in England, he exchanged into the Renown, that ship being ordered home, in consequence of her bad condition.
About the month of July, 1805, our officer, who had been nominated a Colonel of Royal Marines in the spring of the preceding year, was appointed to the Caesar, of 80 guns, and entrusted with the command of a detached squadron. On the evening of the 2d November, being off Ferrol, he fell in with four French line-of-battle ships, that had escaped from the battle of Trafalgar, and immediately bore away for the purpose of bringing them to action; but it was not before day-light on the 4th, that the advanced frigates[errata 1] of the British squadron could arrive within gun-shot.
A little before noon, the French, finding an action unavoidable, began to take in their small sails, and form in a line on the starboard tack. At noon the battle began, and continued till half-past three, when the enemy’s ships being no longer manageable, struck their colours, and proved to be the Formidable, of 80 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Dumanoir le Pelley; the Duguay-Trouin, Mont Blanc, and Scipion, of 74 guns each. The British squadron consisted, besides the Caesar, of the Hero, Namur, and Courageux, 74’s; and the Santa Margaritta, Phoenix, Revolutionnaire, and AEolus, frigates, the whole of whom came into action. The loss sustained by the enemy was immense; the Mont Blanc alone had 159 killed and wounded, the Scipion 111. M. Dumanoir le Pelley was wounded, and Captain Trufflet, of the Duguay-Trouin, slain. The English had only 24 killed and 111 wounded; among the latter were Lieutenants Skekel, Clephane, and Osborne; and Captain Clements of the Royal Marines.
Five days after the above action, Sir Richard Strachan was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral; and on the 29th Jan. 1806, his late Majesty, as a reward for his services, was pleased to confer upon him the dignity of a K.B. About the same time he received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and was soon after detached, with his flag on board the Caesar, to the coast of America, in pursuit of a French squadron, commanded by Admiral Villaumez, one of whose ships, the Castor, of 74 guns, foundered in a hurricane; and another, l’Impetueux, of the same force, was driven on shore
- ↑ Correction: frigates should be amended to frigate
