Africa and the West Indies. On the 20th Aug., 1800, being on a cruize off St. Domingo, he discovered a ship of war standing through the Mona passage, and immediately went in pursuit. At sun-set he had arrived so near as to perceive she was a large French frigate; but it was almost midnight before he could bring her to action, and then not so close as he wished, the enemy constantly bearing up and keeping him at long shot, whereby la Seine was much cut up in her rigging, sails, &c. The ships now separated for some time, which gave Captain Milne an opportunity to repair the damage he had sustained; this being completed, on the morning of the 21st he was able to bring the enemy to close action; and after about an hour and a half hard fighting, she surrendered. The prize proved to be the Vengeance, of 52 guns, exclusive of a number of brass swivels on her gunwale, and 326 men, many of whom were killed and wounded; but her exact loss has never been ascertained. The casualties on board la Seine were Lieutenant George Milne and 12 men slain; Lieutenant Archibald Macdonald, of the marines; Mr. Andrew Barclay, Master; Mr. Home, Captain’s Clerk; and 26 wounded.
The action between la Seine and the Vengeance was justly considered by naval men as one of the most brilliant fought during the war between single ships. In the Admiral’s despatches, Captain Milne was most handsomely mentioned, and it was one of the last acts of the lamented Lord Hugh Seymour’s life to write them.
La Seine returned to England, March 12, 1802, and was soon after paid off at Chatham. On the renewal of hostilities against France, in 1803, Captain Milne was re-appointed to her, and had the misfortune to be wrecked on the night of June 23, in the same year, near the Texel, through the ignorance of the pilots. He was afterwards employed as commander of the Frith of Forth district of Sea Fencibles, in which service he continued until the breaking up of that corps in 1811. Being then an old Post-Captain, he applied for a lineof-battle ship, and was appointed successively to the Impetueux, Dublin, Venerable, and Bulwark. In the latter ship he served for some time on the coast of North America, where he captured the Harlequin, a fine schooner privateer, mounting 10 long 12-pounders, with a complement of 115
