allantly defended her. We have
lost twenty-six brave fellows and fifty wounded in our ship only. We have
captured sixteen sail of the line, French and Spanish, and sunk one of the
line and one blew up. We are now going for Gibraltar to refit, as we are
decently maul'd. We were twenty-six of the line, three frigates, a cutter
and a schooner. I am very sorry to relate Lord Nelson has gloriously
fallen, covered with heroic wounds. Captain Tyler is wounded rather
dangerously, but I hope he will soon recover. The French Admiral Magon, in
the _Algerzaries_ (_sic_), of equal force, laid us alongside, and
attempted boarding, but found it ineffectual. At the same time we were
engaged by three other sail of the line. After engaging this fine fellow
for about an hour he struck his flag, and we took possession of her
(_sic_); in short, with this noble ship's company we humbled three of
nearly equal force. This battle, my beloved, plainly shows it is not
always to the strong. An Almighty Hand fought it for us. To Him we trust
in this and every future event. May He protect my Sarah."

NOTE D.

Captain Hoffman's report to the Admiralty of the loss of the Apelles:--

"VERDUN, FRANCE, _May 28th, 1812_.

"SIR,--Captain Boxer, of H.M.S. _Skylark_, and my senior officer, having
communicated to me on the evening of the 2nd of May he had received
information of a large division of the flotilla being in readiness to
escape from Boulogne to Cherberg that night, he thought it necessary that
his sloop the _Skylark_ and the _Apelles_, under my command, should be
kept as close in shore as possible between Boulogne and Etaples in order
to intercept them. But it is with feelings of regret I have to acquaint
you, for the information of the Lords of the Admiralty, that on Sunday,
A.M. the 3rd of May, H.M.S. _Apelles_ ran aground about eighteen miles to
the westward of Boulogne, as also did H.M.S. _Skylark_. The wind at this
time was moderate at N.E. with a dense fog.

"The sloop, on a wind, heads E.S.E., going about five knots an hour, the
land not perceived. Shortly after it became clear enough to discern that
we were about a musket shot from a battery elevated above our mastheads,
which, on perceiving our situation, opened a most destructive fire on the
_Apelles_, she being the nearest vessel. During this time the boats were
got out, and an anchor carried astern