by John Marshall

“ The fact is, Lieutenant Pilfold had been long engaged with l’Intrepide (as well as Captain Codrington, who was lying on his starboard quarter) ; but the enemy having hauled up athwart hawse of the Ajax, enabled the Orion to drop alongside, which obliged Lieutenant Pilfold to make way for fear of entangling the whole. He ultimately towed the prize to windward of the fleet, but was obliged to cut her adrift in the fatal gale which succeeded that unparalleled victory, and she was finally destroyed by the Britannia [3] , as was the Argonauta, a Spanish 80, by the Ajax. ”

“ James’s account of the Trafalgar fight, the Ajax was only approaching l’Intrepide French 74, when that ship surrendered. Captain Brenton, in his view of the hostile fleets, places the Orion close to l’Intrepide, but takes no notice of the Ajax. This, we think, is giving too much credit to one officer at the expence of another. ”

“ Pilfold received an order from Earl Howe to act as a Lieutenant on board the Russel 74, which appointment was immediately confirmed by the Admiralty; he consequently bore a part in Lord Bridport’s action off l’Orient, June 23d following, on which occasion three French line-of-battle ships were compelled to surrender; the Russel sustaining a loss of 3 men killed and 10 wounded. ”