Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/106

530 Captain Carpenter subsequently commanded the Antelope of 50 guns. He was made a Rear-Admiral, Aug. 12, 1812; and attained his present rank on the 12th Aug. 1819.



 the commencement of the war with France, in 1793, this officer commanded the Hawke, of 16 guns, in which sloop he escorted a fleet of merchantmen to the West Indies.

On the 2d April, 1794, he was promoted to the rank of Post-Captain; and in the following year, we find him in the Lapwing, of 34 guns and 193 men, on the North Sea station, where he remained but a short time, and was then again ordered to afford protection to the trade bound to the colonies. On the 25th Nov. 1796, Captain Barton, then lying at St. Kitts, received intelligence that a French force, consisting of two ships of war, several smaller vessels, and 400 troops, commanded by Victor Hughes, was attacking Anguilla. He immediately weighed and proceeded to the relief of that island; but the wind blowing strong from the northward, prevented his getting up before the morning of the 27th, when he found the enemy had landed the preceding day, burnt several houses in the town, plundered the island, and committed every devastation possible, attended with acts of great cruelty. Upon the appearance of the Lapwing, they re-embarked and endeavoured to get off; which Captain Barton effectually prevented, by bringing both the men of war to close action, which lasted near two hours, when the largest, le Décius, of 26 guns and 2 brass field pieces, with 133 seamen, and 203 troops, struck her colours. She had 80 men killed and 40 wounded. La Valliante, a brig mounting 6 guns, 36 and 24-pounders, with 45 seamen and 90 soldiers, ran on shore on the neighbouring island of St. Martin’s, where she was destroyed by the fire of the Lapwing, whose loss amounted to 1 man killed and 7 wounded.

The following day Captain Barton found it necessary to burn his prize, in order to prevent her falling into the possession of two French frigates, by which he was chased on his return to St. Kitts.

