board H.M. ships[1]. The loss on board la Renommée is excessive – 145 killed and wounded. Galatea having parted company, no return [2]. I have the honor to be, &c.
“To Captain Beaver, H.M.S. Nisus,
Senior Officer at the Isle of France.”
The subsequent recovery of Tamatave, a small settlement in Madagascar, and the capture of the Phoebe’s late opponent la Nereide, is reported by the subject of this memoir to the same officer in the following terms:
“Sir,– In my letter of the 20th instant, detailing the action between his. Majesty’s ships under my orders and those of the enemy, I had the honor to inform you, that it was my intention to reconnoitre this port, as I had received information that the enemy had landed and surprised the garrison on his first arrival on the coast.
"The state of H.M. ships Astraea and Phoebe did not admit of their beating up quickly against the currents and very variable winds; the Racehorse sloop was therefore despatched in advance, to summon the garrison of Tamatave to surrender immediately.
"On the evening of the 24th, Captain De Rippe rejoined me, reporting his having seen a large frigate anchored in that port; a strong gale prevented H.M. ships from getting in sight of her until the afternoon of the 25th, when every thing being ready to force the anchorage, I stood in, and observed an enemy’s frigate, placed in a most judicious position within the reefs of the port, for the purpose of enfilading the narrow passage between them, supported by a strong fort in her van, within half musket-shot, full of troops; there were also new works in forwardness, to flank the anchorage.
“Not having any body of local knowledge in either of H.M. ships, and it being almost impracticable to sound the passage between the reefs, which was intricate, and completely exposed to the whole concentrated fire of the enemy within grape distance, I judged it expedient, under existing circumstances, (both ships being full of prisoners, and having a proportion of men absent in la Renommée, besides sick and wounded,) to defer, until necessary, risking his Majesty’s ships. I therefore summoned the garrison and frigate to surrender immediately; when, after the usual intercourse of flag of truce, I have the honor to inform you, that the port of Tamatave, its dependencies, the frigate and vessels in the port, together with the late garrison (a detachment of the 22d regiment), were surrendered to, and taken possession of, by H.M. ships under my orders. I was- ↑ Astraea and Phoebe’s joint loss 9 killed, 40 wounded, one man died soon after the action, and two others were in a very dangerous state when Captain Schomberg closed his report.
- ↑ See Captain Woodley Losack.
