bourg, &c.; and was with the squadron under Lord Anson, which escorted his late Majesty’s consort to England, in the
whole army, excepting one brigade, which remained at the village of Cancalle to secure a retreat, marched to the neighbourhood of St. Maloes. In the evening, the Duke of Marlborough reconnoitred the town; and observing that the suburbs, with the store-houses and ships in the basin, were entirely unprotected by its cannon, he determined to destroy them. As soon as it was dark, a detachment of the army was ordered to proceed on this service, furnished with hand grenades and other combustibles. By midnight the ships were in flames; and being aground, the fire soon communicated to the magazines, which were filled with naval stores. The conflagration now became general, and they burnt with great fury all night, and most of the succeeding day. The loss the enemy sustained on this occasion, was computed at 800,000l. sterling.
The number and force of the French King’s ships burnt, were as follows; one of 50 guns, two frigates, and two corvettes, ou the stocks; one new frigate completely rigged; and three corvettes ready for sea, laden with stores. Sixty-seven sail of merchantmen, six sloops, and many small craft, were also destroyed.
The army having re-embarked on the 11th, the fleet proceeded to Cherbourg, and the necessary preparations were made for a descent; but the weather becoming very tempestuous, the Commodore found it necessary to return to Spithead.
The fleet having refitted and prepared for a second expedition to the enemy’s coast, sailed from St. Helen’s on the 1st Aug.; but, experiencing bad weather, it did not anchor in Cherbourg Road until the 6th. The enemy, to guard against an attack, had erected several batteries, which greatly annoyed the ships. The next morning the Commodore, and Lieutenant-General Bligh, who had taken the command of the troops, the Duke of Marlborough having been appointed to that of the army in Germany, reconnoitred the shore, and judged it necessary to move the fleet into Marais Bay, about two leagues to the westward of Cherbourg. On the 8th the debarkation was completed under cover of the frigates, sloops, &c., which were ranged along the shore, and keeping up a heavy fire, obliged the enemy to abandon their entrenchments. The army immediately pushed on to Cherbourg, which place they found deserted by the French, and entered it without opposition. The fort and town being secured, orders were given to demolish the piers at the entrance of the harbour, the basin, magazines, stores, and batteries. One hundred and sixty-three iron guns, and three mortars, were either rendered useless or thrown into the sea, together with a great number of shot and shells. By the 15th the demolition of Cherbourg was completed, and the next day the army re-embarked vithout molestation. Twenty-two brass cannon, and tvo mortars of the same metal, were put on board two of the enemy’s ships, and conveyed to England. Eighteen other vessels were either burnt, or sunk across the entrance of the harbour. Not more than 20 men were
