“At this time (about 2-15 P.M.) the Salvador del Mundo and San Isidro dropped astern, and were fired into, in a masterly style, by the Excellent, Captain Collingwood, who compelled the San Isidro to hoist English colours; and I thought the large ship, Salvador del Mundo, had also struck; but Captain Collingwood, disdaining the parade of taking possession of a vanquished enemy, most gallantly pushed up, with every sail set, to save his old friend and messmate, who was to appearance in a critical state; the Blenheim being a-head, the Culloden crippled and a-stern. The Excellent ranged up within two feet of the San Nicholas, giving a most tremendous fire. The San Nicholas luffing up, the San Josef fell on board her; and the Excellent passing on for the Santa Trinidada, the Captain resumed her station abreast of them, and close alongside.[1]”
Lieutenant Thomas continued in the Excellent until Oct. 1798, at which period he was appointed to the Thalia frigate, from whence he removed into the Defence 74, commanded by his former Captain, Lord Henry Paulet, with whom he served till the year 1800, when he rejoined the worthy Collingwood, whose flag, as a Rear-Admiral of the White, was then flying on board the Triumph, another third-rate, stationed off Brest. He subsequently followed the same officer into the Barfleur of 98 guns, and remained with him, on Channel service, till the suspension of hostilities in 1802. His last appointment as a Lieutenant was to the Cambrian frigate, from which ship he appears to have been promoted to the rank of Commander, in the Chichester 44, at Halifax, Jan. 18, 1803.
Returning from Nova Scotia, as a passenger on board the Lady Hobart packet, commanded by William Dorset Fellowes, Esq. (now Secretary to the Lord Great Chamberlain of England), Captain Thomas experienced shipwreck on an island of ice; but after being exposed to the most imminent peril in an open boat for seven days, with scarcely any thing to subsist on, succeeded in reaching Island Cove, to the northward of St. John’s, Newfoundland, from whence he returned to Bristol in a merchant vessel, Aug. 3, 1803. The
- ↑ The Excellent succeeded in getting close under the lee of the Santissima Trinidada, mounting 130 guns, and engaged her for nearly an hour, assisted by the Orion, Irresistible, and Blenheim. According to an entry in the Orion’s log, this huge ship was compelled to haul down her colours, and hoist a British ensign; but the approach of 13 other Spanish ships prevented her opponents from profiting by the advantage they had gained. The Excellent’s total loss was 11 men killed and 12 wounded.
