66 to take Santi colours hoisted on board the latter, captain Digby 1805. concluded that the four-decker had surrendered, and Oct. sent lieutenant John Smith in a boat to take possession. Upon the lieutenant's reaching the quarterdeck, Sends and asking an officer who advanced to meet him, posseswhether or not the Santisima-Trinidad had sur- sion of rendered, the Spaniard replied, Non, non," point- simaing at the same time to one spanish and four french Trinisail of the line then passing to-windward. As, for the want of masts, the Santisima-Trinidad was settling fast to-windward of the two fleets, and he had only Is not a boat's crew with him, lieutenant Smith quitted permitthe spanish ship, (the crew of which, singularly enough, permitted him to do so,) and returned on board the Africa. dad. ted. after wards her. The Santisima-Trinidad remained without a prize- Prince crew until 5h. 30 m. P. M.; when the Prince, by afte signal, boarded and took her in tow. The Trinidad's boards loss, although we are unable to particularize it, is described to have been, and no doubt was, extremely Foursevere she had been exposed to the raking fire, in decksuccession, of four ships, the Victory, (distantly and mage, partially,) Neptune, Leviathan, and Conqueror; and &c. her hull, in consequence, had been dreadfully shattered, especially about the stern and quarters. er's da &c. to Before we proceed in our relation of the further part which the Leviathan took in the action, we will briefly state what damages and loss were sustained by the Neptune, Conqueror, and Bucentaure. The DaNeptune's masts were all more or less wounded, but mage, not dangerously so, and her standing and running english rigging somewhat damaged: she had received nine shot between wind and water, and had incurred a loss of 10 seamen killed, her captain's clerk, 30 seamen, and three marines wounded. Nep tune. The Conqueror had her mizen topmast and main ToContopgallantmast shot away, her fore and main masts queror. badly wounded, and her rigging of every sort much cut: several shot had also struck her on the larboard side between wind and water. The loss on the part of Oct. 1805. the Conqueror, up to the period of the Bucentaure's surrender, (her further loss will be shown presently,) was comparatively trifling: she had one seaman killed, and one lieutenant of marines, (Thomas Wearing,) one lieutenant of the russian navy, (Philip Mendel,) and seven seamen wounded. The damages of the Bucentaure in her masts have already been described: her Bucen- hull also was much cut up; and her loss in killed and taure. wounded, according to the verbal report of her few Loss to surviving officers, amounted to upwards of 400 officers and men, including among the slightly wounded admiral Villeneuve and his captain. Leaving the Santisima-Trinidad to the care of Levia- the english Neptune, the Leviathan stood on towards than. the french Neptune, then amusing herself in the manner we have related,* with now a second french ship, the Fougueux, joined to the Téméraire. As the Leviathan approached, and before she was in a position to fire a shot, the Neptune, at whom the Téméraire had just brought some of her foremost guns to bear, wore round, and, in going off before the wind, at least enabled the former to identify, by the name on her stern, the french ship that chose to fly, the moment an antagonist appeared, who was in a condition to oppose her, although, evidently, not of force enough to maintain the combat with any prospect of success. Disappointed here, captain Bayntun hauled up on the larboard tack, and presently observed that all the ships of the combined van ahead of the Santisima-Trinidad were tacking or wearing, as if to double upon the headmost ships of the british weather column, and place them betwixt two fires. Sure of finding an opponent among those; and, such is the confidence inspired among the ships of a british fleet, as sure that, if likely to be overmatched, some friend or other would hasten to her rescue, the Leviathan stood on to the north-east. * See p. 88. than. A spanish 74, the San-Augustin, who was steer- 1805, ing south-east, appeared to be desirous to measure Oct. her strength with the british 74; and at about 3 P. M., when within 100 yards, put her helm hard a-starboard, in the hope to be able to rake the Leviathan ahead. To frustrate a manoeuvre so likely to be Leviaserious in its effects, the Leviathan put her helm hard a-port, and, having fresher way than the San-Augustin, felt its influence more quickly. The consequence was, that the guns of the british ship were brought to bear before those of her antagonist; and, loaded with three shot each, were discharged, with admirable precision, and at the distance of less than 50 yards, into the starboard quarter of the San-Augustin. Down went, in an instant, the spanish ship's mizenmast, and with it her colours, and feeble was the return she bestowed. ' carries The probability now was, that, as the Leviathan kept forging ahead, and could not, on account of the previously damaged state of her rigging, back her sails, the San-Augustin would be able to wear under her stern. To prevent this, the Leviathan, putting her helm a-starboard, ran on board the SanAugustin, in such a way, that the latter's jib-boom entangled itself in the former's larboard main rigging, thereby exposing the San-Augustin's upper deck to the poop-carronades and marines of the Leviathan. A smart and well-directed fire soon drove the Boards Spaniards below; and lieutenant Eyles Mounsher, and first of the Leviathan, at the head of a party of sea- Sanmen and marines, leaped on board the San-Augustin, Augusand carried her without further opposition. The british 74, with her stream-cable, then lashed the prize to herself. Scarcely had the Leviathan effected this, ere the Intrépide, another fresh ship from the combined van, came crowding up, and, after raking the Leviathan ahead, ranged along her starboard side; but waited only to exchange a passing fire, as the Africa and one or two other british ships were fast approaching to the assistance of their friend. The first two set of figures in the following diagram tin. 1805. will assist in explaining the manoeuvres of the Oct. Leviathan and her spanish opponent. mage, and Augus.. tin. Da- In this spirited, and, for its undisturbed occur&c. to rence in a general action, rather singular combat, Levia- the Leviathan's damages and loss, although we are than not enabled to exhibit them separately, were, it San- is certain, of trifling amount. Including what she had previously sustained, the Leviathan had the main piece of her head shot through, all three masts and bowsprit, and most of her lower and topsail yards wounded, her mizentopsail yard shot away, and a great part of her rigging cut to pieces. She received eight shot between wind and water, and had one long 32 and one long 18 pounder, and one 18-pounder carronade, completely disabled. Her loss amounted to two seamen and two marines killed, one midshipman, (J. W. Watson,) 17 seamen, and four marines wounded. Besides the loss of her mizenmast, the San-Augustin had her remaining masts injured, and her hull struck in several places, particularly near the starboard quarter: her loss was represented by her officers to have amounted to 160 in killed and wounded, including among the latter her captain, don Felipe Xado Cagigal. Africa pide. Being, except the Leviathan, the nearest british 1805. ship to the Intrépide, the Africa was the first that Oct. brought the latter to action. This, at about 3 h. 20m. P. M., the Africa most gallantly did, and, in spite and of her decided inferiority of force, maintained the Intrécontest for nearly three quarters of an hour; when the Orion came up, and opened a fire upon the Intrépide's starboard quarter. The Orion then wore round the french ship's stern, and, bringing to on the latter's lee bow between her and the Africa, whose fire, without any disparagement to her, was nearly silenced, maintained so heavy and well-directed a cannonade, that in less than a quarter of an hour the main and mizen masts of the Intrépide, already injured by the Africa's fire, fell over her side. The proximity of the Conqueror, and the strikes approach of the Ajax and Agamemnon, left to the to Intrépide no alternative but to strike her colours. This the french ship did at 5 P. M., having been greatly damaged in hull as well as masts, and incurred a loss, according to the representation of her officers, of nearly 200 in killed and wounded. The second set of figures in the last diagram will show the track of the Orion in her way towards, and during the time she engaged, the Intrépide. Latter Orion. &c. to The Africa had her maintopsail yard shot away, Daand her bowsprit and three lower masts so badly mage, wounded that none of the latter could afterwards Africa. stand. Her remaining masts and yards were also more or less injured; her rigging and sails cut to pieces; and her hull, besides its other serious damage, had received several shot between wind and water. Her loss amounted to 12 seamen and six marines killed, one lieutenant, (Matthew Hay,) one captain of marines, (James Tynmore,) two master's mates, (Henry West and Abraham Turner,) three midshipmen, (Frederick White, Philip J. Elmhurst, and John P. Bailey,) 30 seamen, and seven marines wounded; a loss which, considering that her complement was only 490 men and boys, and that captain |