiral Digby is to be accompanied
Royal Highness Prince William-Henry.
The Brest advices fay, that Mons. d'Eft&ng has struck his
flag on board the Bretagne, and is retired to the feat of Mons
Le Due de Chartres, four leagues from thence, until his me.'
morial to the King, for permission to resign his command is
anlwered. '
The reasons assigned in Paris, for the sudden desire of d'Ff
tamg to resign his command, are, great negled of the builders
and lurveyors in the yards ; the scarcity of, stores and provisi
ons, and the uncommon arid difgraceful want of seamen, all
which m ght have been prevented, and a very powerful fleet
been been at sea, if his plans had not been rejected in the
council.
Perhaps there never was so gross violation of neutrality as
that by Monsieur Suffrein's attacking Commodore Johnftone
in Port Praya; and we shall soon fee if the Portuguese Mini
stry will overlook the offence, or demand reparation for the
insult from the court of France in the language of a spirited
people, that will not brook an insult to them, and a breach
of the law of nations.
During the last war, when this nation was at the furnmit
of national glory, we were obliged to constitute an Ambassa
dor of the firft rank to make an apology to that fame Court
for Admiral Bofcawen's having approached their coast, a little
within the limits usually understood to be sacred, though
it was only to continue an action commenced at a distance•
but to enter a neutral port, and attack ships lying at anchor'
is an insult greater than we know an instance cf.'
Copy of a letter from Earl Cornwallis to the Rev.
Dr. Webster.
D . £AR SlR ' Wilmington, 23d April, 1781.
It gives me great concern to undertake a talk, which is
not only a bitter renewal of my own grief, but must he
violent ihock to an affectionate parent.'
"You have for your support, the assistance of religion,
good sense, and an experience of the uncertainty of all hu
man happiness. You have for your fatisfa&ion, that your
son fell nobly in the cause of his country, honoured and la
mented by all his fellow-foldiers ; that 'he led a life of ho
nour and virtue, which must secure to him everlasting happi
nefh When the keen sensibility of the passions begin a little
to lubfide, these considerations will give you real comfort.
r " T ^ at r the . Almighty may give you fortitude to bear tins
fevered of trials, is the earnest wish of your companion in
affliction, and most faithful servant,
CORNWALLIS."
Extras of a letter from Edinburgh, June it.
“ Last night the following ships of war arrived in Leiffi
Roads, having under their convoy about 126 fail of merchant
men, fiom the Dow iis and Nore, bound to the Baltic: For
titude, 74; Princess Amelia, 80 : Bienfaifant, 64 ; Buffalo,
^ ; P ,5%5°. ; Dol P hi ?> 44 ; Latona, 44 ; Cleopatra, 32;
Alert brig ; Buly and Sprightly cutters, of 14 guns each, and
two Packet-boats.
Admiralty-Office, June 19, 1781.
Extras of a letter from Captain Fans haw, of the Egmont, to
Mr. Stephens, dated at sea, the 31st of left month.
't^ e c ° ur ' e .°f our voyage from Jamaica the Endymioit
took the French ship le Marquis de la Fayette, Galethea
commander, 1200 tons, mounting 40 guns, (pierced for 60)
200 men, laden with arms and eloathing on account of the
American Congress, and bound to Philadelphia, after a hand
some running action of about two hours."
London^ June 19. His Royal Highness the Duke of Glou
cester airived in town from Offend on Sunday evening at fix
°. c 'n°' "° ° o ' '° Oftend on Wednesday last. Previous to
his Royal Highness s arrival, the Emperor ordered a military
guard to attend his landing, and he was received with all the
honours due to a Prince of the blood royal of England. He
w^s met by the Emperor in person at his palace about twenty
miles from Oftend, who handed him out of his carriage, after
which those two Royal Ptrfonages had a conference alone for
seven houis, no person being permitted to be present during
the # conference. Ihe journey is supposed to have been of a
political nature, and from the friendly meeting of those two
Plinces, much good seems to be portended to this country,
both in the political and commercial lines.
Captain Frederick arrived this morning with dispatches at
Admiralty-office, from Capt. Fanfhaw, of the Egmont,
,° m ., e left on the 3d inst. ,5 leagues to the westward of
Tory-island, going with the Jamaica convoy all well round
the Mull of Scotland. Captain Fanfhaw d fpatched a ship
with the trade for Ireland. The large store dhip taken by the
convoy is the Marquis de Fayette. Also recaptured the James
and Rebecca, of Liverpool.
she Jamaica fleet have experienced a long, rainy passage;
but they have not 101 l a lingle mart, nor any one of the fleet,