heid, 64; Haerlain, 64; Hercules, 64; Wassanaer, 64; Alkmaar, 50; Deift, 50; Monnikendam, 40; and Ambuscade, 32. The Beschemar, 50, fearing to engage so strong an opponent as the Lancaster, 61, wore out of the line, and was followed by several Dutch ships that had no such excuse. These could not be pursued, the land being only five miles distant and the fleet in nine fathoms of water. De Winter attributed his defeat to this defection on the part of six ships that should have supported him; but five of the British behaved nearly as bad, and were of no service except in retaining defenceless prizes. The appearance of the British ships, at the close of the action, was very unlike what it was when opposed to the French or Spaniards. No masts were shot away, nor was the rigging in its usual tattered state; for the Dutchmen had directed their shot at the hulls of the English, and this so near that no aim could well miss. Many were pierced by balls in all directions, and a few had received dangerous injuries, between wind and water, which kept the pumps in constant employment. With hulls so shattered the loss of men was very severe, making two hundred and twenty-eight killed and eight hundred and twelve wounded. The captured ships were nearly all dismasted; the Dutch vice and two rear-admirals were wounded, and their returns were five hundred and fifty killed and six hundred and twenty wounded.

68

scapegoat.

She

CHAPTER I

Heroic Old Benbow-United Efforts of the Uni

-Militia -The Loyal

versus Irish Rebels-Cheap Method of Fattening Drummer The French Land at the Bay of Killala General Napper Tandy's Startling Proclamation-Colonel Vereker-Croppies Figuring in Parisian Regimentals-Third Expedition from France to Assist the Irish Rebels-Lieutenant Richardson appointed, by Admiral Lord Duncan, to the Venerable, 74-Sir Sidney Smith at Acre-Richard Cour de Lion's Mount-Slaughter and Defeat of the French.

A.D. 1797 TO 1799.

ADMIRAL DUNCAN was created Viscount Camperdown, with a pension of three thousand pounds per annum, and received the thanks of both Houses, for his brilliant services. The Dutch degraded and severely punished the commanders of their runaway ships; and the British public loudly demanded an investigation into the conduct of those five captains who refused to engage when signalled repeatedly to do so. The admiralty tried in vain to evade inquiry; and, when they found it impossible, decided to pick out one of the commanders who had no family interest to offend; so Captain Williamson, of the Agincourt, 64, was selected, not that he was the worst, but the safest man to make a

heid, 64; HA court-martial sat on board the Circe, at Alkness, upon two charges-one for disobedience of signals, and the other for cowardice and disaffection. The trial, as it proceeded, (for it continued three weeks,) attracted great attention, and the government now pressed for a severe sentence. The captains who were copartners in guilt, gave such strong evidence to criminate the prisoner, that his life was considered in danger. Lieutenant Richardson, being a most important witness, was examined the last, and corroborated facts sufficient to condemn all five.

This was not what the court desired, as it wished to screen all but Captain Williamson, and to throw the whole guilt upon him. They, therefore, demanded of the witness:

"Did you repeat the signal to the Agincourt?” "I repeated it to all five."

"Did the captain who is before this court obey it?” "Not one of the five obeyed it."

"In plain words, do you consider that Captain Williamson was guilty of cowardice and disaffection ?”

"I consider that all of them were, and some worse than the prisoner, being senior officers and having larger ships."

In vain the president tried to make him fix something individually upon the Agincourt's captain; Lieutenant Richardson doggedly kept to number five, and

spoke the plain truth, which no other witness had dared to do. On the court breaking up, Captain Williamson, with tears in his eyes, called down blessings upon the young officer who had saved his life by just and fearless evidence. The first charge was declared "proved," but not the second; and the prisoner was sentenced to be placed at the bottom of the list of post-captains, and to be rendered incapable thenceforward of serving in the navy.

It is well known that the five British captains were not all cowards, since one or two of them distinguished themselves afterwards: but they had taken a dislike to the admiral, and their base conduct arose from malice and jealousy, which they exhibited by deserting him in the hour of honor and danger. The intrepid honest old Benbow was abandoned in just the same manner to the enemy, by a confederacy amongst his captains, in 1702. However, he took the power he possessed of punishing the ringleaders, and did it so effectually, that nothing of the kind was heard of again, until Lord Howe's victory on the 1st of June, 1794. The culpable leniency of the government, on that occasion, produced the repetition of similar treason at Camperdown.

In the reign of the firm and sensible Queen Anne, neither court nor admiralty interest could screen the guilty, or procure either naval or military commands

for the inexperienced and worthless. The sovereign, who truly loved her subjects, showed it in the only way a ruler can, by placing them (when war could not be avoided) under skilful leaders, of tried valor and acknowledged judgment. Such a man was Admiral Benbow, one of the brightest gems in the victorious. crown of the British navy, and well worthy of our notice and admiration. When ministers suspected that the court of France was meditating a blow at our colonies in the West Indies, Benbow was dispatched with an armament for their protection. He fulfilled his mission admirably, and was a second time employed on the same errand. King William, on this last occasion, thinking it hard that a man who had so very recently returned home should be again sent out, wished some other officer to be appointed. No one could be found in whom the ministry had similar confidence. On perceiving this the king wittily exclaimed, "Well, then, as I find I must spare our beaux, I will send Ben-bow."

The last action in which this distinguished hero was engaged occured off Carthagena, with a squadron of ten sail, when he discovered the French admiral, with an equal number of ships, steering along shore. Benbow gave the signal for forming line (being himself in the centre) and for each ship to engage her opponent; but on approaching the enemy, on the 22nd of