Lynx sloop of war, on the American station, where he captured la Cocarde, a French corvette, of 14 guns and 80 men. On the 25th June, in the same year, he was promoted to the rank of Post-Captain, some time previous to which he had been appointed to the Hussar, of 34 guns, and assisted at the capture of la Prevoyante, a large frigate, armed en flute, and la Raison, pierced for 24 guns, but only 18 mounted[1].
Captain Beresford’s next appointment was to la Prevoyante, and from her he removed, about the month of May, 1796, into la Raison, the force of which latter vessel had been increased to 30 guns[2], with a complement of 195 men. On the 25th August following, he fell in with the Vengeance, a large 18-pounder French frigate, from which he had the good fortune to escape, after a running fight of considerable duration, in which la Raison had 3 men killed and 6 wounded, besides being much cut up in her sails and rigging.
Our officer subsequently commanded l’Unité, of 38 guns, on the Leeward Islands station, where he captured the Perseverance French privateer, of 16 guns and 87 men, Feb. 2, 1800. From l’Unité he removed into the Diana, another fine frigate, in which he was present at the reduction of the islands of St. Bartholomew, St. Martin, &c. &c, by the forces under Rear-Admiral Duckworth and Lieutenant-General Trigge, in the spring of 1801. On the renewal of hostilities in 1803, he obtained the command of the Virginie, a frigate of the largest class; but that ship being paid off in Aug. 1804, he was then appointed to the Cambrian, of similar force, and sent to the Halifax station, where, in the summer of 1805, he captured the following privateers; Matilda, of 20 guns and 95 men; Maria, of 14 guns and 60 men; and a schooner, of 6 guns and 70 men.
In the spring of 1807, Captain Beresford commanded the Illustrious, of 74 guns, off Cadiz; and in the ensuing summer, the Theseus, another third rate, employed in the blockade of Rochefort. On the 21st Feb. 1809, being off l’Orient in company with three line-of-battle ships, he fell in with a French squadron, consisting of 8 sail of the line, one of them a three-decker; and by his spirited conduct, prevented them forming
- ↑ See pp. 258, et seq.
- ↑ 20 long 9-pounders, 6 long 6’s, and 4 small carronades.
