had to
sustain the attack of three armed boats which came off from Point
Judith, and had nearly decoyed them on board; but they found their
mistake in time to escape after a good drubbing. On the same evening
he joined a detachment of five hundred men, which, under cover of the
Flora, had landed above Bristol and burnt one hundred and twenty-five
batteaux-plats, an armed galley, and a privateer of fourteen guns,
besides destroying the greatest part of the town. On the 30th April a
firing was heard in the direction of the Taunton: the Spitfire
immediately weighed, and ran over to the enemy's shore, where
Lieutenant Saumarez opposed his vessel to a field-piece, which
returned his fire without doing any injury for a considerable time;
this was meant as a diversion to enable the 54th regiment to attack
unobserved, which in the mean time landed up the Taunton, destroyed
eight sawmills and several flat-boats, and came off by the assistance
of the Spitfire with inconsiderable loss.

On the 1st of May the Spitfire weighed, and was beating against the
wind to obtain her station, when, by the vessel missing stays, she got
aground on Sandy Hook. On this, the enemy immediately brought down a
gun, but without effect. An anchor was carried out; the vessel was
hove off without damage, and reached Fogland Battery, off which she
anchored, and the next day reached her former station.

It will be needless to notice every occasion wherein the Spitfire was
engaged with the enemy, which, while Lieutenant Saumarez commanded
her, was no less than forty-seven times! but we shall proceed to the
period when his operations in that vessel were drawing to a close. The
Americans, who had publicly declared their independence on the 4th
July 1776, had concluded a treaty with the French on the 13th March
1778, which was considered by the British government as a declaration
of war; and the French ambassador being directed to withdraw, the
following orders were issued to the squadron at Rhode Island by
Commodore John Brisbane, who had now taken the command:

"By Captain John Brisbane, Captain of H.M.S. Flora, and senior
officer of his Majesty's ships and vessels at Newport, Rhode
Island.

"In pursuance of an order from the Lord Viscount Howe,
vice-admiral of the white, and commander-in-chief of his
Majesty's ships and vessels employed on a particular service,
you are hereby required and directed to MAKE WAR UPON, take, or
des