A gallant action fought in the West Indies, in the year 1757, is worthy of note. Admiral Cotes, commander-in-chief on the station, despatched Captain Arthur Forrest, of the 60-gun ship _Augusta_, with the _Edinburgh_, Captain Langdon, of 60 guns, and the _Dreadnought_, Captain Maurice Suckling, of 60 guns, to cruise off Cape Francois, where the French were assembling a fleet of merchant-vessels for Europe. The French squadron consisted of two seventy-fours, one sixty-four, one fifty, one forty-four, and two of thirty-two guns. On the 21st of October, early in the morning, the _Dreadnought_ made the signal for the enemy. On this, Captain Forrest summoned his captains, and on their arrival on the _Augusta's_ quarter-deck, he observed, "Well, gentlemen, you see they are come out to engage us." On this, Captain Suckling replied, "I think it would be a pity to disappoint them." Captain Langdon being of the same opinion, the signal was thrown out to make all sail to close the enemy. So admirably were the three ships manoeuvred, and so well were their guns fought, that one of the enemy's ships was dismasted and the whole fleet much disabled, with the loss of nearly 600 men killed and wounded, when they made sail to leeward. The British ships were so much cut up in their sails and rigging that it was impossible to follow. The _Dreadnought_ had lost 9 killed, 20 dangerously and 10 slightly wounded, while every yard and mast was greatly injured. Shortly afterwards, Captain Forrest captured a French convoy consisting of 9 ships, carrying 112 guns and 415 men. Among the many dashing officers of those days was Captain Gilchrist. When in command of the _Southampton_, of 32 guns and 220 men, he was on his way from Portsmouth to Plymouth, with money to pay the dockyard artificers. Being attacked at eleven at night, off Saint Alban's Head, by five French privateers, two of them of equal force, he compelled them, after an action of two hours, to sheer off; his vessel being a perfect wreck, with several shot between wind and water, and ten men killed, and fourteen mortally wounded. The following September, when looking into Brest, a French ship came out, for which he waited. He reserved his fire till he got within twenty yards of her, when a most furious engagement began; the ships falling on board of each other. The enemy made an attempt to board the _Southampton_, but being vigorously repulsed, in a quarter of an hour after struck, and proved to be the _Emeraude_, a French frigate of 28 guns and 245 men, 60 of whom were either killed or wounded. The action was fought at such close quarters that the men used their handspikes, and two of the officers were killed by a discharge from Captain Gilchrist's own blunderbuss. The _Southampton_ had her second lieutenant and 19 men killed, and every officer except the captain, and 28 wounded. While conducting her prize into port, the _Southampton_ captured an 18-gun privateer belonging to Dunkirk.