the "Royal George," the "Queen," the
"Brunswick," and the "Nott," were enabled thus to engage the enemy; but
the far greater part of them engaged their adversaries to windward, thus
enabling the French, when defeated, to get off before the wind. Howe's
own ship engaged that of Villaret Joyeuse, the French admiral; and these
two opened their fire a little after nine o'clock, and at nearly the
same time the action became general in the centre. Villaret Joyeuse's
ship mounted 120 guns, and it was so lofty that it frequently waved its
ensign over the quarter-deck of the "Queen Charlotte." But it was soon
discovered that the French could not withstand that close fighting;
after having manfully fought for about an hour, Villaret Joyeuse gave
way, and stood off to the northward, followed by all his ships that
could carry sail. Ten of them were left behind almost totally dismasted,
and nearly surrounded by the English; and seven of these fell into the
hands of the victors. One of them had received so many shots between
wind and water, that she filled and went down almost as soon as the
English flag was hoisted on her. After securing the other six, Lord Howe
made the signal for his fleet to close round him, with the intention of
again attacking Villaret Joyeuse, if he should attempt to retrieve the
fortune of the day; but the French admiral thought of nothing but of
securing his retreat. On the side of the English the number of killed
was 279, and of wounded 877; while in the six captured ships alone the
killed were 690, and the wounded 580. More than 300 were supposed to
have gone clown in the ship which sunk, and the number of prisoners
removed is stated at 2,300. On board the French fleet was Jean Bon
Saint Andre, the friend and creature of Robespierre; and he was there
on commission, to remind every officer and man of the guillotine, and
of the duty he owed to the republic. Jean Bon Saint Andre wished himself
ashore as soon as the battle commenced; and, in bold defiance of facts
which had been witnessed by many thousands of individuals, he declared,
in his report to the convention, that the English had thirty-six ships
of the line; that the battle lasted from ten in the morning to three in
the afternoon; and that the English, after having seen several of their
ships sunk, finally sheered off with all the sail they could carry.
Barrere, the reporter and oracle of the committee of public safety,
even outstripped Bon Saint Andre