Bligh
12-24-2015, 10:32
The battle of Anguilla. A Frigate Captain's eye view.
Taken from the Captain's Log of the Frigate Amelia. Captain James Roberts.
18599
5.24 am. Sail first sighted by Amelia.
5.40 Sails made out as French SOL.
18600
6.00 Amelia sights British Squadron and makes "5 French sail of Line Sighted 15 miles ENE of your position" to Rear Admiral Jackson aboard Flagship HMS Hibernia.
Jackson makes Received and signals Amelia to take up position as Repeater Frigate to Windward of Squadron.
18601
18603
6.43 Masthead lookout now reports Enemy in sight and heading to cross bows of British Squadron.
18602
18604
9.15 Opposing Squadrons close and first shots fired from Leadin British ship Vanguard.
18605
9.17 French Reply.
18606
9.23 French line wears in succession.
18607
Jackson signals for rear of British Squadron to cut the French Line.
18608
9.30 Flag signals General Action, followed by, Engage enemy closely.
18621
9.34 Defence is bow raked by Generaux, Goes aboard her and boards.
Much firing from the tops is observed.
18609
9.40 Generaux's Captain is wounded in the mêlée and shortly after 9.43 she strikes to the Defence.
Vanguard pulls out of battle line, crew decimated.
18610
9.45. Orient goes aboard Generaux is entangled, and attempts to retake Generaux in a counter boarding action.
Vanguard is raked at long range by Orient.
18611
In turn Orient is Raked by Hibernia and Broadsided by Goliath.
18620
9.50 With half her crew involved in boarding Generaux, and many more dead or wounded she strikes to Hibernia which has now lost its main in the action.
10.05 Commerce de Bordeaux is raked fore and aft by Hibernia and Vanguard. Set on fire, the order to abandon ship is given.
18612
Shortly after 10.17 she explodes. Many hands are lost including her Captain and First Officer.
18613
10.06 Zealous, Goliath and Imperial exchange fire. Imperial's Captain is wounded.
Le Berwick attempts to aid the Imperial, and as she approaches is raked by the Frigate HMs Concorde. Her Captain Charles Dymock, now deeming it safe to do so and escape without damage in a following wind.
18614
10 .17 Just as the Commerce de Bordeaux explodes, Royal Sovereign is attacked on both Quarters by Berwick and Imperial. She delivers a destructive broadside with all batteries into both ships, starting a fire on the Imperial.
18616
Return fire reduces the Sovereign to a dismasted hulk, Captain Stewart is cut in half by chain shot on the quarterdeck, and a fire springs up amidships. The First Lt. orders the colours to be nailed to the stump of the Mizzen mast, and then the crew abandon ship.
18615
10. 26 Sovereign heels over and sinks.
10.30 Very close to her and still ablaze Imperial sinks at 10.38.
18617
10.49 Le Berwick fires on Zealous and runs for safety, pursued by Zealous, who cannot fire because she was caught in stays and taken aback on her previous manoeuvre.
18618
11. 10 Finally Zealous runs down Le Berwick and sets he on fire. Reduced to a hulk as the crew put out the fire she also strikes.
18619
Thus ended the battle of Anguilla.
Bligh.
Taken from the Captain's Log of the Frigate Amelia. Captain James Roberts.
18599
5.24 am. Sail first sighted by Amelia.
5.40 Sails made out as French SOL.
18600
6.00 Amelia sights British Squadron and makes "5 French sail of Line Sighted 15 miles ENE of your position" to Rear Admiral Jackson aboard Flagship HMS Hibernia.
Jackson makes Received and signals Amelia to take up position as Repeater Frigate to Windward of Squadron.
18601
18603
6.43 Masthead lookout now reports Enemy in sight and heading to cross bows of British Squadron.
18602
18604
9.15 Opposing Squadrons close and first shots fired from Leadin British ship Vanguard.
18605
9.17 French Reply.
18606
9.23 French line wears in succession.
18607
Jackson signals for rear of British Squadron to cut the French Line.
18608
9.30 Flag signals General Action, followed by, Engage enemy closely.
18621
9.34 Defence is bow raked by Generaux, Goes aboard her and boards.
Much firing from the tops is observed.
18609
9.40 Generaux's Captain is wounded in the mêlée and shortly after 9.43 she strikes to the Defence.
Vanguard pulls out of battle line, crew decimated.
18610
9.45. Orient goes aboard Generaux is entangled, and attempts to retake Generaux in a counter boarding action.
Vanguard is raked at long range by Orient.
18611
In turn Orient is Raked by Hibernia and Broadsided by Goliath.
18620
9.50 With half her crew involved in boarding Generaux, and many more dead or wounded she strikes to Hibernia which has now lost its main in the action.
10.05 Commerce de Bordeaux is raked fore and aft by Hibernia and Vanguard. Set on fire, the order to abandon ship is given.
18612
Shortly after 10.17 she explodes. Many hands are lost including her Captain and First Officer.
18613
10.06 Zealous, Goliath and Imperial exchange fire. Imperial's Captain is wounded.
Le Berwick attempts to aid the Imperial, and as she approaches is raked by the Frigate HMs Concorde. Her Captain Charles Dymock, now deeming it safe to do so and escape without damage in a following wind.
18614
10 .17 Just as the Commerce de Bordeaux explodes, Royal Sovereign is attacked on both Quarters by Berwick and Imperial. She delivers a destructive broadside with all batteries into both ships, starting a fire on the Imperial.
18616
Return fire reduces the Sovereign to a dismasted hulk, Captain Stewart is cut in half by chain shot on the quarterdeck, and a fire springs up amidships. The First Lt. orders the colours to be nailed to the stump of the Mizzen mast, and then the crew abandon ship.
18615
10. 26 Sovereign heels over and sinks.
10.30 Very close to her and still ablaze Imperial sinks at 10.38.
18617
10.49 Le Berwick fires on Zealous and runs for safety, pursued by Zealous, who cannot fire because she was caught in stays and taken aback on her previous manoeuvre.
18618
11. 10 Finally Zealous runs down Le Berwick and sets he on fire. Reduced to a hulk as the crew put out the fire she also strikes.
18619
Thus ended the battle of Anguilla.
Bligh.