Lord Howe defeated the French fleet, she was stationed opposite the centre of the British line to repeat signals; a duty which Captain Thornbrough performed with his usual promptitude, and much to the satisfaction of the Commander-in-Chief.
In the course of the ensuing autumn, our officer removed into the Robust, of 74 guns, which ship afterwards formed a part of the squadron employed under the orders of the late Sir John Borlase Warren, in co-operation with the French royalists[1]. Although the expedition proved unsuccessful, yet no blame whatsoever attached itself to the British navy.
- ↑ It was in the month of June, 1795, that Commodore Warren left Yarmouth Roads, Isle of Wight, with three ships of the line, six frigates, and a number of smaller vessels of war, having under his protection a fleet of fifty transports, on board of which were embarked a body of emigrants, commanded by the Counts d’Hervilly and de Puisaye. On the 21st, the Galatea frigate, which had been sent into Quiberon Bay, on her return to join the squadron, was chaced by the French fleet. The Commodore immediately made the best disposition for the protection of his charge, and hastened to join Lord Bridport, whom he had the good fortune to discern the next morning in pursuit of the enemy; the Robust, Thunderer, and Standard, were ordered to join the fleet, but got up with it too late to have any share in the action. After being at sea sixteen days, Sir John Warren anchored with his squadron and the transports between Isle Dieu and that of Noirmoutier; but as this was not considered by the French officers a proper situation to disembark, they proceeded for Quiberon Bay, where they anchored on the 25th. On the 27th most of the emigrant troops were landed near the village of Cramac. At first about 200 Republicans shewed a disposition to oppose the disembarkation; but these were put to flight with some loss. The whole coast was soon alarmed; and the Republicans collecting in great force, (after several successful attacks,) compelled the Royalists to retreat into Fort Penthievre, and the peninsula of Quiberon, which had surrendered to M. d’Hervilly on the 3d of July. The whole force which occupied the peninsula amounted to about 12,000 men.
On the night of the 16th, M. d’Hervilly, at the head of about 5000 Royalists, made an attempt to carry by storm the Republicans’ works and entrenched camp on the heights of St. Barbe, in which he was repulsed with considerable loss, and himself severely wounded.
Desertion from the emigrant army became at this time seriously alarming; indeed little else could have been expected, when it is considered that numbers of the men were enlisted from the French prisons. By these deserters General Hoche was informed of the exact state of the fort and royal army. On the night of the 20th, which was extremely dark and tempestuous, many of the emigrant soldiers who were on guard deserted; and being acquainted with the parole and countersign, conducted a large
