Legion d’Honneur, holding the rank of Commodore, who fell while gallantly fighting his ship. The senior officer of the troops, Colonel Barrois, membre de la Legion d’Honneur, is dangerously wounded. The ship that struck and escaped, was la Clorinde[1] ; the one disabled by the Phoebe, la Nereide; having each 200 troops on board, besides their crews.
“This squadron escaped from Brest in the night of the 2d Feb., and was destined to reinforce Mauritius, having arms and various other warlike stores on board.
“I beg to apologize for so lengthened a detail; but few actions have been fought under such a variety of peculiarly trying and vexatious difficulties. I am, however, called upon by my feelings, and a sense of my duty, to bear testimony to the meritorious conduct of the officers and ships’ companies of H.M. ships Phoebe and Astraea. To the discipline of the former I attribute much; but as Captain Hillyar’s merit as an officer is so generally, and, by you, so particularly appreciated, it is needless for me to comment on it, further than to observe, that the separation of the Galatea was amply compensated by the exertion manifested in the conduct of the ship he had the honour to command.
“To the officers, seamen, and marines of the Astrsea, I am for ever indebted; their cool and steady conduct, when in close action with the enemy, and on fire in several places from his wadding, merit my admiration (particularly as the ship’s company have been so recently formed). A difference in the personal exertion of each officer was not distinguishable; but I cannot allow the efforts and judgment of Lieutenant John Baldwin, first of this ship, to pass without particular encomium; I received the greatest assistance from him, and also from Mr. Nellson, the master.
“The moment the Phoebe and Astraea are in a state to get to windward, the prisoners exchanged, and la Renommée rendered sea-worthy, I shall proceed off Tamatave for further information, as I have reason to think it in possession of the enemy.
“I have the honour to transmit returns of the killed and wounded on- ↑ La Clorinde returned to Brest, Sept. 24, 1811; and in March following, her Commander, Mons. St. Crieq was dismissed from the French service, and the Legion of Honor; and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, for misconduct in the action, and subsequent disobedience of orders. Napoleon Buonaparte, when on his way to Elba in the Undaunted, said to Captain Ussher, “I did all I could to have St. Crieq shot, but he was tried by French naval officers! Had he done his duty, the English squadron would have fallen into our hands.– Roquebert was a brave man; so was le Maresquier” (the Captain of la Nereide).
Finding on his return to France that M. St. Crieq had been restored to his rank by Louis XVIII. Napoleon ordered him to be again confined, and he continued in prison during the short reign of that usurper. His account of la Clorinde’s proceedings will be found in the Naval Chronicle, vol. 26, pp. 388–394.
