Occurrences at Gibraltar.--Determination of Sir James to attack the combined squadron.--Caesar rehoists the Admiral's flag.--Sir J. Brenton's description of that interesting scene.--His account of the battle.--Destruction of two Spanish three-deckers.--Capture of the St. Antonio.--Action between the Venerable and Formidable.--Public letters.--Private letters.--French details of the battle.--Spanish ditto.--Orders of sailing.--Remarks. Page 401 LIST OF PLATES. Portrait of Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, taken after the battle of the 12th July 1801 _Frontispiece._ Action with the Crescent and Reunion taken at the time the latter surrendered Page 103 Commencement of the action between the Crescent and her squadron, with the French squadron of superior force off Guernsey 131 Close of the action when the Crescent retreated among the rocks at Guernsey 134 Chart of the island of Guernsey, showing the positions of the English and French squadrons 135 Diagram of Algeziras and Gibraltar Bay 346 ERRATA. Page 86, l. 26, _for_ "present" _read_ "late." 142, l. 4,--"ninety-second" _read_ "ninety-two." 166, l. 23,--"Towny" _read_ "Towry." 198, l. 19,--"Marcon" _read_ "Marcou." 215, l. 14,--"Collossus" _read_ "Culloden." ADVERTISEMENT. In perusing the following Memoir, the reader must not be surprised if he finds that the accounts of the several battles in which the illustrious Saumarez was engaged, differ in some degree from those previously given to the public. Every circumstance connected with them has been carefully examined, and whatever statements are now advanced can be borne out by documentary evidence. The career of Saumarez was a long and eventful one: he entered the Navy while the nation was at peace; he subsequently served during the American War of independence, and throughout the late continental war, in both of which he was in more engagements with the enemy than any other officer. He was the last of the heroes of the 12th of April 1782. THE LIFE OF LORD DE SAUMAREZ. CHAPTER I. Genealogy of the family of Saumarez.--Curious Record.--Branches of the late family.--Marriage of the late Lord de Saumarez. Admiral the Right Honourable James Lord de Saumarez, of Guernsey, was born, on the 11th March 1757, in the parish of St. Peter-Port, the principal town of that romantic island. The family, whose original name was _De Sausmarez_, is of Norman extraction, and of great antiquity in the island of Guernsey, where their lineage can be traced almost to the Norman conquest.