ole line, as it
passed on the starboard tack." It seems clear that, having had the
wind, during the night and now, and being in search of an enemy, it
should not have "happened" that any ships should have been so far to
leeward as to be unsupported. Captain Thomas White, R.N., writing as
an advocate of Byron, says,[63] "while the van was wearing ... the
sternmost ships were coming up under Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker....
Among these ships, the _Cornwall_ and _Lion_, from being nearer
the enemy than those about them (for the rear division had not
then _formed into line_), drew upon themselves almost the whole of
the enemy's fire." No words can show more clearly the disastrous,
precipitate disorder in which this attack was conducted. The
_Grafton_, White says, was similarly situated. In consequence, these
three were so crippled, besides a heavy loss in men, that they dropped
far to leeward and astern (c', c"), when on the other tack.

When the British ships in general had got round, and were in line
ahead on the starboard tack,--the same as the French,--ranging from
rear to van of the enemy (Positions B, B, B), Byron signalled for
the eight leading ships to close together, for mutual support, and
to engage close. This, which should have been done--not with finikin
precision, but with military adequacy--before engaging, was less
easy now, in the din of battle and with crippled ships. A quick-eyed
subordinate, however, did something to remedy the error of his chief.
Rear-Admiral Rowley was still considerably astern, having to make
up the distance between the convoy and the fleet. As he followed the
latter, he saw Barrington's three ships unduly separated and doubtless
visibly much mauled. Instead, therefore, of blindly following his
leader, he cut straight across (aa) to the head of the column to
support the van,--an act almost absolutely identical with that which
won Nelson renown at Cape St. Vincent. In this he was followed by the
_Monmouth_, 64, the brilliancy of whose bearing was so conspicuous to
the two fleets that it is said the French officers after the battle
toasted "the little black ship." She and the _Suffolk_, 74, Rowley's
flagship, also suffered severely in this gallant feat.

It was imperative with Byron now to keep his van well up with the
enemy, lest he should uncover the convoy, broad on the weather bow
of the two fleets. "They seemed much inclined to cut off the convoy,
and had it much in their power by me