by John Marshall

“ The officers and crew of the Apollo behaved with the greatest bravery and good conduct. Besides the gallant Captain Pownall, 4 seamen and 1 marine were killed in the action, and 16 seamen and 4 marines wounded. The enemy’s ship was the Stanislaus, a merchant frigate, pierced for 32 guns, but had only 26 twelve-pounders mounted. By assistance from the shore, she was got off and carried into Ostend, where she was soon after brought to a sale, bought by the British government, and added to the royal navy by the name of the Proselyte ”

“ The tide of flood then setting strong up, and the wind being right in, the British ships were obliged to haul off; notwithstanding which they captured a national schooner of 8 brass guns, and seven merchantmen; and destroyed eleven others. These vessels were chiefly laden with provisions and cloathing for the French fleet and army. The frigate under whose escort they were, was la Nereide, of 36 guns. In the ensuing month, Sir Edward again commanded a squadron, and took and destroyed fifteen out of a fleet of twenty-five sail of coasters ”

“ In this ship he was present at a number of encounters, both with batteries on shore, and the enemy’s vessels at sea.
Early on the 23d April, 1794, while cruizing off Guernsey, in company with the Flora, Melampus, la Nymphe, and la Concorde, four sail were discovered standing out to sea; and, as day broke, they were clearly perceived to be French. The wind, by fortunately changing two points, enabled the British to gain the weather-gage, and bring them to close action, while it, at the same time, precluded the possibility of gaining their own shore. ”

“ The enemy made an ineffectual attempt to board the Indefatigable, and kept up a constant and heavy fire of musketry till the end of the action, frequently engaging both sides of the ship at the same time. As soon as Sir Edward Pellew had replaced some of the disabled rigging, and brought his ship under a proper sail, and the Amazon reduced hers, they commenced a second attack, placing themselves, after some raking broadsides, upon each quarter, often within pistol shot. ”

“ Captain Pellew, from the cloud of smoke in which both ships were enveloped, not knowing the real cause, concluded his adversary intended to board him, and prepared for his reception; but finding the Republicans did not advance, he immediately gave orders to board the Cleopatra, which were executed with great bravery from the quarter deck, and the French colours hauled down. ”

“ His Lordship embarked on board the Queen Charlotte, of 108 guns, at Portsmouth, on the 20th July; but from the continuance of adverse winds and calms, the land to the westward of Algiers was not made before the 26th August. The next morning at day-break the British fleet, and six Dutch frigates by which it was accompanied, were advanced in sight of the city, though not so near as was intended. As the ships were becalmed, Lord Exmouth despatched a boat under cover of the Severn, with a flag of truce, and the demands he had to make, in the name of the Prince Regent, on the Dey of Algiers. ”

“ The resumption of the sovereign authority in France by the exile of Elba, having again disturbed the repose of Europe, a squadron was immediately sent to the Mediterranean, under the orders of Lord Exmouth, whose flag was in the Boyne, of 98 guns. ”

“ The Amazon had 3 men killed, and 15 badly wounded.
The enemy’s ship proved to be les Droits des Hommes, of 80 guns, commanded by Captain ci-devant Baron Le Cross, and had on board 1750 men, including soldiers, 1350 of whom perished.
Sir Edward Pellew remained in the Indefatigable until the spring of 1799, when he was appointed to the Impetueux, of 78 guns [7] ”

“ Vincent gun boat; the whole army were landed without the lois of a man, together with sixteen field pieces, attended by seamen from the men of war, to carry scaling ladders, and to get the guns to the heights above Ferrol. Immediately the troops quitted the boats, they ascended a ridge of hills adjoining to the Bay. ”

“ Her guns, however, were instantly turned on the other ships, whilst the boats were destroying the remainder; after which, she also was set on fire and burnt. Two line-of-battle ships had quitted the anchorage, or they must inevitably have shared the same fate. The whole of the vessels destroyed and taken in Batavia Roads upon this occasion, including the merchantmen, amounted to about thirty; and, what was more highly gratifying, the loss of men on the part of the British, though exposed to the continued fire of the enemy, was only one killed, and four wounded. ”

“ If this had been done, as soon as the plan was matured, it probably would have succeeded; but some delay took place from unforeseen circumstances; the enemy were alarmed and prepared; and on the morning of the 19th June, General Maitland received information that seven thousand troops were assembled on the island. Nothing now could be attempted against Belleisle; the small island of Houat was, indeed, taken possession of for a short tune; but this also was abandoned, and the Major-General proceeded for the Mediterranean, where, it was thought, his force might be more beneficially employed. ”

“ In this action the Arethusa had 3 men killed, and 5 wounded.
On the 23d Aug., the squadron, under the command of Sir John B. Warren, cruizing off Brest, fell in with, and drove on shore near the Penmark Rocks, la Felicité French frigate of 40 guns, 18 pounders, and 350 men; and soon after two corvettes, l’Espion and Alert, mounting 18 guns, 9 pounders, and 200 men each. They at first took shelter under cover of three batteries in Hodierne Bay; but being hard pressed, cut their cables and ran ashore. The boats of the squadron were ordered under Sir Edward Pellew to destroy them ”

“ This vehicle, manned with a number of prime seamen, in white shirts, with oars in their hands, and steered by a Lieutenant of the navy, in full uniform, then got under weigh, amidst the cheers of the populace [10] . Sir Edward does not appear to have taken any very great interest in the affairs of the House ”