boarding, Lieutenant Maxwell determined to lose no more time in making the attack, particularly as the wind was favorable for bringing her out of the bay. The sky being clear, the boats were soon seen by the enemy, who instantly hailed, and opened a heavy fire of grape and musketry both from the ship and batteries, by which several men were killed and many wounded before they got alongside. The attempt to board was then most obstinately opposed by the French, armed at all points with muskets, pistols, sabres, tomahawks, and pikes, and who, in their turn, even boarded the boats.
Notwithstanding this resistance the British gained their point, and in less than three minutes la Chevrette was adrift, with her head towards the sea, and top-sails ready for sheeting home. The prompt execution of these operations proved decisive. The moment the enemy saw the sails fall, and found themselves, as if by a miracle, under way and drifting out, they were seized with astonishment and consternation. Some of them jumped overboard, others threw aside their arms, and tumbled down the hatchways. In less than five minutes the quarter-deck and forecastle were nearly covered with dead bodies.
The rest of the enemy, having now retreated below, kept up a heavy fire of musketry from the main and lower-decks. They also frequently set off large trains of gunpowder, endeavouring to blow up the quarterdeck, and throw their assailants into confusion. This obliged Lieutenant Maxwell to divide his men into two parties. One division to guard the hatchways and gangways, and return the enemy’s fire with their own arms and ammunition[1]; the other to make sail; in order to clear the decks for which purpose, it was necessary for them to throw overboard two or three dozen Frenchmen, and several of their own gallant companions who had fallen in the conflict.
Owing to the wind dying away, la Chevrette was for a considerable time exposed to showers of musketry and grape from the shore, but fortunately the enemy fired too high to annoy the British materially, and a light breeze springing up, at length enabled them to run her out of gun-shot. The firing on board continued nearly two hours, during which the British seamen had managed to get the top-gallant-yards across, and to set every sail in the ship. Being then clear of the batteries, and Lieutenant Maxwell having threatened that he would give the surviving Frenchmen no quarter if they did not instantly submit, they were induced to cease their opposition, and surrender themselves prisoners of war.
About this period some boats were perceived coming from the direction of Brest, and Lieutenant Maxwell, supposing them to be enemies, prepared for a fresh conflict, but on nearer approach they proved to be those with which Lieutenant Losack had gone in chase. Then, and not till then, did the latter officer have any thing to do with la Chevrette.
- ↑ The British lost all their fire-arms whilst boarding, and had nothing remaining but their swords when they gained la Chevrette’s decks.
