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Barbadoes, and, should Captain Inglefield have been there, to follow him to Jamaica. This he did; but he had been at Jamaica only a few months, when he received Admiralty orders to return to England, in company with the Medusa, Captain Inglefield. They accordingly arrived in the Channel, in the month of September, 1792; and, observing the royal standard hoisted in Portland Road, they went in to pay their respects to his Majesty; who, on their landing, was walking on the Esplanade, where he was pleased to receive them very graciously.

An instance of the faithfulness of his Majesty's recollection, which occurred on this occasion, is deserving of notice.-On perceiving Captain Ellison, he called to Lady Caroline Waldegrave, to look out of the window, and she would see an old acquaintance, who had formerly sailed, and lost his arm, with her brother, Captain Waldegrave. His Majesty then asked Captain Ellison how long he had commanded the Druid; and, on being informed upwards of seven years, he said, " Do you never mean to give her up?"—" No, please your Majesty," rejoined Captain Ellison, "if you will have the goodness to make me a present of her." The King appeared much entertained, laughed heartily, and called to the Queen, who was walking at a short distance"Charlotte! Charlotte! this Ellison is asking me to give him the Druid!"-After paying their respects, Captain Ellison and Captain Inglefield repaired on board their respective ships, and sailed for Spithead.

On the commencement of the war, in 1793, Captain Ellison, who was lying in Cawsand Bay, was despatched on a cruise, off Cape Finisterre, for twenty days; but, unfortunately, the wind proved unfavourable, and he was under the necessity of returning in two days, without being able to profit, in any respect, by this 'mark of attention.

Having revictualled his ship, the Admiralty ordered him on a second cruise; directing him to take Captain Sidney Yorke, in the Circe, under his command. He was this time more successful; as, during their cruise, they captured l'Esperance, French privateer, of 14 guns; and la Vaudreuil, and la Dauphine, merchant ships, from Cayenne, bound to Nantz.

For a length of time, Captain Ellison was very actively employed

off the French coast, in company with the Flora, Sir John Warren, the Fury, Captain Sotheron, and others; after which, the Druid was successively under the orders of Rear-Admiral M'Bride, and Sir John Warren.* Her career, however, had nearly been closed; as she accidentally got on shore in Plymouth Sound, lost her masts, and was with difficulty rescued from destruction.

In the spring of 1794, the Druid was again under the orders of Admiral M'Bride. In our memoir of Sir James Saumarez, we have stated, that, on the 8th of June, in that year, Sir James, "having under his command the Druid, of 36 guns, Captain Ellison, and Eurydice, of 20 guns, Captain Cole, at dawn of day, when about mid-channel over, they fell in with a squadron of the enemy's ships, more than treble their force, viz. the Scævola and Brutus line-of-battle ships, with their quarter-decks cut down, carrying 54 guns on two decks, two frigates of 36 guns, the Danae and Felicite, besides a corvette and brig; they were soon discovered to be enemies, by the fire one of the ships opened on a lugger commanded by Lieutenant Barker, who was ordered to reconnoitre." As we have obtained a drawing of the memorable action that ensued, in which Captain Ellison bore a distinguished part, we must be permitted, by way of illustration, to quote a few additional lines from our memoir of Sir James Saumarez; particularly as, although an official letter was written upon the subject, it never appeared, nor has any other authentic statement reached the public.

"Seeing the vast superiority of the enemy, Sir James immediately ordered the Eurydice (a heavier sailer) to make all possible expedition for Guernsey, whilst he himself in the Crescent and [accompanied by the] Druid followed under easy sail, keeping the eneiny at bay. After allowing the Eurydice to get well a-head, the Crescent and Druid made sail, and joined her when she had approached near the shore, off the back of Guernsey. At this critical period, the whole of the enemy's squadron were crowding sail, with the apparent intention of cutting off the Druid and Eurydice, when Sir James extricated the squadron from their perilous situation, by a bold and masterly manoeuvre; he hauled his wind and stood along the French line, in order to draw their attention from the two other ships, making at the same time the signal for them to continue their course to the southward; the design answered his expectations, the enemy pursued the Crescent, which they made sure of capturing, but by the assistance of an old and experienced Guernsey pilot, she was enabled to get through an intricate

* Vide NAVAL CHRONICLE, Vol. III. page 336 and 337.

passage never before attempted by king's ships, and came round to the anchorage by the northward of the island leaving the enemy disconcerted and disappointed at having been entrapped in the snare. It is worthy of remark, that notwithstanding our ships sustained the collected force of the enemy's fire for upwards of two hours, some damage in the rigging and sails was the only injury they received."

The general order, so gratifying to the officers concerned, which was issued on this occasion by Governor Small, who then commanded at Guernsey, has already appeared in the NAVAL CHRONICLE; consequently we shall now only subjoin the following note, from Sir James Saumarez to Captain Ellison :

*

"Crescent, Guernsey Road, June 10, 1794. "Sir James Saumarez desires to return his best thanks to Captain Eilison, and the officers of the ship's company, of his Majesty's ship Druid, for their spirited conduct and bravery on the 3th instant-in having, jointly with the Crescent, repelled the ships of the enemy, more than treble our force. It is to be regretted that the bad sailing of the Eurydice prevented their deriving the advantage which they otherwise would have received from Captain Cole and his brave ship's company."

After this action, nothing particular occurred whilst Captain Ellison commanded the Druid.

In June, 1795, he was appointed to the Standard, of 64 guns, under the orders of Sir John Borlase Warren, who had just hoisted his broad pendant in la Pomone, as commodore of an expedition which had been planned against the French coast.

As

a singular indulgence, Captain Ellison was allowed to take all his officers, and fifty of his seamen, from the Druid. This circumstance is mentioned in the following letter from R. Hopkins, Esq. at that time one of the Lords of the Admiralty :

" SIR,

Oving, April 10, 1795. "I give you thanks for your very obliging letter, informing me of your appointment to the command of the Standard; on which I heartily congra

tulate you.

"Lord Spencer's permission to you to keep all your lieutenants, is very flattering, as it bespeaks his opinion of your merit, by a desire to comply with your wishes.

66

If you should come to town soon, I shall be very happy to see you, to assure you in person that I am, with true regard, sir,

Captain Ellison.

"Your faithful friend and humble servant,

R. Hopkins

* Vide Vol. VI. page 98.

Mab. Chron. Wol.XIX.

Sir John Warren's squadron, with fifty troop-ships attached, sailed from Yarmouth Roads, Isle of Wight, about the middle of June, and joined Lord Bridport's squadron, off Ushant. On the 21st, the Galatea, Captain Keats, having been sent into Quiberon Bay, was chased by the French fleet, which was soon afterwards descried by the English. On the following morning, Sir John Warren, who had been making the requisite preparations, perceived that Lord Bridport was in pursuit of the enemy. His lordship ordered Captain Ellison's ship, the Standard, with the Robust, and Thunderer, into his line of battle; but, in consequence of their distance, and there being but little wind, they were unable to join him until the action (which took place on the 23d) had terminated. Three of the enemy's ships, it will be recollected, l'Alexander, le Tigre, and le Formidable, struck to the British; and the rest of them took shelter under the land, and the batteries of port l'Orient, where they anchored in the course of the day.*

After this engagement, Sir John Warren's squadron parted company with Lord Bridport, and proceeded to Quiberon Bay, where they anchored on the 25th of June. Sir John, whilst he was carrying on his operations in this quarter, sent the Standard to the great road of Belleisle, to blockade the island, and to endeavour to effect its surrender. Captain Ellison had two French royalist officers on board, Messrs. Puisaye and Suasse, of the engineers, who were authorised to treat, in conjunction with himself, with the governor of Belfeisle; to whom, on his arrival, he despatched the following summons :

SIR,

Standard, Belleisle Road, June 26, 1795. "You will not be surprised at my arrival in this road, with a squadron of his Britannic Majesty's ships, if you are acquainted, as I make no doubt you are, with the important victory obtained on the 23d instant, by our navy over the navy of the French convention; and the powerful relief my king has afforded to the royalist army in Brittany. I am sent here to cut off all communication between your island and the main land, and offer you the protection of his Britannic Majesty, and I hope to be so happy as to contribute to restore the inhabitants of Belleisle to the tran

* For full particulars of this action, the reader is referred to the NAVAL CHRONICLE, Vol. I. page 279, 280, 281, and 300; and Vol. III. page 343, and 344.

quility they must wish for, and furnish them with all the means of living they are in need of. I do not come to summon you to surrender to the victorious British forces. I come to propose to you to acknowledge your own king, Louis XVII. and to offer you the alliance and protection of Great Britain, and put an end, at least in the island where you command, to the distressful calamities which desolate your country. The exhausting of the convention's resources, which is necessarily derived from the abuses they have made of them; the insurrection of the royalists in every part of France, and especially in Brittany, against the oppressive and usurped power of the convention; the army composed of only the French troops who have been landed in your sight, to join the royalists, with ammunition of every kind; the recent victory which has almost completed the destruction of the republican navy, the remains of which are blockaded in the bay of l'Orient by a much superior force: all these considerations ought to induce you not to lengthen the calamities of war in your island. Do not, sir, fear that Belleisle may be subject to a foreign power; it is wished only to be surrendered to your lawful king, to receive only French troops, and be defended only by its inhabitants. My king, in his unlimited generosity, will furnish them with every means of subsistence in his power, and secure to them his protection.

"You may depend, sir, upon every reward both from your king and mine, also the royal officers and troops under your command, and the inhabitants, if you resolve to submit to the royal authority.

"I have on board two French commissioners, who are vested with powers from the general of the royalist army, to treat, in union with me, in every thing that relates to your island, and to your particular interests; and I am authorised to declare to you, that the commander-in-chief of the naval forces shall ratify all the articles which may be agreed upon between

us.

"The persons you may think proper to send to me will be treated with all due respect, therefore I shall rely on your goodness that the like attention is paid to the officer who has the honour of delivering this letter to you. I am, &c.

To the Commander-in-Chief of the
Forces in Belleisle.

Ash Wisor

Captain and Commander.

Captain Ellison's first lieutenant (Buller) was the bearer of the above summons. He was conducted to the citadel, blindfolded, where he was received in the handsomest manner, and invited to a ball in the evening; after which he was dismissed with the following answer :—

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