manded by Captain John Cell, and one of Sir Edward Hughes’s squadron in the battle off Cuddalore, June 20th following, on
unavoidable, although nothing could be more untoward for the latter, they being hemmed in upon a rocky coast, by an enemy much superior in effective strength, with the wind full in his favour. At 9 A.M. Sir Edward Hughes formed his line of battle; but the enemy spent upwards of three hours in various manoeuvres, which seemed to indicate a want of resolution. At length about 1h 30’ P.M. the engagement began in the van of both squadrons; and soon after M. de Suffrein, in the Hero 74, and his second astern, l’Orient of the same force, bore down on the Superb within pistol shot, and continued in that position, giving and receiving a most dreadful fire for nine minutes; the French Admiral then stood on, greatly damaged, to attack the Monmouth, of 64 guns, which was already closely engaged with another of the enemy’s ships; this made room for the vessels in M. de Suffrein’s rear to come up and attack the British centre, where the battle raged with the greatest violence. The conflict lasted till near six o’clock, when the squadron being in 15 fathoms water, and the Monmouth with only her foremast and bowsprit standing, drifting towards the shore, Sir Edward Hughes made the signal to anchor, and the French squadron drew off in great disorder to the eastward.
The hostile fleets continued for several days in view of each other, repairing their damages, and equally apprehending an attack from the opposite party; at length, on the 19th, the French bore down, as if with an intent to renew the combat; but, on arriving within two miles of their adversaries, they suddenly tacked, and by the evening were out of sight. The loss sustained by the British in this encounter was 137 killed and 430 wounded; The action fell particularly heavy on the Superb and Monmouth; in these ships the slaughter was very great. The French acknowledged a loss of 139 killed, and 364 wounded.
After this event, the enemy proceeded to Batacalo, a Dutch port in the island of Ceylon, about twenty leagues to the southward of Trincomulee, where they were detained till the month of June in repairing their shattered ships. M. de Suffrein then repaired to the Coromandel coast, and having re-victualled, and replenished his vessels with 400 sailors, as many sepoys, and 300 artillerymen, he appeared, on the 5th July, before Negapatnam, where Sir Edward Hughes was lying with his squadron, after a repair at Trincomalee. The British Admiral immediately stood out to sea, and on the following day brought the enemy to a close action, which continued about two hours; by which time the latter appeared to have suffered so much that nothing but a sudden shift of wind could have prevented them from undergoing a decided defeat. The engagement was afterwards partial and irregular, and ended with the retreat of the French to Cuddalore. One of their ships, la Severe, of 64 guns, having become ungovernable, fell alongside the Sultan, 74, and struck her colours; but finding an opportunity to escape, she availed herself of it; and the British Admiral’s subsequent demand of her was answered by the excuse that the ensign had come
