Jonathan Faulkner, in which ship he was wrecked near Chichester harbour, Oct. 19th, 1799. During the remainder of that war, he served under Captain (afterwards Admiral) John Child Purvis, in the London 98, and Royal George, first rate, attached to the Channel fleet. The former ship was in the expedition against Ferrol, under Sir John B. Warren and Sir James Pulteney, in Aug. 1800[1].
On the renewal of hostilities, Mr. Mansell was appointed to the Cerberus 32, Captain William Selby, which ship bore the flag of Sir James Saumarez, at the bombardment of Granville, in Sept. 1803. In his official letter on this occasion. Sir James says,– “The Cerberus, after getting under sail” to renew the attack, “grounded on a sand bank, and remained above three hours before she floated. Nine of the enemy’s gun-vessels, perceiving her situation, endeavoured to annoy her, and kept up a heavy fire upon her for some time, but were silenced by the Charwell and Kite, sloops, and also by the fire from the Sulphur and Terror, bombs, and by the carronade launch of the Cerberus, under the orders of Lieutenant Mansell, assisted by the Eling, schooner, and Carteret, cutter, which obliged them to take shelter in their port.” He adds, “The steadiness and good conduct of all the officers and men in the Cerberus, during the time the ship was aground, do them infinite credit[2].”
The situation of the Cerberus was rather more perilous than would be inferred from the above extract, the receding tide having left her nearly on her beam-ends. The boats of the squadron were placed under the direction of Lieutenant Mansell, who succeeded in distracting the attention of the French flotilla, and thus saved the ship from the serious consequences which at one time threatened her; for which service he obtained the applause and personal thanks of the Admiral. Previous to his quitting the Cerberus, he became first lieutenant of that ship, and commanded her boats at the
