i on the clear idea of the disparity of force in guns that 1805. existed between the parties. So it does in respect Aug. to crew; for, although a numerical does not always Reimply a physical superiority, the Didon's was one of marks the finest crews out of France. Her men consisted of relative healthy, strong, and active fellows, who had been force. picked for captain Jérôme Buonaparte's frigate, the Pomone, and had been in service since the commencement of the war; and they were commanded by officers remarkable for their professional skill and gallant demeanour. Captain Milius himself possessed these qualities in an eminent degree. His personal valour during the heat of the battle excited the admiration of his enemy; and the high sense of honour, of which he subsequently, on an occasion quite unconnected with this action,* gave unequivocal proofs, established the greatness of his character. John Coll the purser. A contest between two frigates, manned and appointed like the Phoenix and Didon, would naturally afford the display of much individual heroism. Our means of information are of course restricted to occurrences on board the former; and even there we cannot do more than recite one or two of the more Gallantry prominent instances. The purser's station in action of Mr. is in the cockpit; but Mr. John Collman, the acting co purser of the Phoenix, scorned to remain in safety man below, while the lives of his brother officers and comrades were exposed to danger on deck. With a brace of pistols in his belt and a broadsword in his hand, did this young man, in the hottest of the fire, take post on the quarterdeck: there, by his gesture and language, he animated the crew to do their duty as british seamen. "Give it her, my lads!" was an exhortation, as well understood as it was obeyed, and the guns of the Phoenix dealt increased destruction upon the decks of the Didon. As the action proceeded, the loss by death or wounds of officers from the quarterdeck, and the temporary * See parliamentary proceedings on the abolition of the slave trade. Aug. 1805. absence of the captain to assist in fixing the gun in his cabin, gave additional importance to the noble part which the acting purser had chosen. And what could have been the summit of Mr. Collman's expectations, in a professional way, for being thus prodigal of his person?-A purser's warrant. Also of Mr. lips ship man. There were two or three youngsters among the Phil- midshipmen, who also distinguished themselves. One, named Edward Phillips, saved the life of captain Baker. On that occasion, while the ships were foul, a man upon the Didon's bowsprit-end was taking a deliberate aim at him, when young Phillips, who, armed with a musket, stood close to his captain, unceremoniously thrust him on one side, and fired. The discharge of the piece was instantly followed by the splash of the Frenchman's body in the water; and the ball from the musket of the latter, instead of passing through the captain's head, did but tear off the rim of his hat. Several of the sick seamen also left their cots, and assisted in filling and carrying powder for the use of their more efficient comrades. Instances of this kind would frequently occur, did every naval captain understand the difficult art, to maintain the rules of discipline, and yet win and preserve the affections of his crew. Sup pres of capt. ker's letter. The name of no officer appearing in the letter of captain Baker published in the London Gazette, the very recital of the above acts of good conduct on the sion of part of his officers may raise a charge of unfairness a part against him, until it is known, that the services of Ba- every officer belonging to the Phoenix were properly set forth in the letter which captain Baker transmitted to the admiralty. If, for reasons not very clear, it becomes requisite to suppress more than half an officer's letter, the mutilated portion laid before the public, and which in this instance is very short, should not be called "Copy of," but, " Extract from, a letter.” Then, neither will the public have grounds for supposing, that the writer wishes it to be inferred that his valour alone achieved the victory, nor the officers who served under him, and who contri- 1805. buted so mainly to the consummation of that victory, Aug. have a right to complain, that their captain has neglected to mention them. from Pho nix and fall in gon, The action of the Phoenix and Didon was one in Danger which, even after its decision, the victorious party the had both a difficult and a perilous duty to perform. number The prisoners greatly outnumbered the captors: the soners. latter, therefore, had not only to separate and secure the former, but to watch over them with unremitting attention. They had also to refit the ships, particularly the prize, whose mainmast was in so tottering a state, that the British were obliged to cut it away. The wreck cleared, the Phoenix, taking the Ph Didon in tow, steered for a british port. On the 14th, prize at 8 P. M., captain Baker spoke the Dragon 74, and in with company with her, the next day at 4 P. M., fell in Drawith M. Villeneuve's fleet. The Phoenix, with the and the Didon in tow, immediately bore up and made all three sail to the southward. A division of the fleet with M. chased the two crippled frigates, and had nearly arrived within gun-shot, when, at sunset, the french fleet. ships tacked and stood back to their main body. Having passed Lisbon, the british frigate and her prize were steering to enter Gibraltar, when, in a thick fog, the ringing of bells and the occasional firing of guns were heard in every direction. Shortly afterwards captain Baker became apprized by the Euryalus frigate, whom he spoke, that the sounds proceeded from the franco-spanish fleet, then on its way to Cadiz. The Phoenix and Didon immediately changed their course to the westward, and soon got clear of all danger from the ships of M. Villeneuve. ships neuve's retake, &c. But this was not the only danger from which captain Baker and his officers and crew had the Plan to good fortune to escape. The french pilot of the Didon Phoenix overheard a conversation among the prisoners, the subject of which was, a plan to get possession of the Phoenix, and by her means of the Didon. The discovery of this plot called for 1805. increased vigilance on the part of the British on Aug. board of both ships; and, scarcely had means been taken to overawe the prisoners in the hold of the Phoenix, than the french pilot seized and carried aft, as the ringleader of the mutiny, the late cockswain of captain Milius, and who had been in a similar capacity under captain Jérôme Buonaparte. Captain Milius behaved upon the occasion in the noblest manner. He inquired of the man if he had any complaints to allege. The fellow said he had not. know it," said captain Milius, " for I have, every morning and night, a report that assures me of the good treatment of you all: were it otherwise, I beha- myself would head you in the attempt to obtain viour redress. As it is, you are a disgrace to the name of M Frenchman; and," turning to captain Baker, "I Milius. beseech you, sir, put him in irons." Captain Baker Noble of capt. 66 expressing a disinclination to resort to so harsh a measure, captain Milius urged him more forcibly to do as he requested; and Jérôme's cockswain was accordingly committed, for a short time, to the custody of the sergeant at arms. After this firebrand had been removed, quietness, and even cheerfulness, Arrival reigned among the prisoners; and the two frigates, having by standing well to the westward got hold ships at of a fair wind, anchored on the 3d of September in mouth. Plymouth Sound. of the two Ply Having thus brought his frigate and her prize safe to a british port, captain Baker, it is natural to suppose, looked forward to the speedy acquisition of those honours which, in all similar cases, had been conferred upon the captain of the victorious ship. We trust that, by this time, our impartiality is so well established, that any opinion we High may subunit, respecting the merits of an action recharae corded in these pages, will be received as the result of, at the least, an unbiassed judgment. Having preaction. mised this, we venture to pronounce the capture of the Didon by the Phoenix, considered in reference as well to the force, the skill, and the spirit, mu ter of the tually opposed, as to the perseverance and good 1805. management of the conqueror in securing and bring- Aug. ing home his prize, to be one of the most brilliant and exemplary cases of the kind in the annals of the british navy. lected ment of Unfortunately for the captain of the Phoenix, Mr. NegPitt resolved to grant no more ribands of the Bath treatto naval and military officers, meaning to reserve capt. them for ministers abroad. Still more unfortunately Baker. for captain Baker, that illustrious statesman, before he could accomplish his intention of instituting a new military order of merit, died. The early retirement of lord Barham from office (February 9, 1806) must have been an additional misfortune to captain Baker. Not less so, probably, was the successive appointment, within about five years, of five new first-lords of the admiralty: lord Grey, honourable Thomas Grenville, lord Mulgrave, right honourable Charles Yorke, and lord Melville. With each of whom it is customary, in reply to complaints such as the captain of the Phoenix might reasonably urge, to express regret that merit should have been overlooked by his predecessor, but to decline entering into any retrospective view of the circumstances which may have guided that predecessor's conduct. Thus it has happened, that, to this hour, captain Baker has received no reward for his meritorious services in capturing the Didon. It is true that, in 10 years afterwards, when the new order was instituted, he was made a companion of the Bath; but, as every one of the three remaining captains of frigates in sir Richard Strachan's action was honoured with a similar mark of approbation, there cannot be a doubt that captain Baker would have received the same, even had he, if we may judge from an analogous case, run away from, instead of fought and captured, a superior french frigate. The Didon was built in the year 1797 at St.-Malo, and, just before she sailed for the West Indies in the spring of 1805, underwent a thorough repair, |