powerful French armament, off Belleisle, June 16, 1795, on which trying occasion her conduct was so highly meritorious as to draw the following encomium from the gallant chief: “the Triumph and Mars,” says he, “being the sternmost ships, were, of course, more exposed to the enemy’s fire; * * * *. The Triumph has shifted and repaired some of her sails, but any damage she has received is so trifling, at least in her Captain’s eye, that Sir Erasmus Gower has not thought it worth reporting; indeed, the cool and firm conduct of that ship was such, that it appeared to me the enemy dared not come near her[1].”
In April 1797, we find the Triumph cruising off the Western Islands, in company with a squadron under Lord Hugh Seymour, for the purpose of intercepting some Spanish ships of war then expected from the Havannah, with the late Governor of Mexico, and treasure to the amount of more than a million sterling. It appears, however, that only two frigates, freighted with a very considerable sum, hazarded the voyage at that period; and they succeeded in eluding his Lordship’s vigilance. The manner in which they were afterwards disposed of will be seen by reference to vol. i. p. 280.
About three weeks after her return from this cruise, the Triumph was ordered to reinforce the North Sea fleet; and during the mutiny at the Nore, she was for some time under the charge of her first Lieutenant, the subject of this memoir, who, by his firm and judicious conduct, considerably repressed the spirit of insubordination that prevailed amongst her crew[2].
A few days previous to the memorable battle off Camperdown, Lieutenant Vincent was removed to the Zealand 64, at the particular request of his friend, the late Admiral Lutwidge, under whose flag he served in the different ships to which it was removed between that period and the peace of Amiens, when he obtained the rank of Commander, by commission dated April 29, 1802. We should here remark that few officers have ever experienced greater disappointments with regard to advancement than he himself had since the
- ↑ Vol. I. note *, at p. 354
- ↑ Captain William Essington had previously succeeded Sir Erasmus Gower, in the command of the Triumph.
