Spanish ships within the port.[1] These fell slowly back, but the galleys, which were so stationed as to present their heavy bow armament to the advancing English, and which were covered by the town batteries behind them, very severely galled the advance, and especially inconvenienced Sir Francis Vere in the Rainbow. Essex, who witnessed this from the northern side of the entrance to the port, could no longer be restrained, and gallantly threw himself into the fight. Howard of Effingham, at about the same time, entered in a pinnace, being unwilling to risk the Ark Royal in such narrow waters. The English pressed forward steadily, driving the Spanish galleons and merchantmen up the harbour past more galleys, which were moored in Puntal Road, and which fought furiously. The Isle of Leon was joined to the mainland by a bridge at Suaco. Upon reaching the neighbourhood of the bridge, the fugitive Spanish vessels fell into great confusion. There was, however, a narrow canal whereby they could reach the open sea on the south side of the island. Entrance to this canal seems to have been obtainable by means of a swing opening near the island end of the bridge.[2] Into the canal the fleeing ships crowded pell-mell, only to discover that at the seaward end of it was stationed Sir John Wingfeild in the Vanguard. A good many, however, succeeded in thus escaping, though Sir John was exceedingly vigilant and arrested several.
CADIZ HARBOUR.
(From a chart published by Joyce Gold, 1809.)
In the meantime, very hot fighting between the English and Spanish men-of-war continued in Puntal Road, where Howard himself was engaged. But towards noon the action slackened,[3] many of the Spanish vessels having by that hour been destroyed by the English fire, or sunk or set fire to by their own people to
- ↑ Monson says that Ralegh, having entered, anchored out of gunshot of the Spaniards, and urged lack of water as an excuse for not going farther in; and that not until the Rainbow had passed him did Ralegh weigh and proceed.
- ↑ Monson says that the fleeing ships broke through the bridge itself.
- ↑ It did not wholly cease until 4 P.M.
