Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p1.djvu/425

Rh simply offer a few brief observations, relating more immediately to Captain Thompson.

The Leander, though but a 50-gun ship, was stationed in the line of battle. Her commander bore up to the Culloden on seeing her take the ground, that he might afford any assistance in his power to get that vessel off from her unfortunate situation; but finding that nothing could be done, and unwilling that his services should be lost where they could be more effective, he made sail for the scene of action, and took his station with great judgment athwart hawse of le Franklin, of 80 guns, raking her with great success, the shot from the Leander’s broadside, which passed that ship, all striking the l’Orient, bearing the flag of the French Commander-in-Chief. This station Captain Thompson preserved until le Franklin struck her colours to the Defence, Swiftsure, and Leander; he then went to the assistance of the British ships still engaged with the rear of the enemy.

On the 5th Aug., Captain Thompson sailed with Captain (now Sir Edward) Berry, of the Vanguard, as the bearer of Rear-Admiral Nelson’s despatches to the Commander-in-Chief. On the 18th, being off the west end of Goza, near the island of Candia, at day-break in the morning, he discovered a ship of the line in the S.E., standing towards him with a fine breeze. The Leander being above eighty men short of complement, and having had 14 wounded in the late battle, Captain Thompson did not consider himself justified in seeking an action with a ship so much his superior; he therefore took every means in his power to avoid it, but soon found that the Leander’s inferiority in sailing made it inevitable; he therefore, with all sail set, steered a course which he judged would enable him to receive his adversary to the best advantage. At 8 o’clock the stranger, being to windward, had approached within random shot of the Leander, with Neapolitan colours hoisted, which he then changed to Turkish; but this deception was of no avail, as Captain Thompson plainly made him out to be French. At nine, being within half gun-shot of the Leander’s weather quarter, Captain Thompson hauled up sufficiently to bring the broadside to bear, and immediately commenced a vigorous cannonade on him, which he instantly returned. The ships continued 