“On the morning of the 12th, I landed Lieutenant-Colonel Nicolls, with his party and a howitzer, about 9 miles to the eastward of fort Bowyer, and proeecded with H.M. ships off the bar, whieh we were prevented from passing, by contrary winds, until the afternoon of the 15th, during which time the enemy had an opportunity of strengthening themselves, which we perceived them doing, having reconnoitred in the boats within half a mile of the battery: I had proviously communicated to the captains of the squadron the plan of attack, and at 2-30 p.m. on the above mentioned day, having a light breeze from the westward, I made the signal for the squadron to weigh, and at 3-10 passed the bar in the following line of battle – Hermes, Sophie, Carron, Childers.
“At 4-16, the fort commenced firing, which was not returned until 4-30, when being within pistol-shot of it, I opened my broadside, and anchored by the head and stern. At 4-40, the Sophie having gained her station did the same; at this time the wind having died away and a strong ebb-tide made, notwithstanding their utmost exertions, Captains Spencer and Umfreville finding their ships losing ground, and that they could not possibly be brought into their appointed stations were induced to anchor, but too far off to be of much assistance to the Hermes or Sophie, against whom the great body of the enemy’s fire was directed[1]. At 5-30, the bowspring being shot away, the Hermes swung with her head to the fort and grounded, where she lay exposed to a severe raking fire, unable to return it, except with one carronade and the small arms in the tops. At 5-40, finding the ship floated forward, I ordered the small bower cable to be cut and the spanker to be set, there being a light wind to assist, with the intention of bringing the larboard broadside to bear, and having succeeded in that I let go the best bower to steady the ship, and recommenced the action.
“At 6-10, finding that we made no visible impression on the fort, having lost a considerable number of men, and being able only occasionally to fire a few guns on the larboard side, in consequence of the little effect the light wind had on the ship, I cut the cables and springs, and attempted to drop clear of the fort with the strong tide then running; every sail having been rendered unmanageable, and all the rigging being shot away; in doing which, unfortunately, H.M. ship again grounded with her stern to the fort.
“There being now no possibility of returning an effective fire from the Hermes, I made the signal No. 203, it having been already arranged that the storming parties destined to have acted in conjunction with Lieutenant-Colonel Nicolls, were to assemble on board the Sophie, to put themselves under the orders of Captain Lockyer. While they were as-- ↑ “Nor was the fire of the Sophie of much use, as, owing to the rottenness of her timbers, and her defective equipment, her carronades drew the bolts, or turned over, at every fire.” See James’s Naval Hist. 2d edit. vol. vi, p. 519.
