Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/285

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274 BUTLER. Esq. of the county of Cavan, and had been but a few months promoted to the command of The Constance," a frigate of twenty-two guns. He was also made commodore of a small flying squadron, under Sir James Saumarez, on the Jersey station, for the purpose of scouring the Chan- nel in that quarter. The squadron consisted of the Con- stance (flag-ship), the Strenuous, Sharpshooter, Sheldrake, and one or two other light vessels. On the 12th October, 1806, they weighed from their anchorage at Chaney, and on standing in to reconnoitre St. Maloes, a sail was dis- covered off Cape Frihol, to which the squadron gave chace; it was soon discovered by her manoeuvres the chace was an enemy, who about noon succeeded in getting into Bouche D'Arkie, hauling close in with the rocks, and making every preparation for an obstinate defeice; she was covered by a strong battery of guns on the hill, as well as field-pieces and musquetry employed by the troops brought down for that purpose. After a desperate and sanguinary conflict, in which Captain Burrowes was slain ' by a grape-shot in the heat of the action, she was taken, and proved to be La Salamandre," a French frigate. An officer of gteater gallantry and enterprise could not have beea chosen for the active service in which he was engaged. He was in his thirty-ninth year, twenty-five of which had been devoted to the service of his country. His merit was bis only recommendation, and had his life been longer spared, he would probably have ranked among the most splendid warriors of the British navy. JAMES BUTLER, THE FOURTH EARL or ORMONDE, was equally distin- guished by his learning and attention to literatore in an age when such qualities were rarely the companions of wealth or rank. He was under age when he succeeded to the title and estates by the death of bis father, and on his return into Ireland, he accompanied the lord deputy Scrope in his invasion of the territory of M'Murrough,