The messenger probably came on to Tenby from Stackpole, where he aroused Lord Cawdor with the tidings in the middle of Wednesday night. The news conveyed by John Upcoat must have been taken across the Channel to Somersetshire and thence to London; the manner of proceeding at the _fin de siècle_ of the eighteenth century contrasts amusingly with the rapidity of the nineteenth, but possibly our time will be scoffed at and considered slow by the twentieth. The _European Magazine_ of the period gives the names of the vessels: _La Résistance_, commanded by Monsieur Montague, 40 guns, eighteen pounders on her main deck, 345 men. The other frigate _La Constance_, commanded by Monsieur Desauny, mounted 24 nine-pounders on her main deck, with 189 men. {14} One of the frigates and the corvette were eventually captured off Brest by the _St. Fiorenzo_ frigate (Captain Sir H. B. Neale, Bart.) and the _La Nymphe_ (Captain J. Cooke), who took them both into Portsmouth, where the frigate was repaired and rechristened the _Fisgard_, presumably the French pronunciation of Fishguard, and was until quite lately the receiving ship at Sheerness. The other frigate and the lugger managed to get safely into Brest. The officers present at the council of war held at the “Royal Oak,” Fishguard, were the Lord-Lieutenant of the county, Lord Milford (who from age and infirmity had given up the command of the troops to Lord Cawdor), Lord Cawdor, Colonel Knox, Colonel Colby, Major Ackland, Colonel Dan. Vaughan, Colonel James, Colonel George Vaughan, the governor of Fishguard Fort, and other gentlemen. The troops consisted of the Castle Martin Yeomanry Cavalry, the Cardiganshire Militia, the Cardiff Militia (which was then stationed in Pembrokeshire), some Fencible infantry, and a few sailors under Lieutenants Mears and Perkins, in all 750 men. The letters that passed between General Tate and Lord Cawdor are given in the narrative, but the following letters from Lord Milford and Lord Cawdor to the Duke of Portland, Secretary of State for the Home Department, may be found interesting:— _From Lord Milford_. “HAVERFORDWEST, “_February_ 26, 1797, Six o’clock A.M. “Since I had the honour of writing last to your Grace by express I received information of the French ships having sailed and left 300 men behind, who have surrendered themselves prisoners. The great spirit and loyalty that the gentlemen and peasantry has shown on this occasion exceeds description. Many thousands of the latter assembled, armed with pikes and scythes, and attacked the enemy previous to the arrival of troops that were sent against them.” * * * * * “HAVERFORDWEST, “_February_ 24, Nine o’clock P.M.