History of the Peninsular War, Volume 4 (of 6)Southey, Robert
History
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 4 (of 6)
Southey, Robert
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
While the people of Gerona opposed this heroic spirit of endurance
to the enemy, an affair took place at sea, which, if it brought no
immediate relief to the Catalans, convinced them at least that they
were not wholly neglected by Great Britain. Lord Collingwood having
obtained intelligence that an attempt would be made from Toulon for
throwing supplies into Barcelona, sailed from Minorca about the middle
of October, and took his station a few leagues off Cape St. Sebastian,
on the coast of Catalonia. On the 23d the enemy’s fleet came in sight,
consisting of three ships of the line, two frigates, two armed store
ships, and a convoy of sixteen sail. Rear Admiral Martin was ordered
to give chase; he fell in with the ships of war off ♦OCT. 25.♦ the
entrance of the Rhone, but they escaped him that night, because the
wind blew directly on shore. The next morning he renewed the chase, and
drove two of them, one of eighty guns, the other of seventy-four, on
shore, off Frontignan, where they were set fire to by their own crews;
the other ship of the line and one frigate ran on shore at the entrance
of the port of Cette, where there was little probability that the
former could be saved, but they were under protection of the batteries.
The second frigate had hauled her wind during the night, and got into
Marseilles road.
Two brigs, two bombards, and a ketch belonging to the convoy, were
burnt by the Pomona while Admiral Martin was in chase. The other
vessels made for the bay of Rosas; a squadron pursued, and found them
moored under the protection of the castle, Fort Trinidad, and several
batteries newly erected by the French. Four of these vessels were
armed; the largest was of 600 tons, carrying sixteen nine-pounders, and
110 men; she was inclosed in boarding nettings, and perfectly prepared
for action. The English boats, however, boarded them all, though they
were bravely defended, and though a constant fire was kept up from the
forts and from the beach. Of the eleven ships, three had landed their
cargoes, but all were taken or burnt; and of the whole convoy there
only escaped the frigate, which put into Marseilles, and one of the
store-ships, which probably succeeded in reaching Barcelona.
♦INCREASED DISTRESS OF THE CITY.♦
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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