Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p1.djvu/55

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SUPERANNUATED REAR-ADMIRALS.
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and after receiving on board some French royalists in the river Elbe, proceeded in company with the Venus and Leda frigates to join the expedition under Sir John B. Warren in Quiberon Bay, where he arrived in time to render a most essential service, for which he received the thanks of Earl Spencer, then at the head of the Admiralty, and of the Commodore.

In our first volume, at pp. 169 and 170, we have given an outline of the operations carried on by the British and emigrant forces in the summer of 1795. Our readers will remember that, owing to the misconduct and treachery of the latter, Fort Penthievre, which, from its situation on a hill, commands the peninsula of Quiberon, was retaken by the enemy on the night of July 20th. At day-break on the following morning it was discovered that the republicans had advanced towards the S.E. point of the peninsula, and with some field pieces were driving before them the scattered royalists, who threw away their arms, divested themselves of their clothes, and plunged from the rocks into the sea, swimming to the boats which were sent from the British ships to receive them. Captain Ogilvy, on the fort being attacked, had slipped his cable, and ran so close in shore that the Lark had but one foot water more than she drew. He then opened and kept up .a heavy and well-directed fire, which had the effect of turning the enemy’s column, killing the General who commanded, together with many of his men, and thus afforded time for the boats, under the able directions of Captain (now Sir R. G.) Keats, to embark upwards of 2000 royalist inhabitants, and about 1100 emigrant troops.

In March 1796, the Lark assisted at the unsuccessful attack made on the town and fort of Leogane, in the island of St. Domingo. From that vessel Captain Ogilvy was removed to the Thunderer 74, in which ship he chased and obliged the Harmony, a frigate of the largest class, recently received by the French government as a present from the United States of America, to seek refuge in Mustique harbour, where she was burnt by the enemy, to prevent her falling into his hands. He continued to be employed off St. Domingo until the final evacuation of that island; on which occasion, in conjunction with the present Rear-Admiral Cochet, he su-