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1813. enterprising officers then proceeded off Burlington Aug. and Swanton, in Vermont; where they seized and

Ameri

can

naval

destroyed several sloops laden with provisions, and did other considerable injury. At this time the United States' troops at Burlington, distant only 24 miles from Plattsburg, under the command of majorgeneral Hampton, amounted to about 4000 men. Although a letter written by an inhabitant of Burlington, and published in most of the american papers, declares that the british troops "did no injury whatever to private property," an american historian states thus: "They (the British) wantonly burned several private store-houses, and carried off immense quantities of the stock of individuals."*

As a proof that a little energy on the part of the Americans might have averted the Plattsburg force misfortune, it appears by a statement, published in the United States within three weeks after the above Cham- affair happened, that the american naval force on plain. Lake Champlain then consisted of the President,

on

Lake

of 12 guns, the Commodore-Preble and Montgomery, of 11 guns each, the Frances, of 6 guns, two gunboats, of one 18-pounder each, and six scows, of one 12-pounder each.

* Sketches of the War, p. 156.

369

BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS.

THE remarks which we ventured to submit, when 1814. commencing with the important operations of the~ preceding year, have left us little to do in ushering State the present year into notice, beyond pointing to british the usual Annual Abstract,* and to the prize and navy. casualty lists attached to it.+

of

&c.

The number of commissioned officers and masters, Officers, belonging to the british navy at the commencement of the year 1814, was,

Admirals

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And the number of seamen and marines, voted for the service of the year, was 140000 for seven, and 90000 for six, lunar months of it.‡

allied

against

France.

Although we can afford to say very little on the Powers subject, it may be necessary to state that, during the preceding year, in consequence of treaties among them, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Denmark, and Sweden, allied themselves with England, Spain, and Portugal, against France. A counter-revolution took place in Holland, and the prince of Orange landed there from England, and was proclaimed sovereign

* See Appendix, Annual Abstract No. 22.

+ See Appendix, Nos. 7 and 8.

See Appendix, No. 9.

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1814. prince of the United Netherlands. Before the preFeb. sent year was many days old, Murat deserted his old benefactor, and made peace with England. All these events, many of which are highly interesting to the historical reader, will be found amply detailed in other works exclusively devoted to the subject: our business is with occurrences that take place upon a different element, and to them we return.

French squa

sails

from

On the 12th of February a french squadron, of dron three sail of the line and three frigates, under the command of rear-admiral the baron CosmaoToulon Kerjulien, sailed from Toulon to meet a newly-built french 74 expected from Genoa. Matters in France were getting so near to a crisis, that the Moniteur could find no room in its pages for an account which, otherwise, would have been allowed a conspicuous place: hence, we can give the names of only one line-ofbattle ship and one frigate, the Romulus and Adrienne. On the 13th, at a few minutes after daybreak, this squadron, then steering to the southward, was discovered by sir Edward Pellew's fleet. At 7 h. 55 m. A. M. the six french ships tacked together, and, with a strong east wind, steered for Porquerolles on their return to Toulon. At 10h. 30 m. A. M. the ships entered the bay of Hyères by the GrandePasse, and, in about an hour afterwards, quitted it by the Petite-Passe, still under all sail.

British

steers

The british fleet, consisting of the following 15 sail fleet of the line, besides the Unité frigate and Badger to cut brig-sloop, was also under all sail, advancing to cut french off the french squadron from the road of Toulon, ships. towards which it was now steering:

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At 30 minutes past noon the leading ship of the Boyne british fleet, the Boyne, opened a fire upon the second en french ship from the rear, (believed to have been the RomuAdrienne trigate,) which was immediately returned by the squadron, then running before the wind, at the rate of 10 knots, for Cape Carquaranne. The Boyne carried a press of sail, in the hope of cutting off or driving on shore the sternmost french ship, the Romulus; but the latter kept so close to the shore, as to render the attempt impracticable, without the Boyne herself going on shore. The Boyne, therefore, had no alternative but to lay close alongside the french 74; who, as well as her five companions, was now steering straight for Cape Brun. A steady and well-directed fire, within half pistol-shot distance, was maintained by the Boyne; but to which the Romulus scarcely returned a shot, until she got abreast of Pointe Sainte-Marguerite. Being by this time nearly unrigged by the Boyne's fire, the Romulus now hauled dead-in, to run on shore between the batteries of Brun and Sainte-Marguerite. At this Sir instant, sir Edward Pellew, in the Caledonia, who Pellew was close astern of the Boyne, waved to captain recalls Burlton to haul out. No sooner had the Boyne Burl made a movement in obedience to this order, ton, than the Romulus, putting her helm a-starboard, Romushot round Cape Brun, and, notwithstanding a reaches broadside from the Caledonia, and her evidently Toulon disabled state from the Boyne's previous fire, suc- road, ceeded in entering the road of Toulon; where the

Edw.

captain

and

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1814. remaining ships of the french squadron were just Feb. about to anchor.

French

The french batteries, particularly those of Cape batte Brun and Cape Sepet, opened a very heavy and fire at destructive fire upon the Boyne as she stood out to Boyne. the southward. The Boyne at length got clear; and

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the Caledonia, running up alongside of her, greeted the Victory's sister-ship, who had just acted so nobly in emulation of her, with three hearty cheers; a salute which the men of the Boyne were not slow in Her da- returning. The fire from the french batteries and ships, particularly the former, had shot away the loss in Boyne's mizentopsail yard, and main and spring quence, stays, greatly damaged her running rigging and sails, badly wounded her foremast, fore yard, and bowsprit, disabled two of her guns, and struck her hull in several places under water. Her loss on the same occasion amounted to one midshipman (George Terry) and one seaman killed, one midshipman, Loss on (Samuel Saunders,) 32 seamen, six marines, and Cale- one boy wounded; total, two killed and 40 wounded. donia. The Caledonia received no damage; and her loss

board

on

lus and

enne.

was confined to one seaman killed by an explosion, Same The Romulus is acknowledged to have sustained board a loss, in killed and badly wounded, of 70, and the Romu- Adrienne of 11. The Romulus, undoubtedly, was Adri- manoeuvred in a very skilful manner; and her captain, whose name we regret not being able to give, deserved credit, as well for that, as for his bravery in not striking his colours to so powerful an opponent as the Boyne. According to the french papers, the 74 from Genoa succeeded in entering Toulon on the following day, the 14th; making 23 sail of the line, including six three-deckers, afloat in the road and harbour, besides two or three two-deckers on the stocks.

**Sur

render

On the 5th of January, after a 10 days' cannonade, of Cat the fortress of Cattaro in the Adriatic, surrendered taro, to the british 38-gun frigate Bacchante, captain sa, &c. William Hoste, and the 18-gun brig-sloop Saracen,

Ragu

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