Captain Williams was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral, April 12, 1794; Vice-Admiral, June 1st, in the fol-
almost to a wreck. Captain Cornwallis was so intent in his design upon the French Admiral, that, without taking possession of the Hector, he left her to be picked up by a frigate, while he pushed on to the Ville de Paris. It seemed as if M. De Grasse was determined to sink, rather than strike to any thing under a flag; but he likewise undoubtedly considered the fatal effects which the lowering of his flag might produce on the rest of his fleet. Other ships came up in the heat of the action with the Canada, but he still held out. At length, Sir Samuel Hood arrived in the Barfleur, just almost at sun-set, and poured in a most tremendous and destructive fire, which is said to have killed sixty men outright; but M. De Grasse, wishing to signalize as much as possible, the loss of so fine and so favourite a ship, endured the repetitions of this fire for about a quarter of an hour longer. He then struck his flag to the Barfleur, and surrendered himself to Sir Samuel Hood. It was said, that at the time the Ville de Paris struck, there were but three men left alive and unhurt on the upper deck, and that the Count de Grasse was one of the three.”
Long before the French admiral surrendered, his fleet had sought their safety in flight; and that they might divide the attention of the English, and thus more easily accomplish their object, they went off before the wind in small squadrons and single ships. They were at first closely pursued; but on the approach of night, Admiral Rodney made the signal for his vessels to collect, for the purpose of securing his prizes, and removing the men from on board of them.
While our fleet were obliged to lie under Guadaloupe for three days, to repair their damages, the French seized the favourable opportunity to escape. As, however, many of their ships were very much crippled, Admiral Rodney entertained hopes that he should be still able to overtake and capture some of them. On the 17th, therefore, he detached Sir Samuel Hood, with those vessels of his division which had suffered the least; and on the 19th, five sail of the enemy were perceived endeavouring to effect their escape through the Mona passage. The signal for chace was immediately given, and before the French could enter the passage, they were becalmed and overtaken. The Valiant, Captain Goodall, was the first who came up with them; he laid his ship alongside the Caton, of 64 guns, which struck at the first broadside; Captain Goodall, however, did not stop to take possession of her, but pushing on, he came up with and attacked the Jason, a vessel of the same force as the former; she held out about twenty minutes, and then submitted. A frigate of thirty-two guns, and a sloop of sixteen, were also taken.
The whole loss of the enemy amounted to eight ships; one had been sunk; one, the Caesar, blew up after she was taken; by this accident, a lieutenant, and fifty English seamen, perished, with about four hundred prisoners; and six ships remained in the possession of the conquerors. On board the Ville de Paris, were found thirty-six chests of money, with
