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WAR: BOOK IV.
The Argument.
Constans sails from Brest, to invade England. Chases Commodore Duff's squadron. The Chatham, Captain Lockhart, astern of the fleet, near being taken. His anxiety during the chace: but on seeing Admiral Hawke's fleet, tacks upon the chasing enemy, (who stagger'd in their resolutions,) and begins the chase himself. Admiral Hawke bearing down into the center of the French fleet, sinking the Superbe, and attacking Admiral Constans: who flees, and runs on shore.
Capt. Speke, in the Resolution, attacking and taking the Formidable, the French rear Admiral.
Lord Howe, in the Magnanime, attacking, overpowering, and driving on shore the Heros.
The Hon. Augustus Keppel, in the Torbay, attacking and sinking the Thesee.
Capt. Baird, in the Defiance.
Capt. Shirley, in the Kingston.
Capt. Maplesden, in the Intrepid.
Sir John Bentley, in the Warspright.
Capt. Storr, in the Revenge.
Capt. Rowley, in the Montague.
Capt. Gambier, in the Burford.
Capt. Dennis, in the Dorsetshire; and
Capt. Obrien, in the Essex: all bearing down to Admiral Hawke's assistance, and engaging.
The anxiety of the rest of the Captains astern, who cou'd not possibly come into the engagement; crouding sail, and driving down to battle! the rout! dispersion! and flight of the French fleet, on shore, up the river Villaine, &c.. Great Britain's joy! and Gallia in tears! as the consequence of the engagement.
See, next from Brest, invadig Constans sails;
Of conquest dreams, & England over-run;
Like Phæton, mounts the chariot of the sun :
Like him, (triumphant,) wrapp'd in Gallic blaze,
He thought t' have drown'd Brittania in amaze;
But met Hawke's glance, and retrograde retir'd,
And ignis fatuus like, his flame expir'd.
This Lewis, suits thy schemes, on Britain's shore,
Thyself, thy leaders led, by Pompadour.
When first from Brest, the threat'ning Constans sail'd,
(In naval war,) he seemingly prevail'd:
He crouded after Duff , with eager chace,
Which train'd him on to Hawke, and French disgrace.
Now deigns to flee, by hostile odds inclos'd;
In iron wombs, th' unequal war drew near,
Reasons suggests his flight, but not his fear.
Had Constan's self, the Chatham chas'd alone,
Let Britons judge, what Lockhart wou'd have done;
Perhaps that day, such deeds had been atchiev'd,
England might boast; tho' France, & Britain griev'd;
But now he flees, yet with a sullen frown,
He ey'd the fleet, to battle bearing down;
Oft he resolv'd, to fight, with wonted glow;
As oft resolv'd, to flee before the foe;
Reason, and courage, fill'd him with regret;
Like wind, and tide, in raging conflict met.
From deep mouth'd dogs, and troops of armed men;
Promiscuous cries, and shouts, his ears assail,
Against his mighty sides, he swings his tail;
Indignant growls, collected turns to fight;
Again recedes and makes a tardy flight.
But now the fire, comes roaring thro' the plain;
He turns, attacks the foremost of the train;
(Wrath fills his eyes; aloft his tail is rear'd;)
So when to view, Great Britain's fleet appear'd;
Lockhart, with wonted rage, and fierce delight;
Mark'd out the Gallic Hero for the fight;
Stung with disdain to flee, tho' fleets gave chace;
He long'd to wipe away the late disgrace;
To battle tack'd, upon the chasing Gauls;
And sent in thund'ring show'rs, his dashing balls;
Gave iron proof, urg'd home; convinc'd the enemy,
'Twas mighty odds, mov'd his intrepid soul to flee!
His slacken'd sails, hung shiv'ring in affright!
Like their commander's, ev'ry ship appear'd;
And flutt'ring sails flapp'd out, what Frenchmen fear'd!
The chace of Duff, they seemingly repine,
And discontented, drew into a line;
They seem'd to see their rout, and overthrow,
Whilst waiting for the formidable foe;
Who plung'd promiscuous on, with naval rage;
As if ambitious who shou'd first engage.
A young fledg'd eaglet, (yet the mother's care;)
The tow'ring bird, (imperial,) from the skies,
On sounding pinions, to his rescue flies;
In dread, the vulture slacks the rapid chace;
Flutters, and hovers still around the place;
Receives the eagle's shock, and in affright,
From chasing, spreads his wings in shameful flight.
And load with future death, the briny tide;
So high in air, the gath'ring tempest flies,
In pitchy clouds, (which at a distance rise;)
Nearer they roll, a gloomy concave form;
Together clash, down comes the rattling storm;
Now wakes the roar, and on the tempest rolls,
The bolts, and light'nings fly, the thunder growls;
So cannons roar, in clouds the ships are hid;
And French, and British tars, alternate bleed;
Round, and grape shot, and barr'd, make dreadful wreck:
Sails, topmasts, men, and blocks, bestrew the deck;
Guns are dismounted! limbs from bodies tore!
Whilst thro' both sides, the rapid bullets bore!
Wide gaps they rend, as thro' the ships they pass;
And shrouds , and stays, hang dangling by the mast.
The human blood, in crimson torrents flows;
With fiercer rage, each naval warrior glows;
And whilst they eagerly for vict'ry burn,
Volleys, and broadsides (giv'n,) they angrily return.
And wrapp'd in flame, the veng'ance high uprear'd;
With roar impetuous, down the storm he hurl'd;
'Gainst Phæton, driving round the burning world.
Unerring toll'd, the great æthereal war;
And dash'd him from Appollo's flaming car;
So Hawke bore down amid the Gallic fleet,
And Constans sought with like assault to greet;
But still, the pond'rous war, for Constans held!
O'er French Magnificence , victorious drove;
Which in a frustrate opposition strove:
This Constans saw, and seem'd on battle bent;
And 'gainst the Royal George a broadside sent:
Who pour'd his torrents fierce, of flame, and balls;
Struck Constans mute! (and terrify'd the Gauls!)
As Phæton drown'd in blaze , let drop the reins,
And madly drove along th' æthereal plains,
The mighty whirl, oppress'd his soul with fear;
He sat appall'd, amid the wild career;
No longer now, the foaming steeds confines,
'Twixt Leo, Ursa, and the Scorpion signs:
He fear'd t' advance, wou'd backward fain retreat;
And quit Apollo's car, and flaming seat;
So Constans, from the Bay, wou'd absent be:
From Hardy, Howe, and frowning Hawke wou'd flee!
Backward he drove, whilst pannic feare prevail;
And left the chariot of the bright Soleil ,
Shunn'd the loud storm, midst which, brave Hawke career'd!
The British bolts, and English light'nings fear'd;
To Gallia's shore, and certain shipwreck, steer'd;
And bellows death, from fulminating sides;
Rouz'd to see Hawke, midst dangers, smoak, and flame;
They crouded sail, and to the battle came.
As hungry lions, pawing to engage;
With lashing tails, will work themselves to rage;
So these, to patriot wrath, their souls had wrought;
For board, and board, seem'd ev'ry warrior's thought.
The gallant Speke , with Resolution arm'd;
True Briton like, for great atchievements warm'd;
Down from the staff, the hostile banner tore;
And silenc'd all the Formidable's roar;
And Howe , Magnanimous! with courage stor'd!
Bore down, and clapp'd the Heros close on board;
Who struck, o'erpower'd! no longer dar'd t' engage!
Whilst Thesee sunk beneath brave Keppel's rage!
Baird , for renown, most resolutely strove!
And thro' the line, with bold Defiance drove!
Two line of battle ships, (with hostile roar,)
Down on his ship, to close engagement bore:
Their joint attack, he bravely scorn'd to shun,
But gave 'em roar for roar, and gun for gun!
Thro' the French line, midst gloomy veng'ance roll'd;
Whilst Rowley , Gambier, Dennis onward croud,
Like Jove's artill'ry, in a thunder cloud;
And brave Obrien, join'd the concert loud;
Sheirly , as bravely join'd the warlike throng!
And hurl'd destrustion, as he plung'd along!
With England's dread Revenge , Storr fiercely came;
And roar'd out Frenchmen's fate, in British flame;
Resolv'd they fought, by Hawke's example fir'd:
And Gallia's fleet, confusedly retir'd;
Whilst some in tardy blaze, consume away,
And add new horrors, to the dreadful fray;
Here, lower masts, are tumbled o'er the side,
There ships descend, amid the briny tide;
Which all their flame, and harmless thunder drown'd;
Those, whom ill fortune from the fight detain'd,
With visible regret, astern remain'd.
(For war they burn'd, with warring hearts elate;
But mortals cannot guide the hand of fate,
Altho' their souls, the ships anticipate;
When stern Achilles (with remorseless mind;)
The field of fame; the toils of war declin'd;
Between the rampart, and the swelling flood,
The fretful Myrmidonian leaders stood,
Oft as they heard the animating shout;
Oft as they saw the Grecians put to rout;
As oft their mighty souls, were in a glow;
To rush all clad with death, upon the chasing foe.
To see their friends, and countrymen engage.
At each broadside, they glow'd with fiercer flame;
To reap the harvest of immortal fame;
For desp'rate battle, ev'ry bosom burn'd;
The tardy progress of the vessels mourn'd.
The topmasts bend; sails split; and halliards break;
The dorment thunder, on each well clear'd deck,
In hollow tubes, from ev'ry yawning side,
Portended dreadful; o'er the swelling tide;
Each British tar well pleas'd, to quarters stood;
(And ponder'd on the future scene of blood;
As on they labour'd thro' the briny flood;
No discontended tar like hints we hear,
As if they lagg'd, inspir'd by grov'ling fear.
No lack of courage, to their charge is laid;
They caught each blast; each useful sail was spread.
Full on the Gallic line, resolv'd they steer'd;
Who tack'd, made sail, the close engagement fear'd.
And long'd to bring his honour to the test;
Seem'd anxious, some resolved foe to meet,
But night came on, and sav'd the Gallic fleet.
And slighted conquest, easily obtain'd.
Each man was full of cool delib'rate rage;
And hop'd the French wou'd sturdily engage.
Shot, stores, and guns, they sunk amid the main;
And fled for safety, to the shoal Villaine:
Britain rejoic'd; perfidious Gallia mourn'd
Her royal navy, taken, sunk, or burn'd;
Her cities, forts, isles, towns, and all her schemes o'erturn'd!
Le Soleil Royal, in English the Royal Sun. And in Ovid's Metarphoses, we have Phæton driving the chariot of the Sun, and dash'd from the seat by Jupiter.
It is a common term at sea; when ships are in full chase and make what sail they can, that they crouded one after another, with all the sail they cou'd pack.
When Admiral Hawke, with the British fleet, first came in sight of Monsieur Constans, and the French fleet; he was in full chace of Commodore Duff, and his little squadron of frigates, &c. with the Chatham, Captain Lockhart among them. The Chatham was astern of our fleet, and very near the enemy, and consequently, not making that speed off, the frigates, and the rest of the fleet did, he must soon have fall'n into the hands of the enemy; without some friendly assistance from larger ships, with heavier metal, than what Duff's squadron carried; and which in that circumstance, he cou'd scarce flatter himself shou'd arrive so soon, (and even unexpectedly,) as it did to England's and his great joy! brave Hawke's honour! and those bold commanders which were with him! and to the great loss and infamy of Constans, and the Gallic nation! for had not Admiral Hawke arrived to his assistance, the most romantic person living, (with the least show of reason,) cou'd not have expected Capt. Lockhart, to have begun a desperate, (and I may say hopeless) engagement, with the first ship that shou'd have come up with him; when there were twenty-one sail of line of battle ships, bearing down upon him, with three Admirals. But so soon as Admiral Hawke, and the English fleet appear'd, he tack'd immediately on the headmost ships of the chasing enemy; singled out the Heroes, which had been a little shattered by some of our ships, as they pass'd, and gave her two broadsides, e're she struck to the Magnanime, Lord Howe, who bore down to close engagement with her; and to whom she struck, but afterwards went on shore.
The French ship Heros, to which he gave two broadsides before she struck, to the Magnanime; Lord Howe, and who engag'd her, and to whom she struck.
Whoever has been on the sea, doubtless hath observ'd, that when a ship luffs up, (as the sailors call it, that is braces about,) with her head to the wind, with an intent to lye by, (as they term it) The topsails, and courjors, shiver in the wind, and flap against the masts, shrouds, &c. as the ship plunges, and rolls, for want of a proper head way thro' the water. So Constans, and his fleet, when they hove too; the ships might be said to express their terror: on account of the agitation of their hulls, and the tremor, and shiv'ring of their sail: (as trembling is generally allow'd to be a true sign of fear.) And they might be said to be in fear, on another account; for it was observed, that they drew into a sort of a disorder'd line, and seem'd quite confus'd! like a man on the brink of an impending precipice, below which, the rugged rocks rise in dreadful spires, and he condemn'd to plunge precipitate from thence. So Constans, and his fleet, by their behavior, seem'd to fluctuate in their intentions; as if afraid to fight! asham'd to run! and dreaded the consequence of an equal number of line of battle ships, bearing down upon them! mann'd with Englishmen! and arm'd with engines whose wombs were pregnant with flaming roar! with iron, and with leaden death! ready to burst from ev'ry side, & crush their navy in oblivion! and I think the event fully declar'd what their intentions were, by their behaviour, when the battle began: greatest part of them running away like a terrify'd brood of chickens, from a Hawk, which souses near them, and scarce staying even to fight their way; but made what speed they cou'd on shore, up the river Villaine, &c.
The shrouds are several large ropes, fasten'd at the mast-head, and come down to the larboard, and starboard side; there fasten'd to the chain plates, to support the mast, in the rolling of the ship, and when they carry sail, and to these the rattlings are fix'd, to go to mast-head by. The stays are much for the some use, only they come down to the side, &c. on a slant, and are design'd to preserve the mast in its position, when the ship bounds o'er the waves, or plunges with a sudden jerk from the summit of a watry hill, that it may not fall aft, or pitch forward over the ship's head.
Le Superbe, a French 74 gun ship, which bore down bravely between the Royal George, and Le Soleil Royal, to oppose Admiral Hawke, who struck her on a careen the first broadside, and the second broadside sunk her. The name in English is Magnificent, or Magnificence.
The poets say, Phæton being told by his mother, he was the son of Phœbus, (that is Apollo,) who drives the radiant car of day: he went to the temple of the sun, and being own'd by his father, who swore by Styx, to grant his request; he demanded to drive the chariot of the sun for a day. Phœbus knowing the great, (and certain) danger of the enterprize, long time dissuades him from it; but the adventrous youth, (fir'd by an emulation for glory, and ambitious notions of honour,) vaults into the seat, after much pre admonition from his father, who griev'd at the consequence. He drove on, the horses soon found their new master, (or rather new driver,) by the unskilful guidance of the rein, and the chariot wanting its proper poize. They grew headstrong, and hurried him thro' the celestrial regions; now with a rapid flight, descending near the earth; again, bounding aloft, they whirl'd him thro' the immense space of Æther; then starting wide to right and left, plung'd among the constellations; he droped the reins, and sat appall'd, amidst the career; was afraid to advance, and cou'd not retreat; but grew terrify'd, amids't the frightful monsters of the skies, and a new pannic assail'd his heart, as the chariot of the sun approach'd the Scorpion, and when (with the intense heat,) he saw him sweat in his poison; the consequence of all this is, the Heavens are drain'd of all their moisture; the earth is parch'd, the sea boils to its bed; and all nature lies gasping in our universal calenture; at length, Jove lifted the avenging bolt; and with unerring aim, sent it wing'd with lightning, and dash'd him from Apollo's car.
When Admiral Hawke had sunk the Superbe, he bore down upon Constans, who stood one broadside and ran, making a signal for all the fleet to do the like; and at last, rather than fight Admiral Hawke, he drove on shore and his ship was burnt; after being quitted by Constans and her crew.
Capt. Speke commanded his Majesty's ship Resolution; engag'd the Formidable; the French rear Admiral, and took him, after desperate cannonading.
Lord Howe, in his Majesty's ship Magnanime, engaged the Heros board and board, which in little odds of half an hour, did so much execution, that she struck; but afterwards drove on shore.
The honourable Augustus Keppel, in the Torbay, engag'd the Thesee, and sunk her the second broadside.
Capt. Maplesden, commanded the ship Intrepid, and Sir John Bentley, in the Warspright, engaged likewise.
Captain Rowley, in the Montague; Captain Gambier, in the Burford; Capt. Dennis, in the Dorsetshire; and Capt. O'brien, in the Essex; all likewise engag'd. And here I shou'd have mention'd Capt: Campbell: but as I have mentioned Admiral Hawke, in the Royal George; and as 'tis well known Mr. Campbell is Captain of the Royal George, it may be taken for granted Capt. Campbell was in the midst of danger, and in the very center of the engagement.
In the sixteenth book of Homer's Iliad, we have Achilles, speeding from tent to tent, and warning the hearts of the Myrmidonian leaders, just going to battle, (to save the Grecian fleet) under the conduct of Patroclus; and we have them and the troops represented as standing round their chief. A grim! terrific! formidable band! like voracious wolve rushing a hideous throng, to slake their thirst, after a glut of slaughter! and present a deathful view! and we may judge of their uneasiness and regret, at being detained from the battle, by the expressions which Achilles uses to them; calling them fam'd! fierce! and brave myrmidons! tells them to think with what threats they dar'd the Trojans! and what reproach his ears had so long endur'd! calling him stern son of Peleus! whose rage defrauded them of so fam'd a field! &c. and adds, lo! there the Trojans! this day shall give you all your souls demand! &c.
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