the night had been very dark, I was anxious for day-light, to ascertain the general position of the convoy, that I might act in the best manner for its defence; seeing an action was inevitable, without being able to get to my assistance the armed vessels as intended. The frigates stood from us to the westward, and at dawn of day, the wind being light and variable, their heads to the southward, I observed the headmost with French colours up, and she soon after hoisted a broad pendant at the main. At 6, I made the Duchess of Rutland’s signal ‘for action;’ and the Acheron’s ‘to close.’ The former, being the most effective ship of the convoy, probably would have been of service, had she immediately obeyed the signal and bore up, by the very appearance only of coming to my assistance; but she did not even answer it. I then made sail on the starboard tack, to get between the enemy and protect the rear of the convoy; the former wore to the eastward, and hauled on the larboard tack, apparently with the intention of engaging us to leeward. Set the spanker, to keep the ship to, the wind being very light, to prevent their passing a-head and raking us. About 7, the headmost in passing to leeward gave us her broadside, when the action commenced: at this time the Acheron was close on our starboard quarter, and the body of the convoy to windward, bearing N.W. 4 miles, mostly on the larboard tack, much scattered, and making all sail to the westward. As the enemy passed, the action was kept up on both sides at the distance of half a cable’s length, when they wore and gave me an opportunity of raking them; but the wind became so light, the Arrow would not steer, which left me much exposed in different positions to their joint fire. About this time the Acheron passed under our stern, and Captain Farquhar hailed me, but it was impossible to make out what he said. Soon after she had passed, the largest frigate hauled after her, but not until we had received much of the enemy’s fire in our starboard quarter[1]. We were then left to the other frigate,
- ↑ “About 7-25,” adds Captain F., “the headmost frigate being abreast of the Arrow, discharged her broadside, which was immediately returned by Captain Vincent. At 7-30, she was abreast of, and gave us a broadside we then commenced firing upon her, and continued to do so until the second frigate came alongside and fired into us, having already engaged
two rounds from the larboard guns; she then hauled her wind and stood towards the other frigate.
