t. The garrison of the fort consisted of
upwards of 100 men, composed of the crew of the corvette, 22 Spanish
soldiers, and several Spanish volunteers. Of these, the governor, the
second captain of the corvette, and a Spanish gentleman, with nine other
men, were killed, and thirty wounded, before the survivors, finding all
opposition useless, laid down their arms; when the British colours,
greatly to the satisfaction of the frigate's crew, were seen flying on
the flagstaff. Directly the fort was in the possession of the British,
the seamen and marines did their best to assist the wounded prisoners,
and were amply repaid by the gratitude which the unfortunate men's
friends expressed when they came to carry them into the town. The guns
being spiked and thrown over the parapet, and part of the fort being
blown up, the British embarked, carrying off 40 barrels of powder, 2
small brass cannon, and 50 stand of arms. The corvette and brig, as
also the Spanish merchant-vessel, were taken possession of, when Captain
Maitland sent a flag of truce to the town, promising that should the
stores of the two privateers be delivered up, he would not injure the
town; he also refrained from capturing a number of small
merchant-vessels which lay in the bay, considering that it was cruel to
deprive the poor owners of the means of obtaining a livelihood. His
terms were gladly accepted, and the bishop and one of the principal
inhabitants of Muros came off to express their gratitude for the kind
way in which their victors had treated them, and offering such
refreshment as the place could afford to the British captain and his
officers. The corvette was named the _Confiance_, and on his return
home Lieutenant Yeo was appointed to her. Shortly afterwards he was
raised to post-rank, the _Confiance_ being rated as a post-ship, with an
armament of 22 carronades, 18-pounders, and a complement of 140 men and
boys, in order that he might still remain her captain.

Among the most remarkable of the gallant actions of this period between
single ships was that fought in August, 1805, between the British
18-pounder 36-gun frigate _Phoenix_, Captain Thomas Baker, and the
French frigate _Didon_, of 40 guns, Captain Milius. The _Didon_
measured 1091 tons, and had a crew of 330 men, the weight of her metal
amounting to 563 pounds; while the _Phoenix_ measured but 884 tons, her
crew numbering only 245 men, and the weight of her metal was 444 pounds.
The