Attachment 14514
The Battle for supremacy of the straits had been bloody and long, but at dusk the British Fleet had at last prevailed and driven off the French with a bloody nose. The Windward Islands were safe in British hands for a little longer.
Rear Admiral Jackson shifted his Flag to the Ramillies it being the most seaworthy First Rate still afloat and with the exception of his late Flagship now a dismasted hulk the Fleet limped back towards Jamaica.
Having been recently promoted Captain for his part in the capture of the fortifications of the Saint Roque Island, young James Roberts manoeuvred his Frigate Amelia gingerly between the shoals to Port and the Hibernia to Starboard.
Attachment 14515
The three Decker with all but its mizzen shot away could hardly maintain steerageway let alone manoeuvre. With no bowsprit and spritsails any attempt to get underway would cause her to broach.
Attachment 14517
At the first attempt to pass a hawser this had in fact happened with the resultant parting of the tow. As the remains of the overstretched rope snaked across Amelia's foredeck two hands had been caught and nearly cut in two by the vicious whipping of the hawser.
Not wanting another parting of the ways, the next attempt was altogether more careful, with the Masters mate having been transferred to the Hibernia to oversee things from that quarter.
Attachment 14518
With the Hawser finally secure, James passed the order to Jack Straw his First to get the two ships underway. flags had just made to Hibernia, when a call was heard from the Main tops.
"Sail ho! Fine on the Starboard bow."
Jack swung his telescope in the direction indicated, but could not make out anything above the horizon as yet.
"What do you make of her Maxwell" he thundered up to the lookout in the tops.
"Looks like a Frenchie Capn. I'd guess a 74. Heading to cut across our bows about four miles."
Attachment 14519
"I'm obliged Maxwell." James replied."Beat to Quarters if you please Lieutenant."
"Port your Helm, and run out the guns."
In minutes the orders had been carried out and the Amelia with Hibernia in tow headed directly toward the off shore shoals, much to the consternation of Capitane Andre Du Bois of the Aqulion who was now forced to turn sharply to starboard to avoid coming under the guns of the British First Rate.
Attachment 14520
As it was he was caught by a broadside from Amelia as her guns came to bear.
Balls wined across his deck and swept ratings from their positions.
The upper deck guns also flayed his sails unmercifully.
Attachment 14521
As he came about Du Bois gave the order to return fire and it was the Amelia's turn to suffer.
The heavier fall of the Frenchman's shot damaged the wheel, holed the ship and started a small fire in the hammock nettings.
Attachment 14522
Parties were immediately dispatched to deal with the situation, and the Amelia continued her turn to run parallel to the shoals and force the French ship to follow suit.
Ordering the helm over five degrees to starboard and allowing the drag of the Hibernia to swing her still further, Amelia now crossed the 74's wake and gained the weather gauge firing her forrard guns as she did so.
Attachment 14523
Caught off balance, by the move Du Bois returned what fire he could, but lost far more crew members than the Amelia in this exchange.
James continued with the Amelia's swing to Starboard, and with the Aqulion now trapped between the shoals and the British ships, both raked her stern. The heavy Carronades of the Hibernia pulverising her tween decks and cutting down her crew in swathes.
Attachment 14524
All three ships now continued on a parallel course for several minutes, but James realised that in order to avoid the Galigo headland, Du Bois must come about, forestalled him and was ready with another broadside when he did so.
Attachment 14525
Attachment 14526
Du Bois was forced to endure another broadside from both ships,and as expected his return fire was slackening, although it did further render Amelia's steering damaged, and James was forced to order the auxiliary steering into action with a couple of seamen to relay his orders to the lower gundeck.
Attachment 14527
Severely wounded, the Aquilon now broke off the action, after taking a parting broadside from the British ships which fell short.
Attachment 14529
Until he had the auxilliary steering functioning James could do nothing about giving chase, and by this time it was too late to catch the 74 with his consort in tow.
Attachment 14528
Damage report.
Attachment 14530
Attachment 14531
Attachment 14532
Rob.
