The National Register.
London, England, 1812-05-31 00:00:00

213

'On Friday the eilci instant, at a quarter after ten A. M. the N. w.
point of 00. he: :or et, bearing front the Northumberland north by corn-
inset, ten milee distant, and the wits(' very lieht from W, by N.
they were discoveeed in the N. W. crow dirg all possible sail before it for
L'Orient. My first enteavour was to cut them off to windward of the
Island, and a signal was made to the Growler (seven miles off in the
S. W. to chase, bet finding I . could rot effect it, the Notthuoilierland
vat pushed by every 'exertion round the S. E. end of Groa, and, by
is to the wind as close as I could to leeward of it, 1 had the satis-
faction of fetehitor to windv,-ard of the harbour's mouth, before the ene-
my's shire lee. lied it. Their Commander seeing himself thus silt off,
made a sii;nal tti bil consorts; and hauled to the wind on the larboard
uck to windward ef l'oint Taleet, and they appeared to speak each
o:her. I continued beating to windward between Groa and the
Continent to close with them, exposed to the batteries on both
sides, when I stood within their reach, which was unavoidable.
The wind had by this time freshened considerably, and }vas
about W. N. W.: at forty-nine minutes after two P. M. the enemy
(in force as above described) bore up in close line ahead, and under
every sail that could be set, favoured by the fresh wind,tmade a bold and
determined attempt to run between me and the shore, under cover of
the numerous batteries with which it is lined in that part. I placed the
Northumberlatid to meet them as close as I could to the Point de Pierre
I,a,e, with tier head to the shore, and the main-topodl shivering, and
made d.opositions for laying one of them alongside; but they hauled so
very clase 'round the point, fei'owing the direction of the coast to the
eastward of it, the.te in my igeeranceof the depth of water so near the
shore, I did not think it practicable, consister.t with the safety of his
Majesty's ship (drawing near 25 feet) to prosecute that plan: I there-
frire bore up and steered parallel to them at the-distance of ..bout two ca-
bles' length, and opened the broadside on them, which was returned by
a very animated and well 'directed fire of round, grape, and other de-
scriptiontof :het, supported by three batteries, for the space of el mi-
nutes, and was very destructive to our sails and rigging. My object
eloringthat time was to prevent their hauling outside the dry rock named
Le Gr.**, but in steering sufficiently close to it to leave them no room
to pees between me and it, and at the same' time to avoid
running en it myself, the utmost difficulty and anxiety s'as produced
FT the churl of smoke which drifted ahead of the ship and totally ob-
veered it. However, by-the care and attention of Mr. I ingh Stewart,
the Master, the ship was carried within the distance of her own length
on the south- west side, in quarter less seven fathoms, anelthe enemy
were in cousequence obliged, as their only alternative,to attempt passing
within it, where there was not water enough, and they all grounded,
under every sail, 'on the rocks between it and the shore.
The sells and rigging of the Northumberland were so much damaged,
that I was obliged tai leave the enemy to the effects of the falling tide,
it being only quarter ebb, while I repaired the rigging and shifted
the foretop which was rendered entirely useless ; wol king to wind-
ward during that time under what sail I could set, to prevent falling to
1 ,:ward, in which interval, at five o'clock, the Growler joined, and fired
on the enemy occasionally. At twenty-eight minutes after five, 1 an-
cho.ed the Northumberland in six and an half fathoms water, 'Point de
Pierre I .aye bearing N. W. half N. the citadel of Port Louis E. three
qteatiers and the rock named Le Graul N. half E. two cables length
distant, tot's her broadside bearing on the enemy's two frigates and brig,
at Feint blank. range, -all of them having fallen over on their sides next
the !thole as the tide left them, and exposed their copper to us, and the
main.-roasts of GliC frigete and the brig were gone; dud from thirty-four
miout- s aftec five till forty-nine minutes past six (which was near the
time of low water), a. deliberate and cereful fire was kept up on them,
at whicis time, believing I had luny effected the object of my endea-
ours, the crews having quitted their veiaels, • ell their bottoms being
fterctdlly.very niney of our shat, so low down r to enotre their filling
en the rising tide, and the leading frigate being cempletily ih flames.
• .ommutticafed to the hull from a fire which broke rut in her foretop, I
rot under sail: Three batteries fired at the ship (bring the whole time
she was at anchor, and although the position was so far well'chOsen that
she was cot of the range of two ef them, -else otiser (to which the
enemy's vessels w:re nearer) reached here:it:l did as much execution in
I !e hull as all the fire she had be‘n exposed to before.
I directed "the Commander of the Growler to stand in and ire, to
preen; the t nein)! from returning to their vessels after I had ceased,
. At hve minutes before eight, the frigate on fire blew up With an awful
explosWP, loviag no yematiu a he; visible. A: tae cic., of day I an.