The Commanders of the Second and Third Divifions of this Squadron, were the Comte de Guichen and the Sieur Hector. REAR-GUARD.-Blue Squadron. H. S. H. The Duc de Chartres, Lieutenant-General. Note 111. Lift of the Killed and Wounded on board Admiral Lieutenant Nicholas Clifford, fecond of the Formidable. Note 113. Letter from Admiral Keppel, to Philip Stevens, R Efq; Secretary of the Admiralty. 66 SIR, Victory, at Sea, July 30, 1778. My letters of the 23d and 24th inftant, by the Peggy and Union cutters, acquainted you, for their Lordships information, That I was in purfuit, with the King's fleet under my command, of a numerous fleet of French fhips of war. From that time, till the 27th, the winds conftantly in the S. W. and N. W. quarters, fometimes blowing strong, and the French fleet always to windward going off, I made ufe of every method to close in with them that was poffible, keeping the King's fhips at the fame 13 time, time collected, as much as the nature of a purfuit "would admit of, and which became neceffary from the cautious manner the French proceeded in, and the difinclination that appeared in them to allow of my bringing the King's fhips clofe up to a regular engagement: This left but little other chance of getting in with them, than by feizing the opportunity that offered, the morning of the 27th, by the wind's admitting of the van of the King's fleet under my command, leading up with, and clofing with, their centre and rear. The French began firing upon the headmost of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harland's divifion, and the fhips with him, as they led up; which cannonade the leading ships and the Vice-Admiral foon returned, as did every ship as they could clofe up: The chace had occafioned their being extended, nevertheless they were all foon in battle. The fleets, being upon different tacks, paffed each other very clofe: the object of the French feemed to be the difabling the King's fhips in their mafts and fails, in which they fo far fucceeded as to prevent many of the fhips of my fleet being able to follow me when I wore to stand after the French fleet; this obliged me to wear again, to join those ships, and thereby allowed of the French forming their fleet again, and range it in a line to leeward of the King's fleet, towards the clofe of the day; which I did not discourage, but allowed of their doing it, without firing upon them, thinking they meant handfomely to try their force with us the next morning; but they had been fo beaten in the day, that they took the advantage of the night to go off. The wind and weather being fuch that they could reach their own fhores before there was any chance of the King's fleet getting up with them, in the state the fhips were in, in their masts, yards, and fails, left me no choice of what was proper and adviseable to do. The fpirited conduct of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harland, ViceAdmiral Sir Hugh Pallifer, and the captains of the fleet, fupported by their officers and men, deferves much commendotion. A lift of the killed and wounded is herewith inclofed. I fend Captain Faulknor, captain of the Victory, with this account to their Lordships; and am, Sir, your moft obedient and very humble fervant, A, KEPPEL. Note Note 114. Lift of the Fleet under Admiral Keppel, which failed from St. Helens, September 28th, on a cruize, and their Line of Battle. Note 115. Charges of Misconduct against Admiral Keppel. 1. THAT on the morning of the 17th of July 1778, having a fleet of thirty ships of the line, under his command, and being then in the prefence of a French fleet, of the like number of ships of the line, the faid Admiral Keppel did not make the neceffary preparations for fight; did not put his fleet into a line of battle, or into any order, proper either for receiving or attacking an enemy of fuch force; but, on the contrary, although his fleet was already dispersed and in diforder, he, by making the fignal for several ships of the Vice-Admiral of the Blue's divifion to chace to windward, increased the disorder, of that part of his fleet, and the fhips were in confequence more fcattered than they had been before; and whilft in this disorder, he advanced to the enemy, and made the fignal for battle. That the above conduct was the more unaccountable, as the enemy's fleet was not then in disorder, nor beaten, nor flying, but found in a regular line of battle on that tack which approached the British fleet, all their motions indicating plainly a defign to give battle, and they edged down and attacked it whilft in diforder. By this unoffi cer-like conduct, a general engagement was not brought on; but the other flag-officers and captains were left to engage, without order or regularity; from whence great confufion enfued; fome of his ships were prevented getting into action at all, others were not near enough to the enemy, and fome from the confufion fired into others of the King's fhips, and did them confiderable damage, and the Vice-Admiral of the Blue was left alone to engage fingly, and unfupported. In these instances, the faid Admiral Keppel negligently performed the duty imposed on him. 2. That after the van and centre divifions of the British fleet paffed the rear of the enemy, the Admiral did not immediately tack and double upon the enemy with those two divifions, and continue the battle; nor did he collect them together at that time, and keep fo near the enemy, as to be in readiness to renew the battle as foon as it might be proper: but, on the contrary, he flood away beyond the enemy to a great distance, before he wore to ftand towards them again, leaving the Vice-Admiral of the Blue engaged with the enemy, and expofed to be cut off. 3. That, after the Vice-Admiral of the Blue had paffed the laft of the enemy's ships, and immediately wore, and laid his own ship's head towards the enemy again, being then in their wake, and at a little distance only, and expecting the Admiral to advance with all the fhips to renew the fight, the Admiral did not advance for that purpose, but shortened fail, and hauled down the fignal for battle: nor did he at that time, or at any other time whilst ftanding towards the enemy, call the fhips together in order to renew the attack, as he might have done; particularly the Vice-Admiral of the Red and his divifion, |