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On the 9th of July, the 58-gun ship Lion, Captain Piercy Brett, fought a desperate action with the French 64-gun ship Elizabeth. The Elizabeth sailed from France with the intention of escorting the expedition of Charles Edward to the coast of Scotland; but on the day above named, being in lat. 47° 57' EAST., she was discovered by the Lion, which ship immediately pursued. The chase contiuned for some time, but at 5h. p.m., having got within pistol-shot of the Elizabeth, the Lion opened her fire, and the action commenced with fury, and lasted five hours. The French ship having suffered very severely in hull — having had several of her ports beaten into one — endeavoured to make off, and a smaller vessel, belonging to the expedition, commenced an attack upon the Lion, but was soon compelled to discontinue it. The Lion was in no condition to pursue the enemy, having had her mizen-mast, main, main-topsail, and fore-topsail yards shot away, and her fore and main masts badly wounded, and had lost fifty-five men in killed, and 107 wounded, seven mortally.
Captain Brett, all three lieutenants (Samuel Scott, John Campbell, and Archibald Seaton), and the master (John Tory), were wounded, but with much gallantry these officers refused to quit their stations. The loss on board the Elizabeth was afterwards ascertained to have been sixty-four men killed, and 140 wounded.
Great Britain | |||
---|---|---|---|
British Ship | |||
Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
Name : Lion (58) | Piercy Brett (c.1710-1781) | 52 Killed, 107 Wounded | |
Royaume de France | |||
French Ships | |||
Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
Name : L'Elisabeth | Pierre Dehau (d.1745), Pierre Jean Bart (1712-1759)† | 57 Killed, 176 Wounded CO Killed | |
Name : Le Du Teillay (18) | Antoine Walsh (1703-?) | ||