he weighed at sun-set unobserved by the enemy, succeeded in recapturing the English vessel, sunk one of the gun-boats, and compelled the others to make a hasty retreat. In addition to those services, he rescued several British merchantmen at different times from the hands of the Algeziras flotilla, and captured and destroyed several privateers and trading vessels on the coast of Spain; in doing which l’Espoir was more than once warmly engaged, though, fortunately, without sustaining any material loss or damage.
Captain Sanders paid off l’Espoir at Sheerness in Dec. 1799; and on that vessel being taken into dock, several feet of her counter fell out the moment the copper was removed; a sufficient proof that his predecessor’s fears were not groundless. Towards the conclusion of the war he commanded the Raven of 18 guns, on the West India station. His post commission bears date April 29, 1802.
In the spring of 1805, we find him acting in the Ariadne, a 20gun ship, during the temporary absence of her proper Captain, the Hon. Edward King, and stationed off the enemy’s coast, with a small squadron under his orders, for the purpose of watching the French flotilla between Dunkirk and Calais. While thus employed he submitted a plan to Lord Keith for attacking the armed vessels lying off the former place. His proposal being approved, a number of fire-ships, &c. were assembled in the Downs for that purpose; but the enemy, anticipating an attack from the force collected, availed himself of the first favorable opportunity to move from Dunkirk Roads and force his way to Boulogne and Calais, which he effected after a sharp brush with the British cruisers, on which occasion each party had several men killed and wounded[1].
In Nov. 1807, Captain Sanders was appointed to the Atlas of 74 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Purvis, on the Cadiz station, where he was most actively employed for a period of nearly three years.
The late war in the Peninsula will be memorable above all
- ↑ Captain King had resumed the command of his ship, and the squadron a few days previous to the action. He was afterwards appointed to the Alexandria frigate, and died on the West India station in 1807.
