AAR September. Nation v Nation - The real Fog of War. Bligh.

[Bligh]

Admiral Joshua Pound had been dogging the French Squadron for days trying to bring them to action. At last a favorable change in the wind direction had given him the chance to close the enemy Van. Just as he had formed his battle line, that self same wind had brought a bank of sea mist rolling in upon the two Squadrons.




His last signal to the Squadron before the Fog overwhelmed his ships was to keep station within sight of the stern lights of the ship in front. Any other signals would now have to be made by gunfire.



Unbeknown to the British the French Commodore had signaled for his ships to come about in order to give the British the slip in the fog. It was almost inevitable that they would lose contact with each other and head off in a variety of directions at the whim of their Captains.
Thus was the stage set for a most unusual encounter in the fog.
Muffled by the cloying mist each Captain ordered hands to the bows to keep a sharp watch out for other vessels.





For a time all was silent save for the creaking of the hulls and slapping of sails,



Straining to see through the gloom Captain Porter on the Quarterdeck of the Phoenix suddenly spotted a dark shape looming up on his Starboard Quarter.









At the same instant his lookout out in the fore chains hailed with the news that another ship was cutting across his bow.



"Action at last! " Remarked Porter to his First with a grin.
"Fire as ye bear."







Even as she opened fire, Phoenix was assailed from ahead and then on her Starboard side from return fire as the two French ships went into action.





The return fire was tumultuous bringing down sails, a topmast springing planks and starting a fire near the binnacle. At one fell swoop nearly a quarter of the crew were rendered hors de combat.
Even so the 3 deck Montagne tried to break off the action.





The Phoenix still had teeth, however, and its Carronades barked a reply even whilst the Frenchman was reloading. He was now the one on fire, as Porters' crew had dealt with their own conflagration.





Once again it was the turn of Phoenix to deal out the punishment as she crossed the stern of the 74 Duguay Trouin. A First time double shotted raking broadside complete with Carronades almost finished the Frenchman as a fighting unit.





With masts and rudder damage and crew down she was a sorry sight, her stern gallery punched in.

Phoenix next exchanged fire again with Montagne, as both ships endeavourer to repair their damage. More crew fell and fire once more broke out on the British ship.


She was now getting very close to succumbing to her damage, as another French 74 loomed up attempting to cross her bow.





Meanwhile Admiral Pound, having lost contact with the Phoenix, came about, signaling by cannon fire for the Bellerophon to wear in succession.





Porter used his remaining carronades, on both the Montagne and the bows of the Swiftsure as it rammed him amidships.





As the two ships exchanged fire from the tops, Porter grappled the Frenchman and ordered his boarders away, as the only very slim hope of saving his ship which was now very much a floating wreck with the pumps going full out.





On the enemy's forecastle the fighting was equal at first.





At last the Royal George got into action against the Montagne, as both ships maneuvered to avoid a collision in the mist.







Montagne took more severe damage to her steering as men fell on her Quarterdeck.
The firing from the Georges tops was enough to finish all resistance as her Commodore fell wounded to the deck.






Meanwhile the fighting to take the Swiftsure ebbed and flowed.





At the moment when the battle seemed to be swinging in favour of the Phoenixes, Duguay Trouin re-emerged from the mist and fired on the Pheonix's Starboard bow.





Fortunately most shot went high, and as most of the crew were fighting on the Swiftsure and no men were hit.





Still the battle was undecided on the French ship as another surge by the French crew seemed about to turn the tables.





Fortunately the Belleraphon was now in a position to give the Trouin play with its rear guns first round of fire.







It was sufficient to finish what the Phoenix had so valiantly started. Now a total wreck she capitulated to the British 74.





Royal George now came about into the wind and losing way delivered a broadside into the Swiftsure's bows and midships.





The return fire was magnificent considering that most of her remaining crew were engaged in repelling the British boarders. A fire now broke out on the three decker and Porter had to direct men to put it out.





The action of the Flagship was, nevertheless sufficient to take the strain off Porter's crew, and in leading one last push, he won the day, even as a burly French Boatswain struck the Captain to the deck.





Having secured the French crew in the hold under the watchful eye of the Captain of Marines and his men, the First Leiutenant and two midshipmen helped the wounded Captain up, just in time to accept the French Captain's sword.
He was then escorted back on board the Phoenix to the tender mercies of the ships surgeon Mr Molineux.
Sir Joshua Pound now circled his victorious Squadron, trying to assess what exactly had taken place in the Fog of fog of war.





Bligh.