hope of forcing him to a renewal of the contest. He was then on our weather bow, distant from us about 5 or 6 miles. We continued in pursuit until the 18th, at daylight, when it was with real sorrow I discovered that the enemy had eluded us during the night, no vessel being in sight; and as we were near to Antibes, I concluded that she must have got into some port thereabouts. The wind being fresh from the W.S.W. and not having any hope of again meeting the object of our pursuit, I most reluctantly steered to resume my station.
“Had this action, my Lord, fortunately terminated in the capture of the French ship, I might with confidence have presumed to recommend to your Lordship’s notice, and to their Lordships’ protection, the first lieutenant of this sloop, Mr. W. Keigwin Nicolas, an officer of six years’ standing; but the circumstance of having closely engaged for nearly two hours, a ship, in my belief, precisely of the class of the Rainbow[1], and having obliged her to seek safety in flight, wMl I hope be admitted as an excuse for mentioning the name of this officer, together with that of Lieutenant William Gibbs Dowden, and Mr. William Weaver, acting master, who has passed his examination for a lieutenant nearly four years, and has been severely wounded in action before; as also that of Mr. Thomas Rowe, the purser, who volunteered his services on deck; by all of whom, as indeed by every individual on board, the greatest gallantry and exertion were shewn: they are fully entitled to the highest commendation I can bestow on them, and I trust their conduct on this occasion will be honoured with your Lordship’s approbation. After a contest of this sort, many might be supposed to have suffered; but it is with great happiness I have to forward to your Lordship so small a report of killed and wounded[2]. This, added to our opponent’s firing high, is in a great degree to be attributed to the precision with which our people directed their fire, as it repeatedly caused the silence of many of the enemy’s guns, and thereby, as was observed from aloft, obliged the soldiers who were employed at musketry, to quit the upper deck to re-man them« I have the honor to be, &c.
The enemy’s loss, as ascertained afterwards, at Marseilles, was 22 killed and 79 wounded, being very nearly as many as the Pilot had on board altogether. The following is an extract of the letter from Lord Exmouth to the Admiralty, dated June 28, 1815, enclosing the above:
- ↑ Formerly l’Iris French national ship, pierced for 32 guns, mounting, on the main-deck, twenty-two 24-pounders, carronades, and two long twelves. See Vol. II. Part I. p. 869.
- ↑ One killed, one mortally wounded, one dangerously, seven severely, and six, including Lieutenant W. Keigwin Nicolas and the purser, slightly wounded.
