only her main mast standing, and immediately attacked her. The engagement lasted for some hours; a great many of the Tonnant’s men were killed; and if the firing had not brought a part of the French squadron to her relief, there is no doubt she would have been compelled to surrender to so inferior a force.
Towards the latter end of the same year, Commodore Hotham was sent to Barbadoes, with a reinforcement for Rear-Admiral Barrington’s squadron, and having under his escort a body of 5000 troops, destined for the reduction of St. Lucia[1]. Some time after the conquest of that island, Lieutenant Holloway removed with his patron into the Vengeance, of 74 guns; but soon left that ship to join the Princess Royal, a second rate, bearing the flag of Admiral Parker, who made him a Commander. On the 23rd Jan. 1780, he was advanced to the rank of Post-Captain, and on that occasion returned to the Vengeance, still carrying the broad pendant of Commodore Hotham, in which ship he was present at the different encounters between Sir George B. Rodney and M. de Guichen, in the ensuing spring[2].
- ↑ Commodore Hotham formed a junction with Rear-Admiral Barrington, Dec. 10, 1778, and on the 13th of the same month, the armament arrived off St. Lucia. The army was immediately landed in different parts of the Grand Cul de Sac, hut had not been long in the possession of that part of the island, before M. d’Estaing made his appearance with twelve sail of the line, having on board 9,000 troops. Rear-Admiral Barrington ordered the transports to be warped close in shore, and moored his squadron, consisting of five ships of the line, two fifties, and three frigates, with so much skill and judgment as to haffle the repeated attacks of the enemy. On the 15th, the French commander made two desperate efforts to obtain his object; but the determined coolness, resolution, and bravery of the officers and men of the King’s ships, supported by a steady and well-directed fire from the batteries on shore, compelled him to stand to sea. The next day the French fleet were observed working to windward, and in the evening it anchored off Gros Islet. The enemy’s troops having effected a landing, made several attempts to carry the batteries, in all of which they were repulsed, as well as in the field, with a dreadful slaughter. Finding every endeavour to recover the island ineffectual, they re-embarked, and left the conquerors in quiet possession.
- ↑ On the 27th March, 1780, Sir George Rodney, then in Gros Islet Bay, received intelligence that the French Admiral de Guichen, with twenty-three sail of the line and eight frigates, had just retired into Fort Royal Bay, Martinique, after having for several days paraded in sight of
