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In so doing she ran aground close under a battery, to whose fire she could make no reply. After a brave and prolonged resistance, in which she lost seventy-five killed and seventy wounded out of a crew of six hundred, and had many of her guns dismounted, she hauled down her flag. By this time another ship, the Pompée, was dismasted, and success was plainly hopeless.
Cape Trafalgar, N.E. seven or eight miles, all sail set, made and shortened sail occasionally for the squadron, and tacked occasionally, A.M. do. weather; at 4h. made more sail; at 7h. discovered the enemy, consisting of three two-decked ships and a frigate, with an Admiral's flag flying, at anchor under the town and batteries of Algeziras, protected by many gun-boats, &c. all sail set, standing in for the enemy, followed by the Pompée, Audacious, Cæsar, Spencer, and Hannibal; at 7h. 50m. the batteries opened their fire on us, Pompée and Audacious one mile and a half distant from us astern.
Corneille wrote for a long while without success, attributing his repeated rebuffs to his old age, the influence of fashion, the capricious taste of the generation for young people; he thought himself neglected, appealing to the king himself, who had ordered Cinna and Pompee to be played at court:
M. Dumanoir le Pelley is in error here. The Pompée was not in this action. It has been seen that she was lying disabled at Gibraltar. The combined squadron was at that time becalmed, at the distance of five or six leagues.
The Pompée was in too bad a state to leave any hopes that she could be got ready in time; her men, therefore, were distributed to assist in repairing the other ships: and all idea of refitting the Cæsar was on the point of being abandoned!
The decrease of the fire from the French ships arose from their being occupied in warping close in-shore; and, shortly after this period, the Pompée having broken her sheer, lost her commanding position relative to the French Admiral, whom she had been raking with great effect, and now became raked in her turn.
Captain Stirling anchored, conformably to the enclosed order of attack, opposite to the inner ship of the enemy, and brought the Pompée to action in the most spirited and gallant manner; an example which was followed by the commanders of every ship in the squadron. Captains Darby and Ferris, owing to light winds, were prevented for a considerable time from coming into action.
Cæsar, 5th July 1801. If the Rear-admiral finds the enemy's ships in a situation to be attacked, the following is the order in which it is to be executed: The Venerable to lead into the bay, and pass the enemy's ships without anchoring; The Pompée to anchor abreast of the inner ship of the enemy's line;
At 8h. it fell calm; at 8h. 20m. the Pompée and Audacious, bringing up the breeze, passed us to windward, when the enemy's ships opened their fire on us; at 8h. 14m. a light air sprung up, passed the Audacious to leeward, at which time the Pompée and Audacious opened their fire; at 8h. 20m. the breeze dying away, came to with the sheet-anchor, as did the Pompée and Audacious, hove in the spring; and at 8h. 30m. opened our fire on the French Admiral's ship: at 10h. the Cæsar anchored on our bow, and sent a spring on board of us; at the same time the action became general, and the Hannibal got on shore, after attempting to cut off the French Admiral's ship.
The Pompée, Venerable, and Audacious were soon at an anchor, and at thirty-five minutes after eight began the action with the enemy. The Cæsar at nine o'clock opened her fire, and at fifteen minutes past nine came to an anchor ahead of the Venerable.
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