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March.

1811. in passing under the stern of the Amphion. The Flore then opened her first fire, and immediately Flore afterwards hauled up on the larboard tack upon the and Amphion's lee quarter. Almost at the same moment lona the Bellona hauled up on the Amphion's weather attack quarter, and both ships opened upon her a heavy phion. fire. See the diagram on the opposite page.

Bel

Am

Danaé

en

gages

By this time the Danaé, carefully avoiding the Active's line of fire, had wore on the larboard tack, Volage followed by the Corona and Carolina. Thinking to make an easy conquest of the Volage, the Danaé took up a station abreast of her. Thus honoured with occupying a frigate's post, the Volage bravely maintained a frigate's character, and poured in her 32-pound shot with steadiness and precision. Finding the unexpected weight of these, and soon discovering that they proceeded from carronades, the Danaé hauled off to a greater distance; where her long 18s could produce their full effect, but where carronades could not each. The Volage was now obliged to increase the charge of powder for her carronades; and they, in consequence, broke their breechings and upset. So that, at last, the 6-pounder on the forecastle was the only gun which this gallant little ship had to oppose to the 14 long 18-pounders Corona of her wary antagonist. While the Volage and Danaé were thus employed, the Cerberus and Corona Cerbe- were not looking inoffensively at each other. In a little time, however, the Cerberus, who was upwards of 90 men short of complement, became greatly shattered in hull, and nearly disabled in rigging, by the heavy and well-maintained fire of the Corona; with whom the Carolina cooperated only in a slight degree, that ship not appearing very ambitious of closing. At length the Active, who had been striving her utmost to get to the assistance of her two friends in the van, approached under a press of canvass. The moment they saw her coming up, the Danaé, Corona, and Carolina made all sail to the eastward. The following diagram will serve to illustrate

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gages

rus.

this period of the action; the date of which we may 1811. fix at from 10 to 10 h, 30 m. A. M.

March.

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closes

to-lee

ward

her to

der.

Suffering greatly from the fire of the two ships Amthat had placed themselves on her quarters, the phion Amphion gradually bore up to close her heaviest Flore and most annoying opponent. Having passed so toclose ahead as almost to touch the Flore, the Amphion, and obat about 11 h. 15 m. A. M., came to the wind on the liges same tack as before, with her larboard broadside surrenbearing directly on the french ship's starboard and lee bow.* So well directed a fire was now opened upon the latter, that, in about five minutes, the Flore ceased firing and struck her colours. Immediately after the Amphion had bore up, the Bellona Is rakdid the same; and, placing herself across the for- Belmer's stern, maintained a heavy and destructive fire. lona. Although particularly careful not to fire into her late consort, some of the Bellona's shot appear to have offstruck the Flore, who had imperceptibly forereached cer of upon the Amphion. Conceiving the shot to come throws from the Amphion, one of the officers of the Flore colours took the french ensign, halliards and all, and, the sea. holding them up in his hands over the taffrail, as if for the Amphion's people to witness the act, threw the whole into the sea.

ed by

Flore

into

phion

After an ineffectual attempt, owing to the damaged Amstate of her rigging and yard-tackle, to hoist out coma boat to take possession of the Flore, the Amphion Belbore up to close and silence the Bellona.

* See diagram at p. 519,

pels

Having lona to

surren

der,

1811. wore round on the starboard tack, and taken a March. position on the Bellona's weather bow, the Amphion poured in one or two broadsides; and at a few minutes before noon compelled the Bellona to haul down the venetian, as the Flore had the french colours. In the mean time the Mercure brig had also been firing occasionally at the Amphion; but an 18-pounder was at length brought to bear upon her, and the brig soon swept herself beyond the reach of either giving or receiving annoyance. Lieutenant Donat Henchy O'Brien, by captain Hoste's orders, now went with two seamen in the punt, and took possession of the Bellona.

Amphion

signal

not

being

ed, ef

fects

her

escape.

Having secured this prize, the Amphion wore makes round; and, making the signal for a general chase, the brought to on the larboard tack, a little to-leeward to of the Cerberus and Volage, whose greatly disabled chase. state had obliged them to bear up. The Amphion Flore, had now the mortification to see her first and most valuable prize, the Flore, out of gun-shot on her secur- weather bow, making sail for the island of Lessina; and towards whom the Danaé presently edged away, as if to encourage the Flore's commander in the dishonourable act: dishonourable indeed, for the french ship · had lain, for some time, at the mercy of the Amphion. The Active also, until she made sail after the Corona, might have sunk the Flore, and probably would have taken possession of her, but that it did not comport with captain Gordon's spirit, to stay by a beaten enemy, while a fighting enemy remained to be subdued; above all, when a friend stood in need of his assistance. Had even the Cerberus or-Volage been aware that the prize was not secured, either ship, as the Flore passed them, might have sent a boat and taken possession of her. Having had her rigging and sails cut to pieces, and expecting her foremast every moment to fall, the Amphion was as much incapacitated from giving chase as the Cerberus and Volage.

The surrender of the Flore and Bellona, the escape of the former, and the closing of the Active with the

Corona, we have attempted to show by the follow- 1811.

ing diagram.

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March,

Noon

closes

gages,

tures

Having her sails and rigging in a more perfect Active state than either the Cerberus or Corona, the Active with, soon passed to-windward of the former, and at about en30 minutes past noon, when just in midchannel be- and tween Lissa and Spalmadon, received the fire of the cap Corona; a most galling fire too, as the Active could Corona not bring any number of her own guns to bear, without keeping off the wind, and of course losing way in the chase. At length, at about 1 h. 45 m. P. M., the Active closed the Corona to-leeward. A spirited action now ensued between these two frigates, and continued until 2 h. 30 m. P. M., when the Corona. surrendered, after a resistance highly honourable to the venetian flag; and which resistance she had protracted until almost within reach of the batteries of Lessina. The Carolina and Danaé, the latter of Caroliwhom, had she supported the Corona, might perhaps Dané have saved her from capture, were already in safety escape under the guns of those batteries, and just about to sina. enter the road. The whole of the venetian smallcraft also effected their escape in different directions.

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to Les

mage

british

The Amphion had all her lower masts badly shot Dathrough, particularly her foremast as already stated, and her larboard main yard-arm and mizen topmast shot loss on away, and her sails and rigging much cut. Her loss, side. out of a complement of 251 men and boys, amounted to her boatswain, (Richard Unshank,) two midshipmen,

Am

phion.

Cer

berus.

1811. (John Robert Spearman and Charles Hayes,) seven March, seamen, and five marines killed, her captain, (in his right arm, and with some severe contusions, but he would not quit the deck till the action was over,) one lieutenant, (David Dunn, severely,) one captain of marines, (Thomas Moore,) two midshipmen, (Francis George Farewell and Thomas Edward Hoste,) one captain's clerk, (Frederick Lewis,) two first-class volunteers, (Charles Buthane and the honourable William Waldegrave,) 34 seamen, and four private marines wounded; total, 15 killed and 47 wounded. Active. The Active, whose damages were comparatively slight, out of her complement of 300 men and boys, had four seamen killed, one lieutenant of marines, (John Meares,) 18 seamen, and five private marines wounded; total, exclusive of a subsequent loss, which will be noticed presently, four killed and 24 wounded. The Cerberus, although without a stick shot away except her mizentopsail yard, was a good deal battered in the hull, as her loss will testify. Out of a complement the same originally as the Amphion's, but since reduced by absentees to about 160 men and boys, the Cerberus had her purser,(Samuel Jeffery,) one midshipman, (Francis Surrage Davey,) eight seamen, and three marines killed, one lieutenant, (George Crumpston,) 33 seamen, (one mortally,) and seven marines wounded; total, in the action, 13 killed and 41 Volage. Wounded. The Volage had her main yard shot away in the slings, and lost her fore topgallantmast: she was also greatly damaged in sails, rigging, and masts. Her hull, on the larboard side especially, was completely riddled, and her loss of men was in proportion: in reference, indeed, to her complement, it was far more severe than that of any one of her consorts, except the Cerberus. Out of a crew of 175 men and boys, the Volage had one midshipman, (John George,) 10 seamen, and two private marines killed, one lieutenant of marines, (William Stephens Knapman,) 27 seamen, and four private marines wounded; total, 13 killed and 33 wounded:

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