ntry. Lieutenant
Culverhouse, the first lieutenant, is an old officer of very
distinguished merit; Lieutenants Hardy, Gage, and Noble, deserve
every praise which gallantry and zeal justly entitle them to, as
does every other officer and man in the ship.

"You will observe, Sir, I am sure, with regret, among the wounded,
Lieutenant James Noble; who quitted the Captain to serve with me,
and whose merits and repeated wounds, received in fighting the
enemies of our country, entitle him to every reward a grateful
nation can bestow."

In the handsomest manner, he thus liberally concludes with praising his
vanquished antagonist--"La Minerve's opponent being commanded by a
gallant officer, was well defended; which has caused her list of killed
and wounded to be great, and her masts, sails, and rigging, to be much
damaged."

Lieutenants Culverhouse and Hardy, with a proper number of men, being
put in charge of La Sabina, which was taken in tow, at four in the
morning, a Spanish frigate, known by it's signals, was seen coming up;
and, at half past four, engaged with La Minerve. Commodore Nelson now
cast off the prize, and directed Lieutenant Culverhouse to stand to the
southward. After a trial of strength for more than half an hour, the
Spaniard wore, and hauled off; or it would, the commodore was confident,
have shared the same fate as it's companion.

At this time, three other ships were seen standing for La Minerve. The
hope was now alive, that they were only frigates, and that La Blanche
was one of them: but, when the day dawned, it was mortifying to find
that they were two Spanish ships of the line, and two frigates, while La
Blanche was far to windward. In this situation, the enemy, by bringing
up the breeze frequently within shot, it required all the skill of
Captain Cockburne, which he eminently displayed, to get off with his
crippled ship.

"Here," says commodore Nelson, from whose letter to Sir John Jervis
the above facts are chiefly collected, "I must also do justice to
Lieutenants Culverhouse and Hardy, and express my tribute of praise
for their management of the prize. A frigate repeatedly fired into
her without effect; and, at last, the Spanish admiral quitted the
pursuit of La Minerve for that of La Sabina, which was steering a
different course; evidently, with the intention of attracting the
notice of the admiral, as English