“After a hard contested action, a most arduous duty still remained to be performed. On taking possession, we found the frigate in a most perilous state, with 14 shot-holes between wind and water, and 5 feet water in her hold. Her top-masts, and all her yards (except the cross-jack and sprit-sail) shot away, and her lower-masts so badly wounded as to render it almost impossible to prevent them from falling; with more than 70 men killed and wounded: whilst H.M. sloop was reduced to a mere wreck, having all her lower-masts badly wounded in several places, the top-masts shot away, and nearly all the standing, and every part of the running rigging, sails, boats, &c. cut to pieces. After securing the prisoners, the weather being very favourable during the night, by the exertions of Mr. (Williams) Sandom, second Lieutenant, and Mr. Atwater, the carpenter, several of the most dangerous shot-holes were stopped, so as to enable them to keep the ship free: but all their efforts to save her masts proved ineffectual, as the main and mizen went overboard the next aay, leaving the bare fore-mast standing, wounded in three places.
“The indefatigable exertions of every officer and man in the Bonne Citoyenne, in fishing and securing her masts, so as to be able to take the frigate in tow, and surmounting every other difficulty, merits my warmest praise and admiration; and I feel highly gratified in reporting to their lordships, that nothing could exceed the animated zeal and unwearied intrepidity of the officers, seamen, and royal marines, whom I have the honor to command, in a contest with an enemy apparently of so great a superiority of force; and I beg particularly to mention the able assistance that I received from Mr. (Joseph) Symes, the first Lieutenant, Mr. Sandom, and Mr. (Nathaniel) Williamson, the master, which contributed greatly to the success of the action; Mr. (John N. C.) Scott, the purser, Mr. John Black, and Mr. M‘Auley, passengers, in the handsomest manner, volunteered their services, assisted at the guns, and wherever they could make themselves most useful; and Mr. Stewart, the surgeon, deserves much praise for his humanity and great attention to our own as well as the wounded prisoners; indeed the patience with which all hands have borne the extreme fatigue and privation of being constantly on deck for 25 days and nights, does them infinite credit, and urges me to so long a detail.
“Thus circumstanced, I was induced to make the best of my way to this port, where I arrived with the prize on the 1st instant. The Bonne Citoyenne requiring three lower-masts, top-masts, &c. to enable her to proceed in the execution of their lordships’ orders. I have the honor herewith to enclose a list of the killed and wounded, and I am happy to say our loss has been inconceivably small, which I can attribute only to the lowness of the Bonne Citoyenne’s hull, and being so close under the enemy’s guns[1].
- ↑ Bonne Citoyenne, 1 killed, 6 wounded. – Furieuse, 35 killed, 37 wounded.
