by John Marshall

“ Mr. Daniel James Woodriff first went to sea in the Endymion 44, armed en flûte, and commanded by his father (then a lieutenant) , which ship was totally lost, in 1790, upon a rock previously unknown, (and which has ever since retained her name) , situated about nine miles S.W.b.W. from the middle of the southern sand isle of the Turks Islands in the West Indian sea, on which occasion, fatal as it was, that gallant and worthy officer had the satisfaction of seeing every person, except one man, safe off the wreck before he quitted it, the ship then under water as far aft as the capstan. ”

“ On the part of the army, one officer died in consequence of intense heat, when charging the enemy in the affair of the 9th; but not a man was killed, and only one wounded.
On the 16th, the Solebay having become a wreck. Lieutenant Woodriff was appointed to the command of the Agincourt transport, for the purpose of conveying the prisoners and part of the frigate’s crew to England, previously performing various duties at Senegal and Gorée, during the execution of which he had a severe attack of the fever peculiar to Africa. ”

“ On the 7th, this armament anchored off the bar at the mouth of the Senegal river, which is not only dangerous, occasioned by the heavy surf, but very difficult to pass, in consequence of the shoal water, and the deepest part frequently changing position. In attempting to cross it, on the following morning, two vessels containing ammunition and provisions were lost, and the commander of the Derwent, with one of his midshipmen, and six sailors perished. ”

“ The Bellerophon on this memorable occasion, had no less than 150 officers and men killed and wounded. In the gales of wind after the action, she rolled and laboured much, being very light, and greatly damaged both below and aloft: the numerous wounded were consequently great sufferers. In order to relieve them as much as possible, Lieutenant Cumby, who, with the other commissioned officers was most anxiously engaged on deck, directed Mr. Woodriff to do what he could ”