by John Marshall

“ At the end of an hour’s cannonade, observing the approach of a British brig, the enemy bore up, and were speedily under a press of canvas, leaving the Goree with her top-sail-yards shot through in the slings, the fore-yard without lifts or braces, the starboard quarter of the main-yard cut through, and the sail torn away from the part remaining aloft, the whole of the lower-masts and top-masts badly wounded, scarcely a shroud or brace left uninjured, the peak-haliards gone, and the ship in other respects so disabled as entirely to preclude the possibility of pursuing them. ”

“ While the Goree was shifting her lower-masts and bowsprit, in English harbour, Antigua, the Hon. George Alfred Crofton arrived there with an Admiralty commission appointing him to the command of that vessel; and Captain Spear, at the same time, received an appointment to the Fawn sloop, vacant by the recent demise of Captain Fasham Roby. Captain Crofton, in a very handsome manner, remarked to Sir Alexander Cochrane, that as a battle often caused officers and men to become more strongly attached to each other. Captain Spear would probably wish to continue in the Goree ”

“ Captain Spear proceeded to Tortola, and took charge of the homeward-bound trade, consisting of sixty-three sail, the whole of which reached England in safety, although the fleet was thrice dispersed by different gales of wind, and the Chichester had only one small vessel of war to assist her in re-collecting them. ”