At
thirty minutes past one o'clock, the Redoutable's musketry having
ceased, and her colours being struck, the Victory's men endeavoured to
get on board her: but this was found impracticable; for though the two
ships were still in contact, yet the top-sides or upper-works of both
fell in so much on their upper decks, that there was a great space
(perhaps fourteen feet or more) between their gangways; and the Enemy's
ports being down, she could not be boarded from the Victory's lower nor
middle deck. Several Seamen volunteered their services to Lieutenant
QUILLIAM, to jump overboard, swim under the Redoutable's bows, and
endeavour to get up there; but Captain HARDY refused to permit this. The
prize however, and the Victory, fell off from each other; and their
separation was believed to be the effect of the concussion produced by
the Victory's fire, assisted by the helm of the latter being put to
starboard.
MESSRS. OGILVIE and COLLINGWOOD, Midshipmen of the Victory, were sent in
a small boat to take charge of the prize, which they effected.[19] After
this, the ships of the Enemy's van that had shewn a disposition to
attack the Victory, passed to windward; and fired their broadsides not
only into her and the Temeraire, but also into the French and Spanish
captured ships indiscriminately: and they were seen to back or shiver
their topsails for the purpose of doing this with more precision.
Pages:
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46