Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 57.djvu/263

 wards Earl of St. Vincent) [q. v.], and led the line in the battle of Cape St. Vincent, 14 Feb. 1797, when his gallant bearing and determined conduct called forth an expression of warm approval from the admiral.

In July the Culloden, with a few other ships, was detached under the orders of Nelson for an attack on Santa Cruz. While yet some distance from the town a thousand men, detailed for the landing party, were put on board the frigates, and sent in under the immediate command of Troubridge, in the hope of surprising the fort above the town during the night. The approach of the frigates was delayed by foul wind and tide, and day dawned before they got within a mile of the landing-place. As surprise was now out of the question, Troubridge rejoined the squadron, which had closely followed the frigates, and told Nelson that he thought that by seizing the heights above the fort it could be compelled to surrender. Nelson assented, and at nine o'clock the men were landed. The enemy, however, had occupied the heights in force, and the attempt was unsuccessful. At nightfall Troubridge re-embarked the men, and the next day Nelson recalled them to their own ships. In describing this affair Captain Mahan has contrasted Troubridge's ‘failure to act at once upon his own judgment’ with Nelson's independent ‘action at St. Vincent and on many other occasions’ (Life of Nelson, i. 301), but has apparently overlooked the fact that the details of the landing had been agreed on in private conversation with his admiral, and that Troubridge had thus less discretionary power than an officer could have when no details had been settled. When this plan of attack was given up, it was resolved to attempt landing at the mole by night; but this met with very partial success. Several of the boats missed the mole, or were broken up in the surf, and at daylight Troubridge, who was left on shore in command [see ], found himself in presence of a numerically overwhelming force of men and guns. It is very probable that the men were for the most part a very raw militia, and that the guns had no competent gunners, so that when Troubridge sent Captain (afterwards Sir Samuel) Hood to offer a cessation of hostilities, on the condition of being permitted to embark his men without hindrance, the governor of the town readily and indeed cheerfully agreed to the terms.

In the following year the Culloden was again one of the squadron detached to serve under Nelson in the Mediterranean, and took part in the search for the French fleet which preceded and led up to the battle of the Nile. On the evening of 1 Aug., when the squadron, on approaching the French, was drawing into line of battle, and Troubridge, who had been some distance astern, was pressing on to get into station, the Culloden struck heavily on the shoal which runs out from Aboukir Island, and there remained. All Troubridge's efforts to get her afloat seemed in vain, and he had the pain of seeing the battle without being able to take part in it. The next day the ship was got off, but in a sinking state. She was making seven feet of water in an hour, and her rudder had been torn off. Troubridge, however, was a man of energy and resource, and managed to patch her up sufficiently to enable her to go to Naples, where she was refitted. In accordance with Nelson's very strong wish, Troubridge was given the gold medal for the battle, and the first lieutenant of the Culloden was promoted after a short delay. At Naples and off Malta Troubridge's services were closely mixed up with those of Nelson. In the end of 1798 he was sent to command the small squadron on the coast of Egypt, but rejoined Nelson in March 1799, when he was again detached to take possession of Ischia, Procida, and Capri, and to maintain the blockade of the Bay of Naples. In June he was landed at Naples for the siege of St. Elmo, which he reduced, as he afterwards did Capua and Gaeta, and Civita Vecchia, securing the evacuation of the Roman territory by the French. In recognition of these services he received the order of St. Ferdinand and Merit from the king of the Two Sicilies, and was created a baronet on 30 Nov. 1799. He was then sent as senior officer off Malta, and, though occasionally visited by Keith or by Nelson, had virtually the command of the blockade till May 1800, when the Culloden was ordered home.

Troubridge was then for a few months captain of the Channel fleet off Brest, under Lord St. Vincent, with whom, in March 1801, he became a lord of the admiralty, and with whom he retired from the admiralty in May 1804. On 23 April 1804 he had been promoted to the rank of rear-admiral. In April 1805 he was appointed to the chief command in East Indian seas, to the eastward of Point de Galle, and went out with his flag in the Blenheim, an old worn-out ship, formerly a three-decker, which had been cut down and now carried seventy-four guns. Shortly after passing Madagascar, and having with him a convoy of ten Indiamen, he fell in with the French admiral, Linois, in the Marengo, with two large frigates in company. Linois, probably mistaking the Blenheim for