the forecastle in apparent readiness) to board the British 3-decker, the latter’s appearance indicating that she was much disabled, and her colours being at this time down, owing to the fall of her gaff. Indeed, as the number of men with which the Temeraire had begun the action was only about 660, and as of the number at this time fit for duty, not perhaps exceeding 550, nearly the whole were below, whither they had been sent by Captain Harvey, that they might not be injured by the hand-grenades constantly thrown from the Redoubtable’s tops, the Fougueux, with her 700, or, allowing for a slight loss, 680 men, might have made a serious impression upon the Temeraire’s decks.
“While Captain Harvey devoted his attention to the Redoubtable on the larboard side, the first lieutenant, Thomas Fortescue Kennedy, assembled a portion of the crew on the opposite side, to receive the Fougueux. Not having yet discharged her starboard broadside, the Temeraire was in perfect readiness there, but delayed firing uniil the Fougueux arrived so close that she could not well escape. At length the latter got within 100 yards; instantly the Temeraire’s broadside opened, and a terrible crash was heard on hoard the Fougueux. Crippled and confused, the French ship ran foul of the Temeraire, and was immediately lashed by her fore-rigging, to the latter’s spare anchor. Lieutenant Kennedy, accompanied by Mr. James Arscott, master’s mate; Mr. Robert Folgate, midshipman; 20 seamen and 6 marines, then boarded the Fougueux in her larboard main rigging. On the French ship’s quarter-deck lay Captain Beaudoin, mortally wounded; the second captain and other officers were encouraging the men to repel the boarders. In the onset, however, the second captain became severely wounded; whereupon the crew suffered themselves to be driven off the quarter-deck by the British, few as they were; and, in 10 minutes from the time of her being boarded by Lieutenant Kennedy and his 28 followers, the Fougueux was completely in the possession of the Temeraire.
“This occurrence took place at about 2-10 p.m.; within five minutes afterwards the Victory, by booms and the slight assistance which her helm and sails could afford, disengaged herself from the Redoubtable; and, while she gradually got her head to the northward, the three fast-locked ships from which she had just parted, the Redoubtable, Temeraire, and Fougueux, swang with their heads to the southward.
“Scarcely had the Victory broke away from the group, ere the main and mizen-masts of the Redoubtable came down. The main-mast, falling on board the Temeraire, carried away the stump of her mizen-top-mast, broke down the poop-rail, and with its wreck encumbered the whole after part of the ship. This accident put an entire stop to the Redoubtable’s hitherto formidable musketry, and her only remaining antagonist prepared to take possession. The main-mast of the Redoubtable, as it lay upon the Temeraire’s poop, forming a bridge of easy descent, this was soon accomplished. At about 2-20, a portion of the British crew, headed by Lieutenant John Wallace, second of the Temeraire, stepped on board, and took quiet posses-