by John Marshall

“ The moment the enemy saw the sails fall, and found themselves, as if by a miracle, under way and drifting out, they were seized with astonishment and consternation. Some of them jumped overboard, others threw aside their arms, and tumbled down the hatchways. In less than five minutes the quarter-deck and forecastle were nearly covered with dead bodies.
The rest of the enemy, having now retreated below, kept up a heavy fire of musketry from the main and lower-decks. ”

“ This officer was made a Lieutenant in 1794; and obtained the rank of Commander for his gallant conduct in cutting out la Chevrette, French national corvette, of 20 nine-pounders and 350 men, from under the batteries in Camaret bay, near Brest, in the, night of July 21, 1801. This daring exploit stands so high in point of credit to the British arms, and glory to those brave officers and men who so nobly achieved it, that we cannot refrain from entering most fully into the particulars. ”

“ They also frequently set off large trains of gunpowder, endeavouring to blow up the quarterdeck, and throw their assailants into confusion. This obliged Lieutenant Maxwell to divide his men into two parties. One division to guard the hatchways and gangways, and return the enemy’s fire with their own arms and ammunition [2] ; the other to make sail; in order to clear the decks for which purpose, it was necessary for them to throw overboard two or three dozen Frenchmen, and several of their own gallant companions who had fallen in the conflict. ”