Holiday snapshots.

[Bligh]

Here is a small ship action during our holiday in Dorset last week using the Chilean navy ship O'Higgins and a French Armed Merchantman purchased in from a visit to Entoyment on that very day.



The two ships close for action.



Coming about the Merchantman gets in the first forrard shots ruining its first broadside advantage.



O'Higgins replies with a much more telling broadside, even causing a small fire to break out on the French ship.



A bit of a stern chase now ensues.



Luffing O'Higgins gets off another first time of fire broadside. This time a raking shot from its Port side guns which, does much service amongst the Frenchman's crew but little other damage.



both ships now come about to run before the wind. Mayhap the Frenchie is a little shy!



But no! she comes about and both ships exchange fire. Again the French crew are hard hit.



The stern chase continues with O'Higgins again using her forrard battery to good effect. more men are wounded and a plank is sprung below the waterline.



The chase continues.



Turning into the wind, the Frenchman repays O'Higgins in kind.


as the Frenchman misses stays and pays off the wind, O'Higgins again gets her forrard guns into action, playing on the frenchman's stern.



Both ships maneuver to gain an advantage.



Once more it concludes with a trade off of broadsides, but this time the toll on the French crew is conclusive, and unable to continue the combat she strikes to O'Higgins.

Thus ends the battle of Poole Bay.

Bligh.