At thirty-five minutes after ten, the Admiral, observing how much the enemy had increased their distance from us by warping in-shore, ordered our cables to be cut, and sail to be made upon the ships, in the hope of being able to close with them. He also sent me on board the Spencer, with orders to Captain Darby to weigh, and work up to the enemy. The Hannibal, having already received these orders, was in the act of obeying them, and soon after opened her fire upon the French Admiral; but in the gallant endeavour to get between the Formidable and the shore, and not being aware of the French Admiral's change of position by warping in, Captain Ferris unfortunately ran his ship aground, abreast of the battery of St. Jago, and under the raking fire of the Formidable. In this helpless state he continued to engage the enemy until, to use the French Admiral's words, his decks were _jonche de morts_. He had seventy-three killed and sixty-four wounded,--a very unusual proportion, as, in general, the wounded trebles the number of the killed; but this may be accounted for by the Hannibal being so near that the enemy's shot passed through her sides without making any splinters, to which the greater number of wounds are attributable. From the time the Caesar cut her cable, she and the Audacious were constantly engaged with the Indomptable, Meuron, and island batteries, and occasionally with the Dessaix, as they could bring their guns-to bear; but the perpetual flaws of wind rendered this very difficult, and exposed them frequently to a severe and raking fire from the enemy. The Admiral made the signal for the marines to be prepared to land on the island; but, as the boats were all employed in assisting the Pompee and Hannibal, this was rendered impracticable. At length, finding every effort fruitless to close with the enemy, the Admiral was under the necessity of withdrawing his ships from this unequal contest with winds and batteries; but it was not until all hope had vanished of saving the Hannibal that he left her in possession of the enemy. The accompanying diagram shows first, the position of the hostile squadrons at the moment the Spencer, and Venerable, and Caesar, had anchored; secondly, their position when the action ceased, and when the Hannibal was in possession of the enemy.