eighteen months, she cruised with great activity, and among other prizes, took two French national vessels of 14 guns each; a Dutch schooner of 4 guns; another laden with hollands; a Spanish sloop, with a cargo of horses and Nicaragua wood; and two French privateers.
Captain Mudge was now doomed to experience a sad reverse of fortune. On the 19th July, 1805, the Blanche, being in lat. 20° 20' N., long. 66° 44' W. fell in with a French squadron, consisting of la Topaze frigate of 44 guns and 410 men; one ship of 22 guns and 236 men; a corvette of 18 guns and 213 men; and a brig of 16 guns and 123 men. To escape by sailing was out of the question, the greater part of the copper having been off her bottom nearly nine months. Captain Mudge, therefore, made every disposition for action, which began at 11 A.M., and lasted about forty-five minutes; the frigates constantly within hail of each other, running large under easy sail; the 22-gun ship on the Blanche’s starboard quarter, and the other vessels close astern of her. The British frigate had by this time become ungovernable, her sails being totally destroyed, and her rigging cut to pieces; she had also seven guns dismounted, six feet water in the hold, her fore and main-masts disabled by the enemy’s shot, 8 men killed and 15 wounded. Thus situated, Captain Mudge and his officers considered further resistance unavailing, and at noon the colours were struck.
The Blanche was not destined to wear French colours. At 6 P.M., the officers who had taken possession, reported her to be sinking, and she was consequently set on fire; but the magazine having been long drowned, no explosion took place. She burnt to the water’s edge and then sunk[1].
On the 14th Oct. in the same year, Captain Mudge was tried by a court-martial at Plymouth, for the loss of his ship, and honorably acquitted of all blame. The President, Rear-Admiral John Sutton, on returning his sword, addressed him in the following words:
- ↑ The Blanche mounted 44 guns, and went into action with only 215 men. The enemy’s squadron, as will be seen above, carried altogether 100 guns and 982 men; of whom 132 were soldiers belonging to the Legion du Midi. Their exact loss we have not been able to ascertain.
